Page 38 of Question Everything

He looked up, his eyes boring into her own. “You remembered something? That’s great. What is it?”

“That nightmare, I don’t think it was just a random bad dream. I think it really happened. I think the men I saw in the dream are the men who you saw on the street. And I don’t think they’re here for me. I think they’re here for Daisy.”

“Daisy? Who’s Daisy?”

She turned her head slightly to look at her daughter. “You’ve been calling her Sarah, but her real name is Daisy.”

He pushed himself back from the counter, stood up and began pacing around the kitchen.

“That can’t be. You have papers that prove otherwise.”

“We know they’re fake, Kyle, so they’re useless. I can’t remember anything else, but I know what I know. My daughter’s name is Daisy.”

“Those are damn good fakes, Mia.”

“I wish I knew how I got them, but for now, all I am sure of is that those two men have been on my trail for a while. I don’t know where that hotel was, the one in the dream, but it felt awfully real to me. Could they have something to do with my accident?”

She watched as he ran his hand through his hair, clearly thinking about what she’d just told him. Then he looked at her again.

“We already know you’re not Mia Sawyer. I guess it stands to reason that your daughter’s name has been changed as well.”

“Why can I remember Daisy’s name but not my own?”

“I wish I could answer that for you, Mia. But for now, you’ve given us something to go on. If you’ve remembered correctly, maybe I can find a clue about a baby with that name on the police database. It’s not so common a name, there can’t be that many missing children named Daisy. Something might turn up.”

Mia nodded her head and then wrapped her arms around her body, suddenly feeling chilled to the bone. “I don’t know what I’m hoping for here, Kyle. That you find her or that you don’t.”

He came over to where she sat and lifted her off the stool to her feet and put his arms around her.

“Listen to me, Mia. We’re going to figure out who you are and why you’re here. I promise.”

“But when we do, what will happen to us?” She felt a familiar panic begin to rise into her chest.

“Nothing, if I have anything to say about it. I think we both know that we’re in deep now. I’m not letting you go without a fight.”

She felt herself begin to spiral out of control with fear. “Kyle, it’s not that easy. Daisy has a father. He’s out there somewhere. What if…”

He lifted a finger to her lips and then replaced it with a soft kiss. “I don’t know who Daisy’s father is, or if he’s even out there, but this I do know. If you were mine, I’d never have lost sight of you in the first place. I have to believe that whoever he is, he’s not in the picture at all.”

“I wish I felt as confident about that as you,” she replied, now standing on her tiptoes to kiss him back, feeling stronger withthe contact, the warm, woodsy scent of him reassuring. She drew in a deep breath. “I appreciate it, though. I really do. You have a sneaky way of making me feel better.”

“Mia. It’s you who’s sneaky. I never expected this,” he motioned to the tight space between them. “That morning of the accident, I just acted on instinct. I didn’t think that I’d bring the victim into my home, my family. I didn’t know that I’d find you.”

“I’m the lucky one, Kyle. I could have been trapped in my car for God knows how long if you hadn’t been there. And what would I have done after the hospital released me? I had no idea just how shaky I would be that first week. If it hadn’t been for you, I don’t know what might have happened to me, or to Daisy.”

“I think the universe had a plan for us, Mia. We were supposed to meet.”

“Maybe. Or maybe I’m just the luckiest woman on earth. I’m here with you in this little cocoon you’ve created for us. I just wish I had more answers.”

She could feel his strength in the embrace they shared. It would have to be enough for now.

“I’m going to put the baby down for a nap. I’ll catch up with you in a bit,” she said, stepping back and immediately feeling the loss of his arms wrapped tightly around her.

“After I load the dishwasher, I’ll be in the office. I’m going to see if I can find anything about a missing baby named Daisy.”

“Okay,” she said, lifting the child up and balancing her on one hip. As she made her way up the staircase, Mia was left with one very unsettling thought.Whatever he finds, I hope that he doesn’t think less of me for taking my daughter away from her father. I must have had a good reason. Right?

CHAPTER 21

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