Page 62 of Don't Believe A Word

Sadie regarded her helplessly, her face a picture of guilt and despair.

Cristy looked from Connor to the others and back to the screen. ‘If we do carry on,’ she said, ‘I want your solemn word that there will be no more deception, and if there is anything else you’re holding back, I need to know now.’

‘There isn’t, I swear, but I’m still looking. You’ve seen for yourself how much there is to go through …’

‘OK,’ Cristy cut in, needing to move things along, ‘when you come over to talk to Robert Brinkley maybe you could drive and bring some boxes with you so that we can help with the search.’

Sadie was already eagerly nodding. ‘I’ll get Jasper to rent a van, we’ll be able to fit more in that way and if it’s too much we can always bring it back again. Oh God, thank you for not giving up on me. I know I’ve handled it all wrong, I just … It’s hard to express how much it means to me, having your support …’

Cristy’s hand went up. ‘Your apology is accepted, so let’s deal with other things. We’re considering coming to interview your old housekeeper, Corny, unless you think we’ll be treated to a Mia-inspired account of your life on the island.’

Sadie grimaced. ‘It might be best if you could arrange things so that neither she nor Mia know you’re coming. I’d be there, obviously, to introduce you to Corny – it might scare her otherwise, if you just turned up – but at least that way we’d know that she hasn’t been told what to say by Mia.’

‘OK, we’ll talk some more about it after you’ve met with the Brinkleys. Have you arranged a time and date with Robert yet?’

‘Yes, we’re coming over the day after tomorrow, and meeting in Minehead.’

‘How are you feeling about that?’

Sadie’s eyes closed as she inhaled deeply. ‘Nervous, a little bit excited … I know, obviously, that they can’t tell me where my mother is now, or my uncle, but the fact that Robert met her, actually spoke to her …’ She broke off, took a moment and started again. ‘He sounds like a nice man in his interviews, and when I spoke to him on the phone.’

‘He is and you’ll love his mother. Clover and Jacks will be there to record your chat, but only if you’re comfortable with it.’

‘I’m sure that’s fine. Are Clover and Jacks listening now?’

Cristy nodded for Connor to switch everyone into the call. Moments later they were all on the screen with Clove and Jacks waving a friendly hello.

‘I’m sorry I’ve messed you all around,’ Sadie told them earnestly. ‘Thank you so much for giving me a second chance.’

Before she could get into any more apologies, Cristy said, ‘There’s something else your aunt told me during our FaceTime chat and, frankly, it’s what’s really keeping us all on board.’

Sadie frowned.

‘She said she’s been protecting you from something all these years, and she’s not going to stop now.’

Sadie’s frown deepened as bright spots of colour flared in her cheeks. ‘Did she say what it was?’

‘No, but feel free to ask her and if she’ll tell you …’

‘She won’t.’

‘I suspect you’re right, but whatever she says, we’ll be interested to hear it.’

‘Of course. I’ll let you know right away, provided she hasn’t locked me up again. But don’t worry, I’ll be on my guard next time I’m there and, anyway, Jasper will be with me to help load the van.’

*

Two hours later, as Cristy walked home in the dark, the call she’d been waiting for finally arrived.

‘Dad’s furious with me,’ Anna confided, sounding stressed and sorry. ‘He said I had to call right away to explain myself and to make sure you don’t think Sadie is entirely to blame.’

Having suspected Anna had played a bigger role than Sadie had let on, Cristy said, ‘I’d find your apology easier to accept if your father hadn’t pushed you into it.’

‘Oh, he didn’t. I mean, I was going to call you anyway, and I would have right after Sadie rang me, but then Ludo, Rosie’s boyfriend, had a melt down and no one knew how to handle it. Dad had to hold him down while I rang Ursula, that’s Ludo’s mum, and she took forever to come … It was a nightmare; I think he wanted to kill us … Ludo, I mean, not Dad.’

Reminded of how life went on regardless, Cristy said, ‘What set Ludo off?’

‘A bat, would you believe? He’s got this collection, baseball, tennis, golf, cricket – I know they’re not all technically bats, but it’s what he calls them and he’s super proud of them. He won’t let anyone touch them, even his mother, but he brought them over to show us today, and Laurent and Rosie used one to play rounders and the next thing we knew Ludo was going off on one and trying to attack them. So, that’s the reason I’ve taken a while to call, I’ve been trying to comfort Rosie with Dad doing is best with Ludo and Ursula.’

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