by Thom Collins
“There,” Haig shouted. “Five o’clock.”
Dominic turned the boat in the direction Haig was pointing. “Do you see them?” he called back.
“Saw something,” he answered. “Lost sight again in the swell, but there’s definitely something out there.”
Dominic followed the course, trusting the other man’s intuition. Spotting a person or a small craft like a dinghy or a kayak in ever-shifting waves was nigh on impossible. The object could be there for no more than a second, then gone, never seen again.
On the next rising wave, Dominic caught sight of a dark shape low in the water, about a mile distant. It was swallowed by the downward swell. He adjusted course, heading straight for it.
“It’s them,” Joanne called a moment later, relief clear in her voice. “Both boys. They’re still in the dinghy.”
“Thank Christ.”
As the distance closed between them, he saw them for the first time.
Two young kids wearing swimming shorts waved at the lifeboat, their faces ash-gray. The dinghy they were in was tiny, fit for nothing more than a backyard paddling pool, totally unworthy of the open sea. It sickened him that two boys had almost lost their lives in a piece of crap that cost no more than a few quid at their local supermarket.
The lecture could wait until later—getting them onto the bigger boat and warmed up was the priority.
“Have either of you been in the water?” Joanne asked as they drew alongside.
The boys shook their heads. Their eyes were wide and frightened. Haig leaned over and held their dinghy secure, while Joanne helped them across. Their teeth chattered with the cold as they huddled down in the bow. Joanne swaddled them in blankets while Haig hauled their puny dinghy over the side. Without a pause, he took a knife from the emergency box and stabbed it straight into the dinghy. Dominic looked on with satisfaction as it deflated and withered in the bottom of the boat.
While the others checked out the boys, he radioed to shore. “Both parties found safe and well. Suggest a paramedic is waiting upon return to check for hypothermia. ETA fifteen minutes.”
Wrapped in the thermal blankets and hunkered in the front of the boat, the kids looked a lot better than when they had found them. A little color had come back to their faces, though their eyes were wide with fright.
He took the return journey at a steady pace, allowing Haig and Joanne to monitor their charges. It appeared no serious harm had been done, but they had to be checked for signs of shock and hypothermia, both of which were killers. The boys were called Billy and Joshua. They were brothers. In a childlike rush, they explained how they’d been at the beach with their parents. They’d been playing on the shore with their dinghy and by the time they’d realized the tide had carried them out, it was too late to get back. As hard as they’d paddled, the current and wind had taken them in the opposite direction.
A typical story. Dominic had heard it plenty of times before. Visitors to the coast, unused to the area, approached the sea with naivety and ignorance, believing it was no different from the warm Mediterranean they were used to from their holidays. They had no clue about tides, currents, local danger spots. Most callouts received by the lifeboat were for cases exactly like this.
Billy and Joshua had had one hell of a scare. Looking at them now, he doubted they would go near the water for a very long time. He’d spare them a telling-off when they reached the shore. They were frightened enough.
As he maneuvered the boat through the marina, Dominic was pleased to see the flashing blue lights of an ambulance waiting by the station. The kids would be taken off immediately. It wasn’t always the case. During peak periods, they’d had to treat casualties with first aid kits for upward of three hours while waiting for a paramedic crew to arrive.
The tractor was already in position on the ramp, with the trailer waiting in the water. He backed the boat onto the frame, and once it was secure, they were towed up to the station. A small crowd gathered to watch the process. Billy and Joshua gazed warily at the curious faces turned in their direction.
“Don’t worry about them,” he assured the brothers, lifting the young boy out of the boat and into the care of the paramedic team.
Haig gave the medics a summary of what had happened and the boys’ condition. A woman rushed forward to be with them. Her face was drawn and almost as gray as the kids’ when they’d found them. She was obviously their mother.
Jacob stood in the open door of the station with Brandy on a lead beside him. Noel was there too, pulling out the hose to clean the salt water from the boat. The lad was showing some initiative. Until now, he’d always had to be told what to do. Maybe he would make the crew someday.
“Good work,” Jacob said, coming forward.
Brandy nudged his thigh, open-mouthed and panting. Dominic stroked her head. “They were lucky.”
“What was it?”
“A shitty dinghy.”
Jacob grimaced. “About time the bloody things were outlawed.”
At that moment, a man in baggy shorts and a red football shirt came over. His complexion was ruddy and the jersey was stretched tight across the huge swell of his gut. “Where’s the boat?” he asked.
Dominic looked him over carefully. The impression he got was not a good one. The man was balding and unkempt, his hard-faced features suggested a short temper. “Excuse me?”
“You brought them back, didn’t you? What happened to their boat?”
“Who are you?” Dominic kept a neutral tone.
“I’m their dad,” the man said, squaring his shoulders.
“Oh. Well, congratulations. You must be relieved to have your boys back safely. That was a dangerous situation they got themselves into. It might easily have turned to disaster. As it was, it’s given them a big fright. I don’t think they’ll be in any hurry to go back on the water, but before they do, I’d suggest you drop by here first. Bring them along and one of our volunteers will be happy to take them through the basics of water safety.”
The man’s mouth opened and closed a couple of times before any words came out. “But what about their boat? It’s brand new. I only bought it for them yesterday.”
“Oh, right.” Dominic stepped up onto the trailer and reached into the lifeboat. He flung the tattered piece of rubber at the man’s feet. “It got punctured on the way in. I’d save my money if I was you, mate. Not worth buying another one. You can see what a cheap piece of shit it is. Not fit for purpose.”
The man let out a pitiful sigh, staring at the ruined dinghy.
Arsehole.
Dominic went into the station to write his report on the rescue before he said anything he might regret.
* * * *
An hour later, the lifeboat had been cleaned and replenished with emergency blankets, Dominic had completed the paperwork and the crew had enjoyed a cup of tea together in the kitchen. It was an informal kind of debrief, necessary to celebrate the success of the call and get their adrenaline levels back to normal before continuing with their day. As the head of the boat that afternoon, he was keen to commend Joanne for her good work. It was important to encourage the new members, and she deserved the praise.
“You did brilliantly well,” he said.
Afterward Jacob told Dominic to go home. “I’ll lock up the station. There are a couple of things I want to take Noel through before I go. No need for you to stay.”
He accepted the offer gratefully. Arnie had called yesterday to say AJ was going on a sleepover with his cousins, meaning he was free for the entire night. Dominic could barely contain his elation. Arnie had said he needed to take things slowly, so he’d decided to step back and let Arnie come to him when he was ready. He’d never expected see him so soon.
‘What do you want to do?’ he’d asked. ‘We could go out for a meal. Or do you want me to come over?’
‘I want to get out of this house for a while,’ Arnie had said. ‘But I’m not ready to go anywhere public. Not when Tara is still g
rabbing headlines. Could I come to you?’
They’d made plans for Arnie to get to Dominic’s house around six thirty, after he’d dropped off AJ. The rescue had taken a big chunk out of the afternoon, but Dominic still had time to tidy around the house, take a shower and get cleaned up before Arnie arrived. It was probably just as well he’d been so busy. If not, the anticipation might have driven him crazy.
Spending time with Arnie would make this the most exciting Friday night he’d had in years.
With Brandy at his side, he walked out of the station. It looked like the beginning of a decent enough evening. The stiff breeze they’d experienced at sea remained there. The temperature in the town was pleasant and the sky was clear. If it stayed that way, he and Arnie could sit in the garden for a while and enjoy a nice alfresco drink.
Drinks—of course. Arnie had a thing for white wine, while Dominic couldn’t remember ever having a bottle in the house. Only whiskey and beer.
“Better pay a visit to the off license,” he said to the dog.
Brandy wagged her tail and gazed at him, her tongue lolling from her mouth.
There was a wine shop on the other side of the marina, a few doors along from The Lobster Pot. Pricey, he imagined, but they could advise him on what to buy.
As he crossed in front of the restaurant, Gabriel came out of the door. It was the first he’d seen of him since their confrontation at the fair last weekend.
“Hi there,” Dominic said, with no intention of stopping. He’d said what he needed to the other day—there was no point raking over it again.
“Well done,” Gabriel said, stepping forward. “I heard about the kids this afternoon. Good call.”
Dominic drew a deep breath and stopped, turning to look at him. “Thanks. It was luck more than anything. We got the kids home, that’s all that matters.”
Gabriel came closer. He was dressed in black, narrow-legged trousers and an open-necked shirt. His regular outfit for work. “How are things with Arnie?”
Oh boy, here it comes again.
Dominic spoke as evenly as he had with the father of the rescued boys. “We went over this before, Gabriel. There’s nothing else to say on the subject.”
“But you are fucking him, right?”
“It has nothing to do with you. I told you—you and I, we were never an item. End of story.”
Gabriel crossed his arms over his chest. His handsome face was marred by the expression of a petulant child. “I don’t think the press would see it that way. Do you?”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Exactly what it sounds like.” Gabriel took another step forward. His voice was low and vicious. “I’ve been thinking. It’s a big story. Huge. Look at Tara, she’s in the papers every day of the week. They can’t get enough of the scandal. But it’s all one-sided at the minute. Every detail of her love life put out for everyone to enjoy. I’ll bet some of those papers would enjoy evening things up a little. Running a piece or two about Arnie Walker. Seeing what Tara’s ex is up to while she’s flashing herself around Ibiza.”
Dominic stared at him. There was pure spite in Gabriel’s eyes.
“Why would you do that?” he asked calmly.
“I’m sure the story is worth a few grand to the morning rags. Why shouldn’t I benefit from it?”
“You don’t need the money.”
“That’s no reason to turn it down. Besides, who doesn’t need money?”
“C’mon, what good will it do you? Once word gets around. You rely on the people here to get you through the winter. You’ll be crucified if you sell Arnie out.”
“That’s only because everyone thinks he’s a nice guy. Mr. Perfect. With his looks and money and photogenic kid. If I tell the story right, I could do a fair amount of damage to that clean-cut reputation of his. Yours too. I’m the wronged man here, remember. You cheated on me with Mr. Wonderful. He waltzed into town and stole you from me.”
“That’s not what happened.”
“It makes a good story.”
“I’ll ask again. Why? What do you hope to gain from it?”
“Satisfaction. Justice. Revenge. I can go on.”
Dominic shook his head. “Wow. I thought I knew you. I thought you were a decent man. This goes to show how wrong I was. Arnie too. He thinks you’re his friend.”
“How do you know that?” Gabriel said, his eyes flashing, his voice getting harder with anger. “Have you been talking about me, eh? The two of you snuggled up, having a good laugh at my expense. Was it pillow talk? Did you talk about me in bed, eh? Tell him all about our affair after you fucked him?”
“Why are you behaving like this? I told Arnie about you so there would be no secrets between us. I wanted to be upfront with him. Just like I was with you. For the hundredth time, you and I were fuck buddies. That was the deal, and I never promised you anything more.”
Gabriel unfolded his arms. His fists were clenched in fury. “How fucking dare you? How dare you tell me Arnie is my friend, when he jumped on you, that dick of yours, knowing all about me? That’s not what friends do.”
“And this is? Threatening to sell bullshit stories to the press out of spite. Arnie knew there was nothing between you and me. I told him the truth. That we had an agreement and nothing more. Jesus,” he said, exasperated. “I won’t make the same damn mistake. So much for no-strings fun. This is the exact opposite of that.”
“You had your fun, all right. Now it’s my turn. I’ll sell the fucking story and I’ll take the money. I deserve it after all I’ve been through.”
“You’ll regret it,” Dominic said coldly.
Brandy, agitated by the anger in their voices, let out a bark.
“Are you threatening me?” Gabriel said with defiance.
“I’m just stating a fact. You do such a cruel, underhand thing and you’ll hurt a lot of people, including yourself.”
“I’ve been hurt enough,” Gabriel snarled. “It’s your new fuck buddy who’ll be crying this time.”
Dominic had heard enough. Tugging on Brandy’s lead, he turned his back on Gabriel and walked away.
“I’ll do it,” Gabriel shouted after him. “Don’t think I won’t.”
Keeping control of his temper, Dominic didn’t stop. They were done.
Chapter Fifteen
When Arnie dropped AJ off at his sister’s, the boy rushed toward the house with his overnight bag, filled with games, toys and DVDs.
“Not so fast,” Arnie called, hurrying after him.
“What?” AJ said, almost at the front door.
“Give your dad a hug before you go.” Arnie crouched to match his height.
AJ put down the bag and opened his arms. Arnie hugged him tight, breathing in the familiar smell of him.
“Behave for Aunt Sophie,” he warned.
“I will.”
“And don’t stay up too late.”
“Dad, it’s a sleepover. We have to stay up late.”
The front door opened and AJ rushed inside, pushing straight past Sophie.
She laughed. “He’s keen.”
“Sorry.” Arnie leaned in to kiss her on the cheek. “I did my best to tire him out this afternoon, but I don’t think it worked. He’s as high as a kite.”
“He’ll be in good company. Conner and Indina are just as excited.”
“Are you sure you don’t mind doing this? I can always call back for him later.”
Sophie put a hand on his chest, pushing him away. “Go. Have a great night and we’ll see you in the morning. Not too early either. Make sure you get a good lie-in. You deserve it.”
“Thanks, sis,” he said, backing down the path. “Call me if you change your mind.”
“Stop worrying. Forget about everything and have a fantastic night.” She added, with a smirk, “I know I would. You lucky sod.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You know what it means,” she said cheekily. “Now have fun with your sexy he
ro and I’ll see you tomorrow. No earlier than noon.”
Sophie closed the door before he could reply further.
Something had obviously been said about him and Dominic. First AJ’s comments about getting a boyfriend and now this. He thought they’d been discreet. He should have known better, especially when he’d lived here before. Nyemouth was a small town and nothing stayed secret for long in a place like this. No doubt someone had seen Dominic at his house, either arriving or leaving.
He got back into the car and locked the doors. Security was still high on the agenda. The drive to Dominic’s took less than five minutes. Now people will really have something to gossip about, he thought, as he parked his car outside Dominic’s. He didn’t care. He needed some time away from Cliff House, just for a few hours.
The front door opened and Dominic appeared as Arnie stepped onto the garden path. He was stunning, dressed in a white linen shirt and dark chinos, his feet bare. Just as before, the sight of him caused something in Arnie to flip. In an instant, he felt young, giddy and carefree. As if the clock had been turned back twenty years, he was a teenager again with his whole life ahead of him.
Arnie waited until they were inside before wrapping his arms around him. They held each other, chins resting on their shoulders.
“I heard there was a rescue this afternoon,” Arnie said. “Did everything work out okay?”
“Just fine,” Dominic said, sliding his hands down Arnie’s back until they rested softly on his waist. “A couple of kids got into trouble, but they’re home now and safe in their own beds tonight.”
“I took AJ up to the Natural History Museum in Newcastle today. He hasn’t stopped talking about it all week and wanted to see the dinosaurs again. The lifeboat was back in the station when we returned, but my dad told us you’d been out. I’d glad it went well.”
A dog came along the hall, its claws clicking on the wooden floors, head raised to inspect the newcomer.
“This is Brandy,” Dominic said, breaking their hold.
Arnie put a hand out to stroke her head. The dog nudged it happily. “Hello, Brandy.”