Chapter Thirty-Six
Hattie, Hugo and Bob had given up on their search for Lucinda. They’d covered most of the hotel, but with the waters rising it had been impossible to get outside to the studios and they’d abandoned the hunt.
‘I hope the old girl is safe,’ Hugo said anxiously as he held Hattie’s hand and helped her wade through the kitchen, where the sandbags placed against the back door were proving inadequate and water poured in.
Hattie wondered if she should be stocking up on food and glanced around to see if there was anything she could grab.
There wasn’t a morsel in sight.
‘Oh God, I hope we don’t see Lucinda’s body floating down the courtyard,’ Bob wailed. ‘Do you suppose she can swim?’
‘Swimming won’t be much help in this lot,’ Hattie replied. ‘She’d need an outboard strapped to her back to survive.’ She’d spotted a shelf stacked with packets of biscuits and reached up to retrieve them. ‘Give me a leg-up, Hugo,’ she called out.
‘I’d rather give you a leg-over,’ Hugo said as he stood in the thigh-deep water and turned to Bob.
‘Give me a hand, old chap? This is man’s work.
’ Hugo and Bob struggled to lift Hattie and as they raised her above the water she reached for the biscuits but wobbled precariously when a voice shouted out.
‘Where the hell have you been?’ Jo appeared in the door by reception.
Her face showed fear as she saw Hattie hanging off a shelf, steadied by Hugo and Bob.
Alf appeared behind Jo, followed by Kate and James, sloshing their way into the kitchen.
‘We’ve been searching for you. I thought something terrible had happened.
’ Jo rushed forward and grabbed hold of Hattie’s legs.
She held on tightly. ‘For goodness’ sake get out of here, before you all drown.
Everyone is gathered upstairs in the front gallery and we’re hoping that a rescue party will come soon and see us there. ’
‘I was just getting supplies,’ Hattie said. She stuffed several packets of biscuits into her blouse and allowed herself to be helped down.
Forming a human chain, the party moved slowly and with Alf in the lead, made their way through the water and into the hallway.
‘No sign of Lucinda?’ Jo asked as they approached the main stairs.
‘We can only pray,’ Bob replied.
‘Oh, this is just terrible, please God let her be all right,’ Jo said as they helped each other up to the gallery. ‘She was pumped full of sleeping pills and tranquillisers.’
‘Aye, she may have fallen into the water.’ Hattie shook her head. ‘She won’t last long in this lot.’
They reached the stairs and as they climbed up to join the group in the gallery, they stared out of the window.
It had been an agonisingly long night so far and no one had any idea when rescue would come and how high the waters would rise.
Boomers held onto each other and with arms interlinked and hands gripped in solidarity, they stood silently, urging the ordeal to end.
‘Nothing we can do but wait.’ Alf reached into a pocket of his waders and took out a tin of tobacco.
He rolled a cigarette, which he stuck, unlit, onto his lips then looked out of the window and scanned the area below.
‘Stick together here and hope that the waters don’t rise this far.
’ He lifted the window and a blast of cold air shot across the group.
They recoiled and pulled their blankets tighter.
‘I think the wind has died down though,’ he said and held his hand out into the night. ‘The rain might just be easing.’
Hattie was distributing biscuits and held a custard cream out to Alf. She cocked her head to one side as she stood beside him and looked out. ‘I think you might be right,’ she said, ‘the rain is stopping.’
‘What’s that sound?’ Jo stepped forward and looked up at the sky. A faint stream of light could be seen heading through the pitch-dark cloud and in moments it beamed down, searching at the windows of the hotel.
‘Bleedin’ hell, it’s a helicopter!’ Hattie snatched back the custard cream.
‘Look, there’s something down there too.’ Jo leaned out of the window and pointed at a canoe-shaped craft, racing through the water below.
‘Holy smoke, it’s the Shaman!’ Hattie leaned out of the window. ‘Oi! Namaste!’ she screamed, ‘Over here, mate!’
The Shaman sped through the water. He wore a sleeveless coat of rainbow colours and his hair, loose and free, blew around his face. The muscles in his naked arms pumped a long paddle and steered towards the window. Hattie waved wildly as she watched him spin the vessel around and throw a rope.
‘Our saviour!’ Hattie shouted as she stared at the craft and leaned over the sill to catch the rope.
‘Tie it to the top of the guttering,’ Alf instructed and reached out to assist.
Hattie thrust the rope into Alf’s hands. She shook her head as she watched the Shaman steady his cargo. In the bottom of the craft, a figure lay hunched. Bedraggled and damp, but very much alive, Lucinda looked up and waved when she saw Hattie.
‘Oh, thank the Shaman and all his spirit guides,’ Hattie yelled at the group behind her, ‘he’s only gone and found Lucinda!’ There was a thunderous cheer as everyone crowded around, hoping to catch a glimpse of their homecoming queen.
‘Is she all right?’ Jo asked anxiously and squeezed next to Hattie on the sill.
‘Aye, looks a little damp and seems to be covered in white stuff, but otherwise she’s very much alive and well.
’ Hattie peered through the gloom and studied Lucinda.
The dusty white marks on Lucinda’s black woollen coat looked familiar and Hattie was sure that there were finger imprints across the artist’s chest.
‘Are you sure?’ Jo said.
‘Alive and well and forming a cast if the damp mixes with the clay on her clothes.’ Hattie had a good idea where Lucinda had been found. The loft above the pottery studio was a cosy retreat, as Hattie well knew, for she’d spent many an afternoon in there.
‘What’s that yellow dingy?’ Bob clasped his hands and everyone turned. His eyes lit up as he saw a large inflatable rescue boat surging towards them. ‘They’ve mobilised the army!’ Bob swooned as the sturdy crew came into sight. ‘I can’t wait to tell Anthony . . .’
‘Women and children first,’ Hattie said as the group threw their blankets aside and hugged each other. Many were sobbing with relief as they held hands and watched the rescue parties arrive.
Suddenly, out of the blue and without any warning, Andy appeared.
‘I hope there’s no pecking order here!’ he shouted as he shoved his way through.
The celebrations ceased and everyone stopped to stare at the newcomer.
Immaculately groomed and wearing smart warm clothes, he carried a single suitcase with his messenger bag strapped across his body.
‘You can give the rest of my luggage to charity,’ he said to Hattie, and pushed her to one side to look out of the window.
‘Not so fast, sunshine,’ Hattie said. ‘You can wait your turn.’ She grabbed the sleeve of his jacket and tugged hard.
‘Oh, just let him go.’ Jo stepped forward and took hold of Hattie’s arm. She didn’t want any violence to break out again. ‘We must all get out of here safely.’
‘The sooner he’s out of my sight the better,’ Kate said.
‘And mine.’ James put his arm around Kate.
Hattie moved back and went to stand by Hugo. They looked at each other and he handed her a bag. Bunty began to growl and, pouncing forward, barked at Andy.
‘Call the hound off,’ he said and kicked out.
Shouts could be heard from outside as light from the helicopter flooded the front of the hotel and more boats made ready to rescue the stranded guests.
‘Have a good life!’ Andy snarled and moved towards the window.
‘Haven’t you forgotten something?’ Hattie called out.
Andy spun around. His eyes widened in horror as he stared at Hattie.
‘You won’t get far without this,’ she said and reached into her bag, ‘and as soon as we let the authorities examine the hard drive, your scamming days will be over.’ She held Andy’s laptop in her hands and jiggled it, teasingly.
Andy gripped his messenger bag, where his laptop was secured.
‘No good looking in there,’ Hattie said. ‘I whipped it out when you went wandering.’
‘You bloody bitch!’ Andy shouted and lurched forward to try and grab the laptop. But Hattie was too quick and she threw it in Bob’s direction, who in turn threw it to Hugo.
‘I think you’ve been rumbled, old chap,’ Hugo said and, with a grin, threw it back to Hattie.
‘It’s not rocket science to work out who the traitor is amongst us,’ Hattie said, ‘and I have every confidence that this laptop will contain all the evidence we need.’
Andy looked from one to the other.
Alf reared up. He was menacing as he stepped forward and together with James, blocked Andy as the rest of the group gathered behind them. They saw a look of fear and resignation in Andy’s eyes as he was backed towards the window.
Unexpectedly, as quick as a flash, he turned and clambered onto the sill.
The rescuers called out for Andy to jump down.
Without another word, Andy launched his body into the air and took flight and, as the helicopter illuminated his leap, everyone gasped as he vanished into the dark and dangerous water below.
Andy Mack, the conman, had disappeared.