Chapter 7: The Baby Margaret Took
"That's my son!""
Vanessa's scream cut through the terminal.
She rushed toward the officer, nearly knocking over a chair.
"Where is that photograph? Let me see!""
The officer held up his phone.
"Ma'am, please calm down.""
"That's my baby! Where is Margaret taking him?""
Michael stepped forward.
"Vanessa, you said Margaret gave you medical documents. Now you're telling us she's with your child. I think it's time you explained everything.""
Vanessa's face crumpled.
"She was supposed to be watching him.""
"Watching him where?"" I asked.
Vanessa looked at me.
"At my house.""
Michael's jaw tightened.
"Your house? The one you claimed you hadn't visited in six months?""
She lowered her head.
"I didn't have anywhere else to go.""
Michael laughed without humor.
"You had a husband, Vanessa. You had a home. You had every opportunity to tell me the truth.""
"Don't pretend you were perfect!""
"Did I forge Tyler's medical records? Did I steal passenger refunds?""
Vanessa looked away.
Rachel closed her laptop.
"We need to establish the child's immediate safety. Officer, please contact the appropriate authorities and verify the baby's location.""
The officer nodded and walked away to make a call.
I looked at the photograph again.
The baby appeared to be around six months old.
He had a small patch of dark hair and wore a yellow knitted blanket.
"Why is Margaret holding him?"" I asked.
Vanessa wiped her cheeks.
"Because she said she could help me.""
"Help you do what?""
Vanessa hesitated.
Then she looked at Tyler.
"She said she could arrange everything. The money, the trust, the guardianship.""
Tyler shook his head.
"Why would my mother need your baby?""
Vanessa stared at him.
"Because she wanted everyone to believe you had another child.""
I frowned.
"What?""
Vanessa took a shaky breath.
"She told me that if Tyler died, the inheritance would go to his biological children. But if there were questions about the identity of a child, or competing claims, the trust could be frozen.""
Rachel looked up sharply.
"Are you saying the birth certificate was fabricated?""
Vanessa nodded.
"Yes.""
Tyler grabbed the edge of the table.
"Then why is my name on it?""
"Because Margaret arranged it.""
The terminal seemed to grow colder.
Vanessa continued.
"She told me that putting your name on the certificate would make you look like a father who had secretly abandoned another child. If the truth came out, your marriage would collapse. Your wife would leave you, and Margaret would have more control over the situation.""
I looked at her.
"Did you know she was doing this to me?""
Vanessa hesitated.
"At first, no.""
"And later?""
She lowered her eyes.
"Later, I didn't care.""
The honesty of that answer hurt more than another lie.
Michael turned away.
"You're going to tell the investigators everything.""
Vanessa nodded weakly.
Then her phone rang.
She looked at the screen and began shaking.
Margaret.
Michael held out his hand.
"Answer it.""
Vanessa shook her head.
"She'll know.""
"Answer it.""
Vanessa pressed the green button and placed the call on speaker.
"Hello?""
Margaret's voice sounded irritated.
"Where are you?""
Vanessa swallowed.
"With Michael.""
A pause.
Then Margaret said, "I told you not to involve him.""
"I didn't have a choice.""
"Where is Tyler?""
Tyler leaned toward the phone.
"Right here, Mom.""
Silence.
Then Margaret sighed.
"Tyler, darling. You've made a terrible mistake.""
He laughed bitterly.
"You tried to poison me!""
"Don't be ridiculous.""
"We found the medical records!""
"Those records prove nothing.""
Tyler's voice cracked.
"Why did you want me dead?""
Margaret's tone changed.
"Because your father made a mistake.""
"What mistake?""
"He gave everything to you. Eighteen million dollars, the house, the investments. And then he gave you a wife he barely knew and two children who would inherit everything.""
I stared at the phone.
Margaret continued.
"I spent thirty years building that family fortune. I wasn't going to let some girl from nowhere take it away from me.""
Tyler closed his eyes.
"So you planned to have me killed?""
"I planned to protect what belonged to this family.""
Michael stepped closer.
"Margaret, this conversation is being recorded.""
She laughed.
"Michael, you should worry about your own marriage.""
Then her voice became softer.
"Tyler, come home. We can still fix this.""
Tyler shook his head.
"There is nothing to fix.""
Margaret's next words made my stomach turn.
"Then I suppose Emily will have to learn what happens when someone stands between me and my grandchildren.""
The call ended.
Nobody spoke.
Then Rachel's phone rang.
She answered, listened, and slowly stood.
"What?"" Michael asked.
Rachel covered the microphone.
"The police have located the vehicle.""
"Where?""
"At a private airfield outside Miami.""
I looked at the photograph.
Margaret was holding Vanessa's baby.
My daughters were in my arms.
And suddenly I understood.
"She's leaving the country," I whispered.
Rachel nodded.
"Possibly.""
Michael turned toward the officers.
"Then we need to act immediately.""
But before anyone could move, Vanessa grabbed my arm.
"Emily, there's something you don't know.""
I looked at her.
She leaned closer and whispered:
"Margaret didn't just arrange the travel documents for your twins.""
May you like
Her eyes filled with tears.
"She already has their passports.""
