Read Terror's Reach for Free Online Page B

felt empty.
The estate agent’s eyes opened and his body started thrashing, his
hands clawing at his throat. He let out a long, strangled noise.
'He’s suffocating,’ Priya said. 'He can’t breathe.’
'He can breathe. He’s just forgotten how, because he’s panicking.’
Liam gave the man a kick in his lower back. The estate agent
twisted away. His frantic gurgling subsided and he took a couple of
big gulping breaths, like a baby after a tantrum.
'I suppose he looks like an estate agent,’ Priya said. 'That shirt is appalling.’
'It was an educated guess. But I think he’s AWOL .’ Liam crouched
down, tugging the man’s arm to get his attention. 'What are you doing
here?’
The man coughed first, then said, 'None of your business. Who
the hell are you, anyway?’
Liam grabbed him by his hair and slammed his head on the floor.
The impact reverberated around the cavernous hall. Liam’s hand came
away sticky with hair gel. The man groaned and shifted a few inches,
leaving a smear of blood on the floor.
'I have to get back. I’m due in a meeting at six.’
'Six o’clock on a Friday? I don’t think so.’
A shameless flicker of acknowledgement from the estate agent. His
was a career where exaggeration came as naturally as smiling: getting
caught out was merely an occupational hazard.
'In a bar,’ he conceded. 'We all get together every Friday.’
'Not today, you won’t,’ Liam said. You still haven’t explained what
you’re doing here.’
The estate agent swallowed. “I’m meeting someone.’
'Who?’
'A woman.’
Liam glanced at Priya, indicating the house. 'I suppose you can’t
blame him. A place like this standing empty and he has the keys. It’s
got to beat the back seat of his car.’
'My car!’ The man groped inside his pocket, brought out a set of
keys. 'Take the Megane. I promise I won’t tell anyone.’
Liam feigned interest in the proposal. 'Company car, is it?’
'Well . . . yeah, but—’
You know, I’m stunned by your generosity. Offering me a car you
don’t own, while you shag someone in a house you don’t own.’ He
laughed. 'What about the woman? I bet she’s not yours, either.’
The estate agent stared at him, uncertain how to reply.
'Of course she’s not,’ Liam answered for him. You worthless piece
of shit. I don’t want the car.’
The man went to put his keys back in his pocket, but Liam snatched
them from his hand. He turned to Priya.
'But we do need to get it in the garage before his lady friend arrives.
Bring the van in as well.’
'What if someone sees me . . .’
'I’ve got to watch Mr Slick here.’
'Please,’ the estate agent blurted. 'Tell me what you want.’
'Shut up.’
'If it’s something in the house, just let me go. I swear I won’t say
a word.’
'I told you to shut up!’ Liam shouted.
Priya waited for him to face her, and said, 'I can deal with him.’
Liam was doubtful. He’d argued against her late inclusion in the
team, and he still wasn’t sure exactly what she was doing here. All he
knew was that she’d been some kind of science prodigy who’d gone off
the rails and ended up in rehab, where a former client of Liam’s had
trawled her up. Not difficult to see what had attracted his interest, but
it hardly qualified her to guard a frightened and desperate hostage.
I don’t know if that’s wise,’ he said.
'Better than someone spotting me and wondering what I’m doing
in a builder’s van,’ Priya said. 'Go on. I can handle it.’
But Liam had spotted a glimmer of hope in the estate agent’s eyes.
He kicked him in the side, hard enough to crack some ribs. The man
screamed and rolled away. His hand fluttered above the injury: too
painful to touch. Tears dribbled down his cheeks.
'Try anything’, Liam said, 'and I’ll take a penalty kick with your
skull. Understand?’
He got only a whimper in response. Priya looked on, her arms folded.
She wore a grim expression, as though she disapproved of his methods.
You’ll see a lot worse than this