“Mandy, what do you think you can do?”
“Dan, I know what I can’t do and that’s to sit here on my arse doing nothing. She may have left a note, she may have said something to one of the girls… Please, I need to help her. She’s not in a fit state of mind to be going off by herself.”
“I can’t stop you, can I? Okay. I realise how important this is to you. Honestly, I do understand. Just please, be safe, and tell me what is happening. For God’s sake, don’t go off and disappear yourself. I love you, babe!”
* * *
I didn’t have a clue what I was doing as I drove away, with Dan waving from the top of the stairs and Annie peering out of the farmhouse kitchen window. I was about to drive for hours in the wrong direction, but I couldn’t just go to Devon and randomly hope to find her. She must have left some clue, someway of me finding her. It was almost totally pointless, but if I just sat and waited and something happened to her. I couldn’t face myself, let alone Adam who was lost and alone himself.
I pulled onto the main road and started my long journey north.
* * *
It was well after midnight when I arrived at the stables. The main gate squeaked as I pushed it open. I soon saw a light come on in the grooms’ flat. As I was parking the car Jacqueline came down the stairs from the flat and stood beside my car in her dressing gown and wellies.
“Oh, I’d hoped it might have been Kate.” Her disappointment was palpable. I hugged her tightly, feeling her tension. They’d all been through so much.
“I’m trying to find her. I need to see if she left any clue as to where she’s gone. Did she say anything to you or to any of the girls?” She shook her head. “Okay. Do you have a key to the farmhouse?”
Jacqueline nodded, reaching into her pocket she pulled out a large bunch of keys, singling out a silver key.
“That’s the front door. Not that we ever used that, we’d always go in through the kitchen when we go to see Kate.” She sniffed.
“We’ll find her. I promise.”
I said goodnight and made my way to the darkened farmhouse. It was strange to be there again alone. The front room was quiet, with papers and files scattered on the sofas. I walked towards the kitchen, the hub of the house. Flicking on the light I could see Kate’s laptop open a cold mug of coffee sat beside it. As I touched the mousepad the screen came to life asking for a password.
“Christ Kate…” I tried ‘Adam’, but it was refused. ‘AdamandKate’, No, still drawing a blank. ‘GlebeFarm’, nothing. It was then something she had said at their wedding struck me. It seemed to be unusual, it was an unusual phrase she had used, saying they were stronger as a pair, that this gave them a powerful advantage. Just like a game of chess, it had seemed strange at the time so it had stuck in my mind. I typed, B..i..s..h..o..p..P..a..i..r and hit return. The screen came to life.
* * *
“Kelly…”
“Dan, look, I’ve told you, I can’t speak with you about the case.”
“No… I just want to keep you in the loop, it’s Kate Bishop. She’s gone missing, last seen on ANPR in Devon.”
“And, what of it? Look Dan, I have enough on my plate without the accused’s wife going on holiday. I’m sure she’ll send me a postcard, or maybe I’ll look up the photos on her Insta.”
“Okay, Kelly. I thought the fact you have two people involved directly with an ongoing murder case who have now gone missing just might be of interest to you? I can assure you this is no holiday, nobody knows where she has gone, she just drove off and has vanished somewhere in Devon, it seems.”
“Okay, as you put it like that, it is a bit strange. I’ll speak with Devon and Cornwall.”
“That’s all I ask… Thank you, Kelly… I owe you.”
“Good night Dan. You certainly do!”
* * *
The only window open on Kate’s computer was Facebook and more specifically a direct message window showing a conversation about Sally and where she might be. They were discussing a hunt in Devon and that to me seemed to be too much of a coincidence. A quick web search found the hunt’s website and where they met.
Grabbing my phone, I dialled Dan. “I think I know where she went.” I went on to tell him of the messages and the hunt.
“That’s a bloody long shot.”
“It’s the only shot I have. I’m going to rest and then drive to Devon in a few hours. I love you, Dan…”
“Crap!”
“What?”
“You never tell me you love me over the phone. Be safe… I love you so much, all I ask is you stay safe.”
* * *
“Hilary, you think your groom killed Olivia? But Sally, she’s, well she couldn’t do that surely?”
“Well, it’s the same Sally who drugged us both and locked us away, so I do think it’s a distinct possibility! I got suspicious as I was watching the CCTV, I had it playing on repeat and I suddenly realised, the person who fetched the pitchfork just couldn’t have been Adam.”
“No, the person shown in the images was too short for the doorway…”
“Yes! Exactly and there was one other thing. The person on the video was limping. Sally had been kicked that afternoon. She was turning out one of the youngsters and it caught her knee. It absolutely ballooned, I told her to rest up as she could hardly walk. It suddenly clicked, that was when I tried to call you
