Part 8 (1/2)
Johnny checked the grub box, and they cli?”Tracey asked
”Inspect the watchtowers along the sandspit”
”Watchtowers?”
”We've put up a line of fifty-foot wooden towers along the beach Frofisher when she is working offshore By radio ill be able at any tiive her the exact position over the bottom to within a few feet, as a check to the computer”
”My, you are clever” Tracey fluttered her eyelashes at him in mock admiration
”Silly wench,” said Johnny, and let out the clutch He swung down past the radio shack on to the hard wet sand at the edge of the lagoon; accelerating he hit second then third and they went away around the curve of the lagoon, headed towards the great yelloind-carved dunes that lined the coast
Tracey stood up on her seat, clutching the edge of the windscreen, and the wind snatched at her hair She pulled the retaining thong fro that snapped and snaked behind her
”Look! Look!” she cried as the flocks of startled fla white and pink and black over the glossy silver water
Johnny laughed with her, and swung the Land-Rover towards the dunes
”Hold on!” he shouted, and she clung to the Windscreen, shrieking in delicious terror as they flew up the steep side of a dune, spinning a cloud of sand from the rear wheels and then dropped over the crest in a sto swoop
They crossed the sandspit and hit the beach, racing along it, playing tag with the waves that shot up the sand
Five hwater mark and they ate cold chicken and drank a bottle of chilled white wine sitting side by side in the sand, leaning against the seat cushi+ons froe of the sea to wash the chicken grease froers
”Yipes! It's cold” Tracey scooped a double handful of sea water
Then she looked at Johnny and her expression becah The icy water hit hiasped
”War!” It was their childhood cry
Tracey whirled and went off long-legged along the beach, with Johnny pounding after her She sensed hi on her, and shouted
”It was a mistake! I didn't rip her shoulder, she jinked and ran knee-deep into the sea
Turning at bay to face hi defrance and laughter
”All right, co spray, he reached her and picked her up kicking and struggling and waded out waist deep
”No, no - please Johnny I give in - I'll do anything” At that er than the others, knocked Johnny's legs out from under him
They went under, and were rolled up the beach, to stagger out, cohter
They stood beside the Land-Rover trying to wring the water out of their clothing
”Oh, you beast!” sobbed Tracey through her laughter Her hair was a soddenin her eyelashes like dew
Johnny took her in his ar
She went loose against his chest, her eyes tightly closed and her lips, salty with sea water, opened against his
The radio telephone in the Land-Rover beside the its little red warning light
They drew apart slowly, reluctantly, and stared at each other with dazed, bemused eyes
Johnny reached the Land-Rover, unhooked the microphone and lifted it to his lips
”Yes?” his voice cracked He cleared his throat and repeated
”Yes?” The foreh the speaker
”Mr Lance, I'm sorry to have ” he was clearly about to finish interrupted you” But he stopped abruptly, and began again ”It's just that I think you should knoe've had a gale warning Northerly gale building up quickly If you want to get back to Cape Town You had better get airborne before it hits us - otherwise you could be shut in for days”
”Thanks We'll be back right away” He hung up, and Tracey s
”And a da too!” Tracey's hair was still darey trousers were also borrowed, rolled up to show her bare feet
She sat very quietly and thoughtfully in the passenger seat of the Beechcraft Far below the vessel lay with a white cloud of seabirds hovering over it, and she watched it with exaggerated attention There was a heavy feeling of restraint between theer meet each other's eyes
”Pilchard trawler”Johnny noticed her gaze
”Yes,” said Tracey, and they were silent again
”Nothing happened”Johnny spoke again gruffly
”No,” she agreed ”Nothing happened” Then shyly she reached out and took his hand Lightly she rubbed the stuer
”Still friends?” she asked
”Still friends” He grinned at her with relief, and they flew on towards Cape Town
Hugo Kra easily against the roll and pitch of the bridge
”Police patrol?” asked the o replied without lowering the glasses ”Red and white twin Beechcraft Registration ZS - PTB Private aircraft, probably one of the dialasses, and crossed to the wing of the bridge ”Anye are well outside territorial waters”
pope The drone of the aircraft engine faded away, and Hugo transferred his attention to the frantic activity on the deck below him