Sharp Shot Read Online Free PDF Page A

windows and looked out.
    â€œCan’t see anyone, but we have to assume they’ll find us. Were
they close behind you?”
    The man shook his head. “But they’ll be here. We have to go.
Now!”
    Rich nodded. But to Jade’s surprise he opened the desk, and hunted
through for a photograph.
    â€œThis isn’t a Kodak moment,” she told him. “It’s a
get the hell out of here moment.”
    Rich had found what he was looking for. It was a faded photo of four
men standing by a wall in the desert. He pointed to one of the men.
    â€œThat’s Dad. And that’s Dex Halford…And that…” He
tapped the man standing beside their dad, then pointed to the man sitting
on the floor.
    Jade took the photo and held it so the man could see. “So, are
you Mark or Ferdy?”
    The man blinked. “McCain—Ferdy McCain. That was in Iraq, back
in 1990 with the Regiment. We took out a secret nuclear facility.”
    â€œHey, cool,” said Rich.
    â€œYeah, OK—in that case you really are a friend of
Dad’s,” said Jade. She gave the photo back to Rich who stuffed it
in his pocket. The she helped Ferdy McCain to his feet. “Now, let’s
get you out of here and call for help.”
    â€œGot my phone,” said Rich. “We’ll do it on the
way.”
    Outside, the security light had gone out. With the lights in the room
turned out too, they could see out into the gloom of the garden. Jade was
sure she could see movement, down by the fence. “Time to go,”
she said urgently.
    â€œI’ll be all right,” McCain assured them. “I’ve
been through worse. Just tired.”
    Rich led the way out of the dining room and into the hall. The front
door had a frosted window set high in it. Through the glass they could see
the silhouette of a man’s head and shoulders.
    The sound of the doorbell was deafeningly loud, and made Jade flinch.
    â€œGunmen,” Rich hissed.
    â€œWho ring the bell?” said Jade. “Yeah, right.”
    â€œYou’re not going to answer it?”
    Jade didn’t reply. She marched down the hallway and opened the front
door. Outside was a man in uniform. He turned towards them and smiled.
    â€œSupermarket delivery. From our shop to your step,
guaranteed.” His uniform was bright green and he was holding a
clipboard. “We didn’t have any concentrated vita-mineral supplement
drink, I’m afraid.”
    From the dining room came the sound of breaking glass followed by a
shout.
    â€œDon’t think we’ll be needing it,” Jade told the man,
and pushed him out of the way.
    â€œHealthy exercise coming up,” Rich agreed, as he and
McCain ran past.
    The supermarket lorry was almost blocking the narrow lane. The
delivery man wouldn’t be so happy, Jade thought, when he found out he had
to back nearly a quarter of a mile before he could turn it round. Quarter
of a mile to the main road through the village.
    A quarter of a mile they were never going to make. A car was coming.
Its lights raked across the hedges either side of the lane as it slewed
along having taken the corner too fast. The roar of its engine was louder
than the idling of the lorry.
    â€œNot going that way,” said Jade.
    â€œWhat’s going on?” the delivery man called. His voice
was drowned out by the sound of gunfire from inside the cottage. The
dining room window overlooking the lane exploded. Bullets ripped into the
tarmac close to where Jade and Rich were standing.
    McCain was already running. “Come on!” he yelled,
hauling himself up into the cab of the lorry.
    â€œHey!” the delivery man yelled, running after them.
    Jade and Rich were round the other side of the lorry, pulling
themselves up into the cab as it started to move off.
    â€œYou driven one of these before?” Rich asked as he sat
in the middle of the wide bench seat. Next to him, Jade heaved the