Edie reached out and put a hand lightly on top of the back of his.
‘You all right?’ she asked in a low voice, giving his hand a gentle squeeze.
‘Sort of. You?’
‘Same,’ she replied, with a tense smile.
It felt wrong to be sipping drinks in a seemingly leisurely fashion, watching the small boats coming in and out of the harbour and listening to the happy chatter of fellow customers and passers-by.
Edie was impatient at the best of times and hated having to play the waiting game, but there was nothing useful she could do to further the investigation right now.
Her spirits lifted somewhat when she spotted Marina coming towards the café. She must have finished speaking to the policewoman, who was now chatting to a group of folk outside the artist’s studio.
Marina was wearing a loose, multicoloured dress and sandals, and her long, wavy black hair fanned out freely round her shoulders.
Her stance was anything but relaxed, however. She was walking very fast, with short, determined steps, her arms tight against her sides and her gaze fixed firmly ahead.
She failed to acknowledge Edie’s wave but on reaching the café, she stopped abruptly before making her way to the table and sitting down without being asked.
Ralph, being gentlemanly, started to rise but Marina shook her head.
‘Please, don’t get up,’ she said firmly. It was more of a command than a request and he did as he was told.
Everyone was so alarmed by her grave expression, no one spoke a word.
Edie’s heart started pounding and her stomach keeled like a ship in a storm. ‘What’s happened?’ she finally managed to mutter in a raspy voice. Her mouth had gone dry. ‘Have you heard anything about Jessica?’
Marina crossed her slim, bare arms and the bangles round her wrists jingled merrily, as if determined to try to lighten up the sombre atmosphere. ‘No,’ she said, fixing her deep-set, dark brown eyes on Edie. ‘I don’t know where she is, but I need to tell you something.’
Her gaze was so intense, it made Edie shiver and Hannah gasped.
‘What?’ Edie asked, before swallowing.
‘You need to know, things are not always as they seem and what you think is real may be a lie,’ Marina said quietly, still staring into Edie’s eyes. ‘Keep an open mind and try to trust the process. Nothing happens in this world by mistake. So long as you keep the faith, all will be well.’
‘Wh-what do you mean?’ Edie said with a stammer. ‘I don’t understand?—’
‘Leave it, Edie.’
She stopped mid-speech and stared at her husband, whose eyes flashed in warning.
‘Why can’t—?’ she began, but he raised his hand like a halt symbol.
‘Look,’ he said, turning his attention to Marina, ‘I’m sure you mean well, but I don’t believe in visions or special powers, or whatever you like to call them. Edie and I aren’t remotely religious either.
‘Our friend’s gone missing and we’re all under a lot of pressure right now. We’re worried sick. No offence, but it really doesn’t help if you give me or my wife strange warnings that don’t make any sense. Please keep them to yourself.’
Ralph’s bluntness embarrassed Edie and she felt her cheeks and the tips of ears turn red. At the same time, though, she was grateful to him for shutting Marina down, so to speak.
As he said, they were under quite enough stress already without the artist getting involved and giving them the heebie-jeebies. And he was probably right when he’d said Marina, like Katerina, was just a bit fey and Edie should ignore her.
Even so, she couldn’t help feeling strangely drawn to the artist and somehow knew she wouldn’t be able to forget her chilling remarks, however hard she tried. She’d keep going over them in her mind, trying to work out what they meant. She wouldn’t be able to stop herself.
If Marina was offended by Ralph’s put-down, she didn’t show it.
‘I’m sorry for disturbing you like this,’ she said calmly, before rising. ‘I know you’re very anxious. I hope Jessica turns up soon.’
Ralph thanked her and she was about to leave when Jean-Luc approached from behind and tapped her on the shoulder, making her start.
