Finders Keepers (46 page)

Finally Jonas tired.

His arms barely cleared the surface, and his lungs seemed to have shrunk. His legs were far heavier than when he’d first launched himself into the waves. He trod water for a moment, then paddled himself around to look back at the beach.

He was surprised by how far he’d come. Weston-super-Mare was draped across his horizon like a toy village. As the sea swelled under him, he could pinpoint the Winter Gardens, and the new white pier glinting in the sunshine, but nothing else was recognizable from this distance. The broad beach was no more than a narrow brown line.

He wondered whether anyone had stolen his shoes yet, and remembered he’d only put an hour’s parking ticket on the Land Rover.

He laughed. A short sound, which was all his burning lungs
could
spare him. He was too far out, and his arms were too tired and his legs were too heavy. But he didn’t feel frightened and he didn’t feel alone.

Jonas turned his back on the beach and kept swimming. He concentrated on lifting his weary arms and kicking his leaden legs and turning his mouth to suck in the sunshine.

Every weakening stroke pumped more joy into his heart.

He couldn’t wait to tell Lucy all that he had learned.

I could not have written this book without the kind help of hunt staff and members on Exmoor, who were so generous with their time and knowledge.

Many thanks to the editorial, design and marketing teams at Transworld for their insight, creativity and attention to detail. I’m particularly grateful for the support of Sarah Adams and Ben Willis.

Belinda Bauer
grew up in England and South Africa. She has worked as a journalist and screenwriter and her script
The Locker Room
earned her the Carl Foreman/Bafta Award for Young British Screenwriters. With her first novel,
Blacklands
, Belinda won the CWA Gold Dagger for Crime Novel of the Year. Her second novel,
Darkside
, has been critically acclaimed. Belinda lives in Wales and is currently working on her next novel.

Also by Belinda Bauer

Blacklands

Darkside

For more information on Belinda Bauer and her books, see her website at
www.belindabauer.co.uk

TRANSWORLD PUBLISHERS
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First published in Great Britain
in 2012 by Bantam Press
an imprint of Transworld Publishers

Copyright © Belinda Bauer 2012

Belinda Bauer has asserted her right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work.

This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

ISBNs 9780593066904 (hb)
9780593066911 (tpb)
Version 1.0 Epub ISBN 9781446465905

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