Eva glanced from Heidi back to the fence and Jamie’s house. She imagined walking up to the front door, ringing the bell and asking a distraught Mr McIntyre if he knew where Jamie was. It would be like finding a hornets’ nest and telling the hornets that their queen was ugly. She wouldn’t get out of there in one piece.
‘You’re right,’ she said. ‘I can’t ask Mr McIntyre, not today at least. But the longer we leave it the colder the trail will get.’
‘Phew. A wise choice.’ Heidi sat back down on the swing. ‘And are you absolutely, definitely certain that you want to find him? I mean, you’re sure that he isn’t better off wherever Melanie has him?’
‘I’m sure. Jamie will want to come home. No question.’
‘OK. So, what’s the plan?’
Eva took a few deep breaths. Heidi thought she could come up with a plan. Heidi trusted her, just like Jamie had. She had to think of something. ‘Dogs!’ she said.
Heidi looked puzzled. ‘Not the answer I was expecting.’
‘The dog walkers in the park. They could lend us a bloodhound. It could track Jamie down. They can smell tiny traces of scent in the air.’
Heidi shook her head. ‘I don’t think there even is a bloodhound at the park – it’s all Labradoodles and Yorkshire terriers. And Jamie went in a car. They won’t be able to trace him. Hey, I know, we should ask Shan – she’s clever. She’ll come up with something.’
Shan? She wouldn’t help Jamie, not in a million years.
Heidi must have seen the thought displayed on Eva’s face. ‘I know she won’t want to help Jamie, but she might help us. Come on!’
‘Won’t she have gone home? I don’t know where she lives.’
‘She’ll still be at the lodge. She’ll be doing something with the radio. Or something. Can you come back there now?’
‘I’ll have to ask my gran.’
‘OK, come on then.’
Eva followed. She’d do whatever it took to find Jamie.