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

“Everybody down,” Ellie shouted, and dived for the tarmac; she landed hard and lost her grip on the shotgun. Heard the gunshot a second later, although the bullet’d probably passed over her already.

Keira worked the rifle’s bolt. Ellie reached for the shotgun, but the deer rifle was already pointing at her. Behind the telescopic sight, Keira’s sticking-plastered face grinned. It had been her trying to kill Ellie at Barrowman Farm yesterday; course it had. Would’ve succeeded too if not for Bert Annable, but Bert was gone and at this range Keira could hardly miss.

Liz Harper’s shotgun boomed, three times, fast: the cut-down one with the big magazine she’d had yesterday at the farm. Should’ve taken it with you, Ellie, not left her with that kind of firepower. But it wasn’t Liz about to kill her now. Ellie hawked and spat at Keira, even though she knew it’d never reach her.

A rifle fired, a single whiplash crack.

48.

48.

Noel had been about to shift the rifle’s crosshairs onto Liz Harper – he could deal with her at least – but then Keira had moved forward. Not much: he still couldn’t see her properly, but the gun was fully visible, and at that range, with this rifle, Noel could hit that easily enough. He sighted on the wooden forestock, and squeezed the trigger.

Wood splintered; Keira’s gun flew out of her grip and clattered across the road. She fell, face bloody, clutching her eye and screaming. Noel pulled back the bolt, but Liz spun and fired up at the window. Glass and splinters. He ducked, then straightened, pushing the bolt forward and looking through the sight again, glimpsing Liz run towards the building, disappearing out of view under his window.

He’d have to lean out to get her, and she’d take his head off before he could fire. He could hear the shouts and cries from the church below. Liz could be in there now, and if she wasn’t her boys were.

Milly.

Noel ran for the stairs. Out in the street, shotguns boomed.

Liz had fired first at Ellie, then at Ernie and Laura; now she aimed at Ellie again, but as she did the brickwork by her head exploded into dust as Laura squeezed off a shot. Liz whirled towards the new threat and Ellie raised her shotgun. Liz saw her and hesitated for a second, and that was all it took. Ernie fired both barrels of his gun, and Laura Caddick emptied her own weapon, pumping the slide fast as she could. Liz’s tatty coat exploded into blood and scraps; she slammed back against the church wall and slid down, painting it red.

Ernie broke open his shotgun to reload; Laura stood, slotting fresh cartridges into her weapon. The three of them started towards the church.