BooksBarbecue
Back The Hollows
Chapters (77)
  1. Front Cover
  2. Title Page
  3. Copyright Page
  4. Dedication
  5. PART I
  6. 1.
  7. 2.
  8. 3.
  9. 4.
  10. 5.
  11. 6.
  12. 7.
  13. 8.
  14. PART II
  15. 9.
  16. 10.
  17. 11.
  18. 12.
  19. 13.
  20. 14.
  21. 15.
  22. 16.
  23. 17.
  24. 18.
  25. 19.
  26. 20.
  27. 21.
  28. 22.
  29. 23.
  30. 24.
  31. 25.
  32. 26.
  33. 27.
  34. 28.
  35. 29.
  36. 30.
  37. 31.
  38. 32.
  39. 33.
  40. 34.
  41. 35.
  42. 36.
  43. PART III
  44. 37.
  45. 38.
  46. 39.
  47. 40.
  48. 41.
  49. 42.
  50. 43.
  51. 44.
  52. 45.
  53. 46.
  54. 47.
  55. 48.
  56. 49.
  57. 50.
  58. 51.
  59. 52.
  60. 53.
  61. 54.
  62. 55.
  63. 56.
  64. 57.
  65. 58.
  66. 59.
  67. 60.
  68. 61.
  69. 62.
  70. 63.
  71. 64.
  72. 65.
  73. PART IV
  74. 66.
  75. 67.
  76. 68.
  77. Acknowledgements

“Wait.” She pointed into the X5, to the box she’d salvaged from the Land Rover. “Bring that.”

“Okay.”

He got the box under one arm and steered her through the crowd. Thelma barred their way. Noel tried to move around her, but she moved to block him. Julie Robinson caught her arm and said something, and Thelma moved aside. What had she said? Was she supporting Ellie, or undermining her?

Couldn’t think like that. As they cleared the crowd, Ellie touched Noel’s arm and turned back. “Everybody should go back to their homes,” she said. “Stay inside. Lock your doors. Bolt your windows. And whatever you do, make sure you keep the lights on.”

“Drugs,” Ellie heard Thelma say, but ignored it. She was shaking so badly now she could barely stand, and almost fell into Noel’s car. He pushed her legs inside and shut the door, then got in and drove them to Hollybeck Row.

26.

26.

Despite her advice, as Noel helped Ellie out of the car outside the surgery she saw headlights following them down Hollybeck Row. Car doors slammed as Noel helped her up the surgery steps, followed by the sound of Thelma Graham’s voice.

Milly opened the door and gawped. “The actual fuck?”

“Long story,” said Ellie.

“Watch out,” said Noel. “The angry mob’s behind us.”

“Fucking perfect. Get her in the waiting room.”

Ellie’s stomach churned. She ran to the bathroom and shut the door behind her. Afterwards, she ran cold water over her wrists and splashed it on her face.

Fists were banging on the door. They’d got in. They were attacking. No, they weren’t banging on the bathroom door. It was more distant. Outside the surgery. “Where is she?” someone shouted. Ellie knew that voice. “We want to talk to her, now! I want to know what she’s done with my husband!”

Fucking Thelma. Of course. Anger flared through the numbness and exhaustion and propelled her upright. Ellie flushed the toilet and strode back through the surgery, waving Milly back from the door. She flung it open. “The fuck do you want, Thelma?”

Thelma stepped back. “I want to know what’s happened to Tom.”

“I told you.”

“The truth!”

Ellie kept her voice level with an effort. “I got to the Height. The car was trashed. Tom wasn’t there.”

“Did you even look for him?” Thelma addressed the crowd. “She was in the pub, getting drunk with the vicar! Drunk!”

“Noel?”

He was at her side. “Ellie?”

“The box in the car. There’s a breathalyser kit. I’ll do the test right now.”

“You were drinking,” said Thelma.

“One whisky, Thelma. And I’d barely sipped it when you barged in. That’s after what happened at Barrowman.”

“Oh, you’ve an answer for everything,” Thelma said. “I’m a policeman’s wife, Ellie Cheetham – think I don’t know how to cheat a breathalyser test?”