by Thom Collins
Showered and dressed, they said goodbye in the courtyard. Arnie leaned into the open window of the car to kiss him one last time.
“I’ll wait for you to call me,” Dominic said. “But please, don’t leave it too long.”
“I won’t,” Arnie said, his lips lingering. He couldn’t. Now that they’d gone this far, he had to have Dominic again. “I’ll sound AJ out later, without giving anything away.”
“If anything else happens, if that loser shows up or you’re worried, call me straight away. I’ll come right over. And my earlier offer still stands. If you want me on guard duty while the two of you sleep, you only have to ask.”
“Thanks. I appreciate it, but I don’t think it’s necessary.”
Dominic kissed him one last time before putting the car in gear and reversing out of the courtyard.
Chapter Thirteen
Arnie woke early the next morning and was in the kitchen preparing breakfast for AJ who was still in bed, when his mother sent a text.
Be careful when you turn on the TV. Tara is all over the news. Don’t let AJ see.
For fuck’s sake. What now?
In less than thirty seconds, he’d typed his ex-wife’s name into a search engine and found the answer. Tara and Richie were still in Ibiza. At some point during the night, they had fallen legless out of a nightclub. Not much different from any other night, except Tara had gone flat on her arse. With her skirt around her waist and no underwear, she’d given the paparazzi exactly what they wanted. Most of the major news sites had pixilated or blurred out her crotch, but the photos left no doubt in the viewer’s mind about what they were looking at. The headlines that went with the images were beyond salacious.
Tara was a laughing stock. Again.
Keeping her exploits from AJ was as tricky as fighting fire. Each day it became a bit harder. And if she continued the way she was going, there’d be no way of protecting him from this shit when he went back to school in the autumn.
Damn it! Couldn’t they stop and think about someone other than themselves? Just once. The fact that AJ had witnessed an attempted murder did nothing to burst their bubble. Tara hadn’t picked up the phone once in the last week to enquire after him. Not that AJ seemed bothered about her either. He hadn’t mentioned his mother once.
Yesterday had gone so well too. After the wonderful afternoon with Dominic, AJ had come home around six and they’d enjoyed a laid-back evening in front of the TV with pizza and soda.
‘You’re in a good mood.’ AJ had said as he sent him up to bed at eight thirty.
It was true. He was elated. He hadn’t realized just how starved of sex—of a man—he had been. There was more to it than that. Dominic wasn’t any man, and the sex was more satisfying than any casual hook-up. It had been amazing. Physically and emotionally fulfilling.
The afterglow had lasted all night, and he still felt the effect of it this morning. Arnie was certain he had woken up with a smile on his face.
It had been that good.
Now Tara and Richie’s antics in Ibiza had taken the shine off it.
If he could keep the pictures from AJ, they might not ruin the day.
As the kettle boiled, Arnie went into the study. This had become a morning ritual. He turned on the CCTV monitor and watched the footage from when he went to bed, around eleven p.m. He brought up all the cameras and reviewed the material at a speeded-up frame rate, whizzing through the hours until dawn. He paid most attention to the front of the house, where the stalker had first appeared.
Nothing. Not so much as a cat or fox passing by.
Thank God for that. He wasn’t sure how he’d react if he saw the stalker on screen.
Yes, he knew. He would pack their cases and leave town immediately.
There were lots of reasons to stay in Nyemouth for the summer, but the risk wasn’t worth it.
He would take one day at a time and be prepared for anything.
There were footsteps above as AJ trod heavily to the bathroom. Arnie shut off the monitor and left the study, closing the door behind him. He was waiting in the kitchen when AJ came down, his hair all over the place.
“Can I watch Batman?” he asked, holding up a DVD.
“Sure you can,” Arnie said, grateful he didn’t have to think of a distraction to keep AJ away from the news. “Let me set it up for you.”
He turned on the TV and DVD player and left AJ happily watching the superhero while he got on with breakfast. He made a large plate of bacon sandwiches for them to share and sat on the sofa next to AJ with fresh orange juice. The boy was so caught up in the action on screen that he barely spoke.
“Eat up before it gets cold,” Arnie said, trying to break the spell of the cartoon.
He realized, in the sobering light of the morning, that he had to consider his priorities—AJ and keeping him safe. As hung-up on Dominic as he’d become, he couldn’t let him get in the way. Yesterday had made him appreciate, more than ever, that he missed the dynamic of an adult relationship and the intimacy of being with another man. He’d denied himself for too long. It was bound to resurface at some point. Such a basic human need couldn’t be ignored forever. But the timing was all wrong. He couldn’t get distracted by a love affair. Not now. Not when Tara was behaving like the world’s biggest idiot and a masked man had been hanging around the house.
Fuck it. What where they even doing here? He knew what he should do. Pack up and take AJ abroad for the summer. Out of the country, where no one could find them. That had to be the answer. They could always return to Nyemouth in the autumn if the police caught the man responsible. And if not? They would stay away for good. His parents would have to come to London when they wanted to see their grandson. They would manage.
And Dominic?
Forget him.
Arnie knew he couldn’t, but for the sake of his son, he might have to.
“How do you fancy going to Disneyland?” he asked.
AJ didn’t take his eyes off the screen. “In America?”
“Sure.”
“No.”
“Why not? You’d love it.”
“I don’t want to go on an aeroplane.”
“Oh.” This was news. “You’ve flown before, don’t you remember? When you were little.”
“I remember,” he said, still engrossed in Batman. “I didn’t like it.”
“What about Disneyland Paris? That’s a lot closer. We could even drive that far. Or take a train. We wouldn’t have to fly.” The idea of driving all that way seemed like a massive drag, but if that was what it took to get AJ away, it would be a small price.
“When?”
“I don’t know. I can look at tickets today and we could leave as early as tomorrow. How about that?”
Now AJ tore his eyes away from the screen. “I thought you meant, like half-term in October. Not now.”
“What’s wrong with now? Don’t you like the idea.”
He shook his head. “We’re supposed to be here for the summer. I’ve got plans.”
“What plans?”
“I’m having a sleepover with Conner and Indina at their house tomorrow night. And then they’re staying here for the weekend and bringing Benji over.”
He couldn’t help laughing. “When was all this decided?”
“Yesterday.” He returned his attention to Batman.
“I guess that means we’re staying here.”
AJ patted his father’s knee. “We can still go to Disneyland in October. If that’s what you really want.”
* * * *
They spent the day in the Newcastle, the closest major city. He took AJ to a dinosaur exhibition at the Natural History Museum and followed it up with a movie matinee. The film about a giant shark seemed a little on the scary side to Arnie, but AJ loved every minute and wouldn’t shut up about it when he took him to a burger bar for food afterward.
It was a great day and went some way to easing the earlier apprehensions he’d had about staying put. AJ see
med unaffected by everything that was going on around him. Maybe Arnie should just accept that and let him get on with enjoying the summer. He could always insist on taking him back to London if the situation changed.
For today at least, everything seemed good.
“Dad, can I watch King Kong before I go to bed?” AJ asked on the drive back to Nyemouth. He was sitting in the rear seat playing with the plastic T-Rex he’d begged Arnie to buy him at the museum.
“No, it’s too long. You can watch it tomorrow if that’s what you want. Why don’t you take it with you to the sleepover, then you can all watch it?”
The idea seemed to please him. “Excellent.”
Arnie watched him in the mirror, absorbed with his dinosaur. Another day had gone by and he’d managed to protect him from the salacious press coverage his mother’s behavior had attracted. Arnie happily took the small win.
“Dad?” AJ asked, as they drove north up the A1. “Why don’t you have a boyfriend?”
The question startled him. Arnie tried not to show it. “I just don’t, son. I’m too busy for a boyfriend.”
The answer seemed to sit for a moment before AJ came back, “Don’t you think you should have one by now? At your age?”
“At my age? How ancient do you think I am?”
“Not that old, but most grown-ups have someone, don’t they?”
“Not everybody. Some people are on their own. And that’s fine too. Where did this question come from?”
“Nowhere. We were just talking, that’s all.”
“Who are we?” Arnie asked.
“Connor and Indina. They think you should get a boyfriend, and so do I.”
Arnie couldn’t help but laugh. “You have it all figured out. Do you have anyone special in mind, or am I allowed to choose for myself?”
“Indina says Gabriel is nice. From The Lobster Pot.”
Jesus, these guys had given this some proper thought. “Gabriel is nice,” he said, cautious, wondering where to take this next. “But he’s my friend. We went to school together. I couldn’t be his boyfriend.”
“Why not?”
Oh God. “There’s just…no romance between us, that’s all.”
“And does there have to be romance for you to be boyfriends?” AJ asked, looking at him in the rearview mirror.
“There does, yes. Lots of romance. And that’s just for a start. Why don’t you forget it, eh? If I do find a boyfriend, I promise to let you know. How does that sound?”
AJ shrugged. “Whatever.”
They got home after seven. Arnie ran AJ a bath, and while he was soaking and playing shark versus dinosaur with his toys, Arnie checked the CCTV cameras. There was no sign of anything out of the ordinary.
He felt nervous about the house. It had seemed so secure when he had chosen it, and obviously it was—he had to remind himself of that—but seeing that guy creeping around the other night had unsettled him. Arnie hated it, paying so much attention their security and protection all the time. Unlike other celebrities, he’d never been the type to obsess about those things. Even when he was making big-budget movies and was the flavor of the moment, he’d always been relaxed about it, living in regular houses and apartments. Of course, he’d been on his own then.
Having AJ changed his outlook on everything.
He would check the cameras several more times before turning in that night—he knew that for a fact.
Maybe it would be different if he weren’t on his own.
If there were two men in the house instead of one.
And if the other guy were an ex-special forces officer, there would be nothing to fear at all.
AJ was tired after their day out. By eight thirty he was in bed and asleep. Arnie eased the dinosaur toy from his tight grip and put it on the side table. He left the night-light on and the door ajar before going back downstairs.
And now he was all alone, pacing the floors.
What the hell was wrong? Being alone had never bothered him before. At home there would often be lines to learn in the evening, and if not, he would read a book or watch a film or TV series. There were a million things he could do to occupy himself. Right now, the temptation was to go back into the damn study and check the CCTV.
No way. He refused to go down the route of paranoia. It would never end.
But the house was so large and empty around him. Wandering through the living room and kitchen, all he saw were sparse surfaces and clear spaces. As he poured a small glass of wine, AJ’s earlier question ran through his mind. ‘Why don’t you have a boyfriend?’
Good question, son. And what’s the real answer? Because I’m scared. Because I won’t allow it. I’m stubborn. I’m stupid. Because there’s no romance in my life.
Whose fault is that?
Nobody but his own. He made excuses. Created obstacles. Like AJ. Like Tara. The press. Bad publicity.
It was all crap.
Tomorrow AJ was going to his cousins’ for a sleepover.
He wondered for a second whether the kids had planned it that way. Maybe when they’d had their little discussion about his personal life and lack of a significant other. Had AJ arranged his own childcare so he wouldn’t have to?
No, that was ridiculous. They were children—they didn’t think about such things.
But it gave him a night off. With nothing to do in the big empty house.
Before he could change his mind, Arnie picked up the phone and called Dominic.
Chapter Fourteen
It had been a quiet couple of weeks for the crew of the lifeboat. The weather had remained good throughout, with glorious sunshine most days and temperatures well above what Nyemouth and the whole of the Northumbrian coast was used to. Tourists continued to pour into the town to enjoy the beaches and parks. There was an increase in sailing boats passing in and out of the harbor, and the rocky coastline was thronged with opportunistic line-fishermen. The recent publicity over Sandy Costello and the attack she’d suffered on the cliff had drawn a few morbidly minded visitors, keen to see the spot where it had happened and perhaps witness a new assault.
Despite all of this, there were no fresh emergency call-outs for over a week and a half.
Dominic was at home when his pager went off a little after two o’clock on Friday. He’d spent a productive morning working on his novel, hitting his two-thousand-word count with ease. He’d taken Brandy for a walk, enjoyed a lunch of smoked mackerel with bread and butter, and was about to tackle a bunch of weeds in the garden when the call was raised.
Racing along the terrace and down the steps to the marina, he was the third person to arrive at the station. The front doors were open and the boat was already being prepared for launch.
“What is it?” he asked, stepping into his life-preserving suit.
“Two kids in a dinghy,” answered Ronan, climbing to the wheel of the tractor that would launch the boat as soon as a full crew was on site.
“Where?”
“Somewhere off North Point. They drifted away from the beach and the off-shore wind is carrying them out.”
“Do we know how old they are?”
“Eleven and twelve,” Ronan answered.
Two further crew members arrived at the station—Haig, a fifty-seven-year-old veteran, and Joanne, who was in her midtwenties and had only recently completed her mandatory sea training. They had enough to launch. Joanne had only been on one previous shout, but they couldn’t waste time waiting for a more experienced volunteer to arrive. Not with two kids on the water.
Dominic climbed into the boat and took his seat at the helm. Haig and Joanne joined him a minute later, fully kitted up with their helmets on. Ronan backed the trailer down the ramp into the water. Dominic eased the boat out gently until they were clear, before motoring across the harbor at speed. As they left the shelter of the marina, he opened up the engines and headed north into open sea.
Though it had looked tranquil from the shore, there was a stiff breeze on the water and
a two-meter swell caused the boat to rise and fall as he sped along the coast.
Accidents at sea could occur in the mildest of weather. Too many people underestimated the conditions. The swell would make the tiny dinghy difficult to spot, and with the strength of the wind, he could only guess at where they would be now. Without knowing the exact time they had gotten into trouble, his only option was to head for the spot where they’d last been seen and take it from there.
More information came through his earpiece en route. The kids had been playing at the northernmost end of the point.
“When were they last seen?” He had to shout over the noise of the engines and the howling wind.
“Thirteen-twenty-five,” came the reply.
They had been missing for over an hour.
“The wind will have taken them east,” Haig shouted from his position up front. He gestured to the horizon. “Straight out.”
“Agreed,” Dominic said, adjusting course.
The idea of two children being lost in a vast, open sea was sickening. Dominic couldn’t let his emotions or fears get in the way. Adrenaline surged through him, but he had almost two decades’ experience and knew how to control it. He focused on the task at hand—finding the kids and getting them safely home.
However hopeless that might appear.
The children’s greatest chance of survival was if they remained in the dinghy. If their flimsy vessel had been blown over, or they tried to swim back to shore, the odds were massively against them.
The North Sea was cold all year round, even in the height of summer. Exposure to the water without a wetsuit could be fatal after a few minutes, and children of that age wouldn’t have the strength to hold themselves up for much longer than that.
They would be fine as long as they were still in the boat and could be found in time.
The wind and the swell increased the farther out they traveled. Dominic handled the boat while his crewmates kept their eyes trained on the surface for anything that might suggest a small craft.
With every passing minute, the situation became more desperate.