Trafika Europe 6 - Arabesque

Catherine McNamara

they think she is in there? When will they be back?’ Stefano wiped his forehead and upper lip with the back of his hand. His trousers were wet to the knees and his leather shoes soaked. He looked over to Frieda speaking with the carabinieri . ‘They think there might be tracks,’ he said. ‘That’s what they were saying. They were following them.’ ‘Into the woods? In there? ’ Magda went on. ‘What possessed her? What got into the child’s head? Who could imagine any of this? We just drove up here for a simple holiday.’ Stefano looked up at him. ‘You didn’t see anything from the window, Sir? Frieda said she saw you looking earlier. They think she might have

wandered off on her own.’ He shook his head. ‘Oh, him,’ Magda said. ‘A fine writer he is. He was asleep when we found him. No chance he saw a thing.’ Stefano stared down at his soaked shoes, bracing himself on the stair rail. They heard a dog barking and all three looked across. The few remaining voices on the terrace grew quiet. The dark trees flowed together, their tips a blue stubble. ‘You should get out of those wet things,’ Magda said. ‘I can’t understand this. I can’t understand what is happening to us today.’ She turned away and walked inside. He saw his son-in-law still had something to say to him. The hotel manager appeared in the doorway again. He advanced

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