Letter from a Stranger Read Online Free PDF Page A

actually a weirdo when we were growing up. Unreliable, irresponsible, a flake, and you know what else.”
    Justine frowned. “I do know, but let’s not go there today, okay?” The thought that their mother might have been unfaithful to their father, a little wild, always troubled her.
    “ Okay . I know exactly how you feel about that. ”
    Justine simply nodded, thinking about their mother, and their strange childhood, and how much they had depended on their father. He had brought them up, if the truth be known. After a moment, she said, “For her to tell a lie of such magnitude, and to us, her children, about her own mother …” She paused again, sighed, and finished in a voice so low it was almost inaudible, “It was evil … Rich, such an evil thing to do.”
    “Yes,” was all he said, knowing how right his sister was. After a moment, he asked, “Isn’t she in China?”
    “Yes, and I know what you’re thinking. You want to confront her right now. On the phone. But the time is off, and anyway I think we should wait, confront her in person. I want to see her expression when she understands that we know exactly what she is, a bitch, and that we know what she did to Gran.”
    “And to us. We’ve been hurt. We’ll deal with our mother when the time is right though. How are we going to find our grandmother? Shouldn’t we call our mother, demand to know?”
    “No. She won’t tell us. She’ll say Gran is dead. We’ll do it through Anita Lowe. I have a feeling they live close to each other,” Justine replied.
    “So you’re saying Gran is in Istanbul, not London, is that it?”
    “I think she probably is, because Anita lives there obviously, and she must know Gran’s not well. And I know we have to go to Istanbul.”
    “I agree. But when?”
    “Immediately. She’ll be eighty in June. I don’t think we should waste any time.”
    Richard stood up, and Justine turned around and also stood as Daisy came running down the gallery, calling, “Daddy! Daddy! Here I am.… I’m coming to get you, Daddy!” Tita was following hard on the child’s heels.
    Justine said, “Let’s talk later. Your daughter is looking for you.”
    “All right, later this evening,” he murmured.
    “Listen, Rich, just one thing. Do you mind if I tell Joanne about this situation?”
    “Why would you want anyone to know about this horrendous thing our mother has done?” he asked, sounding horrified.
    “I don’t, and Joanne isn’t anyone, Rich, she’s our best friend, we grew up together. But the point is this … she knows Istanbul well, and has a lot of contacts there, many friends. We’re going to need help, and I think she can give us names and some good introductions.”
    “Then tell her. Confidentially, though,” he answered.
    Walking around the desk he swung his child into his arms as she came rushing into his office, her face full of smiles.
    *   *   *
    A few seconds later Richard was carrying Daisy out into the gallery, as she begged, “Swing me, Daddy, please swing me.” And he did so.
    Putting her down on the floor, he wrapped his arms around her from behind and, turning slowly, he swung her around and around, her legs flying out in front of her, her happy laughter echoing in the quiet gallery.
    Richard started to laugh too, and watching him Justine was pleased he was enjoying this carefree moment with his daughter. She knew how upset he was about their mother’s incredible lie, as angry as she was herself about the whole terrible matter. Still, he was sheathing it well at this moment, and for obvious reasons. He did not want Daisy to know there was anything amiss.
    The thought of their mother enjoying herself in China, having a great time there, as she undoubtedly was, filled Justine with sudden fury, made her see red. Then she blinked, and turned to Tita, who was standing by her side, speaking to her.
    “I’m sorry. I missed that,” Justine said. “What did you say?”
    “That Richard’s a