Chapter 11: The Woman in the Photograph
Robert enlarged## Chapter 11: The Woman in the Photograph
Robert enlarged the photograph on his laptop while I stood the photograph on his laptop while I stood beside the conference table, gripping the back beside the conference table, gripping the back of a chair.
Everett looked younger in the picture, his hair darker and his face of a chair.
Everett looked younger in the picture, his hair darker and his face less hardened by years of corporate battles. Richard Cole stood beside him, holding a leather folder.
The woman between them wore a navy less hardened by years of corporate battles. Richard Cole stood beside him, holding a leather folder.
The woman between them wore a navy coat and carried a hospital identification badge.
I didn't recognize her.
But something about the way Everett coat and carried a hospital identification badge.
I didn't recognize her.
But something about the way Everett stood beside her made my stomach tighten. His hand rested on her shoulder, not casually, but with the familiarity of someone who had known her for stood beside her made my stomach tighten. His hand rested on her shoulder, not casually, but with the familiarity of someone who had known her for years.
"Can you identify the building?"" I asked.
Robert zoomed in on the background.
"The sign years.
"Can you identify the building?"" I asked.
Robert zoomed in on the background.
"The sign is partially obscured. It might be a private medical laboratory in Connecticut.""
"Can we find out which one?""
"I've sent the image to is partially obscured. It might be a private medical laboratory in Connecticut.""
"Can we find out which one?""
"I've sent the image to our investigator. We're also checking archived business records and employment directories.""
I looked at the date.
Two days before my grandfather's letter had been written.
"Everett met with Richard and this our investigator. We're also checking archived business records and employment directories.""
I looked at the date.
Two days before my grandfather's letter had been written.
"Everett met with Richard and this woman just before my grandfather confronted him.""
"That's what the photograph suggests," Robert said.
"But we need to establish the woman's identity before drawing conclusions.""
I turned the woman just before my grandfather confronted him.""
"That's what the photograph suggests," Robert said.
"But we need to establish the woman's identity before drawing conclusions.""
I turned the picture over.
The five words my grandfather had written seemed to burn through the paper.
Find out who she is.
He had known picture over.
The five words my grandfather had written seemed to burn through the paper.
Find out who she is.
He had known she mattered.
And he had wanted me to discover why.
By noon, our she mattered.
And he had wanted me to discover why.
By noon, our investigator had identified the building.
It had once housed a private reproductive genetics laboratory called Meridian Biomedical Services.
The company had closed eight years earlier after investigator had identified the building.
It had once housed a private reproductive genetics laboratory called Meridian Biomedical Services.
The company had closed eight years earlier after being acquired by a larger medical group. Its original records had been transferred to a secure archive managed by an independent custodian.
Robert arranged being acquired by a larger medical group. Its original records had been transferred to a secure archive managed by an independent custodian.
Robert arranged an urgent meeting with the custodian, Helen Brooks.
She arrived at our office shortly after three.
Helen was in her late sixties, with silver hair an urgent meeting with the custodian, Helen Brooks.
She arrived at our office shortly after three.
Helen was in her late sixties, with silver hair cut neatly at her jaw and a leather handbag tucked beneath one arm. She studied the photograph without cut neatly at her jaw and a leather handbag tucked beneath one arm. She studied the photograph without sitting down.
"Where did you get this?""
"My grandfather left it to me.""
She looked at my face.
"You're Arthur Bennett's granddaughter.""
sitting down.
"Where did you get this?""
"My grandfather left it to me.""
She looked at my face.
"You're Arthur Bennett's granddaughter.""
"Yes.""
Helen lowered herself into the chair.
"I wondered whether someone would come looking eventually.""
My pulse quickened.
"Yes.""
Helen lowered herself into the chair.
"I wondered whether someone would come looking eventually.""
My pulse quickened.
"You know the woman?""
"I do.""
"Who is she?""
Helen hesitated.
"Her name is Dr. Rebecca"You know the woman?""
"I do.""
"Who is she?""
Helen hesitated.
"Her name is Dr. Rebecca Sloan. She was the laboratory's medical director during the period when your embryos were stored.""
I gripped the table.
"Was Sloan. She was the laboratory's medical director during the period when your embryos were stored.""
I gripped the table.
"Was she involved in the transfer?""
"She supervised the laboratory records. Whether she authorized anything improperly is something I cannot tell you without reviewing the original documents.""
"Can you contact she involved in the transfer?""
"She supervised the laboratory records. Whether she authorized anything improperly is something I cannot tell you without reviewing the original documents.""
"Can you contact her?""
Helen looked away.
"Rebecca left the medical field several years ago. She moved out of state.""
"Why her?""
Helen looked away.
"Rebecca left the medical field several years ago. She moved out of state.""
"Why?""
"After Meridian closed, she became involved in a dispute concerning patient records. She was accused of?""
"After Meridian closed, she became involved in a dispute concerning patient records. She was accused of mishandling confidential information, although the investigation never resulted in a criminal charge.""
Robert leaned forward.
"Do you know whether the dispute involved the Whitmore case?""
Helen opened her handbag and removed a small notebook.
"I know that mishandling confidential information, although the investigation never resulted in a criminal charge.""
Robert leaned forward.
"Do you know whether the dispute involved the Whitmore case?""
Helen opened her handbag and removed a small notebook.
"I know that Arthur Bennett contacted me after Rebecca reported an irregularity involving a patient's consent form.""
My Arthur Bennett contacted me after Rebecca reported an irregularity involving a patient's consent form.""
My breath caught.
"Mine?""
Helen nodded.
"He asked me to preserve the original laboratory logs. He said he believed someone had altered a record connected to a family trust.""
"Did he tell you what he suspected breath caught.
"Mine?""
Helen nodded.
"He asked me to preserve the original laboratory logs. He said he believed someone had altered a record connected to a family trust.""
"Did he tell you what he suspected?""
"Not directly. He was very careful with his words.""
She opened the notebook to a page marked with a blue tab.
"However, he left me instructions. If anyone?""
"Not directly. He was very careful with his words.""
She opened the notebook to a page marked with a blue tab.
"However, he left me instructions. If anyone claiming to represent the Bennett family ever requested the records, I was to verify their identity and provide a specific file.""
She slid a reference number across the table.
Robert immediately called the archive.
claiming to represent the Bennett family ever requested the records, I was to verify their identity and provide a specific file.""
She slid a reference number across the table.
Robert immediately called the archive.
While he spoke, Helen studied me.
"Your grandfather was troubled by what happened. He believed the medical records andWhile he spoke, Helen studied me.
"Your grandfather was troubled by what happened. He believed the medical records and the financial agreements were connected, but he couldn't prove who had altered the authorization.""
"Why didn't he tell me?""
"I don't know the financial agreements were connected, but he couldn't prove who had altered the authorization.""
"Why didn't he tell me?""
"I don't know. Perhaps he thought he could resolve it before it reached you.""
That sounded painfully like my grandfather.
He had spent his life solving other people's problems in silence, convinced that protecting someone meant withholding the truth.
I had inherited. Perhaps he thought he could resolve it before it reached you.""
That sounded painfully like my grandfather.
He had spent his life solving other people's problems in silence, convinced that protecting someone meant withholding the truth.
I had inherited his money.
Unfortunately, I had also inherited his habit of trusting secrecy.
Robert ended the call.
"The archive has located his money.
Unfortunately, I had also inherited his habit of trusting secrecy.
Robert ended the call.
"The archive has located the file. They're sending a certified copy and arranging access to the original.""
"When?""
"Tomorrow morning.""
I looked at Helen the file. They're sending a certified copy and arranging access to the original.""
"When?""
"Tomorrow morning.""
I looked at Helen.
"Can you tell me anything else about Dr. Sloan?""
Helen pressed her lips together.
"Only that she contacted.
"Can you tell me anything else about Dr. Sloan?""
Helen pressed her lips together.
"Only that she contacted Arthur Bennett shortly before his death. She said she had evidence that someone outside the laboratory had requested a transfer that the patient Arthur Bennett shortly before his death. She said she had evidence that someone outside the laboratory had requested a transfer that the patient had never authorized.""
My heart pounded.
"Who made the request?""
"She wouldn't identify the person over had never authorized.""
My heart pounded.
"Who made the request?""
"She wouldn't identify the person over the telephone. She wanted to meet him in person.""
"Did they meet?""
Helen shook her head.
"Arthur died before the meeting could the telephone. She wanted to meet him in person.""
"Did they meet?""
Helen shook her head.
"Arthur died before the meeting could take place.""
The room went quiet.
My grandfather had been trying to uncover the truth while I was still mourning what take place.""
The room went quiet.
My grandfather had been trying to uncover the truth while I was still mourning what I believed was the loss of our child.
Everett had known the embryo survived.
Richard had handled the financial arrangements.
Diane had apparently authorized I believed was the loss of our child.
Everett had known the embryo survived.
Richard had handled the financial arrangements.
Diane had apparently authorized the transfer.
And Dr. Sloan had tried to warn someone.
But there was still a missing piece.
"What happened to Dr. Sloan the transfer.
And Dr. Sloan had tried to warn someone.
But there was still a missing piece.
"What happened to Dr. Sloan after Meridian closed?"" I asked.
Helen closed her notebook.
"I heard she was working at a small clinic in Vermont. I after Meridian closed?"" I asked.
Helen closed her notebook.
"I heard she was working at a small clinic in Vermont. I haven't spoken to her in years.""
Robert wrote down the information.
"We'll locate her.""
Before Helen left, she reached into her handbag again haven't spoken to her in years.""
Robert wrote down the information.
"We'll locate her.""
Before Helen left, she reached into her handbag again.
"There is one more thing Arthur asked me to keep.""
She placed a small envelope on the table.
"His instructions were.
"There is one more thing Arthur asked me to keep.""
She placed a small envelope on the table.
"His instructions were very specific. I was to give this to you only after you had seen the photograph.""
Inside was a handwritten note.
Charlotte,
very specific. I was to give this to you only after you had seen the photograph.""
Inside was a handwritten note.
Charlotte,
If you have found Rebecca Sloan, ask her about the second embryo.
I read the sentence twice.
"TheIf you have found Rebecca Sloan, ask her about the second embryo.
I read the sentence twice.
"The second embryo?"" I whispered.
Helen nodded slowly.
"That was the phrase Arthur used when he called me. He said there might second embryo?"" I whispered.
Helen nodded slowly.
"That was the phrase Arthur used when he called me. He said there might have been more than one embryo involved in the original arrangement.""
I felt the room tilt.
There had been three embryos from my have been more than one embryo involved in the original arrangement.""
I felt the room tilt.
There had been three embryos from my final cycle.
The first two had been transferred during earlier treatment attempts. The third was the one I had been told was final cycle.
The first two had been transferred during earlier treatment attempts. The third was the one I had been told was destroyed.
If there had been a second embryo involved in the secret arrangement, then the records I destroyed.
If there had been a second embryo involved in the secret arrangement, then the records I had seen were incomplete.
Robert reached for the note.
"We need to locate the original inventory.""
Helen stood had seen were incomplete.
Robert reached for the note.
"We need to locate the original inventory.""
Helen stood.
"I hope you find the answers you're looking for.""
After she left, Robert immediately contacted the investigator.
Within.
"I hope you find the answers you're looking for.""
After she left, Robert immediately contacted the investigator.
Within an hour, we had a possible address for Rebecca Sloan.
But before we could arrange a visit, my phone rang.
Ever an hour, we had a possible address for Rebecca Sloan.
But before we could arrange a visit, my phone rang.
Everett.
I considered ignoring him.
Then I answered.
"Charlotte," he said, his voice unnervingly calm.
"Weett.
I considered ignoring him.
Then I answered.
"Charlotte," he said, his voice unnervingly calm.
"We need to talk.""
"About the board meeting?""
"About everything.""
"You'll have to be more specific.""
He ex need to talk.""
"About the board meeting?""
"About everything.""
"You'll have to be more specific.""
He exhaled.
"I know you've been digging through my father's records. I know you've contacted the old laboratory custodian.haled.
"I know you've been digging through my father's records. I know you've contacted the old laboratory custodian. And I know you're looking for Rebecca Sloan.""
My blood ran cold.
"How do you know that?""
"Because you're not the only person who understands And I know you're looking for Rebecca Sloan.""
My blood ran cold.
"How do you know that?""
"Because you're not the only person who understands how these investigations work.""
"What do you want?""
"Come to the penthouse tonight. Alone.""
"No how these investigations work.""
"What do you want?""
"Come to the penthouse tonight. Alone.""
"No.""
"Charlotte, there are things about that embryo you still don't understand.""
"Then tell me now.""
He went silent.
Finally.""
"Charlotte, there are things about that embryo you still don't understand.""
"Then tell me now.""
He went silent.
Finally, he said, "Because the embryo wasn't the only thing my father left behind.""
The call ended.
I stood motionless, staring, he said, "Because the embryo wasn't the only thing my father left behind.""
The call ended.
I stood motionless, staring at the screen.
Robert had heard every word.
"What does he mean?"" I asked.
Robert's expression was grim.
"I don't know.""
at the screen.
Robert had heard every word.
"What does he mean?"" I asked.
Robert's expression was grim.
"I don't know.""
Then an email arrived from the archive.
The subject line read:
**URGENT: ADDITIONAL EMBRYO INVENTORYThen an email arrived from the archive.
The subject line read:
*URGENT: ADDITIONAL EMBRYO INVENTORY LOCATED.*
I opened the attachment.
There were two entries beside my original treatment identification number.
The first was LOCATED.**
I opened the attachment.
There were two entries beside my original treatment identification number.
The first was the embryo transferred to Vanessa.
The second had a different designation.
Its status was listed as *ACTIVE STORAGE — LEGAL HOLD* the embryo transferred to Vanessa.
The second had a different designation.
Its status was listed as *ACTIVE STORAGE — LEGAL HOLD*.
May you like
And the name of the person who had placed it on hold was not Everett, Richard, or Diane.
It was Arthur Bennett.
