by Anna Smith
‘Get fucking out! All of you! Get out of my house, and off my land!’ He raised the gun and pointed it.
Then suddenly a gun went off. Not his, but immediately the big guy in front of him with the shaven head slumped to the floor. Another rapid shot and the man next to him in the Crombie coat hit the ground, blood spreading across his chest. It was happening so fast it was almost a blur, but he was able to see the shooter. It was the driver of the bastard who had insulted Euan the other day. He raised the shotgun to his shoulder and pointed it at the man, but the driver was aiming a pistol straight at him. I should blow your head off right now, James told himself. But suddenly, the driver’s boss pulled a handgun out of his coat and pressed it against Euan’s head.
‘Thanks for that, Terry,’ the big man said. ‘I couldn’t have dropped that pair of cunts better myself.’ He turned to James. ‘Now, listen, you old prick . . . You either get to fuck back to the farm and sit on your hands, or this fucking retard gets it right now.’
‘Stop!’ He lowered his shotgun. ‘Leave him!’
‘Put the fucking gun down and get out.’
‘I’m taking my boy with me.’
‘No you’re not. He’s staying right here until we’re gone, and if you move a fucking muscle, I’ll blow his head off.’
James felt his legs shaking, his whole body trembling, even the muscles in his face twitching. He saw the anger and desperation in Euan’s eyes, and right now he’d have taken a bullet for him. He put his hands up.
‘Okay. I’m going.’ He began to back away slowly, placing the gun on the worktop. He glanced at the two women as he was leaving. Nikki’s eyes were swollen and tear-stained, but Julie’s were blazing with rage.
‘Just keep doing that and you might survive,’ the big man said.
James kept walking back slowly until he was out of the back door. Then he heard a heavy thud and a painful scream from Euan.
‘What the fuck you doing, Gordy?’ It sounded like Julie. ‘Leave the poor guy alone. He’s got nothing to do with this. Come on, let’s just get to fuck out of here.’
James could barely walk as he made his way to the barn. He was heading to get his other shotgun, the double-barrelled one he’d bought at an auction last year, in case of emergencies.
*
Rosie flinched and looked at Matt when they heard the bang.
‘That’s a gunshot. I’m sure of it,’ Matt said.
‘Christ! I know. What the hell’s going on up there? Can you see anything through your long lens?’
‘No . . . Nothing. It’s all happening inside. But they’ll come out, that’s all we can hope for. Because before you suggest it, we’re not going to go up there and announce ourselves.’
‘Don’t be daft. I wasn’t going to suggest we, pal. You’re the one who takes the pix.’
‘Aye. That’ll be right.’
‘Only joking. We’ll just sit tight. I hope to Christ Julie and Nikki are alright.’
James stayed in the barn, trying to breathe deeply to calm himself down as his trembling fingers loaded two cartridges into the shotgun chambers. He had to do this. Just hold your nerve, he whispered to himself. They would come out the front door towards the Jag. He knew exactly where to go. He was ready. He crept round to the front of the house and hid behind the big stone coal bunker. He waited, his heart thudding against his ribs. Then after a few moments, he saw the driver come out of the house, carrying an aluminium attaché case. He put it in the back seat of the car, started up the engine and went back inside the house. James watched as the door opened again, and someone pushed Euan outside in the wheelchair. It was the driver again. Then the big bastard they’d called Gordy came out behind them. James waited, held his breath. What about the girls? Surely they were all part of the same gang. Maybe they’d double-crossed them and that’s why they were on the run? None of that mattered now. James felt his hands begin to steady as he gripped the shotgun. He controlled his breath. The driver went towards the car, pushing the wheelchair, then let go of it, and it rolled down the small incline and came to a halt just behind the car. There was a space of about six feet or so between the wheelchair and the car. Were they going to take Euan with them? Stuff him in the boot? If they did, he was totally powerless. He watched as the driver got into the car. He had to get the direction of the shot right. If he got it wrong, Euan would be hit with buckshot. Then he saw Gordy, looking all around him, suddenly aiming his gun at Euan’s head. James bit the inside of his cheek till it bled, trying to keep from shouting. He watched Gordy’s face break into a grin as he opened the passenger door and backed in, sitting down, half hanging out, his gun still pointed at Euan. They weren’t taking him, but they might shoot him just for sheer badness. James stood up and took aim in one seamless movement. Then he fired. The windscreen shattered into a million shards, and Euan was hit with flying glass as he threw himself out of the wheelchair on to the ground behind the car. James rushed forward. He could see what was left of the two bastards – not much. But he fired the second barrel, then threw down the shotgun and broke down.
Chapter Thirty-Four
As the second shot was fired, Nikki and Julie closed their eyes tight, bracing themselves for the next blast. This is it, Nikki thought. If big Gordy walked in that door, they’d be next. If it was the farmer who’d been shooting, they could still be next.
‘Dad! Dad!’
Julie opened her eyes, straining her neck to see if she could get a glimpse out of the window. But the rope cutting into her wrists was too tight for her to move.
‘I’m alright, son.’
Nikki opened her eyes.
‘Oh Christ, Julie. Is he going to kill us now?’
‘Sssh. No,’ Julie whispered. ‘I don’t think he’s a psycho. He only shot them to protect his son. Let me handle this.’
‘Christ, Julie. It’s because “I let you handle this” that we’re in this mess.’
‘Listen. Just trust me. I think the farmer’s a good man.’
‘What if he phones the cops?’
‘With four dead bodies? No chance. If he’d been going to get the cops, he’d have done it before he started shooting people.’
They both froze as the farmer suddenly appeared in the doorway. His eyes were glassy, as though he was in another world.
‘Mr O’Neill . . . Er . . . James.’
Silence. He went across to the worktop and lifted his shotgun.
‘James, could you please listen to me for a minute?’
He put down the gun.
‘Don’t worry, I’m not going to shoot you. There’s been enough killing for one day. Those bastards deserved to die. They’d have killed my boy.’
‘You’re right, James,’ Nikki gushed, too enthusiastically.
‘James. Look. Can we explain?’
He nodded, said nothing. To their surprise, he took out a knife from the kitchen drawer and began to free them. Euan appeared in the doorway in his wheelchair.
‘Are you going to get the police?’ Julie asked.
He shook his head.
‘No police.’
‘What about the bodies?’
He said nothing.
Nikki glanced at Julie; both of them were wondering if he was out of his mind.
Julie took a breath.
‘Can you please just let us go?’
‘Tell me what this is about.’
‘It’s a long story. Too long. Please just let us go. Is it okay if I get up? I want to get that case out of their car.’
He stood to the side and let her pass.
Nikki got to her feet, but her legs were weak and she supported herself on the worktop. She started to cry.
‘I’m sorry,’ she sniffled.
The farmer looked at her for a long moment.
‘You’re that girl, aren’t you?’
‘What?’
‘The one who got her arm cut. The one who was in the paper.’ He glanced at her stump.
She sniffed and
nodded.
‘It’s all part of this, isn’t it? You were on the run from them. Is that right?’
Nikki nodded.
‘I’m sorry. We brought you all this trouble.’
‘They were going to use my son. Maybe take him hostage or something. They’d have killed him.’
‘I’m so sorry, Mr O’Neill.’
He said nothing, looked away.
‘I know about bastards like them. What they do to people. I don’t know what you did to get them to cut your arm off, but my son did nothing, except be in the wrong place at the wrong time. It was bastards like them who left him with brain damage.’
Euan looked at the floor. Silence. Julie came into the room carrying attaché case. The farmer turned to her. She went into her handbag and rummaged around.
‘James. We’d just like to get into our car and drive away and you will never see us again. I promise you, we will never talk to anyone about what went on today. We are going far away from here and nobody will know a thing.’
His gaze moved beyond her, as though he was bewildered. Julie went across to him and opened her hand. Two rough diamonds were in the palm.
‘Please take these.’
He looked at her, then at Nikki and finally at Euan.
‘What are they?’
‘Rough diamonds.’
James glanced at Euan, who wheeled across the room.
‘Is that what this is all about? Did you steal them?’
‘As I said, its a long story.’ She paused and glanced at Nikki. ‘Look, James. We took the case during something we were involved in. It was stupid. We didn’t even know what was inside. Honest. By the time we did, it was too late, they were going to kill us anyway. Gordy was going to kill us, and so was Vanner, after he killed Gordy.’ She swallowed. ‘You saved our lives . . . I want you to have them.’
He shook his head.
‘What am I supposed to do with them?’
‘Just keep them for a while. Then go somewhere and get a good jeweller who knows about stuff like this. It might take a while, but you’ll find someone who will help. But you have to be careful – don’t do it till all this dies down.’ She looked at Euan. ‘They’re worth a lot of money. I know that for sure.’
James shook his head.
‘I can’t. I don’t want to be involved.’
‘Please. You must. What difference does it make now? You’re already involved.’ Julie gestured at the bodies on the floor and outside. ‘Just take them. I know you need the money . . . If you didn’t, you wouldn’t be renting out your house. Get the place fixed up so that Euan can live independently. Or take him abroad where he’ll get better treatment. You can pay for it with these.’
Nikki turned to Euan. ‘We’re so sorry, Euan.’
Julie took James’ hand and opened it. She placed the diamonds in it and closed it. He said nothing and turned to Euan, who slowly nodded.
Julie glanced at Nikki and they both made for the door.
‘Good luck. And . . . thanks,’ Julie said as they walked out and got into the car.
*
Rosie and Matt struggled through the mud to get back to the car.
‘Did you get anything?’
‘I got some images, but don’t know how good they are.’
‘Could you see Julie and Nikki anywhere?’
‘No. They’re definitely not in any picture. They must be in the house.’
‘Do you think they’ve been shot?’
‘I don’t know, but before you suggest it, I’m not going up there to find out.’
‘No. I know. Let’s just get on the road and get out of here.’
‘You going to phone the cops?’
‘I can’t. Not until I get in touch with Julie. Let’s just get to the car first, then I’ll phone.’
They got the car, feet thick with mud, and Rosie threw herself onto the passenger seat. Her hands shook as she punched in Julie’s number again.
‘Rosie!’
Relief flooded through her.
‘Nikki? Are you okay?’
‘Yes. We’re on the road. Jesus, Rosie! It was totally mental up there.’
‘Is Julie alright?’
‘Yeah. She’s driving. We left about ten minutes ago. We’re hammering it on the motorway.’
‘Okay. So you’re not hurt?’
‘Julie got a punch in the face from that big Vanner guy.’
‘Vanner? He was there? Christ!’
‘I know. He must have been coming up to do Gordy. Turned out they were all there. Like a convention of arseholes.’
Rosie could feel herself smiling.
‘So what the hell happened? We could hear gunshots.’
‘Gunshots? It was like Pulp Fiction!’
‘So what happened?’
‘The farmer shot Gordy and his driver.’
‘The farmer? The old guy? You’re joking.’
‘No. They were going to kill his son, or take him with them as a hostage or something. We didn’t see it as we were tied up to chairs in the kitchen, next to Vanner and his minder’s dead bodies on the floor.’
‘Christ! Who killed them?’
‘Gordy’s driver.’
‘Shit! So there are four dead bodies?’
‘Yep. Two in the house and Gordy and his driver in the car. The farmer just blasted them to fuck.’
‘Unbelievable! How the hell did the son get involved? He’s in a wheelchair.’
‘I know. He happened to call over to the house as we were preparing for big Gordy to arrive, then suddenly, out of nowhere, Johnny Vanner appeared in the back door. We nearly shat ourselves.’
‘I’ll bet. So has the farmer phoned the cops?’
‘No.’
‘No?’
‘He said no cops. He’ll deal with it.’
‘What the Christ? He’s a farmer, not a hitman.’
‘I don’t know, Rosie. We didn’t stay long enough to ask questions. We just got the hell out of it. We’re heading south, as planned.’
‘Did you get anything on tape?’
‘Yeah. A lot.’
‘The shootings?’
‘Probably the noise, but not on the camera. Vanner tied us up to chairs, so we’d maybe be too low down to record faces.’
‘Okay. Just keep driving. We’ll catch up with you later.’
Rosie hung up and slumped back in her seat, rolling down the window for some air.
‘What’s happened?’ Matt said.
Rosie shook her head.
‘I can’t believe what I’m hearing. Jesus Christ, Matt! It sounds like a bloodbath up there. But the girls are out and on their way south.’
‘Who’s dead?’
‘Four. Vanner, his minder, Gordy and his driver.’
‘Fuck me! Who shot who?’
‘Believe it or not, the farmer shot Gordy and his driver. Apparently Gordy’s driver shot Vanner and his minder in the house.’
‘So the farmer shot two people. Mind you, he was in that kind of mood.’ Matt smiled. ‘He looked like one of those mad bastards that is all mild-mannered until you push him over the edge.’
‘I guess that’s what happened.’
‘What about cops?’
‘No cops. Not yet. Let’s just get to the cafe up off the motorway before we head south. I feel shaky. I need to eat something.’
*
In the driving rain and sleet, it was nearly two hours by the time Rosie and Matt pulled into the roadside cafe outside Abbington, close to the Scottish border. Nikki had phoned to say they’d stopped there, but were planning to hit the road to Manchester before it got dark. The cafe car park wasn’t busy and Rosie scanned the cars as they drove in.
‘That’s Julie’s car,’ she said to Matt as he parked.
‘I don’t suppose there’s any chance they were followed? I hope we’re not walking into something.’
‘Don’t even think that way.’
Rosie’s mobile rang and she pulled it o
ut of her coat pocket. It was McGuire.
‘What’s happening, Gilmour?’
Rosie made impatient eyes at Matt.
‘Er . . . Can’t talk right now, Mick. But I’ll be back on the road in half an hour and I’ll call you back.’
‘What the fuck’s happening?’
‘A lot, Mick. A lot has happened. I’m going to meet Julie and Nikki now.’
‘So they got away?’
‘Yeah.’
‘What about Gordy?’
‘I’ll tell you when I phone you.’
‘That means he’s fucking dead.’
‘Mick, I need to go. Don’t worry. I’ll call you soon.’
‘Christ al-fucking-mighty, Gilmour!’
Rosie hung up.
‘He’s not happy,’ she said to Matt.
Matt chuckled.
‘He’s going to go mental when you tell him what happened.’
‘Well. Let’s see what we’ve got here first.’
Matt held open the swing door and Rosie walked in. Nikki spotted her and waved her good arm.
‘So,’ Rosie said as she slid into the booth. ‘You made it.’ She shook her head. ‘I can’t quite believe you got out of there alive. All we could hear was gunshots.’
‘You can’t believe it,’ Julie piped up, taking a mouthful of her sandwich. ‘You should have seen it from where we were sitting, tied to chairs, waiting for someone to blow our heads off. Honest to Christ, Rosie! I don’t even know how I drove down here. It’s a complete blur – I just kept driving on nerves and fear. When I got in here, I nearly passed out in the car park.’
