Sisters - Michelle Frances Page 0,33
Whatever sacrifice it was to herself, it was worth it.
TWENTY-FOUR
From her bed Abby stared through the crack in the curtains at the bright Tuscan sky. The window was open and a gentle breeze lifted the fabric every now and then, revealing glimpses of the hills, shrouded in an early morning blue haze. It was still cool but the brightness of the sun told Abby that, as the day progressed, it would be another scorcher.
With a sense of unease, Abby wondered if her car had been found yet, and what was going on back at her home in Elba. She felt a pang for Matteo that threatened to undo her and tears began to gather in the corners of her eyes. What must he have thought when he came home the previous day? She looked longingly at the phone at the side of the bed but knew she couldn’t call him. Not yet.
Abby quietly got up so as not to wake Ellie. She showered away the fitful night’s sleep, then as she got dressed she checked the time – it was early, not quite seven. But that meant it wouldn’t be long before the buffet downstairs opened, and she could kill for a cup of coffee.
Leaving Ellie asleep, Abby padded quietly down the stairs. In the dining room, the tables from the night before were remade with fresh linen. All stood empty. A long table running down the side of the room was filled with breads, pastries, cheese and cereal. Abby’s nose twitched at the smell of coffee and she poured herself a cup and added milk. As she took a sip, the owner of the pensione came in with a plate of fresh figs, which he placed on the table. He wished her a buongiorno before leaving again.
Abby’s attention was drawn to the corner of the room, where a TV was mounted on the wall. It was switched on; a stylishly dressed pair of presenters sat on a sofa, hosting a breakfast news show. She listened to the musical inflections of their language – her Italian was improving but she was still a long way off being fluent. They seemed to be discussing a political issue but she couldn’t quite make it all out. Then they took a pause before launching into the next item. Eyes fixed to the screen, Abby almost dropped her cup in horror. She was looking at her own face, Ellie by her side. A fixed smile on their faces as they obeyed Susanna’s request to have their photo taken in the restaurant they’d had lunch in only the day before. The newsreader was saying they were missing, that they had left Elba sometime yesterday afternoon and the police wanted to talk to them.
Abby flung her cup onto the nearest table and raced upstairs. She burst into the room just as Ellie was surfacing.
‘What’s happened?’ asked Ellie, still half asleep, nervous at Abby’s anxiety.
‘We need to leave,’ said Abby, starting to stuff Ellie’s things back into her suitcase. She threw over a dress, which Ellie caught. ‘Get dressed.’
‘What? Can’t I have a shower first?’
‘There’s no time.’
‘It won’t take long.’
Abby turned and looked at her sister. ‘Now, Ellie. We need to leave now. We’re on TV,’ she said through clenched teeth. ‘The owner of the pensione is down there – it’ll only take a couple of seconds for him to recognize us. That’s if he hasn’t already and called the police.’
Ellie’s eyes widened in fear. ‘Oh my God.’
Abby got her own bag and quickly filled it with her things. Ellie, now dressed, was simultaneously shoving her feet into her sandals and flinging her hair up into a ponytail.
The two sisters walked silently down the stairs, bags in hand. Halfway down they could see the pensione owner working at the reception desk. The minute they reached the bottom of the staircase, he’d spot them.
Abby waited, unsure of what to do, and then the owner’s wife called him from the kitchen. He got up and left the desk.
‘Now,’ said Abby, hurrying down the rest of the stairs. Ellie followed and they ran for the front door and across the car park to the car.
‘Hey!’ shouted a voice, and Abby turned to see the pensione owner coming after them. ‘You need to pay! Pagate!’
‘Get in, get in!’ yelled Abby and she flung their bags in the back as Ellie clambered into the car. Abby started the engine as the pensione owner’s fingers were grasping at the door handle. Petrified, she