Page 55 of The Boathouse By the Loch

‘You didn’t tell Yousaf when he got back in contact with you where Faye was – did you?’

‘Of course not. But she was still in London, so I suppose if he’d really wanted to track her and Natty down, he could have. But that’s the point. He’s got a new life now. I told you. He doesn’t want his wife to find out about Faye and Natty.’

Jake stared at him. He suddenly felt lightheaded and grabbed onto a chair back. This meant only one thing. ‘It wasn’t Yousaf that took her.’

‘Of course it wasn’t.’

Jake’s mobile phone rang. He didn’t know how to tell Faye that he had been wrong; her daughter wasn’t at her father’s, and he had no bloody idea where she was.

He breathed in heavily when she told him there was still no news. ‘No, sorry, I haven’t arrived at your flat yet. But I’ll be there very soon.’ Jake closed his eyes. He could tell by the tremor in her voice that she was afraid and close to tears. ‘I’m coming home too,’ said Faye.

Jake guessed she was exhausted.

‘The police said I need to go home, get some rest. But how can I rest, Jake?’

‘Is it my daughter? Let me speak to her.’

Jake turned his back on Patrick and walked to the door, praying that Faye hadn’t heard her father’s voice.

‘I’m never going to see her again, am I?’

‘No, don’t say that. We’ll find her, Faye, I swear it. I’m coming right now and …’ Jake opened the door to the apartment, ‘I’ve enlisted some help … who? Somebody who can be trusted.’

Jake signed off and turned around to find Patrick staring at him, wide-eyed. Jake hoped to god he was doing the right thing. ‘Well get your coat, man, if you’re going to help me find Natty.’

Patrick grabbed his car keys off the sideboard. He didn’t bother with a coat.

Chapter 21

‘What is he doing here?’ A tearful and exhausted Faye answered the door to her flat and immediately spotted her father standing behind Jake. ‘Is this some kind of joke?’

‘Please, Faye. Just hear me out,’ said Jake, cupping his hands together.

‘He’s not coming in,’ said Faye, her tone of voice stressing that the subject was not open for debate.

‘Faye, he only wants to help.’

‘No one can help,’ said Faye. ‘This is all my fault.’ She left the front door ajar and walked into the house.

Jake followed her inside. ‘What are you talking about?’

She turned around to face Jake. ‘We had a row and I think … I think she ran away.’

‘Ran away? Why didn’t you tell me this before I—’ Jake stopped abruptly. He felt too embarrassed to divulge just what had taken place at Patrick’s apartment, thinking it was him who’d had a hand in abducting Natty; it had been like something out of a Tarantino movie.

‘I didn’t tell you this before,’ continued Faye, ‘because it only just occurred to me when I saw you at the door.’

‘What’s it got to do with me?’

‘It’s got everything to do with you, Jake. I told her she couldn’t see you anymore.’

‘You did what?’ Jake was shocked. He grabbed Faye’s arm. ‘Why did you tell her that? I was only on holiday. You knew I was coming back.’

‘You’re hurting me, Jake.’

‘Sorry.’ Jake hastily let go of her arm. ‘But I don’t understand!’

‘It wasn’t about your holiday. Things were getting too … too …’

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