The Stranger, Mark Ayre [microsoft ebook reader .TXT] 📗

I'm sorry, kid, that your mother couldn't look after you, that she spent the money I gave her on drugs. That isn't my fault, though. That isn't a reason to kill me."

"But as I told you earlier," said Abbie. "You're the reason Danny's dead. By your own admission, that's reason enough to kill you, so why don't you just shut up?”

Abbie’s words did as intended. Michael was staring at her now, eyes glistening. Jess was staring at her husband as though he had transformed into a monster. To her, in a way, he had.

His face twisted into something hideous, Eddie said, "I didn't kill my brother. I loved him."

"You didn't love him," said Abbie. "You proved that when you created a situation in which he was always going to die. I knew you’d convinced him to steal from Francis because he learned of your affair but couldn't fathom why he would listen to you and steal the money, knowing you were hopping into bed with Leona."

Jess gave a squeal. Stared at her husband, praying he would deny the charges. Eddie’s refusal to look at her almost pushed Jess over the edge. Abbie wanted to comfort the brokenhearted wife but had to press on.

“Danny took almost no convincing,” said Abbie, “because he was desperate to help his nephew. The boy he had come to love. Michael, it's so important you know this. I heard Eddie and Danny talking, and Danny mentioned loving someone. I thought he meant a woman, but he didn’t. He meant you. Danny loved you. He stole from a dangerous criminal despite knowing there was a chance his scumbag brother was setting him up because he was desperate to help you, to give you something back after everything you'd suffered. Your father stole the money, and Leona told Francis Danny was to blame. Your father told Danny he would have to run to escape retribution from Francis, all so Jess wouldn't learn of his affair."

Michael's hand was shaking on the gun. Tears were rolling down his cheeks as they were down Jess'. Abbie turned her attention to Eddie.

"You think you're not responsible for Danny's death because you refuse to accept the effect your actions have upon people. From the moment he was born, your actions made Michael believe he couldn't trust anyone. A belief that was backed up throughout his life by the men his mother interacted with, so, when he finally met Danny, and when Danny professed to care for him, to want to help, Michael struggled to believe this could be true. Danny had to work hard to make Michael trust him, to build that bond, then what did you do, Eddie? What did you do?"

Eddie looked as though he couldn't breathe. It was all coming together. Anger pulsed through Abbie, but she couldn't stop now. No way.

"You stole the money Danny planned to give to Michael, and you made your brother flee. At that moment, you shattered the last hope Michael had of happiness and made him believe his uncle was a liar. Can you imagine the rage your son must have felt when Danny disappeared? And will it surprise you to learn what happened when Danny texted Michael asking him to visit the hotel room where he was hiding out, but warned the teen there was still no money, and never would be?"

Eddie stared at Michael. Such fury and rage in his eyes. Abbie wanted to cross the room, take the gun from the boy and shoot the man herself.

She said, "Michael, you put the knife in Danny, but your father killed him. Always remember that."

Eddie rose. Anger drove him. He was ready to storm towards his son. If he did, he would die. Michael would shoot him. Abbie would try to stop him, not because Eddie didn’t deserve to die, but because Michael didn’t deserve to be pushed again into becoming a killer.

Before he could move, Jess gave a cry of pain, grabbed her stomach, and bent over.

Rage forgotten, Eddie dropped to the sofa and put his arm around his wife's shoulder.

"What's wrong? Is it the baby?"

"Get off me." It was almost a scream. Jess shoved Eddie away, stood, and staggered halfway across the room. Near Abbie, she turned and pointed back at her husband.

"Don't worry about whether you should abandon this baby or not," she said. "You're never getting near them. You repulsive, sickening creature."

Jess turned, ready to storm out the door. Before she did, she faced her husband's first child.

"I'm leaving. Shoot me if you want. Good luck telling yourself you're not a monster if you're willing to kill an innocent, unborn child. Your brother or sister.“

She went. Abbie didn't try to stop her. Michael never took the gun off Eddie. When his father dropped to his knees, putting his head in his hands and sobbing, the teen moved his weapon so that it was pointed at Eddie's skull.

"You said it was cowardly to kill and brave to let someone live," said Michael. "You were right. But it's too late. I was already a coward. I was so angry. Danny was the only person who ever cared about me besides my mother, and I let my cowardice get the better of me. I let the anger take over. I don't even know why I took the knife. I must have planned it without thinking. Then he opened the door, and I just..."

Michael choked on the words.

Abbie stepped towards him.

"I know. I get it. You were weak, and you were a coward. I blame your father for what happened, but you allowed emotion to get the better of you. You'll go to prison for what you've done."

"Exactly. So I might as well kill this piece of shit first.”

Eddie still had his head in his hands. He made no move to fight or to reject the claims his son was making. Abbie took another step forward.

"I disagree. Maybe it won't impact your sentence, but it will impact your soul. It will change you. In a