Page 60 of The Consequence of You
Spinning around, I tear open the kitchen drawers, frantically shoving cutlery and utensils aside, but there is absolutely nothing sharp in any of them.
Where the fuck are the knives?
The drawers now exhausted; I start yanking open cupboards until I reach a locked one. Only now remembering all the sharp implements are kept securely because of the residents with dementia.
All of my banging has caught the attention of one of the nurses as she comes racing into the kitchen.
“What’s going on?”
“I don’t have time to explain. Go out to the front and get Callie’s bodyguard. Tell him I need him out back.” The nurse’s mouth drops open and she stands gawking at me. “Now!”
I do not have time for this shit.
Grabbing the only thing that might be of use, a large heavy rolling pin, I push up my sleeves and inhale deeply.
As much as I want to run across the garden, the element of surprise is all I have on my side right now, so I open the door as cautiously as I can.
That fucker could fatally hurt her in a split second if I don’t get this right.
Taking small measured steps, my legs feel like dead weights as I make my way across the patio. Sticking to theperiphery of the garden, I edge my way around the fencing, keeping out of his eyeline. My pulse quickens as I fight off the urge to run straight to them.
As I get closer, I nearly abandon my plan when the bastard bites her. Sinks his fucking teeth into her like an animal, and I want to tear his fucking head off.
My mouth dries and I increase my pace, moving quickly and quietly, thanking God the soft ground muffles my footsteps, allowing me to get within reaching distance undetected.
My intention had been to hit him from behind, but I soon realise it’s too risky while the knife is pressed to her neck.
Cold dread floods my veins at the uncertainty of what to do next.
Fuck.There’s only one option and it will leave me unarmed but I don’t know what else will work.
The thought of losing her, of this bastard doing something that can’t be undone, spurs a rush of adrenaline and I throw the rolling pin as hard as I can at the glass greenhouse a few metres to his left. One of the large panes of glass shatters on impact, and he spins around in the direction of the noise.
In one fluid motion, I leap on his back and yank the arm holding the knife away from her.
The shock has him releasing his grip on her and she takes advantage of it straight away, dropping down and away from him. My relief is short-lived as he rounds on me, managing to jab me hard in the ribs with his elbow, before swinging his knife wildly. He misses, but I don’t go far, desperately trying to get myself between him and Callie.
He continues to swing the knife as I duck and dive.
“Run! Go and get Rossi. Don’t stop!” But of course, she ignores me, running in the opposite direction towards the smashed greenhouse. She snatches the discarded rolling pin as I use all my fencing experience to avoid him.
He’s bulkier than me, but he’s also slower, so I use my extra speed to dodge him. If he was unarmed, or I had my own weapon, I’d have taken this guy out by now, but I need to buy time until help comes.
There is no way I’m letting Callie near him to use that rolling pin. I shout at her to stay back, hoping to hell she does as I’ve asked for once. Just until Rossi gets here.
As I dodge another swing from her ex-bodyguard, he suddenly jerks backwards and cries out. Clutching his hand to his chest, he staggers before dropping to his knees. His face pales as a bright red stain blooms on his white shirt around the black handle that protrudes from his chest.
Thank fuck.
Twisting around, I see Rossi running towards us.
Jesus, that guy has good aim.
Callie’s attacker collapses to his side, his own knife dropping out of his hand. He reaches for it, but I kick it away from him, before stamping on his wrist as hard as I can. He cries out again as I feel a sickening crunch under foot. Good, that should slow the bastard down.
Satisfied he’s incapacitated, for now at least, I rush over to Callie.
She kneels in the wet grass, trembling violently.
