BooksBarbecue
Back Drift
Chapters (50)
  1. Cover
  2. About the Author
  3. Dedication
  4. Epigraph
  5. 1
  6. 2
  7. 3
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. 8
  13. 9
  14. 10
  15. 11
  16. 12
  17. 13
  18. 14
  19. 15
  20. 16
  21. 17
  22. 18
  23. 19
  24. 20
  25. 21
  26. 22
  27. 23
  28. 24
  29. 25
  30. 26
  31. 27
  32. 28
  33. 29
  34. 30
  35. 31
  36. 32
  37. 33
  38. 34
  39. 35
  40. 36
  41. 37
  42. 38
  43. 39
  44. 40
  45. 41
  46. 42
  47. 43
  48. 44
  49. Acknowledgements ♦ Diolchiadau
  50. THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING

THE MEN CAME TO the door early. Efa hadn’t slept since coming home. She had lain Emrys down, talked to him gently until he had drifted off. He was still asleep now. They were doing a search, nothing to worry about. Wanted her to open the empty properties by the harbour for them. They showed their papers. She wanted to know if they had permission from the homeowners and they said they did. She couldn’t leave Emrys upstairs alone, so reluctantly went next door to ask Mary if she would sit with him until lunchtime. Mary saw the policemen and acquiesced immediately, the temptation of a little drama too much to resist.

They started with the first property on the row that faced the harbour, and walked through each room methodically. Efa stood in the hallway of each house as they checked the doors and windows for signs of damage, the beds and kitchens for signs of use. Efa asked what they were looking for but they just smiled and said it was nothing to worry about. Efa could hear them opening attic hatches too, to shine torch-lights into the dark. Despite herself, she tried to draw them into a little small talk, see who they were looking for, but they weren’t falling for it. It took most of the morning to check the ten houses, Efa standing around, looking out at the sea from each one as the men invaded every room. They thanked her politely, gave her a card with their contact details and asked her to report anything and anyone unusual. Efa watched them walk to their car.

Mary questioned her when she arrived home. Emrys still in his pyjamas, drinking tea at the table. She kissed his head lightly. She didn’t know what they wanted, no. No, they didn’t say where they were from. Maybe there were burglars around. You could never be too careful. Efa persuaded her out of the door as politely as she could, thanking her over and over for her help. She leant against it, closed her eyes. They had asked her whether she looked after any other properties, and her mind had gone to Nefyn and the cottage. She shook her head. She had assumed that Joseph was back. Hoped he was. After all, she didn’t like to think of her there alone, especially if the police were looking for someone.