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I don’t think I’ve got the strength for it anymore.
You need to see Eveline.
I know, but she’s so tired making a baby.
She’s your best friend!
And that’s why I don’t want to load more of my shit onto her.
Chester and Joy barked from the kitchen. Their tone was different; frantic and urgent. Estelle’s nervous system sprinted off the blocks. They’d only ever barked like this once before, when the livery had been broken into.
Throwing back the covers, she grabbed the shotgun from under her bed, pulled on her dressing gown, filled the pockets with more shells, then dashed out of the room.
Joy was now making a noise like a Wookie being strangled and Chester sounded as if he was wrestling a honey badger. Estelle didn’t want to let them out. She knew they would attack to protect her, but she didn’t want to risk them getting hurt in case whoever was out there was armed.
Half way down the stairs, there was a sound at the front door. A knock? Someone trying to break in?
Heart racing, she opened the living room window at the back of the house and climbed through. The grass was cold and wet on her feet, but she didn’t stop. Raising the shotgun, she crept around the side, giving her a clear sight line to the front door.
It was dark, but she could make out a shadowy figure under the porch.
Bracing the butt of the gun against her shoulder, she let off a shot—an inch to the left of their head.
The sound screamed in her ears, then ricocheted around the nearby buildings.
‘It’s double-barrelled, motherfucker!’ she snarled. ‘Get off my land or the next one’s going to take out your dick.’
She stalked forward, eye trained down the barrel.
The person stepped slowly away from the door, their arms raised.
‘I’d rather you didn’t,’ James said. ‘I’m quite attached to it.’
25
‘Jesus Christ!’ Estelle screamed, dropping the end of the barrel. ‘What are you doing? I nearly shot your dick off!’
Despite the adrenaline racing around his body, the corners of James’s mouth twitched up.
‘For the second time, no less,’ he replied. ‘Although I see you’ve upgraded from a bow and arrow to a shotgun. What should I expect next? A grenade launcher?’
Letting his hands fall to his sides, he strolled across the driveway towards her. Her hair was in a bun with a silk wrap tied around it, and the pockets of her fluffy dressing gown were bulging with ammunition. A cartridge fell out and dropped to the ground.
‘You’re packing a lot of heat, Estelle.’
‘What the fuck, James!’ she yelled.
‘I apologise. I should have told you I was coming back.’
Silence.
‘Back?’ she asked, hope in her voice.
Shit. ‘Only for three hours. I dropped Elyse at the hotel, then drove straight here.’
‘Why?’ Her voice was a whisper.
He crossed the distance between them. The moonlight reflected in her eyes.
