The women are sitting in the garden of the Ugly Duckling fingering their glasses of ice water and getting nowhere. Neither one feels like having a bite for lunch. Innocent is staring at the table; Hobson stares at the road.
"They must have walked somewhere. They wouldn't have gone off in a stranger's car or taken a bus or taxi when they have their own car. So they must be within walking distance."
Innocent considers this notion. "Maybe not, if they'd been drinking. The landlord said he served them at least one pint. They'd never drive themselves if they'd had more than one, but that doesn't mean they didn't get a ride somewhere."
Laura knows that this is true, but unlikely. "They wouldn't have more than one when they're on duty. And anyway, how could they get out of range so fast? We know they were here at half six, and I first tried calling Robbie at seven-thirty or a quarter to eight at the latest. If they rang for a taxi and had to wait for it, they couldn't have gotten far by eight."
Jean frowns, calculating. "You're probably right, but they also couldn't walk out of range in that time. There must be some other explanation." She thinks some more. "If they're in something like a vault or a cellar somewhere, they might have lost their signal without being very far away."
The idea that the men might be close by makes Laura's pulse quicken. She scans their surroundings. Robbie, where are you?
She realizes that she and Jean are both staring at a nearby manor house. She nods at it. "What about that place?"
Jean's mouth firms into a line. "That's just what I was thinking."
They take Laura's car and drive up to the front of the house. When they alight, both women can't help but to scan the façade as though they might see Lewis or Hathaway waving at them from an attic window. Of course, there is nothing to see. Innocent rings the bell.
As she nears the door, Laura sees a cigarette butt on the gravel of the drive and comes over to examine it more closely. She picks it up. "This is James's brand, isn't it?"
Innocent gives her a strange look. "I honestly have no idea. Is it?"
"Yes, I'm certain. Doesn't mean this is his, of course."
The door opens then, and a man in a dinner jacket scans the two visitors. "Good day, ladies."
Innocent flips out her warrant card. "Yes, hello. Chief Superintendent Innocent and Sergeant Hobson, Oxfordshire Police. We'd like to ask whomever is in the house a few questions."
Hobson suppresses a grin at her new rank.
The Lord and Lady are in, but they are getting ready for an overnight trip to Glyndebourne and inform the "officers" that they won't be able to stay long. Innocent is irritated at their utter lack of interest in the missing men. Laura feels a pang of regret, her own plans for a Glyndebourne outing with Robbie last year having gone sadly awry.
The Hungerfords further inform the women that they have not seen the two men; no police have been to the house other than the present visitors.
"At least, not that we're aware. You may question the staff but most have been given time off until we return from Sussex."
The few staff remaining in the house are also no help. With guarded expressions, they uniformly state that no one has been to the house in the past twenty-four hours. All the two women can do is return to the car, frustrated. Laura starts the engine and motors slowly toward the drive.
"Wait, Laura. Drive around to the back, would you? I can't shake the feeling that they're here."
With a grim smile at learning Jean feels as she does, Laura turns the car and follows the gravel around to the back of the big house, parking in the shadows. "I think you're right that they're here. I'm almost certain I heard the footman say something to the butler about 'more police.'"
A short time later, the Hungerfords' Bentley is brought to the front of the house, and within a few minutes it drives away.
Twisting her mouth, Hobson turns to the chief super. "Well, now what?"
Innocent takes a deep breath. "Now we break in." She gets out of the car and tries a door that looks like it might be a servants' entrance. It is firmly locked. The other doors on the back of the house are also locked.
"What about forcing a window?" Laura eyes one that appears to be fairly easy prey.
Jean shakes her head. "That would doubtless set off the security system. If we could find one that's already open . . ." She scans the face of the building and at last sees one that is open. But it is small, and fairly high up on the wall. She scowls at it. She knows she won't fit through.
"What about that one?" Laura eagerly points to the same window.
"I'd never fit." She hates having to admit it.
The doctor manages to keep her face straight, despite the smug satisfaction she feels. "I think I can fit, but I'll need you to boost me up there. Then I can unlock the door and let you in."
This gives Jean a way to save face. Of course, they'll need to work as a team, and it only makes sense that Hobson does the breaking in, since it's not a violation of her professional code of conduct to do so.
"That sounds like an excellent plan. Erm, maybe you should take off your shoes?"
Laura kicks them off as Jean bends down low. Laura scrambles onto Jean's shoulders, hooking her feet around the chief super's waist. With the help of the vines on the wall, Innocent pulls herself upright, swaying a bit in the process. Hobson grips her tightly around the throat.
"Laura! Let go!" She can barely croak out the words.
"Oh, sorry! It's been a long time since I rode on anyone's shoulders."
"Can you reach the window?" Walking slowly, Innocent gets as close as she can, though she has trouble seeing the window since she can't put her head back to look up without knocking Hobson off.
Laura grunts. "Not yet. I'm going to try to stand on your shoulders." She clings to the vines, using them to support most of her weight and pulling herself up, struggling to get her right foot planted securely on Jean's right shoulder. When it is in place, Jean grabs Laura's ankle to support her.
"Good girl! Now the other one."
Encouraged by Jean, Laura resets her left hand so she can pull up better. But the vines she has grabbed give way. She gasps and manages to catch herself without tumbling off, though her heart is pounding.
"Laura! Be careful!" Laura glances down and sees that Innocent has a scattering of leaves and twigs in her hair and on her dress.
"Sorry!" The height and the tension are making her giddy.
The chief super frowns. "I've got twigs in my bra now, and they aren't very comfortable. And stop giggling or I'll drop you!"
She is soon standing on Jean's shoulders, peering in the window. "Okay, the coast is clear. I'm going in." Jean braces as Laura shoves off and pulls herself over the sill, disappearing into the house.
Moments later, the nearest door opens and Laura waves Jean inside. They are in the kitchen. It is quiet but there are small sounds all around them that make their scalps prickle. They know there are still other people in the house.
Hobson feels a sudden deflation as she takes in their surroundings. "Where do we start? It's not like we can call out for them. This place is huge. They could be anywhere." The defeat in her voice is clear.
Jean refuses to give up so easily. She scans the room. "No! They have to be in some kind of a cellar or vault, remember? Some place that would cut the signal to their phones. Like . . ." her eyes widen when she spies a stainless steel door ". . . in there?" Taking a deep breath, she steps forward to the freezer, pulls the locking pin out, and yanks the door open.