Chapter 11: What Really Happened to My Mother
I read the message three times.
My mother.
The woman who had died six years earlier.
The woman who'd supposedly suffered a sudden medical emergency while visiting relatives in Florida.
I had never questioned the official explanation.
She was fifty-eight.
She had complained of headaches for several weeks, then collapsed one evening.
The hospital had reported a brain aneurysm.
But now someone was telling me to ask Jonathan what happened to her.
"Emily," I said quietly, "find everything connected to my mother's death.""
She immediately began typing.
Mr. Harrison looked at me.
"Marcus, be careful.""
I turned toward him.
"Did you know something?""
He hesitated.
"I knew your father was concerned about the circumstances.""
"Why didn't you tell me?""
"He asked me to wait until the trust investigation began.""
I stared at him.
"Everyone seems to have known something except me.""
Mr. Harrison lowered his head.
"Your father wanted to protect you.""
"From the truth?""
He didn't answer.
I walked toward the window.
My mother had been the only person in our family who could make Jonathan and me stop arguing.
Whenever we fought, she'd sit us at the kitchen table and insist we apologize.
She used to say that blood didn't make a family.
Loyalty did.
Now I was wondering whether she'd discovered the betrayal before anyone else.
At 10:40 a.m., Emily returned.
"Mr. Reed, I've found something.""
She placed a medical report on my desk.
"Your mother's death certificate lists an aneurysm. But the hospital records show she was admitted twice in the month before she died.""
"Why?""
"Severe dizziness and unexplained headaches.""
"Was she treated?""
"Yes. But there's an unusual detail.""
She showed me the physician's name.
Dr. Samuel Carter.
The same physician who had treated my father.
I immediately called him.
He answered after the second ring.
"Marcus?""
"Did you treat my mother?""
A long silence followed.
"Yes.""
"Why wasn't I told about her earlier hospital visits?""
"Your mother requested privacy.""
"Did she know something about Arthur Bennett?""
His breathing changed.
"Marcus, I think you should speak to Jonathan.""
"Why?""
"Because your mother came to see me shortly before she died. She said she had discovered something about his birth.""
I sat down.
"What did she discover?""
"She wanted a DNA test.""
I closed my eyes.
"Did she get one?""
"Yes.""
"Where is it?""
"I gave the original results to your father.""
I looked at Mr. Harrison.
He was listening carefully.
"What did the results show?""
Dr. Carter lowered his voice.
"Jonathan was not Arthur Bennett's biological son.""
I frowned.
"That makes no sense. The birth certificate says—"
"The birth certificate was altered.""
I felt my heart pounding.
"Then who was his biological father?""
Dr. Carter hesitated.
"I never saw the original identity document. Your father insisted that the information remain confidential.""
I stood.
"Did my mother know?""
"Yes.""
"What happened after she received the results?""
"She was terrified.""
"Of whom?""
"Arthur.""
The call ended.
I looked at Emily.
"Find Jonathan.""
She shook her head.
"He's been released pending further investigation. His attorney says he left the police station an hour ago.""
"Where is he?""
"We're trying to locate him.""
My phone rang.
Jonathan.
I answered immediately.
"Where are you?""
"Somewhere you can't reach me.""
"Tell me what happened to Mother.""
He laughed.
"So you've heard.""
"Answer me.""
"She found the DNA results.""
"And?""
"She wanted to tell you.""
"Why didn't she?""
"Because Arthur threatened her.""
I gripped the phone.
"Did Arthur kill her?""
Jonathan didn't answer.
"Jonathan!""
"I don't know what happened that night.""
"But you know something.""
He sighed.
"Mother called me two hours before she collapsed. She said Arthur had been asking questions about the trust. She wanted me to meet her.""
"Did you?""
"Yes.""
"What happened?""
"She gave me an envelope.""
"What was inside?""
"The DNA report. And a letter.""
"Where is it?""
"I burned it.""
I closed my eyes.
"Why?""
"Because Arthur said if anyone saw it, both of us would be in danger.""
I couldn't believe what I was hearing.
"You destroyed evidence about our mother's death?""
"I was trying to survive!""
"While you helped Arthur steal from our company?""
Jonathan's voice cracked.
"You don't understand. Arthur told me I wasn't your brother. He told me Father had lied to me my entire life.""
"He raised you as his son.""
"That's not the same!""
"It should have been.""
Jonathan went silent.
Then he said something that changed the direction of the entire investigation.
"Marcus, there's something else. The DNA report wasn't just about me.""
"What do you mean?""
"Mother said there was another child.""
I stopped breathing.
"What child?""
"She said Arthur had fathered someone else in the family.""
I stared at the wall.
"Who?""
Jonathan whispered:
"She never told me the name.""
The call disconnected.
At that exact moment, Emily entered my office carrying a sealed envelope.
"Mr. Reed, the police recovered this from Jonathan's vehicle.""
I opened it.
Inside was a copy of the DNA report.
I read the names.
Then I read them again.
The document listed Arthur Bennett as the biological father of Jonathan.
But the second test identified another person.
My own father.
Robert Reed.
The report indicated that the child was not Jonathan.
It was me.
I looked up at Mr. Harrison.
"How is that possible?""
He went pale.
May you like
Then he whispered:
"Marcus, your father wasn't your biological father either.""
