Meanwhile, Neil and Earl hoist the limb deer onto the bed they just made and grab a few willow vines to tie it down.
“The deer is ready. Now, your turn.” melody says gently, to her patient. He leans against the tree, uses the branch to balance and gets up to his feet, groaning. “There, you did it. I’ll help you walk so you don’t put too much pressure on your leg. And when we get back, I’ll have more supplies so I can take a better look at it.”
Josh walks around the area a few times and when Melody approves, the two able men grab their prized dinner and Melody helps Josh limp all the way back to the cabin.
When they get back, Neil and Earl prepare the deer, while Melody attends to Josh. He needs immediate medical attention, he lost a lot of blood before they got to him, so Melody suspends his leg in the air with coat hangers, a curtain rod and rubber bands, so less blood is sent to his leg. With very few medical supplies, she has to be creative.
She takes her personal first aid kit out of her backpack and cleans out the wound. Then, she pops a couple of painkillers in his mouth, forms a sock ball, bundles it up and gives it to him to bite on. She takes out her sewing kit and stitches the muscle shut again.
Before dinner is ready, Josh’s leg is sealed again and he is on bed rest.
“I don’t know how we can thank you, Miss Winter, we could have lost poor Josh if you hadn’t been there to stitch him up.” Neil says, serving her a helping of deer stew.
Melody looks at it, wondering if her belly can stomach it this time. It is the first time that she has seen the entire process of bringing her meat to her plate and it was revelatory for Melody. “Well, maybe you can help me with something.” Melody now goes in for the kill, figuratively.
“Name it.”
“I’d really like to go back to the island.”
“Miss Winter, we already told you that it’s not safe for you to go back. That’s why you are here.”
“Look, I am grateful for everything you have done to protect me. Really. But I miss my family. I think it’s time I went to see them.” Melody says, with sadness in her eyes.
Neil’s heart is touched, but he will not budge. “We were given one job, Miss Winter, to protect you. We can’t ensure that if you are at Talon’s Point.” Neil pleads, hoping she will see sense in his reasoning.
“I’ll go straight to the plane and leave.”
“Absolutely not. You said that last time and you didn’t. It’s too dangerous a risk for us to take.”
“But Josh needs medical care. You need to take him in to make sure he does not have an infection.”
“Certainly. And we can take him in, while you remain behind.”
Melody didn’t want to do this, but he left her no choice. She pulls out a note, it’s from her father. “Look, I saw this at the cottage. Just read the bottom. He was a sitting duck, waiting to be pounced on. No matter what you say, if the same people that came for Mr Sanders come after me, I am not safe here. Do you want to be responsible for the death of another person you failed to protect?” She goes for the jugular, hoping it will pay off.
Neil holds the final note from Sanders in his hands. His eyes water and he lets the tears run down his face along with his will power. “We wanted to help him,” he says, his voices breaking, “but we didn’t understand how dangerous his circumstances were.” They sit in silence as Neil contemplates her request and his regret of not helping Mr Sanders like he wanted to. “Fine. I’ll take you.”
“Thank you!” Melody exclaims, satisfied that her plan is working.
“But you must promise to go straight home, Miss Winter.” He says sternly, “We set sail at 0400 hours. We’ll arrive at 0500 hours and business will commence at 0600 hours on the dock. I will not risk you or we being seen. Do you understand?”
“Crystal.” Melody packs her bag and prepares to go back to the island.
At 0400 hours, they set sail. Melody sits on the port of the boat, silently taking in the view of the island for the last time. Her time on the island has been uncharacteristically memorable. She will miss the island, but she has no desire to return to it, definitely, not any time soon.
The men are stationed in their positions also. Josh mans the pressure gauges, downstairs, as the boat powers to life and Earl runs around checking the sails and giving the boat a final check before leaving the shore.
Neil stands at the helm, steering the boat off the coast. His boat is much sturdier and larger than Nell’s boat. When he is given the go-ahead, he takes off, maneuvering to Talon’s Point.
Now, it feels real. Melody wondered when she was stuck in the storm, how it would feel when she finally left the island and now she knows. She has regained power, she is free again and she is in control of her life.
Staring at the silent waters, quietly holding their breath to see what Melody will do next, she ponders with determination her promise to leave after arriving at Talon’s Point, but instead she means to confront Will Deacon about the murder of her father.
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Also by Laura Greene
Wild Cove Mystery Series
Murder At Wild Cove Book 1
Susan Dern is Missing Book 2
The Demise of Tom Hendry Book 3
The Past Life
