Page 162 of Trouble Comes in Threes

He looked dubious. “Are you sure? You were held at gunpoint, shot at, and nearly choked to death.”

“Just a day in the life of the Lady in Black,” I quipped before I could think better of it.

“That’s what I’m afraid of,” he said. “What about your visions of the woman being murdered? Have you had any more?”

“Actually, about that… I have something to tell you,” I said softly. “I think I know who was murdered in the vision.”

His eyes widened. “How? Did Clive tell you?”

“No. Aunt Bessie helped me figure it out.” I paused. “You know how my grandmother had visions like me? Apparently, she had two visions when she wasn’t with the person she had the vision of, which means it’s possible for me to have visions if I’m not with the person. But there’s a catch.”

“And that is?” he prompted.

“When Grandma Gardner had the visions, they were of her sister. And both times, her sister was in danger.”

Joe looked confused. “But that doesn’t make sense. Violet is dead.”

I bit my bottom lip, then said, “Aunt Bessie thinks I have a half-sister.” I told him what she’d said about my father’s fling and how the woman had threatened to put the baby up for adoption if he refused to pay her.

“And he didn’t pay her?” Joe asked quietly.

“Aunt Bessie is sure that he didn’t.”

“So you have a half-sister somewhere?”

“Possibly in Texas.”

We were quiet for several seconds before Joe asked, “Do you want to try to find her?”

“I’d like to, but I don’t have any clue how to do it. All Aunt Bessie knows is the mother’s first name—Stacy—no last, and that she sent the letter from Austin.” I looked up at him. “I was thinking about doing one of the DNA kits to see if she’s done one too.”

He was quiet for a moment, a serious expression covering his face as he nodded. “Good place to start.”

“But I can’t help thinking about Hope. So maybe I shouldn’t do it.”

He turned to look me in the eye.

“If Hope does it someday…”

He drew in a deep breath, then released it. “No sense borrowing trouble. We’ll have to tell her eventually. We don’t want her to find out on her own.”

“You’re her father, Joe,” I insisted.

A soft smile lifted his lips, but sadness filled his eyes. “In every possible way that matters, I am and always be, but not in the way she was conceived. I made my peace with that before she was born. Hope is my daughter, and the fact that she doesn’t carry half my DNA will never change that.”

Tears stung my eyes, and I nodded.

“Hey,” he said gently as he cupped my cheek and gazed into my eyes. “I wouldn’t change a thing. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have her. And I can’t imagine life without her. She’s a gift, Rose. We’re damned lucky.”

I nodded. “Yeah.”

“But we do need to talk a little about your past.” He waited a beat. “The Lady in Black name has been bandied about in the criminal world for the past couple of weeks. And I’m not just talking about Clive Maxwell knowing your identity.”

My blood ran cold. “What does that mean?”

“People have been talking about her.”

I shook my head. “In reference to what? The past or something current?”

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