Free The Hornbeam Tree by Susan Lewis Page A

can have happened.’
    ‘Have you checked with the airline that she was actually on the flight?’
    ‘No. They don’t give out that kind of information normally. Oh hang on, someone’s trying to get through, with any luck it’ll be her,’ and switching over the lines she said, ‘Hello?’
    ‘Oh hi, Katie. It’s Audrey Wilkes here, just wondering if you’re going to be at the parish council meeting later. I’m afraid I can’t make it, and we really need someone to force it home about clearing those footpaths. It’s a disgrace the way they’ve been allowed to grow over since the foot and mouth ep …’
    ‘Yes, yes of course,’ Katie interrupted, knowing all about it, since she was the one who’d first introduced it. ‘I’ll be there, if I can. I’m afraid I have to go now though,’ and switching back to Judy she said, ‘I’m going to contact the police at Heathrow. I’m not sure what they can do, but … Oh God, there’s someone else on the line now.’
    ‘Call me back when you’ve finished,’ Judy said. ‘I’m in the middle of cooking the boys’ tea.’
    ‘Hello?’ Katie said, taking the next call.
    ‘Katie, it’s Tom. Is this a good time?’
    ‘Tom! No, yes, it’s fine. Have you spoken to Michelle?’
    ‘No, but I was hoping to. Didn’t she get there yet?’
    ‘No, and I haven’t heard from her either. When did you last speak to her?’
    ‘She called me from the airport in Karachi, just before she took off this morning.’
    ‘Not since?’
    ‘No, she can’t. My apartment in Lahore’s been turned over and one of the things they took was my cellphone. I’m in Karachi now, in a hotel. Let me give you the number.’
    Quickly she grabbed a pen from the table drawer, jotted down the number and said, ‘I was about to call the airport police.’
    ‘Do that,’ he told her. ‘I’ll try the airline, see if I can find out if she actually got on the flight. Call me back as soon as you have any news.’
    ‘Same goes for you, if you hear anything, please let me know.’
    A few minutes later Katie was being put through to the duty officer at Heathrow. After explaining why she was calling, she was left on hold for what felt like an eternity, until the same voice came back on the line saying, ‘I’m sorry madam, her name’s not appearing on our records anywhere, and as she’s not a minor, or a danger to the community, I’m afraid there’s not really anything we can do to help you. Maybe you should try the transport police to see if there have been any accidents. I can give you the number.’
    Michelle spun round as the door opened and the customs officer who’d brought her to this room almost three hours ago came back in. ‘For God’s sake! What’s going on?’ she demanded. ‘My sister’s waiting. No-one will let me use a phone …’
    ‘I’m sorry to have kept you,’ he interrupted, apparently unfazed by her outburst. ‘If you’d like to follow me you can collect your bags and be on your way now.’
    Startled, but needing no further prompting, she was almost at the door before she said, ‘Can you tell me why I’ve been held all this time?’
    ‘It was merely procedure,’ he responded, standing aside for her to go out ahead of him.
    ‘You mean everyone who comes in from Pakistan has to go through this?’
    He merely gestured for her to cross the office where two uniformed women were working at the computers, and a Middle-Eastern-looking man was seated in the waiting room beyond.
    Back down in the arrivals hall she found her luggage and holdall, still on its trolley, and looking very much as though it hadn’t moved since she’d been parted from it.
    ‘Just one question before I go,’ she said, turning to the officer. ‘Has there been any sign of my lost bag?’
    ‘I’m afraid not,’ he replied, and with a polite nod he disappeared behind the screens, leaving her to make her way out.
    Immediately she was through she delved into her holdall to look for her phone.