Catherine Jinks TheRoad (93 page)

Alec had moved instinctively, before even stopping to consider his options.

‘Wait!’ Noel exclaimed. ‘Hang on! Don’t –’

Crack!
The shot. Alec stopped dead, every muscle rigid with fright. His heart seemed to shrink in his chest.

‘Oh my God!’ Linda cried. ‘Oh my
God!
’

Alec didn’t know what to do. Had
Del
fired that shot? Had it even issued from Del’s gun? It had sounded like her gun, but Alec was no expert.

Then the second shot rang out.

‘What’s happening?’ Linda whimpered. ‘Noel? Can you see?’

‘I – I can’t –’ ‘Can you see? Alec?’

It was a ridiculous thing to ask. What did she think he had, heat-sensitive vision? He could see no more than she could – and that was little enough: one patch of bush clearly illuminated by the headlights, together with a larger, indistinct portion appearing and disappearing in the flickering glow of the fire, which caused the shadows to leap and fall back in a disconcerting manner.

When the sound of a third shot split the air, Alec made his decision.

‘Del?’
he shouted. ‘
D-E-L-L-L!
’

No reply.

Noel wound down his window.
‘Del!’
he bawled.
‘Col!’