Page 135 of Worse Than Murder

‘Sally, let him go. Carl, I’ll catch you.’

‘Promise?’ he calls out.

‘Definitely.’

‘I’m scared, Mat.’

‘I know. I’m scared, too. But we can help each other not be scared. A few seconds and you’ll be on the ground, safe and sound.’

‘I can’t do it, Mat. I can’t let him go,’ Sally cries.

‘Sally, you have to. Trust me.’

‘Mum, let me go,’ Carl cries out.

‘Shit,’ she says.

Sally lets go.

Carl falls.

He screams and I grab hold of him firmly, perhaps too firmly. I practically slam him against the brick wall, and he screams again. He’s going to have some scrapes and bruises, but I’ve caught him and he’s out of a burning building. That’s all that matters.

‘I’ve got you. I’ve got you,’ I repeat into his ear, soothing him. ‘Lessen your grip slightly, Carl, you’re strangling me.’

‘Sorry.’

‘Have you got him?’ Sally calls.

‘Yes. Fine. I’m going to pass him down to Philip. I’ll be back up for you.’

* * *

‘Sally, Woody isn’t moving. He’s gone under the bed, and he won’t come out,’ Adele says, trying, but failing, to coax him out.

Sally is emotionally exhausted. She wipes her eyes with her sleeves, squats to the floor beside Adele and looks under the bed. ‘Come on out, sweetie,’ she says in her best sickly-sweet voice. ‘We’re going outside. Do you want to see Carl? Carl?’ His tail begins to wag. ‘He knows who I’m talking about.’

‘He’s scared.’

‘He’s not the only one.’

‘Who’s next?’ Matilda shouts from outside.

‘Go. I’ll deal with Woody,’ Adele says.

‘Are you sure?’

‘Go!’

‘Thank you,’ Sally says, rubbing Adele’s back.

* * *

Sally appears at the window. She’s scanning the ground below and when she sees Philip and Carl, cuddling one of his dogs, she smiles with relief. He’s made it. She looks up into the distance.

‘I can see blue lights.’

‘About fucking time,’ I say. ‘Sally, swing your legs out. I should be able to reach your feet and guide you to the top rung, but you may have to let go.’