‘If I’d wanted to do that,’ Connie said, ‘I would have packed you off to Scotland – not just a couple of hours down the road by train.’
‘So, why did you send me to a school near Aldeburgh on the Suffolk Coast?’
‘When I was choosing your school, I remembered your mother had talked about a place in Suffolk, a town she’d once visited with you on the trail of some family history.I thought that if I sent you there, then you would be in an area with some connection to your past, however tenuous…’
Lili thought of Joseph and the Hebrew betrothal rings. Did she have a connection with Joseph and his family?
Connie continued, ‘I hoped if she resurfaced and returned to England …’ Connie trailed off.
‘… that she might find me.’ Lili thought of the photos on her phone.
‘But it was not to be,’ Connie sighed heavily. ‘I am really sorry. I shouldn’t have lied to the police in Corfu. Instead, I should have told them that I knew your parents. It is unforgivable.’
‘It is,’ Lili confirmed.
‘I know. Look, if you tell me their names, I can make inquiries…’
‘Isn’t it a bit late for that?’ Lili scoffed. Did Connie really think she could make amends now? It had been twenty-four years. What did she imagine she was going to find?
Lili thought of Ray. If anyone could discover her long-lost relatives, a retired police officer, and a good friend, was her best bet. Besides, she trusted Ray to tell her the truth.
‘I’ve got to go.’ Lili hung up and immediately made another call. Ray answered his mobile phone on the second ring. Lili thought of the young couple in the photo who he thought might be her parents. ‘It’s Lili. You’ll never guess what …