‘Oh thank God,’ said Helen, her heart rate slowing, hand clutching her chest. ‘It’s you.’
Dee smiled. ‘Who else were you expecting?’
Helen managed a small, tight laugh. ‘I don’t know. It’s just … ’ She looked round, gestured at the piled-up boats. ‘You know. Scary. Never know who could be hanging around in there.’
Dee’s smile didn’t waver. ‘You’re right. You don’t.’
Helen gave another laugh, stood there regaining her breath. ‘So,’ she said, ‘are we off?’
‘Have you got everything you need?’
Helen pointed to her suitcase. ‘Everything in here. For now.’
‘You didn’t tell anyone that you were coming here, that you were meeting me?’
‘No. I told you I wouldn’t.’
‘And you weren’t followed?’
A mental image of the two police officers flashed briefly into her head. She discounted it. No. There had been no one following her. She had checked. ‘No. Just me.’
‘Good.’
‘Have you got … ’ Helen paused, not wanting to appear mercenary, ‘the money?’
‘Everything’s sorted,’ Dee said. Then she nodded, as if deep in thought, as if reaching a conclusion about something. ‘Yes. Everything’s sorted.’
Helen smiled. ‘Great. Let’s go.’
Dee placed a hand on Helen’s arm. There was power in the grip. Heavy restraint.
‘Ow, that hurt. What are you … ?’
Helen’s sentence remained unfinished. Behind Dee, from further in the piles of stacked boats, a shadow detached itself. A huge shadow. It came slowly towards Helen, appeared in the street light. It was a man, one of the biggest she had ever seen. Hulking, grey-skinned. Arms wrapped in dirty, bloodied bandages. His eyes caught the light. Glittered, dancing to a demented tune Helen hoped she would never hear.
He moved slowly towards her.
‘You’re right,’ said Dee, cruel laughter undercutting her words. ‘You never know who’s hanging around in here … ’