Nssm 200 - The Milieu Derivative Read online

  The engine fired. He jerked at the throttle and powered them forward, fearing there wasn’t time to evade the cumbersome wall of metal fast approaching. Matt took a deep breath as they scampered over the rising swell. He pulled at the throttle again … and they speared up into the dark.

  Heart settling back to an even rhythm he tried to shut out of his mind the narrowness of their close brush with certain death and glanced at Will’s subdued frame. Matt had to admit to being intrigued at the turn of events and thought of asking further questions of his friend. He decided against delving further, for the time being anyway.

  The harbour walls were teeming as they pulled alongside the wooden jetty. Matt put this down to the macabre fascination of people with bodies pulled from the sea and assumed word had got around. Then again the degree of interest exhibited by the seething mass suggested it wasn’t just death that pulled the crowds in. It was the fact a body had been found and he just happened to be in the area to discover it. Matt wished they’d landed in secrecy, unnoticed, for wherever a crowd amassed trouble was sure to inevitably follow.

  They clambered from the plane. Grace and Jenna were first to arrive backed up by Donna, his office administrator, and the emergency services. They stood in respectful silence while the body was transferred to the waiting ambulance, Will’s eyes unable to maintain contact on the corpse. Most people wouldn’t have noticed. Jenna had. She knew him better.

  “What’s wrong with Will?” asked Grace.

  “Nothing,” he said. “Why do you ask?”

  “Because if you tell me I might find out what’s on your mind at the moment,” she said.

  “One of these days you’ll cut yourself.”

  “He would have to be sharper than you.”

  The rich Guinness eyes offered the smile which warmed him inside, as it always did. Comforting was the nearest word to describe the effect it had on him, perhaps an odd word to use but one which always seemed to fit the bill. He took her hand and squeezed lightly.

  “A public display of affection,” she said. “Should I be worried about anything?”

  His returning half smile did little other than to arouse her curiosity. She was right of course, something did occupy his mind. This woman, Helen Nash, was on her way to the island to meet up with Will. He was sure of it.

  “One day your luck will desert you,” said Grace. “I wish you wouldn’t take such risks.”

  “It’s a one off. I promise.”

  His mind turned back to the dead woman. Nash had been assaulted to prevent her arrival, halt possible contact. Of that he was certain. He saw Jenna tug at her man’s arm and lead them to where Grace and Matt stood.

  “Does anyone know who the woman is?” she asked.

  Matt’s eye caught Will’s furtive glance into the distance.

  “New to town I suspect, probably a tourist,” he said. “I’ve never seen her before.”

  Again, his friend remained unusually quiet. Matt studied his watch and decided to change the subject.

  “I don’t know about you guys but I’m feeling incredibly hungry right now.”

  “We’ll give it a miss,” said Will. “I need to change out of these,” he added, referring to his sodden clothes.

  “Yes, how come Will had to be the one who had to go into the water?” asked Jenna.

  “Long story,” replied Matt.

  He reached into his pocket and tossed the keys to the pick-up over to Will.

  “We’ll get a taxi.”

  His friend grabbed them appreciatively and ushered Jenna towards the waiting vehicle.

  “Take the day off tomorrow,” said Matt. “Probably take that long for you to dry off.”

  A wisp of a smile appeared, for which Matt was relieved, and he hoped Will’s mood would lighten after a day’s rest. They turned to leave.

  “Not so fast, Durham,” said an instantly recognisable voice to halt them in their tracks.

  He looked to Grace and mouthed a mild obscenity, causing her face to break out into a warm smile. Another light squeeze of her hand and he was ready to face the inquisitor.

  “Officer Danbridge, such a pleasure.”

  “Where do you think you’re going?”

  “Food,” he said.

  “Not until you’ve answered some questions.”

  “What’s to say? We found her, recovered the body from the sea and returned. End of story.”

  Another shape loomed into view. Matt extended his hand to the blonde haired man and they shook firmly.

  “How’s it going, Dan?” he asked.

  “Detective Early to you, Durham,” said the woman.

  “What can I say?” said Dan Early. “Lions were trailing by three, two fifty four to play and it’s second and seven on the forty eight. Then I get the call. I’m pissed, real pissed.”

  “It went to overtime,” interrupted Jenna, hastily returning to the scene.

  “Christ. That makes it worse. I could still be watching.”

  “Enough,” snapped Danbridge. “Why is it when a dead body turns up on this island you happen to be in the vicinity, Durham?”

  “Some people are unlucky that way.”

  “And some people are hiding secrets.”

  It was almost worth yanking her pigtail.

  “Don’t you ever take a day off,” he said mockingly.

  “Not where you’re concerned. I’ll find out what you’re up to one day, Durham, and pin something that will stick.”

  The urge to yank the tail multiplied.

  “You know for a pretty girl you’re quite an ugly person,” he said.

  “That’s it,” she snapped, producing the cuffs.

  The figure of a man stepped between the two.

  “Why don’t you get off his back? You have no idea what this man has done for …”

  “Will, leave it,” interrupted Matt. “Marcie and I got off on the wrong foot a long time ago.”

  He turned his attention to her partner.

  “We risked our lives to try and rescue this woman, Dan. Isn’t that enough?”

  The temporary, uneasy, silence did not bode well. Early’s face broke into a subdued smile to lighten the mood.

  “Go and get your meal, Matt. We’ll talk later if necessary.”

  “Dan!”

  “Leave it, Marcie.”

  “He’s a witness.”

  “To an attempted rescue, that’s as much as we know.”

  “Thanks,” said Matt.

  The group dispersed, Matt taking Grace by the arm to walk leisurely up the ramped incline towards the town centre while their friends retreated to the pick-up.

  “I wish you wouldn’t antagonise her so much,” said Grace.

  “I try not to, I really do,” sighed Matt.

  “Try harder next time.”

  Chapter Three

  Planning