Page 98 of The Thief

NUMBER THREE, CON HINDS

“You like your ice cream, don’t you?” I grinned at her across the wooden table as she smiled back, with strawberry ice cream smeared all over her face.

She was a cute little thing, bouncing about on the bench, full of energy. A little live wire, and boy, could she talk. She hadn’t shut up since I’d turned up at the gate to her grandmother’s house. The five minutes she took to eat the ice cream was the only peace I’d had.

“When are they coming?” she wined, wiping her sticky hands on her skirt. “You said my mummy wanted you to bring me here. You said she was running late and asked you to do it. You said she was with my daddy.”

“Quit asking so many fucking questions,” I snapped, then I took a deep breath, throwing my head back.

I couldn’t lose it yet. I had plans.

I had to keep my cool for a little longer.

“That’s a bad word,” she whispered, lowering her head to give me an accusatory glare. “Mummy doesn’t like that word.”

I leaned over the table and plastered a grin back on my face. “If you don’t tell, neither will I. Is that a deal?”

She observed me for a moment, shrugged, and started bouncing on her seat again. “Where are they? Was it Mummy you were talking to on the phone just now? Is she here?”

I’d moved out of earshot when I called Dan. I didn’t want to give the game away yet, but to keep her happy, I said, “Yeah. I spoke to your mum. She said quit giving the bald guy a hard time. Be quiet and do as you’re told.”

“Mummy doesn’t talk like that,” she said, narrowing her eyes at me, and I laughed.

“She does when she’s on the phone to me.”

I saw movement over her shoulder, from the trees some way back, and when that fucker ran out, I smiled wide.

“Well look at that.” I pointed to the trees behind her, and she turned her head just as I said, “I told you they were on their way. There’s your daddy. Now go to him. Run over there. Go on.”

Her little face lit up as she said, “I knew it. I knew he was my daddy.” And she swung her little legs over the bench to climb off and run towards him.

It was fucking perfect.

I had the perfect shot.

He was running to her; she was running right at him, too.

I’d never get an opportunity like this again.

Both of them in my line of fire.

It wasn’t my initial plan to do it this way, but plans change.You have to go with the flow. And this was all going in my favour. Who was I to look a gift horse in the mouth?

I laughed as I pulled the gun out of my back pocket, took aim, waited until she was just about to jump into his arms.

And then...

I fired.

Chapter Thirty-Eight

JESS

Moments earlier

We ran and ran until the woodland around us became less dense, the darkness from the trees encasing us turned lighter, and then we saw the clearing. Tyler was ahead, and we all followed.

Desperation to get to Ava fuelled my aching muscles. My lungs burned, and my legs were numb, but I didn’t care. I couldn’t stop. I’d never give up.