Glenn huffed. Looked up, craning his neck and shielding his eyes from the glare of the milky sky that managed to be both overcast and bright at the same time. The five-storey tower was hexagonal in shape. Two of those storeys – the middle and the top – had windows wrapped all the way around, giving 360-degree views.
You know I’d always had a soft spot for the place, Beth. Although industrial-looking and mainly concrete, there was something pleasing about the shape. Remember the conversations we all had, picturing how it would be if we owned it? The lounge would be at the top so that we could fully appreciate the views as we sat. With land this flat, we could literally see for miles and miles. If we looked inland we could probably see right to the mighty cathedral-like church in the town of Wapentake. Facing the sea was even more dramatic, watching the weather fronts racing in, waiting for them to hit. It would be wonderful, exhilarating, far better than sitting in front of a widescreen television. We’d have full cinematic vision.
The building attached to the tower was the size of an industrial cattle shed. We’d fantasised about Jacob one day being able to run a woodcarving business from it. He was brilliant. You remember the beautiful I Will Always Love You plaque that hangs over our bed? And you saw the mirror he gave me for our most recent wedding anniversary, with the exquisite carved frame? Such a talent! Then, of course, there’s the egret he carved for your birthday. But you haven’t seen that yet…
Glenn cut through my thoughts. ‘Cost a fortune to do it up and make it habitable. Mind you, I bet the view’s great from the top.’
‘A man after my own heart, clearly,’ I said, forcing a smile.
He looked at me and smiled, too, bemused.
‘God, I remember the fighter planes going over constantly, as a kid. The sounds of war, eh?’ He chuckled.
‘The bombs exploding in the distance, and the rat-tat of gunfire. Sometimes the windows would rattle!’
Funny, really, that in such a rural landscape Glenn and I had grown up used to the noise of war, thanks to the marsh being used as a practice bombing range. In the distance there could still be seen the rusting hulks of ships that had been towed there so they could be bombed repeatedly. Instead of the peace and quiet of the countryside, there had been the boom of jets breaking the sound barrier overhead. Now that former scene of violence was so peaceful, at last.
Maybe the fact that Glenn shared those ties of history was what made it so easy to open up to him.
‘I’ve been thinking,’ he said. ‘You know what we were saying, about Beth dressing up because she may have been going on a date?’
I frowned, uncomfortable with thinking of my little girl this way: being interested in boys, growing up. But to deny it was ridiculously naive.
Glenn continued. ‘So… do you reckon Davy might have been the one? I mean, he’s a bit simple, so maybe a kid would be right up his street.’
‘He’s not the brightest spark, but he’s definitely not simple.’ I was appalled by the idea of him enticing you away. Davy was a nice guy; he wouldn’t hurt a fly. Would he? ‘I know it would explain why he was so twitchy, but I’d need some proof before I went accusing him. We’ll talk to him again.’
‘How are we going to get proof?’
I shrugged, playing with the toggle on my coat. I was not convinced by Davy being either Lothario or attacker, but how well do we ever know anyone? Glenn was right – you had got dolled up for a reason, and that reason had to be someone you fancied. It made sense that it was a person we knew, which meant everyone was a suspect.
I’d racked my own brains and come up with nothing as to who it might be. I’d quizzed family and friends and even tried to speak with Chloe and Ursula, and come up with a big fat zero. Of course, there was one completely obvious thing I hadn’t done yet, Beth – have a thorough search of your room. I was still too afraid to spend more than five seconds at a time in it, because it felt so dead without you.
If only you would wake up and give us all the answers we needed. I missed your smile, your voice, your laughter, so much.
‘We still need to talk to Aleksy, too.’ I sighed.
Suddenly there came a high-pitched bark. A sound of distress.
‘Where’s Wiggins?’ I looked around, but couldn’t see him. ‘Wiggins!’
There was no sign of him. Panic smashed into me, catapulting me back to the day you went missing. Searching, running, screaming, hoping, despairing. I couldn’t breathe, the sky feeling as if it was tumbling in on me. Where was the dog?
I shouted his name. Another disconsolate bark came, more of a whine this time.
‘Over there somewhere,’ said Glenn, pointing to an area of marsh that looked exactly the same as the rest. It was right on the edge of the scrub, at the start of the mudflats.
Seagulls broke into the sky, making me glance further into the distance. The sea was a grey line on the horizon, flat and featureless and far away, for now. But the tide was coming in – and on land as flat as this, it came in lethally fast.
I started running.
Thirty-Four
‘Melanie! Wait!’
I didn’t slow. Shouted over my shoulder: ‘The tide, Glenn – don’t you remember?’
‘Oh God ? it comes in fast, doesn’t it—’
‘Faster than a person can walk!’
That didn’t sound too bad. But factor in hidden creeks that people would come across suddenly, which forced them to double back the way they had come and made them try another route, then another and another. It could take an age to get across the expanse of marshland. And the terrain made it almost impossible to run. It was full of hummocks, and unexpected bits of bog that looked firm but gave way instantly.
I couldn’t lose your dog. Not after everything else. I hadn’t been able to help you, Beth, but Wiggins was somewhere nearby. Surely I could save him.
‘Wiggins!’ Panic blinded me, like before. Another bark came, then another. Where was he?
‘This way!’ shouted Glenn. He jogged forward, but almost turned his ankle on a hummock. I went past him, hopping from one firm bit of land no bigger than my foot to the next. All the time spent on this marsh hadn’t been wasted.
‘Look for vegetation that’s greyer,’ I called, concentrating. ‘The greener the vegetation, the more likely it’s in a wet bit of land.’
The sea was closer. Damn it. Ahead of me the earth opened up like a crevice, and a few feet below ground level was water. A creek. It was narrow enough… I leapt across it, just managing to keep my footing on the other side.
Another whine from Wiggins. He was nearby, somewhere.
‘Melanie, wait. Is it worth it? If you get caught by the tide, you’ll drown,’ shouted Glenn. He moved slowly, carefully.
‘I can’t leave him!’ Tears gathered, but I forced them back. I had to keep my head. I had to save our dog. No way was I letting him die.