The Border Part Seven Read Free Page B

a lunatic?”
    “I wasn’t talking to myself,” Ben muttered, getting to his feet and thrusting the paper into his father’s hands before slipping past and entering the house, “I was reading out loud. There’s a difference.” He stopped and sniffed the air. “This place smells foul, old man. You do realize, don’t you, that everyone knows about your prodigious internet use? The proof is practically encrusted everywhere.”
    “I don’t want you here,” Harry replied. “Get out!”
    “Haven’t you seen this morning’s front page?” Ben asked, turning to him with a smile. “Jack has run with a very interesting story that seems to indicate the police are going to arrest someone. The only problem is, shortly after he went to print, the truth became apparent. I assume you heard that Joe Baldwin was picked up last night?”
    “I heard something about it.”
    “And here’s the best part,” Ben continued, snatching the paper back and taking a moment to find the relevant paragraph. “Listen to this. The suspect is known to be a highly disturbed individual with a history of violence and questionable behavior. I mean, Dad, can you believe that?” He paused, as the smile faded from his eyes. “My own brother, hanging me out to dry like I’m some kind of common psychopath. He really, truly believes that I’m a monster, doesn’t he? Then again…” He turned to Harry. “He had some help believing that, didn’t he?”
    “I want you to leave.”
    “So you can get back to your computer?”
    “I was asleep.”
    “Are you coming to Beth’s tomorrow? It’ll be good to get the whole family together in one room, won’t it? You, Mom, me, Jack and Jane, Beth and that idiot husband of hers, the kids…”
    “I hope you have fun,” Harry snapped. “I won’t be there.”
    “Not even for Beth’s sake?”
    “You can all have a very nice Christmas without me,” Harry replied, shuffling past him and then stopping to block his way further into the house. “I’m too old to deal with your rubbish, Ben, and I’m too tired to play games. The last thing I want on Christmas Day is to have to referee yet another fight between you and your brother.”
    “But I probably won’t even be there,” Ben pointed out, holding up the newspaper. “I’ll probably be neatly out of the way by then, rotting in a jail cell. Hey, do you think I have time to dye my hair blonde again before the cops show up? It’d seem somehow appropriate, wouldn’t it?”
    “Get out of my house.”
    “It was my home once.”
    “It was the family home,” Harry sneered, “but it’s mine now. My house, my rules, and there’s nobody who can come in without my permission.”
    “Sure,” Ben replied, “but…” He paused, before suddenly pushing past Harry and making his way along the corridor. “While I’m here,” he said with a smile, fully aware that the old man couldn’t catch him in time, “I might as well give you your Christmas gift early.” Pushing open the door to the spare room, he headed over to the computer desk. “You can thank me later,” he added, grabbing the computer tower and pulling it free, before dropping it to the floor. “Thank me when you realize that this is a good deed.”
    “Stop!” Harry shouted.
    “Too late.”
    Kicking the side of the computer, Ben quickly managed to dislodge the plastic casing. Before Harry could even reach him, he’d uncovered the motherboard, which he smashed out of place with the heel of his boot, sending several pieces of plastic and metal flying across the floor.
    “Stop!” Harry spluttered, getting down onto his knees and pulling the remains of the device away from his son.
    “Whoops,” Ben said firmly, “looks like you’re going to have to use your imagination on Christmas Day. Or, you know, you could tear yourself away from those dodgy websites for long enough to actually come to Beth’s house and spend some time with your family.” He stepped over the pieces of