The Most Feared Woman in Prison Tried to Humiliate a Quiet New Inmate—Until She Whispered One Name That Changed Everything

"Nora, listen carefully. What did he look like?" Lucie asked.

"Tall. Dark coat. He didn't come close. He left the envelope with my teacher."

Lucie's heart hammered. "Did you see his face?"

"No. But he knew the song Uncle Tommy used to sing to me."

Rachel came onto the phone. "I've reported it to the school. We're staying with my cousin tonight. There's no address in the envelope, just a picture and a number."

"Don't tell anyone that number," Lucie said. "Give it to Mara Finch. Only Mara."

Mercer appeared at the end of the hall and made a cutting motion across his throat. The guard ended the call.

Back in her cell, Lucie stared at the wall until Valérie spoke from below.

"Thomas had a habit of making people think he was dead."

"You told me he burned."

"I told you the warehouse burned. They found his watch near the body. The dental records said it was him. I never saw his face."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because hope can be another way to hurt somebody."

Lucie fought the urge to shake her. "You don't get to choose what I can bear."

Valérie sat up. "You're right."

It was the first apology Lucie had heard without excuses.

Valérie pulled the photograph of her son from beneath her pillow. He was seventeen in the picture, wearing a crooked graduation cap.

"Nico is twenty-four now. He thinks I'm a monster. He isn't wrong. Mercer sends him pictures every month to remind me how close his people can get. Last winter, Nico broke a man's jaw trying to protect a friend. Mercer arranged to have the charges disappear. Now my boy owes him."

"Tell me where Nico is. Mara can help."