The Secret of Trefusis Cove – Episode 30
The Secret of Trefusis Cove by Pat Thornborough
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- 1. The Secret of Trefusis Cove – Episode 30
Aircut, the Shantymen and Sally had heard the noise and came to see what had happened. The lights of the pick-up were still on and the hooter blared.
Betty heard Aircut shout to his niece.
“Sally, phone everything – fire, police, ambulance. Come on, lads, we’ll grab the gear and get over there. We must do something!”
They ran back into the cottage and reappeared laden with ropes and block and tackle.
Betty hadn’t realised that she could run so fast. Val kept pace with her. They were passed by Aircut and the Shantymen.
“What can they do?” Val panted.
“Don’t know,” Betty replied. “But they must try to do something before the pick-up falls any further.”
“Betty, poor Alex! Do you think he’s . . .”
“Don’t ask that. Please God, let the emergency services get here soon.”
When they arrived at the scene Aircut and company were already fixing up the block and tackle to a tree and preparing to lower a rope to the vehicle.
“Alex!” Val shouted above the noise of the hooter. “Can you hear us?”
There was a long pause before he answered.
“Yes, I can hear you, but I can’t move. My arm’s trapped. The ute is wobbling a bit. I don’t want to crash to the bottom.”
“We’re lowering someone down. Don’t move,” Aircut shouted. “Are you hurt?”
“A bit shaken. I’m more scared than anything.”
They lowered Kit carefully down the slope with a rope tied around his waist and the hook of the block and tackle attached safely to it, until he was next to the window of the pick-up.
Betty and Val could hear Kit shouting to Alex.
“Are you trapped? Can you move?”
The paramedics arrived. Betty explained the whole incident.
“Someone has gone down on a rope to the driver.”
“The door’s jammed. I can’t open it from out here so I’m going to try to get him out through the window,” Kit called.
“Don’t, he may be injured!” a medic replied. “If the vehicle is unstable it may fall at any moment.”
“I’m not injured,” Alex’s voice called. “I’m going to try to get out. It’s just my arm. Strewth! I can’t shift the flamin’ door.”
Betty and Val watched Kit reach in through the window. Val put her hands over her eyes.
“If you can get him out and both get hold of the rope, we can haul you up with the block and tackle!” Aircut shouted. “If you can, switch off the engine and take off whatever’s pressing on the hooter. It would help not to have that racket going on.”
Kit turned off the motor.
“His arm’s stuck through the steering wheel!” he called. “I’m shifting him off the hooter.”
Silence followed.
“Oh, Betty!” Val put her hand on her friend’s arm.
