Read Online Taunting the Dead by Mel Sherratt - Free Book Online Page B

made it, especially moving off that scratty estate. Who cared that she wasn’t doing anything to make any money? If Terry wanted a good-looking bird on his arm, then that would be her full-time job. But that was when it had all started to go wrong.
    Her eyes felt heavy as she tried to concentrate on the television. What was that man going on about on the screen? She grabbed the remote and switched over to another channel. But minutes later, the wine bottle empty at her side, the room began to spin and she closed her eyes for a second.
    Waking up with a jolt as she heard a door slam shut and voices in the distance, Steph opened her eyes and tried to focus. What time was it? Shit. She saw Terry throw his keys across the kitchen worktop, saw a pair of black ballet-style pumps. Then a face appeared in front of her.
    ‘Fuck!’ she yelled, jumping up quickly. ‘You nearly gave me a heart attack, you stupid cow.’
    ‘Yuck.’ Kirstie moved her face away as she grimaced. ‘You’re pissed again.’ She picked up the near empty wine bottle. ‘Have you drunk all of this in one session?’
    Steph snatched the bottle back and immediately wished she hadn’t as the room began to spin. She sat still to gain her wits. Glancing over towards the kitchen, she saw that Kirstie was now helping Terry to put a few bags of shopping away. Thank God. Kirstie must have been to Tesco. She’d forgotten to place an order online in her rush this morning.
    ‘I fell asleep,’ Steph said by way of explanation when she’d dragged herself over to join them. She pulled herself onto a stool and rested her head in her hands.
    ‘I gathered that much by the state of you.’ Terry’s tone was accusatory, to say the least.
    Steph sighed. Shit, she’d forgotten she’d had her hair done. She didn’t dare look at the state it would be in now. Hopefully she’d be able to salvage it later.
    They stared at each other for a moment before he turned away.
    ‘Kirstie, get me a glass of water, girl.’
    Kirstie ran the cold water, thrust the glass under the tap and then pushed it over to her. Terry opened a drawer and slid a small box of headache tablets along the work surface.
    ‘I can’t believe you’re drunk again,’ he muttered. ‘You show me up tonight and there will be trouble.’
    ‘I am not drunk,’ Steph corrected him. ‘I’ve slept it off.’
    ‘You’re drunk,’ he repeated.
    ‘Whatever you say.’ She tried to salute him but in doing so lost her footing. Kirstie caught her before she slid off the stool completely.
    ‘Jeez, Mum, you’re such an embarrassment. It’s barely teatime.’
    Steph held on to her head as she tried to support herself on the stool again. ‘I must be coming down with something,’ she replied. ‘I haven’t been feeling too good lately. As well as being sick, I’m having headaches. I’ve been to see Doctor Turner. He reckons they might be hormonal.’
    ‘More likely you were suffering from a hang-over each time,’ Terry retorted.
    ‘Don’t start on me the minute you come through the front door.’
    Terry laughed, and not a happy-go-lucky laugh – more an evil-sick-to-the-back-teeth-of-you snort. As Kirstie left the kitchen area to sit in the family room, Terry grabbed Steph’s chin and squeezed it hard.
    ‘Everything I do is for us. I made you but I can break you too.’ He snapped his fingers loudly next to her ear, causing her to jump. ‘You’d do well to remember that.’
    ‘Don’t say that, Tel.’ Steph tried to pull away but he squeezed her chin harder. ‘Gerroff me!’
    ‘You stink of alcohol. You’d better gargle a gallon of mouthwash before this evening.’ He jabbed a finger so close to her eye she thought he’d have it out.
    ‘I’m sorry,’ she managed to whisper. ‘I’ll make it up to you.’ For a second, she thought he was going to hit out at her. Then his grip loosened and he dropped his hand. In a flash, his trademark smile was back.
    ‘No,’ he shook his head slightly,