Page 28 of The Boathouse By the Loch

Jake didn’t need this. How many times had Marcus told him this same absurd lie? Even though he was there in Scotland to find out the truth about whether someone had been up there off-piste with them, Jake had to acknowledge that deep down, he just didn’t believe it was true.

‘He says it wasn’t him.’

Jake had seen nobody else on that run. Who did Marcus think it was? The ghost of bloody Christmas future?

‘He says you knocked him unconscious, and when he came around. it was your voice he could hear shouting out. That’s when he realised you were okay; you weren’t buried like Eleanor. So he started digging her out. He says when he found you, your face wasalready clear of the snow; somebody had got to you first. He says there must have been somebody else up there with you.’

‘What doyoubelieve?’ Jake’s tone was curt.

‘I don’t know what to think,’ said Faye haltingly.

That wasn’t good enough. ‘I’ve got to go,’ Jake said abruptly. ‘I’ve got things to do.’ He couldn’t wait to get back to London and have it out with Marcus – once and for all. He’d been foolishly persuaded that Marcus might, just might be telling the truth. But if somebody else had been up there with them, then why hadn’t they come forward? He’d asked himself that question once before, but this time he had the answer: no one had come forward for the simple reason that no one else had been up there with them.

‘Jake, Jake, I didn’t mean …’

Jake slammed the phone down.

Chapter 11

Jake parked in front of Gillespie’s General Store next to a battered green van with the faded wordsGillespie Deliverieson the side. He’d arrived just as the shop was opening. As he approached the entrance, he was forced to do a quick sidestep out of the way of a young man leaving the store, his arms laden with three crates. He looked familiar. Jake waited while the guy loaded the van, then accosted him as he approached.

‘David?’ said Jake, stepping in front of him and blocking his way into the store. Jake noted the disconcerted look that flickered across his face. ‘We met yesterday at Gayle’s,’ Jake clarified. ‘At dinner. Well, you didn’t end up staying for dinner …’ Jake looked at him expectantly, wondering if David would tell him whether the previous day he’d managed to book that hotel room for tonight, to surprise Robyn when she returned from London today. Perhaps he was planning for them to stay more than one night.

‘Yes, I remember,’ he said slowly, a guarded look in his eyes.

Jake knew it was none of his business, but he wanted to meet Robyn before he left, hoping she wouldn’t be too busy catching up with her boyfriend in a posh suite in a hotel to visit Gayle at Lark Lodge. That was assuming David had booked a room. There wasanother reason for Jake’s interest – he wanted David’s room at Lark Lodge. Jake appreciated that he’d been in luck when Gayle had told him that the seven-night booking for the attic room had been cancelled. It meant he could stay on at Lark Lodge for six more nights, if he wished. The problem was that Jake didn’t want to remain in the attic room – the one with the view of The Lake House.

Jake had an idea. If they got into conversation about something else, maybe he could drop in the question about whether David was staying on at Gayle’s. He’d asked Gayle that morning, but David had left early for work, and she hadn’t had a chance to speak to him.

Jake opted to show him the photograph of Martha’s son; it would be a way in. He was their generation. Perhaps her son had been adopted by a local couple, and he had gone to school with David. It was a long shot, but anything was possible.

‘I’ve got something to show you.’

He was about to explain how he came by the photo, and how he had met the boy’s mother, but when he got out his wallet, he couldn’t find the photo. He put his hand in his coat pocket and came up empty. He was momentarily thrown. He held up a finger. ‘Just one second.’ He checked the other pocket.

‘Look, some people have to work around here,’ said David as he pushed past him, the sarcasm in his voice unmistakable.

Jake was left standing outside the store, frantically searching all his pockets until he remembered: the previous evening, after his conversation with Faye, which he’d ended rather abruptly, he had taken the photo out of his wallet to try and focus on something else. He must have left the photo on his bedside table and had forgotten to put it back in his wallet.

Jake sighed, his thoughts turning to Faye. He should have phoned her straight back and apologised for being so rude, but he hadn’t. That morning, when he’d woken, he’d known she’d be getting herself and Natty ready for the last day of term. He’d decided he would either phone her later, when she’d returned from work, or on Saturday morning, and would have to hope she would answer her phone. She wouldn’t have had time to listen to his lame apologies that morning, which was just as well, because Jake had wanted to leave early for Mr Gillespie’s store. He’d had something pressing on his mind. However, it wasn’t catching up with David.

David reappeared with another load of crates and gave Jake a black look on his way to the van. He deposited the crates on the pavement and loaded them into the van one at a time.

Jake sidled up to the van, conscious of the fact that this had not got off to a good start. ‘Look,’ he said, ‘I have something to show you that might be of interest.’ He was aware he was sounding like some dodgy salesman, or worse, a dealer offering David something illegal. Jake wished Marcus hadn’t come to mind at that moment. He pressed on. ‘Can we talk?’

‘I’m busy.’ David loaded the last box into the back of the van.

‘OK.’ Jake hadn’t expected this to be easy. ‘It doesn’t have to be now.’ Jake would still rather have the photograph, something with which to open the lines of communication. ‘Later, perhaps, at Gayle’s …’ Jake was fishing. He waited to see what David would say to that.

David finished loading the van, passing Jake several times as he entered the shop, returning with more goods for the van, making him wait for an answer. Finally, he slammed the back door shut, wiped his dusty hands down the front of his jeans, and came over to Jake. ‘I won’t be back till late –verylate.’

Jake pursed his lips. So he hadn’t booked a hotel room.Damn!There went that room at Gayle’s that Jake wanted to move into.On the other hand, perhaps it was good news. He wondered if David was picking Robyn up from the train station. Maybe they were having a meal together and then staying over together at Gayle’s. That could be a possibility. Jake bit his lip. He couldn’t very well ask him. He didn’t even know Robyn. Their relationship was none of his business. He guessed he’d just have to wait and see if she was there at breakfast on Saturday morning.

‘I see.’ Jake was not perturbed.

He watched David climb into the van. Jake turned towards the store.

‘I’ll be at The Winky.’

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