Part 32 (2/2)

The shot when it sounded was nize it for what it was, until I felt Suleio out of hihing and gasping for air, ater cascading froht of the fallen torch I saw Sherry North kneeling on the sand at the edge of the water She had the rifle still clutched in her bandaged hand and her face was pale and frightened

Beside me, Suleiman Dada floated face down in the shalloater, his half-naked body glistening blackly like a stranded porpoise I stood up sloater pouring fro and she stared at me, horrified hat she had done

”Oh God,”she whispered, ”I've killed hiasped ”That was the best day's work you've ever done,” and I staggered past her to where Chubby lay

He was trying to sit up, struggling feebly

”Take it easy, Chubby,” I snapped at him, and picked up the torch

There was fresh blood on his shi+rt and I unbuttoned it and pulled it open around the broad brown chest

It was low and left, but it was a lung hit I saw the bubbles frothing frounshot wounds to be so of an authority and I knew that this was a bad one

He watched runted ”It's not sore”

”Lovely,” I answered grimly ”Every tirinned crookedly, and I helped him to sit up The exit hole was clean and neat, the FN had been loaded with solid aer than the entry hole The bullet had not ainst bone

I found a pair of field dressings in the medical chest and bound up the wounds before I helped him into the boat Sherry had prepared one of the et Angelo,” he whispered I found the long heartbreaking canvas bundle where Chubby had dropped it, and I carried Angelo down and laid him in the bows

I shoved the whaleboat out until I aist-deep, then I scraines My one concern noas to get propercold run down the islands to St Mary's

Sherry sat beside, Chubby on the floorboards, doing what little she could for his cootiated the deep-water channel before turning southwards under a sky full of cold white stars, bearing oing for almost five hours when Sherry stood up from beside the blanketed form in the bottom of the boat and made her way back to me

”Chubby wants to talk to you,” she said quietly, and then impulsively she leaned forward and touched ers of her uninjured hand ”I think he is going, Harry” And I heard the desolation in her voice

I passed the con to her ”You see those two bright stars,” I showed her the pointers of the Southern Cross, ”steer straight for them,” and I went forward to where Chubby lay

For a while he did not seem to know me, and I knelt beside hi Then at last he becaht catch his eyes and he looked up at me, and I leaned closer so that our faces were only inches apart

”We took so to take a lot ot aboard noill be able to buy a really good boat You and I will be going for billfish again next season - that's for sure”

Then ere silent for a long tirope for mine and I took it and held it hard I could feel the callouses and the ancient line burns fro heavy fish

”Harry,” his voice was so faint I could just hear it over the sound of theto tell you so I never told you before I love you, man,” he whispered ”I love you better than my own brother”

”I love you too, Chubby,” I said, and for a little longer his grip was strong again, and then it relaxed I sat on beside hi horny paw turned cold in an to pale the sky above the dark and brooding sea

During the next three weeks, Sherry and I seldoether to stand aardly in the graveyard while they buried our friends, and once I drove alone to the fort and spent two hours with President Godfrey Biddle and Inspector Wally Andrews but the rest of that time ere alone while the wounds healed

Our bodies healedas I dressed Sherry's hand, I noticed the pearly white seeds in the healing flesh of her fingertips and I realized that they were the nail roots regrowing She would have fingernails oncenarrow hands - I was thankful for that

They were not happy days, thefor Chubby and Angelo and both of us knew that the crisis of our relationshi+p was at hand I guessed what agonies of decision she ave her the quick flares of te silences - and her sudden disappearances fro deserted beaches orout on the headland of the bay

At last I knew that she was strong enough to face what lay ahead for both of us One evening I raised the subject of the treasure for the first time since our return to St Mary's

It lay now buried beneath the raised foundations of the shack

Sherry listened quietly as we sat together upon the veranda, drinking whisky and listening to the sound of the night surf upon the beach

”I want you to go ahead to ements for the arrival of the coffin Hire a car in Zarich and drive down to Basie I have arranged a room for you at the Red Ox Hotel there I have picked that hotel because they have an underground parking garage and I know the head porter there His nae a hearse to meet the plane You will play the part of the bereavedand bring the coffin down to Basie We will ed for er's head to his own preot it all worked out, haven't you?”

”I hope so” I poured another whisky ”My bank is Falle et Fils and the ive him my name and the number of s You e with M Challon for a private room to which we can invite dealers to view the head-” I went on explaining in detail the arrangements I had made, and she listened intently Now and then she asked a question but mostly she was silent, and at last I produced the air ticket and a thin sheaf of traveller's cheques to carry her through

”You have made the reservations already? she looked startled, and when I nodded she thumbed open the booklet of the air ticket ”When do I leave?”

”On the noon plane tomorrow”

”And ill you follow?”

”In the same plane as the coffin, three days later - on Friday I will coive you tieht was as tender and loving as it had ever been, but even so I sensed a deeperand farewell

In the dawn, the dolphins met us at the entrance of the bay, and we ro and then swam in slowly to the beach

I drove her out to the airport in the old pick-up For most of the ride she was silent and then she tried to tell , but she was confused and she did notever happens to us, well, Ilasts for-ever, does it-” ”Go on,” I said

”No, its nothing just that we should try to forgive each other - if anything does happen” That was all she would say, and at the airport barrier she kissedfor a second with both arms aboutaircraft She did not look back or wave as she cli ladder

I watched the aircraft climb swiftly and head out across the inshore channel for the mainland, then I drove slowly back to Turtle Bay

It was a lonely place without her, and that night as I lay alone under the mosquito net on the wide bed, I knew that the risk I was about to take was necessary Highly dangerous, but necessary I knew I must have her back here Without her, it would all be tasteless I a the other forces that governed her I must let her make the choice herself, but I must try to influence it with every play inI drove into St Mary's and after Fred coker and I had argued and consulted and passed money and promises back and forth, he opened the double doors to his warehouse and I drove the pick-up in beside the hearse We loaded one of his best coffins, teak with silvergilt handles, and red velvet-lined interior, into the back of the truck I covered it with a sheet of canvas and drove back to Turtle Bay When I had packed the coffin and screwed down the lid it weighed almost five hundred pounds

When it was dark, I drove back into town and it was al tiements I had just time for a quick drink and then I drove back to Turtle Bay to pack

At the noon of the next day, twenty-four hours earlier than I had arranged with Sherry North, I boarded the aircraft for the ht the BOAC connection onwards from Nairobi

There was no one to meet me at Zarich airport, for I was a full day early, and I passed quickly through custoration and went out into the vast arrivals hall

I checkedup the final loose threads ofat 120 the following day which suited le reservation, then I drifted over to the inquiries desk and waited until the pretty little blonde girl in the Swissair unifor explanation At first she was adaave her the old crinkled eyes and sued with it all - and giggled in anticipation

”You sure you'll be on duty tomorrow?” I asked anxiously ”Yes, Monsieur, don't worry, I will be here”

We parted as friends and I retrieved ht a cab to the Zorich Holiday Inn just down the road The same hotel where I had sweated out the survival of the Dutch policeo I ordered a drink, took a bath and then settled down in front of the television set It brought backday I sat at the airport cafe pretending to read a copy of the Fr the arrivals hall over the top of the page I had already checked h into the final departure lounge