Page 32 of A Nantucket Wedding

“I’m not blaming anything on anyone,” Patrick told his wife. “I’m just asking Daphne, who has been so wonderful at entertaining all the kids, to tell us what has happened.”

With everyone looking at her, Daphne seemed to shrink from a broad-shouldered, domineering miniature troop leader into a frightened child.

Patrick knelt next to his daughter and put his arm around her. “It’s okay, Daphne. We just need to know what you know to help us find Luke. Remember, he’s only five, not a big kid like you.”

“We played hide-and-seek,” Daphne said in a very small voice. “It took a long time because the house is so big…”

Alice spoke up. “We took turns. By age, to make it fair. First Daphne hid, then I did, then Hunter, then Luke was last.”

Alison squatted down on her heels to face Daphne. “Honey, can you tell us where you hid? Luke is only five, so I’ll bet he hid somewhere one of you hid.”

“I hid in the closet upstairs where the blankets are!” Hunter yelled. “I climbed to the top shelf and no one could find me in forever!”

“It’s true,” Daphne said. “Hunter was the hardest to find. He had the best hiding place. I hid behind Granddad’s clothes in the closet in their bedroom.”

“I hid behind the sofa in the den,” Alice said.

“So you all played inside the house, right?” Poppy asked.

The three children nodded.

Poppy said, “And no one went outside,right?”

“I don’t think so,” Daphne said in a small voice.

“Jane, where wereyou?” Poppy demanded. “You were here at the house, right?”

“Right. I sat outside on the deck with Patrick. We were just hanging out, but also we were keeping an eye on the path to the beach to be sure no one went down to the water.”

Felicity’s breath froze. “Down to the water.”

“Are you sure, Jane?” Alison pushed herself up to a standing position. “You’re absolutely one hundred percent sure you didn’t see anyone go to the water?”

Jane glanced at Patrick. “We didn’t see anyone, did we?”

“I’m sure we didn’t,” Patrick agreed.

Ethan said in a no-nonsense tone, “I’m going down to the beach anyway, just to check.”

“All right, then.” David took charge. “Let’s search the house slowly and thoroughly. We’ll look in every closet, beneath every sofa or bed, any place where a five-year-old could squeeze himself. Alison, you and I and Jane will do this floor. The rest of you do the second floor.”

“What about the attic?” Jane asked.

“Nothing’s up there. It can be accessed only by a pull-down door. Luke couldn’t possibly reach it.”

“Children, go into the den and watch television,” Poppy ordered. “Now.”

“Yay!” yelled Hunter.

“No. I want to help search,” Daphne protested.

“Me, too,” echoed Alice.

Poppy began,“I said—”

Ignoring them, Felicity raced up the stairs, calling her son’s name. Jane came close behind her, with Patrick, Alison, and the little girls close behind.

“Luke? Luke!” Felicity called and the others echoed her.

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