Shazam slinked out from under the table and stood over the food, her tongue lolling from the corner of her mouth. She looked up at Jen and then back at Jack.
“It’s okay, you can eat it,” Jack said.
Without further encouragement, Shazam started to gobble down the meal.
“She’s well trained,” Jen said as she sliced the cheese.
“House trained, just like me.”
Jen giggled.
To accompany the sandwiches, Jen poured two glasses of Coke and filled a bowl of water for Shazam, who noisily lapped it up. They ate the sandwiches in silence. Knowing she had a boyfriend made Jack feel awkward, and whenever he looked at Jen, his eyes inadvertently strayed to her bosom. He couldn’t see what the hell she saw in Rocky, but he sure saw what he saw in Jen.
The sound of a siren filled the silence. Jack and Jen looked at each other across the table. Then they turned and stared out the window. Jack could see a small boat speeding towards the harbour, where an ambulance was just pulling in.
“Looks like it’s all go today. You want to see what’s going on?” Jen asked.
Jack swallowed the bite of sandwich he had been chewing. “And to think I thought this was a sleepy village.”
They left the house and quickly made their way back down to the harbour. The ambulance waited with its lights flashing, the paramedics standing beside it looking out to sea. A small crowd had already gathered, and among them, Jack noticed Rocky. When Rocky saw Jen approaching he waved and grinned. Then he saw Jack at her side, and his grin became a scowl.
“What the hell you doin’ with him?” Rocky growled.
“We were just talking,” Jen said, stepping between them and kissing Rocky on the cheek.
Shazam stood at Jack’s side. A low growl emanated from her and she bared her teeth.
“You better hope that mutt don’t come near me, otherwise it’ll be dog meat.”
“It’s okay, girl,” Jack said, patting the dog on the head. He stared at Rocky. “I know there’s a bad smell around here, but I’m sure it’ll be gone soon.”
Rocky clenched his fists. He looked ready to start trouble.
“Cut it out you two,” Jen said. “So what’s going on here?” she asked Rocky, pointing towards the fast approaching boat.
Rocky held eye contact with Jack for a moment longer then turned to Jen. “I dunno. Did you hear about that man this morning?”
Jen nodded. “Yeah, it’s awful.”
“You can say that again. It got the wrong person.” He glared at Jack.
For Jen’s sake, Jack decided not to rise to the bait. He watched the boat as it sped into the harbour. There were two men in it from what he could see. When they reached the quay, one of them jumped out and moored the vessel up, while the other crouched down in the back.
The paramedics rushed down to meet the boat, carrying a stretcher. They boarded the boat, and moments later, they hurried back to the ambulance carrying someone between them. Jack peered through the crowd. He caught sight of the person on the stretcher; recognised her as the girl that he had given a light to in the bar. She wasn’t moving.
“Do you think she’s dead?” Jen whispered.
Jack bit his lip. If she wasn’t dead, then she was sure as hell as close as she was going to get.
“Well I’m out of here,” Jack said.
Jen turned and looked at him. “You don’t have to leave. Stay.” Rocky’s expression said otherwise.
“Nah, guess it’s time to head home.”
Jen lowered her gaze. She kicked at the floor and then nodded. As he walked away, Jack couldn’t help thinking that he had seen something in her expression. Something that said she really wanted him to stay. He smiled. Perhaps there was hope yet.
Chapter 14
“Are you sure it was her?” Bruce asked, putting down the paintbrush he’d been using to paint the window. White paint splattered the front of his blue shirt and speckled his cheeks and hair.
Jack nodded. “I don’t know what happened to her, but she looked real bad.”
Bruce shook his head. “My god. I was only talking to her this morning. What a day this is turning out to be.”
Jack recognised something more than regular sympathy in his dad’s voice. He saw concern; wished now he hadn’t mentioned anything. The previous altercation with his dad seemed to have been forgotten, which was better than having to listen to another lecture.
“Perhaps I should go see how she is,” Bruce said.
“Why? You don’t know her.”
“I know, but it seems the right thing to do. I think I’ll go and have a wash. Do you know where they took her?”
Jack shook his head.
“Well, there’s probably a hospital nearby. I’m sure someone in the village will know. And Jack, thanks for the milk.”
Jack shrugged his shoulders. “It’s no big deal.”
Bruce ruffled Jack’s hair. “Still, thanks anyway.” He smiled and then left the room, leaving Jack feeling glad his good deed hadn’t gone unnoticed, but resentful that his dad was going to see another woman.
Bruce parked the car opposite the harbour and then walked into the hardware shop. Duncan Roberts was sitting behind the counter reading a book.
“Hello again,” Duncan said, smiling amiably. “It’s Bruce, isn’t it?”
“That’s right. I don’t know if you heard about the woman that had the diving accident earlier—”
Duncan nodded his head. “Terrible business. What with the attack this morning. Never seen anything like it in all the years I’ve lived here.”
“Well I was just wondering if you could tell me where they might have taken her.”
“Probably to the hospital in town.”
“Is it far?”
“No, you passed through it on the way here. The one with the new resort.”
“Thanks.”
Duncan clucked his tongue. “Mind how you go now. You know what they say, bad luck has a way of travelling in threes.”
Bruce subconsciously fingered his wallet with the good luck charms inside.
“If you’d like a drink later, get to know a few people, I’ll be in the bar about eight,” Duncan said.
“What … yes, thanks. I might just take you up on that.”
Outside the shop, Bruce stared across the harbour and saw Zander standing on the bow of his boat, staring back at him. Bruce held his hand up in acknowledgement. Zander spat into the sea, turned and disappeared below decks.
Bruce didn’t like animosity, but he didn’t think Zander was going to be on his Christmas card list anytime soon.
Once in the car, he took out his phone and rang Jack, who answered on the sixth ring.
“Yeah?”
“I’m going to drive to the hospital. Don’t know what time I’ll be back. There’s some money on the table in the kitchen. If I’m not back in time, buy yourself something to eat.”
“Buy something where?”
“There’s a cafe in town isn’t there? Oh, and can you feed Shazam too?”
“Whatever.”
“Thanks. See you later. Be good.”
Bruce disconnected the call and started the car. He drove out of the village at a leisurely pace. With so much work to do on the house, he felt guilty leaving it. But he knew he was going to have to get back to his real job of website designing eventually when they connected his phone line and set up his internet account. Some of the tasks, like the rotten bedroom window and the dodgy plumbing, were best left to the professionals. This reminded him to ask Duncan if he could recommend anyone; better not to upset the local tradesmen if he could help it by getting in outsiders to do the work. One person off his Christmas card list in a small village was already one too many.
The new resort was bustling. Families were playing on the beach, and kids were paddling in the sea and running through the arcades. Bruce wondered whether news of the attack had filtered through yet. Looking at the kids in the sea, he doubted it. P
erhaps the attack was an isolated incident, but then what had happened to Erin? He assured himself it was probably unconnected, and followed the signs to the hospital.
He parked in the car park and made his way to the reception. The hospital was a modern building with a large glass front. The automatic doors glided open and Bruce walked inside. He basked in the cool interior, took a moment to waft the neck of his T-shirt. He’d tried to dress casually in new black jeans and a T-shirt, but now he wondered if it was appropriate attire for visiting someone in hospital. That’s if they let him see her.
The woman seated at reception looked up and stared at Bruce over the top of her glasses. She had a studious expression, her black hair tied back in a severe ponytail that only accentuated the sharp angles of her face.
“Yes?” she said.
“Erm, I wonder if you can help me. There was a woman brought in earlier.”
“Name?”
“Erin.”
The receptionist stared at him as though he were stupid. “Erin who?”
Bruce leaned forward. He knew all too well that hospitals had strict visiting procedures. “McVey. She’s my sister.”
The receptionist tapped a pencil against her teeth.
Bruce gave her what he hoped was his best smile. After another moment, the woman ran her finger down a list on her desk.
“Well, visiting hours aren’t for another hour.”
“How is she?”
“I wouldn’t know.”
“Well, couldn’t I just pop in and see how she is?”
After another embarrassingly long silence and prolonged staring match, she said, “Second floor. Ward four. Tell the duty nurse I said it was all right.”
“Thank you.” Anxious to be out of her sight, Bruce turned and followed the signs to the second floor. On the way, he passed a small kiosk selling flowers, and he bought a bunch. Probably the least green-fingered person he knew, he hoped the flowers didn’t die before he reached the room.
Bruce followed the signs to the ward until he found himself standing outside the double doors. Small squares of glass in each door allowed him to peer through before entering. He couldn’t spot Erin, although there was one bed with the curtains drawn around it. He realised his palms were sweating, and he felt slightly nauseous. What the hell was the matter with him? He was only paying a visit in the hospital. But he knew that wasn’t all there was to it. He swallowed to dislodge the lump in his throat, then he took a deep breath, pushed open the door and stepped into the room. A small woman wearing round glasses sat at a desk inside the ward. She looked up at Bruce, and he quickly explained the reason for his visit.
The duty nurse pointed along the ward. “She’s resting. Bed at the end with the curtain drawn around it.” With that, she returned her attention to the paperwork on her desk.
As in the rest of the hospital, there was an antiseptic aroma in the air, but there was also the undeniable faint smell of blood and human waste that almost made him turn around and head back out.
The few patients who weren’t drowsing looked at him for a moment then turned away. The television at the end of the room was on, but with the sound turned down low the muffled exchange of views between the host and guests on a daytime chat show sounded as though it was coming from another room.
The patients were all female, and seeing them in their nightgowns and pyjamas made Bruce blush. The ages of the patients ranged from late teens to late life. Some sat in chairs, but most reclined in bed.
He quickly made his way down the middle of the room, towards the curtained bed at the end. When he reached it, he coughed to clear his throat. Butterflies danced in his stomach, and he chastised himself. He wasn’t a goddamn teenager.
“Erin? Erin McVey?”
When no one answered, he timidly peeked through a gap in the curtain. The woman lying in the bed was asleep, but he instantly recognised her. She looked pale, her breathing laboured. There was a tube in her arm, and a clear liquid dripped through at regular intervals. Bruce felt his heart miss a beat. Christ, what had happened to her?
He slipped through the curtain, shaking his head despondently. Not wanting to disturb her, he placed the flowers on the bedside cabinet, and turned to leave.
“I’ve got to get out of here.”
Bruce jumped. He spun around and saw Erin struggling to sit up. She coughed, the action making her cringe in pain.
“Here, let me help you.” He reached down to assist, but she held her hand up.
“I can manage,” she snapped. After a moment’s struggle, she sat up. “What are you doing here?”
Bruce stared at her, unsure what to say next. He nodded. “Yes, I … um, I—”
“Well, I don’t know what you’re doing here, but I’ve got to get out. I’ve got to warn them.” She started to swing her legs out of bed. The tube in her arm pulled tight, almost toppling the stand it was attached to.
Bruce grabbed it before it fell. “Take it easy.”
“Don’t tell me what to do.”
Bruce sighed and his shoulders slumped. This wasn’t going how he had imagined. “I’m sorry. I’ll leave you alone.”
“Wait a minute. What did you come here for anyway?”
“I … Well, I heard about your accident–I don’t know what I came for really.” He shrugged, could feel his face burning up.
Erin exhaled noisily. “Look, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to snap at you.”
“That’s okay. You look like you’ve been through the mill.”
“That’s not the half of it.” With surprising speed and strength, she reached out and grabbed Bruce’s arm. “You’ve got to listen to me. They’re saying it was lack of oxygen, but I know it wasn’t. You’ve got to believe me. There’s something out there. In the water. Something unnatural.”
“Yes, I already know about it.”
“You do?” Her hold relaxed.
“Yes, a shark I heard.”
Erin shook her head and squeezed tighter. “Not a shark. It was something else. Something, I don’t know … something monstrous.”
Bruce patted her hand. “You’re safe now. Nothing can hurt you here.”
Erin sank back onto the bed. “I don’t think any of us are safe,” she said before sleep engulfed her.
Chapter 15
Jack was bored. He was also hungry again. A quick inspection of the fridge revealed milk, a tub of margarine, a couple of eggs, and a half empty can of beans.
He took a swallow from the milk to sate his appetite, then replaced it on the shelf and closed the fridge.
His dad had left ten pounds on the kitchen table, so he picked the money up, and with Shazam in tow, he left the house and headed back to the village.
Hopefully, Rocky would have gone by now, and if he was really lucky, Jen might still be around.
On the coast road, he stared out to sea. The great expanse of water stretched before him, and he wondered whether there really was a man-eating shark prowling beneath the waves. If there was, then he could see a scene straight out of ‘Jaws’ might ensue, and a flotilla of boats would set out to destroy it. Not that he would support that. The shark was only doing what came naturally to it. How the hell was it supposed to know that mankind was not on the menu?
When he reached the harbour, he noticed Trent Zander’s boat had set sail. A couple of seagulls sat preening themselves on the harbour wall. Shazam barked at them and the birds cocked their heads and looked across at her before squawking loudly. They flapped their wings, then settled down.
The aroma of brine was heavy in the air. It stuck to the back of Jack’s throat, making him feel a little sick.
Across the road at the cafe, Bites, there were still a couple of tables and chairs outside, but no one sat in them. Jack wandered across. A faded blue canopy shaded the front of the shop.
A chalkboard nailed to the wall listed the food available.
“I’ll have to leave you out here,” Jack said to Shazam, who stared up at him with her tong
ue lolling from the side of her jaw. “It’s no good giving me your sad face. You see that sign, it says no dogs allowed.” Although she was generally well behaved, he attached Shazam to her lead and tied her to a drain pipe. Then he quickly scratched her behind the ear and entered the shop.
After the smell of brine, the aroma of freshly baked food was wonderful. Jack breathed deeply to fill his lungs with the fragrance, and his stomach rumbled in response.
Inside the shop, a glass-fronted cabinet held a few cakes. Jack salivated at the sight of the chocolate éclairs. A big black potato oven sat behind the counter, along with a cash register, a microwave, and a rack of bread.
There was no one in the shop, so Jack knocked on the counter and a moment later, a stout, ruddy faced girl appeared from the back room. A small white cap covered her hair, and she wiped her hands on her blue apron. Jack guessed she was about twenty.
“Hello. What can I get you?” she asked, smiling to reveal large teeth. Jack settled on a cheese and pickle sandwich and soup.
While the girl prepared the order, Jack peered out of the window at the harbour, hoping to spot Jen.
“You on holiday?” the girl asked.
“No, just moved here.”
“Oh yes, where to?”
“A house on Millhouse Lane.”
The girl stopped in the middle of ladling soup into a bowl.
“You okay?” Jack asked.
“Is that the Johnson place?” Her previously ruddy complexion seemed to have blanched.
“That’s the one. And yeah, I already heard the previous family was supposed to have disappeared.”
The girl resumed ladling and a dollop of tomato soup splashed the counter like blood.
“They seemed like such a nice family. Hadn’t been here that long either. Just plain disappeared. Some people say the house had something to do with it, others say the father was in debt and that the collectors found him, others say they ran away in the night.”
“And what do you think?”
The girl turned and stared at him. She shrugged. “Don’t really know what I think. Just that it was a shame, that’s all.”
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