Chapter 3 - THE LITTLE GIRL IN THE HOSPITAL PHOTOGRAPH
Tessa's daughter was named Lily.
She had curly brown hair, bright green eyes, and a habit of asking questions nobody could answer.
She loved dinosaurs.
Strawberry pancakes.
And a stuffed rabbit named Captain Buttons.
Tessa kept a photograph of her inside her wallet.
She showed it to Gideon in the diner.
He studied the little girl's smiling face.
Something tightened in his chest.
“She looks like you.”
Tessa smiled through tears.
“She has my eyes.”
Gideon nodded.
Then asked, “Does Mercer know where she is?”
Tessa's smile vanished.
“Yes.”
“How?”
She swallowed.
“Because he's her father.”
Gideon stared.
For the first time that night, he looked genuinely shocked.
Tessa continued.
“We were married.”
Her voice broke.
“Before I started working for you.”
Gideon said nothing.
She looked down.
“He was charming at first. Brilliant. Everyone admired him.”
Her fingers tightened around the coffee cup.
“Then I found documents in his home office.”
Gideon's expression hardened.
“What documents?”
“Payments. Transportation records. Names.”
She swallowed.
“People who disappeared.”
Gideon stared.
Tessa continued.
“When I confronted him, he told me I misunderstood.”
She looked at the bruises on her wrist.
“Then he showed me what happened when I asked questions.”
Gideon's jaw tightened.
She whispered, “I left with Lily. Changed my name. Started over.”
“And Mercer found you.”
Tessa nodded.
“Six months ago.”
Gideon looked toward the rain-streaked window.
Then asked, “Why didn't you tell me?”
Tessa laughed bitterly.
“Because you're Gideon Shaw.”
He looked at her.
She continued.
“I didn't know whether you'd help me.”
May you like
Her eyes filled.
“Or hand me back to him.”
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