But then there was gunfire. Ricky’s head suddenly came apart. I looked up. Todor had raised the pistol out of Teresa’s hand and, keeping his fingers around her own, fired the last of three shots into the back of Ricky’s head. Then he staggered over to the Volvo, falling against it like a man who knew that the entire bottom had dropped out of his world. Klara jumped up in shock as Ricky keeled over by her into the dirt. She now dashed into the trailer, racing back out with a blanket. Pressing it against Amber’s wound she screamed at Todor:

‘Get over here now, you fuck.’

I could see Todor, his head bowed, pounding the car with his fists, then stopping as if – in the midst of all that rage – he suddenly realized what had to happen next. Staggering back over to Teresa’s body he pulled a handkerchief out of his trouser pocket and vigorously rubbed the gun everywhere. Then he turned to me and handed me the handkerchief, saying:

‘You need to shoot me first.’

‘What?’ I screamed.

‘Shoot me.’

‘She’ll die if we don’t get her to a hospital now,’ Klara said.

‘Where’s the nearest hospital?’ Todor asked.

‘How the fuck should we know?’ Klara said.

‘I passed a small one down on the main road,’ I said. ‘Maybe ten–fifteen miles from here, near Joshua Tree. I’m calling 911 now.’

Todor said:

‘But before that you are going to lift Ricky’s hand, aim the gun in it at my shoulder, pull the trigger, then get the hell out of here.’

‘And let her die?’ Klara said. ‘No fucking way.’

‘I will keep my hand on her wound, will try to stem the blood,’ Todor said. ‘If the hospital is that near they should be here fast. She’ll make it.’

‘We are not leaving,’ Klara said.

Todor reached into his jacket pocket and handed me the cellphones that he took off us.

‘You are definitely leaving,’ he said. ‘Because you don’t want to be involved in all this. I’ll tell the story. My version of it. Without you in it. Which is why I need to be found shot too. You go. You walk away. And you take the bag that Ricky brought with him. Now fucking shoot me.’

‘I am not listening to this bullshit,’ Klara said.

‘I am,’ I said. ‘Call 911 now.’

‘Poppa …’

But Todor had already dialed the number. He spoke in a frantic voice. Said there had been a multiple shooting at Caravan Fields 32 in Twentynine Palms. Three dead. Two wounded – one of them a pregnant woman.

‘She’ll die if you are not here in ten minutes … Right … Right … You’ve got to hurry.’

He ended the call.

‘They will be here in nine minutes,’ he shouted at us. ‘Do it now.’