Page 99 of Hate Wrecked

“No, no. I’ve been here a few times and used to visit Gerald when he was the caretaker. I suppose this is my last hurrah before the government takes over. Those bastards,” he mutters. I’m sure he’s had a run-in or two with them. “You know the family sold this place?”

“Yeah,” I answer. “I thought I’d enjoy a quick trip while it was still possible.”

He raises an eyebrow. “What’s the accent?”

“Scotland. Born and raised,” I say. I guess I haven’t lost it completely.

Butch eyes my fishing pole in the sand. “I see you’ve made yourself at home here. How’s the fishing?”

I take a step toward the pole, picking it up. “It’s great. I was about to head to the other side. I always have good luck there. I was just taking a piss.” I walk along the shore then, away from Riley, around the way the men came. I see Butch glance into the jungle, but his gaze doesn’t linger there long. I hope Riley is low, out of sight, but I don’t look back.

My heart hammers in my chest as I walk away. Eventually, the men catch up to me, leaving Riley alone to make her escape back to Falcon Island.

* * *

We move our camp as soon as night falls. I can hear the men on their boat—loud and likely drunk.

Riley is perfectly in sync with me as we head toward Ironhold Island, then to Horizon Isle and the East Lagoon. We leave behind a blanket and a few things that are unimportant to us. Something to represent my quarters, should the men check the Hilton. And they will. The moon is high and bright, illuminating our way. But there are falls, scrapes, and bruises. We bring Garfield, and I know it makes Riley feel better. The furball will have to comfort Riley when I do what I need to do.

I need to get aboard that ship and make sure they’ve spoken to someone on the mainland. My gut tells me they haven’t. If I have to, I’ll throw them in the ocean, and we will get off this atoll on their boat.

I sit with Riley in the tent when the new encampment is set up.

“Do you think they’re looking for that trunk? For the body?”

“I don’t know,” I say. “I imagine they will be looking in the water, if that’s what they’re here for. Or the shoreline.”

We are close to the shoreline, always. The atoll stretches for miles. I can’t let them find Riley, but the island where we’ve set up camp is far from the spot where we discovered the body. Maybe this will be the last place they check. Perhaps I can call back to the mainland, and a plane will arrive soon.

There are so many maybes and questions. Riley holds Garfield close, having pinched the back of his neck to carry him on the boat across the water to bring him here with us. The scruffy cat loves her.

“I have to go on that boat,” I say to Riley as we lie close together in the tent.

She turns her head sharply. “Why?”

“To make sure they radio back.”

“I don’t think they will, Rowan. It’s too risky.”

“We have to get home. And if we don’t make it happen soon, they’re either going to leave us here or find the body in the jungle and know we moved it. And then we will never leave.”

“I want to go with you,” Riley declares.

I shake my head. “No. You need to stay here with Garfield.”

“He doesn’t need me. This asshole survived before we arrived.”

“Well, he’s on a new island now. Maybe he?—”

Riley sits up. “Quit making excuses. I want to go with you.”

I sit up, turning toward her, reaching for her. She pulls away. “How can I protect you if you go into danger with me?”

“What happens in the movie when the guy leaves the girl alone?” Riley waves her arm in the direction of the men. “She gets kidnapped.”

“This isn’t a movie.”

“I don’t care. I know it’ll happen. And what if you don’t come back? What happens then? What do you think three men will do to me out here with no one to stop them? What do you think they did to that woman in the trunk before they killed her?”

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