With an enormous amount of relief, Harry steered the Mercedes out of Nice and onto the main coastal road taking them in an easterly direction, bound for Monaco - then onwards reaching Menton still in France, a charming coastal resort lying just across the border from Italy. The temptation to visit San Remo was tantalizing - more so the feeling uppermost in their minds which was to turn in a northerly direction for Switzerland and not return to France for a while. Italy now lay in close proximity from the French border, as they drove higher against the rocky cliff face, traversing through scattered homes and small villages.
There remained a certain amount of tension in the air after the ordeal both men had left behind in Nice. This vacation was shaping up to be one of unexpected surprises, whether pleasant or not.
Plenty of dark blue and grey clouds streaked the sky, the air fresher which by no means daunted their progress, in fact they welcomed the shade from the fierce September sun beating down for days at a time. They cared not to have lingered in Nice any longer, as it left an aftertaste in their mouths of intrusion upon their vacation. They wanted to be helpful to the French police in any way they could, at the same time hoping to extricate themselves as soon as possible and not get mixed up with this serious crime that had been committed - although they both felt a sense of sadness for a life lost. Filled with a fresh sense of direction after the last few days, they ambled around the many twisting, turning roads high up overlooking the Mediterranean.
Tony's attention was intent on the map he held awkwardly in front of him. 'I'm very relieved we didn't have to mope around Nice any longer. I wonder why we were put up in a five star hotel?' He was half talking to Harry and half muttering as he studied the coastline on the map.
'Goodness knows. It did seem a bit odd to me too, but we weren't exactly complaining, were we?' Harry gave Tony a quick look filled with mirth as he continued concentrating on the winding road ahead. It was becoming quite spectacular and higher above the sea below, where enormous yachts were either moving slowly or at anchor.
Although more clouds gathered, the sun managed to send shafts of silvery light onto a sparkling Mediterranean - its rays shimmering across the surface, stunning.
Harry wondered where he could stop to get a better view, as he was only able to glance quickly when they rounded certain bends in the road.
More time had passed before Tony finally looked up from his map reading and chuckled. 'Nope! In fact I slept rather well. Pity it wasn't for longer, but I'm pleased we left when we did. In some ways I could have stayed there a lot longer.' He buried his face in the untidy map on his lap again.
Harry frowned for a moment, wondering what Tony was talking about, then grinned in acknowledgement, still looking for somewhere to stop the car, but finding parking places few and far between. His mind started wandering again. 'You know..., I think I remember where I saw that chap's face; you know, the one I spotted making haste after we discovered that body lying there. He was glancing over his shoulder and that's when I started thinking. It was all too brief, but I have just remembered.'
'Remembered what exactly?' Tony put the map down, his attention immediately diverted, beginning to become more intrigued with what his friend was saying than studying the map of the French coastline.
'That chap's face and some of his other features. Weren't you listening a moment ago?'
'Yes, of course I was listening. Carry on will you?'
Harry took a deep breath first, steering the car carefully around a tight bend in the road. 'Do you remember when we went to Monroe's pub with the others soon after we arrived in Port Grimaud?'
'Of course I do. How could I forget?' Tony grimaced with the memory of their first night in the lovely yachting resort of Port Grimaud, thinking they would have the place to themselves - but in fact it was full of other people - owned by Christine, an ex-wife of one of Tony's other friends. Although they were not able to stay in Avignon beforehand, needed to drive down to the coast, thereby turning up a few days early at the house, much to everyone's surprise. 'Do go on Harry. Don't stop now!'
'Well... remember Vanessa's father Luca?' His friend paused for a moment, thinking.
'Yes yes... what about him?' Tony frowned deeply, becoming impatient to hear more.
'It was him that I thought I saw. Same face and colour of hair, dark eyes...'
Tony shifted in his seat, sitting bolt upright with this new revelation. 'Nooo! Are you sure?' he asked, his eyebrows lifting with amazement.
'Fairly sure,' said Harry, starting to pull into a small parking place on the side of the road.
'But what about the police? Surely we need to contact them about this. Might be important.'
By now, Tony's mind was racing from one thing to another. 'Although... I don't know...' He was beginning to get his head around this unexpected development, thinking ahead a great deal. 'Hmmm...' he pondered out loud, 'perhaps not.'
Harry brought the car to a standstill, his expression darker with his thoughts beginning to trouble him. 'I don't know,' he mumbled, thinking along the same lines as his friend. 'Think of the consequences. The police released us, content with what we have told them when we signed those statements. They must be fairly convinced we know no more. Why stir the pot?'
'I hope you are right, dear boy. We don't want to end up as witnesses in a long standing murder case, do we? After all, we didn't witness the murder, if indeed it was a murder - just the aftermath and what you thought you saw.' He sighed, wondering if they were doing the right thing in the eyes of the law.
Harry got out and stood on the side of the road, stretching his legs. 'What would Luca be doing there anyway?'
'I have no idea. The plot thickens... and what would his motive be I wonder?'
'Hmmm,' thought Harry, glancing down at his feet. 'It does seem very odd, but the more I think about what I saw, the more I'm convinced he was involved somehow.'
Tony's face darkened with scorn. 'What do we do now then - go to the police? This could have a lot of bearing on the case - throw new light on things.' His tone was lowered in case anyway should hear, but the only people nearby were the ones passing them on the road.
They wandered to the edge of the cliff overlooking a beautiful bay. 'I'd rather not if it isn't necessary,' Harry added.
They were both aware Monaco wasn't far away. 'Do you really want to see those casinos and hotels in Monte Carlo?' asked Tony, hesitantly. 'Don't know about you, but I'd rather crack on to see Menton. Perhaps we could have a nice relaxing lunch there.'
Harry turned back from the view momentarily. It was refreshing to see such a lovely land and seascape as what met their eyes, so high up from the sea. 'I think that's a good idea. We've lingered long enough today, but this scene is great, isn't it?' He placed one hand up shading his eyes from the sun's glare upon the sea, then wandered over to the car.
Tony answered with a vague hint of regret. 'It is, but let's drive on. We can see Monte Carlo anytime.' He wondered if 'anytime' would ever be on the agenda in future years, as they were both well into their seventies already. He turned away from the view, and as he did so, suddenly caught his foot in the half buried roots of a tree. His other foot gave way on some rubble, causing him to slide a few meters down a steep slope. 'Oh dear God...!' he uttered with shock - then became silent.
Harry turned from opening the car door and couldn't see his friend. 'Tony... where are you?' But only silence met his ears. His heart almost stopped beating in his chest with fright, his breath becoming short. 'Tony?' he asked again, before walking to the edge of the cliff-face in sheer panic - then heard a faint voice.
'Here...I'm here...help me.'
Harry was immediately aware of the danger his friend was in. He looked over the steep incline with utter horror. Tony was only just managing to hold on to an overhanging branch that looked none too stable. He wondered for a long moment what was to be done - his mind racing. Then he quickly collected his thoughts and as he did so, a police car was driving towards them, on the same side of the road. Becoming short of breath with worry, Harry hailed it down immediately indicating there had been an accident. It pulled in directly behind his own car. Two police officers approached him, asking in French what the problem was. Harry tried to remember his French, but gave up hastily pointing down the cliff to where poor Tony was still dangling.
'Try and hold tight Tony, there's help on its way,' he called, face tense hoping to put Tony's mind at rest - but there was only a faint moan in answer.
The two policemen acted quickly. For some unknown reason, they had a long piece of rope in the boot of their car, much to Harry's enormous relief. They hooked it up firmly to the back of his Mercedes and threw the other end over the cliff to where poor Tony managed somehow to grip onto it. They indicated to Harry that he drive the car very slowly out to the center and along the road, while one of them stopped the traffic. The other policeman aided Tony as he was brought slowly up to the level of the road. Luckily the rope held, although it was pulled tight to capacity and dragged across the edge of the cliff. He grabbed the tiring elderly man quickly, as it looked as though Tony was on the verge of collapse. His fait was sealed at that moment, his life saved in the nick of time. He was slowly brought to his feet with care, as his legs wobbled beneath him. The policeman smiled briefly, the corners of his mouth twitching. Then they sighed with relief that the plan had worked. It was a miracle the two policemen were on the scene at just the right moment. Neither wished to think of what could have happened otherwise.
The Mercedes was parked again at the side of the road and Harry shot out to attend his friend, who looked thoroughly exhausted after his ordeal and trying to catch his breath. He was shaking and none too steady on his feet.
'Just as well I'm still a little bit fit,' he gasped at the waiting men, their faces still wearing a worried expression. 'All that exercise at the gym has paid off, eh?' He gave a slight chuckle in recognition of what he'd managed to achieve at his age.
'Good Lord man, you could have been killed!' Harry said, starting to brush Tony down, at the same time propping him up.
Tony smiled briefly. 'Well I wasn't, was I?' he retorted with a cheeky grin, beginning to straighten up. Harry thought a good stiff whisky might help, but thought better of it looking at the policemen. Besides there wasn't a drop in sight.
'Merci beaucoup messieurs. Nous honorons votre presence avec gratitude,' he said, with a deep, slow nod of the head. Harry shook hands with both policemen, hoping his words of gratitude were adequate. Tony smiled politely as he also held out his hand and shook each one of the policemen's hands, thanking them for saving him from what might have been disastrous. What they would have done without their help is anyone's guess.
'You are most welcome,' one of the policemen said in English. 'Only too happy to oblige. Then he frowned slightly. 'Haven't I seen you somewhere before?' It was time to move on.
Harry turned back to them from helping Tony walk towards the car. 'It was a miracle you were in the area. Thank you so much for your help.'
'We'll be on our way if the gentleman needs no more assistance,' one of them added. 'I thought he might need to go to a hospital to be checked over. Are you sure he'll be alright?'
'Oui monsieur et merci encore,' replied Harry, hoping to get Tony into the car and on their way before any more questions were asked..
The policeman shrugged and soon their car took off in the same direction as they were going. Harry breathed a sigh of relief. 'You gave me such a scare Tony, falling over the cliff like that!'
His friend leant back in the seat with his eyes closed, while Harry secured his seat belt around him. 'I didn't do it on purpose you know...'
'Of course not!' replied Harry, walking to his side of the car. 'Will you be alright soon? I don't like the look of you.'
'You wouldn't look too bright either, having just fallen down a cliff-face, he sneered.'
Harry glanced over at his friend, his lips drawn over his mouth. 'Sorry old friend, but I'm so bloody relieved you survived. It was a nasty experience for us both.'
'Me too!' croaked Tony, pulling a face. 'It wasn't much fun either.'
'Then let's get going. There's been enough drama lately to last us a lifetime.'
Tony sat up a little more, realizing with relief that he was alive and nothing untoward really happened. He didn't want to make a mountain out of a molehill. He was still intact and thankfully nothing broken - then winced as he reached for the map again.
Harry glanced over as he started to pull out onto the road once more. 'Are you sure you are alright?'
'Yeah! I'll live. A few bruises in the lower regions, that's all,' he smirked.
'Oh! Is that all,' replied Harry. 'Well you won't want to be thinking of charming the ladies for a while huh?'
Tony only muttered in reply.
Harry wondered if they should use Miss Madam, the sat/nav, as he began reaching over to turn her on and program their journey, but remembered they'd have to stop again, so changed his mind.
'She is the last thing I wish to deal with today.' Tony gave a slight groan.
'I'm not a thing,' came the reply.
Both men rolled their eyes while Harry kept driving.
Not too long after Tony's ordeal, they began entering the vicinity of Menton, as the sun shone through a scattering of fluffy white clouds. Soon they would be needing to park as Harry slowed the car to a dawdle along the beach front with expectancy.
'I'm ready for some lunch,' announced Tony.
They wandered through some narrow streets towards the center of town where a street market was in full swing. Several people were eating in an outdoor café under umbrellas as the sun shone through a canopy of leafy trees. A lone guitarist was playing a beautiful and haunting piece by Segovia nearby.
Harry stopped dead in his tracks to listen and whispered to Tony. 'That is one of the loveliest pieces of music ever written and this chap can really play it!'
After it had ended, he stood still a few more moments, then leant down to add to the gathering coins in the man's hat, thinking it was well worth it. He turned back to Tony who was now looking over his shoulder at a menu outside the café. 'Right then! Let's have a cold beer, shall we?'
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