‘How did you know?’
Laura paused.
‘Tell me, Laura.’ Natalie clenched a fist.
‘I’m really ashamed to say that I had a thing with Kyle. He knew about Alan and Mary and he didn’t care. It’s over now, only lasted a few weeks. That type of relationship isn’t what I want. He isn’t what I want. I was lonely and now I’m so ashamed.’ She exhaled.
‘Why didn’t you tell me? I’m your closest friend.’
‘Because I know how stupid it all was and if I told you about Alan and Mary, I’d have to have told you how I knew. I ended it with him and all I wanted to do was bury it. I really am sorry.’ A sob came from Laura.
The truth had come too late. She’d never confronted Alan with it and now he was gone. She needed her friend right now even though she’d made mistakes. ‘So you’ll come and see Archie with me?’
‘Of course I will. I want to be there. Whatever it is that you need to look into, I’ll help. What do you know?’
‘Like I said. Come with me to see Archie later. Meet me at The Brambles at six.’
‘I’ll be there. Should I bring anything for him, you know, some toffees or a bag of sweets?’
‘I don’t think so. See you later.’
Natalie hung up wondering if she’d done the right thing. There wasn’t exactly an instruction book for these circumstances. What if she hadn’t properly heard what she thought she had on that night? Perhaps Mary was talking about something entirely different and she’d totally got her wires crossed. Maybe she was making more of it because she was livid with Mary for what she’d done. The more it turned in her head, the more confused she got. Maybe this was her way of taking out some form of revenge on Mary for all that she’d done and her brain was twisting everything to suit her agenda. No, she knew what she heard and she owed it to Kate to follow it up.
She glanced through the shop again and watched as Cody stared out over the harbour, a cigarette dangling from his lips as he grimaced. He pulled it from his mouth and stamped on it, pressing out the smoulder, then he kicked the bench. Maybe Cody was the person talking to Mary that night. Looking at him kick the bench again showed that the man was none too pleased about seeing Kate.
The whole town was about to unravel and she had to find out if what she heard was true before the news was unleashed. Nothing would be the same again, her included. Why did that article have to come along and stir everyone up?
FIFTEEN
KATE
I enter Will Wilcox, Cornwall into the web browser on my phone. So many hits come up and I open the first one and stare open-mouthed. Laura was right.
I read through everything as I sit on a bench. Willy Wilcox is a Cornish pirate who supposedly drowned in a cave that had since been named after him in Polperro. I’m sure that’s where we went on a boat the day my sister vanished. My father mentioned it many times, mostly when drunk. I click on an old article where someone has claimed to have seen his ghost in the cave. A shiver runs through me as I think of the person who sent the messages. They’re literally a ghost too. I don’t know who they are or what they want. I’m only assuming that Cody is Will.
So, my messenger has chosen this pseudonym and I wonder if there is a reason behind his choice. Is he giving me a clue by choosing to hide behind a pirate or was it some mindless choice? I place my other hand on the damp bench as I inhale the salty air.
I open another article and see a photo of people exploring the cave. It’s tall and dark and I hate it so I turn my screen off. I don’t want to look at those harsh, pointy rocks any longer. I close my eyes and my mind wanders as I visualise taking a walk into the black hole, steadying myself on the cold rock as I go. I can hear the sea lapping on the shore. Echoing in the distance, a baby cries so I run. I keep running, searching for Jess but I’m lost and I can no longer hear the lapping of the sea.
A baby cries. I open my eyes and run up the pier to the little one and call, ‘Jess.’ As I lean in to pick her up a woman hurries back.
‘What are you doing?’
I back off. ‘I’m so sorry. I heard crying.’
She glares at me and walks off pushing her baby. I don’t know what came over me a moment ago. Shaking it away, I hurry back down the pier.
Rarely do I get this overwhelmed by thoughts of Jess but the reality is, I think I’m going to learn what really happened and the truth might be far more sinister than my family have been led to believe. Is this Will saying that my baby sister was smuggled out of the harbour for a reason? Pirates smuggle things. They steal. The very thought of her being smuggled fills my mind with so many unwelcome thoughts.
Black market baby? Trafficking for all kind of perverts? Body parts? My mind is awhirl with all manner of evil possibilities. No, I’m being ridiculous. Her sun hat was found floating in the harbour. But is Jess dead?
Staring out at sea, I watch the fishing boats. I know the police had a list of all the boats that had been moored up but nothing out of order was found amongst them. My father was right, he was to blame and after that article, the whole of Cornwall knows that he fully accepts his guilt. He got drunk that day, he wasn’t watching Jess and she died because of that. I swallow. If that was the whole story, why is this Will person messaging me? I check the time and realise that I have to get moving. I’ve wasted enough time sitting here and Damien will wonder where I am.
I finally reach the harbour and I hope that Cody is still there. How long is it okay to be out if all you went for is some fish and chips? There’s a chippie along the harbour, we passed it earlier when we were window shopping. I can go there when I’ve spoken to him and when I get back to the cottage, I can blame the queue.
I zip up my hoodie. The breeze is picking up again and the bit of sun that had cast a lovely glow on the beach when we were playing earlier has long gone. The woman at the ice-cream shop was definitely trying to avoid me. Someone had to have alerted her to my presence in this town. It’s not like I’ve made any announcements on Facebook. Maybe Cody or Laura have already spread the word, then there were all the people in the pub. I didn’t imagine that everyone was muttering behind their hands and staring at me yesterday.
The scent of chips travels in a gust and my mouth salivates, not with hunger but with this low rumbling nausea that I’ve had since that first message came through. It’s getting worse every time someone dodges me or tells me a lie. Shaking my head, I wonder if I’ve been too harsh. Laura seemed fairly nice and I imagine that in any other circumstances, I could be friendly with her but there was definitely something under the surface while we were speaking. I’m still not sure if her parting words to me were a threat or a warning.
