Where the Memories Lie

 

‘That’s what I said.’ Ethan gave me a superior look which made me want to smack him. ‘Dad doesn’t even know anyone called Georgia Walker.’

 

‘How do you know?’ Lucas asked.

 

‘Well, have you ever heard him mention her?’ Ethan said.

 

‘No. But that doesn’t mean anything.’

 

‘I’m sure it can’t possibly be true,’ I said. ‘But it’s bugging me why he keeps repeating it when he’s never mentioned anything remotely like it before. Do any of you know anyone called Georgia who Tom might’ve become confused about?’

 

One by one they shook their heads.

 

‘I did a search online, but I couldn’t find anyone with that name who’s mentioned as a missing person. I searched the tele-phone directories to see if she was in there, but again, I didn’t find anything helpful. Do you think we should go to the police and at least ask them if someone called Georgia really is missing?’

 

‘The police?’ Ethan snorted. ‘Oh, don’t be ridiculous!’

 

‘Wait.’ Chris plonked himself down heavily on the sand next to my chair and held up a hand. ‘How could he have killed someone?

 

Dad’s the nicest guy you could ever meet. It’s . . . it just doesn’t make sense. There’s no way.’

 

‘I agree,’ Ethan said. ‘It’s impossible. It’s just the Alzheimer’s making him believe something he’s read or seen on the TV.’

 

‘But what if there really is a missing woman out there?’ I said.

 

‘Not that I think Tom’s killed anyone, but what if perhaps he knows something about where she is? Something that might help find her?

 

53

 

Sibel Hodge

 

I’ve been thinking that maybe he witnessed something that might solve a crime. It could be something that happened a while ago and he’s only just remembering it. She could have a family who’s looking for her.’

 

‘Of course he doesn’t know anything,’ Chris said. ‘He’s just confused.’

 

‘But why is he so obsessed with someone who doesn’t seem to have ever been mentioned in the papers? There must be a reason.

 

I’ve checked for news stories and there’s nothing.’

 

‘That’s because there’s nothing to find out,’ Ethan said.

 

‘Honestly, when you get a bee in your bonnet about things, you’re a nightmare. Your imagination runs riot! This is all just stupid. I don’t even know why we’re talking about it.’ He glared out to sea.

 

Lucas stared at the ground, a pensive frown on his face. ‘Well, there’s a simple way to find out for certain.’

 

‘What do you mean?’ Ethan said.

 

‘I mean we go to the police like Olivia said and ask them if there’s anyone with her name who’s missing.’

 

Nadia shrugged. ‘We’ll just be wasting their time. There can’t be anything to it. I mean . . . Dad? It’s just nonsense. Honestly, Liv, you’re always finding something to worry about.’

 

‘I agree he’s confused,’ Lucas said. ‘But there’s no harm asking the police. What if Georgia is kid a who’s disappeared and Tom does know something about it?’ Lucas said.

 

‘I hadn’t thought of that. I just assumed she was an adult.’

 

I turned to Ethan. ‘We have to go to the police and at least check, don’t you see?’ I stood up and crossed the sand towards him. ‘Tom was very explicit about her, and he mentioned her not only once, but several times. And he was completely lucid when he said it, too.

 

What if there really is a missing child out there and he could help find her?’

 

54

 

Where the Memories Lie ‘And what are we going to tell them? That our senile dad has confessed to killing someone but, hey, it’s probably not true because the other day he thought he was Gregory Peck!’ Ethan’s nostrils flared with anger.

 

I reached for his hand. ‘Look, I know you don’t want to talk about this but—’