Page 23 of The Rising Tide

As she waits for the call to connect she thinks of Bee, standing outside Wild Ridge in her rainbow unicorn T-shirt:They found theLazy Susan. Just drifting, I think. Somewhere out to sea.

She recalls the three herring gulls flying over the house; and Matt Guinness, down in Skentel’s harbour, his greasy hair and grin:Uh-oh. Looks like Hubby’s got some explaining to do.

The voicemail assistant is in her ear: ‘Message one, saved …’

Lucy closes her eyes, shuts out everything else.

‘Hi, Lucy.’ Ed’s voice. ‘When you see Billie later, can you say I’m sorry. Not sure what I’ve done, but just say sorry anyway and I’ll figure it out when I see her. Oh … also … don’t tell her I don’t know what I’m sorry for, if you know what I mean. She was meant to meet me before chemistry and she didn’t even call, which means something’s definitely up. Everything’s been a bit messy since the whole Sea Shepherd thing but I thought … uh … Never mind, sorry. I’m rambling now. I’ll catch you soon.’

Lucy’s world is collapsing – the members of her family vanishing one by one. She finds Ed’s number and dials. ‘Hi, this is Ed Shoemaker—’

When she hangs up, her phone starts ringing.

‘Lucy? It’s Holly Cheung. Did you call?’

‘Have you seen Billie today?’

‘She never showed.’

Hard not to shout. Hard not to scream. More pillars of her world crash down. ‘Have you heard from her at all? Phone? WhatsApp? Anything?’

‘No. Which is weird, actually. Is everything OK? I’ve been in lectures most of the day. Was just about to shout her.’

‘I need you to do me a favour, Holly. I need you to call everyone who might’ve seen Billie or heard from her. And I need you to call me straight back, soon as you find out anything.’

‘Sure.’ Unease, now, in the girl’s voice. ‘Has something happened?’

‘I can’t find them,’ Lucy says. ‘Daniel, Billie, Fin.’

‘You can’tfindthem?’

‘Our boat was found drifting, no one onboard. I think they were all on it.’

‘You’re … Jesus,what?’ Static on the line. Holly’s ragged breathing. ‘OK, I’ll start phoning, right now. See if anyone else has heard from her. Have you spoken to Ed?’

‘His phone’s going straight to voicemail.’

‘He might be in rehearsals. I’ll see if I can track him down.’ A pause. ‘There’s a storm coming. Meant to be a big one. What the hell were they thinking?’

No answer to that. Lucy cuts the connection. Next, she calls Bee at the Drift Net.

‘Luce? Dude, we heard from Noemie about Fin. There are people and boats coming in from all over. Is there any update?’

‘He’s … I think Billie went with them.’

‘Billie?’ In the background, Lucy hears raised voices, thehiss of the steamer. ‘Oh God, Luce. I don’t know what to say. I just don’t. You want me to pass it on?’

‘They need to know. Everyone needs to know. We’re looking for three people, now, not two. My whole family.’

Those last three words she speaks in bewilderment.

Her whole family. Out there in the water.

‘I’ll send Tommo up to the lifeboat station so Jake knows, too.’

Lucy thanks her and hangs up. Her eyes are gritty. She’s having trouble focusing. Daniel sailing out there alone she could just about understand. But what possible reason could he have for taking Billie and Fin? And why not let her know?

In the passenger seat, the detective is on his phone. ‘More people down here,’ he says. ‘Might’ve taken the stepdaughter too. And find out what’s happening with this Locke-Povey Marine.’ He turns in his seat when he realizes she’s listening.

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