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old enough to remember the cottage. Pink t-shirts and Old Bear. Looking forward to making sandcastles and eating ice cream every day. Then the next minute stomping around in disgust because the cat wasn’t going with them. Typical Livvy.
    Howard arrived at half past eight.
    ‘No news,’ he said briefly, glancing at Joe.
    ‘Joe, run out to the garden for a moment while we talk to Mr Moir,’ said Maggie, hearing her voice shake. Joe gave her a stricken look and left.
    ‘I’m taking him to my parents at Looe,’ said Colin, and Maggie clasped her hands beneath her chin when Howard nodded, looking from her to Colin.
    ‘I have to tell you that while we feel the most likely thing by far is that Olivia went into the sea, the investigations on land will continue intensively in the meantime. It’s being reported on both radio and TV news so we’re waiting for a response. Someone may have seen her.’
    He paused, and Maggie stared at him. His voice was downbeat. He didn’t think they would find Livvy alive, she could tell. But in spite of this her child’s photo was on TV and it would be all over the Internet too.
    ‘I understand,’ said Colin, and Maggie heard a new, weary tone in his voice. So now Colin didn’t believe Olivia would be found safe either. And like he’d said, Livvy was gone because she, Maggie, ‘hadn’t bloody watched her’.
    Howard grimaced.
    ‘I’m sorry I can’t do more. You’ll have seen the reporters down the lane. I hope they’ll leave you alone, I’ll have a word on my way back.’
    Maggie felt his eyes on her, saw that he wanted to help her and didn’t know how. He really did think that Livvy was dead, and would probably tell that to the reporters. And of course a dead child was of limited interest to these media people, they would want something a lot more sensational. But at least the search was continuing, because they simply had to find Livvy. Life wouldn’t be life with no Livvy.
    Colin opened the door and called Joe. ‘I want to know straightaway if there’s any news,’ he said to Howard.
    Joe rushed up to Maggie and she carried him out to the car.
    ‘I’ll talk to you later, and I’ll see you as soon as we can manage. I love you, Joe.’
    ‘Will you and Livvy come to Grandma’s too?’ asked Joe, and Maggie cringed.
    ‘We’ll see,’ she said. ‘Bye, love.’
    She stood aside as Colin deposited his bag on the back seat. He looked at her. Anger, grief and pain mixed in with disgust were plain to see on his face, and it was all directed at her. He got into the car and revved the engine. For a moment, Maggie thought he was going to drive off without speaking to her. Then he rolled the window down.
    ‘I’ll be back later. Probably. Phone me if there’s any news.’
    He pushed the car into gear and reversed into Cliff Road.
    Maggie managed to wave to Joe as the car lurched down the road and disappeared round the bend after the row of holiday cottages. Both her children were gone. And in ten seconds time dozens of cameras would be clicking away, trying to get a good shot of Joe. She covered her face with her hands, feeling the shaking start inside her again.
    Howard patted her shoulder.
    ‘Just hang on for now. It isn’t time to give up hope yet,’ he said, and Maggie felt ridiculously grateful. At last someone had said something almost positive.
    ‘I haven’t, not really. But - my little girl. It’s so unbearable that this is happening.’
    ‘I know,’ he said. ‘I’ll come by early this afternoon, or before, if we find her, of course. Try - to stay calm.’
    Grateful that he hadn’t said ‘Try not to worry’, Maggie watched as his car, too, went down the road, leaving her quite alone at Cove Cottage.
    And what should she do now? Phone Mum in Tuscany, for one thing, and ruin her holiday. And Sue, and Jess, her friends back home. If only they were here to help her right now.
    Maggie had never felt so alone. Waiting, trying to hold it together, then crying,