She opened her mouth to warn him off, but at that moment she saw the flashing blue light of the police car speeding towards them.

‘Fuck.’

She turned and rushed towards the bike and somehow she found the strength to pull it up off the kerb.

She threw herself onto the seat, praying to a God that she had never believed in that it would start up. But the first attempt to kick the engine into life failed. And so did the second.

‘Stop her going,’ someone shouted.

She turned as the bearded man grabbed her sleeve. But he let go when she rammed her elbow into his face.

Suddenly the wail of the siren filled her head as the police car drew up just behind her.

Two uniformed cops leapt out, and Rosa knew then that there was only one way she was going to be able to get out of this mess.

She withdrew the pistol from inside her jacket and with lightning speed she took aim and fired twice.

The cops were so close she couldn’t have missed them even if she’d tried.

One of them was blown backwards against the front of the patrol car and the other staggered sideways clutching at his stomach.

There were gasps and screams all around as Rosa fired another shot into the air to deter anyone from coming at her.

She decided to have one last go at starting the bike and if it didn’t work then she would leap off and run for it. But this time, to her great relief, the engine ticked over.

A moment later she was roaring away from the scene and from the two cops who were shedding blood onto the road.

41

Laura

The paramedic managed to stem the blood pouring from Aidan’s wound. He also confirmed what I’d suspected – that the bullet had not struck any vital organs.

‘A couple of inches over and it would have hit his heart,’ he said. ‘So in that sense he’s a very lucky man.’

I broke down then and the tears were pushed out by huge, racking sobs.

Aidan squeezed my fingers, and I was sure that if he’d been able to speak he would have told me not to cry. But he was only half-conscious, having been given drugs for the shock and pain.

I stayed right there on the floor with him until the ambulance arrived and he was put on a stretcher. Then I pulled myself together, autopilot taking over, and followed the medics outside where the street was filled with police cars and uniforms.

It was very bright and noisy and it reminded me of all the crime scenes I’d attended over the years, never dreaming that one day my own home would become one.

I continued to hold Aidan’s hand in the back of the ambulance, while trying desperately to stay calm.