Read Online Frey by Faith Gibson - Free Book Online Page B

cabinet where he kept his alcohol and
grabbed a bottle of whiskey. Abbi didn’t drink the stuff, so she
didn’t know which man he chose. Jack, Jim, Johnny… they were all the same to her.
“And that Neanderthal? What the fuck was he on about? I bet he was
there to play back up to the fag.” Troy didn’t bother with a glass.
He took a swig directly out of the bottle. Turning to Abbi, he
pointed at her, bottle in hand. “Are you even fucking listening to
me? I’m going on fucking second shift. Tomorrow. Bitch didn’t give
me a good reason. Just said something about personnel changes and
what’s best for the department.”
    Abbi sat silently at the table. She
continued to sit with the pencil in her hand, scared to move even
to lay it down. Troy paced the kitchen, stopping only to take a
drink from his bottle before grabbing Abbi’s bicep with his free
hand. He squeezed her arm to make his point, “This does not mean
you get free rein, you hear me? I will have people watching you.
You are to come straight home. Do not pass go. Do not collect two
hundred dollars. Am I clear on that, Abigail?”
    “ Yes, Troy. You’re clear.”
Abbi said nothing else, because anything else might set him off. As
of now he was a slow smoldering fuse with the fuse several feet
long. If she said the wrong thing, that fuse could be cut short and
blow with her in the line of fire. She wasn’t in the mood for
shrapnel.
    “ Yeah, we’re clear. I’m
going to bed. Since I don’t have to go to work in the morning, you
better be quiet when you get up and not wake me. You got it?” Troy
asked with the almost empty bottle hanging by his side.
    “ I got it,” Abbi said
softly. He gave her arm another bruising squeeze before he
retreated to their bedroom, slamming the door. Abbi let out her
breath, thankful she had dodged that load of dynamite. She stood
from the table to fix herself a plate of food. Now that Troy was
home, she was allowed to eat. The backdoor opened, and Matt walked
in, or rather bounced in. He didn’t say a word until Abbi gave him
the all clear, pointing down the hall. She mimicked drinking, their
code that Troy was drunk.
    Matt made his way to the stove to see what
was for supper. “Are you hungry?” she asked him, knowing it was a
dumb question. Her brother was always hungry.
    “ Yep,” he said as he
removed a plate from the cabinet. When he didn’t carry on about his
day, Abbi grew suspicious. As hyper as he was, he was also as
talkative when it was just the two of them.
    “ Okay, spill. What’s up
with you?” She crossed her arms over her chest and leaned against
the counter.
    “ Geoffrey’s going to teach
me meditation. I think it’s a crazy idea, but he says it will help
channel some of my energy. His brother, some genius, is going to
tutor me in math for the SAT’s.” Matt quieted, and looked down the
hall. When he was assured the door to her bedroom was closed, he
came back. “Abbi, one of Geoffrey’s cousins works on the police
force.”
    Abbi grabbed his arm, moving him farther
away from the hall into the laundry room. She didn’t shut the door
in case Troy came back. “Matty, what did you do? Please tell me you
didn’t talk to another cop about Troy!” she begged. If word got out
Troy was abusing them, he would be ruined. There would be
repercussions. Crap! Repercussions like being put on second shift.
“Oh my god, you did, didn’t you?”
    “ Abbi, he’s not just a
cop. He’s a detective. He said he can help us. Help you get away
from Troy,” Matt grabbed her wrists as he whispered. “Let them help
you, please Abs. Please!”
    Abbi peeked out the laundry room door,
listening for any sign of her husband. If he found out she was even
considering leaving, his ire would be the likes of which they’d
never seen. “Matt, what exactly did you tell the detective?”
    “ The truth, Abs. All of
it. From the time mom and dad were killed up until now,” her
brother said,