Georgie stood stock-still, scanning the water. She was taking short, sharp breaths but she could already feel her blood pressure dropping, her vision blurring. Her legs no longer felt strong enough to hold her up. In the far corner, she thought she detected a small splash as the lionfish breached the surface for a moment, but she wasn’t sure. It could be anywhere; she couldn’t even see her own feet.

She looked up, willing herself to say something, anything, but Fox had already walked to the stairs and was looking back over her shoulder, menacingly.

‘I don’t deal with rivals very well, Georgie,’ said Fox. ‘And for someone who’s supposed to be pretty clever, you are fucking dumb.’

Fox hit the light switch and Georgie was plunged into darkness.

Chapter 54

Chapter 54

Don’t be afraid of the dark.

Georgie couldn’t move. The water lapped around her waist and she had lost all feeling in her feet and legs. She concentrated on breathing, in through her nose and out through her mouth, every muscle in her body was tensed as she fought to suppress the urge to panic. You must stay calm. If you panic, you’ll hyperventilate.

The light from her phone display was unable to penetrate the complete blackness that surrounded her, the shroud that had appeared when Fox had turned off the light and left, left her here alone. In the dark . . .

In the dark!

Another thought occurred to her: Fox had been there all along, in the shadows, watching her toss off her shoes and wade through the water. Georgie felt as though she might be sick.

Somewhere circling in front of her, the lionfish was no doubt also panicking, in this alien environment, in water that wasn’t properly oxygenated and too cold. Maybe it would die from shock. Georgie bit back her tears. It was the only anchor that she could grab on to – the fish might die and she might be able to make it to the other side of the water.

She screamed internally. Think logically! She closed her eyes, forced away the images of Martin’s greedy smile just before he turned off the light, and thought about home. If you’ve lost someone in a supermarket, will you find them quicker if both of you are moving or just one of you?