Death on Lindisfarne by Fay Sampson Page B

to her. Not what she might have done,” Lucy snapped. “She’s not a criminal. At least…”
    She’ll have a police record, Aidan thought. Even if it’s only for shoplifting. Possession of drugs? What else?
    He had little idea of the murky lives teenagers like Rachel lived. Lucy had said she’d been in care. But how caring was that? Would she have had anyone she could turn to, once she had passed sixteen?
    Lucy was in a corner of the lounge, talking quietly into her mobile. Aidan helped himself to tea and cake, watching her, but trying not to make it obvious.
    She snapped her mobile shut with a sigh. “Predictable. I’d have said the same myself. ‘She’s eighteen? How long has she been gone, madam? Since mid-morning? Has she done this before? And she’s always come back? Then I don’t think that warrants sending out a search party just yet. Don’t worry. She’ll probably come back when it gets dark.’ He said I could call him again if she doesn’t. Thanks! I should have asked for the coastguards straight away.”
    She pulled off her raincoat and poured herself a cup of tea. Rain had made her fair hair darker. Beads of moisture dripped from the tips of it.
    Aidan felt helpless. “Do you want more of us to go out looking? I’m sure James and Sue would, if they’re back. And probably Valerie and Elspeth.” He was less sure that he could imagine Frances Cavendish combing the sand dunes in the rain.
    Lucy sank into a sofa. Mrs Batley had gone.
    â€œI really hope she’s back for supper. I know it sounds petty, but I can’t face the thought of apologizing to Mrs Batley for her missing three meals in a row.”
    â€œShe was here for breakfast,” said Melangell.
    â€œBut she hardly touched a thing,” Peter countered.
    â€œDid something happen to upset her?” Aidan was aware that he was treading on delicate ground.
    â€œI don’t know.” Lucy frowned. “She seemed really cheerful in the car coming up here. She was looking forward to it. She’s never had much in the way of holidays. I know Lindisfarne may not be the most exciting place for a teenager, but at least it was somewhere different. And then… we’d hardly got here before her mood changed.”
    â€œCould she have met someone? Somebody in the group who said the wrong thing? … James?”
    â€œI could screw his neck if it was him. Oh, gosh! I shouldn’t be talking like this, should I? I’m getting into police mode, and forgetting I’m a Methodist minister now. And even as a policewoman, I ought to be more detached than I am. I feel responsible.”
    Aidan looked past her at the window. “Look, there’s an edge of brighter sky out to the west. Let’s wait for this storm to blow over, then we’ll split up the island between us and go over the rest.”
    â€œPerhaps she’s gone away.” Melangell’s high voice broke in. “Across the causeway. Or the sands.”
    Silence fell over the room.
    â€œIt’s possible,” Lucy said reluctantly. “Anything is.”

    Lucy nerved herself to take command of the situation. She sent Aidan and Peter to do a round of the rooms, recruiting everyone they could find to look for Rachel. Some of the group had shown up for Mrs Batley’s afternoon tea. Some had not. The square hall at the foot of the stairs was filling. Elspeth, in a voluminous waterproof cape over her tweeds, seemed to take up an inordinate amount of the space. Valerie, slender beside her, looked grave and businesslike.David Cavendish was flushed. Lucy had half heard an argument between him and Frances. But he was buttoning up his beige raincoat, determined to come.
    Peter came in from the chalets. “I can’t find James.”
    At the same time, Aidan was coming downstairs, followed by an uncharacteristically sulky-looking Melangell. She was trailing her