Dora, says Kate in a commanding voice.
In a minute, says Ruth. Im just watching my own programme.
Dora, repeats Kate, clearly not thinking much of Ruths taste in early morning TV. Ruth sighs and gives in. She usually tries not to switch on the television in the morning but today seems to be going downhill. She finds a childrens programme and goes back to the radio. She doesnt know why she feels so jolted by the news about Poppy. Perhaps because theres just too much bad news about children at the moment. She thinks of Liz Donaldson, whom she has never met, and of Bob Donaldson, standing in her kitchen and begging her to intercede with Nelson. She thinks of Mother Hook and The Book of Dead Babies. She remembers seeing Judy in the university car park on Friday, the missing child alert that had turned out to be a false alarm. And now a child is missing for real.
The buzzing of her phone makes her jump. At least its her mobile, which means its more likely to be good news.
Hi, Ruth. Its Frank. Frank Barker.
Oh. Hi, Frank.
You remember we were talking about visiting Saxlingham Thorpe? Well I wondered if you fancied going one day next week.
Id love to, says Ruth, but my brothers coming to stay on Tuesday. As she says this, she thinks how normal it sounds. As if she and Simon were sane, well-adjusted adult siblings, continually having shared holidays with their mingled happy families. She doesnt mention the missing child.
Theres a slight pause and then Frank says, Well, what about Monday? Apparently its going to be a good day. There are going to be "sunny spells". I love the British weather forecast.
Ruth hesitates. For some reason, it feels wrong to be planning a day out when Nelson is on the trail of a lost child. But, then, what on earth can she do to help?
Ill have Kate with me, she says.
Great. Id love to meet her again. Ill be sure not to call her a baby this time.
OK, says Ruth at last. That would be fun.
As she puts the phone down, she remembers why the name Poppy sounded familiar. Bailey, Scooter and Poppy. The children with outlandish names. Can it be the same child? She sends up a prayer to whoevers listening. Please look after Baby Poppy.
Judy squats on the floor next to Bailey and Scooter. Theyre building a police station out of Lego. Nelson has taken Donna and Patrick to the TV studios in Norwich where theyre going to film an appeal for Poppy. Judy had encouraged Donna to do this. It can really help. If the … the perpetrator sees the parents it makes them think about the child as a human being. It could make them put themselves in your shoes. Privately she wonders if Donna will be able to go through with it. During the morning, as each hour went by and Poppy wasnt found, Donna seemed to disintegrate before their eyes. By lunchtime, she was sobbing hysterically on the sofa. Patrick wasnt much help but then he was clearly in shock himself. It was only Judys urging that had got her up and dressed and ready for the broadcast. Judy wishes that she could have gone with Donna to the studio but someone needs to look after the children. Tanya, standing by the window and fiddling with her phone, is no help at all.
The policeman has a big gun, says Bailey, clicking several pieces of Lego together.
That is big, says Judy. Its bigger than the police station.
Bailey points the gun at his brother. Bang bang. Youre dead.
Scooter starts to cry. He, too, has spent most of the morning in tears.
Come on, Scooter, Judy cajoles. Lets put this tower on the top. There is Harry Potter Lego mixed in with the ordinary stuff so the police station is starting to take on a distinctly exotic appearance. It has stained glass windows and an astronomy tower (complete with owl). Judy feels that its a look that could catch on.
Shall I put the TV on? asks Tanya. See if we can see the appeal.
Without waiting for an answer she switches on the set.
Look, theres Mummy, says Bailey.
Donna is crying, her face contorted in a way thats painful to watch, but she is still managing to speak. Patrick sits beside her as if turned to stone.
Shes our little baby. We miss her so much. Please, if anyone knows anything at all, please let the police know. Shes my baby, my little girl …
Judy looks at Tanya. They both have tears in their eyes. Bailey is watching solemnly, sucking a Lego man.
Poppys hiding, he says suddenly.
Judy turns to look at him. What?
Poppys hiding. We play hide and seek with Justine sometimes. Shes waiting until Justine tells her to come out.
Judy leans towards the little boy. Bailey, she says. Does Justine knows where Poppy is?
Baileys eyes are blank. Justine?
Yes. Does Justine know where Poppy is? Has Justine hidden her?
Bailey shrugs. I dont know. Poppys gone missing. Mummy said. And he puts the Lego man back in his mouth.
Ruth and Kate are walking along the shingle path to the beach. Ruth has been shopping and has bought a range of food high in E-numbers and low on mushrooms. She and Kate ate chips at the supermarket cafe (who knew supermarkets had cafes, its a whole new world) and now Ruth has acquiesced to Kates demands for the sea. Its a beautiful day and, as they reach the sand dunes, the beach is spread out before them like a present. Its almost deserted. The Saltmarsh beach, accessible only after miles of trekking across the marsh, is not on the usual tourist trail. There are always a few hardy souls who think the journey is worth it for the view and the sand but Ruth doesnt begrudge them their place in the sun. As long as they dont try to talk to her, that is.
They pause at the base of the dunes. Ruth thinks of that other journey, four years ago, to find Scarlets body. Please God, dont let the search for Poppy end the same way. She remembers Cathbad lighting a bonfire on the sands – Saint Bridget accept our offering – and she includes Saint Bridget, whoever she is, in the prayer. This is sacred land, Cathbad would say, otherwise why would those unknown Bronze Age Britons have bothered to build a henge, way out here between the earth and the sky? Why would later people have built the causeway, that snaking path that leads across the treacherous marshland to the sea?
Kate is pointing back towards the grassland.
Poppy!
Ruth jumps. Where?
But then she sees that her daughter is pointing at the flowers blooming amongst the wind-blown shrubs, blood red against the green. She wonders who taught Kate to identify a poppy.
Come on Kate, she reaches out her hand. Nearly there.
Five oclock and Donna and Patrick are still not back. Nelson must have taken them into the station for some reason. Or maybe Donna has collapsed and needs hospital treatment. The children are getting restive and Judy reckons its probably time for their tea. Shes sure Justine has some fairly rigid routines in place but shes not exactly available to help. Justine has been taken in for questioning. Tims with her now.
Do you want to make them some tea? Judy asksTanya, just to see what response shell get.
Tanya looks horrified. Me? I dont know what children eat.
Judy doubts whether Scooter and Bailey would enjoy afternoon tea cooked by Auntie Tanya. As far as she can make out, Tanya exists on energy drinks and cereal bars. So Judy makes scrambled egg on toast and they eat it in front of the TV, something apparently strictly forbidden by Justine. Though Mummy lets us sometimes.
Afterwards Judy leaves Tanya with the washing-up and takes the children into the garden. They run in delighted circles, glad to be free of the house and its stultifying atmosphere. Bailey scales the climbing frame and Judy helps Scooter onto a swing. All this equipment, she thinks. Their back garden is only big enough for a tiny sandpit. Still, Michael loves playing in the sand, spending hours sifting and sorting. Maybe hell grow up to be an archaeologist. Like his dad.
Look at me! shouts Bailey from the top.
Be careful, says Judy. The last thing she wants is for one of the children to be injured in her care. Tiny tot in horror fall. Policewoman to blame.
Why dont we play a game? she says.
Hide and seek, says Bailey, swinging on the rope.
Judy looks at him. She still thinks that Bailey has something that he wants to tell her. Maybe the game will unleash that memory or observation, whatever it is. She had better be careful though. She doesnt want another of the Granger children going missing.
All right, she says. But just in this part of the garden. OK? Just where the play stuff is.
Count to three hundred! shouts Bailey, jumping up and down.
Ill count to fifty, says Judy. And shell make damn sure to keep her eyes open too.
Scooter seems a bit uncertain. Through her fingers Judy can see him circling her slowly before crouching down behind the seesaw. Bailey has disappeared in the direction of the Wendy House.
Coming! she calls. Ready or not.
After a show of searching that has Scooter in giggles, she finds him and hoists him onto her hip. He clings to her like a monkey.
Wheres Bailey? she asks. Wheres your brother?
Scooter giggles again and buries his face in her hair. She thinks that she can see Baileys red t-shirt behind the Wendy House.
Is he over here? She doesnt want to find him too soon. Hes older, after all, and deserves a proper game.
Is he in here? She tries the playhouse door. She wont go inside. She knows the search teams have practically taken the place apart. Shell just pretend to look.
Bailey! Are you in here?
She pushes open the door. The search teams have done their work well. The child-sized furniture – mini kitchen with table and chairs – is all back in place. But theres something else too. Something pink in the corner. Something that moves.
Its Poppy, says Bailey, appearing at her side.