The Survivors, стр. 71
‘I really have no idea.’ Kieran met her gaze. ‘Although George Barlin reckons you might already know what was on them anyway.’
‘Does he now?’
‘Yes.’ Kieran nodded pointedly at the computer tablet she had been scrutinising. ‘He does.’
Pendlebury turned back to The Survivors. A cloud cleared overhead and the water sparkled again.
‘Has George Barlin been saying anything else, out of interest?’
Kieran remembered George outside the library the previous night, their conversation interrupted by Ash’s arrival. He frowned. ‘Like what?’
‘Anything. Just curious,’ Pendlebury said, and Kieran had the odd sense she was weighing something up.
He waited, but when she didn’t say any more, he looked towards the path. ‘I should get back. Mia’s waiting. You probably shouldn’t stay down here alone.’
Pendlebury nodded, and they turned and together began to walk across the sand.
‘Do you come down here much yourself?’ Pendlebury asked. ‘Think about your brother?’
‘Not really. I can think about him in other places.’
‘That’s true. Were you two close as siblings?’
‘Of course. He came out in a storm to save my life.’
Pendlebury looked at Kieran, again with that expression he couldn’t read, then glanced back out to where the Nautilus Blue bobbed on the gentle current.
‘Liam spends a bit of time out there, though, doesn’t he? Helping Sean with the business. They don’t find it hard after what happened to Toby?’
‘You’d have to ask them.’ Kieran shrugged. ‘Look, they probably do. But the wreck is where it is, so there’s not much they can do about that.’
‘And it seems you all enjoyed some good times down here as well once,’ Pendlebury said, as they approached the North Cave. Even from across the sand Kieran could make out the scratched letters in the rock and as they drew closer he could see his own name clearly. Finn’s was above it and Ash’s somewhere beyond that, he knew. Years later, still there, still perfectly visible. He felt a fresh burst of irritation at his younger self.
‘Marking territory, was it? Whose idea was this?’ Pendlebury walked right up to the cave entrance and ran her finger over the lettering.
‘We all did it. I can’t remember.’
It had been Finn’s idea. Stuff like that usually was. Kieran’s phone beeped in his pocket and he checked it. Mia.
‘I’m going back up,’ he said. ‘You should come too.’
Pendlebury didn’t say anything. She was staring deep into the cave, unmoving. Kieran followed her gaze and for a moment, less than that even, Kieran again had the uneasy sensation of something waiting in the dark, holding its breath. He realised his own lungs were tight and he exhaled. Pendlebury turned suddenly, and the feeling was gone. Kieran had no idea if she’d felt it too.
‘Don’t keep Mia waiting,’ she said. ‘I’ll be a few more minutes yet –’ She held up a hand before he could protest. ‘Literally, a few minutes. I’m not going exploring on my own, don’t worry.’
‘Are you sure?’
‘Absolutely. You go.’
She wanted to get rid of him, Kieran thought, as his phone rang this time.
‘All right,’ he said. ‘Be careful, though.’
‘Always,’ Pendlebury said with a smile. He could feel her watching as he trudged over the sand and started up the cliff path. As he neared the halfway point, just before the beach disappeared from view, he stopped and looked back.
Pendlebury had turned away from the caves. She was holding up her tablet once more, standing very still as she stared out at The Survivors.
Chapter 28
Kieran could tell something was different as soon as he unlocked the front door. He and Mia had dissected his conversation with Pendlebury all the way back down the cliff path, pausing only to give Shifty another pat on the head as they passed the cemetery gates. The Surf and Turf had looked close to empty as they walked by, so they had stopped and ordered two takeaway coffees from a waiter Kieran didn’t know.
Now, as Kieran used his free hand to push open the door to his parents’ place, it immediately felt odd. The door swung free and unimpeded, a shaft of daylight illuminating the hallway. Kieran’s footsteps rang out with a strange hollow echo as he walked inside. Mia was right behind him.
‘Oh,’ she breathed.
The hallway was completely clear.
Every sagging half-packed box was gone. Kieran could see the dust streaks where they had stood, and loose sand crunched under their shoes. He had grown used to the front door opening only three-quarters of the way, and to having to edge around a tower of cardboard every time he went in or out. Now, he walked straight through, his steps sounding too loud against the bare floorboards.
‘It’s the same in here,’ Mia said, and Kieran looked past her into the living room. The couch and coffee table were still there, but the small mountain of boxes that he had helped part-fill himself was gone. Brian was sitting in his armchair by the window. He had been gazing out, but lifted his head as he saw Kieran. He frowned as though trying to grasp a thought.
‘Are you all right, Dad?’ No reply. Kieran turned back to Mia. ‘What’s –?’
He stopped and they both turned as Verity came out of the kitchen, drying her hands on a tea towel. Her face was mottled pink and she had half-moon sweat stains under the arms of her t-shirt.
‘Oh,’ she said. ‘Hello. Good walk?’
Kieran stared at her. ‘Where are all the boxes?’
‘Some are in the other room. Some are stacked out on the back verandah.’
Kieran waited but she said no more, just folded the tea towel into a square. ‘For God’s sake, Mum,’ he said. ‘What are you doing?’
‘What does it look like? Getting organised.’ Verity went back into the kitchen and they followed her. She had started but not yet finished the process in there. ‘The clutter was getting ridiculous.’
‘You moved