‘Was it the police? Because don’t tell me you just happened to be passing the exact same village as the one we are in, because it’s bullshit and you and I both know it.’
‘What’s going on?’ asked Ellie, bemused. ‘Abby?’ She looked at her sister who was staring out Fredrik and couldn’t understand Abby’s level of hostility. ‘Why would Fredrik have anything to do with the police?’
‘He’s going to tell us,’ said Abby. ‘Aren’t you?’
Ellie looked to Fredrik for affirmation that her sister had got the wrong end of the stick but no such affirmation came. In fact, he looked distinctly uncomfortable.
‘They said you have a gun,’ Fredrik said coolly to Abby. He put a protective arm out to Ellie.
Ellie’s mouth dropped open. ‘What? Who said, exactly?’
Fredrik turned to her. ‘I’m sorry, Ellie. I saw the news article. About the shooting. I recognized you from the photos and I contacted the police.’
Ellie’s face fell as she began to realize the true extent of his duplicity.
‘I didn’t want to lie but...’ He saw he wasn’t getting through. ‘She’s got a gun,’ he repeated.
Ellie slowly stepped away from him, the news still sinking in. She walked over to her bag, unzipped it.
‘I’ve got the gun,’ she said.
He flinched, eyes agog, and she put it away. Her shoulders fell.
‘We need to get out of here,’ said Abby. ‘Now.’
She grabbed the bags and, making sure Ellie was following, went to the door. Then she stopped. ‘They’re outside, aren’t they?’ she said to Fredrik.
He nodded.
‘Shit!’ She looked wildly around the room.
‘I can help,’ said Fredrik suddenly.
‘I think we can do without your help,’ snapped Abby.
‘No, seriously.’ Fredrik went over to the window, opened it. On the floor below was a balcony. Steps led from the balcony down to the gardens, beyond which was the car park. Abby could see the red Fiat from where she stood. It was tantalizingly close – but still a world away.
A loud scraping sound distracted her – she turned to see Fredrik heaving the bed over to the door. Then he ripped off the sheet and ran back over to the window.
‘Let me tie this around you,’ he said to Abby.
‘I don’t think so.’
‘It’s the only way.’
Abby narrowed her eyes. ‘You’d better not be messing me around.’
She let Fredrik tie one end of the sheet around her middle. Then, on his instruction, she climbed out of the window onto the sill, as he had the other end of the sheet wrapped around his waist to support her.
‘Use the drainpipe,’ said Fredrik, and Abby reached across and grabbed it with both hands and then lowered herself down. She untied the sheet and Fredrik hauled it back up.
‘Ready?’ he called, holding her bags at the window. Abby nodded and he dropped them onto the balcony.
‘Now you,’ Fredrik said to Ellie.
She hesitated.
‘Hurry,’ he pleaded.
