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"I get it, babe. I do. But..." I inhale for four, hold, exhale for four. "Shit. I can’t sit here and do nothing."
There is silence on the other end, and I fight the urge to hang up and drive to the airport.
"What was the memory about?" I grit out the question in an attempt to distract myself from the other topic.
"I saw Payton."
Huh?
"What do you mean?" George appears just as confused.
There is rustling on the other end before Lilly speaks. "Here. I found this picture of Brooks and me in his albums. It's the day he gave me Bobo."
"Can someone please switch this damn call to video?" I don’t mean to growl into the device, but I can’t help it. Frustration is making my jaw clench.
"Oh! Yes, hold on." An incoming video call from Lilly's phone pops up, and I accept, disconnecting George's number. Her face fills the screen, and I take in her disheveled appearance.
She’s fine, my ass.
I bite my tongue. I'm sick of fighting, but there will be some conversations when we're in the same time zone again.
"Show me the damn photo, Calla," I order. My ability to communicate calmly left sometime between Lilly screaming and passing out and the understanding settling in that there might be something seriously wrong with her.
The screen tilts, and a photo of a young Lilly and a blond man comes into focus. It's the first time I'm seeing Lilly's biological father. The similarities between him and his children are instantly visible. Nate and Lilly have the same light hair and similar complexion, though Lilly is on the fairer side. Since the picture was taken with a frontal view of Brooks, Lilly partially from the side and back, his hazel eyes catch my attention immediately. He is holding the teddy bear I remember Lilly dragging everywhere for years.
Lilly comes back into view. "It’s Bobo, isn’t it?"
"Yes."
"How does Payton fit into this?" George inserts in a tone I can’t interpret.
Lilly takes in a deep breath. "I'm not sure if it was the same day. I think it was, though, because I was holding the bear, and Brooks was by my side. The more I think of it...it has to have been." She holds the picture up again. "He is wearing the same clothes. I turned toward Emily, showing her the bear, when I noticed a woman in the distance. She was partially hidden behind a tree, watching us. I've seen enough pictures of her. It was Payton."
Lilly's gaze flicks between her bodyguard and me. "That has to mean that she knew about me, right?"
"Do you remember anything else?" George probes.
She hangs her head, defeated. "No."
"Where is Nate?" I ask, suddenly wondering why no one informed him of his sister’s findings or losing consciousness.
"He’s at the vineyard with Margot and Julian," Lilly elaborates. "He’ll be back later tonight."
Rustling indicates George has gotten up off the ground. "I will give him a call. He needs to know what happened."
"Can that wait until he’s back?" Her eyes are begging the man I can’t see.
"No," is his last word before fading steps come through the speaker.
We sit in silence, and I watch her stare somewhere past the camera. When her gaze settles back on me, she whispers, "I wish you were here."
My heart breaks. "Give me the address, and I'm there by tomorrow." I would be.
She sighs. "I can’t. We can’t risk tipping Turner off."
"Do you really think that dude won't find you? Or do something to flush you out? It's clear that he has an agenda. You running away will not stop him!" All restrain breaks, and I can't stop myself. "And since we're already on the topic. What's going on with finding your answers? It seems like you only have more questions. Should I assume you'll hide in La La Land indefinitely?"
Lilly's eyes grow wider the more words leave my stupid trap. By the time I'm done, I'm breathing heavily again, and tears run down her cheeks.
