Every terrible possibility I’d spent 16 years trying not to imagine rushed into my mind at once.
Had they fallen into the water?
Were they still out there?
Someone touched my arm.
Rebecca.
Liam’s mother.
She looked just as terrified.
“They’ll find them.”
I nodded automatically.
Neither of us sounded convinced.
Chris stood with Daniel, scanning the water.
Nobody spoke.
There was nothing to say.
An hour after the kids left, flashing lights appeared near the resort entrance.
Two emergency vehicles pulled onto the property.
Lifeguards began unloading equipment.
Guests gathered along the beach, whispering.
Everything felt strangely distant.
Like I was watching someone else’s nightmare.
Then I saw a man walking toward us.
The resort’s general manager.
I’d seen him greeting guests earlier that week.
Now his face was pale.
He wasn’t looking at the emergency crews.
He wasn’t looking at the water.
He was looking directly at us.
A phone was in his hand.
He stopped in front of Daniel and me.
“I need both of you to come with me.”
“Did they find them?” I asked.
He swallowed.
“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.
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