Whisper For The Reaper, Jack Gatland [good books for high schoolers txt] 📗

This would not be as easy, Declan thought as—

Karl rolled up quickly, slamming his elbow towards Declan’s stomach; but the move had been telegraphed, and Declan managed to desperately block it with his forearm, smacking it aside as he grabbed at Karl’s arm, turning it into a hip toss, sending Karl flying onto the bonnet of the Peugeot with a crunch.

‘That was for dad, you wanker,’ Declan hissed as he charged back in, only to catch a boot in the face, Karl kicking out and sending Declan staggering back as Karl tore the windscreen wiper off the car, whipping it at Declan’s face like a rapier, catching his cheek, the vicious cut welling up with blood as Declan blocked another attack with his shoulder, letting the momentum carry him into a wicked sidekick that caught Karl square in the midsection, the air expelling with a whuff as Karl crumpled to the floor.

‘Careful, Declan,’ he chuckled. ‘You break me, you might have nothing left to arrest.’

‘Who said anything about arresting you?’ Declan snapped back as he moved in for the kill.

‘I’m ending you.’

The door to the workshop crashed open as Billy slammed his foot against the door handle, and Anjli ran in, brandishing the baton.

‘Armed police!’ she shouted. ‘On the floor now!’

Jess and Ilse were in the workshop's corner; Ilse had the better of Jess and was pushing her backwards over the counter, a length of chain pressed against her opponent’s throat. However, as the door crashed open, she momentarily glanced towards it, and Jess grabbed hold of a cordless drill on the worktop and swung it hard, the battery base of the drill connecting hard against Ilse’s skull, sending her tumbling to the ground, disorientated.

‘Get up,’ Jess hissed, sweat dripping from her face as she wiped at it with her arm, the drill still in her hand. ‘I haven’t finished with you.’

‘Yes you have,’ Anjli replied as she grabbed the confused Ilse from the ground, pulling her hands behind her back and cuffing her. ‘You’ve done enough. Stand down.’

‘Have you heard from dad?’ Jess asked, leaning against the wooden counter, gulping in large, thankful breaths as she placed the drill back on the worktop. Billy shook his head.

‘We think we know where he went, but it’s a cellular dead zone there half the time,’ he replied. ‘The bosses are all on their way though.’

There was a roar of a motorcycle engine, and the door lit up with a mixture of headlamps and bright blue flashing lights.

‘Cavalry’s finally arrived then,’ Anjli mocked. Moments later De’Geer and Bullman ran in, ready for a fight, but stopped as they saw the scene on the floor.

‘Ah. We’re not needed then. Good show,’ Bullman said to Anjli, who smiled.

‘Girl did it, not me,’ she said.

Bullman looked at Jess, her breathing now back to normal.

‘I see no girl,’ she stated. ‘All I see is a highly competent woman.’

Jess smiled. ‘Thanks, ma’am.’

‘It doesn’t matter that you have me,’ Ilse muttered to Jess. ‘My father will kill your father, and then we will both walk free.’

‘Yeah, about that,’ Bullman walked over and knelt in front of Ilse. ‘He did without you for thirty years. You think he’ll risk everything for a daughter he barely knows? Who’s on charges of kidnapping, accessory to murder—‘

‘Attempted murder of a minor,’ Jess added.

‘That as well,’ Bullman smiled, looking back to Ilse. ‘Face it, love. Even in the remote chance he wins, he’s not risking his freedom. Men like him never do. You’re screwed.’

De’Geer moved in and grabbed Ilse, pulling her to her feet and pulling her outside where, in the distance, more police sirens could be heard, more backup from Maidenhead as Jess walked over to Anjli.

‘Armed police?’ She enquired. Anjli grinned, showing the extendable baton.

‘A technicality,’ she replied. ‘And it always makes them look, doesn’t it?’

Billy was working through messages on a phone that he’d found on the worktop.

‘They’re at the Dew Drop Inn,’ he said as he looked up. ‘But Karl doesn’t intend to walk out with Declan still alive.’

‘That’s fine,’ Jess forced a smile. ‘Dad probably has the same idea. Does anyone have…’

And without finishing, Jess’ eyes rolled back into her head as she finally passed out, collapsing to the ground in a heap.

Karl parried a foot to the head and swept Declan’s legs out from under him, sending his opponent to the floor. Now up and moving, Karl ran back to his car, a slow, limping run which showed that the German was feeling the injuries.

‘Running away?’ Declan cried out as he climbed to his feet. ‘You goddamn coward!’

Karl reached into the glove compartment of his car and pulled out a folding cut-throat straight razor. Straightening up, he started back towards Declan, the blade now out.

‘I used this on Craig Randall,’ he said. ‘And Michael Bose, back in Paris. What do you say? Third time’s the charm?’

He slashed at Declan, who staggered back, trying not to overbalance as Karl kept moving in, the straight razor glinting in the car headlights. Declan darted right, towards the Dew Drop Inn and the scaffolding around it as Karl moved after him like some kind of insane, German Terminator.

‘Where are your funny lines now, Declan?’ Karl shouted. ‘Where are your arrogant beliefs in yourself? All those times I pretended to be your friend, and not once did you think I was lying! I even came into your house after I stole your father’s computer and offered to stay with the glazier! Me! Alone in your father’s house! What would he have said!’

He slashed again at Declan, who retreated behind a skip, looking for something he could use as a weapon.

Slash. Slash.

‘And then, you come to me through the back garden!’ Karl continued. ‘That was a clever idea, to use the back fence, it meant the police could not work out how you escaped. I used it tonight, when we removed your daughter from the house without that bitch of a neighbour across the street seeing!’

Slash. Sla—

Declan swung hard