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Hannah laughed, which turned into a cough, reminding Lillian her sister was still recovering. “Of course, he agreed. He likes you. A whole heck of a lot.”
Lillian pulled a chair next to the bed and sat, eyeing the ball of yarn and knitting needles. “Don’t go getting any harebrained ideas. I only met him yesterday, and it’s dangerous my being here. Did you decide what you’re making?”
Hannah grinned, and to Lillian, the sight was worth all the worry and fear she’d experienced since returning to Cleveland.
“Socks—you can never have enough…” She wove the needle through the yarn. “Plus, they make great gifts.”
Lillian cleared her throat, hating to break the light-hearted moment. “I’m leaving first thing tomorrow morning.”
Her dad lowered his voice. “Does he know?”
She shook her head. “I didn’t tell him anything. But he’s a smart man. He suspects something’s wrong with me.”
“You’re worried they’re on to you,” Hannah whispered. “What happened?”
Lillian folded her hands in her lap. She didn’t want to alarm her family, but she’d told enough lies for today. She kept her voice soft. “Dad, have you been calling the nurses multiple times to ask after Hannah?”
Her father shot her a puzzled frown. “No, I’ve been here. Why?”
“Did you send the nurses flowers?”
“No, but that’s not a bad idea.”
“Too late. Someone else already thought of it. They signed the card from you.”
The puzzled look on her dad’s face morphed into alarm.
“There’s more. This afternoon, someone tried to break into Tristan’s home. They weren’t successful. He thinks we scared them off when we pulled in.”
Hannah’s face lost color. “Did Tristan call the cops?”
“No, he called his security firm. They told him his video camera malfunctioned.”
“There’s more, though, isn’t there?” Hannah reached for Lillian’s hand and squeezed it between her palms. Her sister’s empathic gift clued her in on Lillian’s emotions before she could relay the rest of the details.
“While we were there, Kinetica’s CEO showed up. I suspect Tristan is considering a large investment in the company, hoping they can develop a cure for his mom’s disease—a disease he worries he may have inherited.”
Hannah raised her eyebrows. “I thought he was a burner?”
“He is. He won’t develop Huntington’s. But I can’t tell him that. He’s already suspicious of me, and he wouldn’t understand.”
“Did the CEO recognize you?” her dad asked, his dear face creased in alarm.
Lillian shook her head. “He didn’t seem to, but unfortunately, his presence caught me off-guard, and Tristan told him I’m a nurse, which piqued his interest. And it’s too much of a coincidence for me to stay and jeopardize everyone’s safety. It breaks my heart to leave you both again, but I booked an early morning flight to Boston.”
“So this is goodbye?” her dad asked, his expression grim.
Lillian nodded, afraid to speak.
“Are you sure you have to go so soon?” Hannah sniffed, her eyes glittering with unshed tears.
“Yes, Mom warned us what would happen if they catch me. How they’ll force me to kill innocent people to perform their ‘tests.’ How they’ll torture me until I agree. As long as I stay hidden, they won’t find me, and you’ll all be safe.”
“But they haven’t found you for two years. Are you sure you have to keep hiding?”
“They haven’t found me because I’ve kept a low profile. I don’t work unless I’m paid under the table, and I use the cash I earn and what Dad sends to pay the bills. No credit cards or bank accounts mean no paper trails. But now Kinetica’s looking at your medical records; they must suspect I’m still alive. Your turnaround is the evidence they’re looking for. I’ve run out of time.”
“Tristan has the resources to keep you safe. And he has feelings for you.” Hannah’s big brown eyes radiated worry.
