She glanced back at the men and saw them exchange a look of glee. In that one gesture she saw something animal-like, something uncontrollable, and in her gut, she felt they’d do exactly what Archie said, they’d kill them all as soon as that cash was out of the safe. She had seconds to think. She mustn’t let that happen.
She raised her hand to the dial.
CLICK. CLICK. CLICK.
‘I always knew this was a dangerous business, and you two gentlemen ’ave proved me right,’ Ruby said as the safe opened and she reached inside.
‘NO! Don’t give those bastards nuthin’!’ Archie shouted.
Pulling out the gun she knew was hidden in there, she turned and pulled the trigger, shooting the first man in the face.
The sound of another gunshot ricocheted around the villa. She looked over to the second gunman. Her husband was slumped down in the chair, blood pooling under his body. She turned her gun on the robber and shot him once, twice, three times. She kept shooting, walking towards him, until the bullets ran out. She tossed the gun away and ran over to her husband.
Cathy was screaming.
She threw herself to her knees, Archie’s thick red blood soaking into her dress.
‘Archie! Archie! My love, are ya there?’ She held his head to her. It was heavy, his body lifeless, and she realised he was dead.
‘Call the ambulance, Cathy! Do it now!’ Ruby yelled, cradling her husband, his head now flopped onto her chest, smearing blood across her. Her beloved husband, the man of her life, lay dead in her arms, slain by the men who lay in their own pools of blood on the floor.
CHAPTER 47
The police arrived in a flurry of sirens and flashing lights. Ruby barely noticed them. She held on to Archie’s body for as long as she could, smothering him in kisses, before they took him away, peeling her off him gently.
Zipped inside a body bag was the only man she’d ever loved heart and soul, who was now gone from her for ever.
As she watched them take Archie away, she held Cathy close, the pair drawing strength from each other as their grief painted tears across their faces. Time passed, the officers must have asked questions, but it was all a blur to Ruby.
Their home was now an active crime scene. They were ushered into the kitchen where paramedics checked them both over. She had the presence of mind to discreetly ensure some of the police officers she was familiar with stayed around the villa. She didn’t know who to trust, but took a chance that the crooked cops they employed wouldn’t want to lose their main source of income. She could barely function, but she knew she had to protect Cathy.
What might have been hours later, their home was released to them – sometimes it was good to have a police chief in your pocket. After Cathy had taken to her bed, Ruby picked up the telephone.
‘Lloyd, I ’ave somethin’ to tell ya. I don’t know how to say this . . .’ Ruby’s voice broke. Her heart felt wrenched into two pieces, for ever broken.
‘What is it, Ruby?’ Lloyd said. Both he and Alfie were in England finalising a shipment from Vladimir to their London contacts. They’d been due to fly back to Spain later that day. They didn’t yet know they’d be flying home to attend Archie’s funeral.
‘It’s Archie . . . He’s dead . . .’
Ruby’s words hung in the air. There was silence at the other end.
‘Archie’s dead?’ he said slowly, as if trying to understand. ‘My son is dead . . . How did it ’appen, Ruby?’ He sounded weary suddenly, like an old man.
In the background, Ruby could hear Alfie shouting. She hadn’t realised he was there beside Lloyd, hearing every word. ‘No! No, not Archie, not Archie . . .’ over and over again. His grief mirrored her own, as overwhelming as a tidal wave.
She barely felt the tears running down her face now.
‘Two men forced their way in when Cathy and I were out shoppin’. It’s OK, Cathy’s OK. I shot them both, but they took my Archie’s life before I could stop them. I failed him, Lloyd, I failed my Archie and he’s dead because of me.’
‘No, Ruby, you were the best wife he could’ve hoped for. You weren’t to blame. Where are you now? Tell me exactly what happened.’
‘We’re fine, we’re safe. It was a robbery. They were after money in one of the safes . . . but . . .’
‘It’s OK, Ruby. You’re OK.’
‘I don’t know how it ’appened, but they must’ve paid off the guards. They had money. We came home from a day out and they’d broken in . . . What are the chances it was a straight robbery, Lloyd?’
‘Slim, Ruby. Stay safe. Don’t leave home. We’re—’
‘Ruby, Ruby, darlin’, I won’t stop until I find who was behind this,’ Alfie’s voice was wretched, choking on his pain. ‘I promise ya, I’ll rip their heads from their bodies.’
Lloyd took back the phone. ‘We don’t know they was set up. Not yet. Ruby says they was robbers. Listen, darlin’, we’re on our way. Don’t do nuthin’ until we get there.’
Ruby put the receiver down. Exhaling, she dialled her brother’s number.
‘Bobby?’
‘Rube, how are ya?’
‘My Archie is dead . . .’
There was a pause at the other end.
‘Oh, God, Rube. Are ya safe? Is Cathy safe?’
‘I don’t know, Bobby,’ Ruby said honestly.
Lloyd had seemed to think there might be more to it all than a robbery, but she had no proof.
‘We’re on our way. Go nowhere. See nobody, sis. Wait for us and we’ll work it out. I love ya,’ Bobby finished.
His quiet shock, in sharp contrast to Alfie’s violent reaction, was somehow more painful to hear. He and Belle promised to be on the next flight over. All Ruby had to do now was wait.
She didn’t sleep that night, nor did
