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Back Time for the Dead
Chapters (94)
  1. Cover
  2. Time for the Dead
  3. Dedication page
  4. Map
  5. Epigraph page
  6. Prologue
  7. 1
  8. 2
  9. 3
  10. 4
  11. 5
  12. 6
  13. 7
  14. 8
  15. 9
  16. 10
  17. 11
  18. 12
  19. 13
  20. 14
  21. 15
  22. 16
  23. 17
  24. 18
  25. 19
  26. 20
  27. 21
  28. 22
  29. 23
  30. 24
  31. 25
  32. 26
  33. 27
  34. 28
  35. 29
  36. 30
  37. 31
  38. 32
  39. 33
  40. 34
  41. 35
  42. 36
  43. 37
  44. 38
  45. 39
  46. 40
  47. 41
  48. 42
  49. 43
  50. 44
  51. 45
  52. 46
  53. 47
  54. 48
  55. 49
  56. 50
  57. 51
  58. 52
  59. 53
  60. 54
  61. 55
  62. 56
  63. 57
  64. 58
  65. 59
  66. 60
  67. 61
  68. 62
  69. 63
  70. 64
  71. 65
  72. 66
  73. 67
  74. 68
  75. 69
  76. 70
  77. 71
  78. 72
  79. 73
  80. 74
  81. 75
  82. 76
  83. 77
  84. 78
  85. 79
  86. 80
  87. 81
  88. 82
  89. 83
  90. 84
  91. Epilogue
  92. Acknowledgements
  93. About the Author
  94. By Lin Anderson

The decision therefore had to be made as to whether he should await their arrival or keep going. Alvis made his mind up immediately. The likelihood was that if those approaching were part of the Mountain Rescue Team, then they would be equipped with radios, which meant what had happened up to now could be related back to headquarters.

Alvis took off his head torch and waved it, indicating where he was. Being professionals, they would likely reach here much quicker than he had.

He was right. In fact, according to his own estimate, they’d taken less than half the time he had in negotiating the route. As he waited on the beach, the two lights bounced towards him. He heard Donald’s voice first and it was Rhona’s name he called.

Alvis answered in as positive a way as he dared.

‘She’s on ahead, with Blaze.’

Donald’s face appeared in the light of his head torch. ‘Blaze is okay?’

The last bark he’d heard suggested that was true, so Alvis answered in the positive.

Alvis gestured to where he had come from. ‘Blaze followed Seven’s trail to a gully up there where we pitched our tent, and went down it.’ When Donald had seemingly absorbed this information, Alvis quickly added, ‘He gave us an answering bark when he reached the bottom, so I lowered Rhona down when we had enough light.’

‘The northern lights sped us on our way,’ Donald said, obviously relieved by the news of Blaze’s well-being. ‘So the girl is somewhere east of here?’

‘Rhona followed Blaze, who she thought was headed that way.’

‘Okay.’ Donald nodded, then introduced Allan, the MRT member who’d accompanied him to the beach.

‘We’d better get a move on then, if we want to walk there. The tide isn’t on our side.’

Alvis didn’t need to be reminded of that. He’d checked the tables the day before, but never imagined they would be down on the beach at this hour, if ever.

‘You know this part of the coast?’ Alvis asked as the three men walked together. Alvis expected Donald to respond but found that the answer came from Allan.

‘This is my part of the world. My family’s from Orbost. My father has a boat. We came round this coast often.’

‘Is there anywhere the girl might choose to hide?’

‘It depends how frightened she is and who’s after her.’

They tramped on in silence apart from the crackling of the radio. At one point Alvis heard Chrissy’s voice on the line and her desperate desire to know what had happened to Rhona, but also her obvious concern for the dog, and Donald.