Gabriella paused, her hand fluttering to her chest, then composed herself and continued.
‘Susanna managed to save Ellie’s life all those years ago – and we will be talking to Susanna more about that in a minute. But now we have a situation of grave and immediate danger. At this very moment, as we are speaking right now, Abby has kidnapped Ellie and gone on the run with her. They are currently missing, having eluded the Carabinieri for almost two days. We know they have left Italy and made it to France. We do not know where they are now. Meanwhile, their distraught mother, who cannot show you her face due to a terrible accident inflicted by her daughter before she left, is desperate for them to be found.’
Gabriella turned her gaze from down the lens of the camera to Susanna, where her features softened in empathy.
‘Susanna, there is much to talk about here but why don’t we start with the most important thing? How concerned are you for Ellie’s safety?’
Susanna swallowed; her voice had suddenly dried up. ‘I’m desperately worried,’ she said. ‘Abby has a history of being obsessive and ruthless. She will set her sights on a goal and nothing will distract her.’
‘And you think she may have a goal now?’
‘Yes, I do.’
‘And that goal is?’ prompted Gabriella.
Susanna felt her voice catch. She had to say it, however hard it was. ‘I think she wants her sister out of the way. Forever. She’s always been jealous of her – she still is. Only the other day, here in this house, she was upset that Ellie was getting on well with Matteo.’
Gabriella raised a quizzical eyebrow.
‘Matteo is Abby’s husband,’ explained Susanna. ‘I was with Abby when she overheard the two of them talking. Ordinary stuff, you know, just friendly conversation. But Abby hated it. She won’t let go. She has everything she could wish for – a nice house, a great life – but she isn’t happy.’
‘What will make her happy?’ asked Gabriella, her voice soft with anticipation.
‘Ellie out of her life.’
‘And how do you think she will do that?’
Susanna felt tears spring up behind her eyes. ‘Any way she can. The most devious, calculating, duplicitous way she can devise.’
‘Un-fucking-believable,’ cut in an icy voice.
Startled, Susanna turned, realizing too late that she’d revealed the full extent of her peeling face to the camera. Behind her, Gabriella was grappling with the irritation of the interview being interrupted against what looked like a dramatic turn in the story. She signalled for Paolo to continue filming.
Susanna looked up into the eyes of a woman whom she hadn’t seen in thirty-seven years.
Her mother’s cold, hard gaze made her flinch, and then she spoke.
‘What the hell have you done to your face?’
FORTY-SIX
‘Turn it off!’ shouted Susanna, frantically waving her arms at Paolo until he reluctantly lowered the camera.
‘How much are they paying you for this sordid little tale?’ asked Kathleen.
‘None of your business.’
‘You always would do anything for money.’
Susanna bit back the tears. ‘That is a nasty thing to say. And it’s not true.’
‘Really? Working in some tawdry shop selling clothes?’
‘I had to get a job.’
‘Well, you know why that was.’
‘Yes, because you and Daddy cut me off.’
