Ottercombe Bay – Part Four: Shaken and Stirred. Bella Osborne

Feeling somewhat relieved she ended the call and flicked up the Find My Phone app. The dot was still stuck in the middle of the blue mass of ocean but it was no longer in range. Perhaps the boat’s engine had failed and he’d drifted out there. Maybe Jason was right, perhaps it was a lifeboat call out.

      She stopped for a moment and looked around her. She wasn’t sure why but she had an odd sensation someone was watching her, but there was nobody there. At least she couldn’t see anyone. It was dark now and the wind was starting to whistle around the town, which meant the sea would be starting to cut up rough. She put her head down and strode off towards Locos.

      Jason and Daisy could see each other approaching from different directions. Jason swung the small patrol car into the kerb and jumped out.

      ‘Are you okay?’ he asked.

      ‘Yeah, I’m just confused and I don’t want to get anyone into any trouble.’

      ‘Daisy, if someone has done something against the law that is their issue not yours. Has someone done something illegal?’ Jason’s expression was cheerily expectant.

      ‘I don’t know,’ said Daisy shaking her head. ‘The thing is, Guillaume wanted me to hire him a boat, which he said was for him to see the coastline, but I thought it was for us to go out and watch the sunset and …’ She paused. She didn’t need to reveal anything else about what her expectations may have been about the evening. ‘But anyway, he went on his own, which just seems an odd thing to do and the weather isn’t great and he doesn’t know much about boats.’ She ran out of steam.

      ‘He doesn’t have a criminal record. I checked,’ said Jason. Daisy raised her eyebrows. ‘Always best to be proactive.’

      ‘I don’t know if he’s up to anything but I do know he appears to be stranded in the English Channel.’

      ‘Let’s put the lifeboat call out. It’s getting rough out there; he is in potential danger, which is enough to get a crew in the water. I’ll make sure I’m in the boat so if there’s anything untoward going on I can step in. We’ll get him back safe. Okay?’

      ‘Thanks, Jason.’ Daisy was swamped with relief. She may not want to rekindle her romance with Guillaume but she certainly didn’t want anything to happen to him.

      ‘Let me get the last known coordinates of his phone from your app then you can stay here. I’ll be able to keep you posted. I promise.’

      Jason quickly got what he needed from her mobile, handed it back and jumped back into the small patrol car like he was in a low-budget cop show. Daisy watched him go but already she knew she couldn’t sit in the bar and wait to hear from him, she needed to be on the beach. She wanted to make sure Guillaume was all right and felt overwhelmingly responsible for both letting him take the boat and for sending the lifeboat crew out after him. By the time she got to the beach the lifeboat was already in the water. She thought the beach was deserted until behind her she heard the crunch of pebbles as someone strode purposefully towards her.

      ‘Shit, I missed the shout,’ said Max, out of the darkness. ‘Tell me it’s not your idiot boyfriend in that bloody boat?’

      Daisy bit her lip as she tried to form a sentence to rebuke his comment but it simply wasn’t possible. She winced.

      ‘I knew I shouldn’t have agreed to it. Bloody hell. I thought you said he was familiar with boats.’

      ‘He said he was. But from the way he studied the motor I don’t think he knows much about them.’

      ‘So now he’s risking three more lives, and for what? Some sightseeing trip?’ Max looked around and then back at Daisy. ‘I thought you were going with him?’

      ‘So did I,’ said Daisy, staring out at the ink-black water spitting out a white froth as it angrily pummelled the shoreline.

      ‘What’s going on?’ said Max, spinning around like a clumsy toddler doing a pirouette.

      ‘He’s stuck in the middle of the sea and … where are you going?’ Daisy started to follow Max even though he was ignoring her and was marching back the way he’d come. ‘Max!’

      ‘You stay there, I’m just checking something out,’ called back Max. Daisy jogged to keep up with him and as she drew level he shook his head. ‘I see your listening skills haven’t improved.’

      ‘Nor have your manners.’

      They both put their heads down against the wind and with the faintest of smiles battled on up to the headland. The wind on the top was fierce now and Daisy could feel panic rising as they neared the edge. Max stopped dead and Daisy almost bumped into him.

      ‘Why is there a car parked there at this time of night?’ Max was pointing to an ancient Astra estate car in the small car park. They both looked around but there was nobody else about.

      ‘Is your boyfriend a crook?’ asked Max, setting off again.

      ‘He’s not my boyfriend and, no, he’s not a crook.’ They marched on in silence away from the bay following the coastal path towards the cove. Max slowed his pace.

      ‘What are we doing exactly?’ asked Daisy, raising her voice to be heard over the now howling wind.

      ‘Stop shouting. I’m following a hunch.’

      Daisy grabbed his arm and spun him around. ‘Will you tell me what’s going on or at least what you think is going on.’

      Max was looking annoyed, most likely at her volume. She lowered her voice and leaned closer. ‘Please,’ she added and let go of his arm.

      Max strode further along the path and then beckoned her to join him. They were standing on the edge, above the cove, and Daisy looked uneasily down to the rocks below her.

      ‘The cove was where Pasco used to do his dodgy deals and his petty smuggling.’ Max indicated the cliffs in front of them with a thumb.

      ‘But Tamsyn said the cove isn’t safe because of all the rock falls and that’s why they closed the path off to stop you getting down there.’

      ‘Which makes it an ideal spot—’

      ‘—if you were up to something.’ Daisy finished the sentence.

      She realised the implications. ‘Hang on a minute. You think Guillaume has been duped into something dishonest?’

      Max pulled a face conveying his thoughts quite well. ‘Not duped, no.’

      ‘Who is jumping to conclusions now? You’ve met him a couple of times and now you think he’s the brains behind something illegal.’

      ‘I wouldn’t go that far. He didn’t strike me as a genius, bit of a jerk if you ask me. Actually a great big—’

      ‘Really? Is now the time to have this argument?’ Daisy had her hands on her slim hips.

      ‘Guess not,’ said Max lowering his voice.

      Daisy walked forward and peered over the edge. Max grabbed her by the arm making her start.

      ‘Shit, Max, you nearly pushed me over.’ He still had a firm hold on her and her heart was racing and it wasn’t entirely because of the proximity of the cliff edge.

      ‘Look,’ said Max, pointing to the small patch of beach waiting to be swallowed by the approaching tide. ‘There’s someone down there.’

      Daisy squinted. ‘I think there’s two people.’

      Max guided her back from the edge and let go of her arm. ‘I’m going to sit it out and see who they are. You go home and I’ll call you.’

      Daisy laughed. ‘Why does everyone keep sending me home like I’m some sort of silly little girl? I’m staying put.’ She folded her arms defiantly.

      Max shook his head. She hoped he wasn’t going to argue with her. He stepped away and for a moment she