“Right.” Mrs. Sugden took out her purse. “You do that then. Just get yours and your gran’s for now, in case mine and Mr. Sykes’s go cold.”

Harriet pocketed the money. “You’re worried aren’t you?”

“Not a bit, there’s just something we need to do.”

Harriet strode up the yard. “Auntie Kate is fine. Gran said if anything was wrong, she’d feel it in her waters.” Harriet turned off for the fish and chip shop.

The pub telephone was on the wall in the back room. Sykes watched Mrs. Sugden’s jaw tighten as she waited to be connected to Thorpefield Manor. So she was anxious, in spite of her pretence. He listened as she made her request to speak to Mrs. Shackleton.

After a moment, she put one hand on the wall to steady herself. “Is she all right?”

She listened again. “What do you mean, can’t find her?” And, “Have you called the police?”

After a few more words, she put the receiver back, preventing Sykes from snatching it. “Her car hit a tree. Two of the young servants went to look for her, and she wasn’t there. Now they’re searching. They haven’t called the police!”

Sykes made to move. “I’ll go out there now.”

“I’m coming with you.”

“She’ll be all right,” Sykes said, trying to convince himself. “If she’s not there it’s because she got out.” He picked up his hat.

“And began to walk?”

“I wouldn’t put it past her.”

Mrs. Sugden hated to picture the scene, but picture it she did, seeing the crash in her mind’s eye. Hearing the bang, feeling the jolt. “If they couldn’t find her, it’s because she didn’t want them to.” She put a hand on Sykes’s arm. “I think it’s time for your earlier idea. We go to Mr. Hood.”

“You go. I’m setting off for Thorpefield. I don’t trust those so-called friends of hers.” He went to his car.

“Mr. Sykes!” A uniformed constable hurried across the road. “I just saw you were about to drive off, sir. It is Mr. Sykes?”

“Yes.” Sykes felt the breath leave him. Something had happened. Something bad.

“Mr. Hood sent me. He’s had a report from a local shopkeeper, Maurice Lewis. Seems Mr. Lewis cycled out to Thorpefield to deliver some photographs to Mrs. Shackleton. He was cycling back and heard a crash.”

Sykes willed the man to speak faster, jump to the point.

“It was Mrs. Shackleton’s car, hit a tree. He saw her being helped out of the car, and thought it best to go straight to the nearest police station, and report what he’d seen.”

“And so what’s happening now?” Sykes felt impatient with people who told you the prologue and not the outcome.

Chapter 46

Chapter Forty-Six