I SEE YOU an unputdownable psychological thriller with a breathtaking twist by PATRICIA MACDONALD (bookstand for reading txt) 📗

Adam frowned, pondering the problem. ‘Look, you know what Lisa’s like. She’s always been an outsider herself. Maybe she felt sorry for him. After all, he was accused but never charged.’

Hannah nodded but was not comforted. ‘Why would she even get involved with him in the first place? Why would she take up with a guy accused of sexual assault on a child?’

‘Oh, honey, I don’t know,’ said Adam wearily. ‘Why does Lisa do half the things she does? All I can think is that he won her over with that underdog argument.’

‘That’s true,’ Hannah admitted.

‘Though it was a dumbass, reckless thing to do,’ he fumed. ‘Which would be just like Lisa.’

Hannah felt queasy. ‘Adam, we have to know for sure.’

‘We can’t call Lisa at this hour,’ he said. ‘They won’t let her talk on the phone. Let me call her attorney. She must know.’

‘Yes, do,’ said Hannah. But even as Adam was dialing the number, and leaving Marjorie an urgent message to call him back, Hannah tried to calm herself down. Of course, Adam was right. Lisa must have researched Troy Petty and found out that no charges were filed against him. ‘She must have felt sorry for him.’

Adam embraced her tightly. ‘Nothing else makes sense,’ he said, as if he were reading her mind.

They both jumped when, suddenly, Adam’s phone rang. Hannah held her breath while he quickly explained his question to Marjorie.

‘I see,’ he said. He listened for a while. ‘OK. Yes. OK. Good.’ He ended the call.

‘What did she say?’ Hannah asked, almost afraid to find out.

Adam looked gravely at his wife. ‘The child who accused Troy Petty passed away from her illness some years ago. But Marjorie located her mother. She asked if the parents had ever thought of pursuing a prosecution, even though the child couldn’t testify. The mother didn’t want to talk about it at first. But finally she admitted that she was reluctant to go forth because she wasn’t sure. At the time it happened, the child wanted so badly to leave the camp and come home. They kept urging her to stay and then, the next thing they knew . . . they got a frantic phone call to come and get her.’

‘Oh my God,’ said Hannah. ‘Her own parents didn’t believe it?’

‘They . . . didn’t know what to think. The child said some things that caused them to doubt it.’

‘So Troy was never officially accused, but never officially exonerated either.’

‘That’s what it amounts to.’

‘Is the mother going to testify?’

‘No way. She told Marjorie that she wouldn’t disgrace her daughter’s memory by testifying.’

‘What about Troy’s memory?’ Hannah protested.

‘Well, frankly, I’m not too concerned about Troy’s reputation,’ said Adam brusquely. ‘Are you? After all, Lisa did catch him with Sydney.’

‘So he was a child molester.’

‘Apparently. But he must have kept his secret well hidden.’

They looked at one another gravely. Lisa must have just felt sorry for Troy. Maybe she confronted him and he told her that he was unfairly accused, by a sick child, no less. Worthy of sympathy, and no threat to her daughter — until she found out differently. Hannah didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. She settled for resting against her husband’s chest, able, for the moment, to breathe again.

‘Marjorie said that the prosecutor’s office will be working all night trying to track this information down. But even if they find the child’s mother, she will not go to court. She will not testify. Lisa has won the jury’s sympathy. The defense is going to rest tomorrow,’ said Adam. ‘Then the case will go to the jury.’

Hannah’s heart pounded and her mouth was dry. ‘So soon?’ she asked.

‘It would seem.’

‘Is that fair? Not to tell the truth about this child and her accusations?’

‘Fair?’ Adam exclaimed. ‘You’re worried about fair? Obviously this guy was getting ready to assault our granddaughter. Marjorie said their case is flimsy, and these revelations about Troy have given momentum to the defense. Before it dissipates she wants to make her move.’

Hannah closed her eyes and nodded. Tomorrow, Lisa’s fate would be in the hands of those twelve strangers. Her daughter would either walk free or be a prisoner for many years to come. She nestled against her husband and clung to him, as if she would freefall into limitless outer space if ever he were to let her go.

SIXTEEN

The next day the courtroom was virtually buzzing. People seemed to be asking themselves what kind of man Troy Petty had actually been. It was as if a wave of garbage had floated in on the tide of testimony, and stubbornly clung to the image of Troy Petty. Nurse, camp counselor, pervert.

Marjorie called Lisa’s advisor at Vanderbilt, a high-profile doctor, who testified that Lisa had not seemed at all distracted or in any way obsessed in the course of her studies. He had no idea that she was even seeing a nurse at the hospital. Alicia Bledsoe was called to the stand and swore that Lisa was not in love with Troy Petty. It was a fling to pass the time between two people who worked together. Next, Marjorie called Hannah to the stand.

Hannah was ready when her turn came. She had been prepped on her testimony by Marjorie, and warned about subjects she should not raise. She wore a sky-blue silk shirtdress that seemed to radiate serenity. Still, she felt anything but serene as she swore on the Bible and sat down in the chair in the witness stand. She looked out at the spectators, and caught Adam’s eye. He gave her a thumbs up.

‘Mrs Wickes, what is your relationship to my client?’

‘I’m her mother. Lisa and her daughter, my granddaughter, live with me and my husband.’

‘Were you