Page 91 of The Rising Tide

Pretty soon they’re on the coast road. Not long after, they hit the inland route south. The devastation out here is shocking – swathes of forest flattened. On the radio, the presenter is talking about a hilltop stone circle east of Redlecker. Two 4,000-year-old megaliths have collapsed due to landslip caused by the storm. When the topic moves on to the Locke family and what might have happened outat sea, Noemie switches it off, but not before Lucy hears Daniel’s name.

She closes her eyes and finds herself at the wheel of her old Suzuki. It’s nine summers ago and the weather’s hot enough to blister paintwork. Billie’s in the back, shouting for a wee. They’re heading home after a day of surfing at Sandymouth Bay. When Lucy spots a lay-by, she hauls the Suzuki over. Billie flings open the rear door, jumps down from her booster seat and darts through a gap between the brambles. Lucy climbs out, revelling in the feel of the late-afternoon sun.

They don’t have the lay-by to themselves. Parked in front is a dusty Hilux pick-up, steam venting from it in white gouts. A forty-foot yacht sits on the vehicle’s boat trailer, its mast unstopped for transit. A guy in Ray-Bans is staring at the truck, one hand trapped beneath his armpit.

Billie’s still occupied in the bushes, so Lucy wanders over. ‘I’m no mechanic,’ she says, watching the steam. ‘But I’d say that doesn’t look good.’

‘Well, Iama mechanic. Of sorts. Which makes this kind of embarrassing.’

‘Are you OK?’

‘I think I … I sort of burnt myself. It’s fine. I’ll be fine.’

‘Did you try to remove the radiator cap?’

‘That would’ve been the dumbest move ever.’

‘Is that what you did?’

‘Yes.’

He removes his Ray-Bans. Lucy’s breath catches. His eyes are a deeper shade of cobalt than the ocean she just surfed. Even more startling is what she sees in them: anxiety, hope and good humour. She feels an unaccountable urge to put her arms around him.

It’s a ridiculous notion. Lucy shakes herself free of it. ‘Show me,’ she says.

‘It’s just a slight burn.’

‘So show me.’

Warily, he withdraws his hand from his armpit. Lucy recoils. ‘I’ll get my first-aid kit.’ A minute later she’s treating his wound while Billie performs cartwheels beside them. ‘Do you have breakdown cover?’

‘I’ve been meaning to get it.’

‘So the plan is?’

‘Wait for things to cool down.’

She grins. ‘And if they don’t?’

‘An evening stroll back to Skentel.’

‘Skentel’s ten miles away.’

‘Evening hike, then.’

Lucy glances behind her. ‘We’re going that way.’

‘No need to rub it in.’

Her grin widens. ‘I’d hate to leave a damsel in distress.’

‘It’s very chivalrous,’ he replies. ‘But I think I’ll have to pass.’

He’s far better-looking than she’d first realized. When Lucy finds herself considering that, she nearly heads back to her car. Instead, she tilts her head. ‘It’s the ego, huh? Won’t let you get rescued by a young mother and her daughter.’

‘Monster ego,’ he replies. ‘Quite revolting. I blame it for the lack of breakdown cover, too. Told me I could fix anything.’ He smiles, revealing straight white teeth. ‘Thanks for the offer. But I’d rather not leave the boat unless I have to. You’re looking at the first gig of a new enterprise. Probably my last if somebody pinches it.’

Ten minutes later, Lucy’s back on the road. Behind herSuzuki trundles the boat trailer. The guy with the blue eyes and white smile sits in the passenger seat.

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