Dear Sister by Harrow Ruth

Author:Harrow, Ruth [Harrow, Ruth]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Mystery, thriller, Suspense
Amazon: B09FFJM675
Goodreads: 58976513
Publisher: Inkubator Books
Published: 2021-09-12T07:00:00+00:00

33

Rachel

I send a text to Laura on the coach before we arrive at the outdoor education centre in Cannock Chase. When she hasn't responded by the time we arrive, I start to worry. I know she could very well be busy with Amy. She has developed a habit of ignoring me or keeping me waiting for a reply lately too. So maybe she will get to it later.

Paul and I lead the children to their respective dormitories. I take the girls inside theirs to drop off their bags and choose their beds. Then we go to the main hall for the staff of the outdoor activity team to introduce themselves.

Us teachers sit on plastic seats at the back of the hall as the enthusiastic staff in sweatshirts and joggers run through a PowerPoint slideshow covering all the activities planned for the week's residential.

Dale Parker's muttering to his friends over in the corner becomes notably loud, and Paul has to hiss at him to be quiet.

I try to catch Paul's eye a few times, but he seems to have stiffened slightly since our talk on the coach. I made a mistake in reminding him how stubborn I can be.

Still, we have the whole week ahead of us.

After lunch, we split the pupils up into groups and, armed with clipboards and worksheets, take them on a bird walk around the nearby lake.

It isn't lost on me how beautiful this place is, even in these cool autumnal months. After the first half an hour, however, I find my toes are starting to numb with the cold. I find myself inwardly cursing Gwen's penny-pinching decision to book this trip in the colder months when she had no doubt got herself a good deal.

I am glad I invested in this new coat. I zip the fleece-lined collar up higher around my neck. I again think of Laura. When I am sure no one is watching, I sneak a look at my phone but have received no new messages or calls.

I do hope she is all right.

After dinner, Paul and I serve out mugs of hot chocolate to everyone, and I thaw out temporarily.

When the kids are chatting busily around the respective tables in the hall, I step outside into the darkening evening and try to reach Laura on the phone again.

Her phone is off. That in itself is unusual. She is usually attached to it as if it is an extra limb.

'Where are you?' I ask as I get the answerphone message again.

I scroll through my phone book, and my finger hovers over Ash's name. Should I call him? What if my father is right? Would it set him off if I was to try his number?

I pause, unsure of what to do. The black water of the nearby lake slaps noisily at its edges.

I go through my calls log and find my father's number. I haven't called it before.

I wonder vaguely what he will be doing right now. Then I realise that I don't even know where he will be.

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