‘There’s been a crash. The limo we were being driven in has overturned into a river. We are somewhere a few miles from a hotel in the Lake District. There’s a stream, and the car overturned. I don’t know what happened. Please send an ambulance. We’re hurt.’

  She hung up before they could ask any questions, but she heard them ask how many people there were, and whether there were any more details. She went across to Bella and Cissy and knelt down beside them. She tried to talk to them but there was no response. She looked up at the sky as the heavens opened up and rain began to fall and sweep across the landscape, soaking them. How could she leave them like this? She had to. And she had to take the drugs and the money or it would be found with them. In the distance somewhere, she could hear sirens.

  ‘I have to go,’ she said tearfully. ‘But if you can hear me, Bella, Cissy, if you can hear me at all, trust me. I’ll be back, I promise. The ambulances are on their way.’ Then she stood up, her face soaked with tears. She wiped her nose with the back of her bloodied hand and began to run, stumbling in the mud as she did. She crossed the freezing stream and climbed out of the other side and kept running as fast as she could manage, agonising pain shooting up her leg, but adrenaline pushing her on. She had to get far away from here as quickly as possible. She had nowhere to run but this was about surviving and nothing was going to stop her. Whoever did this would pay. She ran for her life.

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  In the pitch black, Ruby had no idea where she was going, but she knew she had to get as far away from the crash scene as possible.

  Her eyes adjusted a little to the dark, but she was running blind and stumbling every few yards, sinking into the squelching mud, the driving rain freezing on her face. At one point she tripped and fell face down in a ditch and yelped as thick bramble bush thorns dug through her jeans, and she could feel the flesh on her face and body being ripped.

  She lay there in the rain, touched her cheeks and felt blood. She had to get out of here, but every little bit she moved, the thorns tore into her hands and arms. With one big push she hauled herself out, groaning in agony as she felt more flesh being ripped from her. Then she got to her feet again. She was alive and she could move, even if it was torture, so she had to keep going.

  When she thought she was far enough away from the car, she turned on the torch on her mobile and quickly scanned the landscape. There were shadowy trees and open fields, but somewhere in the distance she thought she saw a light, and as she strained her eyes, it looked like the outline of a building. A house, she thought. She could head in that direction, and hope for the best. It was all she could do. Her adrenaline kept her going, but her legs felt shaky and her chest was bursting with the exertion. Somewhere in the distance she could hear sirens, so she hadn’t gone that far away. She glanced at her watch. She’d probably only been running for about fifteen or twenty minutes since she’d made the call, so at least the ambulances would be on their way or maybe already there. Cissy and Bella would make it. She couldn’t allow herself to think anything else. At least she had taken the drugs and the cash, so when the cops came, they wouldn’t find a crashed car with two women and a haul of drugs and money. She knew she’d made the right decision to leave. But what would Cissy and Bella think when they came round to find she wasn’t there? She had to find a way to let them know she was all right, but for now she just had to survive.

  As she ploughed through the sodden earth, she came to a small fence and climbed across it. She seemed to be in a woodland area – where it led to, she had no idea, but there appeared to be a path because the earth was not so deep and soggy now. She kept close to the trees, and then stopped, and in the distance she could now see the outline of the area. It was definitely a house, and there was smoke coming out of the chimney. She walked slowly, carefully, towards the perimeter. There were bound to be dogs or something that would make a noise on her approach, but so far so good. She found herself in a yard around the building, where there were bits of farm machinery and an old car. She crept around to the front of the car and checked inside. No keys. Then she looked across the yard and saw a long, low building that looked like a barn or a cowshed. She made her way to it slowly, her eyes adjusting to the light through the curtains, and she came to a barn door. She stood, breathless for a moment, then carefully eased it open. From the stench of the place she could tell it was an animal shed. Her eyes scanned the interior, then she made her way to a corner, picking her feet through the straw and crap on the floor. Then her legs buckled and she dropped to the ground against the rear wall, her rucksack still on her back. Exhaustion from pain and terror had caught up with her and she just needed to lie here for a little while to get her breath back, then she would be gone, who knew where to, but she told herself just to rest her eyes, as they became heavier with every breath.

  ‘Who the fuck are you?’

  Ruby could hear a woman’s voice, but her eyes were still closed and she thought she was dreaming. Then she heard the birdsong and sensed daylight coming into wherever she was. She opened both eyes. She hadn’t been dreaming. There was a shotgun pointed right at her. And a woman with angry, narrow eyes who looked as though she was ready to use it any second now. Ruby automatically pushed herself back to get away from the gun. Her hand went up in defence.

  ‘Please,’ she pleaded. ‘Don’t shoot. I’m sorry. Please.’

  ‘Don’t move a fucking muscle or I’ll blow your fucking head off.’

  She could see the lean face and cheekbones of the tall, slim woman standing over her, glancing her up and down.

  ‘I won’t,’ Ruby promised. ‘I won’t move. Just . . . please don’t shoot me.’

  They stared at each other for a moment, the woman’s eyes unblinking, fixed on her.

  ‘Who the fuck are you and what are you doing in my barn?’

  Ruby tried to swallow and could taste blood in her mouth. She felt sick.

  ‘There was a crash,’ she said. ‘Someone tried to kill me. I had to run away, and I didn’t know where I was going. I ended up here. I’m sorry. I was hurt and fell into thorns.’

  ‘I can see that,’ the woman said, the gun still raised. ‘Why didn’t you call the police?’

  Ruby swallowed again. She attempted to moisten her lips with her tongue but all she tasted was dried blood.

  ‘I . . . I had to run,’ Ruby said. ‘I was scared they would come after me. My two friends were in the crash too.’

  ‘Where are they?’

  ‘I called 999, and I heard sirens as I was running.’

  ‘You ran out on your mates?’

  Ruby took a short breath.

  ‘It’s not as simple as that.’ She looked pleadingly at the woman. ‘Look, can you please help me? Put the gun down and I’ll tell you everything.’

  The woman stood for a long time glancing around the shed and then back at her. A cow was lowing somewhere in the shed’s darkness. She slapped on a switch on the wall and the place flooded with light. Ruby looked around her, trying to sit up on the straw.

  ‘What’s in there?’ the woman asked, gesturing towards her rucksack.

  ‘Can I take it off? I’ll show you?’ Ruby said, hands in the air.

  The woman nodded. Ruby took it off her back.

  ‘Kick it across to me.’

  Ruby did as she asked, her stomach churning. Once the woman opened it she knew she was a goner, but she had no choice. She had stuffed the drugs and the money from the cloth bag into her rucksack before she ran. She sat up, watching as the woman unzipped the rucksack with one hand.

  ‘Holy fuck!’ Her eyes popped. ‘You’re a fucking dealer?’

  Ruby put her hands up.

  ‘No, no. Please. I promise you I’m not. Listen to me for a moment.’

  The woman lowered the gun.

  ‘Okay, but don’t move.’

  ‘I won’t.’

  ‘Tell me.’

  Ruby touched her face and winced at the pain.

  ‘Look at the state of me. Do I look like a drug dealer?’ She didn’t expect an answer and none came. The woman just kept staring at her. Then Ruby spoke and told her what happened.

  ‘We live in Spain, and me and the girls – we’re best friends – were on a weekend spa at the Lake District and then going to Manchester tomorrow, or today now, for some shopping.’ She explained that her husband had sent a car as a treat to take them to Manchester, but someone was after them, bumping the car until it lost control. Ruby described climbing out of the car and rescuing her friends, but how two men turned up and she had to shoot them.

  ‘I have a gun,’ Ruby said. ‘You’ll see in the bag. I made sure an ambulance was coming, but I had to get away with the drugs or the girls would be caught with them. So that’s what I did. Do you understand?’

  The woman listened, her face impassive, and for a while she didn’t speak. Ruby looked at her, dressed in a heavy puffer jacket, dark wellies and a thick polo-neck sweater. She looked like she was in her mid-to-late thirties. There were traces of beauty about her face, but she had a worn-out look, a tired, weary pallor. Eventually, she sniffed and spoke.

  ‘I should call the cops. I don’t want to be anywhere near this shit.’

  ‘Please,’ Ruby said. ‘I’ll just go and take the stuff with me. Nobody will ever know I was here, I promise.’

  The woman looked at her, an unconvinced expression on her face, but said nothing.

  ‘I . . . I mean, I could give you some money?’ Ruby said it before thinking it through and now she was worried she might have offended her.

  ‘I’m not a bloody gangster,’ the woman said. ‘I’m just trying to make a fucking living here. I don’t need this shit.’

  ‘No,’ Ruby said. ‘I’m sure you don’t. Look, if you just let me get away – maybe I could wash the blood off my face, then I’ll make a run for it.’

  ‘And go where?’

  ‘I don’t know.’ Ruby bit her lip and for a moment her chest tightened and she fought back tears. She was worn out, defeated. She had nothing but hope. ‘I’ll figure something out.’

  The woman took a long breath and shook her head slowly.

  ‘Get up,’ she said, looking at her.

  Ruby put her hands on the floor and pushed herself onto her knees, then tried to put her foot down to stand up, but almost screamed in pain. She turned and put her other hand onto the stable wall, and pushed herself to her feet, pain shooting up her ankle.

  ‘How are you going to make a run for it?’ the woman asked. ‘You can’t even fucking walk.’

  Ruby nodded.

  ‘I just need a bit of time. I’ll be fine.’ She swallowed hard. ‘I just need a bit of help. Look, I’m not a bad woman. I don’t know who these drugs were going to or what they were even doing in the car. We’ve been set up, I know that for sure.’

  ‘Set up by who?’

  Ruby didn’t want to say any more. She shook her head.

  ‘I don’t know,’ she lied, hoping she was convincing.

  The woman stood watching her struggle then turned to her.

  ‘Can you walk at all?’

  ‘Yes. I ran all the way here – a couple of miles maybe. I’ve made it worse.’

  ‘Yeah. You have.’ She turned away for a second, then she slung the rucksack over her shoulder. ‘Right, follow me. My name is Ellie.’

  Ruby looked at her for a moment in disbelief as she turned and began to walk out of the shed. Then Ruby slowly made her way behind her, the agonising pain in her ankle bringing tears to her eyes, and making her grit her teeth with every step.

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  ‘You’re all right, love. Just breathe.’

  Bella opened her eyes, panicky at the feel of something covering her face, to the blurred image of a woman in green overalls hovering over her. Her eyes opened a little more and she could see the lights above her and feel the movement and sirens. She was in an ambulance. Going fast.

  ‘It’s okay, love, you’re going to be fine. Can you squeeze my hand?’

  Bella felt the soft fingers wrapping around her hand and she automatically squeezed.

  ‘Good girl,’ the woman said. ‘You’re going to be okay. Do you know where you are?’

  She was groggy and her eyes were heavy. She could feel the oxygen mask on her face. She nodded.

  ‘Can you speak? What’s your name? Do you know what happened? You’ve been in a car accident, love, but we’re taking you to hospital.’ She paused and Bella looked into her soft grey eyes. ‘What’s your name?’

  Bella moved her lips, but she couldn’t hear her voice.

  The woman leaned in close, her head turned so her ear was next to her mouth.

  Bella tried to whisper.

  ‘Bella?’ the woman said. ‘Okay, Bella. We’re on our way to hospital.’

  Bella suddenly froze, gripping the woman’s hand tight.

  ‘Cissy?’ she whispered. ‘Where’s Cissy?’

  In some dim recollection she saw her and Cissy lying on a grass verge. But where was Ruby? She wasn’t there, was she? Then the memory went.

  ‘Cissy?’ the woman said. ‘Your friend Cissy is in the other ambulance. She’s okay, though. Bit roughed up with the crash, but she’s conscious and okay. She was asking for you as she went into the ambulance. She asked for someone called Ruby too.’

  Bella was silent. She closed her eyes for a moment, and she could see flashing images of the car overturning. She could feel the coldness of the water, and Ruby telling her she would be okay. Or did she imagine it? She wasn’t sure. But her instinct told her to say nothing. Where was Ruby? She closed her eyes as the woman held her hand and she felt the vehicle turn a corner, and then the ambulance came to a halt.

  In the emergency area, Cissy watched as Bella was wheeled in on a trolley and placed next to her. Cissy’s eyes filled with tears.

  ‘Oh, Bella,’ she sniffed. ‘You’re alive. Thank God. Are you okay?’

  Bella turned her head and Cissy could see she was in pain and wearing an oxygen mask. Cissy reached across and held her hand.

  ‘Where’s Ruby?’ Bella whispered.

  Cissy put her finger to her lips.

  ‘She’s not here. She wasn’t found. I think I can remember her saying she would have to go but that she would be back. Maybe she did a runner. Maybe I was dreaming. I don’t know,’ Cissy whispered.

  Bella was confused but said nothing. Ruby wouldn’t run out on them. They were family, the three of them. Ruby wouldn’t just go.

  ‘Are you okay, Bella?’ Cissy asked again.

  Bella nodded.

  ‘I think so.’

  Doctors and nurses came towards them and began to push the trolleys, and the women looked at each other as uniformed police came in through the double doors, followed by a couple of plain-clothes men who could’ve been detectives. The men watched as the women were wheeled away for treatment. Cissy and Bella gave each other a look that said, Say nothing.

  Cissy felt as though it was hours later that she was being wheeled down a corridor and towards a room where a uniformed police officer stood outside the door. The porter nodded to him and wheeled Cissy inside, where two nurses carefully, gently, eased her onto the bed and propped her pillows up. She was wearing a hospital gown and could see her leg was heavily bandaged around her ankle, and there was also a bandage on her forehead and a gash on her arm. She’d been X-rayed, prodded and stitched, the doctor telling her that she had ligament damage in her ankle, plus stitches on her head after glass was removed, and deep cuts to her arm. When the doctor asked about the splint on her hand, she explained that she’d been hurt in Spain, but said no more. He told her she was lucky to have survived the crash. Lucky, Cissy thought. It didn’t feel that way, because right now she really didn’t know what the hell was going on. What happened? Why did it happen? Where was Ruby? All she knew was that she should say as little as possible if the police came asking questions about the crash. The truth was, she didn’t know anything anyway. She hadn’t even had time to consider what might have happened, but something inside her told her that this was to do with Terence. Maybe they’d found the body and all hell had broken loose. Whatever, she had to keep her mouth shut. After a few moments, there was a knock at the door and as it opened, a man and a woman came into the room. They looked at the nurses, who nodded, presumably indicating that Cissy was okay to be interviewed.

  ‘Cissy,’ the big dark-haired middle-aged man said, ‘I’m Detective Inspector Morris Stone from Greater Manchester Police, and this is Detective Constable Marion Sutter. How you feeling, Cissy?’

  Cissy gave him a look and shrugged.

  ‘I’m alive,’ she said. ‘Sore all over, but I’m okay.’

  ‘You’re a lucky girl, you are,’ he said. ‘You and your mate Bella are in not too bad shape considering how many times the car might have rolled over in that field. The driver . . .’ He looked at his DC. ‘I’m afraid the driver didn’t make it. Head injury.’

  ‘That’s awful. He was a nice guy,’ Cissy said, not really knowing what else to say.

  The big cop stood and took a breath through his nose then pushed it out.

  ‘Cissy,’ he said, ‘have you any idea why you were on that country road?’

  Cissy let it hang for a moment then tried to get her thoughts together. She had to be careful.

  ‘I told the paramedic we were on a girls’ spa break for a few days in the Lake District. That big hotel. The car picked us up and we were headed to Manchester. The driver suggested we took the scenic route and maybe could catch a sunset. So we said okay. We were enjoying the champagne. It was just an ordinary trip. Then . . . I don’t know what happened.’

  Cissy wasn’t lying. She really didn’t know what happened.

  The cop paced a little in the small room then he turned to look at her, shoved his hands in his trouser pockets.

 

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