Page 31 of The Missing Sister

‘There – you have to admit she was stunning, and she even married a real-life prince! My dad was only a teenager when she got married, but he says he still remembers it because she looked so beautiful.’

‘She sure is,’ agreed Electra. ‘And the polar opposite of me.’ She gestured to her tall frame and ebony skin. ‘That means that this Merry isn’t genetically related to me in any way, but her colouring does remind me a little of Star... Now, why don’t you watch the elevators over there, and I’ll keep a close eye on the entrance?’

Both of them sat for twenty minutes staring at their allotted targets, until Electra shook herself. ‘You know what? I’m starving.’

‘Shall we order some food?’ Mariam picked up the menu from the table and studied it. ‘They don’t have a halal menu here, so you can go veggie if you want, to keep in character.’

‘Damn! I was going to have a cheeseburger, but I’ll make do with a salad and French fries.’

‘Okay.’ Mariam checked her watch. ‘It’s now just after ten past one, so she’s either late or just not coming. We’ll call the waitress over and order, then I’ll go see the concierge again.’

Mariam did as she’d suggested, but Electra could already see from her face as she walked back to the couch that it wasn’t good news. ‘He’s tried her room again, but no reply. I guess we’re just going to have to sit here and wait.’

‘If sheisactively avoiding us, it could mean she feels threatened by us.’

‘I am not surprised. She must find it strange that a bunch of adopted sisters are following her around the globe,’ Mariam pointed out. ‘Your family is not exactly standard, is it?’

‘Well, if she actually came to meet me, then I could explain it all to her, couldn’t I?’

‘Explain that you need to see an emerald ring to prove that Mary-Kate is who Georg, your lawyer, thinks she is, i.e. the “missing sister”? Even that sounds odd, Electra, because none of you are your father’s biological daughters. Did Georg tell you whether she has been left a legacy of some kind? Maybe that would help her think it was worthwhile meeting us. I mean, if there was money her daughter might inherit.’

‘I don’t know,’ said Electra despairingly as the waitress brought them their lunch. ‘Thanks, and can I have some extra ketchup and mayo for my fries?’ she asked.

The waitress nodded and sped away.

Electra took a fry and chewed on it. ‘I mean, as usual with Pa, everything is a mystery. What am I doing in Toronto, masquerading as a Muslim woman and eating fries in the lobby of some hotel? Waiting with you for someone I’d never heard of until a couple of days ago, who looks like she won’t be showing up anyway?’

‘You are right. Put like that, it does sound weird,’ Mariam agreed, and both of them began to giggle.

‘Seriously, Mariam, this is just ridiculous. If I were Mary-Kate’s mom, I wouldn’t show up either. Maybe you could ask the concierge if he’d try her room one last time? Then we’re leaving.’

‘After I’ve finished my sandwich, I will, yes,’ said Mariam. ‘And if she doesn’t answer, perhaps you could write her a personal note? Then we could leave it with the concierge to hand over to her.’

‘That’s a good idea,’ Electra agreed. ‘Bring me some paper and an envelope back from the desk.’

It was almost two o’clock by the time Electra was satisfied with what she’d written.

‘Right, this is the final draft,’ she said, indicating all the screwed-up previous versions littering the coffee table.

‘Go ahead, I’m listening,’ said Mariam.

Dear Mary McDougal,

My name is Electra D’Aplièse, and I am one of six adopted sisters. Our father, Pa Salt (we’re not sure of his actual name because that’s all we ever called him), died a year ago. He’d adopted us from all over the globe, but had always told us that there was a seventh sister who was missing.

Our lawyer, Georg Hoffman, said that he’d found some information which proved a Mary McDougal was almost certainly the missing sister. We know from my sister CeCe’s visit to your daughter Mary-Kate that she was adopted as a baby by you and your husband. The proof it’s her is a star-shaped emerald ring, which Mary-Kate says you have with you.

I promise you, we are just normal women with no motive other than to fulfil our late father’s wish to find the missing sister. Please feel free to contact meon my cell number, or the landline for our family home in Geneva.

I’m sorry we couldn’t get to meet you today, but if your daughter is who our lawyer thinks she is, we’d all love to meet her – and you – at some point.

With best wishes,

Electra D’Aplièse

‘That’s perfect. It is good that you said you would like to meet both of them,’ Mariam said as she snatched the letter before Electra could find further fault with it, then folded it and put it, together with a card containing the appropriate phone numbers, in an envelope. ‘Should I address it to her?’

‘Yeah, thanks.’ Electra sighed. ‘Wow, what a waste of a day. I’m going back with nothing to report. I’m a failed detective.’