Perfect Strangers

‘Strange. I didn’t believe it, you know? About my dad, I mean. But now it feels real, like I can understand how it happened.’

‘You think what Miriam said was true? That they did it to get even with the posh kids who made them feel small?’

‘I don’t think we’ll ever know. If my dad was involved, I don’t believe he just did it for the money.’

‘Well, maybe . . .’

Josh trailed off and Sophie looked up at him.

‘What’s wrong?’

She noticed it as soon as the words came out of her mouth. Up ahead, a car had slowed to a stop and was sitting in the road. It hadn’t pulled over into a lay-by; it had just stopped dead, gunning its engine.

‘You know what? I think we’ll go the other way,’ said Josh, taking Sophie’s hand. But there wasn’t time. With a screech of tyre rubber on asphalt, the car leapt into motion, driving straight at them.

‘This way!’ shouted Josh, throwing the bag into a field to their right and bundling Sophie over the fence just as the car rushed by, missing him by millimetres and sending him pinwheeling into the dirt.

‘Josh!’ shouted Sophie, but he scrambled to his feet, swearing.

At the side of the road was a line of trees that marked the start of some woodland.

‘Grab the bag and make for the trees,’ he said through gritted teeth. He was limping, but he was moving, and that was all that mattered at that moment. Frantically she wondered if they could use his mobile to call the police. But how crazy would that phone call sound? ‘Can you help us, we’re being chased by hit men who are after a billion dollars of stolen loot. Yes, I know I put “vacation” on my customs form. No, I’m not on medication.’ There was no time to worry about that now, though, only time to act. She helped Josh squeeze through a gate, then felt her heart jump. Glancing back, she could see two men gaining on them. There were two tracks – one that led deep into the wood, and another that skirted around the perimeter.

‘This way,’ she hissed, taking the perimeter path. Josh stopped as if he was about to argue. She could see why he wanted to go into the trees. It was dark, with more places to hide. And yet there would be no one to see or help them. They would be murdered and the next people to find their bodies would be walkers in about two weeks’ time. She felt a surge of determination to escape.

‘Come on!’ she shouted.

They were both fast runners but they could not outrun a bullet. Expecting a shot at any moment, she willed her legs to move even quicker until her muscles throbbed and her lungs ached.

‘It’s the gas station,’ she panted, noticing some buildings up ahead.

They began running as fast as they could, Josh hampered by his injured knee but still managing to keep up with Sophie, her bag slamming against her legs. The gas station was in full view, a little two-pump affair with a wooden shack behind it.

‘Oh no,’ she gasped and skidded to a halt, Josh almost falling over her in the process.

‘What the hell are you doing?’ he panted.

‘There,’ she said, pointing. Driving slowly out from behind the house was another SUV with blacked-out windows.

‘Shit,’ said Josh, swivelling around the other way. ‘We’re trapped. The others have doubled back.’

Sophie looked behind him and could see the first car coming towards them at speed.

‘Which way?’ she said, her hands on her knees. They clearly wouldn’t get far cross-country, and their way back to Miriam’s was blocked. As they watched, the SUV at the garage began to power towards them, its wheels kicking up dust.

‘Grab my hand,’ said Josh. ‘When I say jump, go left.’

‘What?’ said Sophie, but Josh was already up and pulling her along with him – straight towards the gas station and the oncoming car.

‘What the hell are you doing?’ yelled Sophie.

‘Playing chicken!’ shouted Josh. ‘One . . . two . . . jump!’

He yanked her to the left and they leapt together, landing on a grassy embankment, rolling over and over, finally coming to rest with Josh lying full-length on top of her, the bag jammed painfully between them. Looking over Josh’s shoulder, she could see the SUV skidding to a halt diago

nally across the road, blocking it. The doors opened.

‘They’re coming,’ she gasped as they scrambled to their feet.