The Devil's Triangle (9 page)

‘Hello? Coastguard? That’s great! I’d like to report a missing boat . . . no, my son and his friend took it out from Summerland Key earlier today and they haven’t come back . . . yes, they’re overdue . . . No, just the two . . . Atlantic’ He placed his hand over the mouthpiece.

‘What time did they leave?’ he asked Niamh softly.

‘About ten,’ she replied.

‘About ten this morning,’ he repeated. ‘Well, they should never have taken the boat at all, but I would have expected them back by one at the latest . . . no, no, I don’t want to declare the boat stolen. Overdue is fine . . . Yes, it’s a thirty-one-foot Pursuit 3070. I’ll have to get back to you with the FL number. I can’t remember it off the top of my head. The tanks on the engines were only half full so . . . oh, wait a minute.’

Niamh was waving at him frantically and shaking her head. ‘Sam topped them up with the spare cans,’ she told him. ‘He said the tanks were nearly full before they left.’

Her father sighed. ‘Apparently, they’ve got virtually full tanks, which would give them a possible range of at least a couple of hundred miles . . . yes, that’s right. EPIRB, Digital Select Calling, six life jackets, two throwables – a ring and a cushion . . . that’s right, six day flares, six night flares, a VHF radio . . . thank you. I like to think I keep the boat well equipped . . . Well, that’s a relief! But I’d still appreciate . . . yes, I know, but . . . a bulletin? Are you sure that’s all you can do? How long overdue will they have to be before you start searching? . . . Yes, you can be sure I’ll keep you informed . . . thanks a lot. Goodbye.’

Niamh looked at her dad expectantly.

‘They’re going to send out a bulletin to their cutter crew telling them to keep an eye open for them,’ he said sourly.

‘That’s it?’

‘For the moment,’ he said. ‘But don’t worry, darling. They’ll do more. Trust me. On the positive side, they said they’ve not picked up any EPIRB signals today, so the boys are still afloat somewhere.’

‘Dad, I don’t know why, but knowing that doesn’t make me feel any better.’

‘We’ll find them, Niamh,’ he assured her. His voice sounded comforting, but Niamh could see fear and emptiness in his eyes. It was as if the life was draining from them. Was this how he had looked when Mum disappeared? He often had a haunted look about him when they came here on holiday, but she had never seen him look like this.

‘I’m going out to see if I can spot Mitch yet,’ he said. ‘I’ll start getting the fuel cans ready. Don’t worry. We’ll be out there and looking in no time.’

‘Wouldn’t it be better to go back to Geoff’s and take the seaplane up again? You’ll cover a much bigger area in that.’

‘Clever girl!’ he exclaimed, his eyes lighting up. ‘Why didn’t I think of that?’

‘Can I come too?’ she asked eagerly. ‘I don’t want to be left behind.’

As suddenly as it had brightened, the spark fizzled from Matthew Cutler’s expression. ‘I could see storms already brewing in the east as we came back from our jaunt earlier,’ he said. ‘Much as I love your idea, Niamh, I’m not sure Geoff will agree to it.’

‘If storms are forecast, then surely there’s all the more urgency,’ Niamh insisted. ‘If you can’t use the seaplane, then what about renting a light aircraft from the Summerland airstrip?’

Her dad’s expression became thoughtful. ‘I’ll try,’ he agreed reluctantly. ‘But it looks like a fairly extensive line of thunderstorms. I doubt they’ll be keen to let me take anything up given the forecast. We might actually do better in Mitch’s boat.’

‘Won’t it be rough?’

‘Most likely, but Mitch has a good boat. It’ll be fine.’

‘Plane or boat, I’m coming regardless.’

‘Are you sure? I thought you didn’t like going out on the boat when it’s rough.’

‘I’ll make an exception today,’ Niamh said, putting as much steel into her voice as she could muster. ‘I’m not going to be left behind.’

When he nodded his agreement, she felt a warm rush of relief. Moira was lovely, but the way she felt right now, Niamh wanted to be with her dad. As things stood, he was all the family she had left. She listened as Matthew phoned first his friend Geoff, and then the local airstrip. As he had predicted, neither was willing to let him go flying in their aircraft. Even as he hung up from the second phone call, Niamh heard the sound of Mr Mitchell’s boat approaching. She ran across to the back window just in time to see it ease alongside the mooring posts.

‘Mitch is back,’ Moira announced from the kitchen. ‘Let’s go give him a hand to dock.’

She crossed the living area to the sliding door that opened on to the pool deck and beckoned for Niamh to follow. She glanced at her dad. He nodded and followed on behind. They skirted the pool and watched as Moira responded to her husband’s directions.

Moira was very businesslike as she looped the ropes round the bollards, checking the fenders and giving her husband a hand up onto the deck. She was clearly very practised.

‘Hi there, Matt! Nice to see you, Niamh.’

‘Mitch’ Mitchell looked the epitome of a United States Air Force officer: sharp haircut, V-shaped torso, square jaw and bright eyes that shone with intelligence and humour.

‘Sorry I don’t have any news of your boys,’ he added. ‘Don’t know where they’ve disappeared to. There’s not many boats out there today, what with the approachin’ weather an’ all.’

‘It’s good of you to go looking, Mitch,’ Matthew responded, meeting his firm handshake with a strong grip of his own. ‘Much appreciated. Are you OK to go back out? I’m pretty anxious to find them.’

‘No problem. Top her up with gas, grab some eats to keep us fuelled up and we’ll be on our way in no time. Looks like it’s gonna get rough out there soon, though. Not sure it’s gonna be a good idea to get too far offshore. Any ideas on where the boys might have headed to?’

‘Not really,’ Matthew said with a shake of his head. ‘Niamh says they went out fishing. I suspect they’ll have gone pretty much straight out to the drop off, but after that . . . who knows?’

Niamh couldn’t voice her feeling that they were looking in vain. Deep inside her she could still feel a strange, hollow space that something of her brother had previously occupied. He felt terribly distant. Dead? No. Reaching into the depths of the void where the sense of her brother had normally been so strong, she could still feel a faint hint of his presence. She had a vague impression of him: scared, cold and tired, but alive and battling to stay that way. The feeling should have been an encouragement, but for some reason, it deepened her sense of panic.

Although her memories were sketchy, Niamh still remembered something of the days immediately after her mum had disappeared. Most of it was vague, but a few clear flashes remained, especially her dad telling her that ‘Mummy was lost’ and that ‘Lots of people are out looking for her’. She could hear the phrases and the intonation in her mind, but not how he had looked as he had said the words. Had his expression been as lost and empty as it was now? Did he already believe the boys to be the latest victims of the Devil’s Triangle? The thought sent chills running up and down her spine.

Callum might be absolutely fine of course. It seemed likely that he would still be with Sam. The last clear image she had seen through her link with Sam had been of Callum, but equally they could have become separated by now. Niamh had no way of knowing. Answers were out there somewhere, but her dad had been searching for clues about her mum’s disappearance for nine years. If this was any indication of what they were up against, finding her brother was unlikely to prove easy.

CHAPTER EIGHT

‘Geoff, you’re a star! I can’t thank you enough,’ Matthew Cutler said, his mouth curving into a broad smile. He gave Niamh an excited ‘thumbs up’ gesture. ‘Yes, I’ll be careful. Don’t worry. I won’t do anything silly. I’ll stay below the cloud base and head straight back to the field when the weather starts to close in. Thanks again. I owe you one.’

He ended the call and put the mobile into his pocket.

‘Change of plan, Mitch,’ he announced. ‘Geoff changed his mind. He says I can take up the Cherokee to do an aerial search. The water is going to be too rough for landing his seaplane this afternoon, but he said that I can fly his Cherokee so long as I land ahead of the storms.’

‘That’s great, Matt,’ Mitch replied. ‘I’m nearly good to go again. I should be headin’ out in about five minutes. We’d better coordinate. No sense in us both covering the same area. Which way shall I head?’

Matthew looked thoughtful for a moment.

‘Go out to the edge of the reef and turn southwest. I’ll go north-east,’ he said.

‘Sure thing. I’ll stay out as long as I can. Good luck.’

‘You too, Mitch. And thanks again. I really appreciate you helping out like this.’

‘You’re welcome, Matt. And try not to worry too much – the boys’ll be fine, OK? Now get goin’. I’ll be listenin’ out on Channel 16 for any news from the coastguard. If you need to get a message to me, you’ll have to relay through them. I don’t think the frequencies on my radio are gonna be any use for chattin’ directly.’

‘That’s fine, Mitch. I’ll relay if I have to. Niamh, why don’t you stay here with Moira? I know you want to come, but . . .’

‘I’m coming with you, Dad,’ Niamh said quickly, matching her father’s quick stride as he made to leave. ‘You’re not leaving me alone.’

‘Honey, I’d love to have you keep me company while the men are out,’ Moira offered quickly.

A fire ignited inside Niamh. She wanted to yell at them, but she bit her tongue. What was it with the adults? Did they think she was totally useless?

‘No offence, Mrs . . . Moira,’ Niamh replied, quick to correct herself. ‘But I’d really like to go with Dad and help look for Sam and Callum. If dad is flying the plane, then he won’t be able to give his full attention to looking out for them. I know I can’t do much, but I can be an extra pair of eyes.’

She looked her dad in the eyes. There was reluctance there for a moment, but it melted away in the face of her determined stare. He stepped towards her and gathered her into a hug. Having his arms round her had never felt better.

‘You’re right, Niamh,’ he said, planting a gentle kiss in her hair. ‘But you’re so much more than just a pair of eyes. I just want you to be safe, do you understand?’

‘And I want you to be safe too,’ she countered. ‘Which is why I need to come along. You won’t be tempted to do anything silly if I’m with you. Without Sam around, you’re all I’ve got, Dad. I don’t want to lose you too.’

‘She’s a feisty one, ain’t she, Matt?’ Moira observed.

‘She is that,’ he agreed. ‘Come on, Niamh. Let’s get going. Moira, you wouldn’t happen to have a set of binoculars that Niamh could borrow, would you?’

‘You know, I just might at that! You guys just hang fire for a minute and I’ll see if I can find ’em.’

‘Great! We’ll wait in the car, Moira.’

Despite her worries for Sam, Niamh could not help feeling a little excited about the prospect of going flying with her dad. Flying in a little aeroplane was nothing like flying in a 747 across the Atlantic. There was something more real about it. Flying on an airliner didn’t feel much different to riding in a train, or a bus, but flying in a light aircraft was unlike anything else she had ever done. Every bump on the runway and every slight shifting air current transmitted through the aircraft. It was like the difference between sailing in a dinghy and taking a trip on a massive cruise liner.

They jumped into the SUV and had barely strapped in before Moira was there with the binoculars.

‘Thanks, Moira,’ Matthew said, starting the engine. ‘We’ll see you later. Sorry if I was a bit abrupt earlier.’

‘No problem, Matt,’ she said. ‘Good luck and be careful.’

‘Always.’

They reversed off the drive and sped off up the narrow road towards the Overseas Highway. The airstrip was less than five minutes away and before she knew it, Niamh was out of the car again and running after her father towards the hangar.

‘Ned! Can you do me a favour?’ he called, catching sight of a man in blue overalls on the other side of the building.

‘Sure, Matt. Whaddaya want?’

‘Ring Miami and file me a VFR flight plan, would you? Sam’s gone out in my boat and not come back. I’m going to go and look for him in Geoff’s Cherokee.’

‘OK. One VFR flight plan coming up. How long are ya plannin‘ on headin‘ out for?’

‘About two hours should do it,’ Matthew said. ‘I doubt the weather will let me stay up for that long, but I’d rather overestimate.’

‘It’ll be in by the time you get her fired up,’ Ned promised. ‘Do ya know where Geoff keeps the keys?’

‘Yes, thanks.’

‘Fly safe.’

‘Thanks, Ned. See you in an hour or so.’

Niamh found she was almost running to keep up with her father as he made a beeline for a smart-looking aircraft to the right of the hangar, conveniently parked near the main door. It was mainly white, with two mustard-coloured stripes along the length of the fuselage – a thick one with a thinner one above it. Every surface of the machine shone as if it had been freshly polished.

‘The door’s open,’ her father told her as they approached. ‘You can take the right-hand seat today, but you’ll have to wait until I finish the preliminary checks and the walk round or I’ll have to climb over you to get in. I’m just going to pick up the keys.’