Chapter 7: The Person Who Ordered Sarah's Death
“Who gave the order?””
My voice barely came out.
On the other end of the phone, Nurse Helen was breathing heavily.
“I can't explain everything over the phone. You need to get your daughter somewhere safe.””
I looked through the kitchen window.
Thomas Bell was still standing beneath the porch light. My mother held a small pink suitcase beside him.
Neither of them looked particularly concerned.
They looked like people waiting for a delivery.
“Who ordered the birth certificate changed?”” I demanded.
Helen hesitated.
“Your father.””
I stopped breathing.
“My father?””
“Robert Carter.””
I turned toward the living room.
My father was sitting in the armchair, staring at the floor.
He had barely spoken since dinner.
“That's impossible. My father has nothing to do with this.””
Helen's voice cracked.
“Mr. Carter, your father signed the original authorization. He also approved the transfer of the medical records.””
I slowly lowered the phone.
Robert looked up.
He saw my expression.
And immediately understood.
“Dad,” I whispered.
“What did you do?””
His face crumpled.
Emily stepped between us.
“Daniel, what's happening?””
I couldn't answer.
The front door rattled.
Thomas knocked three times.
“Daniel! Open up. We need to discuss something important.””
I moved Ari behind me.
“Stay with Aunt Emily.””
My father stood.
“Son, don't open that door.””
I turned toward him.
“You don't get to tell me what to do anymore.””
Robert swallowed.
“Please. Let me explain.””
“Did you order Sarah's medical records changed?””
He looked at the floor.
“Not exactly.””
“DID YOU?””
My father closed his eyes.
“Yes.””
Emily gasped.
I felt something inside me collapse.
“Why?””
Robert sat down heavily.
“Your mother believed Sarah was making a terrible mistake. She wanted to put certain protections in place before the baby was born.””
“Protections?””
“She was convinced Sarah would eventually leave you.””
“Why?””
My father rubbed his forehead.
“Because of the money.””
I stared.
“What money?””
He looked toward Margaret outside.
“Your grandfather left a substantial trust for his first grandchild. The money was supposed to become accessible when the child turned eighteen.””
I looked at Ari.
My little girl was clutching her rabbit.
“What does that have to do with Sarah?””
Robert continued.
“Your mother wanted to control the trust. She believed Sarah would use it to leave the family.””
“So you helped her change my daughter's documents?””
“I thought it was temporary.””
I laughed bitterly.
“You thought falsifying medical records was temporary?””
Robert's eyes filled with tears.
“Daniel, I didn't know what would happen afterward.””
A violent knock interrupted us.
Thomas shouted through the door.
“Robert! We don't have time for this!””
I looked at my father.
“You knew he was coming?””
Robert nodded.
Then he whispered:
“Because Thomas was the one who signed the original medical authorization.””
I stared at him.
“Why?””
My father looked toward the staircase.
“Because your mother and Thomas had an agreement.””
Before I could ask another question, the doorbell rang.
Emily checked the security camera.
Her face went white.
“Daniel, there are two more people outside.””
I looked at the screen.
A woman in a dark coat stood beside a man holding a leather briefcase.
The woman raised an identification badge toward the camera.
“Child Protective Services,” Emily whispered.
My mother had brought them.
Thomas stepped aside, smiling.
And I suddenly understood why Ari had been told to practice that sentence about wanting to live somewhere else.
They weren't coming to visit.
They were coming to take her.
I locked the kitchen door and called 911.
Then I returned to the living room.
“Dad, you're going to tell me everything.””
Robert nodded.
But before he could speak, someone knocked on the back door.
Ari screamed.
“DADDY! THAT'S THE LADY!””
I turned.
Ari was pointing at the woman standing outside.
The same woman who had been in the hospital photograph beside Sarah.
Aunt Rebecca.
Except Rebecca was standing inside our living room.
So who was the woman outside?
Rebecca rushed to the window.
Her face turned ghostly white.
“That's not possible.””
The woman outside slowly lifted her head.
Then she smiled.
And Rebecca whispered:
“That's Helen.””
The nurse from the phone.
May you like
The woman who had supposedly been trying to help me.
And she was standing beside Thomas Bell.
