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In a matter of moments the helicopter was in the air and Flora watched as it swooped away from Glenmore towards the mainland.
Suddenly she realised how much her hands were shaking.
She stared down at herself. Her shorts were streaked with blood and Lily’s blood still pooled on the grey co
ncrete of the quay. ‘Someone get a bucket and slosh some water over this,’ she muttered to Jim, and he breathed a sigh and rubbed a hand over his face.
‘I haven’t seen anything like that in all my time on Glenmore.’
‘No. I suppose it was because the quay was so crowded. She must have been knocked off the edge and into the water.’
‘I didn’t mean that.’ Jim stared into the sky, watching as the helicopter shrank to a tiny dot in the distance. ‘I meant Conner MacNeil. He was in the water like an arrow while the rest of us were still working out what had happened. And he just got on with it, didn’t he?’
‘Yes.’ Flora cleared her throat. ‘He did.’
‘Logan says he was in the army.’ Jim pushed his hat back from his forehead and scratched. ‘I reckon if I was fighting in some godforsaken country, I’d feel better knowing he was around to pick up the pieces.’
‘Yes. He was amazing.’
‘He’s not cuddly, of course.’ Jim held up five fingers to a tourist who tentatively asked whether or not the ferry would be running. ‘Five minutes. But in a crisis which do you prefer? Cuddly or competent?’
Flora swallowed, knowing that Jim was right. Conner’s ice-cold assessment of the situation had been a huge part of the reason Lily was still alive. He hadn’t allowed emotion to cloud his judgement, whereas she…
Suddenly Flora felt depression wash over her. The whole situation had been awful and she was experienced enough to know that, despite Conner’s heroic efforts, Lily wasn’t out of danger. ‘I’d better go, Jim. I need to clean up.’
‘And I need to get this ferry to the mainland.’ Jim gave a wry smile and glanced at his watch. ‘It’s the first time the Glenmore ferry has been late since the service started. Nice job, Flora. Well done.’
But Flora knew that her part in the rescue had been minimal.
It had been Conner. All of it. He’d been the one to dive into the water. He’d pulled Lily out. And when she’d been frozen with panic at the sight of Lily’s lifeless form covered in all that blood, he’d worked with ruthless efficiency, showing no emotion but getting the job done. Nothing had distracted him. Not even Lily’s mother. He’d had a task to do and he’d done it.
CHAPTER SIX
SHE COULDN’T relax at home so she went back to the beach with her book and when it was too dark to read she just sat, listening to the hiss of the waves as they rushed forward onto the beach and then retreated.
She wanted to know how Lily was faring, but Conner wasn’t answering his mobile and she didn’t want to bother the hospital staff.
Shrieks of excitement came from the far corner of the beach where a group of teenagers had lit a fire and were having a beach party. Flora watched for a moment, knowing that she was too far away for them to see her. They weren’t supposed to light fires but they always did. This was Glenmore in the summer. She knew that sooner or later Nick Hillier, the policeman, would do one of his evening patrols and if they were still there, he’d move them on. Back home to their parents or the properties they rented for a few weeks every summer.
‘What’s a nice girl like you doing on a beach like this? It’s late. You should be home.’ The harsh, familiar male voice came from directly behind her and she gave a gasp of shock.
‘Conner? Where did you come from? I thought you’d still be on the mainland.’
‘Hitched a lift back on a boat.’
‘How’s Lily?’
‘Asking for her dolls.’
Flora felt a rush of relief and smiled. ‘That’s wonderful.’
‘If it’s wonderful, why such a long face?’ He sat down next to her and there was enough light for her to see the dark stains on his shirt and trousers. It was a vivid reminder of just what he’d achieved.
‘It would have been a very different outcome for Lily if you hadn’t been there.’
‘Someone else would have done it.’
‘No. No, they wouldn’t. And I was no use to you at all. I’m sorry. I was completely out of my depth. I’ve never seen anything like that before.’ Just the thought of Lily’s body, lifeless and covered with blood, made her feel sick.
