Chapter 1 - The Name on the Highway
Nine-year-old Lily Warren had never seen so much blood.
It ran from the gray-haired biker’s temple and disappeared beneath the collar of his black leather vest.
His motorcycle lay twisted near Highway 17 outside Santa Rosa, metal ticking as it cooled.
Lily’s knees dug into gravel while she pressed her purple hoodie against his head.
“Stay with me, mister.”
The biker opened one blue eye.
“You should go.”
“No.”
“Kid…”
“I said no.”
His mouth almost smiled.
Then an engine roared.
Lily looked up.
A black SUV came around the bend much too fast.
The biker saw it too.
Something changed in his face.
He grabbed Lily.
“DOWN!”
Despite his injuries, he yanked her behind the wrecked motorcycle.
The SUV screamed to a stop only feet away.
Lily cried out.
A man in an expensive dark suit stepped from the driver’s side.
Forties.
Perfect hair.
Not even breathing hard.
The biker slowly pushed himself upright.
“David.”
So they knew each other.
David looked at the cracked phone lying beside the motorcycle.
He deliberately kicked it into the ditch.
Then he looked at Lily.
“Move, Jack.”
Jack shifted in front of her.
“What do you want?”
David smiled.
“We only need the girl.”
Lily gripped the back of Jack’s vest.
Jack’s voice dropped.
“No.”
David stepped closer.
Jack shoved him away.
Even injured, the biker was frightening.
“Touch her and you go through me.”
David stumbled.
Then laughed.
He looked at Lily.
“She really never told you?”
Jack froze.
“Told her what?”
David ignored him.
“Elizabeth.”
Lily turned instinctively.
Every adult went silent.
Jack stared at her.
“Why did you turn?”
Her face went pale.
“That was my name before Mom changed it.”
Jack looked as though someone had punched him.
David smiled.
“Now ask Jack why your mother spent nine years hiding you from him.”
Jack seized David’s jacket.
“WHO IS SHE?”
David’s calm finally cracked.
“Your daughter survived.”
Jack released him.
His hands began shaking.
Lily backed away.
“No.”
David leaned closer.
“But Jack…”
His smile disappeared.
“…you weren’t the father they were hiding her from.”
A second SUV rounded the bend.
Black.
Older.
No license plate on the front.
Jack saw the driver through the windshield.
Every bit of color left his face.
“Lily.”
“What?”
“Run.”
The SUV stopped.
The rear door opened.
A silver-haired woman stepped out.
Jack whispered:
“Marianne.”
Lily looked between them.
The woman stared directly at her.
Then she began to cry.
May you like
“Elizabeth.”
And Lily realized this stranger knew the name her mother had forbidden anyone to use.
