Chapter 8: The DNA That Destroyed the Callaway Family
The name Jonathan Bell changed everything.
I looked at the photograph again.
Three babies.
Three different hospital bracelets.
But Eleanor was now telling us that the child we believed was Daniel had another identity.
"You're saying Daniel isn't the third baby?"" I asked.
Eleanor shook her head.
"Daniel was born several hours before you and Nathaniel. His mother was a nurse who worked at the hospital.""
Thomas frowned.
"Then why did Richard tell everyone there were three Callaway children?""
"Because he needed a reason to explain the additional birth records.""
Nathaniel turned around.
"Mother, stop speaking in riddles.""
Eleanor took a deep breath.
"Your father arranged for three babies to be recorded under false identities. One belonged to me. One belonged to Grace. The third belonged to Margaret Bell.""
I stared at the name.
"Margaret's child?""
"Yes. Jonathan was her son.""
"Then where is he?""
Eleanor shook her head.
"I don't know.""
Nathaniel picked up his phone.
"I'm calling Margaret again.""
"She may not be safe," I warned.
"Then we'll find her before whoever took her does.""
He dialed Marcus.
"Get every available investigator on the Margaret Bell case. I want her location within the hour.""
Marcus answered immediately.
"Understood, sir.""
Nathaniel ended the call.
Thomas was pacing.
"There's something else. If Jonathan was Margaret's child, why did Richard change Daniel's identity?""
Eleanor looked toward the photograph.
"Because the hospital records showed that Jonathan had inherited a rare heart condition from his biological father.""
I frowned.
"What does that have to do with anything?""
"Richard believed the child might be entitled to part of the family trust if the truth came out. He wanted to eliminate that possibility.""
Nathaniel looked confused.
"Why would a child of Margaret Bell be entitled to Callaway money?""
Eleanor's voice dropped.
"Because Margaret's husband wasn't the father.""
The room fell silent.
"Richard was.""
Nathaniel sat down.
For the first time, I saw something beyond anger in his expression.
Fear.
"My father had another child with Margaret?""
Eleanor nodded.
"Before he married me.""
I looked at the photograph.
The three babies had been born within hours of one another.
One was Nathaniel.
One was me.
And the third was Jonathan.
But Daniel was apparently another piece of the puzzle entirely.
"Where does Daniel fit into all this?"" I asked.
Eleanor took the photograph from me.
"Daniel was the child of James Mercer. Richard arranged for him to be adopted by his brother's former business partner after James died.""
Thomas frowned.
"That doesn't explain why Daniel thinks he's connected to us.""
"Because Richard told him he was a Callaway.""
Nathaniel stared at his mother.
"Why?""
"To keep him quiet. Daniel grew up believing he had been adopted into the family because of a secret arrangement. Richard gave him money, education, and opportunities. But he never told him the truth.""
My phone buzzed.
A message from an unknown number.
Ask Eleanor about the second DNA test.
I showed Nathaniel.
He read it twice.
"What second DNA test?""
Eleanor suddenly stood.
"Rose, don't listen to whoever sent that.""
"Why?""
"Because there was only one test.""
Thomas stepped forward.
"You're lying again.""
Eleanor's expression crumbled.
Nathaniel took his phone and called the family lawyer.
"Get me the original DNA report from my father's estate.""
The lawyer answered after several rings.
"Mr. Callaway, it's late.""
"I don't care. I need the DNA report from 1991. The original one.""
A pause.
Then the lawyer replied:
"Sir, I believe that document was destroyed.""
"By whom?""
"Your father.""
Nathaniel looked at me.
"Can you retrieve a backup?""
Another pause.
"There may be a copy in the medical archive. But you'll need authorization from the original administrator.""
"Margaret Bell?""
"Yes.""
Nathaniel ended the call.
I looked at Eleanor.
"You knew the test existed.""
She lowered her head.
"Yes.""
"What did it say?""
Her voice became barely audible.
"It said that Richard was the biological father of all three babies.""
Nathaniel stared at her.
"Then why did you tell us Jonathan was Margaret's child?""
"Because Margaret was carrying Richard's child. But Richard arranged for the hospital to list James Mercer as the father.""
Thomas looked furious.
"So Daniel was raised under a false identity, Jonathan disappeared, and Rose was separated from Nathaniel.""
Eleanor nodded.
"Yes.""
I stepped away from the table.
"Why?""
"Because your father wanted to control the inheritance.""
Nathaniel laughed bitterly.
"My father built an empire and spent thirty years destroying his own children to protect it.""
Eleanor didn't defend him.
Then the penthouse door opened.
Marcus rushed inside.
"Sir, we've found Margaret.""
Nathaniel stood.
"Where?""
"At a private clinic in New Jersey. Someone transferred her there under a false name.""
"Is she alive?""
Marcus hesitated.
"Yes. But she's unconscious.""
I grabbed my coat.
"I'm coming.""
Nathaniel nodded.
"We all are.""
As we entered the elevator, Marcus handed him another document.
"There's one more thing, sir.""
Nathaniel scanned the page.
"What is this?""
"An old laboratory report recovered from Margaret's apartment.""
I looked over his shoulder.
The document was dated three months before the triplets' birth.
There were three DNA profiles.
One belonged to Richard Callaway.
One belonged to Eleanor.
And one belonged to Grace Carter.
At the bottom, someone had written a handwritten note.
The biological mother of the third child is not Margaret Bell.
I felt my knees weaken.
"Then who was?""
Marcus looked at me.
"According to this report, Grace Carter gave birth to all three children.""
Nobody spoke.
Eleanor began crying.
Nathaniel stared at the paper.
Thomas whispered:
"That means all three of you have the same mother.""
But the most disturbing part was still waiting beneath the report.
A second page had been attached.
It contained the results of a later DNA comparison.
May you like
And beside Nathaniel's name, someone had written:
*PATERNITY EXCLUDED.*
