‘I’ve done all I can. Hopefully, she’s safe somewhere. I’m sure she would have located a place to stay as soon as she left here.’
But Molly wasn’t convinced. All she could do was visualise a small frightened teenager huddled in a shop doorway, shivering with the cold, and once more she was transported back in time, huddled in the corner of a dingy flat whist her parents argued, her hands clamped over her ears trying to block out the row. She inhaled deeply as she noticed Cam walking towards the door.
‘Where are you going? We need to know she’s safe.’
‘Molly, there is nothing more I can do. We have searched every inch of the village and now the bridge is shut.’
‘We can’t just do nothing.’ Molly could feel the panic rising inside her.
‘Look, we can’t get back across the bridge until it’s deemed safe, but…’ He pulled out his phone from his pocket. ‘We have a lot of customers and businesses both sides of the bridge. I could message the different WhatsApp groups I’m in and ask them to check their properties and outbuildings?’
Molly felt her fast-beating heart calm a little. ‘Thank you, that would make me feel a little better.’
Instinctively she extended her arms for a hug she but she noticed Cam hesitate.
‘I don’t like it when we argue but I am worried sick.’
‘I know and I am sorry,’ he replied, finally pulling her in close.
‘Did you just hesitate to hug me?’ she asked, a feeling of uncertainty hitting her.
Cam didn’t answer.
‘You did, didn’t you? We need to talk about this. What is going on with you?’
‘I’m sorry, not now,’ he replied, his voice barely a whisper.
He kissed the top of her head and let go of her. Molly could have sworn he had tears in his eyes as he headed towards the hallway.
Standing there, Molly felt rejected. He’d actually hesitated to hug her. Feeling her heart beat faster, her anxiety increased. They used to grab any moment to be wrapped up in each other’s arms.
‘You don’t find me attractive anymore, do you?’ Molly heard her voice crack. ‘It’s because I’m pregnant, isn’t it, and put on all this weight?’ she blurted before she could stop herself.
Cam stopped and turned back around. ‘Don’t be silly, I love the fact you’re pregnant. I’m just exhausted, cold and in need of a warm drink.’ He turned back towards her and enveloped her in his arms. ‘I love you and don’t you ever forget that.’ He held on for longer than normal and Molly was sure she felt him shaking.
‘I won’t,’ she replied. ‘How about you wait up for me tonight, if the bakery isn’t going to be such an early morning tomorrow?’
‘We’ll see,’ he replied, popping a kiss on the top of her head.
His words preyed on her mind. They were the same words she would say to George when she knew the answer was no.
‘Are you still going to Isla’s? You can’t walk in this weather and the van won’t get you there.’
‘Drew is picking us up in the four-wheel drive.’
‘Okay, try and enjoy yourself. If there’s any news of Bree, I will let you know.’
Bewildered, she watched Cam walk away down the hallway. He kicked off his boots and slipped his feet inside his slippers, and she heard George’s excited voice filter out from the living room as Cam pushed the door open.
There was something different about the way he’d just hugged her but Molly couldn’t put her finger on it, and she couldn’t work out whether it was because of guilt … or fear.
Chapter Nine
All the way to Foxglove Farm, Molly had mulled over the way Cam had hugged her. She couldn’t get it out of her mind and had an uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach, but as soon as Isla swung open the front door to the farmhouse with her usual welcoming smile Molly tried to push that feeling to the back of her mind.
‘Look at you, every time I see you that baby gets bigger,’ exclaimed Isla, taking a step forward and admiring Molly’s round stomach.
‘Believe me, it has,’ Molly replied, hanging her coat on one of the hooks in the hallway.
