The Cold Cold Sea Read Online Free PDF Page A

all.’
    The detective didn’t look as if she knew in the slightest what kids were like. She stared at Maggie, and Maggie flinched both at the tone of the other woman’s voice and at the question.
    ‘And were you cross too, Mrs Granger?’
    Maggie picked at her nails again, determined not to break down in front of this woman. ‘No. Well, I was a bit annoyed because she wouldn’t stay with me. She’s such a Daddy’s girl just now. She said I was not special.’
    ‘Ah,’ said the detective, and Maggie winced again.
    Oh, God, she shouldn’t have said that, she loved having a little girl. And they had started trying for number three. How Livvy would enjoy helping with a baby. It would be a real mother-daughter thing for them. Dear God they just had to find her Livvy safe. Why wasn’t Howard asking the questions anymore? And what the fuck had all this to do with finding her daughter? Shouldn’t they all be out searching, not sitting about here asking misleading questions?
    ‘And when Olivia went to join her father you didn’t go with her? And you didn’t watch her all the way?’
    The insinuation was clear - she was a God-awful mother. Which of course was absolutely correct. She was to blame for whatever had happened to Olivia. Should she ask for a lawyer? Would she end up in a prison cell tonight? And Christ almighty
where was her daughter?
    Fear for Livvy made it difficult to breathe, and Maggie’s mouth filled with saliva, which she swallowed down, knowing it would soon make her sick. Weakness spread through her, but she forced herself to reply.
    ‘No. But, the beach was empty. I - ’
    ‘Mrs Granger, are you sure Olivia
did
go across the beach to her father and brother? I can’t help feeling they would have noticed her running across the sands towards them. What really happened this morning, Mrs Granger?’
    The question knocked the wind out of her. Oh my God, thought Maggie, feeling the acid in her stomach shift. They think
I
harmed Olivia.

Chapter Six
    ‘Don’t worry about me, Phillip. I know you have to go back to Jennifer.’
    Phillip jumped. He hadn’t realised that Gran was awake. She had slept on and off all afternoon, giving him plenty of opportunity to plan. The different time zones meant he still hadn’t been able to talk to Jennifer, but he had made the decision for her, and hopefully she’d agree.
    ‘I’m going to fly home and bring her back here,’ he said, leaning over to give his Gran’s hand a quick squeeze. ‘Yes, I know it’ll probably take a general anaesthetic to get her on the plane but we’ll manage, don’t worry. Then we’ll both be here to cheer you on.’
    And he needed to be there to cheer her on, he realised. She had been his parent, really. He didn’t feel he’d missed out on anything.
    She nodded, her eyes sliding towards the locker on the other side of the bed.
    ‘There’s a candle in my handbag, I saw it in one of the tourist shops before I conked out the other day and I thought it would be just the thing for Hailey’s birthday. Let’s light it, darling.’
    Phillip gave her the handbag and she produced one of those seaside candles, mass-produced for holiday-makers wanting something pretty to take home with them. A couple of sea-horses and some green aquatic plants were drawn on sea-blue wax and Gran was right, Hailey would have loved it. They sat watching it burn until one of the nurses came in and pointed out apologetically that candles weren’t allowed.
    Phillip snuffed it out and rose to leave. Gran was half-asleep again and visiting was nearly over anyway. He would go back to the apartment and wait until it was midnight. Surely Jennifer would be home at seven in the morning to answer the landline, even if her mobile was still switched off? It was a pity she’d never gotten into skyping. She really was the world’s worst technophobe.
    Gran’s apartment was on the ninth floor, five good-sized rooms and two balconies, one overlooking the park and the