The words hung in the air between them, heavy with implication.
Emily felt as though the floor had dropped out from beneath her feet. All the worries and fears she had pushed aside earlier came rushing back with overwhelming force.
"But... but surely she's just..." Emily began, her mind scrambling for a rational explanation.
"Perhaps she and Mr. Mallory lost track of time. Or maybe there was car trouble. Or..."She trailed off as Jonathan held up a hand, silencing her desperate rationalizations.
The dim light of the study cast long shadows across his face, accentuating the deep lines of worry etched there."Emily," he said, his voice grave.
"I need you to tell me everything you know about this outing. Every detail, no matter how small or insignificant it may seem."
Emily swallowed hard, her mouth suddenly dry. She began to recount the events of the morning - her request to Sarah, the brief explanation of the site visit, Sarah's agreement to go in her stead.
