The Legacy: Trouble Comes Disguised As Family (Unspoken Book 2) T. Belshaw (management books to read .txt) 📖

pig-stained overalls. Make it about two o’clock if you can. I’ll get Miriam to take Martha for a long walk.’

‘Monday it is then,’ Godfrey replied. There was a long silence and I began to think we’d been cut off. Then his smooth, velvety voice returned to my ear.

‘I love you, Alice. Good night.’

Chapter 21

At seven o’clock on Saturday evening, Nicola took a deep swig from her glass of strong cider and unfolded the paper wrapping from the two portions of fish and chips she had just bought from Jackson’s chip shop on Middle Street.

Tipping the contents onto two warmed up dinner plates, she carried them through to the front room, placed them carefully down on the coffee table, then went back to the kitchen to retrieve her cider. When she returned to the living room, Bill was typing something into his phone.

‘Eat them while they’re hot, Owen. I mean, Bill,’ she said. ‘Don’t waste them, they cost a fortune these days. Fish and chips used to be a cheap family meal back in the—’

‘For God’s sake, stop wittering on, woman. Can’t you see I’m conducting business here?’

‘Sorry… Bill.’ Nicola picked up a chip and nibbled on it.

‘They’ve never tasted the same since they switched from cooking them in fat to oil.’

She dropped the half-eaten chip onto her plate and leaned back on the sofa with her glass in her hand. ‘Shall we see what’s on the tele?’

Bill stood up, grabbed his dinner plate and stormed into the kitchen. ‘I said I was busy.’

Nicola sighed and switched on the TV as the contestants taking part in Strictly Come Dancing, were giving their all. Nicola let the sounds of the excited audience wash over her for a few minutes, then, leaving her cooling dinner on the coffee table, she walked back through to the kitchen. Bill had finished texting for the moment and was washing his dinner down with a glass of Nicola’s strong cider as he scoured the day’s newspaper for the evening dog racing cards.

‘Haven’t you got anything better than this muck?’ he asked, pulling a face. ‘It’s sour.’

‘I had a bottle of wine from last night’s meal, but you drank it when we got home,’ she reminded him.

‘Nip over to the shop and get something a bit better, will you?’

As Nicola held out her hand for the money. Bill widened his eyes.

‘What? Come on, Nic, you know I’m skint.’ He spread butter onto a thin slice of bread and heaped a pile of chips onto it. Folding it in half he bit into the sandwich and pointed towards the door. ‘Beer will do… and not that cheap crap either.’

Ten minutes later, Nicola returned with a six pack of lager and another bottle of cheap, strong cider.

Bill looked up from the race cards as she entered the kitchen.

‘What kept you? I missed the 19.34 race.’ He checked his phone for the result and shrugged. ‘Wouldn’t have won anyway. I picked traps five and two.’ He looked up from the phone at Nicola who was still holding the cans of bitter. ‘I hope you got cold ones. Pour one out, put the rest in the fridge.’

Nicola rinsed a glass under the cold tap, snapped open a can and poured him a glass of beer. Placing it in front of him on the kitchen table, she opened the refrigerator door and put the remaining cans on the almost empty shelves.

‘When do you have to go home?’ she asked. ‘I thought we could do something tomorrow.’

‘I’ll be busy tomorrow,’ Bill replied. ‘Look, Nic, can you transfer a few quid to my bank account. There are three or four dogs I really fancy tonight, but I’m short of funds.’

‘I’m short of funds too, Owen.’

‘Bill.’

‘I’m short of funds too, Bill. I had to buy groceries, and fish and chips… and your beer.’

‘You got paid yesterday didn’t you?’

‘Yes, but most of it goes on rent.’

‘I thought our Jess had sorted that out for you. Come on, Nic. I only want a hundred quid, I’m not after your whole month’s pay.’

‘I don’t have a hundred quid. I had to pay Mrs Saur for the credit I ran up over the month.’

‘How much have you got then?’

‘About forty. I don’t get my Universal Credit until next week.’

Bill sighed. ‘Forty will have to do then.’ He held up his phone so that Nicola could copy down his account number.

‘How do I do it?’

‘Do what?’ Bill looked puzzled.

‘How do I transfer the money?’ Nicola said nervously. ‘I don’t have my bank on my phone. It’s too old.’

‘For God’s sake, Nicola, you really are useless. I’ll have to go to the bookies shop. Give me your bank card, I’ll draw the money from the cash point.’

An hour later, Bill let himself into the house. Ignoring Nicola, he walked straight through to the kitchen and took a beer from the fridge. Snapping the ring pull, he took a deep gulp, and sat down at the table. Nicola followed him in, forcing a smile.

‘Did you win?’

Bill scowled at her.

‘No, the races were fixed. That track is famous for it.’

‘So, why did you—’

Bill threw the half full can of beer at her, hitting her on the cheek.

‘Get out of my sight,’ he said.

Holding her hand to her face, Nicola ran to the stairs, then, turning back, she grabbed a cider bottle by the neck and hurried up the steps.

At one o’clock, she was dragged into wakefulness as she felt a weight on top of her.

‘Owen,’ she whispered, as she opened her eyes. She held a hand up to touch his face. Ignoring her, he pulled up her nightdress, pushed his knee between hers and forced her legs apart.

‘There’s no need to be so rough I’m not going to fight you,’ she said soothingly.

Bill, guided himself into her and began to thrust. Less than a minute later he rolled off, and pulling up his trousers, walked out of the room.

The following morning, Nicola got up late, she walked into the front room to