‘Completely normal,’ the midwife said. ‘That’s around a hundred and fifty beats per minute. During childhood it will gradually slow until it’s like ours.’
The picture when we went for the scan, and all those drawings in the maternity books of the foetus, looking so peaceful, thumb in mouth, eyes closed. But the heart going like the clappers.
There is a missed call on my phone, Jeremy Chadwick. As soon as I’ve left Isaac in class, I go to the staffroom, which is deserted, and try the number.
‘Mr Chadwick, this is Mrs Maddox.’
‘Hello, I’ve just spoken to Mr Myers to let you know we’ve now had word from Peter Dunne at the consulate in Chongqing. There is no report of Lorelei being seen at any of the hospitals and there is no record of her using her passport to leave the country since the trip to Hong Kong in February. That would be when she collected her work visa?’
‘Yes.’
‘The Chinese PSB, that’s the police, have agreed to undertake further enquiries and a visit was made today to her address in Chengdu. The apartment was empty.’
‘Right.’
‘I’ve emailed DI Dooley with this information and Peter Dunne will let us know as soon as there are any developments.’
‘Thank you. So we can go ahead with the appeal, now?’
‘Yes. That’s fine.’
We end the call. My arms and the base of my neck are tingling. I sit down and try to clear my head. ‘Ring Tom,’ I say out loud, ‘and Missing Overseas.’
Before I can dial, my phone rings. Nick.
‘I’ve just heard,’ I say to him. ‘If I ring Tom, can you call Missing Overseas and get them to put it up on the site? Talk to them about the press release and…’ there was something else we had to do for them but it escapes me ‘… whatever else.’
‘I will. You OK?’
When I don’t answer, I hear him draw in a breath. ‘See you soon, love.’
It takes me seconds to decide.
Grace is in her office, adding her head-teacher comments to the children’s reports.
‘Jo?’
‘I need to go home. Lori – it’s official. The Chinese police are looking for her… I need…’
‘Yes, of course, go. Go.’ She looks at me, compassion clear in her eyes, her lips parted, as though to say something, but what? What is there to say?
‘Finn and Isaac – can you keep them in after-school club? I didn’t book?’
‘Of course. And anything we can do,’ she adds, ‘just say.’
I nod, biting my tongue.
And leave.
I speak to Tom as I’m walking home. He is at one of his properties, dealing with a contractor, but will join us as soon as he’s done.
