Page 65 of Deep Waters

Then he spotted someone on the ground, near the bottom of the ramp. Christian rushed forward. The figure wore a red coat. He was certain he hadn’t seen Harry dressed in anything like it, but it didn’t ease his anxiety. As he got closer, he saw that the man on the ground was hurt.

It was Antoni.

“Oh, my God. What happened?” Christian crouched beside him. Antoni clutched his side, covering the stain of darker red that spread across the jacket. There was a pool of blood beneath him, running away with the rain down the bank.

“I’ve been stabbed,” Antoni gasped. “Stew Wallace. He’s got a knife.”

Christian raised his phone and hit the fast dial for an emergency. When the operator answered, the line was as bad as his earlier call to Harry.

“I don’t know if you can hear me,” he spoke slowly, his voice possessed by a calmness he did not feel. “I’m at the south pier in Nyemouth. There’s a man here with a serious stomach wound. He’s been stabbed and is losing blood. He needs an ambulance, fast.”

Antoni gripped his wrist. “Stew,” he croaked. “He’s gone after Harry. On the pier… Stop him.”

Christian’s blood ran even colder. “Police, too,” he barked into the phone. “Stew Wallace is the man you want. He’s here.Get here now.” He handed the phone to Antoni. “Keep talking. Tell them everything you can. I don’t know how much they can even hear, but just keep trying.”

Antoni nodded.

“Will you be okay?” He was torn. Antoni needed his help, but he was still alive. Right now, he didn’t know where Harry was or what condition he was in.

“Go on,” Antoni urged. “Now.”

Christian left him, sprinting to the pier.

Smaller swells battered the lower structure, but every third or fifth wave was a monster that came completely over the top. Christian squinted, trying to see clearly.

There.

Two figures out towards the end, close to the lighthouse.

As he ran onto the wet boards, he was shocked at how unsteady they were. The force of the sea and the wind caused them to shudder beneath his feet. His sneakers gained a poor purchase as he tried to race ahead, ducking each time one of the giant waves came over.

He lost his footing beneath the strength of one downpour and was carried towards the edge. In a panic, he thrashed in all directions, desperately reaching for a hold.

Shit. This is it. This is the end.

Just before it seemed like he was going, he rolled onto his stomach and flattened his body against the wood. He curled his fingers around two boards, dug in with his feet and knees and held on until the worst had passed.

Trembling, he rose unsteadily to his feet.

Harry.

Desperation to save the man he loved propelled him forward.

Neither Harry nor Stew were aware of his approach. The storm granted him that small favour, covering all sounds of his progress. He had to use that surprise to his advantage. It might be the only thing he had.

Stew Wallace bore down on Harry, a viscous-looking knife in his hand. Christian had seen the damage that blade had done to Antoni. The man was crazed. He had stabbed four men so far this week, three of them fatally. Christian wouldn’t let him add to that tally.

He rushed forward, crouching low, and hit him with a rugby tackle, shoving his shoulder against Stew’s thighs and knocking him sideways. They both hit the deck.

Stew struggled, getting his knee into Christian’s chin. He tasted blood but held on as Stew shuffled away from him. His clothes were soaked, and Christian lost his grip. Stew stumbled ahead and made it to his knees again. He turned on Christian in a flash, the blade streaking through the air.

Christian raised an arm to protect himself and the knife slashed downwards on his forearm. He felt the scrape of steel against bone before the pain hit. Stew had some momentum now, and as Christian rolled onto his back, the heavier man used his weight to pin him down.

Stew was demented, his lips drawn back from his teeth in an expression of pure savagery. Christian understood in that second what Stew was capable of. He had killed those other boys and would kill Harry and him right now if they didn’t fight back.

They were taken suddenly by the crash of another huge wave. The force of it washing over them pressed Stew down harder against him. Christian pushed back as the pressure subsided and tried to scramble backwards, away from the madman.

Then he saw another sudden flash of steel above his belly.

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