The Riviera. Karen Aldous

in touch with his associate in Los Angeles. I think he must have been up half the night. Apparently the guy is really impressed and has asked to see these.’

      ‘Oh Sophie, brilliant, well done.’

      ‘Thank you. Anyway, I’d better get going. Are you and Cal around later, a drink or something to eat?’

      Lizzie shook her head as she placed the milk back in the fridge. ‘No. Well, I am. Cal’s flown over this morning to see Jack. Jack’s not happy and he’s gone to find out what it’s all about.’

      Sophie pulled a face. ‘Ooh, hope it sorts itself out. Teenagers eh! Wouldn’t want to be back there.’

      ‘No, me neither,’ Lizzie said, leaning on the worktop and observing her friend.

      Sophie tucked her photos into her bag and chewed on her lip. ‘Look, I know it’s early days, but I was thinking if I do have to go to the States, hopefully it wouldn’t be for long, but I wondered how you’d feel if I enlisted some help. I mean, I wouldn’t want to leave you high and dry and there’s a few really good people I know. I thought I should be prepared, just to keep everything ticking over.’

      ‘Proper little girl scout aren’t you? Fine, yes. If you feel they are up to your standard.’

      ‘Of course. I’m not saying it would come to that but…’

      ‘Go, you’ll be late.’ Lizzie stepped forward and hugged her friend. ‘Sounds exciting. I hope it goes well.’

      ‘Good. I’ll speak to Angus today, just prime him.’

      ‘Angus, a man?’

       Chapter 2

      Cal paced anxiously at the back of the boarding hall sipping yet another coffee. The flight to Boston had been long. What hadn’t gone through his head the last few hours? He was dizzy through lack of sleep but that hour he had dozed off had made him feel even worse. Now he’d been waiting another hour he swore he would lose his mind. He just wanted to see his son. Ensure he was safe. The frustration was his phone had lost power and needed charging. In his panic he’d taken it off charge and forgotten to recharge. Finally, the doors opened and he boarded the next flight to Nantucket. Jack would soon be home from school.

      He let out a sigh of relief as the taxi turned into Main Street and pulled up outside Jack’s home. Kelly and Reuben owned a traditional New England, grey-shingled house fronted by the obligatory white picket fence and, although built only seven years, it blended well with the seventeenth-century properties lining Main Street. The driver edged to the kerb just missing one of numerous elm trees still naked of any buds.

      ‘Thanks,’ he said handing the driver a twenty dollar note.

      Kelly pulled back the door just as he rang the bell. Immediately panic struck him. The girl he once loved was red-eyed and bare of her usual make-up. She heaved deeply before choking out the words.

      ‘Jack hasn’t come home, I don’t know where…’ Her voice broke away as she sobbed.

      Any blood that was left in his cheeks was now sapped right out. Cal swallowed hard, blinking back tears. ‘Kelly, why didn’t you collect him last night?’

      ‘I was alone here with the kids. Reuben was still in New York. He’s on a flight home now. But, Jack often walks or cycles back on his own. It’s just along the road.’

      ‘Christ.’ Cal rubbed his forehead. ‘So where had he been? When was he last seen and where? Have you searched the house, the garage, the garden?’

      ‘Hell, yeah,’ Kelly snapped rubbing her eyes and nose, then standing back she ushered him in. He followed blindly, waiting for her response. His instinct was to run through the house and rip up every piece of pristine furniture and every door and every wardrobe – anywhere he could to check she hadn’t missed something. ‘Have you checked the loft?’

      ‘Yeah, attic, summerhouse. Maria’s been here checking too,’ she said wiping a tissue under her nose. ‘Brett says they were at the harbour last night. He said they began walking back about ten. Brett went straight home. He was sure Jack wasn’t in any trouble. I’d waited, well, I thought, no wait until ten-thirty, but when he still wasn’t in, I rang Maria just after. She and Bob came up and from what I gather Bob has been out all night with some of the others. They took the boat out to scour the coast and beaches. No one has reported a boat missing, so it’s, well, who knows? I rang the police, they are looking.’

      ‘Fuck. I need to put my phone on charge. I need to check my messages and emails.’

      Kelly raced to the kitchen and pulled a plug from a drawer. ‘Here.’ She plugged the USB lead into the power socket as Cal handed it over.

      As soon as Cal powered it up, he checked every text message, every email and Whatsapp. ‘Nothing new, but read this and tell me anything you know,’ he said opening up his email and showing Kelly the message he’d received from Jack.

      She leaned across the work surface and grabbed the phone. ‘Oh my God, I can’t imagine…’

      ‘Has he argued with you or Reuben?’

      ‘No.’

      ‘Any girls he’s got mixed up with?’

      ‘Not that I know of.’

      ‘Has he mentioned anyone bullying him at school?’

      ‘No. No, nothing.’

      ‘Homework, exams, sports?’

      ‘If I knew what was bothering him, I’d say. You know what he’s like, he…he does tend to put pressure on himself. I mean, we remind him how important the junior and sophomore years are to his future and,’ Kelly’s lips thinned as her eyes welled again, ‘I’ve confiscated his phone. I needed to reduce his time on social media and playing games instead of concentrating on his studies. Of course, he still has games on his desktop but, it has not gone down well. I suppose it’s possible he could be sulking about that, and be getting stressed over his exams.’

      Cal shot his hand across to the phone now back on the surface of the worktop. ‘That is not a boy worried about his exams, Kelly. Something’s wrong.’ He dragged a hand from the back of his neck and kept his gaze momentarily up to the ceiling. ‘I’ll have a good look around here. I take it you’ve checked with the school?’

      ‘Yes.’ Kelly scrunched her hair and turned for her coat. ‘He’s not there.’

      ‘I’ll quickly ring Lizzie, let her know I’ve arrived OK.’ Cal could barely hit the keys on the phone his hands were trembling so much. It was reassuring though to hear Lizzie’s voice.

      ‘So glad you got there OK,’ she said. ‘How is Jack?’

      He paused for a second. ‘Look I won’t go into it now, I’ve just arrived and I’m still at Jack’s. Is it OK if I give you a call later?’

      ‘Yes, of course. I’m missing you already.’

      ‘Miss and love you too.’ He placed the phone back down leaving it to charge and dashed for the lower ground floor. Of course he missed her already and wanted nothing more than for her to be with him. He still couldn’t believe he’d captured her heart and he was part of her world. Thierry’s too. He didn’t like himself for not telling Lizzie the reality about Jack missing but he didn’t want her worrying too. With any luck they’d find Jack soon anyway. Oh, God, Jack. This was a small island for God’s sake. Please, please be safe. I feel I’ve only just got to know you. Cal searched behind and under sofas and chairs, in cupboards, storage chests, anything he thought a sixteen-year-old could squeeze into. Each floor, including the attic rooms and the eaves, was minutely inspected before he raced for the garden scratching his arms on the bushes, leaving nothing or nowhere to chance.

      ‘Jack, I’m