Survive by Tom Bale

Author:Tom Bale [Bale, Tom]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781913419578
Publisher: Bloodhound Books - crime, thriller and mystery
Published: 2020-06-07T16:00:00+00:00

Now he’s on a bit of a roll, Sam outlines his idea about finding water they can boil up. To make a fire they’ll have to gather some branches and leave them to dry on the beach. And collecting firewood gives them an opportunity to search for more cameras.

Jody grins. ‘Sneaky.’

‘That’s what we’ve gotta be like from now on. Us against them. It’s war.’

He can’t quite bring himself to ask why Jody took such a big risk, going off on her own, but when he congratulates her again she makes an embarrassed comment about how much he did the yesterday: swimming out to check the headland, venturing into the storm to refill the bottle.

‘Getting struck by lightning,’ he adds drily.

‘Yeah, that was too close for comfort. You could have had a heart attack.’

‘Nah, not me.’ He pats her bum. ‘I’m much too young and fit.’

He wants to kiss her again but through the trees comes Grace’s voice, high and scared. ‘Dad! Is that you?’

They run the last few metres, and mum and daughter have an emotional reunion.

Dylan hangs back, looking uncertain, even shifty. It’s the sort of expression he wears when he’s broken one of his toys and hidden it so they won’t notice.

‘I heard a noise,’ Grace says finally. ‘It was like a boat.’

Sam and Jody stare at her. ‘Are you sure?’ Jody asks.

‘I think that’s what it was. You know the small ones that have the little engine fixed to the back? That sort of noise.’

‘But you didn’t see it?’

Grace shakes her head. ‘It was over that way.’ She points to the west, in the direction of the impassable headland.

Sam heaves out a sigh, aimed at Jody. ‘Bloody typical. Just when we weren’t here.’

Grace winces. ‘Should I have gone to look?’

‘No, darling,’ Jody says. ‘That’s not what Daddy means.’ To Sam, she whispers, ‘Perhaps it wasn’t a coincidence, given what we’ve found?’

Sam narrows his eyes as it dawns on him. If they’re under surveillance, the watchers could have seen them go into the woods and timed the boat to come by in their absence.

‘Better check it out,’ he says.

Jody agrees, but first they all need some water. ‘And coconut for breakfast.’ She gazes thoughtfully at the sea. ‘No, a swim to freshen up first. Plus sun cream on our faces.’

Sam expects Dylan to protest about the sun cream, but there isn’t a murmur from him. In fact, he hasn’t said a word since they got back.

‘You okay, Dyl?’

No reaction. Jody kneels at his side, putting her arm around him. ‘Probably tired, eh?’

Still nothing. Grace looks awkward, shifting her weight from one leg to the other. ‘Don’t start again,’ she mutters to her brother.

Jody frowns. ‘What do you mean?’

‘Ask him.’

‘We had a fight.’ Dylan glares at his sister. ‘Because of the lady.’

Now Sam is lost. ‘What lady?’

Dylan gives a pantomime shrug: How should I know?

‘No, come on, Dylan,’ Jody says gently. ‘Please tell us.’

His bottom lip wobbling, Dylan manages to say, ‘The angel lady!’ Then he bursts into tears.

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