The Loch

by Heather Atkinson

  Reaching the end of his tether when he could find no sign of Isla or Hannah, he swung his gun around on Alex. “Where are they?” he yelled.

  “They’re not here,” he replied. “You’re right, I did lie about the last time I saw Isla but I had no choice. Phillipa was there.”

  “What’s she got to do with it?”

  “The last time I saw Isla was when she returned that book to your house,” he said, looking at Will.

  “Why would you lie about that?” replied Will. His hands started to shake and he felt sick as he recalled his wife’s recent strange behaviour. “Oh Christ, you’ve been having an affair,” he exclaimed.

  “I’m sorry,” said Alex, stricken. “I didn’t want you to find out this way, we’re friends.”

  “And this is how you treat our friendship, by shagging my wife? How long has it been going on?”

  “Six months. We didn’t mean for it to happen,” continued Alex desperately, very conscious of the shotgun still pointed at him. “It happened so gradually we didn’t realise what was going on at first, we couldn’t help it.”

  Will sighed and shook his head as pain flooded him. “Does she love you?” he demanded, eyes shiny with tears.

  “Yes and I love her,” he replied, casting his gaze to the floor.

  “You’re the reason she’s been so off with me, why we’ve been constantly rowing. It’s been tearing me apart wondering why my own wife can’t bear me touching her. I’ve been beating myself up about it, telling myself it’s my fault.”

  “You haven’t done anything wrong. It’s all on us.”

  “Fucking right it is. She was going to leave me for you, wasn’t she?”

  Alex nodded. “I’ve already bought a house just up the road at Ardnagowan, so we’re out of the village but close enough for the kids. She was going to tell you the day after she vanished.”

  Will lowered the shotgun as his life fell apart around him. Mike - realising neither Isla nor Hannah were being held here - had ceased his search, feeling terrible for Will.

  “Is that where Hannah is then?” said Will. “At your fancy new house? Because knowing you it won’t be a little cottage.”

  “She’s not there,” said Alex miserably. “It was the first place I checked. She really has vanished. When she went for that walk on the beach she was going to meet me, so we could discuss our plans but I was delayed thanks to Phillipa and her never-ending demands and when I arrived she wasn’t there. I thought she’d gone home because I was late. When she didn’t reply to my texts I assumed she was pissed off at me. It was only when the alarm was raised the next day that I realised something serious had happened to her.”

  “Did you tell Stewart about your affair?”

  “Yes. Seeing how you both knew nothing about it, it seems he kept his promise to be discreet.”

  Humiliation compounded Will’s pain and he levelled the gun at Alex again. “How do I know this is true? I’ve only your word that you were having an affair.”

  “I can easily prove it but please don’t make me do it Will. It will only hurt you.”

  His grip tightened on the shotgun. “I want proof right now,” he roared, eyes bulging.

  Alex tugged his phone out of his trouser pocket, tapped at the screen and held it out for him to see. “These are the text messages we sent each other.”

  Will’s eyes widened as he read his wife’s passionate declarations of love for another man, the shotgun drooping in his hands. A couple of weeks ago he’d attempted to access her phone to see if it could yield a clue to explain her behaviour but it had required her fingerprint to unlock it, so he’d been unable to discover its secrets. Now he was wishing he could go back to being ignorant, which in comparison to this pain had felt positively blissful.

  “I’m so sorry,” said Alex when Will had been silent for a full minute. “Neither of us wanted it to come to this but we couldn’t help it.”

  “What about when Isla turned up to return the book to Hannah?” said Mike.

  “We were just talking, discussing our plans. Will was at work and the girls were at their aunt’s, so it was the perfect opportunity. When the doorbell rang I hid in the spare bedroom downstairs. I didn’t technically see Isla but I could hear her talking to Hannah.”

  “Which is why you panicked when I asked you about it in front of Phillipa?” said Mike.

  “Yes,” replied Alex. “I told Phillipa I was working when I’d actually finished at lunchtime. I took public transport back to Strachur, so me and Hannah could spend a few hours together while the house was empty. I paid someone at work to drive my car back to the village. If Phillipa had seen it in the area before I was due home the cow would have got suspicious.”

  “Did you have sex in my house?” said Will.

  Alex hung his head. “In the spare bedroom but never in your bed, that would have been too much.”

  Teeth gritted together, a large vein popping out of his forehead, Will raised the shotgun again.

  “Woah,” exclaimed Mike, who was convinced he was preparing to shoot him. “Just take it easy Will.”

  “Take it easy? This bastard’s destroyed my family.”

  “I know and it sucks but hurting him isn’t going to get you anywhere.”

  “You weren’t saying that when you thought he had Isla. You were all guns blazing then.”

  “But he doesn’t have her or Hannah. I’ve searched this room and they’re not here.”

  “It’s got to be him, he was having an affair with Hannah.”

  “Yes but why take Isla?”

  “He’s probably been shagging her too.”

  Mike’s jaw tensed with rage but he kept it in, knowing his friend was only lashing out because he was in pain.

  “I was not,” retorted Alex.

  “He deserves a shot in his belly for what he’s done,” said Will, glaring at Alex with hellish eyes.

  “What he did was really shitty,” said Mike. “But he doesn’t deserve to die for it.”

  “That’s your opinion,” said Will, finger tightening on the trigger.

  “What about your girls? Do they deserve to be without either parent? Because if you pull that trigger you’re going to prison.”

  Silence filled the room as Will considered his words. Slowly he lowered the shotgun. “You’re right. I won’t let my kids suffer a single second longer for that twat or their slag of a mother.”

  Mike released a long, shaky breath. Suddenly his big idea of charging in here with shotguns didn’t seem so smart.

  The three of them stood in an awkward circle in silence, Will’s body twitching as he fought to restrain himself from attacking Alex, who remained with his head bowed, so depressed he was apathetic to physical harm. Mike looked from one to the other.

  “You know what?” said Will. “I’m going home.”

  “What about finding Isla and Hannah?” Mike called after him.

  He hesitated at the bottom of the stairs. “I hope you find Isla but I couldn’t give a shit what happens to Hannah. The kidnapper can slit her throat for all I care.”

  “You don’t mean that.”

  “Yes I do. My children need me, they’re my priority now.” His gaze slid to Alex. “Come near me again and I’ll rip your fucking head off. Got it?”

  “Yes. Are you going to tell Phillipa?”

  “No. I don’t want that poor cow feeling how I’m feeling right now. And I won’t do your dirty work for you.”

  Alex nodded. “I’m so sorry, for everything.”

  “Go fuck yourself Alex,” he retorted before stomping upstairs, slamming the door shut at the top.

  “God I’ve made such a mess of things,” said Alex when he’d gone.

  “Yeah you have,” replied Mike. “When are you going to tell Phillipa?”

  “I’d planned on telling her the same night Hannah was going to tell Will. Then we were going to leave together.”

  “Listen, I don’t give a shit about your affair, it’s none of
my business anyway. I just want to find Isla and Hannah. Have you any idea where they could be?”

  “If I did I’d be there already. So what’s your big plan? Burst into every house in the village with your shotgun looking for them?”

  “If I have to.”

  “The Colonel and Malcolm told me about you checking their new outbuildings and you didn’t find anything there either.”

  “I know,” he mumbled, feeling like a fool again.

  “Not that I blame you. I’ve been considering doing the same myself ever since Hannah vanished.”

  They were interrupted by the door at the top of the stairs opening to reveal Phillipa.

  “What on earth is wrong with Will?” she called down to them. “He stormed right by me without so much as a goodbye. Still, what can be expected from a man of such low class?”

  Alex’s eyes flashed with anger and Mike found himself feeling sorry for him. How could he blame the man for falling in love with kind, gentle Hannah after being stuck with that bitch for years?

  “He’s upset about Hannah,” replied Alex, fighting to keep his voice civil.

  “That is no excuse for rudeness, especially towards his betters.”

  Alex’s gaze turned positively rabid and flicked to the shotgun in Mike’s hands, who gripped onto it tighter in case he made a grab for it so he could shoot his wife.

  “Are you coming upstairs or going out?” added Phillipa in her snooty voice. “You’ve been down there most of the day.”

  “We’re going out,” Mike replied for him. “Alex has agreed to help me look for Isla and Hannah.”

  “Oh that’s very public-spirited of you dear,” she replied to her husband. “But don’t be late back, we’re having dinner with the Fitzwilliams.”

  “How could I forget?” sighed Alex.

  Phillipa finally closed the door and ceased to bother them.

  “Take my advice Alex,” said Mike. “Get out of this marriage quick, no matter what happens to Hannah, for Phillipa’s sake as well as your own.” He’d thought he was on edge but he’d glimpsed murder in Alex’s eyes.

  “I intend to. The greedy cow will probably try and take me for every penny but I have to get out. I’ve already stashed a good amount of cash away where she won’t be able to get at it and the new house is in Hannah’s name. But I can’t take any more. She never used to be like this. Once she was sweet and caring. Then I got a big promotion at work, the money started rolling in and she changed. I used to love her so much. Now I can’t stand her. You’re so lucky with what you have with Isla. Sometimes I get so jealous watching the two of you together. When you look at each other your eyes shine. It’s really remarkable.”

  Mike’s reply was inaudible as he was too choked up.

  Alex bent down before one of the many shelves that groaned with expensive bottles of wine to reveal a long metallic box. He unlocked it with a key he took from his pocket and took out his shotgun.

  Mike experienced a moment of unease as Alex loaded his gun. He raised his own shotgun slightly so he could fire if necessary but Alex broke his gun and rested it over one arm.

  “So where do we start looking?” he asked him.

  Mike realised he had absolutely no idea. He hadn’t thought past coming here. “Someone local has them. I don’t think the kidnapper will be keeping them in their home, it’s too risky.”

  “You thought I’d stashed them in my home.”

  “Because your house is so big and you have this space where Phillipa doesn’t come. And it has a separate entrance.”

  “Good point.”

  “There’s lots of outbuildings dotted about. We could check them?”

  “Sounds good to me. I need to do something, I’ve been going out of my mind.”

  “Believe me, I understand exactly how you feel.”

  “We’ll go out the back way,” said Alex, indicating the delivery door. “I can’t face Phillipa.”

  They left by the rear exit, walked around to the front of the house and stashed the guns in the back of Mike’s Land Rover before climbing into the front.

  “Where to first?” said Alex.

  “You know this area better than me. Where do you suggest?”

  “I wish I knew. I heard about the pieces of Isla’s clothing that had been left…”

  They both jumped when there was a frantic knocking on Mike’s window. They turned to see Will’s pale face peering at them through the glass.

  Mike wound down his window. “What’s up?”

  “H…Hannah’s coat,” he stammered. “It’s been left in the middle of the back garden.”

  Before Mike could reply Alex had shoved open his door and was pelting across the road towards Will’s house.

  “Oy,” yelled Will, making chase. “You’re not going in there.”

  “Oh Jesus,” said Mike, jumping out after them, hoping to intervene before there was a fist fight in the middle of the street.

  Alex, even though he’d had a desk job his entire life, managed to outrun rough and rugged Will, disappearing around the side of the house.

  “Oh God, you’re right,” said Alex, skidding to a halt before Hannah’s coat. “It is hers.”

  “Of course it’s hers,” snapped Will. “Do you think I don’t know my own wife’s coat?”

  “Where are the girls?” said Mike.

  “At my parents’ house down the road.”

  “Have you called the police?”

  “Yes. They’re on their way.”

  “The coat’s dry,” commented Mike. “It was raining while we were in your house Alex, it stopped just as we were leaving, meaning this coat can only just have been dumped.”

  “Christ you’re right,” cried Will. “The bastard must still be here.”

  “You go down the street,” Mike told him. “Alex, you go up. I’ll check the beach.”

  The three men sprinted back to the road and raced off in different directions to search.

  Mike frantically scanned the area, the bastard was near, he could feel it but he could see nothing out of the ordinary. He doubted old Mr Collins walking his ancient dachshund was capable of kidnapping two healthy women.

  “Fuck,” he spat before running back into the middle of the road, meeting up with Alex and Will, who were both red-faced and out of breath.

  “Did you see anyone?” he asked them.

  They shook their heads, breathing hard, Alex and Will momentarily united in purpose for the woman they loved.

  “You?” Will asked him.

  “No one.”

  “They could have just got in their car and driven off?” said Alex.

  “No,” replied Will. “They were keeping watch on the street, they knew I wasn’t in the house. If a stranger was hanging around they’d be noticed.”

  “Meaning they live here,” said Mike, looking suspiciously up and down the road.

  “And we’re back to bursting into people’s houses with shotguns,” said Alex.

  “No time for that now,” said Will at the wail of police sirens.

  Stewart’s car came careering around the bend, followed by a patrol car with flashing lights.

  The cars screeched to a halt, Stewart and Wheeler jumping out of the silver Insignia. Neil climbed out of the patrol car.

  “Mike,” said Stewart. “What are you doing here?”

  “I was in the village when Will told me about the coat.”

  “Really?”

  Mike wanted to punch the man when suspicion once again crept into his gaze. “Before you accuse me of leaving that coat,” he told him. “You should know that I haven’t been alone the entire time I’ve been in the village. Ask Will and Alex.”

  “It’s true,” said Will. “He’s been with us the whole time, so you can keep your nasty suspicions to yourself.”

  “All I asked was what are you doing here?”

  “You looked suspicious when you said it,” said Mike.

  “He always looks like that,” commented Wheeler.
“I asked him to pass me the stapler once at the office and he gave me the same look.”

  Stewart turned to his colleague in outrage, making him hang his head. “So where’s this coat Mr McNair?” he said, turning his attention back to Will.

  “I’ll show you.”

  While Will and the police officers disappeared around the side of the house, Alex looked to Mike. “You still want to search the surrounding area?”

  Before he could reply, Mike’s phone rang. With a sigh he took out of his pocket.

  “Phoebe, I’m a little busy.”

  “I’m sorry to disturb you but you need to come back to the cottage. Ross has arrived.”

  A dusty, dishevelled creature sat on Mike’s couch drinking his whisky. His red hair was stuck up at odd angles, clothes crumpled. He leapt to his feet when Mike walked in, who’d left Alex in the village to commence his search of the local outbuildings. Phoebe stood by the window. Jake was absent.

  A hot knot of pain formed in Mike’s chest when he saw Ross. His eyes were just like his sister’s.

  “Where have you been?” demanded Ross. “You should be here in case there’s any news.”

  “I’ve been out looking for Isla,” he replied. “Phoebe and Jake were here in case of any phone calls.” He looked to Phoebe. “Where is Jake?”

  “He had to pop back to the office, someone wanted to look at a property.”

  Mike nodded. Jake was an estate agent and business had been slow recently, so he hoped his friend made a sale. “Has Phoebe got you up to speed Ross?”

  He nodded. “Yes. Sorry for having a pop Mike but I’m so worried. I’ve had to take a combination of flights, ferries and taxis to get here and I’m knackered, which isn’t helping my mood.”

  “No need to apologise.”

  “I haven’t told him everything,” interrupted Phoebe.

  “You mean…,” said Mike, nodding in the direction of the utility room.

  “Yes.”

  Ross looked from one to the other. “What’s going on? Please don’t tell me something else has happened.”

  “I’ll leave you to it,” said Phoebe, pulling on her coat. “I’ve got to get back for the kids.”