Savage Redemption (The Caraksay Brotherhood #10)

Chapter 13

CHAPTER 13

R osie

The acrid smell of smoke and burning reaches me before I’m even halfway up the steep cliff path. I snatch Erin from her buggy and abandon that when I take off at a sprint, desperate to reach the top. I crest the clifftop to be met by a scene of chaos.

One of the cottages is ablaze, flames shooting through what’s left of the roof. Smoke billows, blanketing the ruined dwelling in choking fumes. I dart forward, clutching Erin to my chest.

Ethan’s men are milling about watching the inferno, but no one is attempting to fight the flames. I suppose there’s no point. I’m not sure who lives in that cottage, but I hope they got out in time. I suppose they must have, or the men would be attempting a rescue.

Wouldn’t they?

“Is anyone hurt?” I gasp, clutching at the sleeve of the man closest.

“You need to keep back, miss. There’s nothing to do but let it burn out.”

“But did everyone escape?” I demand.

“Aye. Eventually.” He tips his chin in the direction of a cluster of about half a dozen men. “Casualties are over there.”

Casualties? Oh God…

I approach the group and spot three bodies lying on the ground. “Who…?” I croak. The smoke is still choking. I need to get Erin away, but not before I know who’s been injured.

Megan, the island doctor, is on her knees beside the prone figure closest to me. It looks like a child.

“He’s in a serious condition, he needs to get to hospital now ,” she snaps over her shoulder.

“On it.” Tony Haigh, in charge while Ethan and the rest are away, is on his phone. “Ambulance, and a fire crew,” he barks. “We’ll need a helicopter. We have one casualty requiring immediate medical attention. Male child aged thirteen. Burns and smoke inhalation.” He goes on to issue directions and coordinates to enable the authorities to locate the island.

I know it must be serious for him to summon outside help. He probably wouldn’t, but both the Caraksay helicopters are away taking Ethan and the others to Aberdeen.

A child? Oh, no…

What about the others? I drag my gaze away, to land on the teenage girl beside the boy. She’s struggling to sit up but is assisted by one of the men. Her face is blackened by smoke. She’s spluttering, coughing, trying to speak.

“It’s okay, love. We got everyone out,” the man assures her.

Megan has fastened an oxygen mask to the boy and passes the girl a mouthpiece. “Here, take a few drags of this. It’ll help.”

The girl snatches at the oxygen mask and sucks in a lungful of the precious gas.

“Take Andrej and Natalija up to the clinic,” Megan instructs the men closest. “I’ll be there in a moment. Where’s Tomasz?”

“Up at the castle. Mrs McRae is looking after him.”

“I’ll need to check him over, too. Can someone bring him to the clinic?”

Tony despatches a man to find the lad. Meanwhile, the two other children are carried from the scene, and the doctor scrambles across the coarse heather to reach the third casualty. A sudden gust of wind sweeps the dense smoke away briefly, and I get my first proper sight of him.

And sink to my knees with a moan.

It’s Adan.

“I need another oxygen tank.”

Someone produces one, and she attaches that mask to his face, then turns to Tony again. “What was he even doing down here?”

“Do you know him, Doc?” Tony kneels beside her.

“I recognise him. He’s from the construction site. He came to my clinic the other day, brought in another of the workers.”

“Do you know his name?”

She shakes her head.

Tony gets to his feet. “Is the construction crew still here?”

“Yes, boss.” Another smoke-streaked man gestures up the hill. “When the alarm was raised, they came down to help fight the fire. They’re over there.”

Another group of men, in hard hats and hi-vis jackets, watches anxiously from a few yards away. The woman in charge of the site steps away from the group and approaches the man on the ground.

“He’s one of yours?” Tony demands.

“Yes,” she nods. “He went to the clinic, an injured wrist, he said. Needed an X-ray.”

“He never came to see me,” the doctor replies. “He must have realised there was something wrong and come to help. Did a detour.”

“What’s his name?” Tony wants to know.

“Carlos di Santo. He’s a plumber but labouring just now. We’re not at the fit-out stage yet.”

“Di Santo? Are you certain?”

The woman stiffens. “Of course. I have his papers.”

“I’ll want to see those.”

“They’re back on the mainland, in our office.”

“I’ll arrange for them to be picked up.” He drags his phone from his back pocket and hits a speed dial button. It rings for a few seconds, then, “Boss? Me again. Yes, air ambulance is on its way.” There’s a pause, then,” Megan’s doing what she can, but it looks bad. I’ve let Rome and Arina know, they’re going straight to the Richmond.”

The Richmond is a private clinic close to Inverness where they don’t apparently ask many questions and any really serious medical conditions are treated, anything that can’t be covered by Megan here on the island.

“Thing is, boss, we have a situation here. Apart from the fire.” Again, he pauses, then continues. “There are three casualties. The two kids, and an unknown adult male who we also dragged out of the cottage. He’s from the building site, one of their crew. Thing is, he gave the name of Carlos di Santo. Yes, I know. No, he’s unconscious. The doc’s with him now. Right. Will do. What’s your ETA, boss?”

He ends the call and shoves the phone back in his pocket.

“Boss wants to talk to him. He’s on his way, he’ll be here in a couple of hours.”

The doctor closes her medical bag. “He’s inhaled a lot of smoke. I need him in my clinic, too, or no one’ll be talking to him.”

“I want to know exactly what he was doing here,” Tony argues. “And who he really is, given that Carlos di Santo is supposed to be three hundred miles away meeting with Ethan. For all we know, he might have started that fire.”

“The questions will have to wait. He’s very sick.” Megan gets to her feet. “If you want to have any chance of questioning him, I suggest you let me do my thing first.”

Tony concedes. “Right. You four, take him up there, and I want at least two guards with him at all times.”

I can only watch, rooted to the spot. They think Adan set fire to the cottage, hurt those children. They want to question him. And they know he’s here using a false name. What will happen if they discover who he really is?

I’m utterly bewildered. What was he even doing here? How did Adan get injured in the fire? He was on his way back to the building site, he told me that.

“Miss, you need to go back up to the castle.” One of the guards takes my arm and tows me away. “It’s not good for the baby, being here, what with all this smoke.”

“I need to?—”

“He’s right.” Adan is being carried from the scene by four of the guards, and Megan is peering at me anxiously. “Small children are particularly susceptible to smoke. Jake, can you take her up to the castle, please? Make sure she gets back okay.”

“Come on, miss.” The guard smiles at me. “Shall I take the little one?”

“No. No, I’m fine.” My head is still whirling as I allow him to lead me away.