Another boom carried to her as the shotgun discharged for a second time only now, powerless to move and unable to see, all she could do was listen. Her concern for Janssen grew. The armed response officers would be on their way. Her mind churned over the possibilities. Were they where Janssen had agreed and if so, how long would it take for them to approach? If Janssen was overpowered by his assailant, would the support arrive before Mark and herself became his next victims? Thoughts of self-preservation flashed through her mind. She was defenceless at the mercy of a killer. Mark was right. Whoever he lured here killed Holly and was more than willing to silence Mark along with anyone else who stood in his path. Releasing her grip and allowing the boy to fall to his death was the only way she stood a chance. Retreating into the relative safety of the fog the only advantage she had.
Mark must sense it. He must know. The expression on his face told her that. Clenching her teeth, she mustered every ounce of energy she could and channelled her efforts into pulling him back up and to safety. The exertion brought sharp pain to her arms and quickly she realised it was futile. If ever she had the required strength, now it escaped her. All she could do was hold on. The two of them locked in situ, her grip being the difference between life and death. Where were the uniforms? They should be here by now. Where was Tom?
Chapter Thirty-Six
Moments passed that felt like minutes but could only have been a matter of seconds. Her grip was loosening, Mark slipping further away from her. In her mind she tightened her grip but, in reality, she had nothing further to give and an involuntary thought to let go came to her, the physical relief that action would bring was inviting. Digging in, she focussed on Mark… on keeping him alive. Then a shape formed in the gloom, morphing into a figure that came towards her at speed. One arm pointed down, appearing out of proportion to the other. Realising it was the shotgun, Tamara’s heart thundered inside her chest both through fear and anticipation. Tom Janssen materialised out of the fog casting the weapon to the side of her and, dropping to his knees and reaching past her with his massive hands took a hold of the stricken youth. Together, and with a monumental effort on her part, they hauled him up and back over the edge to safety. The three of them collapsed to the ground.
Tamara’s arms felt light. The release of the muscles was a relief but the strain on her body left her breathless. Mark lay beside her, curled up into the foetal position. She realised he was crying. Placing a comforting hand on his upper arm she rubbed it gently, looking to Janssen who was up on his haunches, hands resting flat on his thighs and breathing hard. He was sweating, looking pained and relieved in equal measure.
“We’ve got him,” Janssen declared, running a hand through his hair and answering the question before she managed to ask. “Colin Bettany is in custody.”
In her mind the pieces came together all at once. She wasn’t surprised. Everything made sense. Two constables in high-visibility jackets came into view and she encouraged Mark to sit up. He was in a state of shock and they needed to get him checked out. Whatever his plans were for this encounter it was fair to say they probably didn’t work out as he intended. Janssen stood and helped both her and Mark to their feet. The teenager wiped his eyes with the back of his sleeve, his gaze settling on Tamara as he cleared them.
“Can I have Holly’s mobile now, please? You took it from her when you found her body, didn’t you?” She took great care to ensure no hostility carried in her tone. The boy had been through quite an ordeal, facing death on two occasions at the hands of Colin Bettany and Mother Nature. He reached into the pocket of his hoodie and brought out a mobile phone, passing it to her. His eyes lingered on the handset. It was a symbolic moment, almost like he was giving away the last piece of Holly he’d clung to since her death. “You found the tracking software Colin put on her phone, didn’t you?” Mark nodded.
“At school, Maddie told me how her dad turned up at the beach party, dragging her home. He always seemed to know where they were, Holly and her sister. I figured he came home that night and looked up where they were, realising they were up to something and came out looking.”
“But you didn’t see him that night.” Mark shook his head. “You and Holly had already left.”
“You lot never mentioned him turning up at the beach party. I knew either he must have kept it secret or… or there was something else going on. After what my dad said...”
“You were worried we were covering up for Colin and looking to pin it on you or your father?” she
