Chapter Forty-Six Holly
Chapter Forty-Six
HOLLY
It seems to take forever to half-walk, half-carry Silky down onto the beach. Georgia is tireless, putting one foot ahead of the other on the sinking hot sand, taking Silky’s weight.
We reach the edge of the jetty adjoining the huts. The paradise view of turquoise waters, and deep green island curving back on itself, sparkles in the setting sun.
‘Cabana number three,’ says Georgia, clearly far too distracted to appreciate the location. Silky’s eyes are open now. She is regarding the huts like a marathon runner looks at a finish line. Strands of her black hair are plastered to her face with sweat.
Georgia and I step onto the jetty, and the warm planks squeak beneath our weight. The ocean below is a greenish blue, a few feet deep at most. It teems with fish.
‘Oh shit!’ Silky switches back with a sudden jolt of energy that comes from nowhere, almost knocking me into the water. ‘Shark!’
‘They’re just babies,’ says Georgia, calmly. ‘This shallow part is a nursery. Just keep it together, Silky. You’ve caused us enough problems.’ She sounds exasperated and sad rather than angry.
We reach the rattan door of the hut. Georgia flashes a key card and pushes it open. The shade of the bamboo interior closes around us, and it takes a moment for my eyes to adjust from the light outside.
It’s stunning, in the way that any wood hut on stilts over water would be stunning, but also basic in a charming way. There’s no TV or fancy features. Just a large double bed with mosquito net waving daintily in the breeze and an open front leading to a ocean-facing deck with a small plunge pool.
The planks beneath my feet show shining slivers of bright ocean. I can hear lapping waves.
‘You should rest,’ I tell Silky, thinking someone should say it. ‘It’s really hot. None of us have eaten. Just … drink some water. Lie down.’
We set Silky down on the bed and let the mosquito net fall. Slowly, she closes her eyes. Georgia gently slips off her shoes.
Through the mesh she looks like sleeping beauty. A long-lost princess from another world, waiting to be woken up.
‘Trinity,’ Silky whispers in her sleep. ‘Why did Adrianna invite her?’
Georgia’s mouth twists. ‘Let’s go,’ she says. ‘She’ll sleep it off.’
We get to the door and I’m overwhelmed with questions. Georgia must realize this, because she stops and turns to me. Her usual serious expression is even more earnest.
‘It’s … really sad,’ she says, with feeling. ‘What happened to Silky. I don’t think it’s good for her, being around Petra.’
Her eyes glide to the sleeping Silky, whose breathing is coming in ragged and deep.
‘Why not?’ I ask.
‘You know Silky tried to sue the school?’ says Georgia.
‘Abuse, and neglect and stuff. She even had Petra in the dock. Bullying. Humiliation. They put the older girls in charge of the little ones and … stuff happened. But you can’t convict a minor after the fact.
Plus, no one would testify. I think it sent Silky a little crazy, you know? ’
‘You were in the same year as Silky, right?’
‘Right.’ She nods, eyes earnest. ‘But my mom didn’t raise me to be scared of a few mean white girls.’ She manages a smile. ‘It was lonely sometimes, being the only girl who stood up for herself. Luckily, I had Adrianna and Ophelia.’
We’re interrupted by a knock on the door. Georgia’s confiding expression drops away to something more wary.
‘Who is it?’ she asks.
‘I’m looking for Miss Stone?’ The door opens to reveal Fitzwilliam.
After all the weirdness of the last few hours, it’s a huge relief to see him.
His striking combination of black hair and pale blue eyes doesn’t look so aloof anymore.
I notice Georgia taking in his square-jawed handsomeness with a thoughtful expression.
Fitzwilliam casts the barest glance at Georgia, but makes a pronounced double take at me. I remember I’m wearing the dress Georgia put me in, and tug the hem self-consciously.
‘Holly,’ he says, his eyes roaming up and down the dress distractedly, ‘you have a phone call from your mom. Do you want to take it in your hut?’
‘My mom?’ I’m half laughing. ‘My mom would never …’ I catch his expression. ‘Um. Sure. Yeah. Coming right away.’
Georgia checks her watch. ‘We’ll all be dressing for dinner soon,’ she says. ‘Yours is hut number seven. Meet us on the southern beach at seven p.m. The staff can show you the way.’
Fitzwilliam leads me out in silence, then turns, his blue eyes urgent.
‘Mark Li called,’ he says. ‘Nice dress, by the way.’
I ignore him. ‘Did Li call about something serious?’
‘Depends how you define serious. He’s arriving tomorrow morning, and he wants us gone before he gets here.’
‘But … that’s not fair! He gave us twenty-four hours.’
‘Guess he’s getting anxious about Adrianna finding out. Unless we can come up with something concrete, he wants us off the island. Staff boat leaves at ten a.m.’
I press a hand to my head. ‘Did you manage to find my luggage?’
‘Did you doubt your hard-working assistant?’
I smile. ‘OK. So let’s check out the invitation. If Simone was setting up a shoot for Wrongly Accused, there’ll be something forensic to uncover. Maybe we’ll have something to convince Mr Li it was worth sending us out here.’