Mike Dixon

„I‟ll be with you in ten minutes. I‟ll have a friend with me.
She‟ll be in police uniform.‟
The point failed to register with Cecilia.
„That doesn‟t matter. Bring your friend. Daddy so wants to
speak to you.‟
They arrived in a police car. Kirstin rang the bell and Cecilia
showed her into the drawing room. Sir George bowed
when she entered and spoke in Chinese.
„I trained you well, little Cherry Blossom.‟
„You did well, Master.‟
Kirstin returned the bow and replied in the same lan-
guage. It was the sort of playful exchange they had engaged
in forty years earlier. George was standing behind a high-
backed chair in which Grace was sitting. Both looked sick and
nervous.
„We watched you advancing upon us,‟ George continued in
English. Step by step you gathered information.‟
„There was no need for it!‟ Grace‟s head jolted up. „David,
Tim and your poor little granddaughter. It should never have
happened. I can‟t imagine what you think of me.‟
„I never associated Rosie with violence or unkindness,‟
Kirstin replied quietly. „I was impressed by the way she remained
loyal to her girls. She made a home for them at the
Island View. If she‟d not done that we might never have discovered
her identity.‟
„My girls were loyal to me,‟ Grace‟s expression stiffened.
„They caught you snooping and they let me know.‟
„Now! Now! Gracie!‟ George tapped her arm. „Kirstie was
only trying to help. She was worried about David.‟
„David was taken care of,‟ Grace screwed up her lips. „I
saw to that.‟
„Kirstie didn‟t know,‟ George insisted.‟ If she had, she‟d
have acted differently.‟
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