She wriggled free, horrified, and looked down at the dead man. There was a deep red rose blooming on his temple, a trickle of blood snaking out of it. His eyes were wide open with shock and he was still breathing. Shuddering, Belle stepped away. Jack came over and without a moment’s hesitation made sure that Nipper was properly dead by firing another business-like shot into his right eye at point-blank range. Nipper flinched, once; then he stopped breathing.

‘Will there be more?’ he asked her, not looking at her; just coolly checking out their surroundings.

Belle coughed. She wondered if she was going to be sick. She tried to speak. She managed: ‘No. I don’t think so.’

Then she thought of Mum and Dad, and of Ludo standing there telling her how they’d died. The rage and grief pushed up and erupted in her chest. She strode forward and snatched the pistol out of Jack’s hand and fired three quick shots into Ludo’s corpse. Gasping, shaking, she then stood there staring down at the remains of the dead man. She felt Jack take the gun back off her. Dazedly she looked at him, feeling hot tears wet on her cheeks.

‘Back in the house,’ said Jack. It was an order, not a request.

133

Up in the yard in front of the house there was another horror waiting for them: Trix was laid out on the ground, her throat slit open.

‘Oh no,’ moaned Belle, staggering to a halt.

‘More guts than sense, that dog. I always said it,’ said Jack, but his tone was gentle. But when Belle went to kneel down beside Trix, he shook his head. ‘No. Inside.’

Back in the kitchen, Belle slumped down into a chair. Jack locked the front door and went through and made sure the back was secure. Then he reloaded the shotgun and put it down beside the table. He went to the pantry and came back with brandy in a glass for her. ‘Drink it up, it’ll steady you,’ he said.

Belle took a hefty swig of the brandy. It scorched all the way down, but then its warmth spread out and she started to feel a little better. If he hadn’t come back when he did . . .

‘You came back early,’ she said. Her voice shook.

‘Saw a car along the lane. It’s been here before. Recognized the reg number.’ Now he was at the back door. He turned and looked at her. ‘Got to clean this mess up. Stay in here and don’t answer the door to anyone. I’ll be as quick as I can. The gun’s there, loaded. Use it if you have to.’