Thirteen Days By Sunset Beach Read Online Free PDF Page A

their selection: calamari, whitebait, beans the menu called gigantic, pork in wine. "Yammas," the waitress wished them, and they raised their glasses in response. "Yammas," Ray said to Sandra, and was reminded that the word meant health.
    He was watching her sip her wine more minutely than she used to when the waitress returned with plates and a basket of bread. "Do you mind if we sit somewhere a bit shadier?" Sandra said. "We'll still see the coach."
    She dropped her hat on an empty chair once they were seated in the shadow of a pine. "At least my wife won't get bitten here," Ray said.
    "I pray not," the waitress said quite like a prayer. "Why do you say?"
    "You're keeping off the insects." He pointed at the pot of basil behind Sandra and then at her neck. "Would that have been a mosquito?"
    "None here."
    "That's what I said. There must have been one on our balcony last night, though."
    "There should not be that. You should not go out there again."
    "I expect we'll be all right," Ray said. "We'll use a spray."
    A handbell jangled in the kitchen, where a short plump woman was placing dishes on a tray. The waitress served them to the Thorntons and said "Yammas" once again, and might have been about to say more if the older woman hadn't called "Daphne." As Daphne returned to the kitchen Ray picked up the serving spoon from the dish of jumbo beans in sauce. "Would you like some?" he prompted Sandra.
    "You take yours and I'll get my own."
    He sensed that she was stopping barely short of telling him not to fuss. Watching her eat could be construed that way, but he risked saying "It's good, isn't it?" since the dishes were, and didn't think her agreement was just meant to reassure him. Having waited until she'd had a mouthful of every item, he was heartened to see her take another of each. Was Daphne arguing with the woman he'd deduced was Chloe, her mother? Between Greeks a chat about the weather could sound fierce enough for a declaration of war, but he wondered why both women kept glancing towards him and Sandra. While he didn't understand a word, he saw Chloe reach a decision, folding her arms as she stepped out of the kitchen. At that moment Sandra cried "Is this them?"
    A bus was approaching along the road from Sunset Beach. Sandra took off her sunglasses and craned over the wall. When the bus halted in front of the Sunny View she backed out of the sunlight, shading her eyes with her free hand. The door of the bus folded open, and she squeezed Ray's arm. Did she mean to convey that the deception was about to begin? Perhaps that wasn't on her mind, since she said eagerly "It is."
    She began to wave as soon as the first passenger stepped down, and Ray saw Chloe retreat with a shrug into the kitchen. Doug was leading the way off the bus, followed by Pris and their son Tim. They all had their habitual contentedly dishevelled look, as if they were windblown and ready for more. "Mum, dad," Doug shouted, which seemed faintly to pain Natalie's partner Julian, who was busy giving the village a critical look. Natalie's daughter Jonquil was behind him, although not too close, and shook a hand at Ray and Sandra in her teenage version of a wave. Last came five-year-old William with Natalie at his back. She raised a hand to greet her parents while blinking not entirely favourably at the apartments and tavernas. "It's grandma and grandad," William shouted and made to run to them.
    One long step took Julian in front of him. "What have we discussed about behaviour on the road?"
    "But there isn't any traffic, daddy."
    "We aren't talking about traffic. What did we agree?"
    "Not to run out on it." Inspiration widened William's eyes as he said "But we're on it, so—"
    "I'm not about to argue with you, William. We never run on the road, and we never cross it by ourselves."
    "I'll take him over, Julian," Jonquil said.
    "Your mother and I would prefer you to deal with your luggage. Please check while you're unpacking that all your things and