The Kiera Hudson Prequels 2 (5 page)

“
That young waitress made it up for me,” he said.

“
Been working your charms again?” I asked.

“
Like magic,” he grinned back at me.

How could I refuse? “Give me ten minutes.”

“
And you might need this,” he said, holding up my bottle of shower gel in his other hand.

I snatched it from him and closed the door.

Tom was waiting by the bar at the foot of the stairs. With the collar of my coat pulled up and my hands thrust into my coat pockets, we made for the door. It was just getting light as we stepped out into the cold. A chill wind blew hard across the fields that stretched away from the small car park. The stars were fading in the sky and a thin ribbon of orange glowed on the horizon where the sun was slowly rising.

“
It’s so peaceful,” I whispered, the soft howl of the wind circling us. “The sky looks beautiful.”

“
But that doesn’t look so beautiful,” Tom said, stepping away and heading toward his car.

“
What’s wrong?” I asked him.

“
Someone has pranged my car,” he said, bending low and inspecting a dent in the back. “Look at that, can you believe it?”

I looked at the dent that had scratched and removed the paint beneath the bumper of his car. Turning, I began to inspect my own car in the light shining through the inn windows.

“
What are you doing?” Tom said, straightening up and looking at me.

“
Checking to see if my car has been hit too,” I said.

Tom looked at me then at my beat up old Mini. “Kiera, that thing could have been hit by a tank and you wouldn’t be able to tell. There isn’t a part of it that isn’t scratched or dented. You’re not a secret Demolition Derby driver are you?”

“
Yeah, very funny, Tom,” I said, straightening up. “I love my little car. Okay, so it looks like a piece of junk, but it gets me from A to B. That’s all I need it for.”

“
It looks like a death trap,” he said.

“
You’re just mad because someone has hit your car and driven off,” I said. “It can be fixed. Besides, I thought we were going to sit on the beach and drink tea while we watch the sunrise, not stand out here inspecting our cars.”

“
It’s just that…” Tom started, scowling back at his car.

“
C’mon,” I said, offering him my arm.

He looked back at me. Then, hooking his arm through mine, we made our way in the direction of the beach.

We crossed the barren land before the inn. It was covered in a coarse grass which came up to our knees. The nagging wind bent it to and fro. The sky grew lighter with every step we took in the direction of the shore. As we grew closer to the cliffs ahead of us, I could hear the faint roar of the waves crashing into them. The wind blew my hair back off my shoulders. Arm in arm, me and Tom reached a narrow path that wound its way along the cliff edge. We stopped and looked out across the ocean. The rising sun shone its orange glow off the black churning waves, making them look like molten lava. With my feet close to the cliff edge, I peered down. Giant black waves crashed into the jagged rocks below.

“
Let’s keep going,” Tom said, moving off, his arm still through mine. “We might find a way down onto the beach.

We walked further along the coastal path, and just when I thought we were the only people in the world, I saw what looked like a car parked ahead of us. As we drew closer, I could see a red sports car parked on a flat sandy piece of ground in the distance. The sun cast enough light now for me to see it clearly. The headlights were out, but I could see the outline of two people within the car.

“
See, I wasn’t the only one mad enough to want to come out and watch the sunrise,” Tom said.

The path we were following led us right toward the car. As we got closer to it, I could see the shapes in the front of the car moving around, it looked like two people were making out. I looked away and back out across the ocean, as I didn’t want to pry. As we passed along the sand-covered path, Tom nudged me in the ribs with his elbow.

“
Hey, look who it is,” he whispered over the screech of the wind. “Looks like they made up.”

“
Who?” I said, shooting a discreet sideways glance at the car. The man and woman we had seen arguing in the bar the night before were in the car. She had her back to us, as the man held her in his arms. They were passionately kissing. He had his eyes closed as he ran his hands through her long, blonde hair. Suddenly, the man opened his eyes and looked over her shoulder and straight at me. Feeling embarrassed that I had been caught watching them kissing, I looked away again. Tom pulled at my arm and we continued along the path.

“
I wouldn’t have forgiven him so easily,” I said as we reached a point in the path where it split.

“
Like you said, Kiera, she loves him,” Tom remarked, taking the split in the path that led down onto the beach.

“
Love has to work two ways,” I said. “It can’t be just one-sided.”

“
I guess you can’t help who you fall in love with,” Tom said glancing at me then quickly away again.

We reached the beach. Tom found a little outcrop of rock that sheltered us from the wind. Unlinking arms we sat down on the sand. I drew my knees up, resting my chin on my hands. I watched the waves rush up the shore, bringing with it stringy lumps of black seaweed. Tom poured the tea. He handed me the plastic cup first. I warmed my hands against it as I took a sip. It was sweet and hot.

“
If Phillips could see us now,” Tom smiled mischievously.

“
I don’t want to talk about him right now,” I said.

“
So what do you want to talk about?” Tom asked.

I handed him the cup of tea so he could have his share. “I’m just happy to sit and watch the sunrise. Doesn’t it look beautiful?” I breathed.

Tom looked out across the ocean. Seagulls squawked as they circled overhead, their white wings shimmering gold in the autumn sunlight. We sat silently next to each other in the sand and drank the tea. When it was finished, Tom replaced the cap on the flask.

“
So do you think she is foolish for forgiving her husband?” Tom asked, looking out over the waves and not at me.

“
That lady in the car, Melinda, you mean?” I asked.

“
Yes.”

“
It’s not for me to say,” I said. “But all I know is that I wouldn’t want to be in love with a man like that.”

There was a short pause. Tom picked up a fistful of sand and let it dribble through his fingers. “What kind of guy do you see yourself falling in love with?” Tom eventually asked.

“
I guess I won’t know until I meet him,” I said.

“
Oh,” Tom said, sounding a little deflated.

I looked at him. “Are you okay, Tom?” I asked.

“
I’m fine,” he said, smiling at me, but it looked a little forced. Then springing to his feet, he added, “Come on, let’s get back to the inn. I’m starving. That young waitress said there’s eggs and bacon for breakfast.”

Tom took me by the hand, pulling me to my feet. “You and that waitress,” I teased. “You’ve got a
thing
for her, don’t you?”

“
I don’t have a thing for
her
,” Tom said.

“
Who then?” I teased further.

“
I’ll guess I’ll let you know when I meet her,” Tom sighed, setting off up the beach in the direction of the inn. As we made our way back along the coastal path, I couldn’t help but notice that Melinda and her husband had gone.

Tom and I sat at the same table we had the night before. The pretty waitress brought more tea. Tom thanked her, and I kicked him under the table. He blushed. He did like her. I could
see
it a mile off. I doubted Tom would have the courage to ask for her number, despite his sometimes cocksure attitude. She would be a lucky girl if he did. Tom was a cute guy, with abs to die for. I wouldn’t mind having a guy like Tom asking for my number. But I knew he only thought of me as a friend, despite him telling the innkeeper I was pretty. But that was good. We should remain just friends. We both had police exams to pass, and neither of us needed any further distractions than the ones that had already come our way. Perhaps that was the true reason Sergeant Phillips had wanted to keep me and Tom apart? Relationships between police recruits was frowned upon as it diverted our attention away from our studies. But whatever Phillips’ true motive was for wanting to keep me and Tom apart, I would keep my feelings in check for Tom. Besides, I didn’t want to make a fool of myself in front of Tom, as I knew he saw me solely as his mystery solving partner and nothing else.

We were still waiting for the waitress to bring our breakfasts when the door to the inn suddenly flew open and the man we had seen kissing his wife came staggering in. His face was white and drawn. Gasping for breath, he dropped into the nearest chair. Both the waitress and the innkeeper came running from behind the bar and stood before the man.

“
You’ve got to help me,” he said trying to catch his breath.

“
What’s happened, Mr. Took?” the innkeeper asked him.

“
It’s Melinda,” Mr. Took panted. “She’s had an accident.”

“
What kind of accident?” the waitress said.

With his eyes bulging, Mr. Took looked at her and said, “Melinda has fallen over the cliff edge and into the sea. I think she’s dead.”

No sooner had the words left his mouth, Tom and me were on our feet and crossing the bar toward him.

“
Where did this happen?” Tom asked.

“
Near to where you saw Melinda and me parked this morning,” he said, looking at Tom, then at me.

“
Go and fetch Mr. Took some water,” The innkeeper told the waitress. She did as she was asked as the innkeeper went to the bar and snatched up the phone.

“
Tell me exactly what happened,” I said, looking at Mr. Took. He sat forward in the seat, his brow covered with sweat despite the cold.

“
I think it is obvious after what happened in the bar last night that me and Melinda had quarrelled over some personal matters,” Mr. Took started to explain. “But we talked all night, sorting out our differences. Just before daybreak we had found a resolution between us and decided to go and watch the sun come up. It’s what people who are in love do, isn’t it?”

Tom glanced at me, then back at Took. “Then what happened?”

“
It was very cold and Melinda decided that she didn’t want to walk, so we drove down to the cliffs in my car,” Took continued. “We found a spot which gave us a beautiful view of the rising sun. It was as we sat together, I realised what a fool I had been and how badly I had treated Melinda. So I took her in my arms and kissed her. To my deep joy, she kissed me back and I knew I had not yet lost her. It was then I saw you both stroll past. Melinda was a little embarrassed at being discovered kissing in the car like a couple of teenagers. So we waited for you to pass, then climbed from the car and went and stood on the cliff edge. From that vantage point we watched the sun fully rise. But as we turned to leave, Melinda lost her footing on a loose piece of rock. I grabbed for her, but I was too late, it was like she had suddenly vanished before my very eyes. Peering over the edge of the cliff, I watched Melinda bounce off the jagged rocks, then disappear beneath the crashing waves. I screamed out her name until my throat felt raw. But it was no good. She had gone, swallowed up by the sea.”

I looked at him, tears spilling onto his cheeks. “Why not call for help before now?” I asked him.

“
I tried,” he said, pulling his phone from his coat pocket. “But the damn battery is flat.”

Tom took the phone from him and inspected it. Handing it back to Mr. Took, Tom looked at me and said, “It’s dead.”

I stared at Took. “Why has it taken you so long to get back here? We passed where you had been parked and your car had gone. We were on foot, yet we got back here quicker than you.”