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

Hannah gasped and blinked at Lisa, as if she were blinded by the words she had just heard.

‘Now you can go ahead and try to make your case for why I should lose custody of Sydney,’ Lisa continued. ‘You’re right. The letters will definitely work against me. But what do you think a judge will say about your petition for custody when I tell him how I was sexually abused throughout my childhood? By my father? Do you think you’ll ever get custody of my daughter then?’

In that moment, Hannah thought that this nightmare, which couldn’t get any worse, had suddenly become a thousand times more terrible. Adam? she thought. She wanted to die. She turned to look at her husband, afraid that he might suddenly look completely different. Like a monster. He was staring at his only child. His face was dead white and the look in his eyes was stricken, as if he were gazing upon the destruction of his very life.

Adam was looking hopelessly at Lisa. ‘All your life, you’ve been my baby. All your life I’ve adored you. How can you even make up such a vile thing?’ he whispered.

‘In fact, I could tell them that you could actually be Sydney’s father. Of course, I think that might work against you in your fight for custody, don’t you?’

Adam peered at her, as if he was trying to look into her mind. ‘Lisa, why say such a thing? You know it’s not true. A simple test would put that lie to rest. So why even say it? Do you know what you’re accusing me of? Do you realize . . . ? This is evil . . . ? Lisa. For God’s sake.’

Lisa shrugged. ‘All I know is they won’t dare give her to you after I tell them that. How could they?’

Hannah sat dumbfounded, staring at her husband and her daughter, as if she had been struck by lightning.

Lisa looked at her mother ruefully. ‘Anytime you want to jump in, Mother. How about taking my side in this? I’m the victim here.’ Lisa looked at her mother’s stunned expression in disgust. ‘You are a poor excuse for a mother. Standing by and letting him have his way with me all throughout my childhood. Thanks a lot.’

‘I’m not hearing this,’ said Hannah dully.

‘Right. You’re an expert at that,’ said Lisa. ‘Not hearing what you don’t want to hear.’

Adam pleaded with his daughter. ‘Lisa, all I ever did was my best for you. Why? How could you hate me so?’

Lisa looked at him slyly. ‘Why not? You’re trying to take what’s mine away from me. I’ll shout it from the rooftops if I want,’ she said.

Hannah was silent. She knew about these cases. Fathers raping their daughters. It was part of her job to deal with the fallout of such things. She had encountered horrible men who preyed on their children. Women who refused to listen to their children when they had the courage to claim they were abused. She had worked with these families. What Lisa was saying did happen in some families, and not infrequently. People liked to think that this was the rarest of abuses. They were kidding themselves. Hannah glanced at her husband. He looked like he’d been poleaxed.

‘Maybe you’ll stop being the adoring wifey now. Maybe you’ll look at him a little differently.’ Lisa’s expression was satisfied. Almost . . . merry.

Hannah stared at her daughter, trying to fathom the cruelty that was behind those laughing eyes. ‘Is that what you want?’ she asked. ‘For me to suspect the worst of your father?’

Lisa shrugged. ‘You have no trouble suspecting the worst about me. Why not him?’

Hannah closed her eyes. Then she shook her head and gathered up the letters on the table, stuffing them back into her purse. ‘These letters are proof. I have proof of the worst. Otherwise, I never would have believed it of you. I wouldn’t have believed it was possible.’

Lisa shrugged. ‘I don’t care what you think. Think what you want,’ she said. ‘We’ll see what the court says. Do you suppose they’d take a chance on giving another innocent girl into his custody?’ Her eyes were maniacally bright.

‘Do you think this is funny?’ Hannah asked. ‘Why are you smiling?’

‘Because I can stop you from getting what you want,’ said Lisa.

‘Your father and I love our granddaughter,’ said Hannah. ‘We only want what’s good for her. You can’t be trusted to take care of her.’

‘Oh, she’d be better off being the victim of this pervert?’

Hannah looked at her daughter as if from a great distance. ‘You are lost, Lisa,’ she said. ‘God help me, I can see it now.’

Adam remained silent. Hannah wondered if he was physically all right. She looked into his pained, bewildered eyes.

‘Let’s go,’ she said. Then, she stood up. Adam rose unsteadily to his feet as well. Hannah looked down on her daughter, still seated at the table. ‘We will protect Sydney from you. I promise you that.’

Hannah started for the door and Adam followed. Lisa watched them go. Her gaze was cold and her lips were lifted in a smile.

TWENTY-FIVE

‘Thank you,’ he said, as he unlocked the passenger door of the car and waited for Hannah to slip into the front seat.

‘Are you OK?’ Hannah asked worriedly.

Adam just shook his head.

‘We’ll be home soon,’ she said.

Neither one of them spoke on the ride home. Hannah could not wait until they were in the safety, the shelter of their house. But when they were almost to her street, she remembered Sydney. They had to pick her up.

‘We have to stop and get Sydney,’ she said.

Adam nodded. ‘You’re right. I was so distracted . . .’ he said.

Hannah heaved a sigh, and Adam turned in the direction