Ellie took a deep breath, settled in her seat.
‘OK, all done.’
Abby, still sluggish with fatigue, slowly started the engine.
Hurry up, urged Ellie silently. She surreptitiously glanced towards the shop and saw the cashier watching them suspiciously.
Abby stretched, pushing her arms up to the roof of the car. Then she dropped her arms down, looked out of the car window. ‘Why is that man running towards us?’
Ellie turned her head to see the cashier running across the forecourt. ‘Go, go, go!’ she shouted.
‘What’s going on?’ asked Abby.
‘Just drive!’ yelled Ellie, and her sister finally put the car in gear and spun out of the petrol station.
‘What was all that about?’ cried Abby as they sped down the road.
‘Umm...my card didn’t work.’
‘What?You drove off without paying?’
‘Well, technically, you did.’
‘But that’s illegal!’
The sun was higher now and Ellie reached into the glove compartment and put her sunglasses on. ‘So is shooting someone,’ she said.
Abby narrowed her eyes. For a moment, Ellie thought she was going to go nuts. Then the corner of her mouth twitched. ‘Oh God, Ellie,’ she said. ‘You’re right, you’re right.’ She let out a small laugh. ‘Don’t do it again, OK? We need to get away, not leave any traces. Robbery leaves traces.’
So do dead bodies, thought Ellie.
‘Why didn’t your card work?’
‘Um...I’m in a bit of debt.’
‘How much?’
‘A few thousand.’
‘When you say a few, you mean—’
‘Eighteen thousand pounds,’ declared Ellie suddenly and the car fell silent. Ellie’s chest tightened. She felt exposed, as if she was going out into the street naked. She kept her eyes on the road ahead, didn’t want to see what she was certain was her sister’s gaping look of incredulity.
‘Eighteengrand?’ repeated Abby.
Ellie bristled, felt her cheeks heat up.
‘From what?’ asked Abby.
She shrugged. ‘Gradual build-up over the last few years.’
‘Build-up ofwhat?’
Ellie snapped her head round. ‘Could you stop saying it as if I’ve robbed a bank or something. And as you’re so keen...I don’t know really. Can’t pinpoint anything in particular.’
Ellie felt the car slow and looked up at Abby in alarm. White-faced, her sister pulled over to the side of the road. She seemed detached, was staring out of the window.
‘What’s wrong?’ asked Ellie.
