‘Come and say hello.’ She turned to the men, who were now showing Sam the different commands that the dogs would respond to. ‘I’m going to do some leafleting in a moment. That police sniffer-spaniel may be gorgeous, but he’s getting all the attention.’
* * *
The afternoon seemed to go well. The sun shone and the old church hadn’t seen so many people pass its doors in years. The mountain rescue team was busy, talking to people and showing them how they worked with the dogs. Sam had been sniffed by the spaniel and had watched a hearing-assistance dog nudge at its owner’s hand when a bell was rung. Then, when Ethan’s father had arrived, keen to see the display, he’d done it all again with him.
Ethan couldn’t take his eyes off Kate. She was bright, smiling, always in the midst of people. In the end, he gave in to temptation, walked back to the mountain rescue stand and was promptly pressed into handing out leaflets.
‘So where’s mine, then?’ His father’s voice sounded behind him.
‘Here you are.’ Ethan handed him a leaflet. ‘Make sure you read it carefully. Lots of good information.’
‘Will do.’ His father’s eyes twinkled with quiet humour.
‘Hello. Welcome!’ Kate appeared, holding her hand out towards his father. This was the routine they’d fallen into. Leaflet first and then a greeting from Kate, who introduced visitors to the other members of the team so they could talk and ask questions.
‘Hello. I’m George.’ His father grinned, shaking her hand. ‘I know your friend here.’
Ethan rolled his eyes. ‘He’s my father. Dad, this is Kate... Where’s Sam?’
‘Over there.’ His father pointed to the next stand, which was taking kids in groups of six to show them how guide dogs negotiated a busy road. Ethan looked and counted only five heads.
He looked around but couldn’t see Sam. Suddenly the safety of the village crumbled and panic tore at his heart. Sam had to be here somewhere. His father and Kate were looking too, Kate climbing up on a chair so that she could see over the heads of the people.
‘There!’ Ethan felt Kate’s hand nudge his shoulder. ‘There he is.’
Sam was walking towards them around the perimeter of the church hall. He seemed a little distracted, as if he didn’t quite know where he was going. Then Ethan heard Kate catch her breath and she jumped down from the chair and started to run towards Sam. He’d just wiped his hands down the front of his white T-shirt, leaving a trail of blood.
Ethan reached Sam first, coming to a halt in front of his son and kneeling down. ‘Sam? Show me your hands, mate.’
Sam held out his hands palms upwards. ‘There’s a man, Dad.’
‘Did he hurt you?’ The fear was like nothing he’d ever felt before.
‘It’s not his blood, Ethan.’ Kate’s voice beside him was calm and quiet. She was right. Sam’s hands were smeared with blood, but there was no injury.
He had to get the T-shirt off him. If he pulled it over Sam’s head it would smear blood all over his face, and Ethan had no idea where the blood had come from. He pulled his keys from his pocket, pushing them into the material to make a hole, then tearing the T-shirt all the way up the front so that Kate could slip it from his shoulders.
His own shirt was open over a T-shirt, and Ethan pulled it off his shoulders and wrapped it around Sam. The boy snuggled into it.
‘There’s a man, Dad.’
‘What man? Is he bleeding?’ Ethan had quickly examined Sam’s chest and arms and there wasn’t a mark on him. Just the blood on his hands, most of which had been smeared on the front of his T-shirt.
‘He’s over there...’ Sam pointed behind him to the corner of the church hall. Then he wound his arms around Ethan’s neck, clinging to him. His only two options were leaving Sam here on his own, or taking him with him to go and see, and both tore at him.
‘I’ll go.’ Kate must have seen his hesitation and was already on her feet, jogging towards the spot that Sam had indicated. Fearless as always. Ethan hugged Sam tight, watching her go.
CHAPTER EIGHT
THE CORNER OF the church hall was shaded by trees and the strip of land which lay beyond that, between the back of the building and the fence, felt secluded from the noise and bustle around the stands. Three feet in front of her, a man’s body lay motionless, blood pooling around his shoulders onto the hard-baked ground.
Ethan obviously carried a great deal of guilt over not having been there when his wife needed him and he couldn’t bring himself to leave Sam now. But he’d never forgive himself if he didn’t tend to the injured man. She ran back to them.
‘Ethan. Let your father take Sam. You have to come.’
He hesitated for one more agonising moment. ‘Now, Ethan!’ Kate issued the command, hoping t
hat it gave him no choice. If she was wrong, then he could challenge her over it later.