Deep Water by Mark Ayre (best big ereader TXT) 📕

“Quite right. Unless… you’re not a Kennedy, are you?”

The boy’s eyes narrowed. This wasn’t going quite right. Jacob was trying to scare Abbie or make her feel shitty because he felt shitty. Her sarcasm indicated it wasn’t working and that only served to further frustrate him. Frustration wasn’t Abbie’s intention, but he wanted a fight, not placation. Abbie needed to push the right buttons.

“You ain’t a hero,” he said. “I’m not going to thank you. Just leave me alone.”

He turned from her to Charlie, who still lay in the sand. He approached and stood over the other teen. Stared at Charlie’s cheek because Charlie wouldn’t look at Jacob.

He spat in Charlie’s face.

“I won’t tell my father about you,” said Jacob. “I want to deal with you myself.”

Raising a foot, he stamped on Charlie’s face. Giving a cry, Charlie started to roll. Jacob stamped on his shoulder. As Charlie fell on his front, Jacob raised his foot a third time.

Abbie caught the angry teen’s arm and dragged him from the whimpering mess in the sand.

“That’s enough,” she said.

“Don’t touch me,” said Jacob. “Get off.”

Abbie didn’t.

“You hit him,” said Jacob. “Picked him up and shook him. Looked like you were going to beat the crap out of him, so what gives?”

“I was angry,” said Abbie. “Overcome by a moment of furious madness. You brought me to my senses, for which I’m grateful. Now, I’m returning the favour. Step back, take a breath, leave Charlie alone. He’s not worth it”

“Don’t tell me what to do,” said Jacob. With utter disdain, he looked at her hand, still on his arm. “Get off me.”

“Okay,” she said. “But if you try attack Charlie, I’ll stop you.”

Jacob sneered. It was an ‘I’d like to see you try’ sneer.

“Perhaps you’ve forgotten what I did to Gray, Ana and their cameraman back in that little cave. You really want to fight me on this?”

Jacob didn’t. A torch of reason pierced the fog of anger. He knew, if he tried to attack Charlie, Abbie would stop him. In a fight with the older woman, he stood no chance of victory.

Like with Ellie and Francine, Jacob needed an excuse. Something that extradited him from the situation without a further shot to his pride. It was more important to Jacob than it had been to the women in the cave. Ana had broken him. He knew what he had been about to do with Gray. Abbie had saved him.

For Jacob, that was almost the worst part. That it was a woman who broke him and a woman who saved him.

Looking at Charlie, Abbie said, “Disappear.”

Charlie looked at her. “What?”

“Go. Leave. Depart. How much clearer do you need me to be?”

Charlie began to rise.

“No,” said Jacob. “I’m not done with him.”

Abbie hadn’t released Jacob’s arm. The teen could have yanked in an attempt to free himself and gone after Charlie while Abbie stumbled. That he only wriggled a little, and in none too convincing fashion, indicated Abbie had been correct. He was afraid to go against Abbie. Charlie leaving solved his problem.

By now, Charlie was on his feet. He looked at Jacob for the first time. Opened his mouth, and Abbie saw the word on his lips.

“Your apologies will mean nothing,” she said. “Go home. Think about the kind of person you’ve proven yourself to be today. I don’t think you’ll like it, but only through acceptance of who we are can we become something better.”

Charlie was still staring. He looked at Abbie as though she might have more.

“That’s it. I’m all out of fortune cookie wisdom,” she said. “Last chance to leave. I can’t hold him much longer.”

With the pitiful effort Jacob was putting into trying to escape, Abbie could have held him another decade. Charlie couldn’t tell or chose not to see it. Turning, he fled up the beach, towards the nearest set of stone steps.

When he had halved the distance between them and the steps, Abbie released Jacob. He hadn’t been expecting freedom. After stumbling, he rounded on Abbie.

“You should have let me have him,” he said. “Who do you think you are?”

“Haven’t we done this bit?”

“Yeah,” he said. “You’re right; we have. And I’m done with you. Better hope I don’t see you again.”

He turned. Abbie looked towards the cave; saw movement. Maybe Ana was still coming around. Perhaps she was dead, and the police were on their way. Perhaps everyone was okay, and the gang was preparing to charge Abbie.

Didn’t matter.

“You sure you want to walk off on your own?” said Abbie.

When Jacob turned back, Abbie nodded towards the cave, towards Ana and her entourage.

“Ana might be alright. If she is, she might come after me. It’s just as likely she’ll come after you. What happens if they catch you before you get where you’re going?”

Jacob wanted to hit Abbie with an immediate, fearless retort. Couldn’t help himself spinning back, examining the cave, nor keep the shiver off his shoulders as he imagined Ana catching him.

“I hope she comes for me,” he said. He was a worse liar than Ellie. “They got Charlie to bring me here before. Surprised me. Won’t happen again. Next time I’ll—“

“You’ll what?” said Abbie. Her face was flat. She pitied the boy but didn’t show it. “I’d be happy to walk you home.”

She didn’t expect Jacob to accept her offer, graciously or otherwise, but had to ask. It was unlikely Ana would come for Jacob again tonight. Clearly, there was friction between the pair. Abbie feared for the boy—wished there was a way she could convince him to accept her as a temporary escort.

“I don’t need some bitch babysitting me,” said Jacob. “Just piss off, alright?”

Abbie shrugged. Jacob turned away.

“You don’t have to feel guilty for what happened this morning,” said Abbie. “For what you almost did. Don’t have to hate yourself either.”

He froze. Didn’t look back. Abbie could only imagine the hateful visage into which he was twisting his face.

“Only people I hate is Ana, her cronies, her family,” Jacob