Page 21 of Snowy Surprises in the Highlands (Scottish Highland #5)

Mel parked the police car outside the residential complex and the five women climbed out.

‘I’ll just go in and speak to Dorothy to see if there have been any developments,’ Bella said.

Mel nodded and reached out to touch her arm. ‘If you give us the spare keys, me and’t lasses can go an’ have look at her flat. See if there’s owt that looks outta place.’

Bella reached into her bag and handed the spare set of keys over. ‘Thanks, Mel. I’ll meet you there shortly.’

‘Come on, I’ll go see Dorothy with you,’ Jules said, linking arms with Bella.

As the other three women headed towards the units, Bella and Jules stepped in through the double doors and headed straight for the reception desk where Dorothy sat speaking to someone on the phone.

Her usually immaculately made-up face was pale and makeup free today, and worry was evident in the dark circles around her eyes.

‘Thank you. Please call if you hear anything,’ Dorothy said into the handset. ‘Isla’s granddaughter has just walked in, so I’d better go.’ She hung up the phone and stood. ‘Bella, how are you?’

‘Not great, Dorothy, to be honest. Anything to report?’

Dorothy shook her head. ‘Not as yet. I’ve called all the shops on the main street at Broadway but no one has seen them. I’m so sorry about this. It’s never happened before.’

There was that sinking feeling in Bella’s stomach again, like she had gone over a steep bump in the road and was on a rapid descent.

‘And I’ve never known my granny to just go off without telling anyone.

She knows how worried and cross I’d be. It’s just not like her and that’s why I’m so terrified.

But for three of them to be missing… It seems so weird and very suspicious. ’

Dorothy nodded and a crease formed between her eyebrows.

‘I know. Tam’s disappearance may not be connected as Maeve and Isla went out together the day after he left but even so…

We’ve informed the police, but it seems Harris had already instigated a search, which is understandable, of course.

But please let me know if I can do anything else to help. ’

Bella nodded. ‘Thanks. My police sergeant friend has gone around to her unit to have a look around and then we’re heading out to chat to people and see if anyone knows anything, or might have seen anything.’

Dorothy nodded and her chin trembled. ‘I feel so terrible about this, Bella. I hope they’re all okay. I will never forgive myself if anything has happened. I’m already considering handing in my resignation.’

Bella stepped closer. ‘No, Dorothy, please don’t do that. This isn’t your fault. Like you said, you don’t run a prison camp. I’m sorry for my attitude on the phone, it was uncalled for. I’ve just been beside myself with worry, but I shouldn’t have taken it out on you.’

Dorothy reached for a tissue from a flowery pink box on the desk and dabbed at her eyes. ‘Well, thank you, but I still feel awful.’

Bella smiled. ‘There’s really no need, honestly.

Look, I’ll keep you posted with any developments, okay?

And you do the same if you hear anything else.

’ Dorothy’s face contorted, guilt and anguish evident in her features as she nodded.

Bella turned and left the reception area, stepping outside where the weather had taken a turn now, and dark clouds were rolling in from the direction of the sea.

The grey vista matched her mood; the ominous clouds a visual representation of the turmoil she felt inside.

The two friends walked across to Isla’s apartment where they met Mel in the living room. ‘Does your granny keep a diary?’ she asked.

‘She has a pocket one that she keeps in her handbag with her appointments in but I’m guessing she has that with her,’ Bella replied with a despondent sigh.

The little apartment was tidy and smelled of the usual pot pourri that was kept in a bowl on the coffee table.

She smiled as she remembered Beau, her granny’s beagle, finding out the hard way that it wasn’t a bowl of crisps.

These days you only have to lift the bowl, and he runs and hides as if he fears you’ll try and feed it to him. Daft wee thing.

There was a knock on the door and Bella answered it to find Flora from next door standing there with Beau sitting patiently beside her.

As soon as he saw Bella, he began to jump around and bark excitedly, so she crouched down and hugged him as he wiggled in her arms.

Flora let go of his lead. ‘Hello, dearie. I saw that you were here and thought you might like to keep wee Beau. I think it’s what your granny would’ve wanted.’ She dabbed at her eyes with a pristine white cotton hanky.

Bella tried to remain calm and not burst into more tears, but she peered up at the neatly presented old lady and her voice came out strained and a little sharp. ‘Thanks, Flora, but she’s not dead. She’s just… away.’

After a brief moment where her brow crumpled and her mouth pursed in evident confusion, Flora waved a dismissive hand. ‘Oh, aye, of course, hen. I’m sure she’ll be back home very soon… But if she isnae , maybe you should take wee Beau anyway. He’s pining for Isla, bless his heart.’

‘Have you any idea where they might have gone, Flora? Or anything that might be significant?’ Bella asked eagerly, hoping that something might have come back to her.

Flora shook her head. ‘My memory’s not what it was and I’m afraid all I can remember is Isla coming to ask if I’d watch Beau while she went… somewhere. Och, I’m sorry, hen. I just cannae remember.’

Bella nodded. ‘That’s okay. Thanks anyway. But if you do remember anything, no matter how insignificant it may seem, please tell Dorothy, okay?’

‘Aye, hen. I will do. I’d best be off anyway; I need to let Beau out.’

Unsure how to handle the situation, Bella stood and smiled. ‘It’s okay, Flora, I have Beau now, so I’ll take him with me.’

Flora shook her head. ‘Och, yes, of course, dearie. Silly me. Well, bye just now. I’ll be thinking of you. I was so sad to hear about your granny’s passing.’ She placed a hand over her heart and sighed. ‘She was a good friend to me.’

Bella smiled as sadness washed over her, but she chose not to correct Flora again. She decided it would only add to the poor woman’s confusion. ‘Thank you, bye just now.’

Flora raised her hand and turned to walk away towards her own unit.

* * *

During the search they informed Callum of what was going on, and in spite of his protests and requests to be picked up so he could help, Bella asked him to stay by the phone in case Isla made contact.

He reluctantly agreed but made his sister promise to call if anything happened.

Around a couple of hours later, the search groups reconvened at the Coxswain pub in Glentorrin after a fruitless afternoon.

Harris and Bella walked Mel to her car and there was a real nip to the air which made Bella even more worried as the awful images of ditches and lost old ladies replayed in her mind.

They both thanked Mel for what felt like the hundredth time.

‘Dun’t be daft. Like a said, owt for good mates. Keep us posted, yeah?’

Bella nodded and hugged her tightly. ‘We will. Drive safe and message when you get back, so we know you’re home.’

Harris hugged her next. ‘Give my best mate a hug from me too, eh?’

‘Aye, I will. See you later. And don’t give up hope. She’s out there somewhere. She’s a feisty old bird is Isla.’ Mel climbed into the police car and drove away.

Bella’s heart had sunk so many times during the day that she felt it was, metaphorically speaking, in her shoes right now.

It had been such a long day, and she was completely drained physically but mentally her mind would not shut up.

Constant unwanted images barraged her frontal cortex like a horror movie she was being forced to watch on repeat.

She had refused many offers of alcohol to ‘calm her nerves’, feeling it was better to keep her wits about her, just in case.

Reid and Jules appeared in front of her where she sat with Harris at a small table by the unlit fire. Beau and Bertie were curled up together at her feet.

‘We have news,’ Jules said.

Bella’s head sprang up, almost causing whiplash in the process, such was her desperation. ‘Really? What? Has someone found them?’

Jules cringed. ‘Oh, sorry, lovely, not that kind of news.’

Reid said, ‘No, it’s just that I’ve been speaking to my brother, Kendric.

He’s a TV presenter on the mainland and he wants to come and interview you in the morning, a sort of TV appeal that will go out all over Scotland.

He thinks that it could really help the search and if they’re watching, it will spur them to get in touch. ’

Bella’s eyes widened. ‘Oh… I see. But… hasn’t he got other stories to be covering?

I mean it’s not really a national emergency, is it?

’ Her tone was genuinely questioning as she really feared that perhaps it was now an incident of general interest. After all, if someone was out there taking advantage of old people it needed to be highlighted and stopped.

Reid’s eyebrows raised and he shook his head as he told them, ‘No, he says this is an important local story to cover so we may as well take advantage of it. He’ll come here with his crew, no need for you to go anywhere.

He’ll interview you at home or at the station early on, around nine, then it can go on TV at lunchtime if there’s still no news.

Whatever you feel comfortable with. I just need to call him back ASAP to confirm. ’

Bella turned to Harris. ‘What do you think? It’s your mum too.’

Harris clenched his jaw and gripped her hand. ‘I think we take all the help we can get. They may be spritely for their age and rather cocky but they’re still vulnerable, Bells.’

She nodded but then widened her eyes as an awful thought sprang to mind.

‘Shit, I’ll have to tell my mum and dad first. I can’t have them finding out on TV.

They would never forgive me. I’ll have a lot of explaining to do because they think I’m looking out for her over here.

They’re already going to be so upset that I’m doing such a crap job of that.

’ Bella let out a sob and covered her face with her free hand. ‘They still may never forgive me.’

Harris pulled her close. ‘Hey, stop that. Isla’s her own person and your dad knows how bloody stubborn she can be. I know the same about my mum too. Let’s go home and video call your folks, eh?’

Bella nodded and wiped her face on a hanky that Jules passed her. ‘Please tell Kendric we’d be grateful for the help. And that nine in the morning would be good.’

Harris helped her to her feet and after hugs from their friends they made the short walk across the village to the bothy police station with Beau and Bertie trotting happily alongside them, blissfully unaware of what was going on.

* * *

‘What do you mean missing ?’ Bella’s dad asked, scratching at his chin where stubble was visible. Bella had watched as the colour had drained from his face and guilt racked her insides.

‘She went out with Maeve yesterday and didn’t come back. I’m so sorry, Dad. I’m supposed to be keeping an eye on her.’ Tears traced damp trails down her face, and she didn’t bother to wipe them away.

‘Hey, love, come on, it’s not your fault. You’re not her keeper. I just can’t think why she would’ve done such a thing. It’s so out of character. Where were you when you found out?’

‘We were over at the whisky blend launch at Drumblair when Dorothy rang. I didn’t want to worry you sooner in case it was a false alarm but we’re doing an appeal on TV tomorrow, so of course I had to call you.’

‘An appeal? Bloody hell, it’s that serious?’ her mum asked, covering her heart with a hand.

Bella shrugged and she ripped at the tissue she held. ‘I honestly don’t know but it feels like it at the moment. I’ve tried calling her and Harris has tried calling Maeve. We’re just so worried.’

‘Right, we’re coming back over. We’ll be there around eleven tonight if that’s okay with you?’

Harris pulled Bella into his side as she sobbed and kissed her head. ‘Of course it’s okay. Callum is waiting by the phone at your house just in case so we’ll let him know you’ll be home early. But please, take it steady, okay? Don’t rush. We’ll no doubt be up.’

Bella’s dad nodded. ‘Aye, lad, we will. Bella, darlin’, try and get some rest, eh? You look exhausted.’

She couldn’t reply verbally so nodded and forced a smile through her tears. Harris hit the end-call button and pulled Bella into his lap. ‘Come on, sweetheart, you have to stop blaming yourself. They’re adults who make their own decisions. You can’t parent an eighty-seven-year-old.’

* * *

Later that night, Bella’s mum and dad stopped in on their way home.

They hugged and chatted briefly – her dad once again trying to reassure her that none of this was her fault – before they continued their journey, doubtful that they would sleep even though exhausted from a combination of worry, travel and heartache.

Callum had been in regular contact but had heard nothing back at his parents’ house and when Bella insisted he get some sleep he promised to try but again asked them to update him if anything changed, regardless of the hour.

He was understandably upset but Bella thanked him for staying by the phone.

All Bella wanted was to sleep and wake up to find the whole thing had been a nightmare. But sleep was erratic and when it did come was filled with nightmares that woke her sweating and crying out.

She eventually gave up on sleep and instead lay there remembering some of the fun times she had spent with her purple-haired, young-at-heart grandmother. And there were many memories to think about.

One particular memory that stood out was the time they had been in the car and Lewis Capaldi had begun to play on the radio.

Bella had been impressed that Isla knew who he was but what had made her giggle uncontrollably was that Isla thought the actor Peter Capaldi had adopted Lewis and had been quite disappointed when she had discovered they were not related.

Now every time she heard Lewis Capaldi she couldn’t help but smile.