The Photograph That Brought Her Back

Chapter 2: The House by the River

Lucien Laurent did not smile when he saw Gabriel.

That alone made Gabriel uneasy. Lucien always smiled. At funerals, at dinners, during arguments, even when delivering bad news. His charm softened everything sharp in the world.

But now his expression had gone still.

Gabriel rose quickly. "Lila, stay behind me."

The girl obeyed at once, pressing herself against his coat as Lucien approached, his black cane clicking against the stone.

"Gabriel," Lucien said lightly, though his gaze went straight to the child. "I did not expect to find you here."

"I could say the same."

Lucien's eyes settled on the photograph in Gabriel's hand. "You dropped something important."

Before Gabriel could answer, Lila clutched his sleeve and whispered, "He comes sometimes."

Gabriel turned sharply. "To see your mother?"

Lila nodded once.

Lucien's face changed by the smallest degree. Anyone else would have missed it. Gabriel did not.

"What exactly is this?" Lucien asked.

"I was about to ask you that," Gabriel said. "This child says Isabelle is alive."

Lucien looked almost startled.

Then the mask returned.

"Children say strange things," he replied. "And grief makes men hear what they want."

"She recognized Isabelle from a photograph."

Lucien glanced down at Lila. "Did she?"

The girl's fingers dug into Gabriel's sleeve. She was trembling.

"Come," Lucien said quietly. "Where is your mother today?"

Lila buried her face against Gabriel's arm.

Something inside Gabriel hardened.

"You're not asking her another question," he said. "You will answer mine first. Why do you know this child?"

Lucien's smile returned, thin and cold. "Because I make it my business to know what threatens this family."

Gabriel stared at him.

Lucien lowered his voice. "If you care for your peace, walk away now."

That was answer enough.

Gabriel took Lila's hand. "Take me to your mother."

Lila looked up, uncertain.

"Can I trust you?" she whispered.

"Yes."

Lucien laughed softly behind them. "If you take one more step, Gabriel, you will regret what you find."

Gabriel did not stop. Lila led him through narrow streets toward the river quarter, past shuttered bakeries, damp courtyards, and leaning buildings. At last, they stopped before a faded boarding house with cracked blue shutters.

"This is where we stay," Lila said.

They climbed to the third floor.

The room was small but neat. A bed, a stove, two chipped mugs, a folded blanket. On the windowsill sat a vase with one dying wildflower. Everything about it struck Gabriel hard because it looked like Isabelle's quiet effort to make poverty dignified.

But Isabelle was not there.

The bed was still warm.

On the pillow lay a note.

Gabriel unfolded it with shaking hands.

If Lucien finds her, do not let him take Lila to Harrow House.

Gabriel read the line twice.

"Lila," he said carefully, "where is your mother now?"

The child looked toward the window, eyes filling with tears.

"He took her this morning," she whispered. "Mama told me if she didn't come back by noon, I had to find the man in the picture."