The Silent Man by David Fennell

Author:David Fennell [David Fennell]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, Thrillers, Crime, Suspense, Mystery & Detective, Police Procedural, Women Sleuths, General, Political Science, Law Enforcement
ISBN: 9781804181751
Google: BRS4EAAAQBAJ
Amazon: B0C1VC5868
Publisher: Zaffre
Published: 2023-08-29T23:00:00+00:00

Chapter 33

A

RCHER RAISES HER HANDS IN an appeasing gesture.

‘What are you doing, Jimmy?’

Her eyes dart between Barnes, the silencer fixed to his pistol and the body of DC Clegg lying on the floor of the Whitmore family home. One of her shoes has fallen off, a worn sensible flat shoe, lying askew on her right foot. Despite knowing the woman for no more than ten minutes, for some unfathomable reason, Archer feels a crippling sorrow and has the urge to fix the shoe back on as if it will somehow make things better. She’d like it if I did that. Archer swallows, overcome with discombobulation.

‘This way!’ says Barnes, his voice cold, emotionless.

He beckons her into the hallway. Archer’s hands curl into fists. She appraises him and realises what she has missed all this time. ‘You’re also working for White. You and Hicks. Two of White’s undercover clowns. Both of you, Jimmy. Both of you on White’s payroll. Coppers by day, robbers and murderers by night.’

‘Into the hallway. Now!’ he demands, unmoved by Archer’s goading.

‘You’re good, Jimmy. I’ll give you that. You had us all fooled.’ Archer claps her hands slowly. ‘You must be so proud.’

Despite her words, she is terrified, yet rippling through every fibre in her body is a burning, consuming fire.

‘Are you going to kill me here, Jimmy, with your little gun? Or are you going to lose your nerve like Hicks did?’

‘Shut up.’

‘What is it with blokes like you using your little weapons to kill women? Have you any idea how pathetic you are?’

Barnes rushes at her and slams his fist hard into her face. The pain is blinding. Light appears before her eyes, her knees wobble, she crumples to the floor. Barnes grabs her by the hair and hauls her up, the gun barrel lodged in her throat. Her heart is pounding, her eye throbbing.

He turns her around, pushes her against the wall and deftly wraps a plastic tie wrap around her wrists. Her hands are secured behind her back. She’s powerless.

‘We’re going to walk out of here and go for a little drive. You and me. I’ll be an arm’s length behind you with the gun pointing at your back. You make a move or cry out then it’s over. Bang, bang. You’re dead. Understood?’

Trembling, Archer nods.

‘Good. Now move.’

Barnes switches off the kitchen light as Archer, her head spinning, steps over DC Clegg’s legs. She can’t help but look at her in the hope that maybe she has just a superficial injury like Quinn’s. But her stomach turns. There’s a bullet-sized hole in the centre of the woman’s forehead. Archer looks away and moves slowly down the hallway. Barnes urges her forward with the barrel of his gun. She steps out into the wet night. The cold rain soothes the throbbing flesh and bone around her left eye. The hallway light behind her goes out. She looks across the street to see if anyone is watching. Someone who might think this suspicious and report it to the police, but there is no one.

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