Maclennan. He dropped his arms to his side. "Fix it?" His eyes blazed. "You're ones that broke it in the first place. Thanks to you lot, everybody thinks I'm a killer. I've got no friends, I've got no future."
"Of course you've got friends. Alex, Ziggy, Tom. They're your friends." The wind howled and the rain battered his face, but Maclennan was oblivious to everything except the frightened face before him.
"Some friends. They don't want me, because I tell the truth." Mondo's hand came up to his mouth and he chewed at a fingernail. "They hate me."
"I don't think so." Maclennan took a small step nearer. Another couple of feet and he'd be within grabbing distance.
"No closer. You stay back. This is my business. Not yours."
"Think about what you're doing here, Davey. Think about the people who love you. This is going to tear up your family."
Mondo shook his head. "They don't care about me. They've always loved my sister more than me."
"Tell me what's bothering you." Keep him talking, keep him alive, Maclennan willed himself. Let this not be another nightmare fuck-up.
"Are you deaf, man? I already told you," Mondo shouted, his face a rictus of pain. "You've ruined my life."
"That's not true. You've got a great future."
"Not anymore, I haven't." He spread his arms like wings again. "Nobody understands what I'm going through."
"Let me understand." Maclennan edged forward. Mondo tried to step sideways but his drunken feet slithered on the thin wet grass. His face was a mask of shocked horror. In a terrible pantomimic cartwheel, he struggled against the pull of gravity. For a few drawn-out seconds, it looked as if he would succeed. Then his feet went from under him and he disappeared from sight in one shocking moment.
Maclennan lunged forward, but far too late. He teetered on the edge, but the wind was on his side and held him till he had his balance again. He looked down. He thought he saw the splash. Then he saw Mondo's white face through a break in the white froth of water. He whirled round as Janice and the other constable reached his side. Another police car drew up, disgorging Jimmy Lawson and two other uniformed officers. "The lifebelt," Maclennan shouted. "Hold on to the rope."
Already, he was tearing off his coat and jacket, slipping out of his shoes. Maclennan grabbed the lifebelt and looked down again. This time, he saw an arm black against the foam. He took a deep breath and launched himself into space.
The drop was heart-stopping in its suddenness. Buffeted by the wind, Maclennan felt weightless and insignificant. It was over in seconds. Hitting the water was like falling on to solid ground. It knocked the breath from him. Gasping and swallowing great mouthfuls of freezing salt water, Maclennan struggled to the surface. All he could see was water, spray and spume. He kicked out with his legs, trying to orientate himself.
Then, in a trough between the waves, he caught a glimpse of Mondo. The lad was a few yards farther out, over to his left. Maclennan struck out toward him, hampered by the lifebelt round his arm. The sea lifted him and brought him crashing down again, carrying him right into Mondo. He grabbed him by the scruff of his neck.
Mondo flailed in his grip. At first, Maclennan thought he was determined to break free and drown himself. But then he understood that Mondo was fighting him for the lifebelt. Maclennan knew he couldn't hang on indefinitely. He let go of the lifebelt but managed to cling on to Mondo.
Mondo grabbed at the belt. He thrust one arm through it and tried to get it over his head. But Maclennan was still gripping his collar, knowing his life depended on it. There was only one thing for it. Mondo thrust back as hard as he could with his free elbow. Suddenly, he was clear.
He pulled the lifebelt over his body, desperately gasping for breath in the saturated air. Behind him, Maclennan struggled closer, somehow managing to get a hand on the rope attached to the lifebelt. It took a superhuman effort, his waterlogged clothes fighting him every inch of the way. Cold was eating into Maclennan now, making his fingers numb. He clung to the rope with one arm, waving the other above their heads to signal to the team on the cliff to bring them up.
He could feel the pull on the rope. Would five be enough to get them both up the