Page 35 of The Vanished

“Why not?”

“Because sometimes people can be difficult,” Gabe said.

“What people?”

“The people who’re supposed to know better.”

Max nodded wisely, and Gabe lifted him and strapped him into the child seat. After a moment’s consideration, he got into the back seat with Max and put his arm around the boy. Max sighed like a little old man and rested his head on Gabe’s shoulder, then reached out and took his hand.

“Let’s go home,” Gabe said.

Quinn didn’t need to be told twice. Home felt like the only safe place.

They didn’t discuss the situation in front of Max. Quinn focused on driving. She knew she was probably being silly, but she couldn’t help but feel as if she were being watched. Gabe and Max played a game in which Gabe would call out a type of vehicle and a color, and Max would have to spot it and point it out. When they got home, Gabe and Max settled in to play a loud video game while Quinn hurried upstairs to phone Sean Cadogan.

She was a bit breathless when he answered and spoke in run-on sentences as she relayed what had happened. Sean heard her out without interrupting, then asked her to forward the screenshot of the woman.

“She knew where the camera was,” he said once he’d looked at the image.

“Yes.”

“And she doesn’t seem familiar at all?”

“No. Maybe if I saw her face…”

“The situation has clearly escalated,” Sean said, and Quinn almost let out a bitter bark of laughter.

You think? she wanted to say, but bit her tongue. “Should I go to the police?” she asked instead. She was actually surprised that Ruth Watley hadn’t reported the incident to the police, but Ruth had probably thought it wise to avoid any kind of negative publicity for the school and had left the decision to Quinn.

“Not yet, but I’m going to get in touch with a former colleague at Scotland Yard, and we’ll see what we can discover. In the meantime, I think you need to make sure your family is safe.”

“Do you think we’re in danger?”

“We don’t know how far this person or whoever she’s working with will go to grab Max. Or how they’re involved in Logan’s disappearance. The woman clearly knows your name and your relationship to Max, and that you’re Logan’s emergency contact and the one person authorized to collect Max from the nursery school. Doubtless she also knows where you live. That gives her an advantage.”

Quinn’s panic began to mount. She’d half hoped that Sean would say something that would calm her, but he was clearly no longer treating Logan’s disappearance as voluntary and was obviously concerned not only for Max’s safety but also for the rest of them. And Quinn would never knowingly endanger her children.

“What should we do?”

“I think you should go away for a few days.”

“The children have school,” she said without thinking, then realized how unimportant that was in the face of a possible kidnapping.

“It’s Wednesday,” Sean pointed out. “If they miss Thursday and Friday, it’s not the end of the world. Tell the school they’re ill.”

“And Monday they have an INSET day. It’s only for teachers, so the children don’t have to attend,” Quinn recalled.

“Even better,” Sean replied. “I will have answers for you by the time you return. You have my word.”

“Where should we go?” Quinn asked. “Where is safe?”

“You were just in the Lake District, weren’t you?” Sean asked.

“Yes.”

“Go back there. Find a place to stay that has good views all around. That way you’ll see someone coming before they get to you. And do not look for a rental on your computer or mobile,” he warned. “Just stop into a holiday rentals place once you arrive and ask what’s available. Pay in cash. And make sure to turn off the tracking on all phones before you leave London.” He paused momentarily, then thought of something else. “A rental vehicle would be best, if you can swing it on such short notice. Again, do not book it on your device.”

“Why can’t we take our car?”