“Tonight,” Tawera agreed.
Nyree paused on her doorstep, looking both ways first.When she spotted nothing to alarm her, her breath eased out, and she hustled to the store.
“Perfect timing,” Carolyn said.“I swear we’ve been busier this season than last.The visitors purchase more than they used to when I spent more time here.Oh, before I forget.There was a man in here asking after you.He said he’s a friend of your sisters and promised he’d say hello.”
“Oh?”Nyree controlled her reaction with difficulty, even as the rational part of her brain stated that Ari wouldn’t follow her halfway across the world.While he’d never hurt for money—he’d helped himself to hers—Carolyn had told her the fares for these ships were around thirty thousand New Zealand dollars.Ari would never spend that type of money to chase her.
Of course, he wouldn’t.That would make no sense.
“Did he leave a name?Was he coming back?”
“He said he was going on a walk over to Shackleton’s grave and would return later.”
“His name?”
“Oh, sorry.He didn’t say.He said this was a surprise visit, and he wanted to see as much as he could before he left.”
Nyree offered another smile.It didn’t sit right on her mouth, but Carolyn seemed fine with her response.“Thanks.”
“I’ll see you later,” Carolyn said.
Nyree nodded and got to work.Every time someone entered the store, she glanced up to see who it was, but not one familiar face arrived.Frustratingly, it was too busy to use her phone to check the social media pages.As the hour neared six, the tension in her shoulders grew.
But no one came.Instead, the passengers trickled out and returned to their ship.Relieved that her fears had been groundless, Nyree counted the day’s takings and restocked her shelves.
It was seven by the time she dropped off the takings to Carolyn and noticed the ship remained.
Nyree’s brows lifted.“Why is the ship still here?”
“The captain contacted us.A passenger is missing.A male.They have a search team out looking for him.”
“What nationality?Do we have a name?Did they want help?”
“No, not at the moment.We don’t have any details yet.All I know is that it’s a man.Keith has gone down to speak with the captain.”
“Has this ever happened before?”
“Not that I know of,” Carolyn said.“The ship’s passengers are normally good about returning to the ship on time.”
“I’ll go back and have something to eat.Let me know if I can do anything to help.”
Carolyn sighed.“Yes, I will.I hate to think of a man lying injured somewhere.The forecast is for temperatures to drop tonight.”
Nyree made her way down the rutted path, keeping her wits about her.The first thing she’d do was find Ari’s picture on social media and show it to Tawera.If Ari was somewhere in South Georgia, she wanted to know.
16
Abducted
“What’swrong?”Taweraaskedas soon as Nyree stomped into the kitchen.“Should I have not cooked dinner?”He gestured at the meat simmering in her battered pot.The pungent scent of curry spices filled the room, but she ignored the enticing food.
“Give me my tablet,” Nyree ordered.
Wordlessly, Tawera handed it over, and she tapped keys and brought up one of her social media channels.She scrolled through photos.Finally, she stopped, scowling at the face on her screen.She extended the tablet to Tawera.“Is this him?The man you saw?”
Tawera grimaced.“It’s the same man.He resembles my brother, Rawiri.Is this your Ari?”
“He’s not my Ari,” Nyree snapped.“I loathe this man.He tried to control me and treated me like a possession.He took my money.According to him, nothing I did was right.”
