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

“Ernie?” she said, quiet as she could. “Round the back when I say.”

Ernie Stasiolek nodded, motioning to Chris Brailsford and Phil Robinson. Ellie hadn’t liked the idea of a second armed group not under her or another officer’s direct control – not that she’d have had much confidence in Tom – but Ernie had a good head on his shoulders and apart from maybe Noel was the one person she’d felt she could trust with such a job.

She looked around, but both Bert Annable and Noel had already moved to flank her. Bert carried his twelve-bore over one arm, Noel his rifle. The wind picked up again, and snow billowed around them. Ellie held the shotgun behind her, against her leg. The others were turned briefly into shadows; faceless men and women with guns, come knocking at someone’s door. “Ready?”

Bert Annable snapped his shotgun closed; Noel pulled back his rifle bolt. “The rest of you, hang back and no shooting, unless I say otherwise.”

“What if they shoot at us?” someone asked.

“First thing you do is take cover,” Ellie said. “After that, you wait for my instructions.”

No one thankfully asked the obvious question – what if they shoot you? – and Ellie took a deep breath. “Let’s go,” she said, and with a nod to Ernie Stasiolek, stepped towards the house, Noel and Bert beside her.

16.

16.

Through the gap in the front-room window, Liz saw Ellie and two others advancing on the house. Here we go, she thought, and went out into the hall.

“All right,” she shouted. “No-one do anything, not less I say.”

Remembering how Cheetham had been holding her gun, Liz did the same with hers, resting it behind her thigh, just out of sight. If it came down to it, she wouldn’t hesitate, while Ellie Cheetham more than likely would: she was still a copper, after all, with rules and procedures to obey. She certainly wouldn’t be as ready as Liz, because she didn’t understand what was happening around here; not what was really happening.

Liz checked the security chain was on, and waited.

There was a knock at the door.

Ellie heard the key turn in the lock, and the front door opened a few inches, the brass security chain pulled taut. Liz Harper’s bulk filled the gap: half that doughy, sullen face; a coil of greasy hair; one stone-coloured eye.

The wind blew snow between them.

“Well?” said Liz.

“Morning, Liz.”

“What do you want?” The face blank, the eye as stony as its colour.

All right, then. “Anyone from here been out today?”

“What if we have?”

“Clearing the roads with your snowploughs, that sort of thing?”

Liz smirked. “Yeah, that’s right, Constable. Even though you’re always saying we’re scum and never do anything for anyone else. See? Bit of community spirit on show there. Not that it’ll make any difference next time some –”

“So you went past Wakeman Farm? And the Bell?”