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“I appreciate your help, Faith. Let’s get going.” I reach down from the chopper to help her up.
“Wait! Wait for me.” Beth bursts through the door, Aaron close on her heels. He’s also carrying a bag.
The pair dash across the courtyard and duck beneath the whirring rotors. Beth’s holdall lands next to Ruth’s, and her husband hoists her up into the helicopter.
“Better late than never.” Faith mutters the words before flinging her arms round her daughter. “I’m glad you’re here, love.”
By the bewildered expression on her face, I’m pretty sure this is not a sentiment shared by Beth, but I’m not arguing. Neither am I giving her time to reconsider.
“Go, Magda,” I yell over the rising engine noise.
Our pilot appreciates the urgency as well as anyone. We’re airborne in moments and heading east towards the Scottish mainland. For what seems the first time since I woke up this morning, I let myself relax.
I might just manage to make this work.
We’re over Oban when my phone rings. I check the caller ID. Tony.
“Yeah?”
“Boss? Bad news.”
“What?”
“The girl’s gone. Escaped.”
CHAPTER16
Tony
Jenna is asleep.Again.
I sit in silence beside her bed, counting her bruises and watching her breathe. I haven’t asked her about this Gregory character, and I don’t intend to. I have a sense she won’t want to tell me, and there’s no way I’m getting heavy with her over it. I don’t have to. I can simply rock up at the Hope and Anchor and find out for myself. So, that’s my plan.
On the other side of the room, Megan moves round quietly. Her calm demeanour is doing more for my state of mind than any words of reassurance could. She’s not worried about Jenna, so I don’t need to be.
“Fancy something to eat?” she asks, her voice low so as not to disturb the patient.
My stomach growls. She takes that as answer enough. “A sandwich?”
“Thanks.”
She leaves to see what she can rustle up from the kitchen, and I settle back and prop my feet on the edge of the bed. This is always the worst part.
A few minutes pass. Suddenly, the door is flung open, and Megan dashes back in. She ignores me, and Jenna, too busy rushing about gathering up her medical bag and other bits and pieces. She flings her stethoscope around her neck and makes for the door again.
“Hey? What’s happened?”
She pauses, halfway out of the door already. “The girl Jack has locked up had an accident. Scalded herself. I need to get back there…”
I shrug. “Fine.” I know Jack has a soft spot for his prisoner. I can’t see any good coming from it, but he definitely won’t want her hurt.
Megan leaves. Her footsteps fade as she runs down to the first floor, and I return to my vigil.
My resumed peace is shattered again. Megan’s back, red-faced from running. “She got out. She’s gone!”
Jesus! Fuck!
I hit the alarm button fitted into the fireplace, a precaution installed in all the apartments a few years ago. “Megan, can you stay with Jenna? I need to—”
