High Island Blues Read Free Page B

He’d not bothered going to see it.
    He’d been on the plane though, with Rob and Oliver. He’d escaped in the end.
    In the cab they hardly spoke. Oliver made a polite enquiry about Rob’s trip to the Middle East. Rob answered shortly then sat back in silence, not sulking exactly but not prepared to make small talk either. He was too tired. What he’d really like was to go on to the hotel bar, have a bit of a session with Oliver, cut through all that politeness and reserve. In the air-conditioned iciness of the hotel lobby he was about to suggest it, but two members of his tour group had been waiting for him. They accosted him immediately. Oliver gave him an amused wave and sauntered off.
    They were a couple, in their early sixties. They looked rather dowdy and out of place. Tiredness and anxiety had made the woman shrill and complaining.
    ‘Where have you been then?’ she demanded. She grabbed hold of Rob’s arm, as if she were afraid he would run away and leave them again to the mercy of strangers. Suddenly embarrassed she let it go.
    ‘I explained at the airport. I’d arranged to meet some friends for dinner.’ He gave her his professional smile, though looking beyond her he watched Oliver disappear into a lift.
    ‘Well really. I don’t think that’s on, do you Russ? Personally accompanied by expert staff, that’s what the brochure says. I didn’t fancy America anyway though Russ was keen when he got his early retirement. You see all those things on television. Riots and murders. I don’t know how any of them sleep in their beds at night …’
    She stopped abruptly. She had lost the point of her complaint. Her eyes were red and she looked exhausted. This would be a big trip for them. Perhaps they had never flown before. She’d probably not slept much in the week before leaving home.
    ‘Russ is the birdwatcher,’ she said. ‘I’m only here for the trip.’
    ‘We’ll have to make sure you enjoy it then,’ Rob said gently. ‘What’s the problem?’
    The problem was the shower tap in their bathroom. They couldn’t get it to work.
    ‘You could have asked the hotel staff,’ Rob said.
    ‘I know, but I didn’t like to. I’d have felt such a fool.’ She was quite sheepish now, saw that she’d blown the thing out of all proportion, was prepared to laugh at herself.
    He went with them to their room and showed them how to turn on the shower, watched their amazement at the power of the water jet.
    ‘It’s how the American’s like it,’ he said.
    ‘Is it?’ she said. ‘Well, I can’t say I’m surprised.’
    ‘I’ll see you at breakfast then,’ he said.
    ‘You will be at breakfast?’ Her anxiety returned.
    ‘Of course. Then the bus will take us to High Island.’
    ‘I’m sorry,’ she said, ‘ that I lost my temper.’
    ‘That’s all right,’ he replied, smiling again. Some people thought West Country Wildlife Tours only kept him on because he could charm the old ladies.
    ‘It’s just that it means a lot to us, this trip. We’ve been waiting a long time for it,’ she finished.

Chapter Three
    Mick and Laurie Brownscombe lived very much like their neighbours. They had a large house set away from a wide road. There was a pool in the back garden and a garage with automatic doors and room enough for an Explorer and a little Toyota. None of this was considered excessive. Laurie might once have dropped out of school and made her living in ways she wouldn’t want her kids to know about but now she was a regular mom in a regular neighbourhood. On the surface at least.
    ‘Are you sure this is a good idea?’ Mick said. He waited for Laurie to lock the house and set the alarm.
    ‘Sure,’ she said.
    ‘What about the kids?’
    ‘I’ve told you. The kids’ll be fine. It’s all arranged.’
    She waited for him to get into the driver’s seat of the Explorer. Two women in shorts, wearing towelling sweat-bands, walked down the street, arms swinging. Mick was distracted for a moment. It