Chapter 46
Below on the beach, Liz could just make out the shape of a person.
“Who is that?” Maggie whispered.
Liz squinted, trying to squeeze her vision into something sharper—but all she could make out was a figure moving across an otherwise still scene. “Whoever it is, they’re heading for the cave.”
A collective tension grew between them as they stood together, Joni and Helena’s argument fading to a background hum.
Maggie shook her head, saying, “The trail onto the beach was destroyed in the landslide. How have they got down there?”
Liz glanced toward the sea. “There’s no sign of a boat.”
“And we’ve not crossed anyone on the mountain trail,” Helena added.
“Unless . . . ,” Liz began, turning cold at the thought, “the person was down there the whole time?”
“They’re going inside!” Maggie said, hugging her arms to her body.
They fell silent, watching as the lone figure was swallowed by the mouth of the cave.
Liz imagined the person taking a torch from their pocket, its beam lighting the way toward the stack of lobster pots. Would they see the spill of powder on the floor and the tumbled pot? How long would it take them to notice that one of the packages was missing?
“They’re going to find out, aren’t they?” Maggie said, voice panicked. “They’ll know someone took their cocaine.”
“I’m sorry,” Joni said quietly, tone dejected. Her hands had dropped to her sides; her head was lowered. “I’ve messed up. I shouldn’t have taken it. I’m so sorry.”
No one said anything.
All eyes were on the cave.
“Who do you think is down there?” Maggie asked, her voice lowered.
“Could be anyone,” Liz said, pulling at the collar of her jacket. Whoever it was, Liz knew she didn’t want to come face-to-face with them. She glanced at the bag of cocaine still slumped on the rock in front of them. “What do we do with this?”
“Chuck it over the mountainside!” Maggie said.
“No!” Joni said, stepping forward. “If someone does come looking for it—better that we return it.” She picked up the cocaine and went to pocket it, but Liz stepped forward, opening her hand.
Joni’s gaze fell on her palm. Her eyes were dull, deep shadows beneath them.
Her fingers kept their grip on the cocaine.
Liz wondered just how dark things had become.
She’d thought Joni’s drug use was social, for a buzz, to keep up the pace—because maybe that was what she’d wanted to see.
But for Joni to take the risk of stealing cocaine—to even want it in these circumstances—it worried her.
She met Joni’s gaze, waiting for her to hand it over.
A gust of wind wound up the mountainside, cool and sharp.
After a beat, Joni placed the cocaine in Liz’s palm. Then she wrapped her arms tight around herself, as if she was suddenly chilled.
Liz forced the bag into the widest pocket of her jacket, zipping it shut.
When she turned, Helena was still squinting at the cave.
“What is it?” Maggie asked.
“Whoever is in that cave is going to discover some of the cocaine is missing. And then they’re going to come looking for it.” She paused, turning to face the others. “We’re standing on the only trail out of Blafjell.”
The friends looked at each other.
Liz said, “We need to move.”