Page 104 of Firefly Effect

His body tenses. “Geez. Who knew Lilith was capable of something so awful?” He shakes his head. “She was always a little off, but I would have never pegged her to be a serial killer. Even though…”

I lean back from Patrick and narrow my eyes, my heart beating faster, sensing that he knows something that I don’t. “Even though what, Patrick?”

He hesitates for a second before continuing. “I was just going to say…even though Lilith always made these strange comments to me that if the Firefly Man story ever came true, it would be a blessing, because he would end the lives of bad people only.”

A chill shoots up my spine. “It’s like she thought she was some sort of vigilante, ridding the world of men that reminded her of her father.”

Patrick twists his expression into something resembling agreeable. “That would make sense. J.D. did tell me once that Lilith’s upbringing wasn’t the best.”

I’m sure the shock is plainly evident on my face. “He broke client-patient confidentiality to tell you that?”

Patrick shrugs. “He told me a lot that he probably shouldn’t have.” He frowns. “That was shitty of him, but I still can’t believe he was covering for Lilith for all these years. That’s sickening.” He shakes his head. “I wish I would have caught on somehow.”

“Yeah, well, he managed to keep that secret from everyone. Don’t feel bad.”

When I look back over at Lincoln and Lucy, I’m surprised to find Francine there too.

I regard Patrick with a tilt of my head. “When did Francine get here?”

He turns to look at where my eyes are focused. “Right after you went into the woods,” he says. “She was worried sick about Lucy. I didn’t know she was in the dark about everything. I might have said too much.”

I cringe, knowing what that means. “What did you tell her?”

He shrugs. “Everything, I think.”

My eyes widen incredulously on him.

“I didn’t have a choice,” he says, defensively. “She didn’t understand all the fuss. Now that she knows, she’s probably beating herself up for leaving Lucy with a madwoman.”

“Probably, but everyone is safe now. That’s what we should be focusing on.” I assess the warm embrace Lincoln has Francine in and I know whatever guilt she feels won’t last long. Lincoln won’t allow it. Besides, Francine was left in the dark for a reason. It’s not her fault. Not one bit.

“Daddy, look!”

Lucy’s excitement is so infectious, we all look in the direction of her focus. She holds out her little hand and a firefly lands on her finger, lighting up her soft pink skin.

“Oh wow, Lucy. That’s good luck.”

She squeals when the firefly’s abdomen flashes. “It twinkles,” she says through her giggle.

Lincoln’s smile is the biggest I’ve ever seen as he kisses Lucy’s sweet head. “Make a wish, Goose. Maybe your firefly will make it come true.”

Lucy squeezes her eyes shut so tight and then blows on her finger, so hard the firefly instantly flies away. When she opens her eyes, it’s gone, and her grin gets even bigger. “He took my wish away.” Lucy turns to look at me and then back to her dad. “Will it come true now? Will you and Evie get married, Daddy?” She tilts her head like she’s trying to reason with him. “Then Evie can be my Mommy and you can be my Daddy.”

My heart jolts into my throat before it beats a million miles an hour in my chest. As much as I’m expecting Lincoln to reject the sentiment altogether, he looks at me instead and winks, then he leans down to whisper something in Lucy’s ear. Whatever that something is makes her smile so bright that her cheeks flush with a different kind of happiness—one that tells me he’s just made one of her fairytales come true.

He ignores my glare, and instead turns back to look at the fireflies with Lucy.

“Hey, Lucy. Do you know who else loved fireflies so much?”

My breath catches in my throat. Meanwhile, Francine’s eyes begin to glisten, and I know it’s because this news is nearly as new to her as it is to Lucy.

“Who?” Lucy’s giant eyes show her innocent curiosity.

Lincoln smiles. “Your aunt Carley, Daddy’s sister.”

Lucy’s little gasp squeezes my heart.

“You have a sister? Have I met her?”

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