Three weeks transformed the small apartment in ways Edward hadn’t anticipated. Curtains now framed the windows, a colorful rug warmed the living room, and carefully tended plants occupied the sills. But the most remarkable change was in Lily and Martha themselves. Lily had put on weight, her previously hollow cheeks now rounded, her eyes brighter. With proper nutrition and regular meals, she was blossoming.
Enrolled in the nearby elementary school, she quickly impressed her teachers with her intelligence and eagerness to learn, despite the gaps in her education from years of transient living. Martha, too, seemed transformed, the constant tension in her posture slowly easing as their precarious existence stabilized. While still fiercely independent, she accepted Edward’s help with an increasing grace, particularly regarding Lily’s education and health care.
Today, Edward arrived at their apartment with a backpack full of astronomy books—Lily’s passion—and a bag of pastries from a local bakery. Martha answered his knock, wearing an apron over neatly pressed clothes.
“Good morning, Mr. Harrison,” she greeted him, stepping aside to let him in. Over the weeks, their relationship had evolved into a tentative mutual respect, though Martha maintained a cautious formality that Edward had yet to bridge.
“Mrs. Miller,” he nodded, handing her the bag. “Croissants from the café. I thought they might be a nice breakfast treat.”
“How thoughtful,” Martha said, accepting the offering. “Lily will be thrilled; she’s just finishing up a science project.”
Edward followed Martha to the small dining table where Lily sat surrounded by construction paper, scissors, and glue, constructing a model of the solar system. She looked up at his entrance, her face breaking into an unguarded smile that made his heart squeeze.
“Ed, look what I’m making for the science fair!” she exclaimed, holding up a partially completed model. “Mrs. Parker says I might win a ribbon if I get all the distances between the planets to scale.”
“It looks fantastic,” Edward said, setting the backpack on an empty chair. “And I brought something that might help. Some astronomy books. I thought you might like them.”
Lily’s eyes widened as she pulled out the volumes, particularly a large atlas of the night sky with detailed constellation maps. “These are amazing,” she breathed, running her fingers over the glossy pages. “Thank you!”
Martha watched the interaction with a complex expression. Part gratitude, part weariness. “Lily, why don’t you go wash up while I set the table for breakfast? You can show Ed your project afterward.”
Once Lily was out of the room, Martha turned to Edward. “You’re very generous with her,” she observed. “The tutoring, the books, the doctor visits. I worry about what happens when your curiosity is satisfied.”
Edward met her gaze directly. “It’s not about curiosity, Mrs. Miller. Regardless of who Lily is, she deserves every chance to thrive. That doesn’t change.”
Martha nodded slowly, seemingly satisfied with his answer. “She’s having those dreams again,” she said quietly. “About water filling a car… people calling for help.”
Edward’s breath hitched. “She’s always had them. Ever since I found her,” Martha admitted. “But they’ve been more frequent since we met you. Last night, she woke up calling for someone named ‘Dad’ before she was fully awake.”
Before Edward could respond, Lily returned, and Martha smoothly changed the subject, serving breakfast and asking about the science project. Edward participated in the conversation mechanically, his mind racing with the implications of what Martha had revealed.
After breakfast, his phone buzzed with a message from Detective Brennan. “Need to speak with you. New developments in your case. Office at 2:00 PM.”
“I’m afraid I have to cut our visit short,” Edward apologized. “A work matter that can’t wait. But I’ll be back for dinner as planned, if that’s still okay.”
Martha nodded. “We’ll be expecting you at six. Lily’s been looking forward to showing you her first math test results.”
Outside in his car, Edward called Martin. “I need you to meet me at the police station. Brennan has new info on the kidnapping.”
Hours later, Edward sat across from Detective Brennan in a stark interview room. Martin was beside him as both attorney and friend. Brennan pushed a folder across the table.
“We found the warehouse where they held you,” Brennan began without preamble. “Industrial district. Forensics found evidence tying you to the location, including fibers from the suit you were wearing when you were found.”
Edward opened the folder to see photos of a grimy concrete floor, walls with peeling paint, and a metal chair with straps still attached. Fragmented memories surfaced: the smell of machine oil, voices arguing in the next room, the sound of rain on a metal roof.
“Any suspects?” Martin asked.
Brennan’s expression tightened. “We found fingerprints belonging to a James Mercer, a former security contractor for Harrison Tech. He’s disappeared, but his last known location was a budget motel where we found this.”
He pushed another photo forward. It showed a button from a custom-tailored suit, engraved with the logo of an exclusive tailor in the city.
“That’s Robert’s tailor,” Edward said immediately. “He gets all his suits made there. Every button has that engraving.”
“We thought so,” Brennan nodded. “Financial records show Mercer received a wire transfer for fifty thousand dollars from an offshore account three days before your kidnapping. We’re still tracing it, but preliminary data suggests it’s linked to Sterling.”
“Is it enough for an arrest?” Edward asked, hope beginning to rise.
“Not yet,” Brennan admitted. “We need more concrete evidence linking Sterling directly to the kidnapping. The button and the wire transfer are circumstantial. We’re working on flipping Mercer once we find him.”
As they left the station, Martin turned to Edward. “This is good news. They’re building a solid case. It’s only a matter of time.”
Edward nodded absently, his thoughts already returning to Martha’s revelation about Lily’s dreams. “I need to make a stop before dinner with Lily and Martha,” he said. “Can you drive me to the bridge?”
