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

Hannah stared at him.

‘What?’ he said. ‘It’s better for her to have one of us at least to keep her safe from Lisa.’

‘That’s crazy . . .’

‘I know it sounds insane,’ he cried. ‘But I’m trying to think of some way . . .’

‘We would never be able to see each other!’ Hannah looked at him with wide, frightened eyes. ‘Are you serious?’

‘Dead serious. She would be safe with you,’ he said.

‘You would do that? You would take that . . . shame upon yourself? These lies? For Sydney’s sake?’

‘We have to protect Sydney,’ he said. ‘We are all she has. We owe it to her.’

‘I know,’ said Hannah. Tears rose to her eyes, and she wiped them away with a swipe of her hand. ‘I’m glad that you love her that much.’

‘I just don’t see what else we can do,’ he said.

Hannah was quiet for a moment. ‘I’ve been thinking too,’ she said.

‘Thinking what?’

Hannah looked around at the comfortable room that was her home. From the mantle, photos of Lisa and Sydney smiled out at her. Parchment shades on the blue porcelain table lamps softened the light against the jewel-toned drapes, and the pile of books on the end tables beside their chairs. Sydney’s toys were still scattered on the rug in front of the television. Outside, the streetlights had come on, and the shadows of the tall trees in their yard dappled the street. The only sound was the whoosh of an occasional passing car and the chirping of crickets in the soft southern night.

She tore her gaze from the familiar, well-loved furnishings of her home, and looked up into her husband’s worried eyes. ‘We could run,’ she said.

TWENTY-SIX

Present day

‘Will Miss Mamie be OK?’ Sydney asked.

Hannah and Sydney were lying side by side in Sydney’s narrow bed. The moon threw the angular shadow of the fire escape over the bedcovers. The few toys that Sydney had were piled into a cardboard box next to a dresser they had bought for her in the thrift shop and repainted. If Sydney longed for her spacious bedroom in Tennessee, she never said as much. It was as if that old life had never existed.

‘I’m sure she will be. We’ll know more tomorrow,’ said Hannah gently. She brushed the child’s hair off of her softly rounded cheek and gazed at her. Sydney’s large blue eyes were reddened from exhaustion, and the fearful tears she had shed. But her face was still as beautiful and fair as a rose in summer. Once upon a time Hannah had looked at Lisa’s face just this same way. She had marveled at the sight of that wondrous creature, her daughter, her only child. And now, Hannah’s life revolved around hiding Lisa’s child from her. Sometimes she wondered how they could have come to such a pass, and made such a drastic choice. But then she looked into Sydney’s eyes and knew that they had done the only thing they could.

‘I love Miss Mamie,’ Sydney murmured as she settled herself in the crook of Hannah’s arm. ‘She lets me help her.’

‘I know she does, sweet pea,’ said Hannah, kissing the fragrant crown of the child’s head. ‘You can see her as soon as she comes home.’

Sydney yawned. ‘I miss her.’

‘I know,’ said Hannah. After her traumatic night, the child had not been able to settle down to sleep until Hannah had sung all her favorite songs and read her half a dozen stories. By the time Sydney was sleepy, Hannah also felt herself drifting off. She could hear her granddaughter’s breathing become steady and slow. She’s almost asleep, Hannah thought. And then, before she knew it, Hannah too had fallen asleep with Sydney cradled beside her.

Hannah did not know how long she slept, but when she awoke her arm ached from the awkward position in which she had slept on it. She disengaged herself as gently as possible from Sydney, tiptoed out of the room and went down to the short hallway to the modest living room.

Adam was seated at the reconditioned PC, which they used for internet only. No email. No Twitter. No social networking whatsoever.

‘She’s finally asleep,’ said Hannah.

Adam turned on the swivel chair and looked at his wife bleakly. ‘We have to go,’ he said.

‘Go?’ Hannah asked, frowning.

‘We have to leave. This house. Philly. We have to move on.’

‘What? Why are you saying that?’

‘It’s already on YouTube. It happened hours ago, and it’s already had a thousand hits.’

Hannah walked over beside him, and waited as he summoned up the YouTube clip.

It was a short clip. Isaiah Revere was praising Dominga Flores for her quick thinking, and using the opportunity to make a point about how veterans were treated in this country. It was stirring in a way. And true. Even Hannah could see that. And there, at the edge of the frame was Hannah, holding Sydney. Telling the reporter that she felt grateful to Dominga. It was only a few seconds. Hannah’s face flamed at the sight of herself, speaking to the reporter, giving them away.

‘Maybe she won’t see it, Adam,’ Hannah said, trying to reassure herself as well as her husband. ‘There are thousands of clips every day on the internet. On YouTube. And it’s not as if she can tag us with our names. We have different names now. She’d have to watch every single clip that goes up on the internet.’

‘She doesn’t have to see it. What if somebody else sees it and tells her about it? Nope. This has ruined everything. We have to leave.’

‘I’m sorry. What was I supposed to do?’ Hannah cried. ‘Turn my back on the woman who rescued my child?’

‘I didn’t say it was your fault,’ Adam snapped. ‘I’m not accusing you.’

‘You might as well be,’ said Hannah.

‘Well, I tried to tell