I launched myself at him, praying he was just as dazed as I was. I couldn’t let him fire off another round. But Jon lay perfectly still, his eyes open and staring up at the ceiling. I looked down at his body. A bloom of red, smaller than a saucer, spilled like a watercolour over the left side of his green shirt. I checked for a pulse. There was none. My ears still ringing, I scowled at Jon. Fucker. He’d got what he deserved.

‘MUM! Mum, please …’

I turned to see a sight that stole all the breath from my body. Sephy had been shot.

sixty-three. Sephy

Christ! This hurts … so much. I can’t bear it. I clutch at my stomach with both hands, writhing as agony hits me and grips me and rips me apart. Release. Catch. Release. Catch. Catchcatchcatch. Never before have I felt anything like the white-hot, searing pain now blazing through me. So intensely hot that it scorches all the air in my lungs. I can’t catch my breath. It hurts too much. There’s no respite. I’m in a tornado, being lifted up and up as the pain intensifies. And, though the pain in my abdomen is star-hot, the rest of my body is icy cold and getting colder by degrees.

‘MUM …’

From far away, I hear Callie calling to me. At me. Shouting my name. Why is she shouting? When will this pain stop? Please make it stop. I can’t take much more of this. It’s too much.

I think … I think I’m in trouble …

‘Callie …’ Forcing out the one word exhausts me.

‘Mum, hang on. You’re going to be all right. An ambulance is coming. Just hang on.’ Her words sound so muffled and far away. My heartbeat is so fast, so loud in my ears.

‘Callie … Tobey did—’

It’s no good. Trying to speak makes me cough and the cough sends agony ricocheting round my body.

I mouth my daughter’s name. She looks so scared, bless her. I want to take her hand and tell her everything will be OK. I long to take away her fear, her hurt – but I can’t. She bends her head, her ear close to my mouth.

‘Tobey … needs you … S-save him.’ My voice is softer than a whisper yet I know my daughter can hear me. Her and her alone. Callie looks at me, tears running down her cheeks like winter rain on a windowpane. She nods. My baby. My beautiful baby.

Callum, just look at our beautiful daughter …

‘Where the hell is the ambulance?’ Callie jumps to her feet to ask.

I struggle to turn onto my side. It takes every ounce of strength I have left. A jolt as sharp and fast as lightning rips through me, robbing me of all breath. Instinctually, I know that turning has done more damage.