The Hike(23)

Cat took Ginny’s hand, and she was grateful. A small symbol of solidarity, despite all the bickering. ‘If it’s another hiker, why wouldn’t they just come out of the trees and walk the path with us,’ Cat said, squeezing Ginny’s hand harder. ‘Why would anyone be skulking around here, trying to scare us? There’s no one there. Like Ginny said . . . let’s just go?’

‘The girls are right,’ Tristan said. ‘Let’s get a move on, shall we?’

‘Maybe there’s another route?’ Ginny squeezed Cat’s hand back.

‘Or maybe whoever it was got disorientated. Aren’t we overreacting a bit here?’ Paul started walking towards the trees. ‘Hello? Anyone there?’

Ginny held her breath. There was no sound coming from the thicket anymore. The rustling had stopped. ‘Maybe . . . maybe we imagined it.’ She tried to laugh but it sounded forced. ‘I think we’re all just far too tired . . .’

Cat let go of her hand and walked across to Paul, who’d stopped some way from the trees. He might be a pain in the arse, but Ginny was glad he hadn’t ventured any further. It was probably nothing. She must’ve imagined seeing the eyes. The light playing tricks on her.

But she was sure she hadn’t imagined the flash of a reflective stripe on a bright-red jacket. And she was pretty sure that, despite her protestations, Cat had seen it too.





Seventeen

SATURDAY, EARLY EVENING

Cat tried to pull Paul back from the trees, but now it was his turn to shrug off her touch. He looked furious. ‘This is getting ridiculous now. We should go back the way we just came. Back to the restaurant. It’s going to be dark before we make it to the bottom.’ He turned to Tristan, his eyes narrowed. ‘This is your fault, you arrogant prick. If you’d just let the rest of us see the bloody map.’

‘Woah there, cowboy. Let’s back up a bit.’ Tristan puffed out his chest and took a step closer to Paul.

Cat shot in between the two of them, holding out a hand towards each one in an attempt to keep them apart. She had no idea why the pair of them were getting so worked up. ‘Guys . . .’ She couldn’t remember ever seeing Paul this riled up. She didn’t think that Paul and Tristan would actually become physical, but it might be a close call.

‘I just want to go home.’ Ginny was crying.

Paul and Tristan had stayed apart, but their faces revealed all. Cat knew that Tristan had been in fights in the past – usually after too much to drink – but he had that fire in him now and it scared her. Paul’s anger would fade soon, if she knew anything about her husband at all. Which in recent months had proven doubtful. Maybe it would be good if the pair of them laid into one another. It wasn’t how she wanted things to unfold, but it might be the easiest option. She was starting to have second thoughts about her plans, but they’d come too far now. They just had to keep going.

Cat moved away from the men, and across to Ginny. She was still crying, her shoulders shaking with the weight of her sobs. Cat actually felt sorry for her for a moment, despite the bickering and the fact that she was a monumental pain in the arse and a total drama queen. And, of course, there was the money.

It was really all about their parents’ money, and the years of betrayal that it represented. But just as she was about to say some soothing words, Ginny turned on her, a finger pointed at her chest.

‘This is your fault, Catastrophe. None of us wanted to come up here and do this stupid bloody walk. It’s far too much. We’re not hikers. Those two we met at the start clearly thought we were off our heads.’ She jabbed her finger into Cat’s chest. ‘You need to get us out of this.’ Jab. ‘Now.’

Cat stepped back. ‘Get your fucking hands off me, you little cow.’

‘Ladies, ladies . . .’ Tristan was there, dragging Ginny away.

‘Come on, Cat. This isn’t helping.’ Paul tried to pull her away. Cat felt another flurry of light-headedness, the same as when she’d slipped on the rocks earlier in the day. She gripped Paul’s hand, hating the feel of his skin.

‘I’m sorry,’ she said. Was she, though? Mostly she was just tired, and struggling to find the energy to carry on with all of this.

Paul sounded confused. ‘What are you sorry for? You haven’t done a thing wrong.’ He paused. ‘Other than asking Tristan to help you plan this. I’m not sure what you were thinking . . .’

No, and I won’t be telling you, either, Cat thought. She called on her reserves and gave him a weak smile. ‘I think I was a bit ambitious with the plans. Ginny’s right, for once. We’re not really hikers.’

They walked ahead, leaving Tristan and Ginny to catch up with them. Cat was sick of the arguing, but she had to stay strong. It would all be worth it in the end, when she was back in the village. The point of the trip was to right some wrongs, and she’d already set the ball rolling by mentioning the money to Ginny. They’d continue it, and it would be sorted. Then she would confront Paul, and that would be dealt with too. It really was that simple. She just had to remember that.

She let go of Paul’s hand, wiping away his sweat on her shorts. She had to keep it together. She had to find enough strength to make it to the end.

‘Guys, wait up,’ Tristan called from behind. ‘We need to stay together.’