Into The Fog

Chapter 3

CHAPTER THREE

‘Hannah? Riley? Cooper?’

Georgie’s voice funnelled into the storm as she splashed through puddles towards the glasshouse. Although the gap between lightning and thunder had stretched to three seconds meaning the storm front had moved about a kilometre away, the wind alternated in howls and moans, and branches scratched against the windows.

The bottoms of her jeans were already drenched. The kids would be wet through and frozen if they were out in the elements rather than hiding in one of the buildings.

Focused on the splay of white light from her torch, she flinched when she heard Josh call, ‘Kat!’

Georgie turned. The warm glow of a Gothic-style garden lamp cast enough light for her to see Kat throw her arms wide, then thump a finger against her chest. It was impossible to hear anything of their conversation over the chaos of the storm, and a veil of fog partly obscured them, but Kat then slapped her forehead and Josh held his head in both hands. He spoke and reached for her. She smacked at his hand and waved him off, then stalked ahead of him.

Georgie’s feet had turned to ice blocks while she’d watched. She moved on, considering the emotion and angst passing between the teenagers and wondering if they knew more about the Savage kids’ disappearance. And she wished she’d found a moment to ask Kat why they’d returned to the summerhouse when everyone else ran to the main building.

Sam began her search in Anna and Sara’s bedroom, followed by Hannah and Nicole’s. Unlike the rest of the house, these rooms were small and uncluttered. She checked in the built-in robes and under the beds. Nothing.

The owners’ private suite abutted Hannah and Nicole’s room. Its door was locked.

Sam jogged back to the kitchen. ‘Elke?’

The housekeeper glanced up from the green beans she was trimming. Her gaze held something that she never showed Lunny or Georgie, although Sam had been on the receiving end a few times and she’d seen it aimed at Kat and Josh too. Disrespect or irritation. But why? Because Elke had ten years or more on Sam and plus-some on the other two? Because they were a major imposition?

Too bad.

‘I need access to the owners’ suite please.’

‘That is private –’

Sam used her cut-the-crap cop’s voice. ‘Three children are missing. I need access. Now.’

It took too long for Elke to wipe her hands, shuffle down the hall, select the appropriate key and open the door. Her belly blocked the way.

‘Excuse me.’ Sam gave the baby bulge a pointed look and Elke moved just enough for her to squeeze past.

The ostentatious room floored her momentarily. Ornate ceiling mouldings and full-height pillars made the room’s focal point a super-king bed covered in a shiny gold eiderdown and an enormous array of pillows and cushions. The bed sat on a matching upholstered base, which was nestled into cream plush pile carpet with no vacuum stripes. Pearl white marble surrounded an open fireplace in one corner and matching drapes flowed to the floor. An antique grandfather’s chair and bookshelf completed the over-the-top décor.

Sam got to work. She pulled back the drapes, patted the bedding and peered up the chimney. There was nowhere else in this room for the children to hide. She went through the connecting door into the lavish walk-in-robe and ensuite spa—both bigger than her bedroom at home—and completed an efficient sweep.

She returned to the bedroom and checked again, this time for concealed cavities in the bed frame and pillars. Then she stared at the framed wedding photo above the bedhead.

It was the one personal item on display in the entire house. Considering that Patrick Belfrage appeared roughly the same age in the photo as he did when they’d met today, the couple must’ve only recently married. It seemed strange that his wife had gone overseas alone so rapidly after the wedding. And the oddness didn’t stop there. Sam’s nose crinkled at the groom’s small smile that didn’t reach the eyes behind his semi-frameless glasses. She frowned again at the bored expression on his stunning, if slightly plastic, wife’s face.

People usually select their best wedding photo for an enlarged portrait. If this was the best of the Belfrages’ special day, Sam pitied them and wondered if theirs was a business relationship more than a proper marriage. Proper on the Tesorino measure anyway, where displays of public affection were expected, with her parents as likely as anyone to swat each other’s bums or smooch loudly.

She shook her head, allowed the housekeeper to secure the suite behind her and combed the formal living room adjacent to the bedroom wing. When she’d eliminated that area too, Sam’s anxiety heightened.

She entered the dining room just as Georgie did. Her grim face told Sam she’d had no luck outside. They checked every nook of the bar and around the furniture in strained silence, then moved into the kitchen.

Sam noted an external door. ‘You know what bothers me?’

Georgie’s expression was deadpan, but Sam blushed and in a low voice explained. ‘Besides the kids being missing, weird owners and their staff, I mean.’ She waved at the kitchen door. ‘Every room and every passage seem to have direct access to the grounds.’

‘I was thinking that before – this place is a nightmare to check and secure, isn’t it?’

Sam didn’t answer. As she stared at the glazed door, she fought a tide of Catholic doom and gloom.

The kids aren’t here. They’re long gone. But where? Oh God, let them be okay.

Thunder and lightning shook the ground and split the air.

Hannah

Riley squealed and bumped into Hannah as he slipped. She tried to grab him but missed, heard a thump in the darkness and then his voice – small, further away, ‘Ow!’

Her heart thudded. ‘You okay, Riles?’

He didn’t answer. She yelled it louder.

‘Yeah, yeah.’

He sounded close, but she still jumped when he touched her leg.

She hugged him. ‘Sure?’

‘Yeah…but Hanny? Can we stop for a bit?’

She didn’t want to. Something told her they needed to keep moving to stay warm and to try to find their way back. But they had no clue where they were or which way to head, and her little bros were tired.

She might call them ‘The Brats’ sometimes but they were pretty cool, mostly. It could be kind of annoying when they hung around when she wanted to be alone, but at the same time she liked being the big sister and knowing that they looked up to her, especially little Coops.

She found her smallest brother’s hand and held it tight. Shocked by Cooper’s freezing cold skin, she wrapped his other hand in hers too.

If her bros didn’t shadow her and want to be in on everything, they wouldn’t be here now and in massive trouble.