Page 90 of Atticus Arnott's Great Adventure
‘I’m okay,’ she said, smiling weakly.
‘Youwillbe okay,’ Atticus told her. ‘And I promise that what has happened will never happen to you again.’
Chapter Thirty-Five
Britta was kept in hospital overnight in Torrevieja for observation, but with no fractures, only shock and severe bruising, she was able to return to Casita del Mar the following day. Atticus was anxious that she might not want to return to her home, but he didn’t have to worry. Britta was determined that Daan wouldn’t ruin her newfound happiness and assured Atticus that she had every intention of carrying on with life precisely as before.
‘I don’t think he will come back,’ she said as she lay resting in bed and held onto his hand. ‘The police are looking for him, and with all the red paint on his face and clothing, he might not be too hard to find.’
Atticus was reluctant to tell Britta that he knew there wasn’t a hope in hell that Daan would return. But when she was feeling completely recovered, he would give a reason for the confidence he felt and assure her that she could live safely in the knowledge that Daan was out of her life forever.
When Cheryl and Ruby arrived at the cottage soon after Atticus’s call, Erik accompanied them. Cheryl took Atticus in hand and, after making a mug of hot sweet tea, told him that he had experienced a shock and needed to be checked at the hospital, too. Ruby, meanwhile, took charge of Ness. Erik spoke to the jogger and, after thanking him for all he’d done, assured the young man that there was a lifetime pass waiting for him on the door at Nancy’s, should he ever wish to relax in friendly surroundings. Erik then spoke to the police and appeared to be on good terms with the officers.
To Atticus’s surprise, Daan was found within hours, staying in an apartment in Guardamar. He was taken to a cell, and the police allowed Erik to visit him.
‘You won’t have any more trouble from him,’ Erik told Atticus firmly. ‘Tell Britta that she has nothing to worry about now.’
Atticus felt laden with guilt. He’d promised Britta that he would protect her, and he’d failed. But he instinctively knew that whatever had transpired in Daan’s cell and whatever words had been spoken by Erik had ensured that Daan would never come near Britta again. Unwilling to push for further details, Atticus accepted Erik’s comments and thanked his friend.
‘It’s nothing,’ Erik said. ‘In my line of work, I deal with this sort of thing all the time. There are some bad eggs out there.’
Britta had fallen asleep, and Atticus gently covered her with a blanket. Kissing her cheek, he made sure the blind in the bedroom was lowered to protect her from the sun, then went downstairs.
On the terrace, Cheryl sat on the swing. Ruby was walking along the shore, throwing a ball into the water for Ness to retrieve. Atticus joined Cheryl and heavily slumped onto a chair. Dark circles framed his eyes, and his shoulders sagged. His clothes, once neat, were now rumpled.
‘You’re exhausted,’ Cheryl commented. She stood and poured from a pot on the table. ‘Here, drink this,’ she said, handing Atticus a mug.
‘Sweet tea – the elixir for life’s woes,’ Atticus said, smiling.
‘When the world feels heavy, sweet tea lightens the load.’ Cheryl placed a hand on his shoulder. ‘You’ve been up all night at the hospital. Why don’t you take a shower, then go and snuggle up with Britta?’
‘That sounds like a wonderful idea, but I have things that I need to do.’
‘Like what?’
‘Christmas is almost here. Do you remember when we discussed this?’
‘Yes, I haven’t forgotten, but there’s nothing for you to worry your weary head about. Ruby and I will take care of everything.’
‘But… I can’t let you both…’ Atticus began.
‘Of course you can; that’s what friends are for. And right now, the most important thingis your Britta.’
‘What’s that about Britta?’ Ruby called out. She stood on the steps, a towel in her hand as she attempted to dry a wriggling Ness.
‘I was just saying to Atticus that he needs to rest with Britta and leave all his Christmas arrangements to you and me,’ Cheryl said.
‘I quite agree.’ Ruby marched onto the terrace and stood before Atticus. ‘No arguments, and Ness will come with us too. She’ll enjoy a little break.’
Atticus knew that arguing was useless, and Cheryl’s suggestion was like music to his ears. Running a hand through his dishevelled hair, he leaned back, the chair creaking in response. Every ounce of his strength felt spent.
‘Okay, I accept your help,’ he said.
‘Good man,’ the two women replied. Taking an arm each, they hoisted Atticus from his chair and led him into the cottage.
‘There’s food in the fridge,’ Cheryl called out from the kitchen as Ruby clipped a lead onto Ness and gathered up her biscuits.
‘Sweet dreams!’ they chorused.
