Save Her, Abigail Osborne [ebook reader for surface pro txt] 📗

to be turned on, given that no one was actually living here. Wooden boards made a crude path up to the show home. It was here she led Flora, the beam of their phone torches lighting up the way. The silence was eerie. In another situation she may have felt a little nervous, but she was too focused on the task ahead. Her whole body was tense, like an elastic band being pulled so taut it was in danger of snapping.

This was the final part of her plan. A journey that started when Flora announced that she and Sam were moving. Everything she had done since that day had led to this moment. She could not screw it up. Her torch eventually lit up a forest-green front door that belonged to a wood-clad home. It was deceptively small on the outside but could easily house a family of four inside. She heard Flora swear next to her and the world got darker. ‘Shit, my phone has died.’

‘It’s fine. We are here now. Hold this up so I can unlock the door.’

Sophie unzipped the small pocket at the front of the rucksack and reached in for the keys. Unlocking the door, she took back her phone and used it to locate the light switch. The house had that new-build smell, a blend of wood chippings and fresh paint. The furniture would be arriving the following week, but it was just an empty space at the moment. It was the perfect place for the final chapter of her war with the Cavendish family.

61

Flora was finding it harder not to ask questions. Sophie had taken them to a remote forest, half a mile from the main road. Giant, imposing fir trees formed a tight circle around them. The only break in their guardianship was the small road that they had driven down. They were nature’s version of prison fences, whether they were there to keep the world out or to stop people from leaving she was not sure.

The dark was oppressive and the whispering of the wind between the trees chilled her. She felt vulnerable being this far away from civilisation. Were they going to stay here? Was this part of Sophie’s plan, to hide here for a while and lay low? But she had seen building equipment and piles of sand near the boards they had walked on. The builders would be coming back, surely.

Flora was starting to wish she was back at home. She thought of Sam, being tucked up in bed with him, safe in his arms. What was she doing? People didn’t do this. She and Sophie needed to stop this and go to the police.

Sophie believed that Greg was above the law and his friendship with Doyle would be enough to prevent the police from helping her. But surely if they shouted loud enough and told enough people, they would start to listen? Wasn’t that better than giving up everything they had built to disappear into the wilderness. But then, could she really expect Sophie to watch her and Sam play happy families, knowing that his brother was always going to be in the picture. Sam could no sooner cut out his family than he could cut off his own arm. No, she had to leave with Sophie. It was the only way. Anyway, at least she would make Cecelia happy. There would be no more worms in her bed or people trying to drown her in the pool.

Flora sincerely hoped they weren’t staying here. She followed Sophie into the little cabin and was pleasantly surprised by the space inside. Although there was electricity, there was no heating. They were sheltered from the wind, but the temperature was no less biting. She pulled her coat around her, wishing she had brought something warmer. This wasn’t going to keep her warm tonight when the temperatures dropped further.

‘What are we doing here, Soph?’

‘Meeting someone.’ Sophie put down her rucksack and opened it. She pulled out a book and laid it on the floor. Reaching further into the bag she pulled out a gun.

A gun?

Flora’s heart stopped beating. She was rooted to the floor and tempted to pinch herself. Surely she was in a dream. This was getting ridiculous now. Swapping cars was crazy enough but a gun? Sophie didn’t know how to use a gun. Where would she have even got one from? Flora watched in stunned amazement as Sophie held the gun in one hand and pulled out the bottom of it. Bronze bullets glinted in the light as Sophie reloaded with the confidence of someone who knew what they were doing.

‘What the hell are you doing with that?’ Flora’s voice rose and sounded almost hysterical.

Sophie stood up straight nonchalantly and tucked the gun in the back of her jeans. ‘Calm down. It’s just for protection.’

‘Protection from what? Sophie, I don’t like this.’

Sophie wrapped Flora in her arms. She made soothing noises and stroked her hair. Normally this worked – but Flora was wired. Sophie had a gun. A real-life killing machine. What else does Sophie have that I don’t know about? Flora couldn’t process this. She pushed Sophie away, more forcefully than she intended and she saw a hurt expression flash across her friend’s face as she stumbled backwards.

‘You have to tell me what is going on. This is crazy.’ Flora gestured to the outside. ‘I mean, where the hell are we? Why do you need a gun? Who are we meeting?’ The questions rushed out of her like she was a popped inflatable.

A loud knock at the door echoed around the empty room. Sophie jumped around, breathing hard. Her shoulders went back and she went to the bag, picking up the book and gripping it tightly.

Flora’s heartbeat increased, the tempo pulsating in her ears. The hairs on the back of her neck rose as Sophie reached out a shaking hand to the door. They were two women on their own in the middle of nowhere. What