Page 36 of The Boathouse By the Loch

Jake walked through the gap in the hedge, feeling pretty good about things, just as Marty skidded to a halt in front of him, grabbing his sleeve. ‘Jake!’ He was breathless, as though he’d been running. ‘It’s Gayle.’

Jake immediately registered the alarm on Marty’s face. ‘What happened?’

‘She sent me to find you. You’d better come quick. There’s some woman on the phone for you, hysterical, can’t get a sane word out of her.’

‘Oh, god – it’s Lydia!’ Jake’s heart pounded. His pace quickened. By the time he got to the car, he was running full pelt and too psyched-up to stop.

He ran past the car and across the lawn. He hurled himself through a tiny gap in the privet hedge where once, as children, he and Marcus had sneaked into the neighbouring property. He ran towards Gayle, who was standing on the porch, looking down the driveway, not expecting Jake to arrive from another direction. Jake reached her, panting like a dog.

She guided him to the phone in the study, her face urgent.

Jake picked up the phone as Gayle pulled the door closed, leaving him alone to take the call.

He hesitated.

Was this the call he’d been dreading? Time and again, it had been Lydia ringing him up, and he had tried to reassure her that everything would be alright; that he’d go and find Marcus. But no, not this time; this time it would be Lydia telling him that everything wouldn’t be alright – ever, because it was too late. That Marcus was dying. Or that he was dead in a gutter before Jake had a chance to reach him. Why hadn’t he got on that plane with Marcus? Why now, when everything seemed to be coming together? Jake closed his eyes as he brought the phone to his ear. He didn’t think he could bear to lose them both. ‘Lydia?’ Bile was rising in his throat; he thought he was going to be sick.

‘Jake? Oh, Jake! Oh, god!’

Jake opened his eyes. ‘Faye?’

‘Oh, god! Jake, I don’t … I can’t …’ She was hysterical. This wasn’t the Faye he knew. Jake had never, ever known her to act this way.

‘Faye.’ Jake repeated her name several times as he fought for control of his own voice, because there was only one thing that could send her off the rails like this. Jake’s heart at that moment was pounding in fear as he said, ‘Faye – tell me what happened to Natty.’

Jake was forced to wait an excruciating few seconds for Faye’s sobs to subside enough for her to manage, ‘She’s gone, Jake – they took her.’

‘They?’

‘You’re leaving? But you’ve only just arrived. I thought you came back because you had unfinished business.’

Gayle was standing in the doorwayof the attic bedroom. She’d popped upstairs, clearly concerned after Jake had got off the phone and raced up the stairs like a herd of elephants, the old stairs creaking loudly under his heavy footfalls as he took them two at a time.

He’d heard Gayle call after him, but he hadn’t had time to pause on the stairs and explain what was going on. He’d barely had time to shove his stuff in his overnight bag. He wasn’t surprised that Gayle had followed.

Jake turned around. ‘I’m sorry, Gayle. I know I booked for six nights, but—’

‘Oh, Jake. I’m not fussed about that. I’m sure I’ll rent the room out.’

‘Even so. I want to pay for—’

Gayle wagged a finger at him. ‘Now, we are not going through that again. You’re only paying for the night you stayed, do you hear me?’

‘Yes, Gayle. Loud and clear.’

‘What happened, Jake?’

‘It’s Natty, my friend’s daughter. She’s … missing.’ Jake did not want to get into the specifics of exactly what Faye had told him:They took her.

‘Oh, goodness. How old is she?’

‘She’s only nine. I have to get back to London.’

‘Of course, of course. Will you get a flight at such short notice?’

Jake stopped and stared at her. ‘God, I’d forgotten I’ve got to book a flight.’ Jake picked up the keys to his hire car. ‘You know what? If it comes to it, I’ll have to drive.’

‘That will take hours!’

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