Page 91 of Deep Blue Lies

NINETY

The knife falls to the ground. Sophia steps closer and kicks it away.

“Ava, in my bag.”

Dumbly I obey, slipping my hand into the bag hanging from her shoulder, without obstructing her grip on the weapon.

I pull out the zip ties, again bought that morning from Maria’s little supermarket.

My hands are shaking in fear as I wrap them around Mum’s wrist, pulling them as tight as I physically can, not caring if they hurt her.

Sticking out of the damaged concrete is a rusting loop of iron, and I thread another through there and then quickly use one more to secure Mum to it.

Then I take two or three fast steps away and drop to the ground, the tears coming now.

A moment later I feel Sophia’s hand on my shoulder.

I think she’s just supporting me but I’m wrong.

“My phone. I need to check it’s uploaded. And call Duncan.”

I don’t hear all of what she does next, but when I look around she’s speaking on the phone, her eyes and the speargun both trained on Mum.

“We’ve got her. Get the police here now.”

She ends the call, moves a step forward and checks the zip ties securing Mum to the remains of her old bar.

“Now the police are on their way. You sick bitch.”