Read Damned and Cursed (Book 6): Broken Home for Free Online

sandwich.   If Byron would simply look away for a moment, maybe she had a chance.   All it took was a frantic hand signal, an exaggerated facial expression, anything at all to tell Mark they were in trouble.
    Her shaking hands finally got the best of her as she took the step toward the table, carrying Byron's sandwich and tea.   The glass slipped from her hand and shattered on the floor, sending fragments and tea in all directions.   The girls jumped, while Byron let out a chuckle.
    "Wow, Janet," he said.   "You're about as graceful as a damn hippo."
    "Don't call my Mom a hippo!" Elizabeth shouted.
    "I didn't."   Byron turned her attention to Elizabeth, her cheeks flush with anger.   "I said she was as graceful as one.   Learn to pay attention.   You people…you never pay attention."
    "I'll help you clean it up, Mom," Sarah offered, rising to her feet.
    "You'll sit your little ass right back down," Byron said.   "Sit down."
    "It's okay.   I've got it," Janet said, her voice barely a whisper.
    Sarah continued to argue with Byron as Janet opened the cabinet under the sink.   They kept towels close by for the occasional accidental spill, which with two children happened often.
    "You're not a nice person at all," Sarah said.   "When my Dad gets home—"
    "He'll do nothing.   Come on there, little girl, you're sounding just like your mother.   And, I hate to say it, your mother isn't very smart."
    The argument raged on as Janet's eyes fell on the white bottle near the back of the cabinet.   Several months ago, rats had built a nest in the utility shed in the backyard.   Janet remembered how angry and fearful she was when the girls came across it while playing.   No one was hurt, but a rat ran across Elizabeth's feet, sending the poor girl into a near panic attack.   Janet insisted Ed do whatever he had to do to get rid of them.
    The rat poison still sat where Ed left it.
    She almost reacted without thinking.   Her left hand grabbed the dirty towel, her right the bottle of poison.   Moving quickly, she tried not to think about the risk she was taking.   Amazingly, Byron and Sarah continued to argue behind her.   Janet almost wondered if Sarah was doing it on purpose.   She stood up and hovered over the last glass of tea she'd prepared.   Anxiety settled in as she opened the bottle and poured the powder into the glass.   Doubt gnawed at her.   How much did she need to use to kill him?   Maybe she didn't need to kill him, just make him very sick.   Would he even drink it?   Did it still look like iced tea?
    Giving the tea a quick stir, she dropped to one knee to place the poison exactly where she'd grabbed it.   As she wiped up the tea and swept loose glass, she waited for what she thought was the inevitable.   Byron had seen her, and her little plan was for nothing.   She maybe even doomed her family.
    However, he said nothing.   He continued to insult Sarah and Elizabeth.
    "You're lucky that's all I did to your room," he was saying.   "I could have poured gasoline over everything and tossed a match in there."
    "You're a monster," Elizabeth said.
    He smiled.   "You're right.   I am."
    "Girls," Janet said.   "Quiet down, now."
    Another shadow.   Janet glanced up as she reached for the dustpan.   Mark stood outside with his face pressed to the glass.   Janet's heart pounded in her chest.   She nearly mouthed the word Help , but noticed Byron looking at her.   If he'd turned his head, or even simply looked in the reflection in the refrigerator, he would see Mark.
    "I see Elizabeth is eating a nice, hearty meal," he said.   "Where's mine?"
    She grabbed the sandwich from the counter.   Before heading to the table, she eyed the tea as best she could.   Her inspiration suddenly seemed foolish to her.   The tea looked normal enough.   But what if he took one sip and threw it across the room?   Certainly rat poison didn't have a good taste.
    It was too late to turn back.   She harshly set the