Wreckers Island (romantic suspense) Read Online Free PDF Page A

the night. Louise closed the bedroom door behind her
and Emma. She walked to the window and looked out at the rippling sea,
bluish-purple under the waning light, save for a flickering line of golden
sunset across its surface.
    She watched the seagulls swooping and diving
for a minute and wondered what it would be like to be a bird, living such a
free, uncomplicated life.
    ‘You seemed tense earlier, Emma,’ she said,
slowly. ‘Is everything all right with you and Dan? It sort of felt like we were
interrupting a deep conversation when we walked in, but then you backed away
from him like he was a leper. The pair of you barely spoke to each other during
the meal, or to us, for that matter.’
    ‘Us? By “us” you mean you and John? It
sounds like you pair are an item these days,’ replied Emma, a touch sharply.
    ‘What makes you say that?’ asked Louise. ‘We
were having a perfectly innocent chat and a laugh on the sofa, at either ends
of it and enjoying our beers. What’s wrong with that?’
    ‘With your legs crossed over each other.’
    ‘Only because both of us wanted to sprawl
out. There’s nothing going on between John and me – I’d say if there was. I
mean, we’re all adults, why should I be coy about it?’
    ‘Exactly, that’s fine. I just think if
you’re having a relationship while we’re together on holiday, then it’s best
that the rest of us know. Personally, I had hoped we could be here as platonic
friends, rather than trying to get off with each other.’
    ‘Personally, I think we should go with the
flow,’ said Louise, turning her gaze away from the sea and a sky now pricked
with a handful of bright stars. She looked askance at Emma. ‘Isn’t it slightly hypocritical
of you, bearing in mind how cosy you were evidently getting with Dan before we
came in, to object to John and me bonding a little?’
    ‘I wasn’t getting cosy with Dan,’ snapped
Emma. ‘He does like me, if you must know, but I am not after him and more or
less told him so. Anyway, you carry on bonding with lover boy.’
    ‘I get it,’ replied Louise. ‘I’ve worked out
why you jumped back from Dan like you’d had an electric shock when John and I
walked into the kitchen. Of course! You fancy John and you didn’t want him to
see you with your hand in Dan’s – whom you were trying to comfort after you
spurned his declaration of love for you. Meanwhile, you resent me getting on
well with John. Only like I said, John and I are nothing more than flirtatious
friends – ok? I’ll be honest, I am keen on him but I don’t think he feels the
same way. I think he sees me as someone to have a cheeky giggle with and
nothing more.’
    Emma nodded. ‘Ok. Please don’t let’s fall
out, Louise. I’m sorry for getting jealous. You and John would actually make a
lovely couple I feel – if you did get it together. Either way, he’s not
interested in me and I might as well stop pining for something I am not going
to have.’
    Louise gave Emma’s arm a squeeze. ‘You and
Dan would definitely make a lovely couple if you could only see it. The
important thing is, like you say, that we are good friends and have a great
holiday here together. Now come on, let’s get some sleep.’
     

Chapter V
     
    The weather forecast the following morning proved only too
accurate. The lighthouse crew were up early by their standards – a respectable
7.30am. They had slept well but rose to find that the sun was not getting up
with them. Rain spattered hard against the ground floor windows of the
lighthouse – mixed with sea spray thrown against the thick panes from huge waves
colliding with the rocks around them.
    The sea was a foaming mass of dark grey, tossed
about by a rattling wind. They shivered at the sight and realised that there
would be no boat trips that day, not while the weather remained so bad.
    If the atmosphere outside was stormy, inside
the lighthouse the tension had vanished. John and Louise seemed oblivious to
each