Chapter 15 #3
‘Who would do something like that?’
‘The camera?’
‘Oh heck, sorry.’ He fiddled with the camera, and the red light went off. ‘It’s become second nature for me to vlog as I go along. It saves me the regret of missing something important. Don’t worry, I won’t use any of it if you don’t want me to.’
‘Thanks,’ I said.
Liam put his head on one side thoughtfully.
‘Although having said that, there’s a good chance one of my sponsors might offer you a free shore power cable to replace the one that’s disappeared.
My viewers really connected with you during last night’s live, and I know they’d be shocked if they found out what’s happened to you.
They should understand the reality of life living on the water.
It’s not all perfect Instagram moments after all. ’
A beep from the engine panel distracted me before I could respond.
I checked the gauge and realised the fuel level had dropped a lot more quickly than I’d anticipated.
It certainly hadn’t been on anywhere near long enough to charge up the boat’s batteries to full capacity.
I’d have to turn it off now, otherwise I wouldn’t have enough fuel to make it to the boatyard to top up.
There was a fuel boat which occasionally travelled the Oxford Canal filling up boats along the way but Katie, the woman who ran it, normally needed a day or two’s notice so she could get a list of customers and make sure the journey was worthwhile.
I silenced the engine, hoping it had been on long enough to do what I needed it to.
‘Excuse me a second,’ I said to Liam. I hurried into the cabin and checked my phone. That at least had quick charged to 50 per cent, so I could use it for vital shop transactions until I came up with another solution. I texted Katie, asking if she could head this way before the end of the week.
When I returned to the cockpit, Liam was in the middle of recording a piece to camera.
‘So yeah, that’s the reality of boating life, folks.
Ultimately us boaties are quite vulnerable living on the water.
It only takes someone stealing the shore power cable to leave a person high and dry.
My lovely friend Molly is resourceful, and I’m going to help her find a solution, don’t you guys worry, but things like this shouldn’t happen.
And look, here she is.’ He put his arm around my shoulders and gave me a squeeze.
‘And before she says anything, because she’s the kind of person who doesn’t want to put anyone out, I’m more than happy to help.
That’s what friends are for. It’s what anyone would do.
’ He paused, and I saw he was panning the camera over towards Jack’s boat.
‘Let me correct myself. It’s what most decent people would do.
It’s what I love best about the boating community.
Most of us are all there for each other, and we take care of our own, don’t we? ’
I nodded automatically, then caught myself, feeling a tad guilty I hadn’t contradicted his heavily implied criticism of Jack.
For once, my neighbour didn’t actually deserve it, given that I was the one who’d failed to be clear about what help I needed when he offered it.
I broke free of Liam’s embrace and tried to keep my voice casual.
‘Look, I really appreciate your kindness, and I understand it’s how you make your living, but can we call it a day on the filming. I’ve had a pretty trying morning so far, and I’m not in the right frame of mind.’
In fact, my head was aching in a way which I feared could turn into a full-on migraine if I didn’t take action soon. I pinched the bridge of my nose, suddenly longing to go back to bed and pull the duvet over my head.
‘Sure, don’t worry, I’m all done now.’ Liam put the camera away and gave me his full attention. ‘How can I help?’
‘I don’t suppose you’ve got a cable going spare, have you?’
Liam frowned. ‘Hmm, let me go and check. The Lydia’s got all kinds of odds and ends knocking around in her lockers. And if I don’t, I have a collection of power banks which I use to charge up my camera kit. They would tide you over. Give me ten minutes.’
It had been surprisingly easy to ask for help, and his eagerness to give it made me feel bad about having a go at him over the filming thing. He was only doing his job, after all.
He hurried off towards the Lydia. Tempted as I was to give in to my desire to retreat to my bed, I quickly re?dressed in a more professional manner instead, gave myself a brief mental pep talk and set the Oxford Bookship sign out on the towpath to indicate that the shop was open for business.
Liam was significantly longer than the promised ten minutes, but I didn’t mind because I was kept busy by a customer who was clearly desperate to sign up for the Blind Date with a Book night but was nervous about doing so.
After some gentle reassurance and encouragement from me, he bought a ticket and then scurried away, as if he feared he’d change his mind if he hung around a moment longer.
I was particularly amused that a woman who’d been loitering by the second-hand section while he deliberated, came across to the counter and bought a ticket for herself the second he left the boat.
I smiled to myself as I processed her transaction.
Perhaps I’d seen the start of another budding romance.
My phone battery had got down to only 18 per cent charge when Liam reappeared.
‘Ta-da,’ he said, waving a reel of cable around triumphantly. ‘Look what I managed to find.’
I experienced a surge of relief.
‘You’re a lifesaver. And it looks like it’s the perfect length as well, thank goodness.’
He shrugged self-effacingly. ‘It’s no bother. Keep it as long as you need it for. I can’t get shore power where I am, so I’ve no use for it at the moment.’
My problem was solved for the time being at least. But the niggling concern remained. Who had stolen the cable, and why had they targeted my boat?