Her One Mistake(68)

I looked one way, then the other. Had I really expected to find them here? Seeing the box of shells in the cottage had made me certain I’d find Alice and my dad on the beach. Only they weren’t.

My feet circled and circled as I refused to accept that they weren’t here. Everything started to spin and I fell to the sand in a heap of desperate tears. A sound escaped, but I wasn’t sure it had come from me.

“Are you okay?” A voice drifted toward me but I ignored it as I dug my hands deeper into the sand. Never had I felt so frightened or so alone.

“Excuse me?”

Go away.

Thoughts swarmed my head like locusts until they turned the sky black.

“Do you think we should call a doctor?” The voice was approaching. Nearer and nearer.

I buried my head into my knees.

Go away. Go away. Go away.

“Do you need help?” A hand touched my side, making me sit up. The light from the sun was harsh and I was forced to shield it with my hands.

“I’m fine,” I said, my legs trembling as I forced myself to stand. “Thank you,” I added, brushing the sand from my jeans.

“Can we get anything for you?” she asked. A man was right behind her, the little boy with his fishing net trailing reluctantly after.

“No, I’m okay,” I said. “Maybe I had too much to drink last night.” I attempted a smile. The woman nodded but didn’t smile back, and eventually she allowed the man to take her arm and called the boy to follow as they walked away.

I waited until they had disappeared and then retraced my steps quickly back up the path, past the parking lot, and up the cliff path. Tears raced down my cheeks until I was sobbing great gulps of air that made me double over in pain. When I reached the top I looked out to the sea, mouthing my daughter’s name.

What should I do? Alice was now genuinely missing, but there was no one I could tell. The police would say, “We know she’s missing, Harriet, she disappeared nearly two weeks ago.”

“Alice!” I cried quietly. “Baby, where are you?” I went back to the cottage on unsteady legs, letting myself in through the back door again. “Dad? Alice?” I screamed into the cold, silent air as I collapsed onto a wooden chair in the kitchen. “Where have you gone?”





CHARLOTTE


On Friday morning Charlotte placed the phone facedown on the kitchen table, having just hung up with the school. Molly was sick and asking to come home. She had claimed a tummy ache that morning, but Molly occasionally did that if there was a chance of staying at home. Usually it turned out to be nothing.

She told the receptionist she’d be there shortly, but it messed up her plans. Evie was in nursery and Charlotte was supposed to be meeting Captain Hayes at the police station in fifteen minutes. He had called her that morning asking her to come in “for a chat,” admitting that neither Harriet nor Brian had returned home all night.

“I don’t know any more than I told Angela,” she said. “But of course I’ll come in if you think I can help.”

“I wouldn’t be asking you if I didn’t,” the detective said. “I’ll see you at two p.m.”

Charlotte hung up. His sarcasm grated and it made her wonder if he thought she was lying and knew where Harriet and Brian were. Now she was going to have to call him en route to the school and explain that not only would she be late, Molly would be with her too. She could picture his exasperated face when she gave him the news.

Charlotte grabbed the car keys and picked up her purse. Rifling through it to check she had her wallet, she was just about to leave when her cell rang from the bottom of her bag, flashing a number she didn’t recognize.

“Hello?” Charlotte cradled the phone between her ear and shoulder as she fiddled to close the zipper on her bag. It was forever jamming and she knew if she tugged it much harder the whole thing would snap.

“Charlotte?”

She froze. “Harriet? Is that you?”

“I need your help,” her friend said stoically.

“Thank God you’re okay. Where are you? Where’s Brian? Why didn’t you go home last night?” Her questions tumbled out.

“Charlotte, I need your help,” Harriet whispered.

Charlotte dropped her bag and pressed the phone closer to her ear. Wherever Harriet was, it was difficult to hear her. “Harriet, what’s happened? Is Brian with you?”

“Brian?” There was a short pause. “No, Brian’s not with me.” Another pause and then, “I don’t know what to do,” she cried.

“Oh God,” Charlotte muttered, and all she could picture was that Harriet was planning something stupid. “Okay, tell me where you are and I’ll come meet you. Are you nearby? I can be there—” Charlotte hesitated. She had already committed to be in two different places, but Harriet came first. She would call the school and ask them to keep Molly a while longer. No, she would call Tom. He would have to leave work and collect her. “I can come over straightaway, Harriet. Are you back at home or can you get there?”

“No. I’m not there.”

“So tell me where you are. I’ll come to you, wherever it is,” Charlotte said.

“I’m in Cornwall.”

“Cornwall? What the hell are you doing in Cornwall?”