Read Online The Dust: Book Two - Pursuit by David H Sharp - Free Book Online Page A

young girl grabbed his brown leather jacket and moved away from where they were sat and walked to the window. Oxton looked like a small village in the middle of nowhere, he could see a very old small church on the bend in the road. Why was he giving Lou such a hard time? He had two little ones of his own, he knew what kids were like. Were they still alive? The odds didn’t look good but he had to get to Bath and find out. If everyone was dead, he couldn’t even think about it. Suicide, a subject he thought he would never have to tackle suddenly leaped into his head.
    ‘Roger I need the toilet.’ Lou’s voice made him smile, perhaps he should treat Lou like a daughter, there may not be many daughters left in the country. The next generation were precious cargo, he walked back towards her with a smile. ‘I think there is one in the back of this hall. Let’s go and take a look.’ He took her hand, it was small and soft and as he walked with her he imagined it was his youngest, his Emily.
    God he missed them. He knew Suzanne would have made sure the girls were safe and sound whatever had occurred down in Bath. Jessica could look after herself and was just turning into a stroppy teenager, Suzanne would say she was following in her father's footsteps. Emily on the other hand was a few years younger and still stayed close to her Daddy wherever they went. He remembered them all waving from the window the morning he had left the family home. A tear trickled down his cheek and he squeezed Lou’s hand a little tighter.
    ‘You can let go now Roger.’ Lou looked up at the man who had his eyes closed tight. ‘You can let go now.’ She called out again but Roger stood still breathing deep and steady.
    ‘Roger!’ Lou shouted.
    He jumped and let go of the little girl’s hand. He quickly wiped away the tear that had rested in the crease on the side of his mouth.
    ‘Are you crying Roger?’ Lou asked now concerned.
    ‘No, no.’ Roger ushered her towards the ladies toilet. ‘Just had a little bit of dust in my eye.’
    ‘Silly dust.’ Lou harrumphed as she opened the door. ‘It gets everywhere.’
    ***
    Jake pushed the driver’s door open and ran from the truck. He raised his hand to protect his face from the searing heat.
    ‘Be careful.’ Angel shouted following closely only three steps behind him.
    ‘What the hell has happened?’ He shouted. Jake then moved closer to the back of the house, the hedges were on fire and crackling like fireworks.
    ‘Watch out!’ Angel screamed and then tugged his collar to bring him back. A huge chunk of burning wisteria fell from the wall of the manor house and crashed to the ground, embers shot into the air.
    ‘Jesus, that was too close.’ 
    ‘This way.’ Angel pushed her way through a part of the hedge yet to succumb to the flames, she then found her way around the side of the manor house and to the side of the orangery.
    Jake followed closely and then took the lead.
    ‘The barn.’ He pointed to the mass of orange flames licking the evening sky. He ran over to the entrance but the heat was just too much for him to get close. ‘Charles!’ He shouted. ‘Janet!’
    ‘Alice!’ Angel stood next to Jake but the barn was engulfed. ‘Look!’ Angel pointed through the thick smoke.
    ‘Where?’ All Jake could see was smoke and flames.
    ‘I can see feet.’
    ‘Feet!’ Jake still couldn’t see anything.
    A warm blast then shot through the air taking them both by surprise and both Angel and Jake fell to the ground. A huge balloon of yellow and red rode through the barn roof like a tidal wave, the building creaked and groaned and timbers started to smash to the ground.
    Jake pulled Angel to her feet. ‘The petrol.’ He motioned to the now rapidly disappearing building. ‘It must have exploded.’
    ‘I saw feet.’ Angel was shouting over the roar of the flames.
    Jake nodded. ‘I believe you.’ They both moved back, the roof finally gave way and the walls started to tumble