Softly, softly? Sod that for a game of soldiers. She’d played it by ear. Instinct? Training? Humanity kicked in. Just as Tom Howard must’ve lashed out again. This time the kick connected with bone. Bev heard a sickening crunch. And another cry from Daisy.
She poked her head round, and in her peripheral vision caught Mac doing the same at the other side of the church. She gestured him to stay out of sight, then showed herself.
‘Hold it right there.’
A spade now suspended in a two-handed grip over her head, Rachel froze. Tom Howard spun on his heels, an ugly scowl creasing his face. Rayne had fallen awkwardly to the side, head and shoulders poised over the gaping hole. Given the zero reaction, she presumed he’d passed out. Christ, it’d only take one shove and he’d be in there with Daisy. Forcing the air from her tiny lungs?
Howard’s scowl morphed into a fake fulsome smile. ‘Welcome to the party, sergeant. Or should we say ‘bash’? What do you think, Rach?’
‘I rather like bash, Tommy.’ She brought the spade down on Rayne’s ribs. Bev hoped to God the guy had only lost consciousness.
Struggling to keep her voice steady, she prayed they wouldn’t notice her knees. ‘I thought you lot preferred blades? Specially you, Rachel. Enjoy sticking the knife in Lucy, did you?’
‘Leave her out of this,’ Howard snarled.
‘Out of it? She’s in it up to her neck.’ Bev’s heart missed a beat when she caught a Mac-shaped shadow creep along the hedge. She’d told him to stay back. What the hell was he doing? Raising her voice, she took a step forward. ‘Oh, no, wait a minute, Tommy. I suppose Mummy got you to do her dirty work? Bet she told you to snatch the baby as well. So you could play Happy Families for a change?’
‘Always talk through your arse, sergeant?’
‘Always do what Mummy tells you?’
‘She’s not my mummy, dickhead. And she didn’t have to ask.’
‘All down to you then, mastermind?’
‘I see your little game, sergeant,’ Howard snorted. ‘You’re angling for a deathbed confession.’
As long as he couldn’t see what Mac was doing … ‘All the same to me, love. You and her will be going down so far, you’re gonna need diving gear.’ Mind, Bev could only just make Mac out now. Unless she was seeing things, he was on his haunches behind the angel.
‘Only one loser’s going down around here.’ He took a step closer to Rayne. ‘He wants to see his screaming brat, doesn’t he?’
Bev’s glance darted between the perps. Which of them should she go for? She could definitely take on Howard but Rachel still had the spade in her hands. More jaw-jaw.
‘For Christ’s sake, what’s the point? The place is surrounded.’
‘Yeah, ’course it is. Just not this place.’ Squatting at Rayne’s side, he held Bev’s gaze. ‘Not that it’ll do you any good – but you’re right on both counts. I killed his wife—’
‘Tommy, don’t, darling.’
‘Still protecting him, are we?’
‘And snatched his snivelling kid. So there’s your confession.’ Howard grabbed hold of Rayne’s legs. ‘Only it’s not my deathbed.’
Bev had to get there first, had to stop him. If Rayne landed on Daisy …
Heart pounding chest, she took off, then froze, couldn’t believe her eyes. As if in slow motion, the angel began to move. The momentum built when Mac gave it a final almighty shove.
Rachel screamed, ‘Tommy, look out.’
Howard didn’t know what hit him. With a sickening thud, the angel crashed face down across his nape. Lucky he fell forward, or it could’ve been the kiss of death.