Damned and Cursed (Book 6): Broken Home by Glenn Bullion Read Free Book Online Page A

picking up."
    "She's looking for Mark," Janet said.
    Byron rolled his eyes.   "So observant."   He rose to his feet.   "She'll look through the backyards next.   Then she'll come over here.   Will she knock on the back door or the front?"
    "The front."
    "The truth," he said.   "Was that so hard?"
    He calmly walked toward the children.   Circling behind them, he leaned Mark's chair back and dragged him across the carpet.   Sarah shook in her chair and bounced up and down.
    "Everyone be quiet, or I'll kill every single one of you."   His voice was relaxed, calm, which made his threats all the more frightening.   Sarah stopped bouncing.   "Janet, make yourself presentable.   You look like you've been sleeping on a carpet for half a day.   Mary will knock on the door."   He gestured to Mark as he set the chair upright in the corner, out of view from outside the front door.   "She'll ask if you've seen old piss-stain, here.   Simply say you haven't, or he's dead, or whatever lie you want to come up with.   Then she'll say your husband called her, and said he'd have to work late.   So late, actually, that you shouldn't wait up for him."
    "What?" Janet said.   "What are you talking—?"
    "Just send her on her way."   Byron dragged Sarah and Elizabeth together, and positioned them next to Mark.   "I'll be standing right here with the kiddies.   Do I need to tell you what will happen if you try to send a message or call for help?"
    Janet regarded her daughters.   They had been through Hell.
    "No.   I won't try anything."
    Byron leaned down in between Sarah and Elizabeth.   "You hear that, girls?   Your mom is finally getting it together.   Now, you have to, also.   Don't make any noise."   He looked up at Janet.   "It's almost show-time.   You'd better get ready."
    There was a knock at the front door.   Janet took a deep breath.
    "Just one second!"
    Stopping in front of the mirror hanging on the wall, she ran a hand through her hair.   Her eyes were red from sobbing, her cheeks puffy.   She adjusted her blouse, out of place from being unconscious on the floor.
    Another knock.
    "I'm coming!"
    Janet pulled open the front door, doing her best to flash her brightest smile.   Mary stood on the porch and returned the greeting.   Mark bore a strong resemblance to his mother.   They both had the same eyes, and dimples in their cheeks.   Her dark hair was pulled back in a ponytail, a look she managed nicely.   Her husband was a long distance truck driver, and she'd spent most of her time alone with Mark.   Janet hadn't gotten to know her as well as she would have liked.
    "Hey, Janet," Mary said.   She noticed Janet's slightly unkempt look.   "Are you okay?"
    Janet waved away her concern.   "Oh yeah.   Just a little sick.   And my allergies aren't helping any."
    Mary laughed.   "I know exactly what you mean.   Listen, have you seen Mark anywhere?   I saw Sarah running with him in the backyard earlier."
    "I haven't seen him.   Sarah told me he said something about playing with the boys at the end of the block."
    "Ah, the Rhodes twins?"   Mary scowled and turned to look down the street.   "I told him I didn't want him spending time with them.   I've got somewhere to be in ten minutes.   He'll make me so late."   She faced Marie, hope in her eyes.   "I know it's a lot to ask, but when he comes back this way, can you watch him for me?"
    "Of course."
    "It's no trouble?"
    "Not at all.   Sarah loves playing with him."
    "Thank you so much.   Oh!   I almost forgot.   Ed called the house.   He said the phone was busy over here."
    Janet sighed.   "Yeah.   Elizabeth was horsing around and tripped over the phone cord.   Pulled it right out of the wall.   One more thing to fix."
    "I know that feeling.   Anyway, he wanted me to tell you'd he'd be late tonight."
    Janet's mouth opened, but she couldn't form words.   Everything to that point was exactly how she'd thought a conversation with a