Chapter 11: The Experiment Behind the Orange Medicine
Harris asked Daniel to accompany him to a private conference room.
Dr. Simmons arranged for Lily to remain with a nurse, while Claire and I waited outside.
I couldn't stop thinking about what she'd said.
Your mother suggested it.
My mother had been the person who taught me to ride a bicycle.
She had attended every school event Maya ever had.
She had knitted her first Christmas sweater.
How could she have helped arrange something like this?
Rebecca's voice came through my phone.
"Marcus, are you okay?""
"No.""
"Did you find Lily?""
"Yes.""
A small sob escaped her.
"Is she all right?""
"She's here. But Daniel had her under his control for eight years.""
Rebecca went quiet.
Then I told her what Claire had said about our mother.
She didn't respond immediately.
Finally, she whispered:
"I found something else in the box.""
"What?""
"A second envelope.""
I closed my eyes.
"Rebecca, why didn't you tell me earlier?""
"Because I didn't want to read it without you.""
"What's written on it?""
"Marcus, it says, 'For the day Daniel tries to use Maya.''"
I looked toward the conference room.
"Bring it to me.""
"I will.""
Before I could end the call, the door opened.
Daniel walked out.
His expression was composed, but his shirt collar was slightly loosened.
"Marcus, I'd like to speak with you.""
I stood.
"We have nothing to discuss.""
"Actually, we do. You deserve to understand the medical situation.""
"Then start explaining why my daughter was given something in secret.""
Daniel glanced toward Harris.
"The treatment involved two genetically related children. Lily presented with a condition that required intervention. Maya was initially asymptomatic.""
"That doesn't answer my question.""
"The medication administered to Maya was intended to monitor certain biological responses.""
"Then why did she develop stomach pain?""
"Some reactions were anticipated.""
I stared at him.
"Anticipated?""
He nodded.
"Her response was part of the monitoring process.""
I felt a wave of anger rise through me.
"You're telling me you expected our eight-year-old daughter to become sick?""
Daniel looked irritated.
"Medical research isn't always comfortable.""
"She's not a laboratory animal!""
Harris stepped between us.
"Dr. Reed, I think you should answer that question carefully.""
Daniel exhaled.
"I did not personally administer anything to Maya. Claire was responsible for following the instructions.""
I turned toward my wife.
"Did he tell you she might get sick?""
Claire covered her face.
"He said the symptoms would be mild.""
"And when they became worse?""
"He told me to reduce the amount.""
I couldn't believe what I was hearing.
"You kept giving it to her?""
Claire began sobbing.
"I thought if I stopped, Lily would lose her treatment.""
Daniel immediately interrupted.
"That's not what I said.""
Claire turned toward him.
"You told me the research funding would disappear if we didn't complete the monitoring schedule!""
Daniel's jaw tightened.
"Because the data had to be consistent.""
"She was crying every night!""
"Claire, lower your voice.""
"No!""
My wife stood up.
"You told me Maya needed to participate. You told me both girls would eventually come home. You promised me that!""
Daniel looked toward Harris.
"I think we're dealing with an emotional reaction rather than a rational discussion.""
Harris closed his notebook.
"That's enough, Doctor.""
He asked Daniel to wait in the adjoining office while the investigator reviewed the records with Dr. Simmons.
Claire slid into the chair.
I stood across from her.
"Tell me everything.""
She wiped her face.
"I met Daniel when I was nineteen. We dated for almost three years. When I discovered I was pregnant, he told me he wasn't ready to be a father.""
"So you left him?""
She nodded.
"Then I met you. I was already pregnant, Marcus.""
My chest tightened.
"You knew I wasn't the biological father when we got married.""
"Yes.""
"And you let me believe otherwise.""
"I loved you.""
"That doesn't make it better.""
"I know.""
She reached for my hand.
I stepped away.
"Keep going.""
"When the twins were born, Lily had breathing difficulties. Daniel was working with a private research foundation at the time. He said he could get her into a specialist program.""
"Why did my mother get involved?""
Claire looked down.
"She discovered I hadn't told you about Daniel. She found out you weren't the biological father, too.""
I felt my face grow hot.
"Mom knew.""
"Yes.""
"What did she say?""
"She was furious. But she was also afraid you'd leave me and that Maya would lose the only father she'd ever known.""
I shook my head.
"So she helped you hide Lily.""
"She said it would only be temporary.""
Claire reached into her handbag and pulled out a folded piece of paper.
"This is the original agreement.""
I examined it.
There were three names.
Claire Bennett.
Daniel Reed.
Evelyn Carter.
But one paragraph caught my attention.
The second twin will remain enrolled in the comparative monitoring program until the required data has been obtained.
I looked up.
"Comparative monitoring?""
Claire nodded.
"Daniel said he needed to compare the girls' responses.""
"That's what the orange medicine was for?""
"He told me it was harmless.""
I looked at the document again.
"Did you receive money?""
She shook her head.
"No.""
"Did Daniel?""
"I don't know.""
At that moment, Dr. Simmons entered carrying a tablet.
"Mr. Bennett, we've reviewed the medication records from the clinic and compared them with the information you brought from home.""
I stood.
"What did you find?""
She looked at Claire.
Then at me.
"The contents of the container recovered from Maya's backpack were not listed as a standard prescribed vitamin supplement. The documentation indicates it was associated with the clinic's monitoring protocol.""
My hands curled into fists.
"Can you establish whether it caused Maya's symptoms?""
"That requires further medical evaluation. We're not making that conclusion yet.""
"Was there a proper authorization?""
"That's being investigated.""
She hesitated.
"There's another issue. The clinic's records contain payments from a private research organization. Some of those payments were made directly into an account connected to Dr. Reed.""
Harris immediately looked up.
"How much?""
Dr. Simmons showed him the screen.
I didn't know what the figures meant, but I recognized the pattern.
Repeated payments.
One every month.
For eight years.
The account wasn't listed under Daniel's medical clinic.
It was registered to a company called *Bennett Pediatric Research Trust*.
My surname.
I stared.
"Why does it have my family's name?""
Nobody answered.
Then Claire whispered:
"Because your mother helped him create it.""
I turned toward her.
"What?""
Claire reached into the folder.
She pulled out another page.
And there, beneath a list of trustees, was my mother's full name.
Alongside it was the name of a company director I had never heard of.
Daniel Reed's father.
Harris examined the document.
"Mr. Bennett, we're going to need to establish who controlled this trust and where the money went.""
I looked at the payment history.
Then I noticed the most recent transaction.
It had been made two days earlier.
The description read:
*FINAL PHASE — SUBJECT M.B.*
I stared at the initials.
M.B.
Maya Bennett.
And the payment was marked as approved.
May you like
But the person who had approved it wasn't Daniel.
It was Claire.
