Something About Alice Murphy: BOOK 2

P A R T - S E V E N T E E N

Chapter Seventeen: The Yacht.
Monday, 15th April
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9:34am, Summerland, British Columbia

"And how long did you say she hasn't been home?" The Officer behind the desk asked, her voice muffled slightly against the bustle of the police station. Phones rang constantly amongst the sea of voices belonging to police officers desperately trying to do their jobs whilst Sophie and Richard Murphy sat impatiently but quietly in front of the desk of a female officer looking slightly overwhelmed and tired as she took a long sip of coffee from a grey mug.

"All weekend. We saw her Friday morning and then nothing. She doesn't have her phone-" Richard began to explain, feeling like he was repeating himself as Sophie sat quietly and glanced around herself. She hadn't realised just how hectic it was, and somehow imagined it differently... she'd only been here twice before with Alice, when it had been quieter and less... chaotic. She felt sorry for all the young looking officers scrambling to answer as many questions as they could from the media and whoever else over the phone, she even thought she saw one of them tear up whilst listening to something someone was saying.

"Mrs Murphy," The Officer said again, bringing her wandering mind to a stop.

"Sorry, what did you say?" Sophie whispered, feeling dazed and slightly out of touch with what was happening.

"I said would you like to official report your daughter, Alice Rose Murphy, as missing?" The Officer asked, "It's protocol that we ask." She added, looking between the parents of yet another child gone missing.

"Yes." Sophie replied, her eyes watering slightly now as reality began to set in. What if she never got to see her again? What if this was the moment that would lead that?

"Okay..." The Officer sighed, feeling a tug in her chest as she typed up the official missing persons report. "So, she's five feet three, long light blonde hair down to the waist, blue eyes, slim build..."

* * *
9: 56am; Saint Lucia, West Indies

"Just hit the damn ball!" Magnus called impatiently from across the court as the sun shone brightly and the warm breeze wafted across the resort, allowing the palm trees to shiver in delight.

"You hit it way too hard!" Alice called back, her eyes shielded from the sun with a tennis hat with her hair pulled up into a high pony tail. "This isn't the French open Magnus, just hit it to me," she carried on in a huff, positioning herself to serve as she bounced the green tennis ball after stomping to go pick it up from where Magnus had hit it. "Ready?" Alice called, bouncing the ball again.

"Ready," Magnus smirked, chuckling to himself as he twisted his racket around in his hands before he positioned himself properly, a teasing grin now playing on his lips as he watched Alice serve. They were both dressed in white, traditionally tennis attire that they'd bought from the tennis club store the resort provided, with Alice in a tennis skirt and Magnus in tennis shorts and both their rackets neon colours. They'd both tanned a little, having been on the island for over forty eight hours, and having spent the first day entirely at the beach, then the second exploring the island a little in a bright yellow jeep they'd rented.

"They're so sweet together." Julia commented, sipping orange juice in a champagne glass from a balcony above the court, waiting for a large breakfast they ordered for the four of them to arrive whilst Alice and Magnus played tennis. They'd been up fairly early, since there seemed to be no point to lie in and sleep when there was so much to experience and enjoy. "Hans, just look at that smile!" she gasped excitedly, seeing Magnus grin as Alice cheered, seeing as she'd just scored a point.