Chapter 2
At school, she interrogated the staff and pupils alike if they had heard anything about an accident on the cliffs or if they had spotted Dr. Ellingham. Many knew at least one person in the lifeguards, and if anything had happened at one of the cliffs nearby they would certainly know. Obviously there had been no reports of any incidents whatsoever for the whole of last week. It was extraordinarily quiet. Louisa was worried sick by now. After finishing school, she went over to the surgery just to find the exact sign at the exact same spot. Just another call on Martin's mobile had the same effect as the dozens before. She didn't have Joan's telephone number, but if anyone knew anything about Martin, she would. Louisa got her car and drove down to Havenhurst Farm.
When she arrived, Joan was busy in the chicken coop. Hearing a car approaching she looked up. Recognising Louisa she came out to greet her.
"Hello Louisa, what brings you this way? No complains about my nephew, I hope. You have to sort that out with him, I'm afraid."
"No complains, but if I had, I would love to sort it out with him directly, if I just knew where he was."
"At this time I would try the surgery, dear."
"Very funny. Just guess where I came from."
"You know him, he's probably called out."
"He was called out – the evening on the day before yesterday. Have you seen him since?"
"Matter of fact, I haven't. I had badgers digging around my coop and I had to secure the whole thing properly. I don't want anything to happen to my birds."
"So you haven't seen him or talked to him?" Louisa asked anxiously.
"Nope, but I can call him, if you like."
"You can try, but I called him dozens of time, but his mobile is switched off."
"It never is."
"Now it is. And no one has seen him since the day before yesterday. I haven't spoken to him since he excused himself for not being able to come to dinner because he'd just been called out. We wanted to eat together tomorrow evening instead. At six-thirty, because of his carbohydrate curfew. And now he's nowhere to be seen…" Louisa kept on babbling and started to sob. Joan had been her last hope and now she was sure something dreadful must have happened.
"Now, now, dear. Just come inside and have some tea and then we can think about what we can do." Joan led the young woman inside her kitchen and put the kettle on.
"And now tell me quietly what has happened."
When Louisa had finished her story and her cup of tea, Joan decided that first, she would call the hospital in Truro. If the emergency had been so grave that it needed attendance in the hospital, Martin might have switched off the phone and had forgotten the time over his duties. That was the most plausible explanation. Of course the hospital first refused to give any information, but Joan was not easily discouraged. She made it clear that she was not in the least interested in any information about any casualties. She just wanted to know if Dr. Ellingham was in the hospital somewhere, and if so, if she could speak to him.
The receptionist promised to make some inquiries and call her back. Louisa was still in tears.
"Look, Louisa. It won't help anything when we just despair. We simply have to find out what this is all about. And maybe he's already back at the surgery?"
"No, he isn't." Louisa sobbed. "Bert has an eye on it and promised to call me immediately, but he hasn't. Oh Joan, what shall I do?"
"Dear, dear, you really feel strongly for him, don't you?"
"I…I don't know…yet. Finally we managed to make arrangements to dine together, and then he suddenly disappears. That's not fair!"
"I'm sure he has good reasons. Otherwise he would never abandon his surgery."
"I know he wouldn't! That's why I'm so scared! Do you think anything has happened to him?"
Before Joan could answer this tricky question, her phone rang. She went to answer it.
"Yes…Yes…I see…You're sure?….Since last Thursday?...And you asked…sure you did…Please call me if anything comes up. Thanks. Bye."
"What is it, Joan?" Louisa had come after her loved ones aunt.
"Sorry, dear. No news. They haven't seen him since last Thursday, and they are pretty sure that they wouldn't have missed him."
"I see. Where else can he be?"
"To be honest, I have no clue. Let's go and see Penhale."
"You're sure he can help? I mean, he's a nice guy and all, but not really one to turn to to solve a problem?"
"Yes, he's not the brightest of all people, but if anyone receives any news at all, it'll be the police. In any case, I think we should report Martin as missing."
"Oh no!"
"Just to be on the safe side, dear.
First let's get everything moving, then we can start worrying. Your car or mine?"
Louisa didn't feel able to drive anymore. She had come to Joan for comfort, but by now she was more worried than ever. Joan looked tense and worried, but as a woman of action she was in perfect control and just thought of every possibility to find out about her nephew. She drove down to the police station in record time and swiftly parked her pickup next to Penhale's police car.
"Hello Joe, can we have a word?"
"Mrs. Norton, Miss Glasson. I really would love to, but you know how it is…I'm up to my ears in work. All these new regulations for security against international terrorism. Very important measures. We have to make sure…"
"Stop it, Joe. I'm sure that there are more attractive targets for international terrorism than the sleepy Cornish village of Portwenn."
"Ah, that's where you're wrong, Mrs. Norton! The point is that they strike wherever it is expected least. So, as you said, no one would expect an attack here, and therefore we are in the greatest danger. You can't be too careful!"
"Yes, Joe, I'm sure you just have our safety in mind, but…"
"Now you're talking! I can assure you..:"
"Stop it, Joe! We didn't come for general safety issues. Marty is missing."
"What do you exactly mean by 'missing'?"
"Joe, I'm not in the mood for silly discussions. I'd say it's pretty obvious what 'missing' means. It means, no one knows where he is."
"I'm sure he does know."
"How can you be sure, maybe something happened to him?" Joan stated, just when Louisa started to cry again.
"Come, come Mrs. Norton. Our Doc knows how to take care of himself. He and I are two peas in a pod, the dynamic duo – we solve the problems, not have them."
Joan looked sceptically over at the PC. She knew that Martin was fairly capable of keeping himself out of trouble. He had a healthy amount of fear that would keep him from getting himself into something, but Penhale was too dumb to recognise danger even when it bit him.
"Yeah, but maybe right now Martin might have a problem and I insist that I report him as missing." Louisa's sobbing grew louder and she quietly exclaimed "Oh Martin!". Joan didn't take any notice and simply tried to get him reported as being missing.
"If you insist, I'll get the form."
"Please do so, Penhale!"
Grumbling about the unnecessary fuss being made over a man perfectly capable of looking after himself and the hysteria in women in general, Penhale rummaged through his desk, finally returning triumphantly with the right form.
"Found it! So - name of the missing person?"
"Penhale, you idiot! You know perfectly well who my nephew is, and now skip all the official rubbish and come to the point."
"I'm sorry, Mrs Norton, but the procedure has to be followed, I'm afraid."
"Dr. Martin Ellingham."
"Appearance."
"Oh, bloody…you know what he looks like!" Penhale looked over reproachfully. "Okay, you win. Before we have to spend the night here. 6'3'', short grey hair, blue eyes, well…what else?"
"Any distinctive features?"
"Don't think so, do you, Louisa?"
"His ears" she sobbed "they are sticking out a bit."
"Well, you might be right." Added Joan. "Clean shaven, always wears a suit. Anything else you need?"
"I think we don't need to add the last bits. Maybe he has changed appearance to go into hiding?"
"Don't be ridiculous, Penhale! My nephew doesn't need to go into hiding! We're just worried that something might have happened to him."
"When did you last see him?"
"Louisa saw and spoke to him last the day before yesterday."
Penhale rolled his eyes and started to tear up the form.
"Joe, what are you doing?" Louisa exclaimed in pure horror.
"He is not even missing for 48 hours, he's a perfectly able, healthy, sane man with no signs of a criminal act. So I can't report him missing just yet."
"But Joe, you know how meticulous he is. He would never cease to show up for surgery without informing Pauline if nothing had happened to him." Louisa pleaded. Joe stopped in his motions.
"Well, because it's the Doc, I will keep the report for a further 48 hours, and if we haven't heard from him then, I will send the report to be distributed in the whole area."
"But can't you do anything now?"
"Sorry, Miss Glasson, can't do. He has the right to go wherever he pleases without the police being after him."
"We're just worried. The last time I spoke to him he was called out to the cliffs to some accident."
"Now, now, he's a bit of a liar there. If there had been an accident on the cliffs, I'd certainly know about it. Everything's quiet as can be."
"Oh no!" Louisa cried out. "I know he doesn't lie. That means he had been called out under false pretences. Who can do a thing like that? And why? And why didn't he come back? And where is he now? Something must have happened! Joan, what can we do?"
To be continued…
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