M.K. Farrar - Down to Sleep

Down to Sleep

Crime after Crime: Book Two

M K Farrar

M A Comley

Shes killed before. Can she do it again?

Natalie Anders has a past no one knows about. Filled with regret, and wanting a new life, she does her best to keep to herself.

But then she meets Kyle Detcher. He dazzles her with charm and promises her the world, and she throws herself in with heart, body and soul.

When tragedy forces them closer, cracks quickly start to appear in the relationship. He chips away at her self-confidence, isolates her from her normal life, and tries to turn her into something shes not.

Kyle isnt the man he pretended to be, and, to her horror, he reveals his trump card.

The man shes committed her life to might just be a monster.

And hes coming for her next.

Get the second book in this heart-racing psychological thriller series from NY Times and USA Today bestselling author M A Comley, and M K Farrar.

DOWN TO SLEEP

1992

C ome on, Nat. Dont be so frigid.

Cool, clear water ran beneath the bridge where they sat, white foam churning around protruding boulders. Though the river appeared inviting on this unseasonably bright spring day, it was cold enough to snatch breath from lungs.

Natalie Anderss legs dangled off the grey stone wall separating the bridge from the drop to the water below. Beside her, Anthony bumped her shoulder with his, and she deliberately edged away again.

Leave me alone, Ant.

This part of the moors was a favourite with tourists and locals alike, but most of themtheir parents includedhad claimed spots on the flatter ground, near where the river grew calmer and shallower and easier to paddle in. A small circle of trees hid the picnic spot from the bridge, and childrens laughter and the occasional squeal of excitement drifted through the tree trunks.

Natalie wrapped her arms around herself, hating how exposed she felt in her swimming costume. If their mum and dad knew about this, it would kill them. Theyd adopted her ten years ago at the age of six, when Anthony had been seven. Mr and Mrs Anders had been trying for years, unsuccessfully, to give Anthony a brother or sister, and, in the end, theyd agreed they couldnt face going back to that baby or toddler stage and had decided to adopt an older child.

Natalie had been that older child, but shed never really been a little sister to Anthony. At least, hed never seen her that way. When theyd been younger, shed just been this annoying kid whod been brought into his home and who only seemed to take up his parents time and energy. Hed never been kind to her. Ever since the first day, hed gone out of his way to hurt hersneaky pinches when their parents werent looking, or sticking his foot out to deliberately trip her, or knock her hand whenever she was picking up a glass or plate, making her appear particularly clumsy and messy.

The Anders were good people. They came down hard on their son when they caught Anthony telling Natalie she wasnt a real member of their family, and that if she told on him, it would be her theyd get rid of because she didnt belong here anyway. She wanted to believe their reassurances that Anthony would get used to her being around and he was a bit jealous right now. But he didnt stophe just got better at hiding it.

She remembered the exact moment it had progressed to something more. Something far crueller. Shed been thirteen, and Anthony fourteen. Shed only recently started her period, and it was just another thing for him to taunt her with.

Youre a woman now, arent you? hed said, his tone snide, but laced with something that made her even more anxious than normal. If youve got your period, it means youre ready to have sex.

Get lost, Anthony. You have no idea what youre talking about.

Oh, stop acting like youre something special. Hed pushed his hand down the inside of her thigh. You know you want it.

Shed cried out in shock and shoved his hand away, but it hadnt been the last time. Hed seemed to take her rebuke as a challenge, and, over the next few years, as they both grew older, things only got worse. Hed take every opportunity to walk in on herin the shower, or changing in her room. She begged their parents for a lock on the door, but they only laughed at her request. They thought she was being sillya typical teenage girl worrying about herself too much. She couldnt tell them the truth. Anthony was their only birth child, and they worshipped the ground he walked on. They loved her, too, she knew that, but it wasnt the same. If they were forced to choose between blood and water, theyd instinctively take the side of blood.

Natalie had never felt comfortable in her own skin, and her adoptive brother did nothing to help matters. She felt as though she was walking around wearing someone elses body, like an alien planted into human form. At school, other girls seemed to instinctively know how to dress and act, while she never managed to cross that invisible divide that would make her one of them. Everything she did was always wrongher clothes not quite right, her laugh too awkward and loud, her frizzy mop of hair that grew outwards like a helmet.

Her self-consciousness only increased around Anthony, and sitting here now, on the side of the bridge, staring down into the rushing water below, she wished there was a way she could vanish altogether.

A shriek of laughter and water splashing came from behind the circle of trees where their parents were enjoying some time without their two sulky teenagers. It was their mothers birthday, and shed wanted to spend some quality family time with them both, though Natalie suspected the idea of that had been far more enjoyable than the reality. This was a popular picnic spot in the area. Dartmoor ponies ranged freely, always garnering plenty of attention from the tourists and locals alike. In the small stony car parks, ice-cream vans served Mr Whippy cones to the kids and teas and coffees to the parents.

Natalie wished she could go back to her childhood again. Even though none of it had been fun, with Anthony pinching and teasing her all the time, it had been preferable to this.

Go on, Anthony insisted, jabbing her in the side with his elbow. Just pull down the front of your swimming costume a bit. Show me your tits.

She bit the inside of her mouth to stop herself screaming. Leave me alone.

Fine. Ill do it myself. He reached for the strap of her costume and yanked it down her arm.

She pushed away his hand. Get off!

Infuriatingly, he laughed. None of this meant anything to him. It was all just a game. He liked to see her embarrassed and humiliated.

Youre my brother, Anthony. You know how wrong what youre doing is.

He snorted. And you know were not brother and sister. Youre sixteen, Im seventeen. Theres nothing to stop us.

How about breaking our parents hearts, she snapped, though of course she would rather die than let Anthony get what he wanted. She didnt think he even really wanted her in that way. He only wanted to get under her skin, and it worked, too.

They cant see. And anyway, if you ever said anything, you know Id tell them that you made a pass at me, and when I was horrified and told you no, you freaked out and went running to Mummy and Daddy.

She glared at him. Theyd never believe that!

He cocked an eyebrow. Do you think? Are you willing to take that risk?