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‘We’ve had a conversation about the future, and it doesn’t involve us being together.’ Katie’s throat went dry.

‘Oh dear. I am sorry. It’s probably nothing to do with him disappearing,’ Wanda said with a false brightness that made Katie’s alarm bells jangle even more. ‘He’s probably somewhere with no signal, which is almost everywhere here. Ignore me. It’s started raining again so it’s a good job we’re on our way back.’ She sounded blithe, as if she were dismissing her fears. Yet the cheerier she sounded, the more Katie had the chills. ‘He’s bound to call me back any minute or message one of us. I’ll see you—’

The call dropped out and although Katie tried to call her back several times, there was no answer.

Unable to raise anyone, Katie thought she should do her shopping anyway, although her mind was filled with disquiet about Ned as she trawled around the supermarket loading fizz and treats. As soon as she’d finished, she tried to call Arlo and while she was waiting for him to ring back, a message came through from Ned.

It was a photo, if you could call the blurry grey and brown mess a photo. And it was sent hours ago. It wasn’t unusual for messages to be hours late but did he even mean to send the picture to Katie at all? It was as if he’d taken an accidental shot of the ground while mid-WhatsApp.

Katie texted him back. ‘Ned? Did you mean to send this?’

Ten minutes later there was still no reply although she hadn’t really expected one.

Despite her layers, she had goosebumps. Surely Wanda was worrying too much. Ned had probably sent those words to Wanda as a writing prompt or an aide-memoire. They both used to do that at one time and he’d just accidentally sent it to Wanda this time. The photo was likely an accidental one too, also sent to the wrong person.

And yet Katie knew that a story should never rely too heavily on coincidence.

The rain falling on Wanda had now reached the shore and was pouring down on Katie and splashing into the lake in spreading circles. The wind swirled dead leaves around her feet and soughed through the bare branches of the trees.

It was the last day of a tired old year and she wanted to go back to the Island House, hunker down and get ready to see the back of it. The last thing she needed was to see Ned and have another conversation and yet … she could not dismiss the niggle at the back of her mind that formed the basis of every story anyone had ever written.

What if.

What if Ned’s ‘disappearance’ and strange messages had something to do with their break-up? What if she ignored all the feelings of foreboding? What if something had happened to Ned and she did nothing?

Katie messaged Wanda and then jumped in the first taxi she could get outside the supermarket.

Will go home as soon as I can. Will check to see if Ned’s car is there just in case.

CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

Pongo barked when Arlo approached the Lodge and saw Katie fumbling for the key under the wrong flowerpot. She was surrounded by bags and a crate of wine. Why hadn’t she called him or why hadn’t he received her message asking for a lift?

All he had thought about since she left him was the fact that she’d ended things once and for all with Ned, with all the complicated emotions that stirred in his own heart. Relief, happiness – and panic, now she was free and there was nothing to keep them apart. He didn’t know what to do. Dare he open his heart and allow himself to be vulnerable again? Allow himself to risk being hurt? Was it still much too soon for her?

He jumped out and Pongo bounded up to Katie. She fussed him but looked worried, not to mention wet through in her smart puffa coat.

‘Damn! Sorry, I didn’t get your message,’ Arlo said, hearing his phone ping in his pocket. ‘I was held up on the way back to Keswick by an overturned truck. Still, at least you’re here. Have you had a good afternoon?’ He had to admit from her worried expression she didn’t look as if she had.

‘Yes, thanks, but something’s come up with Ned. He made an appointment to see a document at Keswick Museum but he never turned up. Then he sent a weird message to Wanda and I got a photo from him of – well, it was blurry darkness but it was sent hours ago.’

‘OK …’ Arlo didn’t see anything that worrying about a missed appointment and a couple of random messages, yet Katie seemed very agitated so he trusted her instincts. ‘Come inside out of the rain.’

‘Thanks.’ She stepped into the kitchen and Pongo licked her hand.

‘We’ve been trying to call him ever since and I know the signal’s bad round here but I have this feeling that something is wrong. I realise that makes me sound like Wanda, but this time, I think three odd things might add up to something weird.’ The words tumbled out of her. ‘I had hoped he was back at the Bothy but there’s no sign of him. Has he checked out?’

‘Not as far as I know, though he might have gone and left the key in the Bothy. We often don’t lock the doors but we can check if you like. We’ll soon know if he’s taken all his stuff.’

Katie nodded. ‘Of course – he might have decided to go home. I did wonder. I’m probably panicking for nothing.’ She sighed with relief.

Arlo aimed for cautious reassurance. ‘I’m sure he’s either gone home or for a hike. We could see if he’s taken his walking gear and rucksack.’

‘If he was in town or driving back south, he’d have answered his messages when he had a signal,’ Katie said.

‘Or the battery could be dead or he might have accidentally left it in the Bothy or in his car. Let’s see if he’s taken his gear and if there’s any clue where he’s gone. Do you want to borrow one of my old waterproofs? Your coat is already soaked through.’

She glanced down at the drips on the tiles. ‘I’ve been hanging around the jetty wondering what to do.’