He swore under his breath and turned into the car park of the mountain rescue base. ‘We can’t talk about this now.’
‘I don’t want to talk about it at all,’ she muttered, undoing her seat belt and opening the car door before he’d even put the handbrake on. ‘And if you’re coming after me, Tom Hunter, you’d better be fit.’
She’d slammed the door and was across the car park before he had time to answer.
* * *
‘We know who they are now,’ Sean told everyone as they gathered in the briefing room. ‘James Knight and his friend Lester Roberts. James’s mother called us five minutes ago and said that they’d been missing since teatime. Apparently there was a huge family row—she wouldn’t say what about and she didn’t contact the police before now because she thought James would come home.’
‘So how do we know they’re the same kids who were seen on the ridge?’ Tom zipped up his jacket and reached for his rucksack.
‘Because, when James didn’t come home, his mother searched his room and found all his walking gear missing. Then she called Lester’s mother and discovered that he was gone, too. They’re assuming that they’ve gone into the hills.’
‘And she didn’t say what the row was about?’ Sally looked at Sean and he shook his head.
‘She’s obviously hideously embarrassed about all the fuss. And I don’t suppose any family likes washing their dirty laundry in public. She didn’t want to go into detail and I didn’t see the point of asking. A row is a row. The kid’s gone. We need to find him. And the friend he dragged along with him.’
‘But it might be important,’ Sally began, and Sean nodded.
‘I’m sure it is. But what matters for now is finding them before they freeze to death out there or lose their footing. We’ve had reports of lights in two different places so we’re going to split up. If they’re up on the ridge in this weather, they’ll be in trouble.’
He gave the whole team their instructions and they set off, lights shining from their helmets as they walked.
Ellie immediately slid in beside Sally and Tom, a happy smile on her face. ‘Can’t believe you’re back, Sal.’ She gave her a quick hug and then turned to Tom and put a hand on her chest. ‘And hello to my hero.’
Tom gave a wry smile. ‘Don’t start, Ellie.’
Undaunted, Ellie looked at Sally. ‘Has he told you that he saved my life?’
‘I heard it from other sources. He didn’t tell me himself.’
Ellie’s gaze softened. ‘He’s too modest.’
‘Really?’ Sally’s tone was tart and she looked at Tom with challenge in her green eyes. ‘From where I’m standing, he seems to think he’s God’s gift.’
Ellie laughed. ‘Like that, is it?’ She stooped to give her dog a quick pat as they moved quickly up the path. ‘Well, he saved my life, and Ethan’s life, so you won’t be hearing me doing anything but sing his praises. I was driving along, minding my own business, and this tree leapt out in front of me.’
‘Women drivers,’ Tom drawled, but there was a genuine affection in his eyes as he looked at Ellie.
‘You can’t provoke me, Tom Hunter. You saved my life so now you own me.’ Ellie frowned thoughtfully. ‘Or do I own you? I can’t remember how that proverb goes, but I think one of us owns the other.’
Sally laughed. ‘I think Ben might object to either version.’
‘I don’t want to own you, Ellie,’ Tom said dryly, ‘you talk too much. I’d strangle you after five minutes. Even when we were trying to gas you before your section, your mouth was still moving.’
‘I was nervous,’ Ellie admitted happily, ‘but you made me feel better about the whole thing. You were very macho and in charge, Tom. You do the whole “lean on me” thing really well. If I’d met you before Ben, I would have had a serious crush on you.’
Sally choked back a laugh. She loved the fact that Ellie was so frank and honest about everything.
‘Ellie.’ Tom’s voice was weary. ‘Just shut up, will you? There’s a drop here, and if you don’t concentrate you’ll go over the edge.’
‘I can walk and talk,’ Ellie said firmly, and Sally smiled.
For all her lovable chatter, Ellie obviously hero-worshipped Tom.
And once so had she.
When she’d been eighteen she’d thought he was some sort of god.