“I wanted to thank you for the coffee and such lovely cupcakes.” Ellie smiled at the women as they looked up. “I have friends in restaurants who’d love to meet you…whoever made them?”
“Young Derry did, miss.” Brenda nodded at the younger woman.
“Well, they were delicious. You both do a terrific job.”
“Miss, is there any news…of Mister Jack?” Derry stepped forward.
“I wish there was. You don’t remember the last time you saw him, do you?”
Derry nodded. “He had breakfast here in the kitchen.”
“The day he disappeared?”
“Yes, miss. I made him coffee and scrambled eggs. He read the newspaper.”
“How did he seem, Derry? Happy? Tired?”
Derry frowned. “Just…like normal. I hope he comes back soon.”
So do I.
“Brenda? Were you here for breakfast?”
“I started late because I’d made him a late dinner. He told me to sleep in.”
“What time? Dinner, I mean.”
“Maybe around midnight. And, he was…”
Ellie tilted her head. “Please go on.”
“At first, I thought he was sad. But when I took the meal to him, he was different. Smiling. And gave me a hug.” Brenda blushed and glanced away.
“Where did he eat?”
“Oh. The library, miss. He ate in the library.”
Ellie sat outside a café overlooking Brighton Beach, her coffee cold and a salad untouched. She’d missed lunch and only had the cupcake since breakfast, but even halfway through the afternoon, it was a mistake thinking she could eat.
A man jogged along the beach followed by a spaniel, who periodically rushed into the low waves and then sprinted to catch his owner, shaking water from its long ears.
She’d like to have a dog. Once she found Dad, she’d sell or rent her apartment and buy a townhouse. Or even a house. A garden and somewhere to play with a new, furry friend.
With a sigh, she pushed the coffee cup to one side. What had happened to Dad the night before he disappeared? Over and over, Ellie ran through the words from Brenda and Derry.
Dad had come home late from the office where he’d been working on the wind farm project, at least, according to Meredith. Between arriving, and Brenda bringing him dinner, he’d cheered up to the point of hugging her. Not a normal response with the staff.
What was his state of mind like recently? Paul mentioned tension in the boardroom. She needed to talk to Dennis. Except his mood earlier made her stomach turn. Two cups near the pool at Dad’s house meant something. Something she wasn’t ready to explore.
“Would you like a fresh cup?”
“Oh.” Ellie started. The waiter began clearing her plate. “No. Actually, I’m leaving but thanks.” She stood. “Sorry about the salad. I’m sure it was lovely.”
Outside, a recycling bin overflowed with bottles. She took her phone out and dialled Dad’s house, wandering to the edge of the sand as she waited.
“Bannerman Estate. How may I be of assistance?”
“Brenda, this is Ellie.”
“Mrs Connor. Please hold and I’ll put you—”
“No, I want to speak to you, not Meredith. If you have a moment?”
“Me? Oh, certainly.” The other woman’s voice was strained.
“I just wondered if you’ve come across any empty bottles. Actually, an old rum bottle.”
“I don’t understand?”
“Sorry. There’s an old empty bottle my Dad and I used to keep in the library. It seems to have disappeared and I would love to find it. Sentimental reasons.”
There was a long silence.
“I’m hoping you or one of the other staff might have come across it. Or could keep an eye out for it.”
“Any empty bottles are disposed of in the recycling. Do you know when it went missing?”
“No. I’m sorry, I don’t know. But it is short and very dark with a faded label. Would you look out for it and let me know if it appears?”
“I should ask Mrs Bannerman.”
Screw Mrs Bannerman!
“Please, Brenda, let’s keep this between us. The bottle belongs to me, and Dad. I think it might help me find him and you said you want that.”
“I do, of course. Very well, I’ll ask the others and phone you if we find it.”
Ellie stared at the sea for a while after terminating the call. Brenda was scared of Meredith. Why was this so hard? Nobody knew anything. Or wanted to talk about Dad.
The sea air enticed Ellie and she longed to kick off her shoes and be like the spaniel running into the waves.
“Do you think we should be in here?” Joni glanced at Jack’s desk then back at Ellie’s face. “In case the police need to check anything?”
“Why would they do that? Come on, let’s sit by the window.” Ellie sank onto the sofa facing out over the city and patted the seat beside her. “I promise it is okay.”
Joni perched on the edge of the seat, hands folded around each other. In the years Ellie had known Joni, she’d never seen the woman without a ready smile. But there were only drawn lines on her face, a weariness Ellie knew must be reflected on her own.
“You need to go home soon. Try to rest a bit.”
“I’m fine, Ellie. Really, I should be here. In case…”
“When we find Dad, I’ll let you know. And we will.”
“It doesn’t add up. Mr Bannerman doesn’t ever go anywhere without appointments, a timetable, and regular contact with me. What could have happened?” She turned glistening eyes to Ellie.
“Can you remember anything about the day he disappeared? When he left, where he was going, what other appointments he had?”
“Of course. You know there was a board meeting that morning?”
Ellie nodded.
“After that, Mr Bannerman returned to his office for a few minutes. He left with his briefcase and a small envelope and dropped past my desk.”
“To leave the envelope?”
“No, although I offered to post it. But he said it wasn’t going in the mail.”
Was it my note?
“He wished me happy birthday for next week.”
“What?”
Joni pulled a tissue from a pocket. “He said there was something extra in my pay and to have a special night out on him.” She dabbed her eyes. “But normally he’d say something on the day and always gave me flowers. He was so generous.”
“Yet he wished you birthday greetings in advance? How odd.”
“There you are.” Dennis burst into the office. “I need you downstairs for this media thing.”
Both women turned to look at him. His face was red and his tie loose. Ellie stood.
“Suggest you go via a bathroom so they don’t think you’ve been drinking all afternoon. You haven’t, have you?”
He didn’t bother replying, just glared then stalked out.
“I do have to go. Sorry. Walk me to the lift?”
They stopped outside the office where Ellie gave Joni a hug. “At the moment, Dennis is in charge, so just treat him as if he’s Dad.” She closed the door behind them both. “You didn’t say…do you know where Dad was going after he stopped at your desk?”