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Authors: Katrina Britt
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formidable stretch of water to plough through, but fear had lent her speed and she surprised herself by her stamina in making it to the shore.
By the time she heaved herself from the water she was shaking with shock and torn between the need to cry or be sick. But she had made it and she was safe. Stumbling along the beach within the shelter of the high sea wall, she finally reached the stone steps leading on to the promenade, and there across the road was her flat.
A boy with his dog stared at her at the top of the steps and a young couple strolling arm in arm did the same as she hurried by on her way to the flat.
Nora was in the entrance hall when she remembered her shoulder bag. It had gone, and she laughed a trifle hysterically to find that she was still clutching the plastic purse. Her keys were in her bag and she could not get into her flat without them.
The porter in charge of the flats eyed her in comical dismay when she found him.
‘ What did you do? ’ he queried. ‘ Drop your bag in the sea and go in after it? ’
She gulped and decided to play along with him. ‘ Silly of me, wasn ’ t it? ’ with chattering teeth.
‘ Very, ’ he said dryly. ‘ Not to worry, I ’ ll ask a friend of mine to comb the beach later when the tide has gone out. He might find it. ’
She thanked him when he had unlocked her door and he gave her a friendly smile.
‘ We ’ ll have keys ready for you if your bag isn ’ t found, so don ’ t worry, ’ he said, and bade her good-night.
Nora could only nod her head because her teeth were chattering too much for her to speak. The warm air of her flat met her like open arms and the hot bath purged away all the cold sense of shock. When she was dry she snuggled into a bathrobe and made a hot drink.
Then came all the questions going around in her head like clothes in a tumble-dryer. With her fingers curled around the hot drink and her legs tucked under her in the chair she asked herself why on earth anyone on a strange island would want to harm her. It did not make sense, unless . .. could it have been Jony? After all, he was the one who would benefit from the will if anything happened to her.
Nora lay in bed trying to solve the mystery until her eyelids began to droop and sleep claimed her. The peal of her doorbell tore into her unconsciousness with a continued insistence. Whoever it was kept their finger on the bell and was evidently not going away.
Half asleep, she fell out of bed and reached for her wrap, tying it around her as she staggered to the door.
The porter could have waited until morning, if it was him to give her news of her shoulder bag. Five o ’ clock was a bit much to expect her to welcome him with open arms.
But it was not the porter who confronted her, and it was some seconds before her mind began to function. Juan, she thought, looking terribly distraught was pushing back his dark hair with raking fingers.
‘ Thank God! ’ he cried. ‘ Are you all right? ’
‘ Of course I ’ m all right, ’ she answered. ‘ How did you get in? The hall door to the flats is usually locked at night. ’
He said impatiently, ‘ Came in with some late night revellers. Aren ’ t you going to ask me in? ’
‘ At this hour in the morning? ’
‘ I ’ ve got this, ’ he answered, and thrust her shoulder bag at her. ‘ I can ’ t tell you how I felt when I found it. I ’ ve never looked through anything so quick in my life to make sure that it was yours ! ’
Nora took the bag and stepped back. ‘ You ’ d better come in, ’ she said, and followed him into the lounge. ‘ Where did you find it, and how did you know I ’ d lost it? ’
‘ Hell ! ’ he exclaimed, flinging himself into a chair and gesturing with a long brown hand. ‘ How would I know you ’ d lost it? The trouble is that up to five minutes ago I thought you were lost with it. What the devil was it doing in the sea? ’
Nora stood looking down at him with her fingers coiled
By the time she heaved herself from the water she was shaking with shock and torn between the need to cry or be sick. But she had made it and she was safe. Stumbling along the beach within the shelter of the high sea wall, she finally reached the stone steps leading on to the promenade, and there across the road was her flat.
A boy with his dog stared at her at the top of the steps and a young couple strolling arm in arm did the same as she hurried by on her way to the flat.
Nora was in the entrance hall when she remembered her shoulder bag. It had gone, and she laughed a trifle hysterically to find that she was still clutching the plastic purse. Her keys were in her bag and she could not get into her flat without them.
The porter in charge of the flats eyed her in comical dismay when she found him.
‘ What did you do? ’ he queried. ‘ Drop your bag in the sea and go in after it? ’
She gulped and decided to play along with him. ‘ Silly of me, wasn ’ t it? ’ with chattering teeth.
‘ Very, ’ he said dryly. ‘ Not to worry, I ’ ll ask a friend of mine to comb the beach later when the tide has gone out. He might find it. ’
She thanked him when he had unlocked her door and he gave her a friendly smile.
‘ We ’ ll have keys ready for you if your bag isn ’ t found, so don ’ t worry, ’ he said, and bade her good-night.
Nora could only nod her head because her teeth were chattering too much for her to speak. The warm air of her flat met her like open arms and the hot bath purged away all the cold sense of shock. When she was dry she snuggled into a bathrobe and made a hot drink.
Then came all the questions going around in her head like clothes in a tumble-dryer. With her fingers curled around the hot drink and her legs tucked under her in the chair she asked herself why on earth anyone on a strange island would want to harm her. It did not make sense, unless . .. could it have been Jony? After all, he was the one who would benefit from the will if anything happened to her.
Nora lay in bed trying to solve the mystery until her eyelids began to droop and sleep claimed her. The peal of her doorbell tore into her unconsciousness with a continued insistence. Whoever it was kept their finger on the bell and was evidently not going away.
Half asleep, she fell out of bed and reached for her wrap, tying it around her as she staggered to the door.
The porter could have waited until morning, if it was him to give her news of her shoulder bag. Five o ’ clock was a bit much to expect her to welcome him with open arms.
But it was not the porter who confronted her, and it was some seconds before her mind began to function. Juan, she thought, looking terribly distraught was pushing back his dark hair with raking fingers.
‘ Thank God! ’ he cried. ‘ Are you all right? ’
‘ Of course I ’ m all right, ’ she answered. ‘ How did you get in? The hall door to the flats is usually locked at night. ’
He said impatiently, ‘ Came in with some late night revellers. Aren ’ t you going to ask me in? ’
‘ At this hour in the morning? ’
‘ I ’ ve got this, ’ he answered, and thrust her shoulder bag at her. ‘ I can ’ t tell you how I felt when I found it. I ’ ve never looked through anything so quick in my life to make sure that it was yours ! ’
Nora took the bag and stepped back. ‘ You ’ d better come in, ’ she said, and followed him into the lounge. ‘ Where did you find it, and how did you know I ’ d lost it? ’
‘ Hell ! ’ he exclaimed, flinging himself into a chair and gesturing with a long brown hand. ‘ How would I know you ’ d lost it? The trouble is that up to five minutes ago I thought you were lost with it. What the devil was it doing in the sea? ’
Nora stood looking down at him with her fingers coiled
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