‘Kids are doing that? Can’t they fence the cliffs off or something?’

‘It is fenced off. The place is lethal. No one is meant to go within a hundred metres of it, but you know teenagers.’ He swung the car into a space at the side of the road and killed the engine. ‘We have to walk from here. Are you afraid of heights?’

‘I don’t know. I don’t think so.’

‘Watch your footing. To add to the fun, the rocks are crumbling.’ Ryan opened his boot and Jenna blinked as she saw the contents.

‘You carry ropes in your boot?’

‘I climb sometimes.’ Without elaborating, he selected several ropes and started piling equipment into a large rucksack. Then he opened his medical bag and added another series of items, including drugs he thought he was going to need. His movements were swift and economical, brutally efficient.

Jenna focused on the drugs. ‘Ketamine?’

‘I prefer it to morphine. It doesn’t produce respiratory depression or hypotension, and in analgesic doses it produces a mild bronchodilator effect.’

‘Translate that into English?’ A voice came from behind them and Jenna turned to see Nick Hillier, the island policeman. Only today he wasn’t smiling.

‘It means it controls the pain without affecting the breathing.’ Ryan hoisted the bag out of the boot. ‘Is it as bad as they say?’

‘Worse. Two in the water—one trapped halfway down the cliff. They’re right in the Jaws.’

‘Of course they are—that’s where they get the maximum adrenaline rush.’

‘The one stuck on the cliff might be all right, as long as he doesn’t let go, but he’s getting tired. Coastguard helicopter has chosen today to have a technical problem—they’re fixing it, but the cavalry isn’t going to be arriving any time soon.’ Nick sucked in a breath. ‘I don’t want anyone going near the edge. I don’t want more casualties. We’re going to wait and hope to hell they get that helicopter airborne in the next ten minutes. I think this is a rescue best carried out from the air or the sea.’

‘I’ll take a look at it. Then I’ll decide.’ Ryan lifted the rucksack onto his back and walked over the grass towards a gate. A sign warned the public that the area was dangerous. Dropping his rucksack onto the other side, Ryan vaulted the gate. Nick climbed over slightly more awkwardly, holding out a hand to Jenna.

She wondered who was going to have the last say on this one. The law or the doctor.

His mind clearly working in the same direction, Nick became visibly stressed. ‘Ryan, you know how risky it is. A climber was killed abseiling from here earlier in the summer—the rocks sawed through his rope.’