Chapter 4 - A GHOST ON THE PLATFORM
The security footage lasted twenty-six seconds.
Tessa watched it seven times.
A woman in a dark green coat stepped onto the subway platform beside Lily.
Her face was partially hidden by a scarf.
Her hair was gray.
She walked with a slight limp.
But when Lily dropped something, the woman bent to retrieve it.
And Tessa recognized the movement.
The small tilt of her head.
The way she brushed hair away from her face with the back of her wrist.
Her mother had done that every morning while making breakfast.
“No,” Tessa whispered.
Roman stood beside her.
“It's possible the footage was manipulated.”
“Don't.”
“Tessa—”
“Don't give me hope just because you feel guilty.”
He said nothing.
Daniel paused the video.
The woman turned toward the camera.
For one perfect frame, her face was visible.
Older.
Thinner.
But unmistakable.
Evelyn Monroe.
Tessa pressed a hand against her mouth.
“She let us think she was dead.”
The words came out broken.
“She let two children bury an empty coffin.”
Roman lowered his gaze.
“I don't know why.”
“I do.”
Tessa turned toward him.
“Because whatever she was hiding mattered more than we did.”
Roman didn't correct her.
That almost made it worse.
A new message appeared on Daniel's phone.
Unknown sender.
One photograph.
Lily sitting at a kitchen table, unharmed, holding a handwritten sign.
I'm safe. Don't trust Roman.
Tessa's chest tightened.
Below the photograph was a location.
A public library in Brooklyn.
And a time.
11:00 a.m.
Roman read the message.
“It's a trap.”
“Everything is a trap to you.”
“Someone just tried to abduct you.”
“And someone has my sister.”
Roman considered her for a moment.
“Then we go.”
“No.”
“Tessa.”
“I go. You stay away.”
His jaw tightened.
“That's dangerous.”
“So is being near you.”
The words landed between them.
Roman looked as though he wanted to argue.
Instead, he reached into his coat and placed a small black phone on the table.
“Emergency number. Direct to Daniel.”
“I don't want your protection.”
“Then don't use it.”
He stepped back.
“But keep it.”
The next morning, Tessa entered the Brooklyn library alone.
She found Lily in the history section.
Her sister ran toward her.
They collided in an embrace so desperate that Tessa nearly fell.
“Where have you been?”
Lily was crying.
“I'm sorry.”
“Who took you?”
“Nobody took me.”
Tessa pulled back.
“What?”
“I went willingly.”
“Why?”
Lily glanced toward the shelves.
“Because Mom asked me to.”
Tessa's heart pounded.
“Where is she?”
A voice behind her answered.
“Right here.”
Tessa turned.
Evelyn Monroe stood six feet away.
May you like
Alive.
And holding the silver necklace Tessa had buried eleven years ago.
