Red Alert (20 page)

She had to phone Greg and the station to say she needed to take another day off.

‘I’m fine but Mum’s not so good. I think it would be wrong to leave her here on her own just yet,’ she explained.

She hardly knew what she was doing for the rest of the morning.

‘Kirsty, what’s wrong?’

Startled, she looked up to see Greg striding across the room towards her.

‘Greg, what a fright you gave me. I didn’t hear you ring the bell.’

‘No, I knew Mum would be having her rest. I didn’t want to disturb her so I came round through the kitchen. But Kirsty, why are you crying? I’ve never seen you look so upset.’

Kirsty found a handkerchief and carefully dried her face.

‘Oh, I just felt a bit depressed, that’s all. I’ve just left a message on your machine and phoned the station to say I’m OK but I wouldn’t be in to work today.’

‘That settles it,’ he said grimly.

‘Settles what?’

‘I’m going to get a special licence. We’re going to get married immediately.’

The determination that hardened his eyes made her pulse pound with a mixture of excitement and fear. Averting her gaze from his, she said, ‘I can’t think just now, Greg. Perhaps in a week or two …’

‘No, right now. I’ll see about the licence this afternoon. You won’t need to do anything. Don’t worry. Leave everything to me.’

‘But Greg,’ her voice stretched up an octave, ‘we can’t rush the wedding like this.’

‘What’s to stop us?’

‘My dress isn’t ready, for one thing. And Mum can’t be left alone just yet. I told you.’

‘I can easily move in here until she’s a hundred per cent recovered.’

‘No, you can’t,’ Kirsty cried out recklessly. ‘I’m sorry, Greg. It’s quite impossible.’

His eyes narrowed. ‘Why is it impossible?’

‘Will you stop interrogating me!’ She jumped up, sending her chair crashing back. Colour flamed to her cheeks as her eyes met his.

For a moment or two, he didn’t speak. He just stared at her very intently. Then he said in a slow, thoughtful voice, ‘It isn’t like you to behave like this, Kirsty. Something’s going on here, and if it’s the last thing I do, I’ll get to the bottom of it.’ When the phone rang the next day and she heard Paul Henley’s voice, Kirsty closed her eyes in silent thankfulness. But her feelings of relief were short-lived.

‘What did you say?’ Her voice sharpened with the alertness of incredulity. ‘Greg has been to see you, did you say?’

‘You heard me! He went to the flat and from there to the casino. He’s been asking questions about the robbery.’

‘But I never said a word to him about anything.’

‘He’s got a friend in the force. They’ve obviously been talking. It’s all a matter of time now. We’ll have to move fast. That guy’s out to get me.’

‘But as long as Greg thinks Johnny’s dead, there’s no way he can find out the truth. There’s nothing he can do.’

‘I know his type,’ Paul rasped bitterly. ‘He may be a firefighter but he’s acting like a bloody cop. He thinks he’s onto something and he’ll never let go. I’m telling you, we’ll have to move fast. Renee and I will come out to your place tonight. I’ve got a ship fixed up for Johnny. We’ll smuggle him away once it’s dark.’

That was settled, then. The uncertainty, the agonising suspense of the past few days was all over. But she still felt apprehensive and afraid.

Paul and Renee mustn’t be allowed to get their hands on the money until after Johnny was safely away, she told herself over and over again. It was on the money alone that Johnny’s life depended. The thought grew in urgency and she reminded Johnny of it as soon as she managed to get up to the loft. Excitedly, she told Johnny the details of Paul’s phone call. Then she said, ‘Now, you know our plan, Johnny. I’ll come with you and see you safely onto the ship, then I’ll drive back here with Paul and Renee and give them the money.’

Nervously Johnny bit his lip. ‘I don’t feel happy about leaving you alone with them.’

‘I’ll be perfectly all right. There’s no need to worry about me.’

‘How can you be so certain?’ He stared across at her, agitation twitching at his face and panic filling his eyes. ‘Kirsty, something awful could happen.’

‘Now, now, you’re just working yourself into one of your states, and that won’t help either of us. Just you stay here and keep calm until they come for you.’

It wouldn’t be long now. Darkness already covered the house like a silent sea of ink. Kirsty eased from the loft and dropped down into the darkness.

Were Paul and Renee already here, she wondered. She’d left the back door unlocked so that they could enter the house soundlessly. She crept downstairs and into the sitting room, and as soon as she switched on the light, she saw the gun.

Paul was lolling back on a chair, the gun in his hand pointing at the door she’d just come through.

‘What’s the meaning of this?’ she asked, suddenly hot with anger, but too conscious of the heavy hush in the house to break it. ‘Don’t think you’ll get anywhere by trying to intimidate me. I’m not so easily frightened.’

Paul too kept his voice low. ‘I believe you. I believe you. But your precious brother’s not nearly as spunky as you.’

‘Just what are you trying to say?’

Paul’s face hardened and he jerked to his feet. ‘No one leaves here before I’m in possession of that money. I’m going up to Johnny now and if he doesn’t hand it over, I’ll beat him with this gun until he’s glad to.’ He replaced the gun in his pocket and then said, ‘You stay here with Renee just now.’

‘No, you can’t.’ Even knowing her mother would be deeply unconscious after the strong sedative she’d given her, Kirsty still kept her voice down as she desperately tried to block the doorway and prevent Paul leaving the room. ‘Johnny’s weak and ill. He’s suffered enough. He panicked and killed a man and I’m not excusing his crime, but these past few days …’

‘Killed a man?’ Paul gave a sarcastic laugh. ‘That weakling? He hadn’t the guts. Not even in panic.’

Stunned, Kirsty stared at him. ‘What do you mean? I don’t understand.’

‘Your precious brother ran away so fast he didn’t notice that the manager was just unconscious. When he’d pushed him away, he’d fallen back and bashed his head, that was all. All I needed to do was bash his head again but a lot harder.’

‘Then it was you.’ She began to tremble with red-hot fury. ‘You killed him. And all this time, you’ve allowed Johnny, all of us, to suffer. Why you … you …’

‘Don’t touch him, Kirsty. Keep back.’

Immediately she swung round.

‘Johnny!’

He was standing, grey-faced and huge-eyed, in the doorway.

‘You forgot I still have this gun as well as the money, didn’t you?’ He aimed the weapon at the older man. ‘And I’ll tell you another thing you didn’t know, Paul. I’m perfectly capable of using it to kill you.’

‘No, Johnny, please!’ Kirsty hissed. ‘You’re not a killer. You never murdered anyone. You mustn’t let Paul make a murderer of you now. Give that gun to me at once.’

‘He got me into all this. Right from the start, it’s been all his idea. He deserves to die.’

‘Johnny, the law will deal with Paul.’

Johnny had begun to tremble now and two bright blobs of colour glistened on his cheekbones.

‘Oh, he’s far too clever for the law. Aren’t you, Paul? The law’s not going to catch you. You’ve got it all planned. Haven’t you?’

‘Look, kid …’ Paul raised his hands. ‘Take it easy.’

‘Oh, I have been taking it easy, Paul. Cooped up in that loft, I hadn’t much choice. I’ve had plenty of time and opportunity to think, though. I’m not as big a fool as you obviously take me for. I know perfectly well what you were planning to do.’

‘All I want is my share of the money, Johnny. It’s the money I want, that’s all.’

‘No, it’s not all. You planned to kill both my sister and me. That would have finished everything off very nicely, wouldn’t it? With Kirsty and me out of the way, no one could ever have pointed the finger at you.’

He turned a feverish face towards his sister.

‘I’m already dead, you see, Kirsty, and another “accident” could easily have been arranged for you. You know too much. He would never have left you here alive. Never have risked you telling Greg.’

‘But none of that matters any more,’ Kirsty said desperately. ‘You’re not a murderer. That’s all I care about. I’m going to phone and explain the whole thing to Greg.’

‘I wouldn’t advise it,’ Paul said quickly. ‘Johnny’s still in this up to his neck. He’d be charged with the robbery, for a start, and at least as an accessory to murder.’

‘Accessory to murder?’ Renee echoed sarcastically. ‘He’d be lucky if that was all they flung at him.’ She glared venomously at Johnny. ‘It’s only your word against ours that you didn’t kill the manager. I’ll swear till I’m blue in the face that Paul was with me all the time from the moment we both left the gaming tables that night.’

Paul moved a step forward. ‘So nothing’s really changed,’ he said.

‘Stay where you are!’ Johnny brandished the gun at him. ‘You’re going to die. That’s what’s different.’

‘Wait, Johnny,’ Kirsty pleaded. ‘You’re not giving yourself time to think.’

‘No, Kirsty.’ He shook his head, at the same time swaying drunkenly. ‘It’s too late. There’s nothing else I can do now.’

‘You’re ill.’ She ran towards him and caught his swaying figure in her arms. ‘You need a doctor.’

Suddenly Paul sprang forward. Barging into Kirsty’s side and swinging them round against the wall, he wrenched the gun from Johnny’s hand.

‘All he needs, and all he’s going to get, is a bullet in the head.’ He pointed the gun, first at Johnny and then at Kirsty, who kept her arms protectively around Johnny’s shoulders. ‘In fact, if you don’t tell me where the money is, right now, both you and your sister will be dead in exactly one minute. Your sister first.’

‘No, don’t,’ Johnny sobbed. ‘Please don’t hurt Kirsty.’

‘The money! The money!’

‘It’s in her bedroom, in the fireplace, jammed up the chimney.’

‘You’d better be telling the truth. Here, Renee, take the gun and watch the pair of them while I go upstairs to check.’

Still clutching Johnny’s trembling body close to her, Kirsty watched Paul hurry from the room. Then she waited for a moment or two until she reckoned he’d be across the hall and beginning to ascend the stairs. He’d probably be out of earshot now, she thought. This was an old house and the walls and doors were almost thick enough to be soundproof. She glanced at the table at her side and noted the tall vase of flowers there. To throw the vase at Renee, to take her by surprise and knock the gun from her hand, was their only chance.

She released her hold on Johnny.

‘Are you feeling a bit steadier, dear?’ she asked gently. But before he could reply, she swooped on the vase and sent it flying across the room.

‘Why you …’ Renee howled in pain as the vase caught her on the side of her head. Then Kirsty was on her, nails hooking and clawing at her face and neck, as she struggled for control of the gun.

They swayed and stumbled across the room, as Kirsty tried to spear Renee’s leg or foot with her sharp stilettos.

‘Let go! Let go, you bitch,’ Kirsty gasped as she frantically wrestled with the older woman. ‘Drop it!’ Kirsty violently shook and jerked Renee’s wrist. ‘You’d better do as I say or you’re liable to get seriously hurt. I’m a lot stronger than I look. And I’m wearing stiletto heels. If you don’t drop that gun, I’ll put one right through your foot.’

‘Not before I put a bullet through you,’ Renee hissed.

‘Leave her alone! Get your hands off my sister!’

Out of the corner of her eye, Kirsty saw Johnny come staggering towards her.

As Kirsty’s attention was diverted by Johnny’s approach, Renee suddenly wrenched herself free and swung the gun up with two hands to face them both.

‘Johnny, get back,’ she warned. ‘Both of you get back. I’m going to enjoy doing this,’ she said, ‘and I’ll be saving Paul some time.’

‘You’re mad.’ Kirsty’s voice held a confident tone that she was far from feeling. ‘You’ll never get away with it.’

‘No?’ Renee sneered. ‘Just watch me.’

The gun was raised. Kirsty faced it coolly, although she was secretly trembling inside. The finger on the trigger tightened.

Unexpectedly, Johnny flung himself forward between Kirsty and the gun, using his body as a shield.

‘Johnny!’

The gun hardly made a sound as the bullet sank into Johnny’s flesh. He dropped to the floor, bright blood pulsing from his chest as his fingers twitched pathetically at the wound.

Helpless with horror, Kirsty stood staring at her brother now lying still and silent at Renee’s feet.

‘Leave him alone!’ She came to life when Renee bent down and pushed Johnny’s inert body roughly aside.

As Johnny had fallen to the floor, he had grabbed at the gun, knocking it from Renee’s clutches. She was pulling at him to get at the gun that lay trapped under his inert body.

Kirsty rushed forward in desperation, and her shoulder caught the bent figure of Renee square in her side, knocking her across the room.

Kirsty scrabbled under Johnny’s side and swung up the gun, her fingers slippery with Johnny’s blood. She immediately levelled it at the other woman. With her free hand, she lifted the receiver off its hook and rapidly dialled 999.

Perspiration pricked her brow and her attention kept straying from Renee to the telephone and then to the sitting-room door. At any moment, Paul was going to return.

The voice at the other end of the phone seemed very far away.

‘Tell Sergeant Jack Campbell that Paul and Renee Henley are trying to kill me and my brother.’ Trembling violently, she kept the phone clamped to her ear. At last she heard Jack Campbell’s voice.

‘Is that you, Kirsty?’

‘Yes, please come as fast as you can, and tell Greg.’

‘A police car will be there in minutes. And I’ll phone Greg right now.’

Kirsty replaced the receiver.

‘Oh, hurry, hurry,’ she thought.

She saw the sitting-room door open but the thunderous drumming of her heart blotted out sound.

‘Get over there beside Renee.’ She jerked the gun at Paul to emphasise her words. ‘And don’t try anything. I’ve already phoned the police. They’ll be here at any moment to arrest the pair of you.’