Free Safety Lost (Killing the Dead Book 3) by Richard Murray Page A

that a third shape wasn’t following them I stood up from where I had been crouched beside the door, partially hidden by a shelving unit and stalked along behind them. As they neared the sleeping place I stepped up behind the burly shape of Akhtar and stabbed the bread knife into his neck.
    His yell of pain and surprise woke Emma who screamed which provided enough of a distraction to Alan that I had the time to swiftly pull the knife from Akhtar’s neck and feel the warm spurt of blood against my hand before turning my attention to him.
    He lashed out with his weapon and pain exploded as I felt something solid and heavy strike my shoulder as I tried to duck and I was knocked to the floor. With knife still in hand I stabbed the blade into his ankle and with a scream he fell beside me.
    I pulled the knife blade from his ankle and scrambled on top of him. He reached for his weapon but stopped as I placed the blade against his cheek and just beneath his eye.
    “Where is John?” I demanded.
    “In the cafe with the others” Alan sputtered.
    “Good to know” I said and ran the knife across his throat, the sharp blade cutting easily through his flesh.
    With Alan dying almost quietly I picked up his weapon and found it to be a crowbar. I hefted it in my hands as I crossed to where Akhtar lay on the ground mewling and trying desperately to stem the blood leaking from his neck. I crushed his skull with one swing of the heavy crowbar before crossing over to the screaming child.
    It took several long minutes to quieten her and after I had done, I was forced to take her with me as I walked along to the cafe.
    As I approached I saw light spilling out onto the concourse and I slowed my pace. I could hear angry words coming from within, they must have heard all the screaming and yelling and I hoped they believed it was me that had been killed.
    I whispered to Emma that she needed to be quiet or the bad people would hear and she clamped her mouth shut. I gave her a smile that she couldn’t see in the darkness and admired her willingness to at least try. I placed her on the floor and told her she needed to wait by the door for a moment.
    She shook her head emphatically ‘no’ and I realised that I would have a problem. With a sigh I let her take my left hand as I had the crowbar clenched in my right, before I led her towards the open door.
    Inside the room the three women sat at the table and John leant against the counter a large butcher knife in his hand. There was an air of fear and despair in the room and I guessed that was coming from the women as they kept casting their gaze towards John.
    “What the fu...” John began as I released Emma’s hand and dashed across the room to swipe him hard across the ribs with the crowbar. He gave a yell of pain and dropped the knife. My next blow caught his arm and I heard bone crack before he screamed. A final strike to his temple and he fell quiet.
    “Oh my god!” Beth yelled.
    “Shut up.” I said coldly and was gratified when they all stopped speaking. I picked up Emma and told her how brave she had been. She nodded and buried her head into my shoulder. It occurred to me that it had perhaps not been the best idea to kill so many people in front of her, but quickly dismissed the idea as she would have to get used to the kill or be killed mentality sooner or later.
    “Gather your things if you still want to leave” I told Julie who nodded and ran out of the room. I stood silently and watched the two women who still sat teary eyed at the table as I waited.
    Julie returned after ten minutes and I saw that she had dressed warmly and carried a backpack of her own. “I’ll get some food” she said and disappeared into the kitchen. When she came out the backpack was bulging and she paused long enough to pick up a candle.
    “Let’s go” I said and walked out of the cafe without a backward glance.
    “Why are we leaving now?” Julie asked as the crying and yelling began behind