“Bullshit,” Jan spat. “We showed you good faith. We could have forced you to take us in, but we trusted in you being good people. But enough is enough. Me and Renee aren’t staying locked up a moment longer. It’s been weeks.”
Shawcross shrugged his shoulders. “Then you’ll have to leave.”
Jan shook his head. Renee stood unwaveringly beside him. “Leave? Are you crazy? There is no leaving here. We’re all stuck.”
“You’re not a part of this group,” said Shawcross.
“Yes, they are,” Cassie argued.
“Just put the knives down, Jan,” Dave said. “This isn’t how we do things.”
“Really,” said Jan. “Is that what you were thinking when you were trying to bash Kathryn’s skull in? Seemed like you were pretty willing to use force then.”
“If you’d let me then Carl would probably still be alive.”
Nick stepped forward, his hands out in front of him. “Come on, everyone. Let’s just calm down. We’ve been together a long time now. We can discuss this calmly like adults.”
Shawcross shook his head. “We discussed it already. The prisoners stay locked up or they leave.”
“I think the jury is still out on that one,” said Dave. “You know I think we should let them out.”
“Who cares what you think?” Shawcross spat.
Dave turned sideways, no longer pointing his knife at Jan and Renee, but at Shawcross. “You know something? I’ve had about enough of your attitude, you pompous sod. I don’t know why I’m even arguing with you.” Dave turned back to look at Jan and Renee. “You two are free to join the rest of us. Lower your knife, Jan, and relax. We’re done taking orders from this dickhead.”
Shawcross’s face went bright red and twisted in a furious scowl. He pointed his finger in Dave’s smug face. “How dare you! I am in charge here. I am the manager of Ripley Hall.”
Dave turned his back on Shawcross and walked away, laughing. “You ain’t shit, mate. Just a sad no mark who thinks he’s important.”
“Do not speak to me that way. You have no right! No right!”
Nick watched in detached bewilderment as Shawcross raised his knife in the air and rushed at Dave. Dave had his back turned and didn’t see the danger.
“Look out,” Nick screamed.
Dave acknowledged the warning just in time. He half-turned and managed to sidestep the attack by a hair’s breadth.
Shawcross raised the knife again, prepared for a second attempt. This time Nick managed to unglue himself from the spot and do something. He leapt forward and caught Shawcross on the point of the chin with a swinging haymaker. The smaller man went twirling to the floor, his elbow bumping a table on the way down and spilling two pints of lemonade all over him.
Nick shook his fist and tried to ward off the crunching agony in his knuckles. It was the first time he had given someone a smack like that and he was surprised by how much it hurt.
Dave grinned at Nick and patted him on the back. “Way to go, slugger. I owe you one, mate.”
“Don’t mention it. This is all a big mess, though. We have to live together. We can’t go around thrusting knives at one another and throwing punches. I already have enough wounds, thank you.”
Dave looked persecuted. “Hey, don’t tell me. It was that bloody muppet that tried to get all stabby.”
“What the hell is going on in here?” It was Annaliese. She was climbing through the window. As soon as she was inside, her eyes fell upon Shawcross, lying on the floor, and then moved over to Jan and Renee, who were both clutching knives.
“It’s okay,” Nick said, still rubbing his fist.
“Like hell it is. What happened to Shawcross?”
“I punched him.”
Annaliese stared hard at him. Eventually she said. “It’s about time somebody did, but you better have had a good reason for doing it.”
“Look, I know this looks bad. There was a standoff over whether or not to let Jan and Renee free…”
“I know,” Annaliese said. “Mike filled me in.” She glared at Cassie. “Wasn’t very diplomatic the way you went about things, darlin’. We can do without troublemakers.”