Chapter 6: The Secret Rachel Took to Her Grave
For several seconds, I couldn't move.
"Explain that," I said.
Vanessa wiped her cheeks.
"Daniel believes Sophie is his biological daughter.""
I stared at her.
"That's impossible.""
"That's what Rachel told you.""
"Rachel was my wife.""
"I know.""
"Sophie is my daughter.""
Vanessa shook her head, almost pleading with me to understand.
"Michael, I'm telling you what Daniel believes. I'm not telling you it's true.""
I felt sick.
Rachel and I had been together for years before Sophie was born. I'd held my daughter minutes after her birth, memorized every detail of her face, and watched her grow from a sleepy infant into a little girl who loved dinosaurs and strawberry yogurt.
There had never been a reason to question her paternity.
"Why would Daniel think that?"" I demanded.
Vanessa sat down, pressing her palms against her knees.
"Because he and Rachel knew each other before you met her.""
"You already said that. How?""
"They worked at the same hospital.""
Rachel had been a nurse before Sophie was born. She'd left the job shortly after our daughter arrived, partly because the hours were exhausting and partly because we wanted her to spend more time at home.
I'd never known Daniel worked there, too.
"Did Rachel have an affair with him?"" I asked.
Vanessa shook her head.
"I don't know.""
"You expect me to believe you don't know?""
"I know they were close. I know Daniel became obsessed with her. And I know Rachel was frightened of him near the end.""
"Why didn't she tell me?""
Vanessa looked down.
"She was trying to protect you.""
I let out a bitter laugh.
"Everyone keeps saying that. My mother disappeared trying to protect me. Rachel died protecting me. And you supposedly protected Sophie by denying her food.""
Vanessa flinched.
"I never wanted it to go this far.""
"Then why did you marry me?""
She looked up sharply.
"Because I loved you.""
"Did you?""
"Yes!""
"Or did you marry me because you wanted access to my family?""
Her expression crumpled.
"I loved you, Michael. But there were things you didn't know.""
I turned away.
I couldn't listen to another excuse.
My phone vibrated again. Detective Harris had sent me a photograph of the abandoned medical facility. The building was old, its windows boarded up, and a faded sign hung above the entrance.
I recognized the name.
It was the private clinic where Rachel had been taken after her medical emergency.
I called the detective immediately.
"Why was this facility connected to the investigation?""
"We're checking the property records and interviewing former employees," she replied.
"The building was closed several years ago, but some of its records were transferred to another medical provider.""
"Can I come there?""
"No. I need you to stay where you are while we establish whether the location is connected to your mother's disappearance.""
I forced myself to agree.
When I hung up, Vanessa was standing by the front door with her handbag.
"Where are you going?"" I asked.
"To get Sophie.""
"No.""
"She's my daughter, Michael!""
"You're not taking her anywhere.""
She reached for the doorknob.
I stepped in front of her.
"Sit down.""
For a moment, I thought she would fight me. Instead, she sank into a chair and covered her face.
"I made a terrible mistake," she whispered.
"Which one?""
She lowered her hands.
"Marrying you.""
The words struck harder than I expected.
Not because I wanted her to love me.
Because I suddenly understood that, in her mind, the marriage itself had become a burden. Something she regretted because it had placed her inside a family she could no longer control.
I called Mrs. Carter to check on Sophie.
My daughter answered from the neighbor's phone.
"Daddy?""
"I'm here, sweetheart.""
"Is Mommy Vanessa coming?""
"No. You're safe with Mrs. Carter.""
"Can I stay there tonight?""
The question broke my heart.
"Of course you can.""
A small silence followed.
Then Sophie whispered, "Daddy, I remembered something.""
I gripped the phone.
"What is it?""
"Grandma told me that Mommy Vanessa had a picture.""
"What picture?""
"The one of my real mommy.""
I looked at Vanessa.
She had gone completely still.
"Sophie, do you remember where the picture was?""
"In Mommy Vanessa's bedroom. Inside the little box with the gold flowers.""
I thanked Sophie and ended the call.
Then I turned to Vanessa.
"Where's the box?""
She didn't answer.
"Vanessa.""
Her shoulders sagged.
"Upstairs.""
I went to our bedroom, opened the dresser drawers, and searched the jewelry boxes on the vanity. Behind a bottle of perfume, I found a small wooden box decorated with gold flowers.
Inside were several photographs, a hospital identification card, and a sealed envelope bearing Rachel's handwriting.
My hands trembled as I opened the envelope.
The letter was dated three weeks before Rachel died.
Michael, if you're reading this, something has happened that I was too afraid to explain while I was alive.
I sat on the edge of the bed.
I need you to know that I never betrayed you. Daniel has been threatening me because of something he discovered at the hospital. He believes it gives him a claim over Sophie, but he is wrong.
I swallowed hard and continued.
I made a mistake by trusting someone who said they wanted to help me. That person knows what happened the night I was admitted. That person knows why my medical records were changed.
My eyes moved to the final paragraph.
If anything happens to me, find Margaret. She has the original documents. And if Margaret cannot help you, look for the woman who was in the room when Sophie was born.
I read the letter twice.
Then I turned it over.
At the bottom of the page, Rachel had written a name.
*Dr. Elaine Foster.*
I recognized it.
Dr. Foster had delivered Sophie. She'd been our obstetrician, the doctor who had placed our newborn daughter in my arms and congratulated us on becoming parents.
She had retired shortly after Rachel's death.
I'd assumed she simply wanted a quieter life.
I grabbed my phone and searched my contacts for her number.
It was still there.
Before I could call, a loud crash came from downstairs.
I rushed into the hallway.
Vanessa was standing beside the front door, her handbag on the floor. The door itself hung open.
A second later, I heard a car engine roar outside.
I ran to the window and saw a black SUV speeding away from the curb.
Someone had been inside my house.
I called the police and told them what had happened. Then I rushed back to the bedroom and checked the wooden box.
The photographs were still there.
The hospital card was still there.
But Rachel's original letter was gone.
I looked toward the open doorway.
Vanessa stood at the bottom of the stairs, trembling.
"Michael," she whispered, "you need to listen to me.""
I descended slowly.
"Who was in this house?""
She shook her head.
"Daniel.""
"How did he get inside?""
"He has a key.""
I stared at her.
"You gave him a key to my house?""
"No. He took it months ago.""
"Why didn't you change the locks?""
She looked toward the window.
"Because he said he'd hurt Sophie if I did.""
My stomach twisted.
"You expect me to believe that after everything you've done to her?""
Vanessa began sobbing.
"I know how this looks.""
"It looks like you helped him take my mother, and now you've let him into my house.""
"I was trying to keep him away from Sophie!""
I held up my phone.
"Then tell the police everything.""
She shook her head frantically.
"You don't understand. If I tell them, he'll release the records.""
"What records?""
Vanessa looked at me, her face drained of color.
"The original hospital records from the night Rachel died.""
I felt the room tilt.
"What do those records say?""
She opened her mouth.
Before she could answer, my phone rang.
An unfamiliar woman spoke in a trembling voice.
"Mr. Bennett? My name is Elaine Foster. I heard someone is looking for me.""
I gripped the phone.
"Dr. Foster, I need to know what happened the night my wife died.""
There was a long silence.
Then she whispered, "Michael, your wife did not die from the medical emergency you were told about.""
My knees weakened.
"What are you saying?""
May you like
Her voice cracked.
"Rachel was alive when I left her room. And the last person I saw entering it was—"
