Page 127 of We Chase Shadows

‘Mine too,’ says Rosie, and the struggle continues once again.

Rosie can feel she is winning. Mainly because she has both hands on the bag, while Felicity has only one hand on the strap, the other hand still protecting her gun. When did Felicity get a gun? Rosie senses that one final heave will win the war, but Felicity then brings her gun hand around to try and grab the strap too.

There is a deafening noise as Felicity’s gun fires. Rosie sees shock on Felicity’s face as they both abandon the bag. As Rosie is wondering where the bullet has gone, the conference door flies open and Ernesto rushes out. He immediately kneels beside Rosie, a panicked look in his eyes.

‘No, Rosie,’ says Ernesto, out of control for a reason Rosie can’t decipher for now. With his trailing foot, Ernesto scoots Felicity’s gun towards him.

‘I’m so sorry,’ says Felicity. ‘I’m so sorry.’

Rosie wants to reassure her. It was an accident. It’s okay. No harm, no foul, no one got hurt. We’ll sort this out, nice to see a bit of passion. But no words come out.

‘It was an accident,’ cries Felicity.

‘Call an ambulance,’ says Ernesto. ‘She’s losing a lot of blood.’

Who’s losing a lot of blood? Rosie decides to sit up and rearrange herself. But she can’t sit up.

Ernesto takes off his belt. Something Rosie’s seen before. He loops it around the top of her arm and pulls it tight. ‘You stay with us, Rosie.’

Where else would I be going? Rosie thinks.

‘I was only here for Brooks,’ says Felicity before her call is connected.

‘Jesus, Brooks,’ says Ernesto and rushes back into the conference room.

‘Ambulance,’ says Felicity. ‘Ambulance, Brockenhurst Stables Business Park. Gunshot wound.’

Ernesto rushes back out of the conference room. He points at Felicity. ‘You make sure she doesn’t die.’

Felicity looks towards the conference room. It is empty. The far door of the room is also open.

Ernesto kneels down beside Rosie again. ‘He has run, I have to follow. Rosie, no dying.’

He kisses her on the forehead and sprints away.

Felicity takes Rosie’s head in her hands and holds her close. ‘Rosie, I’m so sorry. I only wanted to go in there and scare him.’

Rosie looks at her office manager and wonders why she is covered in blood. She looks down and realizes it is hers. So that’s where the bullet went.

No one has ever shot Rosie before, despite many people wanting to.

She begins to feel the pain now. It is in her right shoulder. She tries to speak again, but can’t. She tries to move again, but can’t.

Hopefully that is just shock. And if it isn’t, then her fun has finally come to an end. Not in a Malibu beach house, not in a New York penthouse, but on the floor of a reception lobby in a small business park in the New Forest.

This is not the ending Rosie would have chosen.

The pain grows worse. Rosie knows that is a good sign. She will try to speak again.

‘Mmmm, nnnn,’ she manages. This is good. This is very good.

‘Darling, I can’t hear you,’ says Felicity. ‘The ambulance is coming, it’s all going to be okay.’

Rosie nods. Nodding is another good sign. ‘Can … can …’

‘What do you need?’ Felicity asks. ‘What do you need? Anything.’

‘Can I have a cup of tea?’ Rosie mumbles, before the intensity of the pain makes her lose consciousness.