Louise picked up her phone and scrolled through until she found the number she needed.
‘It’s DI Baxter,’ she said as someone answered, walking out into the hall so she could speak privately.
I found my phone too and called Jamie. Not wanting an audience, I ducked outside the back door and shivered in my robe while I waited for him to answer.
His phone went to voicemail. I hung up and rang again. Voicemail.
‘Jamie,’ I said. ‘Darling, can you call me? There’s been a hiccup. But don’t worry – the wedding’s still on. It just might be a bit late.’
As explanations went it was pretty rubbish. I wondered if I should phone him back and tell him about Parker – but how could I put that on a voicemail message? I turned my phone over and over in my hand thoughtfully, staring at the snow family Parker and I had made just a couple of days earlier.
‘Shit,’ I said. ‘Shit.’
I slammed back through the door. Everyone looked at me in astonishment.
‘I know where he is,’ I said. ‘I know where Parker is.’
Tansy stood up straight.
‘What do you mean you know where he is?’ she said. ‘Where is he?’
‘I think he might have gone to my cave,’ I said.
‘What. Cave?’ Tansy said fiercely. ‘Tell me where my son is.’
‘When we made our den the other day, I told him about my cave,’ I said. ‘It’s where I used to go when I was young, a sort of quiet place where I could sort my head out. I said he should find a space of his own so if he wanted to think about things, he could go there. I think he might have decided to use mine.’
‘Makes sense,’ Harry said. ‘He’s a smart kid but all this stuff with Jamie and now Michael turning up – no offence,’ she nodded at Michael and he nodded back. ‘He’s bound to be confused. Maybe he just needed some time out.’
‘We need to go,’ Tansy said. ‘Tell us where it is.’
‘I’ll go,’ I said. ‘I know where it is and he might talk to me. I’m a bit removed from it all.’
Tansy protested but Michael put his arm round her.
‘It makes sense,’ he said. ‘Let Esme go and we can follow. Where is the cave?’
‘It’s on the shore,’ I said, gabbling a bit. ‘Along from the café. Dad, can you drive me down the hill? I can cut through by the church – it’s quicker than going all the way along.’
Dad nodded.
‘Harry,’ I said. ‘Can you please sort everything out? Get hold of Jamie and explain what’s happening? And speak to Kirsty and tell her we’ve been held up?’
‘I’m on it,’ Harry said.
Lou had appeared back in the kitchen.
‘The Claddach police are doing a search down in town,’ she said. ‘Did I hear you say he could be by the loch?’
‘I think he’s in my cave,’ I said. ‘I’m going to find him.’
I looked down at myself – still wearing my snuggly dressing gown.
‘I need to change,’ I said.
‘Don’t mess your hair up,’ Harry warned. I gave her a withering look.
‘I’ll let the station know,’ Lou said. ‘But I’ll get them to keep looking just in case.’
Tansy let out a little moan, and Michael pulled her close.
‘The cars will be here in a minute,’ Mum pointed out. ‘When they arrive we can all go down. Don’t worry, Tansy. We’ll find him.’
I ran upstairs – not caring a jot about my lovely hair – and threw on some jeans. Then I ran back down again, grabbed my phone, my keys and one of Suky’s brightly coloured blankets, and followed Dad to the car where I sat jiggling my legs impatiently and ringing Jamie over and over. He didn’t answer. It was nearly three p.m. though – he’d be waiting for me in the gallery by now. I wondered if he’d left his phone at his parents’ house or if he’d just switched it off.
‘Where is the cut through,’ Dad asked as he drove into the town square.
‘Just at the end here,’ I pointed through the windscreen. ‘By the church.’
He pulled up and I undid my seatbelt.
‘Can you go to the gallery and see Jamie?’ I begged him. ‘Tell him what’s happening and tell him, just tell him I am coming.’
Dad leaned over and gave me a kiss.
‘Feeling like a step-mum now?’ he said.
‘I just can’t bear to think of him scared and cold and thinking no one cares about him,’ I said, my voice catching.
‘That’s it,’ Dad said. ‘That’s parenthood, right there. Go on. Find that little lad and then go and get married.’