Trouble in Taormina #2
Or maybe he’d had second thoughts and decided she was a weirdo. Maybe he’d deleted her photo and gone to chat to a nice, normal woman who didn’t go around pretending to be something she wasn’t, because she’d ruined her own life and lost all her confidence.
Their conversation was interrupted by one of the hotel staff who came to inform them that their room was ready and, gathering their things, they followed them through the gardens, with their lemon trees and mosaic paths, to a beautiful light-filled room, with twin beds and a small terrace.
Not for the first time did Maggie feel grateful for their winnings.
A hotel like this didn’t come cheap, and they’d been lucky to find a room in town, due to a late cancellation.
Kicking off her trainers, Flick padded barefoot out onto the terrace. It felt a world away from the industrial northern town where she’d grown up and still lived. ‘I never knew places like this existed.’
‘There’s a whole world out there.’
‘Yeah.’ Flick nodded, her face thoughtful. ‘Have you been to Sicily before?’
‘No. It’s my first time too.’
‘See. Told you we had to make our own romance.’
Maggie laughed at the joke.
‘So what shall we do now? We’ve got the rest of the day off. I’ve been googling and there’s so much to see and do.’
Now. Now was the time to show her the text, thought Maggie.
After all, the two of them were in this together.
Except, they weren’t. Not really. She was the one who’d fallen in love with a fraudster.
Who’d discovered everything she thought was true was a lie.
Who’d beaten herself up for months with shame and guilt and self-loathing.
She needed some answers for herself first. Ever since he’d disappeared she’d been having furious, tearful, anguished conversations with him in her head, and now was the chance to have one for real.
She wanted to know how this had happened to her; she needed to know why.
And then she’d tell Flick.
‘Let’s do what everyone does when they’re on holiday,’ she suggested, her mind made up. ‘Let’s go to the beach.’
‘Really?’ Flick looked thrilled. For a moment there she assumed she was going to be dragged around Greek amphitheatres.
Not that there was anything wrong with Greek amphitheatres, but she really wouldn’t mind just lying on a beach and getting a bit of a tan.
Which she knew was terribly bad for her, what with the ozone and skin cancer rates and importance of wearing SPF50 and sitting in the shade.
But sometimes, once in a while, doing something terribly bad for you felt terribly good.
‘OK, great, but there’s just one problem. ’
‘What is it?’
‘To get there we need to catch a gondola.’ Reading her phone, Flick frowned. ‘I thought they were only in Venice.’
‘It’s not that kind of gondola.’ Maggie stifled a smile. ‘It means a cable car.’
‘It does?’ Flick bristled. ‘Why doesn’t it just say that then?’
‘But you’re right about it being a problem. I’m terrified of heights.’
Later
Hi Mags, it’s me, Theo. How are you, babe? It’s been a long time.
Is this really you?
Yes, it’s really me.
Why are you contacting me?
I want to explain everything.
Explain it to the police. You’re wanted for questioning.
I understand why you’re angry and I don’t blame you.
You stole my life savings.
You lied about everything.
Please don’t say that.
I loved you. I wanted to marry you.
Is that why you disappeared?
I did it to protect you.
There are some bad men after me.
I don’t believe you.
It’s true. I had no choice.
I tried paying them off. That’s why I needed the money.
They threatened to kill me.
Maggie felt herself reel, but quickly caught herself.
It couldn’t be true. It must be another one of his lies.
She’d read about this online. About how fraudsters made up life-threatening stories of danger to extract money from their victims. Plus, she’d just seen him swanning around Monte Carlo and getting on a luxury cruise.
He didn’t look like a man in fear for his life.
Why didn’t you go to the police?
You don’t go to the police about men like this.
I don’t believe you. You’re lying again.
Mags, can I ask you something?
What?
Will you meet me?
Maggie’s stomach lurched. She wasn’t expecting that. She hesitated. And then.
Where are you?
I can’t say. It’s not safe. I’ll text you a place later.
He was avoiding her questions. This was just another one of his make-believe stories.
The man was a fantasist, remember? A serial liar.
She thought she’d heard the last of him.
What did he want? Why did he want to meet her?
Surely this wasn’t another attempt to try and con her out of money?
Not that she had any left. Maybe he wanted to try and persuade her to drop the charges by making her believe his life really was in danger.
Did he really think she was that gullible?
After everything that happened? She should ignore him and show Flick the messages; together they could decide what to do.
And yet, while Maggie had doubts about a lot of things, she knew that if Theo found out she was in Europe with a journalist who was intent on hunting him down, she risked never hearing from him again.
He could disappear, and for good this time.
And with him, the opportunity to look him in the eye; to rage, to vent.
To ask: why? To demand: how? To say everything she wanted to say and get the closure she so desperately needed. It was just too big a risk.
She needed to let him think she believed him. That she’d fallen back under his spell. That because she loved him once, she could love him again.
Just say yes.
And what she couldn’t admit to anyone, even herself, is that, despite everything, she needed to see if she still had feelings for him. For the man she thought he was.
Her thumbs moved over the keyboard as she typed one word and pressed send.
Yes.