boat so violently that the figure slipped and almost fell overboard.
Jade turned and jogged down towards the jetty. As she drew closer, she realised it was the denim-shorted form of Monique, the Velcro-for-men dive instructor, battling with the wind.
Jade also realised she was still carrying the champagne bottle. She bent down and placed it carefully onto the sand before attracting Monique’s attention.
‘Need a hand?’ she shouted.
She saw the blonde woman’s head turn sharply in her direction, but Monique made no reply.
Jade was tempted to leave her to her struggles. Instead, grasping the edge of the jetty rail, she lowered herself carefully down into the boat, which felt like a bucking horse, and grabbed hold of one edge of the tarp. The deck was slick with spray and Jade found it was just about impossible to keep her footing when every tug of the tarp almost yanked her off her feet. She fell twice; the second time bashing her hip painfully on the front seat.
Even with their combined efforts, what they were attempting was seemingly impossible.
But then Jade managed to get two of the hooks into place, subduing the thick plastic long enough to allow Monique to get a firm grasp on her side. From there, it was easier. A few more minutes and they were done.
Jade scrambled up onto the slippery jetty with Monique close behind. Jade saw she was holding a small black object in her hand, but before she could get a good look at it, the dive instructor pushed it into the back pocket of her shorts.
‘Thanks,’ she muttered to Jade.
A gust of wind blew her blonde hair over her face and she lifted an arm to tuck it behind her ear.
‘Is everything …?’ But before Jade could even complete her question, the instructor turned and hurried away. As soon as she’d crossed the beach, she broke into a run and headed up towards her room.
Left on the jetty, Jade found herself frowning, and not because of the dive instructor’s rudeness and lack of gratitude.
When Monique had pushed her hair back, Jade hadn’t been able to help but notice that the woman’s face had been sheet-white, frozen-looking and tense with what could only have been overwhelming fear.
A wave crashed against the edge of the jetty, the coolness of the spray shocking, but invigorating. In the distance, lightning illuminated enormous, bulky clouds.
She wondered what David was doing. He’d probably gone to bed without even a bite of food. He did that sometimes when he was tired, and he’d looked exhausted. Jade let out a sharp breath, frustrated by her seeming inability to stop her thoughts from returning to him.
What to do? Drive back to Jo’burg now, or stay here for the night?
Her car keys were in her pocket. But her gun and cellphone were in the chalet, and after storming out so dramatically she was reluctant to go back inside for them.
Jade leaned on the metal railing, temporarily indecisive.
Lightning flashed once more, reflecting off the clouds with an eerie, but surprisingly bright glow. In the distance, Jade noticed a skinny, ragged-looking man heading in her direction along the sand.
A vagrant or a beach bum in this area? Surprised, and rather taken aback by the sighting, she realised the idea of drowning her sorrows alone on the beach had started to lose its appeal. But when the next lightning flash came, the vagrant was no longer right on the beach. Instead, he was heading up towards the chalets, his stride decidedly more purposeful.
Jade frowned.
Picking up the champagne bottle from its resting place in the sand, she walked back, more slowly now, along the beach towards the chalets.
It was now pitch black. Jade could still make out the white, foamy crests of the waves and the thick clouds overhead, but not much else. And then, suddenly, she saw there was somebody ahead, somebody walking swiftly towards her.
Jade’s heart sped up and she gripped the heavy bottle more tightly.
The vagrant?
No, too tall.
He slowed down when he
Jade turned and jogged down towards the jetty. As she drew closer, she realised it was the denim-shorted form of Monique, the Velcro-for-men dive instructor, battling with the wind.
Jade also realised she was still carrying the champagne bottle. She bent down and placed it carefully onto the sand before attracting Monique’s attention.
‘Need a hand?’ she shouted.
She saw the blonde woman’s head turn sharply in her direction, but Monique made no reply.
Jade was tempted to leave her to her struggles. Instead, grasping the edge of the jetty rail, she lowered herself carefully down into the boat, which felt like a bucking horse, and grabbed hold of one edge of the tarp. The deck was slick with spray and Jade found it was just about impossible to keep her footing when every tug of the tarp almost yanked her off her feet. She fell twice; the second time bashing her hip painfully on the front seat.
Even with their combined efforts, what they were attempting was seemingly impossible.
But then Jade managed to get two of the hooks into place, subduing the thick plastic long enough to allow Monique to get a firm grasp on her side. From there, it was easier. A few more minutes and they were done.
Jade scrambled up onto the slippery jetty with Monique close behind. Jade saw she was holding a small black object in her hand, but before she could get a good look at it, the dive instructor pushed it into the back pocket of her shorts.
‘Thanks,’ she muttered to Jade.
A gust of wind blew her blonde hair over her face and she lifted an arm to tuck it behind her ear.
‘Is everything …?’ But before Jade could even complete her question, the instructor turned and hurried away. As soon as she’d crossed the beach, she broke into a run and headed up towards her room.
Left on the jetty, Jade found herself frowning, and not because of the dive instructor’s rudeness and lack of gratitude.
When Monique had pushed her hair back, Jade hadn’t been able to help but notice that the woman’s face had been sheet-white, frozen-looking and tense with what could only have been overwhelming fear.
A wave crashed against the edge of the jetty, the coolness of the spray shocking, but invigorating. In the distance, lightning illuminated enormous, bulky clouds.
She wondered what David was doing. He’d probably gone to bed without even a bite of food. He did that sometimes when he was tired, and he’d looked exhausted. Jade let out a sharp breath, frustrated by her seeming inability to stop her thoughts from returning to him.
What to do? Drive back to Jo’burg now, or stay here for the night?
Her car keys were in her pocket. But her gun and cellphone were in the chalet, and after storming out so dramatically she was reluctant to go back inside for them.
Jade leaned on the metal railing, temporarily indecisive.
Lightning flashed once more, reflecting off the clouds with an eerie, but surprisingly bright glow. In the distance, Jade noticed a skinny, ragged-looking man heading in her direction along the sand.
A vagrant or a beach bum in this area? Surprised, and rather taken aback by the sighting, she realised the idea of drowning her sorrows alone on the beach had started to lose its appeal. But when the next lightning flash came, the vagrant was no longer right on the beach. Instead, he was heading up towards the chalets, his stride decidedly more purposeful.
Jade frowned.
Picking up the champagne bottle from its resting place in the sand, she walked back, more slowly now, along the beach towards the chalets.
It was now pitch black. Jade could still make out the white, foamy crests of the waves and the thick clouds overhead, but not much else. And then, suddenly, she saw there was somebody ahead, somebody walking swiftly towards her.
Jade’s heart sped up and she gripped the heavy bottle more tightly.
The vagrant?
No, too tall.
He slowed down when he
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