She let out a long sigh. She had rushed her words to ensure she could say everything she needed to say before the voicemail cut her off. But as she went over it in her head, she probably sounded like a loon.
Before she left Tom’s cottage, she would try one last thing.
She stepped off the path and on to the lawn and her heels sank into the sodden grass, but now she could see in his front windows. There was no sign of him in what was obviously his dining room, so she made her way across the path and on to the grass on the other side and peered in that window. This was his siting room and there was no sign of him in there either.
She spotted the side gate and went to see if it was unlocked. Luckily for her, it was so she walked along the side path and ventured to the rear of the cottage. The first room was a bedroom, but not one that was being slept in by the look ofit. She continued on to the window she assumed would be his kitchen, and peered in there.
Nope. No sign of him in there either, so unless he was upstairs, he wasn’t at home. She had no way of seeing in those windows. Unless she got a ladder and… Now she really was going too far and she tutted loudly.
‘Get a grip, Lara.’
Yet she couldn’t shake the feeling of unease and for some reason she took a second look through the kitchen window.
Nope. He definitely wasn’t … Wait a minute. Was that a slipper she had seen? And was it on a foot? A foot of someone collapsed on the floor! She peered in again.
It was. She was certain of it.
She called his grandson again but again it went straight to voicemail. ‘Call me, please!’ she pleaded, and then she hung up and dialled the emergency services.
‘Ambulance, please,’ she said, before the responder hardly had time to ask her which service she required.
‘I need an ambulance at Tom’s Cottage in Old Oak Lane in Bluewater Bay. I think it’s number one Old Oak Lane because mine is number two. I don’t know Tom’s surname. I’m his new neighbour and I believe he’s had a fall. I’m sure I can see him on the floor in his kitchen but I don’t have a key and I can’t get to him unless I break a window.’
‘Don’t do that,’ the new responder replied. ‘Let me take some details. An ambulance is on the way. You’re at the property now, you said.’
‘Yes. I’m in the back garden. Oh. I think I can hear a phone ringing inside.’
‘Let’s not worry about that.’
‘But that must mean Tom is in there, mustn’t it?’
‘You said he was.’
‘I said I thought he was. Now I’m certain he is.’
‘The ambulance will be with you shortly. It’s just minutes away. Stay on the line with me until it arrives. You said you’re his neighbour.’
‘Yes.’
‘What age is Tom?’
‘I don’t know. I only met him yesterday He’s old though. At least eighty, I would guess. Erm. I’ve got another call coming through. This might be his grandson. You’ve got everything you need from me for now and I’ll be here when the ambulance arrives. But I do need to answer this.’
She switched calls.
‘Hello.’
‘Lara?’ the voice on the other end didn’t sound quite so abrasive now.
‘Yes. Are you Tom’s grandson? Did you just try to call him?’
‘Yes to both. There was no reply. What’s going on? Is Gramps okay?’
‘I honestly don’t know. I don’t want to worry you but I’ve called an ambulance and I’m just waiting for it to arrive.’
‘An ambulance!’
‘Yes. Listen. Is there a key somewhere? I don’t want to have to get them, or the police to break the door down unless I have to.’
