Adrian was still crouched down beside her and now he was holding her hand, his thumb stroking softly back and forth. He was looking right at her. And rather than making her self-conscious, it made her quite the opposite. ‘I thought he might come here,’ she told him. ‘He loves it here.’
‘I know he does,’ smiled Adrian. ‘He bossed me about with the wetsuits remember.’
‘He loved doing that.’ She managed a half smile, a bit of a laugh.
‘So did I.’
‘How about I drive around and see if there’s any sign of him?’ Leo offered.
‘I’ll come too,’ Nina jumped in. ‘You can drive, Leo, I’ll be able to look. I can get out and pop into the pizza shop, cafés, anywhere we think he might be.’
‘Maeve, you stay here with Adrian,’ Nina suggested to her.
‘I really thought he might be here,’ she reiterated, stillfocused on Adrian. Her heart had sunk when she’d peered through the door to the boathouse and had seen Nina, Leo and his brother, yet no sign of Jonah.
‘Has this fight been brewing for a while?’ Adrian asked, as Leo went to get car keys and a waterproof jacket.
‘You could say that … but it all came to a head today.’
‘What’s up?’ Adrian asked his brother who was still hanging around the counter. ‘Can’t find your car keys?’
‘I can, but a set of keys for the shed below is missing. I must’ve left them in the lock.’ He shook his head. ‘I’ll grab them and then we’ll get going.’ He headed down the internal stairs.
Maeve pushed away the rest of her tea. ‘I’ve been trying to protect him for so long.’
‘You’re a good mum,’ Adrian assured her.
‘Sometimes, other times, not so much.’
‘Don’t be too hard on yourself. He’s a great kid – a fantastic kid in fact – and he has a good head on his shoulders. He’ll cool off and come home.’
Her eyes pleaded with his that that might be true. But before she could get another word out Leo came back to them with an item she recognised. ‘Where was that?’
Leo was brandishing Jonah’s backpack. She’d recognise it anywhere, with its faded blue pocket on the side, the frayed shoulder strap she’d sewn up more than once.
‘Down by the bottom doors, where we keep the water craft.’ He looked as frightened as she was and when he spoke she realised why. ‘One of the kayaks is missing.’
‘How did he get your keys?’ Maeve couldn’t understand it, didn’t want to accept it.
But Adrian dropped her hand, stood up and swore loudly. He raked a hand through his hair in despair. ‘Ithink he came when I was cleaning the shop – vacuuming. I was keeping an ear out for the door for a paddleboard delivery and thought I heard someone come in, then just thought it was the wind and me imagining it. I didn’t think much of it and carried on, but then the weirdest thing was that a load of buoyancy vests were off their hooks and on the floor.’ He went over to the collection he must’ve put back up again. ‘It must’ve been Jonah and I’m guessing he took a buoyancy vest along with the keys.’ He swore again.
Maeve began to shake, fear pummelling her from all angles. ‘Oh God, he has the kayak. He’s out there,’ she cried, standing up and running over to the window, looking out at weather that was atrocious for the experienced, let alone a beginner.
Leo was already picking up the phone to call the coastguard, Nina had come to her and held her tight and when she pulled away Adrian had already pulled on a waterproof top and was rifling through the drawers at the counter.
‘What are you doing?’ Nina asked him but he pulled out a key. ‘What’s that for?’
‘The Wildflower.’
Maeve recognised the name. It was Adrian’s boat and he hadn’t been out on it since the night of the tragedy more than a decade ago.
‘Adrian you can’t go out in this. Leave it to the coastguard,’ Nina urged.
Maeve felt the room begin to spin and Nina steadied her as she wailed. Jonah was a good swimmer but that was in the pool, not the sea. The pool was tame, the sea an unpredictable beast. With the rain, the wind, he could’ve drifted miles out, he might be in the water now, separatedfrom his craft. She bent double, put her hands on her knees, trying to catch a breath.
‘I’ll go with you!’ She pulled away from Nina.
‘No, stay here,’ Adrian said firmly. ‘I’m not about to put your life at risk as well.’
