Chapter 7: My Daughter Had Been Hiding the Truth
Emily stood in the doorway, clutching the envelope against her chest.
Her eyes were swollen from crying.
I looked at her and felt an exhaustion deeper than anything I'd experienced in my sixty-eight years.
"Another secret, Emily?"" I asked.
"How many more are there?""
She flinched.
"I know you have every reason to hate me.""
"I don't hate you. But I'm beginning to wonder whether I ever really knew you.""
Emily lowered her eyes.
Daniel sat on the sofa, his elbows resting on his knees. Officer Reynolds stood near the hallway, while James remained beside the kitchen table.
"Sit down, Emily," James said.
She obeyed.
I pointed at the envelope.
"What's inside?""
She placed it on the table.
"The original DNA laboratory correspondence.""
James immediately opened it.
There were several printed emails, a payment receipt, and a letter from a private genetic testing company.
He examined the first page.
"Who obtained these?""
"I did.""
"How?""
Emily hesitated.
"Vanessa asked me to help her access Dad's old business records. She said she needed documents to support the estate transfer.""
I stared at her.
"You were helping Vanessa too?""
"Not at first. I didn't know what she was planning.""
"Emily, stop saying you didn't know. You knew enough to request a medical evaluation that could take away my rights.""
She began crying again.
"I know, Mom.""
James lifted the payment receipt.
"Let's stay focused. This shows a payment of $4,800 to a private laboratory.""
"Who paid it?"" I asked.
Emily pointed to the bottom.
My stomach tightened.
The account belonged to Emily Bennett.
"You paid for the DNA test?""
She nodded.
"Yes.""
"Why?""
She looked at Daniel.
"Because Vanessa told me Dad had been hiding something.""
Daniel shook his head.
"Don't blame Vanessa for everything.""
Emily turned toward him.
"You were there, Daniel! You knew exactly what she wanted!""
He stood.
"Watch what you say.""
Officer Reynolds stepped between them.
"Sit down, sir.""
Daniel reluctantly returned to the sofa.
Emily continued.
"Vanessa told me that Dad had discovered Daniel wasn't his biological son. She said Dad was planning to remove him from the inheritance.""
I felt my throat tighten.
"Did Robert ever tell you that?""
"No.""
"Did you ask him?""
"No. He was already very sick.""
"Then why did you believe her?""
Emily opened the second page.
"Because she showed me a copy of the laboratory report.""
James leaned forward.
"Was this the same report she showed us?""
Emily nodded.
"Yes. But there was something strange about it.""
"What?""
"The dates didn't match.""
James examined the pages.
He looked at the laboratory reference number, then at the payment receipt.
"That's interesting.""
"What is it?"" I asked.
"The report Vanessa presented claims to have been issued in March. But the payment record shows the test wasn't ordered until April.""
Emily wiped her cheeks.
"Exactly. I noticed that after Dad's funeral. I contacted the laboratory.""
James looked at her sharply.
"What did they tell you?""
"They said the report wasn't genuine.""
Silence filled the room.
I gripped the table.
"Not genuine?""
Emily nodded.
"The company confirmed that no report with that reference number had ever been issued.""
Daniel slowly raised his head.
"Then what was the actual result?""
Emily took a breath.
"They couldn't release it to me. But they said the original test had been completed.""
James looked at the correspondence.
"Who was authorized to receive the results?""
Emily pointed to a line near the bottom.
"Only Dad.""
I stared at the paperwork.
"Then Robert knew?""
Emily shook her head.
"I don't think he ever received the final report. The laboratory sent several notifications, but someone changed the delivery address.""
James turned the page.
There it was.
A new address.
A private mailbox in Charlotte.
And beneath it, the authorized recipient's name.
Vanessa Collins.
Daniel jumped to his feet.
"That's impossible!""
James held up the document.
"Your wife appears to have redirected the laboratory correspondence.""
Daniel looked toward the hallway.
"Where is she?""
Officer Reynolds answered calmly.
"She is still being interviewed.""
Emily reached into the envelope again.
"There's more.""
She removed a handwritten note.
"I found this inside Dad's old desk. It was tucked behind the drawer panel.""
James unfolded it.
The handwriting was Robert's.
If the results are altered, do not confront anyone until the original laboratory record is secured. Someone has already accessed the account without permission.
My eyes filled with tears.
Robert had known someone was interfering.
He had been trying to protect us even while he was dying.
"Why didn't you give me this earlier?"" I whispered.
Emily looked devastated.
"Because I was afraid.""
"Of what?""
"Of losing everything.""
I stared at her.
"Everything?""
She nodded.
"Vanessa promised me that if I helped her establish you needed assistance, Daniel would receive control of the property. She said I'd receive my inheritance immediately afterward.""
"And you believed her?""
"She showed me financial documents. She said Daniel was already entitled to the house.""
James closed the envelope.
"Emily, I need to ask you something. Did you knowingly submit false information to the doctor?""
Emily began trembling.
"I told him Mom had been forgetting things.""
"Was that true?""
"No.""
"Did you tell him she couldn't manage her finances?""
"Yes.""
"Did you provide any medical evidence?""
"No. Vanessa said the doctor would handle everything.""
I closed my eyes.
The daughter who had once held my hand through my husband's funeral had helped strangers question my ability to think.
"Emily," I whispered, "you didn't just betray me. You gave them the tools to take away my voice.""
She covered her mouth.
"I know.""
For a long moment, nobody spoke.
Then James gathered the papers.
"We need to contact the laboratory directly and request the original testing records. We also need to preserve evidence of the redirected correspondence.""
He turned toward Officer Reynolds.
"This may involve more than a property fraud investigation.""
The officer nodded.
"I'll document the new information.""
Just then, a uniformed officer entered the room.
"Officer Reynolds, we've received a call from the hospital.""
He looked at the paperwork in his hand.
"Apparently, someone has requested access to Mr. Bennett's archived medical records.""
I frowned.
"Robert's medical records?""
"Yes, ma'am.""
"Who requested them?""
The officer checked the name.
Then he looked at me.
"Vanessa Collins.""
James slowly closed his briefcase.
"That's impossible. She's already been interviewed.""
The officer shook his head.
"She submitted the request electronically this morning.""
I stared at him.
"Why would she want my husband's medical records?""
He hesitated.
"Because the request specifically mentions a document that could establish whether Mr. Bennett was mentally competent when he signed his final estate agreement.""
And suddenly, I understood.
May you like
Vanessa wasn't just trying to steal my house.
She was trying to destroy the very documents protecting it.
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