The Stranger by Mark Ayre (books you need to read TXT) 📗

I always wanted to be more like him, but a leopard can't change its spots, and no one would call me Eddie. Well, no one except Danny."

Abbie remembered the argument between the siblings. Remembered Danny saying "Eddie". More than that, she remembered Danny's tone.

"He used it as a slur?"

"Yeah," said Eddie. "Whenever he wanted to get under my skin. Calling me Eddie always pushed the right buttons."

More whiskey. This one was half gone already.

"I'm sorry about your brother," said Abbie.

"We used to fight non-stop," said Eddie. There were tears in his eyes. "But I loved him, and he loved me. Jess hated the way I always ran to him when he needed help. Said I had a hero complex. That's why I let him lean on me, but that wasn't it. It wasn't that I felt responsible for him; I loved him. I wanted him to be okay. But I didn't do enough. I should have known something like this would happen in the end."

Finishing his whiskey, he replaced the glass and picked the knife up from his side. Staring at the blade, a look of longing entered his eyes.

"I'm sorry," said Abbie. "But you can't kill Leona."

"You won't stop me," he said.

"I won't have to."

"You think I'm weak?" he said. This with some offence, but that dropped from his voice to make way for resignation almost immediately. "Doesn't matter; everyone does."

"Killing is easy. It takes strength to let those we hate live. You're strong, and you won't kill Leona."

"We'll see."

In Abbie's hand was the card she had taken from Leona's bag. Now she placed it on the table, folded, and slid it to Eddie.

"What's this?" he asked.

"The reason you won't kill Leona."

Eddie stared at the folded card, then back at Abbie. "Is this a trick?"

Abbie shook her head. "No trick."

Eddie was reticent. Curiosity got the better of him. Still clutching the knife in one hand, he leaned forward and collected the slip of paper with the other. Between trembling fingers, he held the card and stared at the white back. For several seconds, he kept like that, then he turned the card, unfolded it, stared at it as Abbie had stared at it upon pulling it from Leona's bag.

"What is this?" he said, his voice hoarse, lost.

Abbie had half a mind not to answer such a stupid question, but Eddie was in shock. She decided to cut him some slack.

"You know what it is," she said. "You must have seen one just like it a few months back."

"No," he said, but he wasn't saying he hadn't seen one. He was rejecting what his eyes were telling him.

"Yes, Ed. It's an ultrasound. Leona's pregnant."

The ultrasound slipped from Eddie's fingers, fluttered to the floor.

Abbie said, "You're going to be an uncle."

Twenty-Three

Rising, Eddie took the knife, crossed to the dining room table, stood there for several seconds, then returned. At the sofa, he made as though to sit down, then stopped himself. He stared at Abbie. He shook his head. He started to move to the table again, then stopped again. Like Travis had earlier, Eddie pointed a shaking finger in Abbie’s face.

“No.”

Abbie sighed. “No, what?”

“It’s not true.”

“What’s not true? Do you think the ultrasound is fake?”

“It’s not Danny’s. That baby isn’t Danny’s.”

Standing, Abbie leaned over the table. From the floor, she collected the ultrasound before returning to her seat. Eddie still stood.

“Then whose?” she said.

“Francis’.”

Abbie shrugged. “Possible. But unlikely. Francis paid someone to steal Leona’s bag. He suspected what was going to be inside. That suggests she was keeping things from him.”

“Probably waiting to tell him.”

Abbie shook her head. “This isn’t a pregnancy test. This is a twelve-week scan. Leona’s been hiding this a while. Freaking out. Trying to decide what to do. Hoping Francis doesn’t learn the truth, but he suspects.”

“It’s not Danny’s.”

“You’re in shock,” said Abbie. “I get it, but you have to try think clearly. If Leona was sleeping with your brother, it stands to reason she would be having less sex, if any, with her husband. If she was sleeping with them both, who would be more likely to use protection; Francis or Danny?”

“Danny didn’t use protection,” said Eddie.

“Okay. Weird that you know that—“

Eddie waved a hand. “Danny wouldn’t wear protection. He was enamoured by this woman. When they were together, it was intoxicating. He couldn’t breathe for desire. It wouldn’t even have crossed his mind. Stupid prick.”

Rising from her chair, Abbie outstretched her hand, the ultrasound between her fingers. She wanted Eddie to take it. As though she were offering him a writhing squid monster, he looked at the ultrasound with disgust.

“I don’t want it.”

“Your brother is dead,” said Abbie.

“You think I hadn’t noticed?”

“I want you to notice more than his absence. I want you to notice this baby.”

“Not a baby.”

“Yes, a baby. Like the one your wife’s carrying or the one you lost.”

“Don’t you talk about that.”

“Then don’t make me. Don’t be a child. You have a baby on the way, and the kid Jess is carrying is no longer your only responsibility.”

Horror spread across Eddie’s face as he realised what Abbie was saying. He reached out a hand but only to knock the ultrasound free. Once more, it fluttered to the floor.

“Very mature,” said Abbie.

“Not my baby,” he said. “Leona’s.”

“You want Leona to raise your family?” said Abbie. “What do you think Francis is going to do when he finds out? He might kill her.”

“I want her dead. If Francis doesn’t kill her, I will.”

“And what about the baby?”

He looked at her with cold eyes. “I’m pro-choice.”

Faster than lighting, Abbie moved to Eddie. In a vice grip, she grabbed the wrist of his knife-clasping hand. Her other hand came to Eddie’s stomach.

He folded at the waist, spluttering. Abbie’s punching hand she now used to grab Eddie’s throat and lift him upright. Her other hand still on his wrist, she twisted him around and pointed him to the door.

“Any second, Leona might step through there. Tell me, could you take this knife—“ Abbie shook