Chapter 26
Chapter Twenty-Six
Lily shot off a message to Clara to let her know she was on her way to Malporth. Immediately, she received a reply saying she’d set off too, so should arrive shortly after her. It seemed as though she’d been ready and waiting.
Lily should probably have felt good about her grandmother being so keen to spend time with her, but on the ten-minute drive she couldn’t help but feel a little apprehensive about the situation.
If there was one thing Lily valued it was her independence.
Having Clara in the same house felt a little daunting.
They didn’t know each other, but they’d be living under the same roof.
If she was the overbearing type, Lily wasn’t sure she’d be able to take it for very long.
With no sign of Clara’s car, Lily was happy she’d at least have a few minutes to herself. Except, as she ascended the steps beside the garage, she spotted Vanessa’s front door opening.
“I was looking out for you,” she said with a smile.
Lily lifted an eyebrow. “Really?”
“Roy was here looking for you again. He said he needed to speak to you, but he seemed a little agitated. Your car wasn’t here all day, so I got a bit worried too.”
“I’m fine,” Lily said, stopping at the top of the steps. “I was visiting family.”
“Lovely. Did you have a nice time?”
“Yes.” Lily pasted on a smile, wondering how the locals would react to the news that Clara was alive and kicking.
Since she’d be arriving soon, there was no reason to keep it a secret.
“I haven’t seen my grandmother for a really long time,” she said.
“It was good to catch up with her. Oh, I also wanted to ask if it’s okay for me to have a guest?
My grandma would like to stay with me for a few days.
She hasn’t been here for ages, and we thought we’d indulge in some nostalgia. ”
“Clara?” Vanessa whispered, eyes narrowed.
Lily nodded, trying to contain her amusement at the shock on Vanessa’s face. This bit of information would be hard for her to keep to herself. Did hairdressers get better tips for especially juicy gossip? If so, she was probably looking at a boost in her finances.
“I saw her this morning. She should be here soon. If I have to pay extra for a guest, just let me know.”
“It’s fine,” she said, eyes bright. “Not a problem at all. She’s very welcome. I look forward to saying hello to her. It’s been a long time.”
“Thanks,” Lily said, swallowing her amusement as she continued along the path in front of the cottages.
She was grinning to herself as she opened the front door to Kingfisher Cottage, but it fell away quickly at a noise from upstairs.
Her heart sped up and her chest tightened as she waited in the doorway, wondering if she’d really heard something or if it was her mind playing tricks on her.
The house was silent again, but she didn’t close the door.
Seconds ticked by, and she stood completely still, listening intently.
A floorboard creaked overhead, and she blew out a slow breath.
Don’t panic.
Glancing outside, she considered leaving again, but quickly dismissed the idea. If someone had broken into the house, she needed to catch them in the act.
With the door wide open, she could shout for help if needed. She had the element of surprise on her side too and was confident she could handle herself in a physical altercation.
Her heart pounded as she crept into the living room and made her way to the foot of the stairs.
Someone moved up there. Drawers opened and closed again.
She remembered the papers from Mr Harper strewn across the desk.
The thought of someone going through her things had her muscles clenching and her jaw locked.
“Hello?” The male voice upstairs was instantly familiar.
Did he know she was there? Quickly, she tiptoed to hide behind the kitchen door.
“Am I speaking to Richard Harper?” Roy’s voice said, louder now and mingled with the creaking of the stairs.
“This is Roy Morley,” he said. “We met years ago in Malporth.” He paused.
“Yeah, that’s me. Sorry to call you out of the blue, but I know you’ve been in touch with Lily recently.
I wondered if you’ve heard anything from her in the last twenty-four hours. ”
Lily’s muscles relaxed. He wasn’t looking through her things for any nefarious reasons. He was just looking for her.
“She left me a message yesterday evening that got me worried,” Roy went on. “I haven’t been able to get in touch with her since, and there’s no sign of her in Malporth. I’m not sure what to do. Is there any way for you to get in touch with her boyfriend? Maybe he’s heard—”
At the sight of Lily stepping into the living room, he dropped his phone. A string of swear words spilled from his mouth as he bent to pick it up again.
“Sorry,” he said, with the phone by his ear. “I just found her.” He shook his head at Lily while Mr Harper said something in his ear. “Will do,” he replied and thanked him before ending the call. “Richard Harper sends his regards,” he told Lily.
Dropping into the armchair, he released a sigh. “I’d say you’ve taken about ten years off my life between yesterday evening and this afternoon.”
“Sorry.” She glanced around. “You gave me a scare, too. I thought someone had broken in.”
“I did,” he said. “The lock on the kitchen window is dodgy, by the way. You should let Vanessa know. It’s easy to wriggle it loose.”
“Noted, thanks.”
“What happened?” he asked. “Where’ve you been? I got your message, but not until late. I was out for dinner with my daughter and had my phone on silent.”
“I went down to the jetty and ended up in the river.”
His eyes bulged. “Someone pushed you?”
“No. They removed the cordon, so I walked out on the rotten boards. Thankfully Marcie saw and pulled me out or I’m not convinced I’d still be here.”
Noise from outside had them both turning towards the door.
“Hello?” Clara called.
“Come in,” Lily replied. “We have a visitor.”
Clara parked her small suitcase in the living room and set a shopping bag beside it. “Hello, Roy. You’re looking well. It’s been a while.”
The surprise in his features was fairly comical. He stood and stared. “Clara Cotton?”
She grinned at him. “Good to know I haven’t been forgotten.”
“What…” His gaze darted to Lily. “How… where…?”
“Marcie knew where my grandmother was all along,” Lily said. “After she saved me from the river, she told me where to find her.”
Slowly, he extended his hand, then wrapped both of his around Clara’s and looked at her fondly. “I’m very happy to see you,” he said. “I wondered about you often.”
“I had to hide,” she said, a faint quiver in her voice. “But Lily’s back now. I won’t hide any longer. We’re going to find out the truth once and for all.”