The Plot

Part 7

      The gun fired, but Shearman's aim was thrown off as a hand grabbed him around his ankle. The bullet hit the wall harmlessly behind Grace while Shearman lost his balance and fell to the floor. His gun was knocked from his hand and slid across the floor stopping about three metres away. He looked back to see Lynn, who was still lying on the floor, had partly regained consciousness and was still grasping his ankle. He shook his foot free and lashed out with it viciously kicking Lynn in the side of her head. She slumped back on the floor.

He stood up and looked down at her inert body. "I was going to let you live, Lynn Miller," he snarled, "but after that little stunt you're going get it the same as these bitches."

He looked around for his gun and saw it on the floor nearby, but as he leaned down to pick it up an attack came from behind.

The whole time the girls had been tied to the chairs Grace and been working on the rope which tied her wrists behind the back of the chair. She had managed to loosen them enough to pull her hands free just as Shearman fell to the floor. While he was distracted by Lynn she frantically worked on untying her feet from the chair legs. She managed to release one foot, but before she could work on the other one Shearman was reaching for the gun on the floor. She had about one second to act. Grace launched herself and the chair with all her strength at Shearman. The chair with Grace still awkwardly attached to one leg crashed into the gunman sending him sprawling across the floor head first into the wall.

He lay there groaning, half conscious while Grace managed to untie her remaining foot from the chair. She scrambled to her feet just as Shannon screamed.

"Grace, he's going for the gun!"

The gun was lying on the floor just beyond Shearman's reach. Still moaning, he was trying to crawl over to it. His hand reached out and was within centimetres of the weapon when Grace's foot came down hard on his hand. He yelled in pain, pulling his hand back, while Grace snatched up the gun, stood back and pointed at him.

"I should shoot you with your own gun, asshole!" she shouted at him.

"Grace," a voice said softly behind her, "Give me the gun."

She turned to see Lynn sitting up holding the side of her head, blood trickling between her fingers.

Grace stepped back still carefully pointing the gun at Shearman, then handed it to Lynn.

"Good girl," she said, training the gun on Shearman who was sitting up glaring at them. "Now Grace can you get my stun gun. It's on the table by the door."

A moment later Lynn scrambled unsteadily to her feet. She pointed her stun gun at Shearman. "You can go to sleep now, Ed," she muttered. The gun pulsed and Shearman slumped back on the floor.

"Grace, untie Shannon while I try and find my phone. I have to call for back up."

Shannon was freed and the two girls hugged each other tightly. "You were amazing," Shannon whispered to her friend, "The way the knocked him down with the chair like that."

"It's all I could think of doing," Grace said, "He was about to shoot us." She turned to Lynn. "Lynn, you saved my life by grabbing his leg."

"Just doing my job," Lynn managed a smile as she found her phone on the breakfast bar. "Hello, we've got company. She looked at the security monitor which showed a Silver Star security van pulling up at the front of the house.

"Let them in please, Grace. I think I need to sit down. Oh, and call your mother and let her know what's happened."