Christmas in Coolsbay: A cosy friends-to-lovers romantic comedy by Belle Henderson
Author:Belle Henderson [Henderson, Belle]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Tamarillas Press
Published: 2023-09-26T16:00:00+00:00
Chapter Seventeen
âDo you make a habit of that?â I ask, with a shaky voice. Iâd be amused, laughing even, if it wasnât for the bleak circumstances.
âHelping people get sober?â he almost growls. âI usually assist in getting them drunk I suppose, but they needed to cool down a little, too much happy juice, donât you think?â He gives me a wry smile then focuses on the road. I allow myself a little smile, proud of his work, before my eyes turn to the car window and the roads. Itâs still raining and cold and apart from the odd streetlamp which are few and far between, the closer we get towards the sea, the darker it gets.
Iâm worried for Joyce, really worried.
We drive towards the coastline, the road winding as I strain to see out of the window. Itâs making me nauseous. Rain hits the windowpane hard, and my torch does nothing but reflect the glare back at me.
âIâm phoning the police,â I say. Nick nods silently. Moments later, the missing and vulnerable persons report has been filed. This is all beginning to feel too real. I try to remain calm by listing my top five Dolly Parton songs in my head.
1 I will Always Love You (Obviously)
2 Two Doors Down
3 Jolene
4 Working Nine to Five
5 Itâs All Wrong, But Itâs All Right
âAt least thereâll be more of us looking now, better chance of her being found sooner,â I say whilst the lyrics to I will always love you play solemnly and slowly in my head.
âYes, yes, thank you.â
We drive in silence, the minutes feeling like hours.
âWhere could she be? Where would she go?â I burst, panic exploding out of my voice.
âIf she isnât at the graveyard then I donât know where, thatâs where she has always gone before. She never goes too far.â We turn a corner, the sea fierce in the distance.
âLetâs get out,â Nick says as he parks the car in a layby. A photo stop for tourists during the day. We traipse the coastal path, shining our torches on benches with plaques of deceased loved ones.
âThereâs people,â I say, shinning my torch into the distance. âLook, on the last bench.â
Nick moves his torch to the same spot, moving slightly to the left to reveal a large fishermanâs umbrella with a cover around it, turning it into a tent. There could be people huddled underneath that, people whoâve seen Joyce. Nick breaks into a run and I force my legs to do the same. My legs ache. I think Iâve surpassed the number of steps Iâll ever do in a lifetime in one single night. Nevertheless, I try to keep up with him, slowing down as we approach the umbrella tent.
The shadows look like three big burly men. Could it be them? I think I hear laughter, but the wind picks it up and takes it away out to sea. People probably camping out drunk, could it be the thicko Neanderthal trio? The laughter gets louder, somethingâs obviously very funny.
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