Then he shakes his head.No. Too many complications. The chippy girl is more his type.
The key slides easily into the lock. Stuart pulls a hammer from his rucksack. If all goes well, he’ll be in and out in about twenty minutes.
His distracted mind, still on the girl from the chip shop, means he forgets to cut the lights.
***
Joanna
I manage to grab the door, just as Neville rushes out. This is my chance. I can’t blow it like last time.
My thoughts keep returning to Lila. Thismusthave something to do with her – there’s no other explanation. Could Logan be connected to, or even a member of, Lila’s family?
And who is this person who’s supposed to let me go? I don’t know what the fuck he’s talking about. Who’s here? Well, I’ll soon find out. I step over the scattered mess of fish and chips and wedge the door open with my shoe before draining the contents of the wine bottle into the toilet. This time, I won’t be caught without a weapon. I climb the steps carefully. The hatch is open. I peer into the hallway.
Chapter Sixty
Neville
‘You’re here—’ I begin.
But the man standing in front of me isn’t who I am expecting.
Instead, I’m facing a heavyweight with a hammer dangling from his right hand. Beads of sweat break out on my forehead.
‘Expecting someone else, were you?’ the man says, his voice deep and menacing.
I don’t even register his features. My eyes are fixed on the hammer.What the hell is going on?
‘Who are you? Where did you get that key?’
‘Now, that would be telling, wouldn’t it?’ he replies with a grin, and I notice his front tooth is broken.
He swings the hammer gently back and forth. Sweat trickles down my back. I have no idea what to do.
Trying to tackle him is pointless. He’s heavier than me, and armed. My first instinct is to race to the kitchen for a knife, but will I make it before he catches me?
‘Where’s the woman?’ he asks.
‘What woman?’ I ask, trying to sound innocent.
‘Is she in the basement?’
Realisation hits me like a bolt of lightning, knocking the breath from my lungs. ‘I don’t know what woman you’re talking about.’
From the corner of my eye, I spot where the carpet has been thrown back, exposing the hatch to the basement. I edge my foot over and nudge it closed.
He looks down, and I make a break for it and run towards the kitchen.
His heavy footsteps pound behind me on the oak floor. He doesn’t hurry, but I still don’t reach the knife block in time.
A searing pain explodes in my shoulder, and a sticky wetness trickles along my arm. I glance at it. My shirt sleeve is soaked in blood. The pain throbbing in my shoulder is unbearable, but I duck his next blow, which he aims at my head, and manage to stumble out of the kitchen.
I need to warn Joanna.
I open my mouth to shout a warning to her, when I see him coming at me again, hammer raised, grim determination carved into his face.
We don’t stand a chance.
