AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Let’s get something to eat. The pub has great fish and chips.”
“Sure.”
Rhys put in our order and returned to the table. “What did the superintendent have to say?”
“Not much. They’re starting over with the case and will be questioning everyone again.”
“Probably not a bad idea,” he said.
“They’re going to question you again, too.”
He considered for a moment before speaking. “I have nothing to hide, Navy. Is this what’s upset you?”
“No.” I shook my head. “Maybe coming back was a mistake. I should have stayed in London.”
Owen came over with two plates of steaming battered fish, setting them down. The smell of grease and malt vinegar wafted in the air.
“It wasn’t a mistake,” Rhys said. “You’ll feel different tomorrow.”
We ate in silence. Rhys in huge gulps, shoveling in chips and fish together before he even had a chance to chew and me barely nibbling. I offered him mine when he finished. He refused at first, but when he saw I wasn’t going to eat it, he polished it off in minutes.
When we stepped outside, dark gray clouds covered the sky, blocking the sun, and a biting wind picked up. The storm Rhys mentioned earlier was upon us. I grabbed my jacket, and he handed me a woolen beanie, slipping it over my black hair and pulling it down over my ears. “It will be cold near the water,” he said, grabbing a blanket.
We quickly made our way down the trail to the water’s edge. Large waves crashed to the shore, bigger than any I had seen before. I sat on my rock, wrapping the blanket around my shoulders as Rhys stripped down to his underwear and grabbed his surfboard, making his way into the freezing surf.
He dove under waves with his board, avoiding the turbulent, foamy white breakers until he was far enough out and nothing more than a small cork bobbing along the ocean’s top. I sat and watched, shivering and wondering how on earth he could stay warm.
The sky darkened even more. I went over to the shack and looked inside, grabbing a flashlight in case the storm hit sooner than expected.
A loud howl came from the woods behind me, causing my hair to stand on my arms, and I jerked around. Something was wrong. It came again, pitiful and wretched. It sounded like an injured animal. I followed the hideous screeching until I came to the old mine. Off in the tree line lay another bull, mutilated and deflated. I knelt down beside it and placed my hand on its hide. It was still warm. There was a movement in the trees. Whatever or whoever did this to the animal was still out there. I looked around for a place to hide. The board covering the mine had been pushed to the side. I rushed over to it and turned on the flashlight, shining the light down the dark passage. I didn’t see anything.
The rustling got closer.
I didn’t have time to run.
Sitting down on the edge, I dropped my legs over. The shaft didn’t descend straight down but angled at a severe slope. Someone had attached a rope to a metal stake at the entrance. I grabbed the rope and slowly slid down on my butt. The farther I went, the darker it became. The flashlight was tucked under my arm. I stopped and held it, illuminating the space before me. I could make out the bottom. My clothes were slick with mud. Inch by inch, I continued to plunge into the abyss until my feet touched the ground. I stood up and looked around, awestruck. Stacks of gold bars lined the walls in row upon row. In the center was a clear lake. I walked around, staring in disbelief.
What in the hell was this place?
And then I saw, pushed into a corner.
A light blue backpack.
I hurried over to and unzipped the top, my hands shaking. Inside, I pulled out a worn leather journal. I opened the cover, and there on the first page, written in script, was a name.
Bryn Lloyd.
ChapterNineteen
RHYS
Ilost track of Navy on my fifth wave. One minute, she was sitting on the rocks, and the next, she was gone.
The waves were intense as the storm made its way to shore, and timing my way in would be tricky. Waves came in sets, and I patiently waited for the pattern to repeat itself, aiming for one to take me to shore without landing me flat on my back. Two more, and it should be all right. I moved to my stomach and waited patiently as I scanned the shore. I still could not see her. When the third wave came, I started to paddle until it hit the perfect slope for my board to catch it. Then I jumped into a standing position, riding it to the shore. Running out of the water, I called her name. “Navy, Navy,” I shouted into the wind.
Bloody hell.
I told her not to wander off.
