Page 87 of Bay of Plenty

“He didn’t ask for details. He said, ‘I believe you, and I won’t ever let you down again. This is my fault, and I’m goingto make this right for you. But you must promise—don’t tell anyone. Not a soul. It won’t work otherwise.’ He got a call from the office on his car phone. Janey’s disappearance had been on the radio news already. Your mother had phoned in, saying you’d seen Janey the previous night.”

We were now getting closer to the rugby club, where the town was waiting out the evacuation. I turned to her. “CeeCee, I’m going to help you, and so will Ohope. They love you. They’ll support you. We’re home.”

My mind was reeling, but I was certain of one thing. Wewerehome.But I hoped that what I promised her was true.

Chapter Fifty-Six

We were readyto land next to the rugby field.

I turned to CeeCee, who looked pale and shaky. “I’m calling Declan now. He’s an undercover cop and in charge of this operation.”

She drew back in surprise.

Declan answered on the first ring.

“Hey, it’s me. I’m in a helicopter with CeeCee. We’re landing in the next field. I was right about everything, except it’s not Snow—it’s CeeCee. Janey’s death was an accident. Sarge knew but persuaded her to cover it up. CeeCee’s going to turn herself in and give you a statement. We have the last shipment. Not sure if the heroin is real, but the poppy seems to be very precious. We are both okay.”

“Ask him not to handcuff me in front of everyone,” CeeCee said.

“I heard that,” Declan said. “Tell CeeCee we will keep it as low-key as we can. God, Isla. So glad you’re back and okay. I already have our team on standby, so I’ll change the target. I’ll drive CeeCee to The Mount police station to take her statement.”

As we hovered above the ground, I saw Declan peering up, his hand shielding the sun from his eyes, waiting withMum, Dad, and Fred. The sight of them sent waves of relief through me. After landing, CeeCee shut off the engine. I made sure she’d gotten out before I opened the door and ran to them.

“You and CeeCee look awful.” Mum hugged us both gingerly. “Are you hurt? What on earth happened?”

“We’re both okay. I’ll tell you later,” I said. Dad hugged us too.

“Thank God you’re alive,” Declan whispered in my ear. He squeezed me tight and gave me a quick kiss on the lips.

Declan turned to CeeCee. “Will you come with me?”

CeeCee nodded. “Yes. No handcuffs here.”

Mum and Dad looked confused. “Handcuffs?” Dad asked.

“Let’s walk this way.” Declan pointed through some trees. “We’ll be out of sight. I have a car waiting. Isla, you come too. We’ll get you both checked out at The Mount hospital before the interviews.”

“We’ll follow you to the hospital,” Dad said.

I was worried about his reaction when we explained everything.He’s going to be shocked. I hope it doesn’t affect his heart.

Declan gave a code via his walkie-talkie, sirens sounded, and men and women milling around the periphery surrounded the field, some running toward Sarge.

I didn’t see Declan for most of that day as he was in meetings. The arrests were made, and he planned to fly out in two days to supervise police interviews in London.

We were at The Mount hospital when Motu erupted, only five hours later than predicted. Scalding steam and ash pounded into the air around the island. It was accompanied by a violent 7.0 jolt that slammed furniture through windows and split hundred-year-old trees.

*

I was lying in the hospital room next to CeeCee’s. We each had private rooms with police guards—CeeCee because she’d been arrested, and me because of the potential fallout from the arrests of the drug ring in London and Tasmania. We’d arrived back on the mainland with severe dehydration and suffering from shock. Our doctor, who, of course, turned out to be the same Aroha who’d picked me up in Te Urewera, said we’d be in for at least two days.

DOC cameras captured the eruption—boiling water spurted from all over the island, soil and sand wrenched apart. The sea rose and surged from the island toward Ohope Beach, enough water to wash over the road, ruin front gardens, tumble umbrellas and outdoor furniture down the beach, and destroy the old cottages in the sand dunes, like Snow and CeeCee’s. Mum and Dad’s front yard was wrecked, their floors waterlogged, though they’d been lucky in comparison to their friends, who’d lost their homes.

Still confined to my hospital bed, I spent hours on the phone, making sure everyone I knew was all right and commiserating about the damage to their homes.

Around midnight, I started to write up my story. Even though I was sore and hurting, I had to file as soon as I could.

The next day, I told Mum and Dad that Declan and I wanted to speak to them alone. Declan joined us in my hospital room, taking a quick break from his interviews at The Mount police station. He was heading back to London the next morning to supervise interviews there.

---