Read Online Now You See Her by Joy Fielding - Free Book Online Page B

beginning to give up hope.”
    “Oh, you must never do that.”
    Marcy smiled. “I won’t. Thank you. That’s good advice.”
    “The name’s Colin Doyle. My mum’ll be right with you. You from America?”
    “Canada,” Marcy told him.
    “Really? We had a guest here from Canada not too long ago. Name of Randy Sullivan, I believe it was. Do you know him?”
    “No, I’m afraid I don’t.” She refrained from telling him that there were more than thirty-three million people in Canada. Although you never knew. It wasn’t totally outside the realm of possibility that she might know this person. It was certainly no stranger than her taking off for Ireland on her erstwhile second honeymoon and finding the daughter she’d given up for dead. “Do you know this girl?” Marcy asked, pulling the latest picture of Devon out of her purse and showing it to Colin.
    He took it from her hand and studied it for several seconds, his bushy eyebrows collapsing toward the bridge of his nose. “Can’t say that I do,” he said at last.
    “You’re sure? It’s possible she’s a student at the university. I understand it’s very close to here.”
    “Just up the next block a bit,” he concurred. Then, “No. Don’t know her.” He handed back the photograph. “She looks very sad, doesn’t she?”
    Marcy’s eyes immediately filled with tears. It was her fault her daughter looked so sad.
    “Sorry to have kept you,” a high-pitched voice trilled as a heavy-set woman with gray-flecked, reddish-blond hair entered the small foyer. Her eyes were the same shade of hazel as her son’s, although they twinkled more mischievously, as if she’d just come from something she probably shouldn’t havebeen doing. “Name’s Sadie Doyle, owner of this proud establishment.” Large, surprisingly expressive hands fluttered in front of her, sweeping together the foyer, the living room to her left, and the narrow staircase to her right, the walls of which were all covered with the same garish, purple-flowered wallpaper. Marcy couldn’t tell whether or not the woman was being facetious. “Mind if I have a look at that?” Sadie Doyle asked, indicating the picture of Devon. “Pretty girl. Looks a little sad though, don’t she?”
    Marcy felt her heart sink.
    “Your daughter?”
    “Yes. Do you know her, by any chance?”
    “No chance at all, I’m afraid. She’s here in Cork, is she?”
    “Yes, she is. I’m trying to find her.”
    “You don’t know where she is?”
    Marcy felt the question sting her skin. “We’ve kind of lost touch.”
    Sadie Doyle smiled wistfully, as if she understood, although her eyes retained a hint of rebuke. “Wish I could be of help.” She walked behind the counter and opened the guest register. “It’s one hundred and fifty euros a night for a single room.”
    “That’s fine.” Marcy couldn’t remember the exchange rate between dollars and euros but decided she’d worry about it later.
    “Just how long will you be staying with us, Mrs …?”
    “Taggart. Marcy Taggart. And I’ll be staying a few days. Maybe a week. I’m not sure exactly how long.” As long as it takes, Marcy thought. “Is that a problem?”
    “No problem at all. If you could just fill this out.” Sadie pushed a sheet of paper across the reception desk. “And I’ll need your passport, of course. Colin here will bring it up to you in a few hours. What credit card will you be using?”
    Marcy handed over her American Express card.
    “You’ll be in room seven, top of the stairs to your left.” Sadie Doyle handed Marcy a large, elaborately carved brass key. “It’s one of our nicer rooms. I think you’ll be very comfortable there.”
    “Thank you.”
    “Good luck with finding your daughter.”
    “Thank you,” Marcy said again, returning Devon’s picture to her purse as she followed Colin up the stairs.
    The room was small and crowded with inexpensive furniture: a double bed with an old brass headboard, a