“I don’t know.”

She studied his face.

“You say that a lot.”

He almost smiled.

“It means I won’t lie to you.”

She considered.

Then nodded.

“Okay.”

Ten minutes later, Daniel returned.

He did not speak immediately.

That told Vincent enough.

“What?”

“Michael Carter is dead.”

Lily stared.

Daniel immediately crouched.

“Lily—”

She looked at him.

“My daddy is dead?”

Daniel glanced toward Vincent.

Vincent’s jaw tightened.

Rachel had apparently told the child only that he had gone away.

Vincent knelt.

“Yes.”

Lily’s face emptied.

“When?”

Daniel answered softly.

“Four years ago.”

Lily began counting on her fingers.

“I was two.”

“Yes.”

“Mom knew?”

“Yes.”

“Why didn’t she tell me?”

Vincent did not answer for Rachel.

Instead he said:

“She may have wanted to wait until you were older.”

Lily looked hurt.

“That’s lying.”

Vincent had no defense for that.

“Yes.”

A tear slid down her cheek.

She wiped it angrily.

“How did he die?”

Daniel glanced at the file.

Vincent caught the look.

“Later.”

Lily noticed too.

“No.”

She stood straighter.

“I want now.”

Six and a half.

Wet sneakers.

Adult housekeeping dress.

And apparently no patience for adults protecting her with silence.

Daniel exhaled.

“Car accident.”

Lily stared.

“Was Mommy there?”

“No.”

“Was anybody?”

Daniel looked at Vincent.

That was the second bad sign.

“What?”

Vincent asked.

Daniel handed him the tablet.

Michael Carter.

Age thirty-one.

Death certificate.

Vehicle collision.

Queens.

Four years earlier.

Passenger:

Natalie Shaw.

Vincent stared.

The same woman.

The same temporary laundry worker.

The same woman who had helped remove Rachel from the hospital.

“She survived?”

“Yes.”

“Relationship?”

“Unknown.”

“Police report?”

Daniel scrolled.

“Michael lost control of the vehicle.

Natalie told police he had been drinking.”

“Blood alcohol?”

“Zero.”

Vincent’s eyes narrowed.

Daniel continued:

“Case closed as mechanical failure.”

Lily watched their faces.

“What?”

Vincent looked at her.

“The woman you saw yesterday knew your father.”

Lily’s mouth opened slightly.

“Before he died?”

“Yes.”

She looked toward the napkin.

Then whispered:

“Mommy hates her.”

“Did she say that?”

“No.”

“How do you know?”

“Mommy’s face.”

Vincent understood that answer perfectly.

A nurse appeared.

“Mr.

Romano?”

“Yes?”

“Police are downstairs.”

“Good.”

“And someone called asking for Lily.”

Every muscle in Vincent’s body locked.

“Who?”

“She said she was Lily’s aunt.”

Lily frowned.

“I don’t have aunt.”

The nurse looked at the chart.

“She gave the name Natalie Carter.”

Daniel and Vincent looked at each other.

Not Shaw.

Carter.

The nurse continued:

“She said Rachel had authorized her to collect the child.”

Lily grabbed Vincent’s hand.

His fingers closed around hers instinctively.

“Where is she?”

The nurse swallowed.

“In the lobby.”

Vincent stood.

“Daniel.”

“Already handled.”

“No one approaches her alone.”

“Understood.”

Harris said:

“The police can take it.”

Vincent looked at him.

“Yes.”

Harris seemed surprised.

Vincent continued:

“And we stay with Lily.”

That surprised Daniel more.

Years earlier, Vincent would have handled a threat personally.

Quickly.

Violently.

But there was a child holding his hand.

Everything changed around children.

They went downstairs through a restricted elevator.

Two detectives met them.

Detective Elena Ruiz introduced herself.

Calm.

Focused.

She crouched to Lily’s height.

“Hi, Lily.”

Lily moved partly behind Vincent.

Ruiz noticed.

“Would you like Mr.

Romano to stay?”

Lily nodded.

“Yes.”

Vincent looked at the detective.

She nodded once.

Fine.

They entered a security office overlooking the hospital lobby.

Natalie stood below.

No burgundy scrubs now.

Black coat.

Blonde hair pulled back.

She looked ordinary.

That was the problem.

Dangerous people rarely bothered looking dangerous when deception worked better.

Lily saw her.

Immediately hid.

“That’s her.”

Ruiz spoke into her radio.

Officers approached Natalie.

Natalie saw them.

Did not run.

Interesting.

She lifted both hands.

Then looked directly toward the security camera.

Toward us.

And smiled.

Vincent hated that smile instantly.

They brought her upstairs.

Not into the room with Lily.

Into an interview room across the corridor.

Through glass, Vincent watched her sit.

Detective Ruiz entered.

Twenty minutes passed.

Then Ruiz returned.

“She says Rachel left voluntarily.”

Vincent stared.

“Do you believe her?”

“No.”

“Good.”

“She says Rachel asked for help leaving because she was afraid of you.”

Vincent almost laughed.

“Me.”

“Yes.”

“Convenient.”

Ruiz continued.

“She claims Rachel has been stealing from Grayhaven House.”

Daniel’s expression hardened.

“Impossible.”

Ruiz looked at him.

“You checked?”

“Every employee is audited.”

“And?”

“No discrepancies.”

Ruiz nodded.

“She also says Rachel believed Mr.

Romano was going to take Lily.”

Lily heard her name.

Vincent looked toward her.

She was coloring at the desk now.

A police officer had found crayons.

Good.

“What else?”

Vincent asked.

Ruiz lowered her voice.

“Natalie claims Michael Carter was Vincent’s employee.”

Silence.

Vincent stared.

“No.”

Daniel said the same thing.

Ruiz continued:

“She says Michael worked for the Romano organization under another name.”

Vincent’s eyes narrowed.

“What name?”

“Michael Vale.”

Daniel went completely still.

Vincent noticed.

“You know it.”

Daniel looked sick.

“Yes.”

“Who?”

Daniel swallowed.

“Michael Vale worked security for your father.”

Vincent’s father.

Carlo Romano.

Dead eleven years.

Vincent’s expression changed.

“What did he do?”

“He disappeared after Carlo died.”

“Apparently not.”

“No.”

“Why didn’t I know his real name?”

“He was recruited through an outside contractor.”

Vincent stared at Daniel.

“How old was he?”

“Twenty-seven.”

Four years later, dead.

Married to Rachel.

Father of Lily.

Vincent looked through the glass at Natalie.

“What else did she say?”

Ruiz hesitated.

“That Michael stole something from Carlo before he disappeared.”

“What?”

“She wouldn’t say.”

Vincent’s voice hardened.

“Then she’s wasting everyone’s time.”

Ruiz continued:

“She said Rachel has it now.”

That changed things.

“What?”

“She won’t say unless she speaks to you.”

“No.”

Daniel looked at him.

“Boss.”

“No.”

Ruiz nodded.

“That was my recommendation too.”

Vincent stared at Natalie through the glass.

She leaned back in her chair.

Still calm.

Still smiling faintly.

Then Lily came closer.

She held up a drawing.

“Vincent?”

He looked down.

“Yes?”

“I made Mommy.”

Stick figure.

Brown hair.

Big smile.

Yellow shirt.

Next to her was Lily.

Then another figure.

Tall.

Black suit.

No smile.

Vincent.

He pointed.

“Why do I look angry?”

“You are.”

Fair.

Then he noticed something else.

Behind Rachel, Lily had drawn a red square.

“What is that?”

Lily frowned.

“Mommy’s box.”

Vincent crouched.

“What box?”

“The red one.”

“Where?”

“Under our floor.”

Daniel turned.

Ruiz stepped closer.

“What do you mean under the floor?”

Lily thought.

“In closet.”

Vincent stared.

“Your mother has a hidden box?”

“She says never touch.”

“What’s inside?”

Lily shook her head.

“Secret.”

“Did Michael give it to her?”

Lily shrugged.

Then her eyes brightened.

“Daddy picture is on top.”

Vincent looked at Daniel.

“Address.”

Daniel already had it.

They did not take Lily.

Ruiz refused.

Vincent agreed.

Margaret came from Grayhaven to stay with her at the hospital under police supervision.

Lily objected until Vincent crouched.

“We’re going to look for Mommy’s red box.”

“You come back?”

“Yes.”

“Promise?”

“Yes.”

This time he did.

Because this one he intended to control.

Rachel’s apartment was small.

Third-floor walk-up.

Queens.

Clean.

Children’s drawings taped to the refrigerator.