Page 23 of Slack Tide Kill

"Officer Rogers!" shouted Mayhew.

Sally scooped both arms under his armpits and heaved. Her thighs strained and the shingle under her feet slipped, but she kept lifting. This young man deserved better. She locked out upright and shouted.

"Go!"

She set off at a shambling, wild backward sprint with Mayhew following. Rain lashed her eyes and she couldn't wipe them clear. Every step she thought she would stumble and fall. Along the slick shingle, up the final mound then down the other side. The stones slipped and she fell, one arm windmilling back toward the ground but–

Strong arms caught her, buoyed her up and raised her upright.

"I got you," came the voice by her ear.

Sally found her feet and turned.

Liam O'Connell stood there. Stubbled, haggard and washed-out, but sturdy. Arms under her elbows now, sharing the strain.

"Shit," she hissed. "Good timing, Liam."

"Sorry I'm late."

He took one of the boy's legs and together they pushed through the fence into the reactor lot, where the wind ebbed slightly. CSM Akilota rushed to meet them, a sandbag over each shoulder.

"What are you doing with my body?" he shouted.

"The tent's gone," Mayhew answered.

Akilota gazed out at the fury of the beach, then dropped the bags and took one of the boy's arms. In moments they reached the forensics van. A gurney was already waiting. They fed his body on top then rolled it inside. Akilota slammed the door shut, leaving the four of them panting in the rain.

"Liam O'Connell," Sally gasped, gesturing. "DCI Mayhew, CSM Akilota."

Mayhew nodded gravely. Akilota looked shell-shocked.

"I thought the tent would hold," he said. "We staked it deep. That kind of a storm, we just–"

"It's Dungeness," Mayhew said. As if that answered everything. Akilota wilted.

Sally fought to get her breath back. Her legs felt ready to give out. O'Connell still held to her elbow, peering into her eyes with a concern she hadn't seen for months.

"You're bleeding, Sally," he said. "Your legs."

She looked down.

He was right. Below the knee, her calves were a welter of cuts and blood. "It's fine."

"Let's get you to that ambulance," he said, pointing. "Now."

She nodded but focused on Mayhew.

"The wire was cut, DCI. Recently, no rust."

Mayhew twitched. "OK, so what?"

"So my next stop's Reginald Rook." She turned to Liam. "Or whoever owns the Crab Shack on the beach. Can you file a warrant, Liam, for its CCTV footage?"

"Not a problem," he said. "Now come on, let's get you cleaned up."

Sally just grunted and hobbled toward the ambulance.

11 YOU LOST, SWEETHEART?