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Lida looks ata wide smile “I knew she’d remember me”

I s I’ve ever done init

“The ently and inch another foot closer “It transcends everything, doesn’t it?”

Lida stares at oes back to Charlie “I just wanted to see her If you’d only let me see her, none of this would have happened”

My knees wobble and aluilt sla to do was keep her away Did my hard-ass stance drive Lida to do this?

“You know I had no choice,” she says quietly before regarding ain Her voice is calm and her words come out as ifht that perhaps we could be a faht with her out of the way you’d let me back in”

I don’t say a word to her becauseready to erupt I’ the motive to her crimes to me

She rimaces when she says, “Except Lucy walked in on it and saw me there I knew then my plan wouldn’t work That I’d have no choice but to just take Charlie”

“You can’t just take her away fro to my tone “I love her and I think you know that And Lida…I don’t think you ever wanted to hurt me in all this”

“No,” she agrees and runs a finger along Charlie’s cheek “I didn’t want to hurt you You’re a good dad I knew you would be”

My breath catches when she bends to kiss Charlie and then walks up to me without any hesitation I have to control hter away from her

Air fills s as she places Charlie in inning?”

“Yes,” I say, wondering how I’hter that her ardless of that, I do believe Lida loves her “Of course I’ll tell her”

“I’end,” she says with a watery smile “And I’m tired of all this”

Her voice is that of a child’s and for a moment, I have true e to keep her locked away for a long ti her Surely that has to do with a mental illness because sane people don’t kidnap babies and shoot people