Page 18 of The Missing Sister
‘Can we swap mobile numbers?’ CeCe asked him as she produced her phone. They did so as they drew nearer to security.
‘It really was lovely to meet you and to see a bit of Norfolk Island,’ said CeCe. ‘And thank you so much for your hospitality.’
‘It was fun ta meet you two. And if you do decide to come back, just bowl round to our place for a visit, eh?’ he said.
‘Bye, Tony, and thank you again!’
‘Oh! How cute is this?!’ Chrissie said as they reached security and she pulled out a tray that still had a sticky label on it telling the passenger it was for cat litter.
‘Yeah,’ commented CeCe as they watched their mobiles and wet swimming clothes disappear into the tunnel. ‘Bridget wasn’t very happy to see us, was she?’
‘No,’ said Chrissie as they passed through the scanner and began to collect their belongings. ‘She definitely wasn’t.’
‘I wonder why?’ CeCe mused. ‘What does she know that we don’t?’
‘At this moment in time,’ Chrissie replied as they walked towards the boarding queue, ‘everything.’
‘It’s for you,’ Claudia said as she handed Maia the receiver. ‘It’s CeCe.’
‘Ally!’ Maia called onto the terrace, where her sister was sitting in the sunshine, finishing lunch. ‘Hi, CeCe,’ she said as Ally walked inside and they put their heads together to listen. ‘Where are you?’
‘We’re in Sydney. We’re about to check in for London, but I thought I’d call before we do and bring you up to date.’
‘Have you found her?’
‘Well, we met Mary-Kate McDougal. We think she could be the missing sister, ’cos she told us she was adopted, which would fit ’cos we all are. She’s twenty-two, by the way, so that would fit too.’
‘Fantastic!’ said Ally.
‘What about the emerald ring?’ Maia asked. ‘Did she recognise it?’
‘She thinks she did. If it’s the same one, then it was given to her by her mum on her twenty-first.’
‘Wow!’ said Ally. ‘Maybe youhavefound her then! Did you see the ring?’
‘Er, no, we didn’t, ’cos her mum, who’s also called Mary, but goes by the nickname of “Merry”, asked Mary-Kate if she could take it with her on this world tour she’s on. Apparently it was hers originally. We actually managed to miss her twice – the first time by just a couple of days. And the second time... well, Chrissie and I have discussed it, and we wonder if it was because she knew we were coming that Merry left Norfolk Island a night early.’
‘Norfolk Island? Where on earth is that?’ Maia asked.
‘It’s in the South Pacific, just between New Zealand and Australia. It’s really beautiful, but kinda stuck in the past – there’s hardly any phone signal,’ said CeCe. ‘Mary-Kate said her mum was heading to the island to see her best friend Bridget. So we followed her there, but she’d already left.’
‘Damn!’ Ally muttered. ‘So she’s in Sydney now?’
‘No. Looking at the departures board here, we think her plane’s just left and is headed for Toronto in Canada. We’re just checking that we’re okay to get on our London flight?’
‘I’m totally confused,’ Ally sighed, ‘but if she’s left, then yes, of course. Are you sure she’s headed for Toronto?’
‘Yup. I just called Mary-Kate, her daughter, who confirmed it was the next destination on her schedule. She said she’d try to find out where her mum is staying. Sorry to disappoint you, Ally. We did our best.’
‘Don’t be silly, CeCe. You and Chrissie have done a fantastic job, so thank you.’
‘I think we’re on the right track, but we still need to see that ring,’ said CeCe. ‘Listen, we have to go check in right now, but there’s more to tell you, like Merry is apparently Irish, and Mary-Kate has a brother and—’
‘You go,’ Ally said, ‘and call us when you’ve landed. Thanks for finding all that out for us.’
Putting the phone down, Ally and Maia looked at each other and wandered back onto the terrace.
‘So... could you make sense of all that?’ said Maia.
