Chapter 6: The DNA Test My Husband Took to His Grave
For several seconds, nobody moved.
I could hear the clock ticking inside the hallway.
The broken glass lay scattered near Vanessa's shoes.
Then I turned toward Daniel.
"What DNA test?""
He shook his head.
"Mom, she's lying.""
Vanessa gave a bitter laugh.
"Of course you want her to believe that.""
"Shut up!"" Daniel shouted.
Officer Reynolds, who had returned to the property to collect additional statements, stepped onto the porch.
"Everyone needs to calm down.""
But I couldn't calm down.
Not after hearing those words.
"Daniel," I said, "what did your father discover?""
My son stared at the wooden floor.
"I don't know.""
"Look at me.""
He slowly raised his eyes.
"Did Robert take a DNA test?""
His silence was enough.
I felt my knees weaken.
James pulled a chair closer.
"Margaret, sit down.""
I lowered myself into it.
Vanessa crossed her arms.
"Well? Don't you want to know?""
I looked at her.
"Tell me.""
She tilted her head.
"Your husband suspected Daniel wasn't his biological son.""
The world seemed to stop.
I heard the words.
I understood them.
But my mind refused to accept them.
"That's impossible.""
Vanessa shrugged.
"Ask the man who ordered the test.""
"Robert is dead.""
"Exactly.""
Daniel grabbed Vanessa's arm.
"You promised you wouldn't use that.""
She pulled away.
"And you promised me we'd be rich by now.""
Officer Reynolds stepped between them.
"Enough. Nobody touches anybody.""
James looked at Vanessa.
"Do you have evidence of this alleged DNA test?""
She smiled.
"Of course.""
She reached into her handbag and pulled out a folded sheet of paper.
"I've had this for months.""
James took it carefully.
The document was a laboratory report.
It listed Robert Bennett as the tested individual and Daniel Bennett as the comparison subject.
The conclusion was printed in bold.
*Probability of biological paternity: 0.00%.*
My hands began shaking.
"No.""
James studied the report.
"Where did you obtain this?""
"From Robert's study.""
"Was it an original?""
Vanessa shrugged.
"Who knows? I found it among his paperwork.""
Daniel looked at me.
"Mom, please. You know Dad loved me.""
I couldn't speak.
I remembered Robert teaching Daniel to ride a bicycle.
I remembered the two of them fishing at Lake Norman.
I remembered Robert sitting in the hospital waiting room when Daniel broke his arm at thirteen.
Whatever this paper said, it couldn't erase those memories.
"Who was my son's biological father?"" I whispered.
Vanessa shrugged again.
"That's a question for Margaret.""
I looked at her sharply.
"Don't you dare.""
She smiled.
"You were married to Robert for nearly forty years. Surely you remember what happened before Daniel was born.""
Daniel's voice broke.
"Stop it!""
Vanessa turned toward him.
"Why? Afraid she'll ask questions?""
James placed the report on the table.
"Mrs. Collins, this document is not authenticated. We cannot establish its validity from a photocopy.""
Vanessa laughed.
"Of course you'd say that.""
"Did you know Robert personally requested the test?""
She hesitated.
Then nodded.
"He wanted answers.""
I turned toward her.
"How did you get this report?""
"Like I said, from his study.""
James studied her face.
"Which study?""
"His office.""
"At home?""
"Yes.""
I shook my head.
"Robert's study was locked after he died. I kept the key.""
Vanessa's expression flickered.
Only for a second.
But James noticed.
"How did you enter the room?""
She looked at Daniel.
He looked away.
I slowly stood.
"Daniel?""
He rubbed his forehead.
"I gave her the key.""
The words came out like a confession.
"You gave her the key to your father's study?""
"She said she needed some business files.""
"Why?""
"Because she was helping with the estate!""
James closed his briefcase.
"Mrs. Collins, I strongly recommend you preserve any original records you possess. The police will likely want to examine them.""
Vanessa's confidence began to crack.
"This is ridiculous. You can't prove anything.""
James nodded.
"That is precisely why we'll obtain the original laboratory records and investigate the chain of custody.""
She grabbed her handbag.
"I'm leaving.""
Officer Reynolds moved toward the doorway.
"Not yet. We still need your statement regarding the attempted property transfer and mortgage application.""
Vanessa glared at him.
"You're treating me like a criminal!""
"I'm treating you as someone connected to an active investigation.""
She turned toward Daniel.
"Say something!""
My son remained silent.
For once, he had nothing to say.
After Vanessa was taken inside for questioning, Daniel approached me.
"Mom, I need you to understand something.""
I looked at him.
"What?""
"I don't care who my biological father was. Robert was my dad.""
Tears filled my eyes.
"Then why did you betray him?""
He lowered his head.
"I was desperate.""
"For money?""
He nodded.
"How much do you owe?""
He hesitated.
"About $280,000.""
I gripped the back of the chair.
"Two hundred and eighty thousand dollars?""
"Mom, it wasn't all my fault.""
"Whose fault was it?""
"Vanessa got involved with some people. She said we could make everything back through property investments. Then the payments started piling up.""
James stepped closer.
"Daniel, did your father know about these debts?""
My son nodded.
"He found out before he died.""
"And what did he do?""
Daniel swallowed.
"He offered to help me. But he said I had to tell you everything.""
I stared at him.
"And you refused?""
He nodded.
"Vanessa said Dad was trying to control us.""
I felt a cold ache in my chest.
My husband had offered our son a way out.
And Daniel had chosen the woman who wanted his mother's house.
James asked another question.
"Who arranged the DNA test?""
Daniel looked toward the door.
"Vanessa.""
"Why?""
"She said if Dad was hiding something about my birth, it could affect the inheritance. She wanted to know whether he would change the estate documents.""
I slowly sat down.
So the DNA test might not have been about truth at all.
It might have been another weapon.
James turned toward me.
"Margaret, we need to locate the original laboratory report.""
Then my phone vibrated.
An unknown number.
I opened the message.
There was a photograph of a document.
Underneath it were seven words.
Your husband never received the real results.
I stared at the screen.
Another message arrived.
Ask Emily who paid the laboratory.
My blood ran cold.
I looked toward the hallway where my daughter was waiting to give her statement.
"James," I whispered.
He leaned closer.
"What's wrong?""
I turned the phone toward him.
He read the message twice.
Then he looked up at me.
"Margaret, I think we've been investigating the wrong person.""
And just as I began to understand what that meant, Emily walked into the room holding a second envelope.
May you like
"Mom," she said, tears running down her face.
"There's something I need to confess about Dad's DNA test.""
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