Saving Kitty - completed

Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve

Aunt Martha had been right, there was no time to sit and think about all that had happened. By the time 3 o'clock came they had only just finished cleaning all the rooms; however, there was no time to sit still then, Phoebe's aunt had to pop into Padstow and she wanted Phoebe with her.

They went in her aunt's car, there was still no word on how Boris was doing, and Phoebe was slowly learning that people worked at their own pace of life in Cornwall, and that only had two speeds, chilled and practically horizontal. They parked in their usual spot before walking into the main part of Padstow, Phoebe left her aunt and pushed her way through the crowds and headed straight for the museum. She had promised to return and was eager to find out what Deborah had discovered, if anything.

Phoebe was pleased to see that there were a couple of people milling around inside, she'd previously thought it sad that no one should visit the museum. Deborah was sitting in her usual place behind the small counter at the back. She reminded Phoebe of an owl perched, ready to swoop down and download all her knowledge when required.

"Hi Deborah... how are you?" Phoebe asked quietly, it felt a bit like being in a library, utter silence was expected.

"Oh... Phoebe how lovely to see you, I was hoping you'd pop in, I think you'll be pleased with what I've discovered," Deborah squealed, she was quite excited and looked like she was bursting to tell Phoebe all the news.

"Really, I was worried you wouldn't be able to find out anything more?"

"Well, I went through the birth and death records and found that the Carews were related, Tommy lost his father and two brothers that night of the storm, all lost at sea. Their fishing boat was very near to docking but they didn't make it back, all the crew were drowned, very sad."

"But what about Tommy? Was he on the boat?"

"No doesn't appear so, I came across a log sheet of all the crew members that were out that night and he wasn't on it."

"So... what happened to him?" Phoebe felt strangely relieved that Tommy hadn't drowned that night, but on the other hand it would have explained why he never came for Kitty.

"Now that I don't know, by all accounts it would seem he simply dropped off the planet, I can't find any records of him anywhere."

"I just don't understand it, where on earth did he go?" Phoebe felt quite frustrated. There was no doubt that he loved Kitty, he couldn't have just disappeared for no reason... but why leave her, did he know that she died waiting for him? "Thanks anyway, I was hoping to have more answers than questions."

Deborah sighed and looked quite crest fallen, like a child who hadn't produced an A grade piece of research for her teacher. Phoebe felt suddenly guilty, "thanks again, I'm sure something will turn up and we'll figure it out. I really wouldn't have got this far, if it wasn't for you." Deborah smiled and glowed at the praise. "I'd better be off, I have a few more errands to run."

"Will you come back?" Deborah asked desperately hopeful.

"Yeah, I'll pop in again," Phoebe smiled before she turned and left. She headed for the chemist passing several distraught parents and their screaming children.

"Phoebe, Phoebe," a man's voice called out from beyond the crowds, she stopped and turned. "I was hoping I'd run into you today, I'm sorry about yesterday, I was just doing my job." Ben came through the crowds, grinning. "Are you still talking to me?"

Phoebe had never felt so popular, "of course, why wouldn't I be?" he was out of uniform and looked completely different.

"I don't know, after yesterday I thought you might be a bit angry with me?" Ben asked sheepishly.