Chapter 32

As he looked out of the window on the final approach, the anger that someone could do this to him, especially someone that he trusted surges through his body. As the plane banked sharply to line up to the runway, Dan could see the M25 motorway. The cars, looking like an army of ants, were bumper to bumper as usual. Every drop of rain from the blanket of dark clouds heightened the rage dwelling inside him. He should have been happy, warm for a few weeks and relaxing in the country, and with the people, that he loved, not having to come back to the cold bitter UK so soon, especially not for this reason.

The feeling of desperation overwhelmed him. Eating away at him like a flesh destroying virus. If what he thought had happened was true, not only had he lost the money he had planned for, and executed, so well to get, but also the life he wanted to live and more importantly, Berenice, would be lost with it.

He didn't really care about the crew, other than Ray. They had their share from the job, they were just a means to an end, but losing all that he longed for was the nail in the coffin and for that, someone would pay.

The taxi ride from Gatwick seemed to take an age. Every slow old fart that had lost his confidence, driving on the roads now only fit for lunatics, seemed to be in front. Every little minute thing became a major inconvenience, agitated him, and added to his pure rage. The cab dropped him off in a side street as Dan instructed. From here, he would walk the last half a mile to the safe haven of his hideaway caravan.

Throwing his bag against the built in wardrobe, he slumps on the worn sofa. Every inch of his body urged him to run to the well to check on the cash, but he knew he should wait until dusk. Forcing himself to wait, he fills the kettle and makes a coffee. The kettle took far longer than he had patience for thanks to the car battery, used to power the 12v electrics, running low and needing charging.

Opening his eyes, he realises he had dozed off. Checking his dive watch told him he had been asleep for over three hours. Pulling back the curtain, he could see that dusk had come and gone and the night had set in fast. Now was the time to check if his thoughts of what had taken place were right or wrong. Taking the torch from the cupboard, he flips the switch a few times to make sure the batteries still have life and tucks it into his jacket.

The sleep had done him some good, he felt calmer, but the closer he got to the entrance bushes of the hidden lane, the more his anxiety rose.

The bushes covering the lane looked fine and they still covered the hole completely which meant Ray had taken care to hide his tracks. Leaving the torch turned off until the last minute, he made his way through to the well. The ground felt hard under foot and imprinted, as expected, were tyre tracks. He knew Ray would be back and forth a couple of times so there was no need to worry over that. Swinging the torch from side to side like a metal detector, the well cover glinted in the light as the beam shone over it.

With both hands gripped around the cover, he readied himself to take the strain and was just about to push when a sudden fear washed over his whole body and stopped him in his tracks.

Would I be able to handle the pain of being double-crossed?

Do I really want to know?

It was only Ray who knew where this place was, was he in with it too.

The questions hung like a lighthouse beacon in his mind. Digging his feet into the hard ground, he gave a push. The cover slid with a scraping squeal.

The well was totally black inside, like a bottomless tunnel, excessively dark to see or make out anything. His hands shaking, reluctantly, he shone the torch over the opening. It took every ounce of strength and will power he had to look down. With the well lit up, he could see the blanket that covered the cash was still in place. The contours of the cover showed the outline of something covered and instantly put him at ease. It showed that the money was still underneath, hidden away from view.

How could I have been so untrusting?

The doubt left his mind and the adrenalin rush it gave him made his knees tingle. Sitting down on the rim with his legs dangling inside, he had to concentrate hard to slow his heart rate. The release of the worry of losing everything had come in one massive surge. Berenice, Egypt, the lifestyle, it was still within his grasp and he let out a huge prolonged sigh as he fell backwards onto the hard soil.