by Clare Revell
“Fine, the two of you can go around the block, but we have to go now if I’m going to get there before the yard gets locked up at half eight. Matt’ll wait until quarter to nine. It’s almost half seven now, we have to hurry.”
“Give me three minutes to grab a jacket and pack and I’ll be there.”
“Pack? I told you, you’re not coming.”
“You made that perfectly clear, but we want to take packs because it’s Sunday. And if you don’t let us, then I’ll tell Nichola what you’re planning.” Staci pouted.
Jim sighed heavily and folded his arms across his chest, his eyes narrowing. “Fine. Three minutes and counting.”
Lou nodded and headed into her room. She pulled the packs from the wardrobe and handed one to Staci. “Should I leave a note?”
Staci nodded. “Hide it where she won’t find it until it’s too late though.”
Lou grinned. “I know where to put it.” Short, sweet and to the point, and scoring minus five out of ten for tact she wrote: ‘Mum, We can’t sit here while the authorities have stopped looking for Di and Bill. We don’t think that’s right, Jim’s convinced they are still alive, so we’ve gone to look for them. We’re taking the boat. Love you. Lou, Jim, Staci and Deefer xxx’
Lou shoved the note in an envelope and put it under her duvet. Deefer, knowing something was going on, bounded round excitedly and charged back out into the hall.
“Deefer, stop it,” Jim said crossly. “Otherwise you stay here. I’ve fallen over you twice now.” He stuck his head around the bedroom door. “Are you two coming or not?”
“Yes,” Lou put on her backpack, watching Staci do the same, then they followed Jim to the door.
At the corner of the road, Lou turned and took a last look at the flats. A strange feeling welled up inside her—a curious mixture of fear, and excitement. Shaking it off, she adjusted the pack and wrapped Deefer’s lead around her wrist. “To the river then?”
Jim shot her a funny look. “What?” He lowered his voice. “You’re meant to be going around the block.”
“And Staci wants to say goodbye,” Lou hissed back. She shook her head and rolled her eyes. “Well, there’s no point me going around the block if you still want to walk by the river, is there?” she said in her normal voice. She watched the penny drop in his eyes and grinned at him. “Yes, I was a spy in my former life.”
She began to walk towards the river as nonchalantly as she could. Her heart was racing. What if Mum came back unexpectedly and caught them? What if something happened and…she broke off the thought. She was being silly. Jim was right. This was a cinch and nothing would go wrong.
The road was surprisingly busy. Cars passed them, every one making her afraid they would be caught. They hadn’t got far when a car passed them, slowed and stopped.
“Act normal,” Jim said.
“I’m walking the dog, you’re the one running away,” Lou said.
They drew level with the car and the window wound down. “Fancy a lift, mate?”
“Matt.” Jim said. “What are you doing here?”
“Thought I’d save you a walk.”
“Thanks that would be good.” Jim looked at Lou. “Are you still coming to say goodbye?”
She gave him her best ‘are you kidding me’ look. “Uh…what do you think? Got to make sure you get on the boat, haven’t I?”
Matt got out of the car and opened the boot of his hatchback. He put the bags in and Deefer hopped in too. “Well-trained dog, that,” Matt said. He shut the boot and the four of them strapped themselves in. He pulled away and drove towards the boat yard. He and Jim chatted in the front, while the two girls in the back watched the houses go by.
Staci nudged Lou. “How do we do this?” she whispered.
“I have a plan. Just agree with whatever I say.”
Matt drove through the gates into the yard and over to Avon. She bobbed up and down on the water, as it lapped quietly against her hull. “Here you are,” he said, as he parked the car.
“Thanks,” Jim said. “What’s the earliest I can leave in the morning?”
Matt handed him the keys to the boat. “I’m in at seven, so any time after that. Just come up to the office for a sec and make sure your shipping plan is filed. Then you’re good to go.”
Lou looked at Jim. “Give me the keys and we’ll put the bags on the boat for you, then we’ll go home.” She hugged him tightly. “Have a safe trip and text me lots.”
“Anyone would think you were going to miss me.”
“Love you, yes, miss you, no,” she joked, blinking furiously. The tears burning in her eyes were real. And that annoyed her. She wanted him to like her, not think she was a pain.
Staci hugged her brother tightly as Lou headed to the boat.
She put Jim’s bags on his bunk and shoved hers under her bed.
Staci came in and hid her bag as well. “Now what?”
“Now we hide.”
“All night?”
“If we can.” She looked at Deefer. “And not a sound from you.”
Deefer put his paw over his nose, and then slunk under the bed, just his nose poking out of the end. Lou shut the door and sat on the bed.
She heard Jim come on board and wander around above them. The kettle boiled, a spoon chinked against china and then his footsteps passed on the way to the cabin next door. Glancing at Staci she winked and put a finger on her lips. She just hoped Staci wouldn’t wake screaming tonight, else the cat really would be amongst the pigeons way too soon.
~*~
Jim woke just after six. His heart pounded, and he wasn’t sure what woke him. He turned over and then sat bolt upright. There were noises in the other cabin.
Sniffling and rustling.
Grabbing his torch, he headed to the connecting door. He flung it open, and raised the torch in order to brain whoever had broken into his boat.
Nothing...
He glanced around, then headed back to his room to dress. Then he went up to the galley to make some tea. There wasn’t much point going back to bed now if he was heading off in an hour.
Just after seven, he saw Matt’s car pull up and park. He gave him a few minutes before he headed to the office and knocked on the door.
“Come in.”
Jim opened the door as the phone rang. He raised a hand. “I’ll be in touch…”
Matt answered the phone. “Cobden Boat Yard, Matthew Woodhouse speaking. Just hang on one minute, please.” He covered the phone and looked at Jim. “Everything’s in order. Have a good trip.”
Jim nodded and walked back to the boat. He climbed aboard and hoisted himself up the ladder to the bridge.
He straightened Avon and slowly guided her away from the dock and towards the entrance to the yard. He opened the throttle slightly and Avon gathered speed. Jim took her out into the river, down towards the sea.
The he heard a scream...downstairs.
~*~
Footsteps thudded down the steps as Lou hugged Staci who’d woken from one of her dreams again.
The door flung open. Jim stood there, anger oozing from him. “What are you two doing here?”
Lou looked up at him. “Stowing away, only you weren’t meant to find us until later.”
Jim sat next to his sister and gathered her into his arms, holding her as she sobbed. “And I wouldn’t have done if Staci hadn’t woken from a nightmare. At least I assume that’s what it was.”
Lou nodded. “Yeah. Look, I know you don’t want us here and that’s just tough. You go, we go.”
“It’s not possible.”
“Don’t give me that. I have my passport and Staci’s. That’s all we need, right?” She held his gaze. “You can’t do this alone. You know I’m right. And if you go back now you won’t be able to leave again. So it’s take us or nothing.”
Jim looked furious. He stayed silent a few moments, and then took a deep breath. “OK. Fine. Assuming we don’t get stopped and turned back at customs, you can co
me. But you both pull your weight.”
Lou nodded. “We will. I’ll help cook and sail, and Staci says she can do some of the cooking. Just don’t send us back.”
Jim pushed a hand through his hair, which was doing that cute sticking up thing again. “We need to sort a few things out.”
“Now?”
“Yes, now. We share all the jobs. Obviously Staci can’t sail, but she could stand watch with the autopilot on if need be. We all help cook and clean. If you make a mess you clean it up.”
“Aye, aye Cap’n,” Lou said, firing off a mock salute.
Jim shook his head and glowered at her once again. “We have two log books. The official one with all the bumpf in it never leaves the bridge.”
“Bumpf?”
“Course headings, crew manifest, papers etc. Which reminds me, I need to add two stowaways to it.”
“Why?”
“Because we’ll never get through customs, never mind the Panama Canal otherwise, and you need to be listed as crew. The other logbook is more of a diary, a record of our trip and so on. Lou, do you want to take charge of that?”
“Not really. Anyway, I thought we were sharing all the jobs?”
“We are. But you like writing, so I thought…”
“Sure, as long as I get to be first officer.”
He didn’t smile. “I don’t care. I’ll go fill in the rest of the crew.” Jim slammed the door as he left the room.
Lou looked at Staci. “Let’s leave him to it for a bit.”
Staci rubbed a sleeve over her eyes. “OK. Least, he didn’t send us home. I thought he was going to for a moment.” Staci looked at her with huge wide eyes.
“Me too, but I think you crying on him was a good move. You’ll have to do it again when we want him to do something.”
Staci grinned. “Don’t tempt me. We better be good and do all the chores.”
Lou nodded. “Yeah.”
“It’s like having our own house, isn’t it?” Staci said.
“Yes. It’s nice,” Lou replied as they walked toward the galley. She made coffee, carried Jim’s up to the bridge and put it on the table. “Everything OK?”
“Yes,” he replied, swerving to miss the bank.
Lou grinned. “Do you want some company?” she asked, trying not to put him off once more.
“Not right now. Just let me get the hang of it on my own. You’d better dig out yours and Staci’s passports and have them ready for customs. Mine’s already on the bridge. According to my shipping plan, we’re stopping in Cornwall to collect my father, then we’re crossing the Atlantic.”
“Really?”
He raised an eyebrow. “You think they’d let me sail the Atlantic alone?”
“No one in their right mind would.” Lou disappeared down the steps before he could retaliate. “Stace, I need your passport. You did bring it, right?”
“Here.” Staci handed them both to her.
“Thank you.” Lou took them up to the bridge and put them on the table. “Don’t forget your coffee. Have you done the crew manifest and everything?”
Jim nodded, too intent on what he was doing to reply.
Lou went out through the bridge door and climbed down the ladder to the deck.
They were sailing through a more built up area. Washing hung in gardens. Cars whizzed by on roads. A boat passed them on the other side of the river. Factory chimneys smoked in the distance. Ducks nested in the reeds and a swan swam regally by them, turning her face away from the chugging intruder.
Lou sat on the warm deck, her legs stretched out in front of her. The sun blazed warmly down and the river sparkled in the sunlight. The birds sang in the trees and seagulls glided and called to each other.
The scenery changed and the docks were visible in the distance. Lou got to her feet and went back inside.
Staci was on the bridge, curled up on the couch.
“Docks coming up,” Lou said needlessly.
Jim took a deep breath then exhaled. “Here we go,” he said. He grabbed the mike and tuning the radio to the correct frequency called in and requested customs clearance. Once granted it, Jim steered the boat to the designated terminal.
Lou went up on deck. She tossed the ropes to the dockhands on the quay and as Jim cut the engines, they tied up the boat.
The two uniformed customs officers boarded Avon. “Good morning, miss. Routine customs inspection. Do you have your papers ready?”
“Sure, follow me,” Lou said. Outwardly calm, inside she was terrified but determined not to show it. She led the way to the bridge, where the two customs officers inspected their passports and paperwork.
“Cornwall, then the States?” asked one, looking at the logbook. “How long will you be staying there?”
“Depends how long the crossing takes,” Jim said wryly. “Dad has business over there. Then we’re heading across to the Philippines.”
“That’s a long way for a little boat like this.”
Jim shrugged. “She’s done it before. Hoping to do it faster this time.”
“Who’s the registered keeper?”
“I am.” Jim showed them the information.
“We need to check the rest of the boat now, Mr. Kirk. Would you accompany us please? If you ladies could stay here, please?”
Jim followed the customs officers, while the girls stayed on the bridge with Deefer.
Staci slipped her hand into Lou’s. “They’ll send us back,” she said quietly. “We should never have stayed here last night.”
“We’ll be fine.”
“I hope so.”
“We will.”
The next twenty minutes while the customs officers searched the boat, seemed to last an eternity. They went through everything - packed bags, toiletries, and under the mattresses. Then they asked Jim to take them down to the hold to check any cargo.
When Jim came back onto the bridge alone, Lou looked anxiously at him.
“It’s OK,” he said. “Just the registry check and then we’re done.”
“Are they still here?” Staci asked.
“No, but we can’t leave until they say so.”
“What if Nichola calls the police and they look for the boat? How long does this check take?”
“Fifteen minutes they said. I suggest we just chill out and act normal.”
“Act normal?” Staci looked at him. “Jim, we’re trying to leave the country.”
“Not illegally, kiddo. Trust me. People who are running away do not walk up to people in uniform and say, here’s my passport, now please can I leave the country.”
“How come you’re so calm?” Staci asked.
“I’m not,” Jim replied. “But if you show that you are nervous, it gives them cause to ask more questions.”
After what seemed ages, Lou checked her watch. “It’s been forty-five minutes. What’s keeping them?”
“Patience, woman. All good things come to those that wait.”
The radio sprang into life. “Alpha-Juliet-Tango-Kilo this is customs. Are you receiving, over?”
Jim grabbed the mike and pressed the transmit button and responded. “Alpha-Juliet-Tango-Kilo receiving, over.”
“You are clear to leave. Have a pleasant trip. Over.”
“Roger, thank you. Over and out.”
Staci giggled. “Your call sign is a girl’s name?”
Jim rolled his eyes. “It’s my name in the phonetic alphabet. It’s not my fault J is Juliet now, is it? Staci Paula Kirk would be Sierra Papa Kilo, so it works both ways.”
She tilted her head. “What about Lou?”
Jim winked. “She’d be Lima Whiskey Bravo.”
Lou scowled. “Charming. And I thought Willow was bad enough as a middle name.” She went out on deck and caught the ropes the dockhand tossed her. Rolling them up, she stowed them beneath the tarpaulin and gave the bridge the thumbs up.
Avon pulled away from the quay as she went back up to the bridge. The sun shone in through the rea
r windows, making it feel really warm. Avon slid past the cargo terminals on her way to the sea.
5
Lou sat on the couch on the bridge with Staci, watching as the various boats, ships and catamarans passed them by.
A big naval vessel lay tied up at one dock. A helicopter landed on its deck and several men in flight suits jumped out to be met by officers in uniform. Lou sighed.
“There’s just something about a man in uniform, isn’t there?” she said wistfully.
“If you insist. I’ve never seen the attraction myself,” Jim said.
Lou laughed. “I should hope not.”
A huge cruise liner at another dock completely dwarfed them as they sailed past. Full of holidaymakers hanging over her sides, she gracefully floated as men loaded cargo aboard her.
Lou heard a siren and turned to look behind them. A flashing light identified the fast approaching boat as police. Four armed officers stood on deck and the loud hailer instructed them to pull over.
“Jim? What are you going to do?”
“Do what they want.”
“You can’t.”
“I have to.” Jim began to slow the boat and moved it to rest at the side of the waterway.
The police boat shot past and one of the officers waved his thanks.
Lou released a sigh of relief.
“For a moment I thought...”
“We all did,” Jim said. He pulled out into the main waterway again and followed in the wake of the police boat.
“Wonder where they’re going?” Staci said.
“Somewhere in a hurry. Maybe they’re late for lunch,” Lou said.
“With guns?”
“Maybe they’ve had lunch, and they’re off to kill the cook,” Jim said grinning.
“There it is,” Staci pointed. “It’s slowing down.”
Suddenly an almighty explosion fragmented the police boat into a mass of flames and smoke. Shattered timbers and twisted metal flew everywhere.
Staci screamed.
Jim swerved to avoid the debris.
“Jim, there are people out there. We have to help them.” Lou said.
“There are other people to help.” Jim said. “We’d be caught. My parents…”
“We’re closest. We can’t just leave them.”