“You need to see something first.”
He led us into the quiet lobby.
Rebecca and Chris followed.
Inside a small office, the manager placed the phone on his desk.
“It’s security footage.”
My heart hammered.
“Just tell me if she’s alive.”
He hesitated.
“Please watch.”
He pressed play.
The first clip came from a camera near the far end of the bay.
The banana boat appeared exactly where I expected.
It was heading back toward the resort.
Relief rushed through me.
“They’re coming back.”
Then Liam suddenly began signaling frantically to the driver.
The driver immediately changed direction.
Instead of continuing toward the resort, he turned sharply.
Straight away from the resort.
“What is he doing?”
The words escaped before I realized I’d spoken.
Daniel stepped closer.
“Why is he leaving?”
The manager paused the video.
Nobody moved.
Rebecca stared at the frozen image of her son.
“I don’t understand.”
Neither did I.
The boat had been almost back.
Why would Liam suddenly send them away?
The manager took a breath.
“Keep watching.”
He opened another clip.
For several seconds, everything looked normal.
Then Maya slumped sideways.
One moment she was upright.
The next, she collapsed against the inflatable.
I covered my mouth.
“No.”
Liam turned toward her.
Even through the grainy footage, I could see panic on his face.
He reached for her.
Shouted something.
Then waved both arms frantically toward shore.
He wasn’t taking Maya away.
He was trying to save her.
The boat disappeared around the rocky point.
The manager opened another recording.
“This camera belongs to Blue Cove Clinic.”
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