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

Keira stepped forward and looked from face to face, till she reached Sally Cupit, the barmaid from the Grove Inn. Liz seemed to remember she’d got Keira barred from there. “Right, then,” Keira said, then brought the rifle to her shoulder and fired. Didn’t even need to aim at that range; she was the best shot at Barrowman Farm. Sally Cupit’s permed hair flapped as if in a gust of wind; a fine red spray blew out behind her; solid matter fell to the road surface with wet slaps; and she dropped, like a coat falling off a hanger. She flopped onto her back, mouth open and one eye missing, the other staring up. Keira worked the bolt. Click, clack. An empty cartridge clinked on the ground. She shoved the bolt forward again. Another bullet chambered.

Even Liz hadn’t expected that. But this was a new world, with new rules, and they were its masters: so, why not? They could do as they pleased now, especially to get what was theirs.

Grinning, Keira shouldered the gun again. “Next!” she called.

47.

47.

Ellie heard the shot as they reached the bridge over Groveley Beck and broke into a sprint down Halliwell Way, Laura and Ernie keeping pace as she unslung the shotgun and held the weapon across her chest. She skidded on ice, yelping in shock, but kept her balance and pelted on. The safety catch was still on – be all she needed to fall and blow her own face off – but her thumb was on it, ready to flick it off. She’d need the gun ready to fire any second, because there were no prizes for guessing who this was. Bastard Harpers; of course they’d survived. They knew what this was, or at least more than the rest of them did.

Noel heard the shot as he reached the window. Christ! He ran to look but the deed was done; Sally Cupit lay in the High Street, blood pooling around her head. Even Liz Harper looked shocked. He heard a rifle bolt being worked, crisp and clear in the cold shocked air, then Keira Lucas’ voice.

But he couldn’t see her, only the barrel of the rifle; the tractor’s snowplough was in the way.

Noel set down the table, then dragged up a chair. He sat, resting his elbows and upper body on the table top. Didn’t even need to poke the barrel out of the window; he could get them in his sights from here –

Or at least he could get Liz: telescopic sight or no, Keira was still shielded by the snowplough’s blade.