But Delores had got hold of something else, the heavy-looking, bruise-coloured sculpture on the desk. She didn’t hesitate but swung it quickly, just as Moses moved to shove the chair leg away from him. It went rolling off the other side of the desk.

The ornament had been aiming for his head. It smashed into his shoulder instead.

With a cry of surprise, Moses threw his arms out, pushing Delores away with such force that she, already imbalanced and still clutching the ornament, teetered, tilted and fell. Hard.

Her head hit the corner of her stone desk with a sickening crack.

Chapter 46

Moses gathered Delores to him, keening as if he were the one in pain.

‘No, no, no, no,’ he cried.

Her body began to slip away from him.

Delores didn’t make a sound. Her mouth moved and her tongue slapped wetly but there were no words. The woman who had been so eloquent over the past few weeks, snagging Thea in clever, sneaking speeches and plans and threats, was all gone in one sudden short burst of violence.

Thea could hear her own ragged breathing, her eyes almost hurting from being so wide and her heart a nauseous thud in her throat. She’d been halfway to picking up the chair leg that had rolled towards her when Delores fell and now she was frozen in a crouch on the floor. She could only think to stay still, make herself as small and unnoticeable as possible, so maybe they’d forget all about her.

Delores’s legs sagged and Moses couldn’t hold her up. They sank to the floor together, Moses smoothing Delores’s hair away from her face and the blood running into her eye. Her head lolled to the side and Thea nearly gagged. She’d seen her share of violent films in her time but the blood and … wrongness … of it had always been safely contained in her television set, comfortably squared off. It wasn’t twitching slightly right in front of her.

Moses struggled to keep her upright, both of them on their knees. He tried to prop her up by gripping her shoulders but then gave up, letting her body sink awkwardly against him. His face was a mess, tears trying to sluice their way past the blood and dirt as he continued to smooth her hair and wail.

‘No, no, no, no …’

Thea crawled a bit closer, bringing the chair leg with her. Delores’s legs were splayed at painful angles, her neck twisted as Moses pushed her head against his chest. She had pretty feet, Thea caught herself thinking, her brain trying to focus on something that wasn’t gore and shreds of flesh. Cute little toes and neat nails.

‘Moses?’ Thea said softly.

He tried to shift Delores’s body a little higher but she slid down even further, one arm dangling, her fingertips brushing the floor. Her hand spasmed.