Blood Money Read Online Free PDF Page A

splodge of rain hit the back of her hand.
    ‘Quick!’ yelled Paulo from the other side of the site. ‘Cover the walls!’
    As one, they downed tools and raced for the shed. Alex hauled out a blue tarpaulin; Amber caught the tail end and the two young boys joined in, helping to carry it to one of the walls. Paulo and Li took the next tarpaulin and Hex brought up the rear with another, helped by Bina and Radha.
    The heavens opened. It wasn’t like rain, it was like a water tank bursting over their heads. It turned the sandy ground into slippery mud. Their clothes were soaked in seconds.
    Alex tried heaving the tarpaulin up onto a wall, but the rain held it down and lashed his face like a thousand nails. It was like trying to climb a waterfall. Amber bashed the underside of the tarpaulin to tip out the water that had collected, but it just filled up again. The rain was so heavy she could scarcely see and the tarpaulin kept slipping, but she persevered. They had to cover the walls or the wet mortar would be washed away. They had made such good progress; the walls were now at shoulder height. It couldn’t all be for nothing.
    Finally, everyone regrouped in the middle of the foundation slab, their heads bowed to shield their eyes against the water. The walls were covered, the materials were protected. Nothing more could be done. The rain was so fierce it was roaring like thunder. Speaking was impossible. Paulo nodded towards the houses: We go in and wait .
    The two young boys scampered away, delighted by the rain. People stood in the fields and outside their houses, their arms spread wide and their faces turned upwards. Bina and Radha hoisted up their saris to walk away, moving with difficulty as the wet fabric clung to their legs like bandages. As Paulo walked past them, Bina nodded to him. She had edged her eyes with kohl and the rain had spread it down her cheeks in tears of soot. The burning bride.
    As soon as they got into their quarters, Hex went round the entire room peering at the ceiling. The others were peeling off sodden boots and socks, but not him.
    Li wrung out her hair like a long black rope. ‘Yuck,’ she groaned. ‘I am so wet.’
    Alex looked out of the window. The view had vanished in a blur of rain. ‘This is terrible. We were supposed to get the roof on before the monsoon.’
    ‘This isn’t the monsoon,’ said Hex. He knelt to inspect a dark patch on the floor. ‘It can’t be.’
    ‘Sure looks like a monsoon to me,’ said Amber. ‘What on earth are you doing?’
    ‘Checking for leaks.’ He straightened up. The patch on the floor wasn’t wet. He had been so careful to pack his palmtop in waterproof plastic inside its carrying case, along with a sock to absorb any moisture. No way would he get it out if the roof was dripping. One more look upwards and he decided it would be OK. He got the palmtop out and powered up.
    His fingers fluttered over the keyboard, looking for the weather satellites. The screen cast a green glow on his face, highlighting his expression of fierce concentration. ‘Here it is,’ he said. ‘We should have another twenty-four hours at least before the real monsoon hits.’
    ‘What’s this then?’ said Paulo. He was drying his feet.
    ‘A warning shower. It will pass.’
    Amber came up behind Hex and peered over his shoulder. A drip wobbled off her chin and splashed onto his hand. ‘Careful!’ he shouted, and snatched the palmtop away.
    Amber snorted. ‘A shower.’ She flopped down on a bench. ‘Never mind. I was going to have to come in for my shot anyway.’ She took an object like a chunky pen from the leather pouch she always carried with her. Amber was a diabetic and the pen was a reusable syringe containing insulin. She set it up and injected herself. It was a ritual she had to follow twice a day, every day, and normally she would do it in private, but the others barely noticed. They just carried on talking and chatting.
    However, there was a horrified gasp