The Legacy: Trouble Comes Disguised As Family (Unspoken Book 2) by T. Belshaw (the best books to read .txt) 📗

cupboard in the back of her mind where such distressing memories were securely locked away. She could picture the event as if it had happened a few seconds earlier.

Jess was in her room, reading a second-hand book she had been given for her birthday. The majority of her toys and books that held any value were stored safely at Nana’s farmhouse where she would sleep over most Friday and Saturday nights, as well as a week at a time during school holidays.

Her attention was caught by an argument her parents were having in the next room. Her father’s voice was raised, there was nothing new in that, but it was the pleading response from her mother that made her want to listen in. She crawled out of bed, opened her door a crack, cocked her head to one side.

‘It’s only for a few weeks. I can’t see why you’re so opposed to the idea.’

‘It’s disgusting, Owen. I’m not going to do it.’

Jess heard a thud as if something heavy had been thrown onto the floor.

‘Come on, Nic. Just a few weeks. I’ll be hanging around to make sure you’re safe.’

Nicola began to sob.

‘Owen. I’m not going on the game and that’s that. It doesn’t matter if it’s one night or every night for a year. I’m not going to do it. My reputation around here is bad enough as it is.’

‘But it’s the only way out,’ Owen roared.

‘You do it then,’ Nicola screamed back at him. ‘I’m sure there are plenty of men willing to pay for your services.’

‘Now you’re being ridiculous. Come on. Just try it. It probably won’t be as bad as you think.’

‘No, Owen.’

‘You’d rather see me in hospital than do this little thing for me. That’s nice. You know what the Duncan brothers are like. I’ll be lucky if I can ever walk again.’

Jessica had no idea which game her father was demanding her mother take part in, but it didn’t seem to be a game that she wanted to play. The voices quietened for a while, then Owen spoke again, this time with a more persuasive tone to his voice.

‘Nicola, come on. Put something sexy on. We’ll just go out and have a look to see what it’s like. You don’t have to bring anyone home tonight. Just stand near the railway station with the other girls. They’re not a patch on you, Nic. You can do it, just have a drink first. It will be fine. I’ll be watching out for you.’

‘What about Jess? We can’t just leave her.’

‘I’ll look after Jess if you bring anyone home. Come on, you can do it.’

Jess decided that she didn’t like the idea of being left alone while her parents went out to play games. They had left her alone when they went out to a New Year’s Eve party and had promised to be back by a minute after midnight, but Jess had stayed awake, frightened and alone, jumping at every creak the old house made, until they finally got home at three in the morning.

She pushed her door open and made her eyes into slits as she stepped along the landing to her parents’ room.

‘Mummy, I have a pain.’

‘Jessica! Go back to bed,’ her father ordered.

‘But I have a pain, I think I’m going to be sick.’

The door flew open a few seconds later and her mother appeared pulling a dressing gown over black lingerie.

‘Oh, Jess, come on let’s get you back to bed. Mummy will sit with you until the pain has gone. Do you think a glass of warm milk will help, maybe an aspirin?’

She led Jess back to her bed and lay down alongside, stroking her hair to soothe her.

‘I don’t want you and Daddy to play the game, Mummy.’ Jess began to cry.

Nicola looked across at Owen, standing in the open doorway, then turned her attention back to her daughter.

‘I don’t want to either, my sweetheart. So, we won’t play it. I promise.

Chapter 18

The next morning, Jess was woken by the rattle of the door’s heavy knocker echoing up the stairs from the hall. Rubbing her eyes, she picked up her phone to check the time.

‘Seven-thirty. Who the hell?’

She sat up, remembering not only that her father was calling in, but the dreadful memories that had haunted her sleep. She swung her legs off the bed, and yawning, stood up and stretched. The banging became more intense, then the sound of a muffled voice came through the letterbox.

‘Jess.’

‘Sod it, you can wait,’ she muttered, reaching for her dressing gown.

She walked through to the shower room, had her first pee of the day, cleaned her teeth, then took a leisurely look at herself in the wall mirror. She dragged a brush through her hair, then walked back to the bedroom just as her phone rang. She picked it up to see ‘unknown caller’ on the screen. Refusing to answer, she stepped onto the landing and walked to the front window. Outside, on the asphalt parking bay, her father was looking angrily at his phone. He pressed a button and Jess’s phone rang again. This time she answered.

‘Yes.’

‘Jess, It’s Dad, love, are you going to let me in?’

‘What time do you call this, Dad? It’s Saturday you know?’

‘I do know, but you said you had to get ready to go out?’

‘Good heavens, Dad. It won’t take me four hours to get ready.’

There was a pause, then he spoke again. ‘Well, can I come in?’

Jess sighed and hung up. She slipped her phone into the pocket of her dressing gown and walked slowly down the stairs, stretching as she went. She paused at the front door, in two minds whether to let him in or not. The old memories hadn’t yet returned to the locked room in the recesses of her mind.

‘Hello, Dad,’ she sighed as she opened the door.

He saw the indifferent look on her face and turned on the charm, leaning forward to kiss her cheek. Jess pulled her head