The Missing Wife by Kerry Barrett

Author:Kerry Barrett [Barrett, Kerry]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollinsPublishers
Published: 2022-09-29T17:00:00+00:00

Chapter 17

Scarlett

Present day

Like a grumpy, overtired toddler, I felt much better once I’d had a good night’s sleep. So it was with a new rush of determination that I started the following day. I’d decided the key to this whole thing was the Loch Ness monster. After all, everyone loved a monster, didn’t they? I’d fill my airtime with tales of Nessie and build an atmosphere, and hope that by the time I was due to record episode two, I’d have more to say.

Trying not to think about the fact that I was on very shaky ground with this approach, I decided to head outside and into the car park. I would grab a willing podcaster or YouTuber and interview them, and then maybe record some background sounds of the waves crashing on the shore. Did loch waves crash? I hoped so. I was feeling slightly more frantic than I had done the day before as I hurried across the car park, my eyes fixed on the distant loch. If the waves didn’t crash, then I’d take my shoes and socks off and paddle or do something that would make the water splash. Would it be cold? It looked cold. But anyway, I’d walk down to the shore … OOF.

I walked straight into something large and firm and, winded, sort of ricocheted off and sat down with a thump on my bottom in the middle of the tarmac. My papers scattered around me and I only just managed to keep hold of my laptop.

Above me, silhouetted against the white sky, loomed a figure.

‘Shit, sorry,’ it said. A large hand reached out to help me to my feet and I realised it was Lucas. As in George. ‘I must have reversed into you.’

I knew he was just being kind and I’d clearly walked straight into his back as I dashed towards the loch.

‘Are you okay?’ he asked as I got to my feet and looked in dismay at my notes blowing across the car park in the breeze.

‘Absolutely fine.’ I nodded vigorously. ‘Absolutely top notch.’

And then I burst into tears.

‘Oh flipping heck,’ said Lucas, hoisting me up to my feet and staring at me in concern. ‘Are you hurt? Did I hurt you?’

I breathed in, a huge shuddering gulp of air, and tried very hard to sound normal. ‘Noooo,’ I said, wiping away the tears that were snaking down my cheeks. ‘I’m fine. It was just a shock.’

‘You don’t look fine.’

‘Thanks.’

‘Well, you know, the tears, and the panicky look were a bit of a clue,’ he said.

I glanced at him, wondering if he was being serious and caught the flash of mischief in his eye. I found myself smiling, which was quite surprising.

‘I think I’m just stressed,’ I admitted. ‘I’m on a deadline.’

‘For your podcast?’

‘No, for my radio programme. If it was the podcast, I’d just delay putting the episode out.’ I dug about in my pocket for a tissue and wiped my nose. ‘But the first episode’s going out tomorrow and the only content I’ve got is you telling the story of Nessie.

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