It sounds worrying. Occasionally people decide to disappear in the hills, but they don’t usually go to the trouble of leaving their route mapped out for their hotelier.
‘It’s been a mild day,’ Les says, ‘but now it’s dark the wind is picking up and the temps are dropping fast. Let’s make sure the Semples are safely back indoors in time for Coronation Street.’
The team head for the kit room. Les makes his way over to Callum. ‘I’m happy to stay here and coordinate – but are you sure you’re all right to go out tonight?’
Before Callum can answer he hears a familiar voice behind him.
‘Sorry I’m late, what’d I miss?’
As Callum turns to Danielle, his heartbeat becomes a belligerent smack in his chest. He finds she is staring past him towards Les, and won’t meet his eye.
‘Missing couple, retired, haven’t made it back to their B&B. Somewhere along Fairfield.’
‘Right. I’ll go and get ready.’
Callum is sure their indiscretion must be obvious to everyone, but Les simply pats Callum’s arm, apparently unaware that his question remains unanswered. ‘Good man. I’ll call you in the RV. The Patterdale team are going to join in, and Fletch and Mick will meet you there with the dogs.’
Callum nods, then heads quickly to the kit room to grab a search sack. Everything else is already in the rescue vehicle. When Callum sees Danielle preparing to ride in the front, he jumps in the back, huddling in the small space with six more team members, their bodies jostling at every bump in the road. On the way he checks with Les, who has contacted the guesthouse again. It wouldn’t be the first time the missing are safe and well and enjoying supper while the rescue team are out looking for them. But this couple still haven’t reported in.
When they pull up at Low Farm, on the outskirts of the search area, the Patterdale crew are already there, waiting to confer with Callum’s team before they get going. He can see the dogs too, straining to be off, their excitement palpable.
It’s then that Callum gets the next shock of the day. For in front of him is Mike McCallister, dressed in fluoro jacket and boots, a rope slung over his arm.
Mike catches sight of Callum and nods a greeting, as though they vaguely know each other. Then he turns away. There’s nothing to suggest they had spent two desperate hours together on one of the adjacent mountains.
Danielle has seen him too, and looks curiously at Callum. A week ago they would have been co-conspirators, discussing this sudden appearance and what it foretold. Now he doesn’t dare talk to her while the others are around.
What is everyone waiting for? Callum wonders. They are all watching him expectantly.
‘Callum – you okay?’ John Dudgeon asks. ‘You ready?’
Of course, they are waiting for him to take the lead, to sort out their configuration for the search.
He heads over to Bill Cramer from the Patterdale team. Bill is a fell-runner and a good friend of Liam’s – they have accompanied one another on some of their wilder adventures. Their tales of injuries and incidents are so extreme that most people would think they were exaggerating, but Callum knows Liam too well to believe they are anything but the truth.
‘We’ll let the dogs go first, then you sweep the eastern side and we’ll take the west. The Semples left a plan of their route, and it didn’t sound like they’re the type to stray too far from the path.’
Bill nods. ‘All right, let’s go.’ He is about to turn when he pauses. ‘Pam and I were shocked to hear about Sophia, and we’re glad Georgia’s okay. We’ve been thinking about Liam and Helene all day.’
‘Thank you,’ Callum says, then follows the group, staring at Mike McCallister’s back. He shakes his head, trying to clear it.
He gives some instructions as they walk. ‘John, Dave, Howard, Paul, since you’ve got the stretcher, why don’t you stick close to the path. Trent, Bill, if you sweep a bit further down the valley, Danielle and I will check along some of the other tracks in case they went the wrong way.’
It’s a gamble, pairing himself with Danielle so overtly, but he can’t think of another way to talk to her. He waits for the knowing glances, but everyone picks up their packs and begins to walk. Once they are on their way the rescue drill takes over. They all begin to make lots of noise, calling out to the Semples as they search, then listening for a response.
Other than that, Danielle doesn’t say anything. And Callum doesn’t know how to begin. As they walk, his mind grows as dark and precarious as the fells. ‘I’m really sorry about this morning, Dani,’ he says quietly at one point when he gets close enough. She won’t even catch his eye. ‘We need to talk about this,’ he tries.
‘I think you did all your talking this morning,’ she hisses back.