Tris is holding a walkie-talkie in the air with a smug look on his face.
‘What’s going on?’ I ask, trying to keep the nerves from showing in my voice.
The smile drops from his mouth. ‘Nothing. It was a joke,’ he says, moving a step closer. I match this by taking a step away. He looks beyond me at the shed and back again. A shiver runs through me, not from the cold air but from the detached look in his eyes.
‘You and Zoe – I don’t care what’s going on between you two,’ I say. ‘It’s none of my business. I don’t even care that you’re here. All I want is to rescue Andrea.’ I hoist the coil of rope on to my shoulder. ‘You understand, don’t you?’
He nods. ‘I do. Of course I understand. Look, Joanne asked me to come up here. She gave me the walkie-talkie and said I was to pretend to be the park ranger if anyone made the call.’
‘Why? Why would she ask you to do that?’
‘She said it was a joke. She was going to play a trick on you all. I didn’t know what she had planned. She told me I didn’t need to know, my job was to come up here with my walkie-talkie at the ready and not to overreact to anything that was said. When you said there’d been a death … fuck, I thought it was all part of the game.’
Something about Tris’s story isn’t sitting right with me. It doesn’t make sense. Then again, I don’t know what Joanne had planned for us. Do I trust Tris, or do I go with my gut instinct? Countless thoughts jostle their way to the front of my mind, each demanding attention, but before I can settle on an answer, it’s barged away by another.
Tris and Zoe are having an affair. That I’m sure about, but I don’t know what the implications are. Did Joanne really ask Tris up here, or has he come because of Zoe? And why is Zoe telling me to get help? Something’s wrong, it must be. Why else would Zoe be too scared to speak out loud?
Tris’s eyes flick towards the rope on my shoulder and the noose which dangles near my knees.
‘You’re not going to do anything stupid with that rope, are you?’ he asks.
‘What?’
‘I couldn’t bear it if … well, you know … what happened to Darren … Joanne didn’t tell you that story about mothers sacrificing themselves up in the woods, did she?’
My stomach lurches as I get what he’s implying. Does he think I’m going to take my own life? The next thought knocks the air from my lungs. My natural reaction is to dismiss it, but I can’t. Has Tris his own agenda in all this? Every fibre in my body is on high alert.
‘I don’t know what’s going on here, Tris,’ I say, surprising myself at how calm I sound when, inwardly, the panic is building. ‘But I need to help Andrea. Whatever game you think Joanne was playing, it’s over now. This is no game. This is serious.’
I take a few seconds to contemplate my next move. I need the rope to rescue Andrea but it’s heavy and I won’t be able to out-run Tris if I’m weighed down. He’s pretty fit from all the 10K running he does, but I think I might stand a chance of beating him over cross-country terrain. He’s used to the flat even surface of the road. If I can get a good head start, I might be able to do it.
In the next second, I can barely believe I’m thinking like this. It seems so surreal. Tris is scaring me. I think of Zoe in the croft. I’m uncertain where her loyalties lie. From what I saw earlier, I don’t think she’s in any danger from Tris, but with her ankle injury, there’s no way I can take her with me. It’s down to me and me alone to get help.
‘Carys, you look terrified,’ says Tris. He stretches out a hand to me. ‘Don’t be silly. You don’t have to be frightened of me. I’m here to help you all.’
I take a step away. ‘Why are you here? Was it to see Joanne, or to see Zoe?’
‘I told you, Joanne asked me to come.’
‘When did you see Joanne?’
‘Carys, I don’t know what all this is about—’
‘When did you last see Joanne?’ I insist.
‘Wait a minute … are you asking what I think you are?’ Tris gives a small laugh of disbelief. ‘No. You can’t be. You’re not seriously asking me if I had anything to do with Joanne’s accident, are you?’
I glance towards the shed. ‘You’re having an affair with Zoe,’ I blurt out.
‘That doesn’t make me a murderer. Besides, Joanne fell. It was an accident.’
‘You seem very sure about that.’
‘I would never hurt Joanne. You’re not thinking straight, Carys. It’s OK, I understand, or at least I have some idea. I remember how difficult it was for you, finding Darren dead. So finding Joanne like that was bound to mess with your mind.’
‘That’s a cheap shot,’ I snap. ‘Anyone who finds their husband hanging is going to have a hard time dealing with it, but that doesn’t mean I’m unstable now.’
‘I didn’t say unstable, I meant you would find this sort of thing particularly difficult. It’s no wonder it’s clouded your judgement. For Christ sake, I’ve lost my wife – whatever is go-ing on between me and Zoe doesn’t dilute that in the slightest.’
I almost believe him. Almost. ‘I need to go,’ I say, but still I hesitate, debating whether to sidestep Tris and run straight out of here. Will he let me? Can I take the risk?
But Tris isn’t ready to end the conversation. As if anticipating my next move, he positions himself so he’s blocking my path. ‘From what I can tell, you had the motive,’ he says. ‘You know Joanne was pissed off with all of you. Andrea for the business deal. Zoe for having an affair with me, and you for what happened between Ruby and Darren.’
‘Nothing happened.’
‘That’s academic now. What matters is that Joanne believed it.’
‘I don’t understand where all this has come from. We sorted it out between us. You and Joanne agreed it was nothing more than a teenage crush. A student smitten with her tutor. It happens.’
‘Joanne said she had a surprise for you. She never told me what it was, but I got the impression she had recently found out something about you.’
‘Like what?’
‘I don’t know. She didn’t want to say.’ He runs his hand through his hair. ‘You know Ruby was devastated by what happened. Imagine how it must have felt for Joanne and me as parents, left wondering if their daughter had been seduced by her tutor, a man she thought she could trust? She was utterly heartbroken when he killed himself. And then, the final icing on the cake, your son and our daughter start to get closer and closer. Now she’s got a thing for the son of the man who did this to her! Imagine how we felt when she told us. It’s totally mind-fucking, Carys. Surely you can see that.’
Tris has a point. It’s been hard for us all to get our heads around the fallout from one teenage girl’s crush on an older man. I avoid eye contact with Tris, not wanting him to see the truth in my eyes.
‘I don’t know what to say.’ I feel the weight of the past two years bear down heavy on my shoulders. Darren had promised me it was nothing more than a teenager with a crush and I had believed him then.
I had believed him then.
I glance up at Tris and meet his gaze, which momentarily paralyses me. He tilts his head to one side. ‘What is it, Carys?’
I blink. I can’t face my own thoughts. It’s too much to bear. I need to get away. If Tris knows what I’m thinking …
The neuro pathways in my mind are numb as I try to push a command through to my feet. Run! Run! I can hear myself screaming in my head. Get away! Now!
Without warning, my body explodes into action, absorbing all the instructions at once.
I hadn’t noticed Tris move closer. An error on my part, but there is still sufficient distance between us, which allows me to swing my body to the side and avoid contact. However, he catches hold of the rope on my shoulder and yanks at it. The force drags me off balance and I stumble, almost colliding with Tris. The rope drops to the ground and I must make a split-second decision. Pick up the rope and risk being caught, or try to out-run him.
I opt for the latter and sprint across the garden. The run to the croft has already warmed my calf muscles, so I hurtle up the incline towards the forest beyond. If I can get in amongst the trees, there’s a chance I’ll lose him.
The sound of his feet thundering on the ground behind me spurs me on. Every so often, he gives a grunt as we both leap, stumble and dodge the rabbit holes and dips in the ground. I don’t know how close he is, but he’s too close. I lean forward and with every ounce of energy and determination, I push myself harder. One last effort and I’m at the top of the hill, the grass and rock petering out as I charge into the forest.
I’m aware my bright-yellow jacket isn’t helping to camouflage me, but taking it off will slow me down and then I’d have to carry it, as it would be foolish to discard it in this environment. I don’t know how long I’m going to be out here in the wilderness.
‘Carys! Don’t be stupid,’ Tris calls. ‘Where are you going? Come back!’
My survival instinct kicks in as I sense I’m putting distance between myself and Tris. I veer off to the right in a bid to stay roughly parallel with the track. The trees are getting thicker and less daylight is breaking through the branches. I try to recall where Joanne had taken us on Friday when we had gone to the ancient clearing. I’m certain we had headed in a northerly direction, somewhere to my left.
I can no longer hear Tris’s feet hitting the ground behind me, nor his panting or groans as he struggles with the terrain. For the first time, I look over my shoulder. I’m relieved when I can’t see him.
I slow my pace to a jog, hoping to conserve my energy, and allow myself a more detailed look at my surroundings. There’s a glimpse of movement behind me. It must be Tris. I duck down behind a large rock and peer cautiously over the top, tracking him as he runs steadily in and out of the trees. He can’t have seen me. I’ve been lucky.
I watch as his pace slows and then he comes to a stop. He is about forty metres away from me. I hold my breath and crouch lower, keeping him in sight. He turns in a small circle, looking all around him. I duck completely out of view as he spins my way.
A few seconds later, I hear the crackle of the radio and Tris’s voice breaks through the still air of the forest.
‘Carys, I know you can hear me. Stop all this. It’s gone too far. We need to talk.’
Shit! The radio I’m holding is still on. I fumble with the handset to turn the volume down. Has he heard his own voice from the walkie-talkie? Very slowly, I take another peek over the rock.
He’s closer. Maybe thirty metres away. He must have heard.
I’m about to get up and make a run for it while I still have a reasonable head start, when I have an idea. I need to act fast. He’s getting closer and closer.
‘Caaaarrrys! I know where you are!’ He’s taunting me with a sing-song voice which reminds me of the child-catcher in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
I push the walkie-talkie into the pocket of my jacket and fasten the zip. From the ground, I select a small rock, the size of my fist. I have to dig my nails into the dirt to free it, but the ground is damp from all the rain and releases the stone without too much resistance. I try to make my breathing as quiet as possible as I wait for a pause in his calling.
‘Come on, Carys, come out. It’s no use hiding, sweetheart.’
And there it is. He’s stopped. I can’t hear his voice or any movement through the leaves and undergrowth. I take yet another sneaky look and good fortune is on my side. He has his back to me. As quick as I can, I throw the stone towards a clump of bigger rocks to his left.
As soon as the rock leaves my hand, I hide once more. I hear the rock hit the larger ones with a clonk and then bounce on to the forest floor with a noticeable thud.
‘Oh, Carys!’ His voice rings out. I hear his footfall as he runs through the undergrowth towards the cluster of rocks.
Slowly, keeping as low as possible, I retreat backwards, further and further away from my hiding spot. My nerves break and I can no longer control my survival instinct to flee. I turn and run as fast as I can into the forest.
I hear Tris shout my name but he’s further away now. This time there is no callous amusement, just pure anger at being duped.
I don’t know where I’m running. I am certainly not on any path, but weaving and zigzagging my way through the trees. I’m running so fast, I can’t stop myself as the ground dips violently and I half-fall down the side of a hill. My left shoulder whacks into the bough of a tree which makes me cry out in pain. Dirt and leaves scuff up as I tumble. I can’t stop myself and can only pray I don’t meet the same fate as Andrea or, worse, hit a tree head-on.
By some miracle, my path to the bottom is clear and I land in a stream, face down. I lift my head, spluttering, and spit water out. The stream isn’t deep but the bed is stone and I can taste blood in my mouth. I think I’ve bitten my lip on the way down.
I stay where I am, stunned and winded. Somehow I pull myself on to my hands and knees, then take a moment to catch my breath. Above me I can hear Tris’s voice calling my name. I don’t think he can see me. Bushes halfway up the embankment act as a shield.
Slowly and as quietly as possible, I crawl to the edge of the stream. Keeping low, I practically belly-crawl out of the water, the walkie-talkie digging into my hip every now and then. I unzip my jacket and slip my arms from the sleeves. I have a quick look at the walkie-talkie. It feels dry, the waterproof outer layer of my jacket doing a good job at protecting it. I have no idea if it still works, but with Tris still too close for comfort I have no intention of putting it to the test. I push the handset into the pocket and zip it up again.
Trying to make as few and as quiet movements as possible, I turn the jacket inside out. The black fleece lining now on display will offer much more camouflage than the fluorescent yellow.
I’m not sure how long I have been lying here, squeezed up against the cold bank, but my toes are starting to go numb and my fingers are taking on a yellowy-white tinge. In fact, my whole body is damp and cold, my core temperature dropping fast after all that exertion. The last thing I need is to develop hypothermia. I must move.
I listen carefully but can’t hear anything other than the wind rustling the leaves on the trees like tissue paper being scrunched up.
Making no sudden movements, I turn and peer up at the bank. I move from the sheltered position and take a cautious look around. There is nothing to make me believe Tris is still there.
I have no choice but to make a break for it now.