by Dawn Tamayo
“Yes it does. I love you Helen.”
“But I don’t love you Oliver. I don’t think I ever really knew who you were, just who you wanted me to see. In fact I can’t even say I like you. How can you be involved with smuggling drugs, they are evil!”
“Money Helen! Money, and a lot of it.” He laughed sourly. “So I guess there’s no chance of you coming home with me then?” He asked already knowing the answer.
“No.” She said defiantly looking him straight in the eyes.
“Then I can’t help you anymore.” Oliver said coldly as he stood up and walked across the deck to where the cargo of stuffed black bags were being loaded onto the yacht.
Helen sat rigid, she didn’t know what to do now. She looked across at the life-ring wondering if she would have enough time to get far enough away from the yacht that she would be safe from them, but she doubted that.
She could hear the four discussing their cargo as each package came on-board and then slowly pieces seemed to fall into place. Helen looked around at the packages of drugs and hoped desperately that she was right. She remembered earlier in the day when she saw the workman leaving the yacht, and she had been sure it was Romero’s friend Miguel, but at the time she thought it couldn’t have possibly been him. She wondered now if she had been right? Then, despite not really wanting to, Helen forced herself to remember yesterday in Puerto Banus when she saw Romero. She remembered the look of pleading in his eyes as he held onto the woman, she knew he didn’t want her to speak to him or to acknowledge him in any way. What if, just by some very slim chance, there had been another reason for Romero not wanting her to acknowledge him? What if Miguel and Romero being here at the same time was no co-incidence? And why had Miguel been dressed up as a workman - she didn’t think he would be moonlighting as a workman hundreds of miles away from his home in Benidorm. There was only one possible explanation for it, and it had to be that he was working here on police business. And if Miguel was working here, then so was Romero. She knew it didn’t explain Romero’s grand romantic display with his beautiful woman, but as each second went by Helen was beginning to think there was a possibility that Miguel and Romero were here together, and she only hoped they were close by right now. She remembered when Romero told her that he had spent time in ADOCU on the Costa Blanca, but she thought he had left that behind him long ago. Her mind was whirring round at a crazy pace as she remembered Oliver telling her the local police were firmly in the pockets of the highest bidders, and right now she was guessing that was Marcus Martinez. That could explain why police from outside the area were investigating here. She knew she was desperately grasping at straws, but she hoped like hell that Romero, and whoever else, was out there - because right now they might be her only chance of making it through the night alive.
Helen looked out across the water again, she was hoping for a sign, but she couldn’t see anything to suggest Romero and Miguel were out there. She thought hard. “Come on Helen, think.” she muttered to herself. Miguel had to have been on the yacht for a good reason, he wouldn’t have taken such a big risk for nothing. She squinted, leaning further over the railings trying to see and whispered Romero’s name - she just wanted him to be there, to get her out of this mess safely and take her in his arms as he had before. She muttered with quiet desperation to herself, “Romero, a long time ago you promised me this would all be alright, that I would be okay. Please keep that promise tonight!”
“There’s no use thinking about jumping overboard. We are too far out and you would never make it back. Last time was sheer luck lady, but you won’t be so lucky this time, I promise you that.” Frank called across the deck to her.
She looked around, he was right. There was nothing out there but dark sea and the lights of the shoreline in the very far off distance. It would be too far for her to swim, and she was sure the water would be even colder this time now the summer had come to an end.
Romero listened to every word, ignoring the thumping of his heart. He wanted to jump up and down knowing Helen had never really loved Oliver and she had been in love with him, Romero, all along. Okay so she hadn’t exactly said those words, but when she said that she had lost the person who meant the most to her, Romero knew it could only have been him. He smiled behind the binoculars whilst he watched Helen on the deck of the yacht with a mixture of fear and happiness. He understood now why she had gone back to Oliver when she walked out on him at his house - she was putting her own feelings aside and was trying to be a good person and not hurt someone she thought was innocent. Yes it had hurt him, but Romero knew what a good person Helen was and he wouldn’t expect anything less from her. He was surprised what a difference it made to his whole body just knowing she hadn’t left him because she loved Oliver Chapman more - he felt lighter and his energy came flooding back, something that seemed to have evaded him all week.
Romero watched as Helen now stood alone on the deck. Detective Spencer had motioned silently that he was going to move his boat further around the yacht so he could get a better view from the other side where the Moroccan’s boat had pulled up alongside The Princess. The tide was going in the right direction and the detective’s boat obligingly floated quietly across the sea towards its destination. When Romero heard Helen whispering his name in his ear his attention snapped back to the yacht. Goosebumps ran across his skin - hearing her whisper in his ear again stirred every emotion in him, both emotionally and physically. He heard her remind him of his promise and he felt like a fist was squeezing his heart. His whole body yearned to turn the motor on and sail up to the yacht right now, but he knew he couldn’t, it would only endanger her life even more.
Captain Manesco’s radioed the detective, “We need to go in now.”
“No. We wait as planned. We take them when they are back on land.” The detective was holding firm, this was his operation and he wouldn’t jeopardise losing the drugs overboard.
“But that was before an innocent woman was kidnapped and dragged along. You and I both know she won’t be alive by the time they get back to shore. Plans change, and we are moving in now!” Captain Manesco demanded. He didn’t want to risk the drugs going overboard either, and if they moved swiftly they had a good chance of that not happening.
Detective Spencer sighed and nodded, he knew the Captain was right.
Romero heard Detective Spencer’s voice break over the conversation from the yacht in his ear-piece giving the order for them to go in. “The drugs are on board and all parties are present. Go go go!” Ordered the detective.
The engines of both boats sprung into life and they roared towards The Princess. Romero saw another boat approaching fast from the direction of the shoreline, with lights blazing, and he heard Captain Manesco’s voice boom out from the loud speaker, “Policia national! Policia national! Occupants of The Princess, keep your engine off and remain where you are. Do not move. Put your hands up. You are under arrest.”
Romero handed the wheel of the boat across to Miguel as he concentrated on keeping his binoculars focused on the main deck of the yacht, and on Helen. He knew this was it, this was when she would either make it out alive or not, and he was still a good couple of hundred meters away from her, and there not much he could do about that.
Helen heard the sound of the boats before she saw the lights approaching from the shoreline. It all happened so quickly - one minute she was looking out at the black silent sea, then she heard the sound of motorboats, a voice boomed out across the sea to them, people shouted, and then everything seemed incredibly bright.
For a split second Helen sighed with relief hoping Romero would be on one of the boats as she turned around to see the commotion on the deck behind her. Oliver and Marcus Martinez were desperately trying to throw the heavy black plastic bundles over the edge of the yacht into the sea. The man in the smaller boat was untying his boat from The Princess and frantically trying to get his little boat started to make his getaway. But Frank had turned his attention towards Helen, and wa
s walking right in her direction. She could see from the look on his face that she was the business he needed to take care of, and fear swept through her body. Helen looked back to the sea, she could see small boats coming in from all direction towards them now. Frank lunged at her, but he just missed as she swiftly kicked off her shoes and nimbly climbed up onto the railings.
“Romero!” Helen screamed, desperately hoping he was somewhere and would hear her, because she had no choice now but to go over the railings, one way or another, and when she hit the water she didn’t know how long she would be able to swim for! Helen put her arms out in front of her and dived off The Princess’s railings just in time to evade Frank’s huge hands once again, and into the dark cold water below.
Romero watched in horror as he saw Frank Hodges closing in on Helen. He shouted at Miguel to make the boat go faster but he knew it was going as fast as possible already. Swearing, feeling useless, he could only watched as Helen climbed onto the railings sidestepping the big Englishman’s hands. He heard her call out his name and nothing else mattered - Romero knew what she was about to do, and she needed him to be there for her once she hit the water.
Romero hooked the binoculars over Miguel’s head and pulled the ear-piece out of his ear. Miguel looked at him, reading his mind and nodded, heading the boat directly at Helen as she dived off The Princess. Romero ripped off his bullet proof vest and kicked off his shoes. Miguel moved the light to focus on where Helen had entered the water and watched as she resurfaced. He pointed to Helen as Romero dived off the side of the boat and into the cold water.
Helen felt the water hit her hard and it took her breath away. It was cold and the tide was strong. She coughed clearing her lungs and kicked her legs as hard as she could forcing herself onto her stomach into a front crawl. Trying to ignore the waves splashing into her face, she wanted to look back at The Princess to reassure herself that Frank hadn’t jumped into the water behind her, but she told herself not to - she had to focus on getting as far away from the yacht as possible, and she swam as hard as she could in the direction of the light from the boat ahead of her.
Helen squinted her eyes against the salty water as it splashed into her eyes, but she could just about make out the shape of someone swimming swiftly towards her from the little boat. Relief flooded through her body as she felt the strain beginning to take its toll and she slowed down.
“Helen don’t stop. Keep swimming. Swim Helen, swim!” She heard Romero shout as he swam closer. Romero swam as fast as he could as he looked from Helen in the water to behind her at the big yacht. He could see the police boats securing themselves to The Princess and the armed police boarding the yacht, shouting at the men on board to put their hands on their heads. He looked back to Helen relieved to see he was no more than a few arm strokes away from her now. “Hold on Helen.” He called as he closed the last few meters between them.
Helen pushed herself towards Romero and grabbed onto his hand as it neared her. She felt him pull her into his arms against his strong body and she clung tightly around his neck and soaked up the feeling of safety in his arms.
“Thank you, thank you.” She cried over and over again as he held her tightly with one arm whilst treading water and just about keeping them both afloat with the other.
Romero could hear the sound of Miguel’s boat getting closer, and he thought he had never been happier to see his friend than right now - he could feel that Helen had used all her strength to get this far and it was getting harder to keep them both afloat in the choppy cold sea. Romero turned in the water to swim them back to the boat, when he heard Miguel call out his name. Instinctively he looked back at The Princess yacht and not to Miguel. What he saw made his blood run cold - Oliver Chapman and Marcus Martinez were lined up against the railings obviously handcuffed with the Spanish police’s guns poised at them, but there was no sign of Frank Hodges. His eyes frantically moved to a cabin window on the lower deck when he saw the glint of metal as the light hit the side of the Beretta gun. Romero moved without thinking. He saw the gun poised at Helen and he turned in the water putting himself between her and the yacht.
Helen felt Romero turn, pulling her with him, and then she heard a loud ear-piercing bang. She jumped, the noise shook her, and then she felt Romero slump against her.
“Romero?” She said as she kicked her legs hard, straining to keep his weight about water along with her own. Helen felt Romero’s head heavy on her shoulder as her fingers touched something warm and sticky.
“Nooooo!” she screamed. She could hear the sound of Miguel shouting into his police radio for immediate assistance and she sobbed, “No Romero. No!”.
Miguel tried to control the boat, getting it as close as possible to Helen, whilst calling for help on his radio. He could see the commotion on board the yacht as Frank Hodges was dragged away from the port hole and arrested by armed police.
“Policía abajo. Romero ha recibido un disparo! Police officer down. Romero has been shot!” he called into the radio, “Ambulancia necesita inmediatamente. Vamos a volver al puerto ahora.”
Helen kicked as hard as she could to hold them both up. She held Romero tightly not caring that she was half drowning herself, trying to keep his head above water until Miguel managed to pull him out of the cold sea and onto the little boat. She took Miguel’s hand and pulled herself up onto the boat and immediately went to Romero’s side. Helen grabbed for a blanket from the back of the boat and wrapped it around Romero as best as she could, watching as his face grew paler by the minute. She sat crying and shivering, cradling Romero in her arms, wrapping her body around him in a desperate attempt to keep him warm, and trying to stop the blood from pouring out of his back as it soaked the blanket around him.
As the boat glided into the marina, Helen watched as if everything was in slow motion. Miguel said it only took them five minutes to get back to shore but it felt like a lifetime to her. The paramedics were already waiting in the marina - they prised Romero from her arms, putting him on a stretcher and straight into the back of the ambulance, driving him away at full speed, leaving Helen standing on the marina soaking wet, covered in Romero’s blood.
Miguel took her arm and gently guided her over to his car, “You need to go to the hospital.” He said as he helped her inside the car, she looked like she was going to drop down on the floor in front of him from shock and exhaustion.
Helen was numb as she sat in the car next to Miguel, shivering in the blanket covering her soaking wet clothes. She had been so relieved to see Romero in the water and to be in his arms again, but then he had pushed her aside and taken a bullet in his back which had been meant for her. Why did he do that? “He shouldn’t have done that. It should be me in that ambulance, not him.” She said in a daze. “I need to see Romero.”
“Sí. I am taking you there now.” Miguel said, driving as fast as he could.
“Do you think he will be alright?” Helen looked across at Miguel for reassurance but he didn’t answer. Romero looked in a bad way when the paramedics put him into the ambulance, and right now Miguel wouldn’t bet on Romero making it. He was worried for his friend and wanted to get to the hospital to check on him for himself.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
“I can see an angel. Por favour, don’t tell me I am dead!”
Helen heard the deep Spanish voice, waking her from her nap on the chair next to Romero’s hospital bed. All night she tried to keep her eyes open, watching over Romero, but at some point she must have fallen asleep. Since Romero had returned from surgery Helen had only briefly moved away from his bedside to take a quick shower and change into some fresh clothes which Carlos had brought her. At first she thought it was kind of Carlos to bring her suitcases from her apartment, but then he told her that Captain Manesco would be moving her into a safe-house as soon as she left the hospital. He assured her that she and Romero weren’t in any danger, however as a precaution they put one of Captain Manesco’s policemen outside Romero’s hospital room just in case.
Other than that shower, Helen sat by Romero’s bed watching as he slept, even insisting Detective Spencer took her statement at Romero’s bedside. She almost laughed at how annoyed he had been with that! But Helen didn’t care, she wasn’t going to move from Romero’s side until he woke up, and then Romero could decide for himself if he wanted her there or not.
“Romero!” Helen gasped as she nearly fell off the chair trying to untangle her legs and get closer to him.
“Sí mi amor.” He smiled sleepily as he reached out his hand for hers.
“Be careful.” She said, as she put her hand in his and then couldn’t resist rubbing it against her cheek again - he didn’t know it but she had held his hand to her cheek so many times throughout the night, but it felt different now he was awake - she could feel the life running through his veins and he was getting stronger.
“Are you alright?” He asked, wincing as he moved in the bed slightly.
She nodded with tears stinging her eyes. All through the night she had willed Romero to wake up, willing him to live! But he lay there motionless, sleeping - whether it was from the anaesthetic from his operation or his body didn’t want to wake up, no one seemed to know. The surgeon and doctors said that only time would tell now and Romero’s body needed to repair itself.
Helen reached across for the nurse’s call button. She pushed it and then turned back to Romero. “Why, Romero? Why did you do it?”
“Why what?” He said still feeling sleepy and confused from the cocktail of drugs the doctors had given him, running through his system.
“You knew that Frank was going to shoot me didn’t you?”