Girl A by Dan Scottow (easy books to read in english .TXT) 📕

Peter reached for the note in her hand. She snatched it away.

‘Nothing.’

‘It’s got blood on it.’

‘It doesn’t matter.’

Beth sprang to her feet. Peter eyed her suspiciously.

‘What’s happened to the dog, Mum?’

‘I don’t know.’

‘You’re lying.’

‘Don’t speak to me like that.’

Peter stood up. He was taller than Beth. He took a step towards her, leaning in, his face inches from her own.

‘I’ll speak to you however the fuck I like,’ he growled.

Beth could feel his hot breath on her cheek.

‘Something is going on here. You and Dad are both acting weird. Someone has done something terrible to our dog. Why?’

‘I don’t know, Peter. I heard a car. Maybe there was an accident.’

Peter slammed his fist down on the worktop. Beth flinched.

‘That’s bullshit!’ he shouted, droplets of saliva splattering Beth’s face.

‘You actually expect me to believe somebody ran over the dog, and left his blood-soaked collar on the kitchen side, but didn’t stick around to say anything? How stupid do you think I am?’

Beth didn’t reply.

‘What’s on the paper?’

‘It’s nothing!’ Beth held the note behind her back.

‘Give it to me,’ he demanded.

Beth shook her head. Peter reached round and grabbed her wrist, trying to force it round in front of her. She struggled, screwing the paper up tight in her hand.

Peter tightened his grip. For a skinny lad, he was strong.

‘You’re hurting me!’ she whined.

He pushed forwards, the weight of his body forcing Beth down sideways onto the counter. Her arm was crushed painfully between her torso and the marble edge. He tried to force the note from her hand.

Beth wriggled free somehow, and Peter fell clumsily onto the floor. She ran, but he came after her, scrambling across the kitchen tiles, grabbing at her feet. She tumbled, banging her forehead on the ground.

Peter flipped her over onto her back, straddling her. He had both hands wrapped around her clenched fist, trying to prise it open. The paper screwed up into a tight ball in her sweaty hand.

She scratched at his arms.

‘Give it to me!’

‘No!’

Beth raised a knee into Peter’s groin, and he rolled off her, doubled over in pain. She flipped onto all fours and tried to crawl away, reaching the edge of the island unit before she felt Peter’s hands around her ankles. He yanked, and she collapsed down onto the tiles, screaming.

Peter dragged her towards him. She kicked. She flailed. But it was no use. He was stronger.

Once again, he tried to wrestle the note from her hand.

‘What the hell is going on in here?’

Charlie’s voice boomed through the kitchen.

And everything stopped.

28

Charlie’s words echoed around the kitchen.

Beth rolled out from underneath Peter, who straightened up onto his knees, looking sheepish.

‘Peter?’ Charlie growled as Peter stood up.

He looked down at his feet, not saying a word.

Beth clambered up from the floor, brushing a loose strand of blonde hair from her face, tucking it up behind her ear.

‘Beth?’

She didn’t know what to say. How could she explain this? This wasn’t a mother-and-son play-fight. This was aggressive. Nasty.

Charlie took a step forward into the kitchen, and his gaze drifted to the worktop. He looked confused, unsure at first, but as his brain made sense of what he was looking at, his eyes widened in disbelief.

‘Is that… Cooper’s collar?’

He strode to the counter, picking up the bandana. Realising the blood was still wet, he dropped it on the floor, wiping his hand on his jeans.

‘What’s going on?’

Beth picked up the collar.

‘We think somebody hurt Cooper,’ Peter replied. He still didn’t dare look up at his father.

‘What do you mean, hurt him?’

Beth took a few steps towards Charlie.

‘I came down this morning… the front door was open. Cooper had escaped. It was so foggy, we couldn’t find him… but we heard him. There was… a cry, and a car drove away. There was blood on the driveway and when we got back in the house…’ Beth glanced at the collar.

Charlie stared at the red mess on the counter, trying to take it all in.

‘So you haven’t actually found the dog?’

‘No, only that,’ Peter chipped in.

‘And what did I walk in on there? Why the hell were you two… fighting?’

Beth felt a crimson patch begin to spread up her chest and onto her neck, as the shame of the situation hit her.

‘There was a note. With the collar. But she wouldn’t let me see it.’

Charlie’s eyes darted to Beth’s. She shook her head almost imperceptibly. Charlie looked back at his son.

‘She said it was nothing, but she was crying when I found her. She was trying to hide it from me. I wanted to know what was going on.’

Charlie stepped closer to Peter, towering over him. He leant in, his face right in front of his son’s.

‘And you think that gives you the right to attack your mother?’

Charlie’s voice was low, rumbling. Peter turned away.

‘Do you?’ Charlie roared, shoving his son hard on both shoulders.

Peter stumbled backwards, steadying himself on the counter.

‘Someone just killed our dog. I deserve to know. You two are hiding something. You’ve both been acting dodgy since that note came through the door.’

Charlie slammed his hand down on the worktop.

‘We are your parents. We are the adults in this house, and while you are living under our roof, you abide by our rules. And if your mother doesn’t want to tell you, you goddamn respect her decision! Do you understand?’

Peter didn’t respond. Charlie grabbed the scruff of his son’s T-shirt.

‘Do you understand?’ he bellowed.

‘Yes!’

‘Get out of my sight before I do something I regret!’

Peter scurried from the kitchen. Charlie didn’t often reprimand the kids, so when he did lose his temper, it was terrifying.

Beth crossed to the island, pulling out a stool. She eased herself onto it, sore from the struggle.

Charlie stared at her, arms folded across his chest.

Beth looked back at him defiantly.

‘The dog… is he…’ Charlie whispered.

Beth shook her head, running both hands through her hair.

‘I honestly don’t know. There was a lot of blood. And the collar. He came into our house. Whoever it was walked