Page 24 of The Trip of a Lifetime

Cally: I mean, what made you want to race again after fifty years?

Martha: You invited me.

Cally: Yes, of course, but what I mean is, why did you decide to say yes? Would you say you’re a very competitive person? I’ve watched the footage of that first race and it makes for compelling viewing. There seemed to be a bond blossoming between you and Harrison back then. I must say, I was hugely invested. And then it seemed like you got left behind somehow and he won. Has that stayed with you? Are you motivated by a need to beat him this time?

Martha: No comment.

Cally: Ha! You know this isn’t a police interview, don’t you?

Martha: It feels like it.

‘Cut. Okay, thanks both. Are you all right, Martha? You don’t seem your usual chirpy self,’ Cally said as we got up to leave.

‘Chirpy’ was not an adjective I’d label myself with and right now I still had Harrison’s face in my mind telling me it was wonderful to see me. I didn’t consider myself a violent person but standing near that barbecue with his silly smiling face, I could easily have at least poked him in the eye. Harrison was the chirpy one. So much for me letting it go.

‘Just a bit tired,’ I said.

12

ERIN

Harrison and Sam left the hotel at four the following afternoon with Femi and Liz almost straight after them.

Twenty minutes later, Erin and Martha were waiting in the reception for their instructions which arrived from Cally in another envelope. Erin opened it eagerly and they were both aware of the camera as they prepared their faces ahead of finding out where they were going next.

Your second checkpoint is Banff

‘Okay,’ Martha said. ‘I think I know where that is.’

Erin unfolded the map and Martha pointed to a place in the Rocky Mountains very near Lake Louise. It was in the neighbouring province of Alberta.

‘We need to go,’ Erin said. ‘As quickly as possible.’

‘The only ferry leaves at ten again tonight, so we have five and a half hours to get back to Skidegate. This is the only time that rushing isn’t going to help us,’ Martha said.

Erin realised she was right and let her backpack slip to the floor.

‘We do still need to get a lift, though, so let’s leave the hotel and see who we can find to help us.’

‘I really need a wee first,’ Noah said, lowering his camera.

‘You’ll have to catch us up,’ Martha said firmly.

‘I thought you weren’t in a rush,’ he said.

‘We’re not in that much of a rush but we’re still in a race,’ Martha said with a grin.

An hour later they were in the back of a truck heading towards the port in Skidegate after Erin had chatted up a young man who was staying at the hotel. Erin had turned on her full charm and even though she thought she was a bit rusty, it clearly worked. She wondered if it hadn’t been for the race whether Sam could have been pulled in with the same charm. It was certainly working up to a point in Vancouver. How she wished they had met under different circumstances. But it didn’t change the fact that she had spilled her guts, compromised her grandmother’s pride and he had let her. She still hadn’t told Martha about what she’d divulged and hoped she’d never have to.

‘You’re a complete star,’ she told their driver as he dropped them off.

‘Good luck,’ he said and then turned his truck around and drove back to the hotel.

Erin could feel a change in Martha’s energy as they entered the ticket office to buy passage back to Prince Rupert. She could see Martha’s eyes darting around, no doubt looking for Mr Golding. She was doing the same, in truth.

Sam and Harrison were chatting to a woman and Erin wondered how far she had offered to take the two men. She really hoped that it wasn’t all the way to Banff. She turned to Martha.

‘We need to focus,’ she said. ‘I remember you telling me this just a couple of days ago. It will ruin our race if we keep worrying about what others are doing.’