Time stretched on and there was no sign of anyone coming up from the cove. Perhaps they’d been mistaken; it could have been shadows playing tricks. Eventually her thighs started to burn so she sat down on the cold ground. She could no longer feel her fingers despite them being in her coat pockets. There had been no update from Jason but then she wasn’t sure he would get a signal in the middle of the sea. The earlier excitement had waned and she was considering going home for a coffee; there wasn’t anything she could do here and Jason would let her know if Guillaume was okay soon enough.
Then Max tapped her arm making her look up. He pointed rapidly past the bush. Daisy peered around the spikey plant to see if she could see anything. The tide had come in further and the beach was no longer visible in the cove.
Daisy repositioned herself and had another look down to where the sea was swirling ominously in the tight confines of the cliffs. ‘There’s nobody down there. Those people must have been washed out to sea or there was nobody there in the first place.’ Daisy went to stand up but Max forcefully pulled her back down, making her land on her bum. She stifled the urge to yell because she could sense from Max all was not well.
Max put his hands up and mouthed ‘sorry’ and then pointed forwards and down. Daisy squinted in the darkness but could see nothing and could only hear the wind whipping around her chilled ears. But then she saw something move. Two silhouettes were moving along where the slope had once led down to the small secluded cove. Her heart started to race. She tried to get a good look at them but it was too dark. She wondered who they could be and what they were doing on an unsafe cliff on a night like this, but most of all she wondered if they had any connection to Guillaume. She was very glad she wasn’t on her own.
Daisy and Max watched silently in the darkness as the two figures clambered over the barricade that was in place to stop people following the path down to the cove. They heard a yelp as one of them tripped.
‘It’s a woman,’ whispered Daisy, instantly feeling foolish for hiding behind a bush. ‘They aren’t criminals – they’ve been for a shag on the beach. And now we look like we’re dogging. Cocking hell, Max.’ She was immediately cross with Max for having stirred up her doubts about Guillaume and even angrier with herself for going along with it. This couple were clearly unconnected to whatever Guillaume was doing out at sea, which was most likely completely innocent.
Max put his finger to his lips and Daisy reluctantly fell silent. They watched the couple climb up the last few steps and stop to look out to sea. The man started speaking into a mobile phone and although they weren’t close enough to hear the conversation they could tell he was irate. It was oddly addictive spying on someone like this; she was fascinated by who this couple were and if nothing else it was taking her mind off the worry that she’d called the lifeboat out on a wild goose chase.
‘Now what?’ said Daisy, digging Max in the ribs.
‘Shh, I’m thinking.’
‘Then we could be here all night. I say we—’ But her sentence was cut off by the sound of music. The blast of a Crazy Frog ringtone bellowed from Daisy’s pocket as her mobile sprang into life.
‘Hello?’ she said, her voice hushed.
‘Daisy, it’s Jason. Guillaume is safe. Stay where you are. I can’t give you any details but this is now part of a criminal investigation.’
Daisy was listening but she was also looking at the two faces looming over the bushes watching her and Max carefully. This close their features were clearer. Neither of them was smiling. Her heart started to pick up its pace, her mind swirled and her muscles tensed as panic took hold.
‘Okay, thanks for your help. Bye.’ She very much hoped Jason would pick up on the emphasis on help: her pitiful attempt to tell him she felt in danger. Max slowly stood up. It was some comfort he was at least level with the stern man looming over them. Max reached for Daisy’s hand and pulled her upright, keeping tight hold of her, which caused something to zing in the pit of her stomach.
‘Hi Buddy,’ said Max sounding friendly. ‘Sorry if we startled you.’ He turned to Daisy. ‘Come on, babe, let’s go home.’ He guided Daisy from behind the bush, gave a cursory nod at the other couple and walked towards the town.
Max put his arm around her and pulled her in closer to him and whispered. ‘Just keep walking. Do what I do. Okay?’
His reaction was frightening her but the warmth of his body close to hers was reassuring. ‘Okay,’ she said swallowing hard and trying to keep her breathing steady. She wanted to ask him what the hell was going on. She wanted to run. She wasn’t entirely sure why but something in her psyche was saying ‘RUN’ and it was hard to ignore.
Her heart was racing and the blood was thrumming loudly in her ears. She noticed Max, who was nearer the edge, had guided her to walk on the grass and off the pathway. It was more uneven underfoot but definitely safer should anyone have plans to push you over the edge. A furtive glance over her shoulder and Daisy saw the couple were following them. A knot of anxiety clenched in the pit of her stomach and despite all logic her instincts kicked in and she bolted.
Max lurched forward but it was too late, Daisy was already sprinting away. He heard the footsteps behind him and turned as the man was throwing a punch. Max dodged and the punch caught him in the shoulder knocking him off balance. Max stumbled backwards as more punches came his way. As he landed with a thump he expected to get a kicking but could see his assailant was now under attack from someone else. He blinked through the darkness. He couldn’t believe his eyes.
‘Dad?’ asked Max from his prone position as Pasco landed a second right hook on his assailant. Max’s mouth dropped open.
‘Get to Daisy, Max. She needs you,’ said Pasco, as he dodged the retaliating blows. The man was far younger than Pasco but for the moment they seemed evenly matched.
Max rolled over. Daisy was still running but the woman was in pursuit and was gaining on her fast. Max scrambled to his feet and set off at speed, taking to the path in a bid to catch up. Daisy wasn’t looking back, she may not have known she was being chased. Why were they being chased at all? Who were these people and what the hell was that stupid French goon caught up in? Max pushed himself to run flat out in a bid to reach the woman before she reached Daisy.
Max was soon gaining on them. Daisy was nearly at the small car park and thankfully there were some streetlights but there was nobody else about. Ottercombe Bay at night was dead and there were no properties nearby. Max pulled his phone out of his pocket whilst still running but it was a difficult manoeuvre. He hit Jason’s number and put it to his ear – it was really awkward to run like this.
‘Answer the bloody phone, Jason.’ His breathing was heavy as he watched Daisy disappear off the path and onto the main pavement into town. He expected the woman chasing her to follow but instead she stopped at a parked Astra and got inside. Max slowed for a second; Daisy was out of immediate danger. He filled his lungs with air but continued to jog along. The woman was obviously doing a runner, it had just looked like she was chasing Daisy because she was running in the same direction. The relief he felt was overwhelming.
He slowed to a walk and was considering running back to help Pasco or continuing after Daisy when Jason answered his call. ‘Jason, I’m up on the headland with Daisy, we’ve been attacked by two people and … shit!’ Max shoved his phone back in his pocket and sprinted after the Astra now heading after Daisy and not out of town as he had expected it to. This running lark was tiring; he was fit but cars, even old Astras, went much faster.
The wind was gusting straight at him, which hindered his speed as he tried in vain to keep the car in his sights as it sped off, skidding slightly when it took a bend too fast, and disappeared from sight. He pushed himself to keep going but he simply couldn’t maintain this pace for much longer.
Max