“And Derek.”

Faye stared at the bench beneath the tree where she’d seen Bev, Helen and Diane sitting when they’d driven into the yard. The sight of their faces had brought her comfort. For a moment, she’d forgotten that without Derek in her life, they might disappear.

“Do you want me to come with you?” asked Diane.

“Where?”

“Simon said he could take you to Grootkloof.”

Faye looked down. “I don’t know.”

“Do you want to go? I’ll come with you.”

“Thank you. Yes. I guess so.”

“They’ve also sent a party to start searching from Heuningbos,” said Bev.

“Heuningbos? But I was just there.”

“It’s possible he’s in the vicinity . . . that he crossed the river and was trying to get to you and Clare.”

Faye nodded.

“That’s where Bruce thinks he is. On his way to you,” said Helen.

Faye gave a half shrug.

Diane bent forward, trying to catch her friend’s eyes. “Where do you think he is?” she asked.

“When I last saw him, he was holding onto the rope. I told him to go back to the cabin.”

“Holding onto the rope?” Diane raised her brows. “Where was Geoffrey at that point.”

“He’d gone. Left to find help.”

“But, are you sure?”

“Yes. Why? Does that seem odd?”

“Geoffrey told me you left before him. That he and Derek had . . . had talked after you went and only then did he leave.”

Faye turned and looked into Diane’s eyes. The other woman glanced away briefly. So, thought Faye, she knew. Diane knew what Derek had said to Geoffrey.

“I did leave,” said Faye, holding Diane’s gaze. “I walked away. Along the path past the reeds. And then I turned back. When I got to the river, Geoffrey had gone. I saw him turning onto the track towards the cabin. Derek was still at the river.”

“Then he went to the rope?”

“Yes. He said he wanted to get across so that he could help Clare. I told him it was impossible and said he should go back to the cabin and wait.”

“Did he?” whispered Diane.

“I don’t know, Diane. The river was between us. I told him to go back and that I had to return to Clare. I left.”

Diane nodded. “Why did . . . why did you turn back? Go back to the river after you left the first time?”

“I wanted to tell Derek that I—”

“Ahem. Excuse me.” It was Simon.

The women turned to look at him.

“I’m sorry, but I have bad news.”

Thirty-Four

Thirty-Four