Chapter 14: The Last Person I Expected
The police vehicle raced through Atlanta traffic.
I sat beside Rebecca, staring at Lily's photograph on my phone.
She was safe with our family friend, but I couldn't stop imagining someone walking through that front door and taking her.
Detective Miller called ahead.
“Officers are checking the residence. Nobody enters until the building is secured.””
I looked at him.
“Why was Lily's backpack there?””
“We don't know yet.””
When we arrived, the house was surrounded by police vehicles.
The front door stood open.
An officer approached.
“Detective, we've cleared the property. No occupants.””
“Any sign of a child?””
“There's a bedroom upstairs. It appears someone has been staying there.””
I followed him into the house.
The bedroom was painted pale pink.
There were two small beds.
Two identical bedside lamps.
And on the dresser were photographs of Lily and Grace.
Side by side.
Someone had been preparing a room for them.
I picked up one photograph.
Both girls were smiling.
Underneath it, someone had written:
The sisters finally together.
Then I noticed an envelope on the dresser.
My name was written across the front.
I opened it.
Inside was a letter from my mother.
Sarah,
I know you hate me. I deserve that.
But you need to understand that I did not separate the girls because I wanted money. I was told that Martin would destroy both children if I refused.
Thomas helped me hide the truth. He promised that one day the girls would be reunited.
But Daniel discovered the arrangement, and everything changed.
There is one person who knows where Grace is.
Ask Dr. Foster about the night you were born.
I looked at Rebecca.
“She's telling us the hospital administrator knows where my daughter is.””
Rebecca took the letter.
“Or your mother wants us to believe that.””
Detective Miller immediately contacted the hospital.
Dr. Foster had left work two hours earlier.
Her car was still parked outside.
But she wasn't at home.
An officer checked her employment records and discovered that she had recently received payments from a private medical consulting company.
The same company that had paid the Swiss clinic.
Everything was connected.
Then my phone rang.
Daniel.
I answered.
“Where is Grace?””
His voice was ragged.
“Sarah, you need to stop.””
“Where is my daughter?””
“I didn't take her.””
“Then who did?””
“Martin.””
“Why?””
Daniel hesitated.
“Because he knows the trust has been frozen.””
I gripped the phone.
“What does he want?””
“Control of the original inheritance.””
“Why does he need Grace?””
“Because he believes she has the original genetic marker.””
I frowned.
“What marker?””
Daniel took a breath.
“Your biological father had a rare inherited blood characteristic. Thomas believed it could help identify descendants. Martin thinks the medical research connected to that marker is worth more than the trust itself.””
I remembered the hospital appointment.
The Swiss clinic.
The donor evaluation.
Nathan.
“Did you know all of this when you booked Lily's flight?””
“I knew some of it.””
“You knew enough to put our daughter on a plane without telling me.””
“I was trying to help Nathan.””
“And what about Grace?””
He went silent.
“Daniel?””
“I didn't know Grace was alive until six months ago.””
I felt anger rise.
“She's your daughter!””
“I know.””
“Then why did you let Martin take her?””
Daniel began crying.
“Because I was afraid.””
I closed my eyes.
For the first time, I heard something in his voice that sounded genuine.
Not regret over being caught.
Fear.
But I wasn't ready to forgive him.
“Tell me where Martin is.””
“I don't know his exact location. But I know where he's going.””
“Where?””
“The old Hayes medical research building.””
Detective Miller immediately took the information.
The building had been closed for years after a fire damaged part of the property.
Police units were dispatched.
Before I could hang up, Daniel spoke again.
“Sarah, there's something else.””
“What?””
“Patricia wasn't the person who arranged the hospital switch.””
I frowned.
“Then who was?””
Daniel hesitated.
“Your mother.””
I closed my eyes.
“I know.””
“No. You don't understand. Margaret didn't just sign the documents. She personally chose which baby would leave the hospital.””
My stomach twisted.
“Why?””
“Because she believed one child was more likely to survive. The other had a medical condition that the doctors couldn't explain.””
I remembered Patricia's words.
The weaker child.
I looked at Rebecca.
“Which one was sick?””
Daniel whispered:
“Grace.””
The call ended.
We arrived at the abandoned research building shortly after midnight.
Police surrounded the entrance.
A light was visible through a broken window.
Detective Miller ordered everyone to stay back.
Then a woman's scream came from inside.
“PLEASE! SHE'S JUST A LITTLE GIRL!””
Emily.
She was inside.
I ran toward the door before anyone could stop me.
An officer caught my arm.
“Ma'am, stay behind us!””
The door suddenly opened.
Martin Cole appeared.
He was holding a folder.
Behind him stood Dr. Foster.
And beside her was a little girl with dark hair.
Grace.
She looked frightened.
She looked exactly like Lily.
Martin smiled when he saw me.
“Sarah. Finally.””
I stepped forward.
“Let my daughter go.””
He looked at Grace.
“Your daughter?””
He laughed.
“That's the problem, Sarah. You still think this is about motherhood.””
He opened the folder.
Inside was a document bearing the seal of the original trust.
“Your grandfather made a mistake when he created this inheritance. He thought he could protect his family with paperwork.””
He held up the document.
“But he forgot one thing.””
“What?””
Martin smiled.
“The original beneficiary wasn't you.””
He pointed at Grace.
“It was always her.””
I looked at the little girl.
Then at Dr. Foster.
And finally, at the document in Martin's hand.
The name written beside PRIMARY BENEFICIARY was not Grace.
It was Lily.
Martin had just revealed that he was holding a document that had been altered.
And Detective Miller noticed it, too.
“Mr. Cole,” he said, “put the document down.””
Martin's smile disappeared.
Then he reached into his jacket.
May you like
A gunshot echoed through the building.
And everything went dark.
