The Lethal Target(45)

‘That’s what worries me,’ said Jake.

From high up on the island, they heard shouting in Russian.

‘Dmitri must have spotted it was just a jacket,’ said Jake.

‘In which case, now’s the time,’ said Robbie.

Suddenly he stepped out of their hiding place. The armed man on the shore must have heard the rustle of leaves, because he swung round towards their position, the rifle coming to bear on them, just as Robbie threw the stone.

Smack!

The stone hit the man full on the forehead. He stumbled backwards, and then collapsed, dropping the rifle.

Even before he fell, Jake, Robbie and Lauren were running towards the inflatable. As Robbie jumped into the boat, Jake stopped and scooped up the man’s rifle. He checked the man. He was breathing, but out cold.

Jake threw the rifle into the boat, then he and Lauren pushed the boat off the shore and into deeper water. Robbie started the engine and Jake and Lauren threw themselves aboard.

Angry shouts from the top of the island told them they’d been spotted. Robbie opened the throttle and the boat raced away, heading out into the water and along the channel towards the path that led up to the guest house, away from the Russians’ cottage. Behind them they heard gunfire from Patrick’s Island. Immediately, Robbie began to zigzag the boat as bullets hit the water around them.

Robbie opened the throttle even wider and the boat sped along, leaping out of the water at points and then aquaplaning. Suddenly Robbie gave a cry of pain and fell forward, face first into the body of the boat, and the engine slowed.

‘He’s been shot!’ yelled Lauren.

Lauren moved to Robbie and Jake saw blood high on his back, around the shoulder.

‘He’s conscious,’ Lauren called to Jake, ‘but only just.’

More shots came from the small island behind them and Jake turned. The three Russians had scrambled down to the shore and found the rowing boat. Two of them were hauling it out from its hiding place, while the third — Dmitri, by the look of it — was taking aim with his rifle at them and the boat. There was the sound of a shot; and Jake dived down, taking Lauren with him, as the bullet went over their heads, narrowly missing them.

Jake scrambled back up, taking Robbie’s place at the engine, and opened up the throttle again, aiming the boat at the coast, which was now about a hundred metres away.

Another bullet zoomed past; and then there was a tearing sound, followed by a hiss of escaping air.

‘They’ve hit the boat!’ yelled Jake.

Lauren had torn Robbie’s shirt open to see how bad his wound was.

‘We have to get to the shore!’ she shouted at Jake. ‘If we don’t, he’ll drown. He’s unconscious.’

Jake pulled back on the throttle and the boat surged forward, even though Jake could see its rubber skirt was already deflating. Sixty metres, fifty, forty . . .

The boat began to slow and sink. Twenty metres to go, ten . . .

‘Out!’ yelled Jake.

As the water started to come in over the deflating rubber, Jake left the throttle and grabbed Robbie under one of his arms. The sinking boat began to tip over. Lauren grabbed Robbie’s other arm, and then the two of them half fell out of the capsizing boat into the cold water. Jake was relieved to find the shingle of the beach beneath his feet. Together, he and Lauren struggled to the shore, carrying Robbie’s unconscious body between them. Jake looked up at the cliff top above them, but there was no sign of anyone.

‘They may be lying in wait for us,’ said Lauren, seeing Jake looking up at the cliff.

‘We have to try, anyway,’ said Jake. ‘He’ll die if we don’t.’

They ran to the path, crouching low in case more shots came from the island; but, glancing over his shoulder, Jake saw that the three Russians were more intent on launching the rowing boat.

Robbie’s body, unconscious and soaking wet, was heavy, but they managed to struggle up the steep path from the shore. The whole time, Jake expected someone to leap out of the bushes and aim a rifle at them; but they made it to the top of the path. The guest house was ahead of them.

‘Not far now!’ grunted Jake, and he shouldered Robbie’s body higher and he and Lauren began to run.

That was when the sound of a shot rang out and the ground in front of them erupted as gunfire smashed around them.





Chapter 25



Jake and Lauren threw themselves to the ground, taking the unconscious Robbie with them.

‘Don’t come any nearer!’

Jake and Lauren looked at one another, startled. It was Jeannie MacClain’s voice.

‘Mrs MacClain!’ shouted Lauren. ‘We’ve got Robbie!’

They heard her shout out, ‘Robbie!’ And as they got to their feet they saw Jeannie MacClain rise up from behind the low stone wall bordering the guest house. She ran towards them, still holding the shotgun she’d fired. When she reached them, she dropped the shotgun and threw herself on her knees beside Robbie.