Fog on the Tyne by Bernard O'Mahoney

Author:Bernard O'Mahoney
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Random House UK
Published: 2012-08-10T17:24:34.943098+00:00

Chapter Seven

Y VIVA ESPAÑA

PADDY CONROY FELT relief as he watched the English coastline fade on the horizon, but a sense of sadness engulfed him when it had totally disappeared from view. Maureen and his children were back in that green and pleasant land, and he had no idea when he would see them again. Paddy had secured his freedom, but at what price?

Prior to Collier’s abduction, Paddy had filled out the forms to apply for a new passport. For one reason or another, he had failed to post it, but after he went on the run Maureen had decided to do so. Paddy had warned her that it was a pointless exercise, because the authorities would never issue a passport to a person they were claiming was the most wanted man in Britain, but to Paddy’s surprise that is exactly what happened. Before heading for Spain, Berriman made a detour to Brest, in France, where he met up with two people he said he had to ‘discuss business with’. They were from the Newcastle area, and Maureen had asked one of them to give Paddy his new passport.

After completing their business in France, they set sail for the Bay of Biscay. Paddy may have been in a few scary situations in his life, but the night Berriman sailed into the eye of a storm would undoubtedly have been one of the most terrifying. Waves rising 40 ft above the small craft crashed down and tossed it around the ocean like a ball bearing being fired around a pinball machine. Berriman gave up trying to steer the boat and advised all on board to get below deck and hang on for dear life. All the lights went out on the vessel, and the occupants were smashed around the head and body by flying pots, pans and personal effects. The night air was freezing. Everybody was drenched in sea water, and the cold sweat of fear was pouring down their faces.

Before embarking on the voyage, Berriman had shown Paddy two survival suits that he had purchased from an oil-rig worker. These one-piece suits inflated when in water, keeping the people wearing them warm. They also had distress lights and whistles attached in order to attract would-be rescuers. There was a total of five men on Berriman’s boat, which meant three would be without survival suits if the vessel ran into difficulties. Paddy had made his mind up as to who would be wearing one of them if the vessel did sink.

As the boat soared to meet yet another huge wave, Paddy let go of the rope that he had been hanging on to and ran towards the steps that led into the hold. Crash! A wave broke on the deck, throwing the boat to one side and throwing Paddy down the steps. ‘Paddy, Paddy, are you OK?’ shouted Berriman.

A few minutes later, Paddy staggered up the steps from the hold dressed in one of the survival suits. ‘I’m OK now,’ he said, smiling.

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