Chapter 3 - The Missing Photograph
The silence in the bedroom grew so heavy that Grant could hear his own heart beating.
"Are you absolutely certain about this?" Grant asked, his grip tightening slightly on her wrist.
"I saw this exact chemical burn pattern once during my clinical rotations," Hannah explained rapidly.
"It paralyzes the optic nerve temporarily, creating the perfect illusion of permanent blindness."
Grant released her arm as the horrifying reality of her words washed over him.
Vernon Hale, the man who had held his hand after the explosion, was actively blinding him every single week.
"If he stops giving you those specific drops, your vision will naturally start to return within a few days," Hannah whispered.
"I need proof of what he is using," Grant stated, his mind instantly shifting into the ruthless tactics of a mob boss.
"I managed to steal the discarded glass vial from the doctor's medical bag before he left the house," she confessed.
Grant smiled in the dark, deeply impressed by the bravery of his quiet housekeeper.
"You took a massive risk doing that, Hannah."
"I am a mother, Mr. Mercer, and I know what it looks like when someone targets a vulnerable person."
Suddenly, the soft, quick pitter-patter of tiny feet echoed in the quiet hallway outside.
"Mommy?" a small, sleepy voice called out through the slightly open bedroom door.
Hannah rushed to the door, pulling three-year-old Lucy into her arms.
"I told you to stay in our room, baby," Hannah scolded gently.
"I was looking for you, but I found a shiny paper on the floor downstairs," Lucy mumbled.
Grant heard the sound of a stiff piece of paper being handed over.
"Where exactly did you find this, Lucy?" Hannah asked, her voice dropping to a shocked whisper.
"It fell out of the doctor man's big coat in the hallway," the toddler answered proudly.
"What is it?" Grant demanded, stepping toward the sound of their voices.
"It is a photograph of a woman with blonde hair and green eyes," Hannah said, examining the picture.
Grant felt the air leave his lungs.
"Does she have a small, crescent-shaped scar above her left eyebrow?" Grant asked numbly.
"Yes, she does," Hannah confirmed, sounding confused.
It was a picture of Grant's deceased wife, Caroline.
"There is something written on the back," Hannah added slowly.
May you like
She paused, as if terrified to read the words out loud to him.
"It says, 'She should have been mine, and now he will never see again.'"
