rate. The dark birth hair had gone, to be replaced by blond, wispy strands which flicked down towards his forehead. His father smiled as he made a burbling sound in his sleep. 'Dreaming of his next feed already, the wee bugger!'
`Don't remind me,' said Sarah, with genuine feeling. That boy is going to be huge, I can tell it already!'
`Must be the Yank half. When're you going to try him with his first Big Mac?'
`Never! Our child will have a proper diet. Junk food will be banned! And you'll have to set him an example. Fruit, fibre, fish, some lean meat on occasion, but not to excess. Sarah's F-plan.'
`But I like Big Macs and Burger Kings . . . and I know what that "F" stands for!'
`Skinner! I don't do that . . . not out loud anyway.'
`Not awake, maybe, but in your sleep, Christ!'
`Bob!'
`See when you were pregnant? When you were asleep you could raise the quilt three inches off the bed! It's difficult to make double-glazed window units rattle, but honey, you managed it!'
Her cheeks were flushed from more than the exertion of the walk. 'That's not true!'
Òh no? Well next time you get up the duff you can stay awake and listen!'
Ènough,' she shouted, suppressing her laugh, 'of the police station talk!'
`Shh!' He held a finger to his lips. 'You'll wake the bairn. But here, how did you know we talked about you in the nick?'
`Bob!!' She gasped, and then the laughter exploded from them both, only to be silenced by an extra loud burble from Jazz.
They left the dune path and turned to walk along the beach, heading eastwards back towards Gullane. The tide was going out, so they chose to take the firm wet sand. The evening was still as well as clear. 'Can you hear that throbbing noise?' Sarah asked.
Bob pointed out across the Forth, towards a distant tanker which was making its way up the estuary, empty and riding high in the water. 'See that? You're hearing its engines.'
`From this far away?'
`Sure. The sound carries for ever across the water.'
Eventually they headed away from the sea, back through the dunes and up the steep path which led towards the tourists' car park. Sarah noticed that Bob had fallen silent. 'Hey, are you both asleep?'
`What? Oh sorry, love, I was miles away. Thinking about something I brought home. It may relate to the investigation. Andy phoned me about it.'
Àndy! He called you?'
`Yes.'
He sensed her expectancy. 'Don't worry, it was OK. We're going to have a man-to-man session, sort things out.'
`That's great!' Then her tone changed. She sounded hurt. `You might have said earlier. You make me feel left out.'
He grinned awkwardly. 'Sorry, love. But you went on so strong about taking Rover here for a walk that I didn't have a chance. Anyway, I wondered whether you had talked him into finding an excuse to call me when you saw him yesterday.'
`Not me. Not consciously anyway. You really were OK, the two of you?'
He nodded. 'Yes. I feel such a prat about the whole thing now.'
She punched his arm gently as they walked along the tarmac road. 'I'll let you into a secret.
So does Andy.'
`Yeah,' said Bob, suddenly sombre. 'That just leaves Alex. I wonder how she feels?'
She took his hand. 'Time will tell, my love. Only, when it does, I think you'll both have to accept the answer . . . whatever it is. She may be your daughter, she may — or may not — be Andy's girl, but sure as hell, she's her own woman.'
Eventually they emerged from the narrow lane which led from the beach road to their cottage.
Jazz was snickering and smiling in his sleep, as if he knew that his bathtime and evening feed were imminent. As soon as Bob stepped through the front door he woke, bright and alert. He beamed as his father undid his fastenings, and lifted him out of the carry-frame, to hand him over to Sarah.
ÒK, young man, let's attend to your needs.'
While Sarah bathed and fed the cheerful child, Bob busied himself in the kitchen with drill, hammer and rawlplugs, fixing, securely at last, the shaky shelf
`Don't remind me,' said Sarah, with genuine feeling. That boy is going to be huge, I can tell it already!'
`Must be the Yank half. When're you going to try him with his first Big Mac?'
`Never! Our child will have a proper diet. Junk food will be banned! And you'll have to set him an example. Fruit, fibre, fish, some lean meat on occasion, but not to excess. Sarah's F-plan.'
`But I like Big Macs and Burger Kings . . . and I know what that "F" stands for!'
`Skinner! I don't do that . . . not out loud anyway.'
`Not awake, maybe, but in your sleep, Christ!'
`Bob!'
`See when you were pregnant? When you were asleep you could raise the quilt three inches off the bed! It's difficult to make double-glazed window units rattle, but honey, you managed it!'
Her cheeks were flushed from more than the exertion of the walk. 'That's not true!'
Òh no? Well next time you get up the duff you can stay awake and listen!'
Ènough,' she shouted, suppressing her laugh, 'of the police station talk!'
`Shh!' He held a finger to his lips. 'You'll wake the bairn. But here, how did you know we talked about you in the nick?'
`Bob!!' She gasped, and then the laughter exploded from them both, only to be silenced by an extra loud burble from Jazz.
They left the dune path and turned to walk along the beach, heading eastwards back towards Gullane. The tide was going out, so they chose to take the firm wet sand. The evening was still as well as clear. 'Can you hear that throbbing noise?' Sarah asked.
Bob pointed out across the Forth, towards a distant tanker which was making its way up the estuary, empty and riding high in the water. 'See that? You're hearing its engines.'
`From this far away?'
`Sure. The sound carries for ever across the water.'
Eventually they headed away from the sea, back through the dunes and up the steep path which led towards the tourists' car park. Sarah noticed that Bob had fallen silent. 'Hey, are you both asleep?'
`What? Oh sorry, love, I was miles away. Thinking about something I brought home. It may relate to the investigation. Andy phoned me about it.'
Àndy! He called you?'
`Yes.'
He sensed her expectancy. 'Don't worry, it was OK. We're going to have a man-to-man session, sort things out.'
`That's great!' Then her tone changed. She sounded hurt. `You might have said earlier. You make me feel left out.'
He grinned awkwardly. 'Sorry, love. But you went on so strong about taking Rover here for a walk that I didn't have a chance. Anyway, I wondered whether you had talked him into finding an excuse to call me when you saw him yesterday.'
`Not me. Not consciously anyway. You really were OK, the two of you?'
He nodded. 'Yes. I feel such a prat about the whole thing now.'
She punched his arm gently as they walked along the tarmac road. 'I'll let you into a secret.
So does Andy.'
`Yeah,' said Bob, suddenly sombre. 'That just leaves Alex. I wonder how she feels?'
She took his hand. 'Time will tell, my love. Only, when it does, I think you'll both have to accept the answer . . . whatever it is. She may be your daughter, she may — or may not — be Andy's girl, but sure as hell, she's her own woman.'
Eventually they emerged from the narrow lane which led from the beach road to their cottage.
Jazz was snickering and smiling in his sleep, as if he knew that his bathtime and evening feed were imminent. As soon as Bob stepped through the front door he woke, bright and alert. He beamed as his father undid his fastenings, and lifted him out of the carry-frame, to hand him over to Sarah.
ÒK, young man, let's attend to your needs.'
While Sarah bathed and fed the cheerful child, Bob busied himself in the kitchen with drill, hammer and rawlplugs, fixing, securely at last, the shaky shelf
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