“That’s right.”
“But you go there in different vehicles, even though you live just two doors away from each other? You told me you first became suspicious when she didn’t turn up.”
“We used to both go in my van. It’s got more space in the back than Milly’s car. But then Milly started to complain about my driving. She said it scared the life out of her and she reckoned I ruined most of her baking on the way. The van’s old and it gives quite a bumpy ride.”
“So Mrs Lancaster has her own car?”
“She’s got a small Ford. One of those Fiestas, I think.”
“I didn’t see a car there earlier. Where does she keep it?”
“She parks it on the road by the pub. It’s just down the road. The Old Boar. There’s no place to park outside Milly’s cottage.” Parking in Polgarrow had always been a problem.
“Could you do me a favour? I’m stuck in Trotterdown for the next few hours. Could you check to see if Mrs Lancaster’s car is still there?”
“Of course.” Alice wrote down the police woman’s mobile phone number on the pad by the phone and hung up.
Alice locked her front door and walked down the road to the pub. She passed the Old Boar and carried on towards the village store. She crossed the road and returned in the direction of her house. Milly’s blue Ford Fiesta was nowhere to be seen.
CHAPTER SEVEN
DC Taylor and DS Duncan arrived at Alice’s house just over an hour later. Duncan seemed unimpressed. He had changed his clothes, and was now wearing a golf shirt and a pair of black jeans. The smell of stale beer hit her in the face as he came in.
“This is a new development, of course,” he told her. “Mrs Lancaster is missing and now so is her car. I’d say this puts an entirely new perspective on things.”
“What do you mean by that?” Alice asked.
“Mrs Green,” DC Taylor said, “DS Duncan seems to think this is a good sign.”
“And what do you think, dear?” Alice said.
“She’s taken her car and she’s gone off somewhere,” Duncan said before Taylor had a chance to answer. “We’re checking for any reports of cars with that registration, but we know that nobody fitting Mrs Lancaster’s description has turned up in any of the local hospitals. And from what you’ve said, there’s nothing to suggest any funny business. Your friend will turn up when she’s good and ready, Mrs Green. You mark my words.” The alcohol on his breath was starting to make Alice feel ill.
“What do you think?” she asked Taylor again.
“DS Duncan is probably right,” Taylor told her. “There’s no evidence of foul play.” She sounded carefully non-committal.
“We’ll see ourselves out,” Duncan said.
“Idiot.” The jackdaw said.
“That reminds me,” Duncan added. “I must remember to check on that wild bird licence business. First thing in the morning. Now I have to get back to my wife.”
Alice watched as they drove away. Taylor’s words hadn’t exactly filled her with confidence. Something in her tone suggested she thought something had happened to Milly Lancaster.
Milly wouldn’t just drive off into the sunset, she thought.
She poured herself a large glass of port and went into the back garden. The bees were ready to call it a day. Alice checked the hives one by one. They were doing well. If they continued like this, she would have double the normal amount to sell at the Berryton market next month.
She took a long sip of port and wandered over to the hollyhock bushes. She shivered when she thought about how close DC Taylor had been to the disturbed soil. She wondered how and why Stanley’s hand had surfaced.
“Hello there.” Eddie Sedgwick had been watching her from his garden.
Alice jumped. She wondered how long he had been standing there.
“Lovely day,” Eddie said.
Alice glared at him. He was wearing a pair of denim shorts and a pink T-shirt with the words “I love Florida” on it. His legs were pale and hairless.
“Is everything all right?” he asked her. “I couldn’t help but notice that the police have been round twice today. I recognised Sergeant Duncan. I know him from poker nights in Trotterdown.”
“Everything’s fine,” Alice snapped. She stepped away from the hollyhock bushes.
“How do you get yours to bloom so nicely?” Eddie pointed to the hollyhocks. “Barbara’s always moaning at me about ours. I only seem to get a few flowers each year. Are you using some kind of special fertiliser?”
“It’s the bees. They help with the pollination.”
“Well, tell your bees,” Eddie looked around to make sure nobody was listening, “they’re welcome in my garden any time.” The pathetic grin on his face irritated her. Perhaps he thought he was being witty. “Bugger what my Barbara says,” he added.
Eddie stood there for a few moments without saying anything. Alice tried to ignore the inane grin on his face.
“Must dash, then,” he said eventually. “My Barbara will be sending out a search party.”
Alice watched as he turned and walked up the path to his house. The Sedgwicks had lived next door to her for almost thirty years and Alice could count on the fingers of one hand how many times she had set foot in their house. The only neighbour she liked was Milly, and she’d disappeared. Something was definitely wrong. Milly was not the type to set off on a road trip without telling her best friend.
Alice went back in. The doorbell rang as she switched on her new TV. A sombre-looking DC Taylor stood there. It was pretty clear from her expression that she did not have good news.
“Sorry to bother you so soon,” Taylor said. “Can I come in?”
“Have you found Milly?”
“Please,” Taylor said, “can I come inside?”
Alice stepped aside.
“We’ve found Milly Lancaster’s car.” Taylor came straight to the point.
“What about Milly? Have you found Milly?”
“No. That’s the thing. Mrs Lancaster wasn’t in her car.”
“That’s good news then, isn’t it? Where was the car?”
“That’s what worrying us,” Taylor said. “A hiker found the car. He was walking along the top of Merryhead when he spotted something.”
“What on earth was Milly doing up on Merryhead?” Alice asked. It was a popular spot for young couples, but not for older local people. The view across the sea was spectacular but the cliffs were sheer. It was unwise to venture too close to the edge.
“The car wasn’t up on the cliffs. It was smashed to pieces on the rocks below.”
“Oh my God.” Alice sat down. "Are you sure it was Milly’s car?”
“Positive. The hiker had a pair of binoculars. Even though the car was pretty badly smashed up he managed to get a look at the registration number.”
“And you’re sure Milly’s not inside?”
“We’ve got a team down there right now. They had their work cut out for them with the tide coming in, but they managed to get the car onto a trailer. There was no sign of her.”
“But that’s good news, surely?” Alice insisted.
“I’m not sure.” Taylor refused to reassure her. “The way I see it, it can only mean one of two things.”
“Two things?”
“Either Milly wasn’t in the car when it went over the cliff or she was thrown out at the bottom and her body was washed out to sea. I don’t mean to alarm you, Mrs Green, but I’m afraid you need to prepare yourself for the worst.”
* * *
Alice stared at a spot of dirt on the wall above the fireplace. DC Taylor had promised to let Alice know if anything new came up. Milly’s car was now in the hands of the forensics technicians and Taylor had assured Alice that they would go over the vehicle with a fine-toothed comb. If Milly had been in the car when it plummeted onto the rocks, they would know soon enough.