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Chapter 11
Alice opened her eyes suddenly as the boat jolted sideways and then rolled with the swell. In her ears there was the tortured howl of powerful outboard engines and then she was in the water spluttering and struggling against the current. She surfaced desperately treading water and trying to recover her senses.
The powerful motorboat was already 100 yd away and disappearing into the distance. The rowing boat was upside down and 20 ft away from her. She saw a hand emerge out of the water and clasp hold of the side of the boat and then Danny's head followed with blood oozing out of it.
"Are you all right?" Her voice sounded unsteadily over the water.
"I'll be alright. Don't try to swim just tread water and I'll be over to collect you when I've righted the boat."
He retrieved one of the oars and stuck it into a rowlock in the side of the boat and then used it as a lever to turn the boat over. Then there was the water to bail out. Meanwhile Alice was drifting away rapidly. She felt the current tugging at her feet as she continued to tread water.
Using the only oar that he had, Danny paddled over to her and helped her into the boat. It took a further fifteen minutes to paddle back to the boathouse.
Alice climbed to the top of the wooden stairs and sat dripping on the veranda.
"I think we are lucky to be alive," she said, shakily.
"You need to get on some dry clothes. The water is colder than you think." Alice nodded.
"That would explain why I'm shivering, "she said, with forced cheerfulness through chattering teeth.
Danny went inside, rummaged in a couple of drawers and handed her a pair of trousers and a pullover.
"You can change in there, if you like," he said, pointing to the door leading into the bathroom.
By the time Alice came back, he too was wearing dry clothes and the kettle was on the boil.
Alice collapsed onto the sofa and drew her knees up to her chin. She'd done her best with her hair but it felt matted and full of dirty water. She wrapped her hands around the large mug and gratefully swallowed the hot drink.
"I thought you said that fishing was romantic not dangerous," she said, wryly. "I've not had so much excitement for years."
"I don't know what they thought they were doing. There is so much room at this point in the river that it is very hard to imagine it was an accident. On the other hand, I can think of no reason why anybody would want to swamp us like that."
"Would you be able to identify the boat again?"
"Not really, I was not even able to get the name of the boat, it was going at an incredible speed."
"Can you report it to someone who could catch them?"
"And tell them what?"
"You could tell the police that someone tried to kill you."
"And give that Hugo an excuse to come rummaging around down here? No chance."
"Well," said Alice, "just bear in mind that, if it was deliberate, they may want to come back and try again."
Danny's face fell. Alice could see that he hadn't thought of that.
"Who do you think it could be?"
"I couldn't imagine," said Danny. Perhaps it was the way he said it but Alice could have sworn he was hiding something from her.
Ten minutes later, she had finished her drink and was beginning to feel it was time to go. Her clothes were drying on the veranda. She would have to return for them another day.
"How were you planning to get home," said Danny.
"Back up the lane unless there's a better way?"
"You could go up the hill between the trees. It's a hard climb at first but there are some great viewpoints. The path takes you to just above your house and then there is a short steep incline that leads practically to your back door. The walk would warm you up better than any amount of hot drinks and it's more interesting than walking back the way you came."
"If you think it's so good, then you will be willing to escort me. I don't relish the idea of getting lost in the woods in the early evening."
"I'll walk you up to the Hangman's Tree. It's easy from there," smiled Danny. He was looking more relaxed now and had lost his haunted look.
They trudged together up the steep winding path in between the Rhododendron bushes. Fallen leaves deadened the sound of their feet and the scent of fir trees mingled with hillside flowers to produce an intoxicating cocktail that assaulted Alice's senses almost to the point of dizziness. But it was a pleasant intoxication that made her feel better than she had felt for years.
One day, she resolved, she would share this walk with John, her husband. She looked sideways at the youthful man that trudged besides her, his leather jacket swishing in the evening breeze. He looked athletic and completely content. If the killer was a local person, Alice couldn't imagine it was him.
"The Hangman's Tree was called because, way back in olden days ..."
"It was where the local robbers were hanged," completed Alice. "I would never have guessed."
"What you wouldn't have guessed is that it wasn't the 'official' hangman's tree," said Danny elaborating. "It was the gibbet the locals brought criminals to despite the best efforts of the Crown. There are many accounts in the public records of summary justice being dispensed here in secret. Here the miscreants lost their lives not just their liberty."
Danny had stopped by a huge oak tree. The diameter of the trunk must have been nearly two metres and the branches were heavy and low so the light was dimmed all around. But it was a pretty spot. A huge branch ran nearly at right angles to the main trunk and a children's swing rope hung from a convenient spot. Danny in an act of bravado formed it into a loop and placed around his neck.
"Can you think of a better place to die? Maybe the locals were right and they were doing the local criminals a favour."
Alice reached forward and placed her hand between his neck and the rope to stop it tightening.
"Stop it, you're making me frightened," she said, urgently.
Danny caught her hand in his and in a quick movement pulled her to him, forcefully drawing her lips to his.
Her arm was firmly held behind her back so she was completely immobilised and any effort to struggle would have tightened the noose around his neck.
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