Page 88 of Good Sisters

21. Sophie

We three sisters and Dad stood outside the bar in a medieval town in Italy – Louise and Dad both in a shirt and trousers, Julie in a flowing dress, and me in white denims and a silk shirt.

Julie squeezed Louise’s hand. ‘Ready?’

‘No.’

‘You’re as ready as you can be. Remember, you have the power here. You can pull the plug on this at any time. Just give me the word and we’ll be out of here.’ Dad patted Louise on the back.

‘Dad’s right. You can always tell Clara he’s dead,’ I said. ‘Marco knows nothing, so you hold all the cards.’

Louise nodded.

‘Okay, let’s do it.’ Julie pushed open the door and led us into the small local bar.

Every head turned and all conversation stopped. Three middle-aged foreign women and an older man coming into the bar in March was clearly an anomaly.

Julie marched purposefully towards a table for four, and I scanned the room. I spotted him. Italy’s Danny DeVito was leaning up against the bar, chatting to two other men. They were all dressed in scruffy jeans. Two of the men were in T-shirts but Marco had a nice blue shirt on.

The other clientele consisted of three couples sitting around a table playing cards, two old men sitting up at the bar, the barman and a dog.

‘He’s at the bar, blue shirt,’ I said, out of the side of my mouth, like some undercover cop.

‘I see him,’ Dad said.

‘Act casual,’ Julie hissed.

We took our seats and the barman came straight over. We ordered three large gin and tonics and a beer for Dad.

‘No denying he’s her father,’ Dad said, which was what we were all thinking.

You could see Clara in his nose and charming lopsided smile.

‘He’s better-looking in the flesh, to be fair,’ Julie said.

‘Nice smiley face,’ I added.

‘Louise?’ Julie shook her arm gently.

‘Are you okay?’ Dad asked.

Louise finally found her voice. ‘I just need a minute, and a drink.’

The barman came back with our drinks.

‘What bring you loffely ladeez to Pico?’ he asked.

‘We’re just …’

‘Uhm, we thought …’

‘A private matter.’ Dad cut him dead.

Looking affronted, he backed away.

‘Jesus, Dad, we’re trying to get to know the locals, not frighten the hell out of them,’ I said.

‘You might need to work on your small-talk, Dad.’ Julie handed Louise her drink and told her to take a good gulp of it.

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