‘No,’ said Austin. ‘Because it isn’t there.’ He seemed pleased. ‘What did you do while we were gone?’
‘Oh, I slept. I knew I would. It’s jet lag, I think.’
This seemed to satisfy Austin and no one else spoke until Bastian said, ‘Let’s go home.’
Cass followed the group up the steep valley. Part of her was bursting with excitement because she’d foundthe petroglyph, but the other part wondered if a drawing would count as proof that it actually existed? She could have just made up the image, out of her imagination. But if she’d seen it, Bastian could see it. She’d just have to be able to find the spot again.
Then Toussaint, who’d gone in the opposite direction for a little while, came up to her. ‘I think this is yours,’ he said, and handed Cass her father’s camera.
She was amazed. ‘It doesn’t even seem broken,’ she said.
‘It was snagged on a branch. It caught my eye, so I went back for it,’ said Toussaint. ‘It’s good as new.’
Cass laughed. ‘It’s not new. It wasn’t even new when my father first had it.’
Austin turned. ‘Well, I’m really glad it’s been found and not damaged. It’ll save me a bunch of money. But why would your father have an old camera?’
‘I think it’s the camera he brought when he came to Dominica when he was a young man,’ said Cass. ‘I’m so thrilled that you found it, Toussaint. Thank you so much.’
Toussaint brushed off her gratitude with a grunt but Cass could tell he was pleased.
‘We should be getting on,’ said Bastian. ‘We don’t want to be out in the forest when it gets dark.’
Austin nodded. ‘And I could use a rum punch. Let’s get going!’
But with every step Cass wondered if she should have found a reason to go back, to photograph the petroglyph, now she had the camera. Although the thought of being alone in the forest in the dark was notappealing; she didn’t think there was anything in there that could harm her, but she could easily break an ankle. And of course she’d be terrified. She hurried on. The important thing was that she’d found the petroglyph. She couldn’t wait to tell Bastian; he’d be even more delighted.
CHAPTER TWELVE
They were back on the veranda of Bastian’s house in time to watch the sun drop into the sea, albeit with no Green Flash. Ranulph wasn’t there for Cass to check how he was, so she went to her room to freshen up a bit. By the time she came out, there was a group of people waiting for Bastian. He barely had time to have a quick drink of water and a cracker with tuna on it before he was off again, with a full pick-up of people.
Just for a second, when Cass realised she would have to wait to tell him her news about the petroglyph, she wanted to cry. Then she realised she was tired. Was it possible, she wondered, to still be suffering from the jet lag she’d used as an excuse before?
Austin was soon drinking rum punch made by Delphine. She put a pet’t punch, with a squeezed lime and sugar, into Cass’s hand.
Ranulph came up, limping, supported by a homemade crutch, but looking well.
‘Hey!’ he said to the group.
‘No petroglyph,’ said Austin, sounding annoyingly pleased about this.
‘But it was interesting,’ said Cass.
‘Really?’ said Austin. ‘Personally I found trudging through the bush, knowing we weren’t going to find what we were supposed to be looking for, to be tedious.’ He put down his empty glass. ‘Where’s Delphine? I need a refill here.’
‘You know where the rum is, Austin,’ said Ranulph. ‘We haven’t run out yet.’
Grumbling, Austin got up and went to find himself another drink.
‘I want to check your wound, Ranulph,’ said Cass. ‘In private.’
He looked a little bit surprised. ‘Of course. Let’s walk along the veranda a bit, that should be private enough. We can pretend we’re looking at the ocean. Or the stars.’
Cass was aware of blushing but hoped Ranulph wouldn’t notice in the dusk. The thought of looking at the stars with him in a romantic way made her stomach flip over. She coughed to cover any emotion that may have escaped.
‘Sit down,’ she said to him when they reached a bench. ‘Put your leg up so I can feel it.’ She helped him raise it. Then she put her hand on his leg to check for heat and looked at his dressing.
‘So?’ he asked.
