Finding Elizabeth by Louise Forster Read Free Book Online

a more than usual sway to her hips.
    “I wouldn’t be surprised if I get charred eggs,” Katherine laughed.
    “What makes you say that?” Jack asked.
    “Oh please, where have you been for the last five minutes?”
    “The Julie thing—soft, but not runny, eggs?” he arched an eyebrow. “She probably knows how you like yours.”
    “Nice try.” Katherine gave him a knowing smile. “You’re either clueless or—”
    “I’ll call her back.” Jack raised his arm.
    Katherine reached forward, pulling at his sleeve. “Don’t do that. It’s okay, I’ll take whatever comes.”
    Jack shook his head and gave her a no-way look.
    “Stop it! Don’t make a fuss.”
    “Okay.” He relaxed and with a tilt to his head, studied her intently.
    “What are you looking at?” Katherine asked, tension building. Pretty soon there’d be no room for eggs.
    “I don’t know … I mean …” Baffled, he shook his head. “Christ, I don’t know, there’s something about—”
    “About what? Are you a nut case? Should I be running for my life?”
    “No!”
he said, offended. “It’s probably jetlag.”
    “Okay, but stop the intense eyeballing. Focus on someone else. Start with Ellie Johnson, and don’t leave anything out. I love a good mystery.”
    “Okay, between 1978–79 my stepfather, Andrew Riley, and Ellie Johnson corresponded almost daily while he was away on assignment with Mike Smithson in Laos and Cambodia. They came across refugees trudging the trails, trying to escape the Vietnamese and later the all-out bombing from US forces. Their luck ran out when Mike stood on a landmine. He died instantly and so did their guide; Andrew was badly injured. Kind-hearted mountain villagers took him in and tended his wounds. There’s a big chunk of time that’s a blur to him.”
    “Your poor dad,” Katherine sympathised. “Is he okay now or does he have ongoing health problems?”
    “He’s unbelievably strong for a man his age.”
    “What made him decide to start looking now?”
    “Technology. It’s growing at such a rate; he reckons he’ll find her on the Internet.” Jack laughed. “We both know it’s not as simple as that. And it doesn’t help that a decade of files from ’74 to ’84 are missing.” He shrugged.
    “What a mess,” Katherine said with feeling, knowing his search would be tough and probably futile.
    “Andrew’s your stepfather. How did you get the name Riley?”
    “I was twelve when Andrew married my mother. When I was fourteen, he asked me if he could adopt me. He’s a courageous gentle man, and I couldn’t want for a better dad. My mother …” Jack fell silent. “Never mind, I’m here to do what I can.”
    Julie arrived and, with a cheery “Bon appétit”, put their steaming breakfast plates in front of them, smiled and left.
    “Hey, see that?” Jack nodded toward her plate. “Your breakfast isn’t charred.”
    “How about that.” Katherine smiled and unfolded her napkin. “Getting back to your search, what if this person you’re looking for doesn’t want to be found?”
    “Sure, don’t think I haven’t agonised over that. I don’t want to blunder in and stomp all over Ellie’s life. All I want is for Andrew to know she’s fine, happy, or whatever.”
    “A delicate task, though. Do you have photos or letters?” she asked, taking a sip of coffee.
    “Andrew doesn’t remember Ellie’s extended family. In the jungle when he was sick with fever, he remembered what mattered to him, and that was Ellie.”
    “How much time do you have?”
    “Until I’ve exhausted all avenues. Or until the grape harvest, whichever comes first.”
    “Your business card says you’re a vintner. Where in Australia is Blue Gum winery?”
    “The Hunter Valley, about an hour and a half north of Sydney. Beautiful country and we make exquisite wines. Shiraz, Semillon, Merlot are a few that we produce.”
    “So Andrew and your mum live there?”
    “Andrew owns the vineyard. Mum died a