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but right now what she really needed was an expert. A genuine professional. A policeman who wasn’t actually a policeman.
    Jack Figg.
    The name leapt into her mind at once. Harte’s security adviser, he was considered a member of the family. She had known him since childhood, thought of him as a pal. And so the moment she saw another lay-by ahead, Linnet pulled in and parked. Reaching for her hold-all, she groped around in it for her address book, and quickly found his name.
    A few seconds later she was dialling Jack’s mobile number.
    ‘Figg here,’ he answered almost at once.
    ‘It’s Linnet, Jack.’
    ‘Hello, Beauty. What do you need?’
    ‘You, Jack. Please.’
    ‘I’m yours,’ he laughed, ‘anytime you want me.’
    ‘Remember what you said at Shane’s birthday party in June–that I could count on you in an emergency?’
    ‘I do. And you can.’
    ‘Thanks, Jack. There’s an emergency.’
    ‘Tell me everything I need to know.’
    She did so, and gave him her own thoughts about what had happened.
    ‘The phone calls were meant to distract her, keep her busy. Where are you now, Linnet?’
    ‘Parked in a lay-by, about an hour away from Pennistone Royal. Are you in Robin Hood’s Bay?’
    ‘No, Pm outside York Minster with a friend. If I leave York now I’ll probably arrive at the house the same time as you. I’ll meet you there. But please tell Tessa you’ve asked me to help. Just in case I arrive before you.’
    ‘I will. And thanks, Jack.’
    ‘Anything for you, Beauty.’
    He was gone, and she was back on the motorway, picking up speed as she gunned the car forward, streaking along the empty road. There was hardly any traffic at the moment, and that was something in her favour at least.
    Linnet concentrated on driving for the next twenty minutes or so, and then, slowing down, she phoned Tessa at Pennistone Royal. Her sister said there was nothing new, and no sign of Adele. Wiggs and his search party were still looking. Linnet told her about Jack Figg, and his imminent arrival, and fortunately met no resistance from Tessa.
    A few seconds later she punched in Evan’s mobile number, but it was turned off. No doubt Evan was with Uncle Robin, whom she had been wanting to talk to for several weeks. Linnet thought suddenly of her cousin India Standish. India had gone up to Leeds from London very early that morning, to start working on plans for revamping the store. Linnet was close to her cousin. In fact everyone in the family loved India. She had an understanding heart, was kind, with a loving nature. Many thought she was delicate, even frail, but her elegant aristocratic looks inherited from the Fairleys belied her character.
    Linnet knew she was practical, down to earth, strong physically, and that, like their great-grandmother Emma Harte, she was absolutely fearless. India worked with her in the fashion department of Harte’s in London, and they had been close friends since childhood. India had grown up on her father’s estate Clonloughlin in Ireland, but she had spent every summer at Pennistone Royal. And Linnet loved to boast of some of India’s brave deeds as a child…like the time she rushed out into the backyard at Pennistone Royal wearing huge oven gloves in order to separate two dogs fighting over the dead body of a rabbit. Or the day Linnet’s little sister Emsie had climbed into the big oak and got stuck in the upper branches. Undeterred by Linnet’s warning that they would both fall out of the tree, India had climbed up it, had sat with Emsie, stopped her wailing and held her tightly until Linnet had come back with Joe, the estate-manager, carrying a tall orchard ladder.
    Yes, Linnet decided, India would be helpful in this situation, and she got on well with the sometimes difficult Tessa.
    India would be staying at Pennistone Royal for the next few days, as she usually did. I’d better warn her about the situation there, Linnet thought, tell her what’s happened, before she goes