‘And your son’s name?’
‘Lucas.’
‘Okay, Amy. Here’s what I’m going to do. I’m going to ring the emergency services and get as many people as possible out here searching as quickly as possible. What I need you to do is try to stay calm.’
As Bea reached for the telephone, Amy stumbled to her feet and headed back outside into the torrential rain shouting Lucas’s name at the top of her lungs. Dialling the emergency services, Bea was met with a barrage of questions she didn’t know the answers to.
‘How old is Lucas?’ the voice on the other end asked.
‘I don’t know.’ Bea took an educated guess. ‘Maybe around five.’
‘What is he wearing?’
‘I’m so sorry, I have no idea.’
‘How long has he been missing?
‘I don’t know. Please can you get a search team to The Little Blue Boathouse as quickly as possible?’
As soon as she hung up the call, Bea opened the contact book at the side of the till and dialled the number for the B&B. Within three rings Julia picked up the phone.
‘Julia, it’s Bea.’
‘Are you okay? You sound—’
‘Far from okay. There’s an incident on the river, just outside the Boathouse. The emergency services are on their way but there’s a possibility a small boy has fallen off one of the boats into the water. We need as many people up here as possible to help with the search.’
‘Flynn is still away on business but Isla is here with me. We’ll send Drew and Fergus up right away and alert the rest of the villagers. We’ll all be with you in five.’
Relieved that help was on the way, Bea hung up and rushed outside. The wind was pushing her hard, attempting to lift her off her feet. The only thing in their favour was that it wasn’t dark yet, though the terrible weather was causing a few problems with visibility. Panic was written all over Amy’s face. She was shivering and her teeth were chattering. Bea wondered if she was going into shock.
‘Help is on the way,’ reassured Bea, looking out over the turbulent water. The river had an eerie feeling about it today and Bea was praying with all she had that Lucas hadn’t been swept away. She and Amy began to run up and down the riverbank scanning the water, but they couldn’t spot him anywhere.
‘How long do you think he’s been gone?’ asked Bea.
‘Fifteen minutes at most.’
Bea knew that was a long time for a small boy to be in these waters. They checked up and down the jetty and searched the outhouses at the back of the Boathouse but still there was no sign of him. Amy was sobbing. ‘He’s only just got his first swimming badge. He will never survive in that water.’
‘What was the last conversation you had with him? Can you remember?’ asked Bea.
The tears were streaming down Amy’s face, her cheeks streaked with black mascara. ‘Yes, we were watching the storm through the window of the boat and he saw something sparkle on the rocks and thought it was treasure. I told him to go and get his PJs on whilst I nipped to the loo, but then, when I went to check on him, he was gone and the door to the deck was open.’
Bea looked towards the boat. Was it possible for a small boy to jump the distance from the side of the boat to the bank? She wasn’t sure, but anything was possible.
‘What if someone has taken him?’
‘I’m sure he can’t be far,’ Bea replied, thankful her voice sounded calm. ‘Which rocks did Lucas think he saw treasure on?’ Call it a hunch, but Bea was convinced that the little boy had somehow attempted to get to the rocks.
Amy pointed.
‘I’m going take a look up there, but I want you stay here. Help is on its way.’
With the rain stinging her cheeks she rushed back to the Boathouse and grabbed a life jacket in case she needed it. Battling against the wind, she ran up the path, praying the little boy would be okay. She continued to shout his name, but there was still no answer. Her heart was aching with worry. Lucas could have easily slipped on the bank but that wasn’t a thought Bea wanted to consider, with the water flowing so fast.
Adrenalin had taken over her whole body as she pushed towards the rocks. She took a quick glance over her shoulder and could make out a Land Rover heading up the river path, which she assumed was Drew. In this weather, she knew there was no time to waste.
‘Lucas, are you there?’ yelled Bea, finally approaching the rocks.
