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Nelson tells Judy about Cathbad’s visit to Tony. ‘Can you think of any reason why Cathbad would react to the CCTV footage? Has he got any special connection to Ely?’
‘Only St Etheldreda’s hand,’ says Judy, with a slight smile.
‘What?’ says Nelson. Although he should be used to this sort of thing by now. Wherever Cathbad is, weirdness follows.
‘The left hand of St Etheldreda,’ says Judy. ‘It’s in a church in Ely. You press a button and the box lights up. Cathbad likes to visit it sometimes.’
‘Cathbad likes to visit a disembodied hand?’
‘Yes,’ says Judy serenely. ‘Ruth says the provenance is quite good. There’s a good chance it really is her hand. During the Reformation it was hidden in a priest’s hole in Sussex. Then it was presented to St Etheldreda’s Church in Ely.’
There are many things Nelson could say but he contents himself with, ‘Is there any chance that Cathbad could be at this church today? Shall I get Cloughie to send someone round?’
‘It’s worth a try,’ says Judy. ‘I thought I might drive to Walsingham too. Maybe he decided to go on a pilgrimage? The only thing is. . .’ her face crumbles, ‘why wouldn’t he tell me?’
Nelson makes patting gestures without making contact. ‘Steady on, Judy. We’ll find him. We’ve got police from two counties looking for him. No accidents have been reported. I think maybe he could have lost his memory. That can happen with Long Covid.’
‘Can it?’ says Judy, brightening slightly.
‘Yes,’ says Nelson, though the information only appeared on a slightly dodgy website called ‘Covid Conspiracies’, discovered by Nelson in the early hours of last night.
‘Cathbad likes Ely,’ says Judy. ‘The cathedral and the river. I just can’t think why he’d go there without telling me.’
‘What about the bookshop?’ says Nelson. ‘Top something? Tanya mentioned it. The video shows Emily looking through the window.’
‘Topping’s?’ says Judy. ‘Yes, Cathbad loves it there. It’s his idea of heaven.’
‘I’ll get someone to call in there too,’ says Nelson. ‘You never know, they might remember Emily from nineteen years ago. People who work in those sorts of places live for ever.’
‘Books are good for your body and your soul,’ says Judy. ‘That’s what Cathbad always says.’
At that moment, Thing sits up, head on one side. He whines softly. Nelson and Judy look at each other. Then there’s the sound of a key turning in a lock. They both spring to their feet.
‘Judy?’ calls a female voice.
‘Maddie.’ Judy sits back down. ‘In here,’ she says.
Maddie Henderson is Cathbad’s adult daughter by a previous partner, Delilah. Maddie lived with Cathbad and Judy during lockdown but now shares a flat in Lynn with her boyfriend, Finn, a Cathbad-lookalike with long black hair and a wispy beard. His occupation, according to Cathbad, who said it approvingly, is ‘travelling lute player’.
Maddie goes over to hug Judy. ‘Any news?’
‘No. I would have told you if there was.’
‘I called Mum,’ says Maddie. ‘But she hasn’t seen him.’
‘Where’s Delilah living now?’ asks Nelson.
‘Still in Blackburn,’ says Maddie, with a flash of her startlingly green eyes. Delilah is a tricky subject for them. Maddie was only twelve when her little sister, Scarlet, went missing and was later found dead. She has always blamed the police for not saving her and for initially suspecting Delilah and her husband, Alan.
‘And she hasn’t heard from Cathbad?’
‘No. Not since he sent her a card for the winter solstice.’
Only Cathbad would know where to buy a card like that.
‘It’s the summer solstice on Monday,’ says Judy. ‘I keep wondering if that’s somehow significant.’
‘It could be,’ says Maddie. ‘Maybe Cathbad’s on his way to Stonehenge or somewhere like that.’ She always calls her father by his name, or rather his alias. Alan is ‘Dad’.
