Page 62 of Harrison Hyde and the Runaway Bride

She found the coffee mugs and took down three.

Harry put a tart onto each of three dessert plates, and said, “Three tarts coming up.”

“Four,” his father called back. “You’re not my only guests.”

The two of them turned slowly.

The twenty-something woman with the platinum blond curls who stood beside Hyram, giving a finger wave, could only have been…

“Lily!” Harry dropped the plates onto the counter and was hugging her in two strides. “God, Lily, you don’t know how scared I’ve been.”

“I know. I’m sorry. I wasn’t sure if it was safe to call.” She broke the hug and clasped her brother’s shoulders, smiling into his face, and then finally, she looked past him at her.

Maria smiled into sky-blue eyes just like Harry’s. In person, the girl was the mirror image of the photo that had been hanging in Harry’s car, the one of their mother.

“Hi, Lily.”

“Maria!” Lily went in for a hug and said, “So good to finally meet you.”

“What happened?” Harry was asking. “Why are you ignoring your phone and hiding out at Dad’s?”

“Tarts, first.” His father hadn’t even got up. He was still sitting in a worn-out recliner.

“I’ve got this,” Maria said. She headed back to the kitchen for one more cup and one more plate, filled them and delivered all four of each, using the baking sheet as a tray.

“Resourceful,” Hyram said.

Since he was in his easy chair and Lily had taken the rocker, Maria had to sit beside Harry on the brown, microfiber sofa.

Everywhere, there were photos of them as a family, at every stage of life, with their mom, brilliant smile, sky-blue eyes, and fine, silver-blond hair falling in long waves. She was beautiful in every shot, at every age. She nearly always had one, skinny, beaded braid in her hair. Her face was makeup-free. She was always smiling. She seemed like the embodiment of light.

“So, Lily,” Harry said. “Tell me what’s going on?”

His sister nodded, sipped her coffee, and began. “I kept seeing this car, parked outside the apartment. Never in the same spot, but my place seemed to be the focal point. And then one night, this guy got out and came to the door. Rang the bell, smiled right into the ring cam. I called the police. They got there in under two minutes, but myvisitortook off, soon as he saw the squad car turn onto my road. Knowing about Solomon, and that Carrie was missing, I thought I should get out of there.”

Hyram picked up the tale from there. “She drove her car to the bus station parking garage, took an Uber here. And nobody is any the wiser.Youdidn’t even know, until now.”

“I think we should keep it that way,” Harry said.

“I agree,” his father said. “Did you noticemylittle ruse on the way in?”

Harry frowned. “What little ruse?”

“The road signs. I switched about six of them. You know, just in case. How did you not notice?”

“I know the way by heart, never look at them,” Harry said.

“Well, the bad guys will. Ha!” Hyram slapped his knee, laughing. Then he started coughing again.

Harry’s face went serious. “What’s going on with the cough, Dad? I know you know. You have a prescription for it in the kitchen.”

“Ahh.” He waved a dismissive hand. “Same as always, just my asthma acting up.”

“COPD,” Lily said.

And her father’s eyes went wide. “How do you—? What did you?—?”

“I’m an RN now,” she said. “And I can read labels. How long have you known?”

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