Missing Me Read Online Free PDF

night in London and . . . and I wanted to see him . . .’ The words came out in a big, blubbery
sob. Tears pricked at my eyes. I sounded ridiculous and I
hated
that I’d just given away so much personal, private information.
    The guard sighed. ‘Look, love, you can’t go crashing about like this. There are national security implications for a start. What did you say your dad’s name was?’
    ‘Allan Faraday, but . . .’ I stopped, unwilling to explain that Faraday would have absolutely no idea who I was.
    Ignoring my hesitation, the guard spoke into his radio.
    ‘Bob?’ he said into the mouthpiece. ‘I found the girl who snuck in. She says she’s a Madison Purditt and she’s looking for her father. Can you check him on the
guest list . . . it’s an Allan Faraday.’
    The radio crackled, then a voice on the other end spoke.
    ‘Yup, he’s here, Jerry.’
    ‘Right.’ Jerry looked at me thoughtfully. ‘Would you ask him to step outside, please?’
    No.
My mouth dropped open in horror. Apart from the fact that Allan Faraday was hardly likely to come outside to meet a daughter he didn’t even know existed, this was so
not
the way I’d imagined introducing myself to him. I’d planned to find him and study him for a minute or two first. Then, when I was ready, I would move over gracefully and ask for a quiet
word. I didn’t know what I was going to say after that, but I’d imagined I’d be able to introduce myself gently and carefully.
    Not like this.
    ‘Come outside.’ Jerry led me back along the corridor and down the steps.
    Outside the air seemed colder than it had before. My heart was totally in my mouth. I tried to move away, but Jerry gripped my arm.
    ‘Don’t think about running, love,’ he said. ‘That would be really stupid.’
    I gulped. Suppose Allan Faraday wouldn’t come outside? I’d probably be arrested. Annie would go into total hysterics.
    Jerry led me along to the entrance to the drinks reception. I kept my head bowed. The light was fading now, casting shadows across our path.
    We reached the entrance and stopped. The other guard was checking someone’s invite and didn’t look round.
    ‘Wait here with me,’ Jerry said. Now he’d stopped running his face had returned to normal colour and I could see that he was probably about thirty, with soft creases around his
eyes.
    The seconds ticked by. I kept my gaze on the grey pavement at my feet. And then a man appeared in the doorway. I noticed his shoes first – shiny and pointy and black. Very smart. I looked
up a little, taking in the sharp creases of his designer suit.
    ‘What’s this about?’ the man said. He had a strange accent – somewhere between English and American. ‘They said someone wanted me.’
    Oh my goodness. It was
him.
I still couldn’t look up, properly, into his face.
    ‘Are you Allan Faraday, sir?’ Jerry asked.
    ‘Yes.’ The man sounded suspicious. ‘Why? Who’s asking?’
    Jerry cleared his throat. ‘I’ve got this girl here – Madison Purditt. She was caught trying to get into the reception. Says she’s your daughter?’
    The question hung in the air. I wanted to evaporate where I stood. This was totally humiliating.
    ‘My
daughter
?’ Allan Faraday sounded as shocked as I’d have expected him to. ‘I don’t have a daughter.’
    ‘Ah.’ Jerry’s voice was a mix of embarrassment, confusion and anger. I could tell he was looking at me, though my eyes were still fixed on Allan Faraday’s shoes.
‘Sorry to have disturbed you, sir.’
    Say something, Madison.
    Allan Faraday’s shoes took a step back. He was going back into the drinks reception and I was going to be arrested and I hadn’t even looked at his face.
    Allan Faraday took another step away from me.
    I forced myself to look up, into his eyes.
    He was tall with high cheekbones. Much better looking than in his Bizznet photo, with dark hair slicked back off his face and a look of Lauren about his mouth. He stared back at me,