‘Do you have a car, Austin?’ said Bastian. ‘I wouldn’t be willing to let my pick-up be used on a trip that would take several days when there’s still so much that needs doing here.’
‘Come on, Bastian! What are you afraid of? That we won’t find your precious petroglyph?’
Bastian sighed. ‘OK. We’ll look for the petroglyph. But you realise the part of the forest it’s thought to be in could have been utterly destroyed by the hurricane? We may just find trees tossed about as if they were spillikins.’ He took a breath. ‘But we’ll look for the petroglyph and then we’ll see about getting you to Roseau.’
Cass realised she had been so focused on the map and reproducing it that she hadn’t taken the hurricane into account. They were almost definitely going on a wild goose chase. But Bastian was willing to give it a go and Cass could tell he was torn between the desire to get rid of Austin and his reluctance to let his pick-up out of his sight for long.
‘Bastian,’ said Delphine slowly, surveying the expedition members lining up the following morning, ‘does not like an entourage. He’d rather go on his own with a bottle of water, some crackers and a tin of tuna.’
Cass, who was part of the entourage, shrugged. ‘I’m taking photographs. I need to go.’
‘You’re fine, honey. Bastian likes you.’
‘Does he? How can you tell? He’s always so good-natured with everyone.’
‘I can just tell. Now, off you go. And let’s hope that the forest is still there.’
Cass climbed into the pick-up. Toussaint, Bastian’s chosen assistant, was there, as well as three other young men who were getting a lift somewhere. It seemed to Cass that Bastian’s pick-up never went anywhere without a full box. Its cargo was people, getting where they needed to be.
After the passengers had been dropped off, Bastian drove a little further up the road and then parked. Cass got down from the back and Bastian took the map and they looked at it together. They were looking at the tracing, far sturdier than the original.
‘Is this the copy you made the other night?’ Austin asked suspiciously.
‘Yes,’ said Cass. ‘The original was almost unreadable and was falling apart at the creases. As you know. You saw it.’
‘You didn’t make any mistakes when you traced it?’ Austin asked.
Cass looked him straight in the eye. ‘Absolutely none,’ she said.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
To everyone’s relief the area of forest they had driven to was not the heap of trees and destruction they were dreading. There were fallen trees, of course, but the hurricane seemed to have mostly passed over this particular valley.
The party set off, in single file and in silence. The path they were following was narrow and there was a fair amount of climbing over fallen branches to be done. Often, Toussaint would need to use his machete to clear the path, but they were able to keep moving.
Eventually, somewhat to Cass’s relief, Bastian called a halt. People found spots to perch in while they drank water and ate bananas.
Toussaint said something to Bastian, and Bastian nodded. ‘We’re just going on ahead for a few yards to check we are where we think we are. You two stay here.’
Austin and Cass sat in an awkward silence for a few minutes. As a way of passing the time, Cass took her father’s camera out of her bag to check she remembered how to work it.
‘Are you all right carrying that camera?’ asked Austin. ‘It looks quite heavy and old-fashioned.’
‘It was my father’s,’ said Cass, forgetting for a moment that she’d resolved not to tell Austin anything about her father. Itwasquite heavy and old-fashioned.
‘Oh! Interesting!’ said Austin. Then, without asking permission, he took it from her. He spent a long time inspecting it before making to hand it back to her but just as Cass was about to take it, he gave a little flick and it flew off into the undergrowth.
‘No!’ screamed Cass watching it bounce from tree to tree. ‘Dad’s camera!’
She turned to Austin, hardly believing what had just happened. It took him a moment to react. ‘I’m so sorry! I don’t know what happened. Here, let me look for it.’
Speechless, Cass watched as Austin got to his feet and walked off, rummaging through the greenery that was below them on the hill. She was absolutely certain that her father’s camera crashing down through the undergrowth had been no accident.
Eventually Austin came back. ‘I’m really sorry, Cass!’ he said gently, as if he was an adult explaining that a beloved teddy bear had been lost. ‘I can’t find it. I’m afraid it’s gone for ever. But don’t worry, I can claim on my insurance when I get back to the States. And it’s not that valuable anyway. You can pick up those old Leicas quite easily.’ He paused. ‘But you could get a far better one with the money.’
Cass stared at him. She was so convinced that he’ddeliberately lost her camera she almost accused him. But what would be the point? The camera was gone and her throat was clogged with sudden tears. She cleared her throat. ‘There’s not much I can say, is there?’
‘I guess not.’
