Cold Cold Sea

by Linda Huber

  Katie’s mind was reeling.

  ‘Marshall? Do you mean Hailey Marshall? Small, thin, very short brown hair?’

  ‘That’s her. She told the paramedic her name was Libby.’

  ‘No, it’s Hailey, oh poor thing. I’ll come straightaway. I don’t think there are any relatives around here. And the babies?’

  ‘They’re fine too. Come straight to A&E, then.’

  Katie ran for her jacket. If the Marshalls were badly injured it must have been a serious accident; Hailey would be terrified. The paramedic must have misheard the child’s name, it was a wonder she had spoken at all under those circumstances.

  Katie had never been to the hospital in Newquay, but it was easy enough to find, on the Polpayne side of town. Once there, however, finding a parking space proved more difficult. Saturday afternoon seemed to be a popular time to visit, and hot frustration filled Katie as she circled the complex for the third time. At last she spotted someone leaving behind the outpatients department, and backed in quickly.

  The A&E department looked new, and it was very busy. Katie wouldn’t have believed that there would be people drunk and belligerent on a Saturday afternoon in Newquay, but there were. She had to wait in a queue while three other people gave details to a single receptionist, and each one seemed to have a more complicated story than the last. There was no sign of either Hailey or the Marshalls, and Katie was almost dancing with impatience when she arrived at the head of the queue. The receptionist directed her to a room further up the corridor, and she ran along and pushed the door open.

  Hailey was perched on the edge of a hard wooden chair, a very young nurse beside her holding her hand.

  ‘Hailey, lovey!’ Katie rushed over and took the little girl in her arms. ‘Oh, you poor thing! What a fright you’ve had. Are you okay?’

  Hailey’s little body was trembling, and Katie held her close, relieved when the child snuggled up to her.

  ‘What happened? And how are the Marshalls?’ she murmured to the nurse.

  ‘They were run over by a van. Mr Marshall’s been taken up to orthopaedics. I’ll just get someone to speak to you.’

  The nurse left, and Katie took out a tissue and wiped Hailey’s face.

  ‘Hailey, love, can you just remind me about your grandparents? You have a Grandma, don’t you? Or do you have any aunties and uncles who’re nearer?’

  Hailey looked at her with red-rimmed, bleary eyes. ‘I don’t know,’ she whispered. ‘Will Daddy be alright?’

  Katie made her voice as reassuring as she could. ‘I’m sure he will. Doctors are very clever nowadays, you know, but if Daddy’s broken anything he might be in hospital for a day or two. Where are the babies?’

  ‘They took them away to look after them.’

  Hailey sniffed again, and Katie pulled out another tissue.

  A small, middle-aged man in a stained scrub suit burst into the room almost at a run. Still holding Hailey in her arms, Katie stood up, conscious once more of the child’s slightness.

  ‘Miss McLure? I’m John Peters, A&E consultant. This young lady is going to need someone to look after her, and her brother and sister for a while. Mr Marshall’s mobile was damaged in the accident and his wife wasn’t carrying one so we’ve no information yet about friends or relatives. Do you know anyone we could contact?’

  Katie shook her head. ‘I don’t know offhand, but I can look after Hailey for now. She has at least one grandparent, but I can’t remember where. Maybe we could go and see if there’s a phone number for them at her home, and collect some stuff for her? How are the Marshalls?’

  ‘I can only tell you that neither will be going home immediately,’ said Mr Peters, already on his way out. ‘Someone from social services will come and arrange things with you. The babies can stay here until we see if you find relatives for them. If you’ve no joy, the social worker will find a foster home for them all.’

  Twenty minutes later, Katie was leading Hailey out towards her car. It was raining now, and the wind was blowing wet leaves across the parked cars.

  ‘Poor sweetie,’ she said softly. ‘We’ll go back to your place first and look for phone numbers, okay?’

  Hailey was silent for the entire journey back to Polpayne, though Katie kept up a stream of comforting remarks. An accident can turn people’s lives upside-down in less than half a second, thought Katie. Now poor Hailey’s life had been changed, yet again. Just as she was settling down, too.

  ‘Well,’ said Katie, when they were standing in the hallway. ‘Here we are.’

  The house was completely and eerily silent. There was no sound of traffic here, and no neighbours’ voices or radios to be heard. Katie’s heels echoed on the polished wooden floor of the hallway, and she looked round uneasily. It didn’t feel right, being here.

  Katie shook herself. They had better get on with the job in hand, then she could take Hailey back to her own flat to wait. She would have to phone Mark and tell him she couldn’t collect him. She bent down and hugged the little girl.

  ‘Right, Hailey, you can help with this. I expect Mummy and Daddy have all the important numbers saved in the phone, do they?’

  Hailey only shrugged, so Katie lifted the handset of the landline and after a moment found the address book function. To her dismay the only numbers listed there were Phillip and Jennifer Marshall’s mobiles, the school, and a hairdresser’s. The Marshalls must use their mobiles for normal phoning. Lots of people did that, of course, but it didn’t make things any easier now. Was Mrs Marshall’s mobile around? Katie tried the number, but it was switched off.

  She smiled reassuringly at Hailey. ‘Nothing useful here. Does Mummy have an address book, or a phone index, or anything like that?’

  Hailey pointed to the hallway table. The drawer revealed an old-fashioned pop-up index, and Katie sat down on the stairs with it. Good, there were plenty of names and numbers in here. Surely one of them would be able to help.

  ‘Bingo,’ she said. ‘Now, what’s your Grandma’s name, Hailey? Is it Marshall too?’

  But Hailey didn’t seem to know, and Katie wondered anew at the relationships within the Marshall family. She tried the ‘M’ section first, but no-one there was a Marshall, so she went back to the beginning and much to her relief soon found what she was looking for. Under ‘F’ was the word ‘Mother’, and a phone number whose code Katie recognised as the Torquay area. This must be Mrs Marshall’s mother.

  She smiled warmly at the little girl, who was standing twisting her scarf round one hand. ‘Take your coat off, sweetie. It’s hot in here. Look, I think this must be your Grandma’s number. Your Grandma in Torquay? You know the one?’

  But Hailey, extracting herself from her coat, shook her head.

  ‘Well, we’ll phone and see who answers,’ said Katie, increasingly puzzled by the child’s reactions. Was she suffering from shock? But they’d have noticed that at the hospital, surely.

  She punched out the number, and listened as the call connected.

  The voice answering the phone sounded brisk and efficient.

  ‘Bea Felix.’

  Katie hesitated, wishing she had taken a couple of seconds to plan what she was going to say to the woman.

  ‘Hello, Mrs Felix, my name’s Katie McLure. Are you Jennifer Marshall’s mother?’

  ‘Yes,’ said the voice. ‘Are you a friend of Jennifer’s?’

  ‘A - neighbour,’ said Katie, wanting to keep things brief. ‘I’m really sorry to tell you that Jennifer and Phillip were involved in a car accident today; they’re in Newquay hospital. The social worker there has asked me to find someone to take care of the children in the meantime. Can you help at all with that?’

  There was complete silence at the other end of the phone.

  ‘Mrs Felix?’ said Katie. ‘I’m sorry I can’t tell you exactly how Jennifer is, but the babies are fine and... ’

  ‘What babies?’ said Mrs Felix, and Katie blinked.

  ‘Daniel and Lara - your daughter
’s twins,’ she said uncertainly.

  ‘My daughter has twins? Dear heavens. I had no idea, Jennifer doesn’t keep in touch... I’ll come as soon as I can, of course. Where are they?’

  ‘The twins are being looked after at the hospital, but I’ve got Hailey right here with me. I could... ’

  ‘You’ve got who with you? Hailey?’

  ‘Yes,’ said Katie, surprised. ‘She’s fine, completely unhurt, but... ’

  ‘Ms McLure,’ said Mrs Felix, and Katie shivered suddenly at the horror-stricken tones in the other woman’s voice. ‘Something is very wrong there. My granddaughter Hailey drowned in Turkey over two years ago. Jennifer had a severe breakdown afterwards; that’s when she broke off contact with the family. I don’t know what child you have there with you, but Hailey Marshall is dead. Now if you give me some details and phone numbers I’ll go and look after those babies. And you’d better do something about the other child.’

  Katie felt as if she’d been dealt a physical blow. Her voice shaking, she reeled off the necessary information, then put the handset down with fingers that were cold and clammy. Jennifer Marshall’s daughter Hailey was dead. So who was the Hailey Marshall she knew?

  Hailey had gone through to the sitting room, where she was huddled in a corner of the sofa. Head whirling, Katie sat down beside her and took her hand, struggling to find the right words.

  ‘Sweetheart, you told the ambulance man your name was Libby. What’s your other name, Libby?’

  Hailey began to cry. ‘I’m going to die,’ she whispered. ‘She said if I told anyone at all, ever, she’d come and get me.’

  ‘Who? Your mu - Jennifer Marshall?’

  Hailey nodded, and Katie hugged her close, feeling the little girl’s thin body tremble in her arms. Her stomach churning nervously, Katie leaned back until she could look into the child’s face.

  ‘Sweetheart, I can see how difficult this is for you. But I promise, I absolutely promise I won’t let anyone hurt you. No-one at all. Mrs Marshall was very wrong to say that, because it’s just not true. And now I know you aren’t Hailey Marshall, it’s very important you tell me your real name, because then I can help you. We can find out where you belong.’

  Katie could hardly believe the calm words that were coming from her own mouth.

  Hailey was shaking visibly now, her hands moving up towards her face.

  ‘Before Hailey Marshall? She said never, ever tell. She hurt me.’

  ‘I promise I’ll keep you safe, darling.’

  The child took a deep breath and looked up at Katie, and the anguish in her eyes made Katie want to weep.

  Two tears rolled down Hailey’s cheeks. ‘My name was Olivia Granger.’

  ‘Olivia? So you said ‘Livvy’ to the ambulance man this afternoon? Right, Livvy. Let’s see if we can find out where you belong.’

  A sudden bell jingled urgently and insistently in Katie’s head, and for a second it was difficult to breathe.

  Have you seen Olivia Granger?

  She’d been driving past the bus stop... and seen a poster... a vibrant little girl whose name was... Olivia Granger. The child who disappeared... and they said she had drowned. Last summer.

  Oh my God, thought Katie, as the full implication of Olivia’s presence in the Marshall household hit her full force. The child hadn’t drowned, she’d been taken, she must have been. Jennifer Marshall had lost her own child and she had taken this one, and Olivia’s parents thought that their daughter was dead. Dear God, what should she do now? Phone the police? Livvy’s parents?

  It was difficult to keep her voice steady and reassuring, but she had to, for Hailey’s - for Olivia’s sake.

  ‘Can you tell me your proper address, or your phone number, Livvy?’

  But addresses and phone numbers were quite beyond Olivia. Katie sat on the sofa, rubbing the little girl’s back, her mind racing. More than anything else now she wanted to talk to Mark, but he would still be high above the clouds, heading south. So she would deal with this alone.

  ‘Okay, sweetheart. I think the best thing would be just to phone 999. The police’ll come and they’ll know where to find your mum and dad.’

  The child stared at her, no expression at all on her face now.

  This time Katie had to physically steady herself to dial the number. This was all beyond comprehension. Mrs Marshall was mad. And what about Phillip Marshall? He had seemed so much more normal than his wife. Why had he done this? What kind of person could do a thing like this to a little child?

  It was a relief to give the emergency operator the details. Help was promised. Katie put the phone down and was sitting cuddling Olivia when the handset buzzed again. Trembling, she lifted it to her ear.

  ‘My name’s Howard Moir; I’m in charge of the investigation into Olivia Granger’s disappearance. We’re on our way now. Could you tell me what’s been happening?’

  Katie could hear her voice shaking. ‘She’s here. Olivia. She’s been with a Marshall family in Polpayne, she... ’ Still unsteady, Katie told the story again.

  ‘Sit tight,’ said Howard. ‘We’ll be right with you.’

  Katie turned back to the child on the sofa. She was crying quietly, making no attempt to wipe her tears away.

  ‘Oh Livvy sweetheart. Let’s make you a nice hot drink. That was Mr Moir, he’s the policeman who’s been looking for you all this time, and he’s on his way over. Come through to the kitchen, darling. Some hot chocolate or something’ll do you good.’

  Olivia allowed herself to be led through to the other room and watched as Katie prepared a mug of hot chocolate. Katie looked round the kitchen as she encouraged the child to drink. This room looked like any normal, family kitchen. Baby things here and there, a wooden bowl of fruit on the table. But what horrors had gone on inside this house? Katie’s breath caught in her throat as she spoke.

  ‘Livvy darling, did Mr and Mrs Marshall - did they hurt you at all?’

  Olivia laid her head on the table, pushing the mug away.

  ‘Sometimes she hit me,’ she whispered. ‘And she said she would hurt me if I told. But Da - he was nice. I liked him.’

  Katie stroked the short brown hair. ‘And did anyone do anything else that was - nasty?’

  Olivia shook her head. ‘She wouldn’t buy me jeans,’ she said, her lips trembling.

  A faint sensation of relief made itself felt in Katie’s middle, and she managed to smile at the little girl. It sounded as if Olivia had merely been a substitute for dead Hailey. And her job now was to help Olivia as well as she could until the child’s mother could take over.

  ‘Drink your chocolate, Livvy, and don’t worry. Everything’ll be alright soon.’

  But she knew that her words would be of little comfort to Olivia. She must have heard so many empty words in this house.

  Abruptly, the doorbell rang. Olivia leapt to her feet, sending the half-empty mug crashing to the floor.

  ‘She’s come to get me!’

  ‘No, no, she’s in hospital, remember? It’ll be the police. Come on, come with me.’

  Taking Olivia’s hand firmly in her own, Katie went to the door. Two police cars were parked in the windy street, and three officers were waiting at the door, sheltering under umbrellas. The oldest, a tall man with a tired, lined face held out his police identification, looking hard at the child pressed against Katie’s side. His face suddenly relaxed into a smile.

  ‘Olivia,’ he said. ‘Your mum gave me a photo of you. Want to see it?’

  Olivia looked up at him, then at the two female officers, and to Katie’s horror she gave a loud scream and wrestled herself free before stumbling into the kitchen. Katie couldn’t stop her own tears as she spoke.

  ‘I’m sorry, she’s very scared at the moment. She’s very confused, you’ll understand.’

  Howard nodded, then handed his colleague a car key. ‘Of course. Maybe having the three of us here is too much.’ He turned to his fellow officer. ‘See what information you can gather
about the Marshalls, Amanda, and find out when you can speak to one of them.’

  The woman turned back to the car, and Katie led Howard and his colleague through to the kitchen where Olivia was cowering in the corner. Silently, she lifted Olivia and sat at the table with the child on her lap.

  ‘It’s alright, baby. These are friendly policemen, you don’t have to be frightened. Let’s listen to Mr Moir, okay?’

  Howard produced a photo and slid it across the table to the little girl. Katie stared, realising that ‘Hailey’ had spoken about this.

  ‘Your birthday cake with the marzipan waves. You told me about that, didn’t you?’

  Olivia nodded solemnly, staring at the photo.

  ‘And you said you wanted a pink cake for your next birthday,’ said Katie, remembering. ‘But I thought you were Hailey. Oh God, Olivia, I’m so sorry - ’

  She covered her face with her free hand. Howard leaned forward.

  ‘You didn’t know. How could you have known? Livvy. Listen. Do you remember being at the beach with your mum and dad and Joe? That last day you were with them?’

  Olivia nodded.

  ‘You made a sandcastle with your mum and then you wanted to go to your dad and Joe at the rock pools, and Mum let you go. What happened then?’

  Olivia stared at him silently.

  ‘Was Jennifer Marshall there?’

  A nod.

  ‘On the beach? Up the path?’

  Olivia started to cry. ‘On the path. She said come and look because she had babies in the car, and she was so nice and pretty and I love babies so I went just for a minute. But she didn’t.’

  ‘And she drove away with you?’

  Another nod. Katie choked back a sob.

  Howard nodded too, then leaned back in his chair and smiled. It was as if a light had been switched on inside him.