Chapter 14: The Signature## Chapter 14: The Signature That Changed Everything
Detective That Changed Everything
Detective Harris ordered the officers to take Helen into a Harris ordered the officers to take Helen into a separate room.
But before they moved her, Rebecca stepped separate room.
But before they moved her, Rebecca stepped forward.
"Wait. I want her to answer one question.""
Helen looked at her.
"After all these years, you still believe forward.
"Wait. I want her to answer one question.""
Helen looked at her.
"After all these years, you still believe you deserve answers?""
Rebecca's voice trembled.
"Why did my mother sign those papers?""
Helen looked toward Mark.
"Because she believed she was saving her daughter.""
Mark shook his head.
"My you deserve answers?""
Rebecca's voice trembled.
"Why did my mother sign those papers?""
Helen looked toward Mark.
"Because she believed she was saving her daughter.""
Mark shook his head.
"My mother would never have agreed to hurt Rebecca.""
"She didn't know what she was agreeing to.""
Rebecca wiped her cheeks mother would never have agreed to hurt Rebecca.""
"She didn't know what she was agreeing to.""
Rebecca wiped her cheeks.
"Then why didn't she come back for me?""
Helen's expression softened, but there was.
"Then why didn't she come back for me?""
Helen's expression softened, but there was no kindness in it.
"Because she was told you had died.""
Mark staggered backward.
"What?""
Helen continued.
"Your mother was shown no kindness in it.
"Because she was told you had died.""
Mark staggered backward.
"What?""
Helen continued.
"Your mother was shown a medical certificate. She was told Rebecca had suffered a sudden complication during treatment.""
Rebecca covered her mouth.
"That's a medical certificate. She was told Rebecca had suffered a sudden complication during treatment.""
Rebecca covered her mouth.
"That's impossible.""
"Your father discovered the truth several months later. He tried to withdraw his cooperation, but by then the program impossible.""
"Your father discovered the truth several months later. He tried to withdraw his cooperation, but by then the program had expanded.""
Mark grabbed the edge of the hospital bed.
"My mother spent years visiting your offices. She kept asking for Rebecca.""
Helen nodded had expanded.""
Mark grabbed the edge of the hospital bed.
"My mother spent years visiting your offices. She kept asking for Rebecca.""
Helen nodded.
"Because we told her Rebecca was still receiving treatment.""
I stepped forward.
"Who created the death certificate?""
Helen looked at me.
"Dr. Price.""
Detective.
"Because we told her Rebecca was still receiving treatment.""
I stepped forward.
"Who created the death certificate?""
Helen looked at me.
"Dr. Price.""
Detective Harris immediately wrote something down.
"Where is the original?""
"In the archives.""
"Which archives?""
Helen remained silent.
Rebecca Harris immediately wrote something down.
"Where is the original?""
"In the archives.""
"Which archives?""
Helen remained silent.
Rebecca suddenly reached into her folder.
"I know where.""
Everyone turned.
She removed an suddenly reached into her folder.
"I know where.""
Everyone turned.
She removed an old photograph of a building.
It showed a two-story brick property with a sign above the entrance.
**LAKESHORE FAMILY MEDICAL ARCH old photograph of a building.
It showed a two-story brick property with a sign above the entrance.
*LAKESHORE FAMILY MEDICAL ARCHIVE.*
"Dr. Price kept the original records there," Rebecca explained.
"She told us those files were tooIVE.**
"Dr. Price kept the original records there," Rebecca explained.
"She told us those files were too sensitive to store at Northfield.""
Detective Harris examined the photograph.
"How do you know?""
sensitive to store at Northfield.""
Detective Harris examined the photograph.
"How do you know?""
"Because I was forced to work there after I turned eighteen.""
Mark stared at her.
"You worked for them"Because I was forced to work there after I turned eighteen.""
Mark stared at her.
"You worked for them?""
Rebecca nodded.
"They said I could leave if I helped organize the records. I was desperate to get out. I thought if?""
Rebecca nodded.
"They said I could leave if I helped organize the records. I was desperate to get out. I thought if I cooperated, they would finally let me go.""
Her voice cracked.
"I didn't understand that I was helping I cooperated, they would finally let me go.""
Her voice cracked.
"I didn't understand that I was helping them hide other children.""
Mark took her hand.
"You were trying to survive.""
She shook her head.
"I should have done more.""
"No," he whispered them hide other children.""
Mark took her hand.
"You were trying to survive.""
She shook her head.
"I should have done more.""
"No," he whispered.
"You were the child they hurt.""
I watched them embrace.
For the first time, Mark wasn't looking at his sister.
"You were the child they hurt.""
I watched them embrace.
For the first time, Mark wasn't looking at his sister as someone he had failed.
He was looking at her as someone who had survived.
Detect as someone he had failed.
He was looking at her as someone who had survived.
Detective Harris turned toward Helen.
"You're going to tell us how to access those archives.""
Helen laughed bitterly.
"You think the archives are the problem?""
"What doesive Harris turned toward Helen.
"You're going to tell us how to access those archives.""
Helen laughed bitterly.
"You think the archives are the problem?""
"What does that mean?""
She looked at the hospital cameras.
"Dr. Price doesn't keep her most important records in a building.""
I frowned.
"Where, then?""
Helen looked directly at me.
"With that mean?""
She looked at the hospital cameras.
"Dr. Price doesn't keep her most important records in a building.""
I frowned.
"Where, then?""
Helen looked directly at me.
"With the families.""
My stomach tightened.
"What families?""
"The original participants. The ones who signed the first agreements.""
Mark stepped forward.
"Who else?""
Helen opened her mouth.
Then stopped.
Her the families.""
My stomach tightened.
"What families?""
"The original participants. The ones who signed the first agreements.""
Mark stepped forward.
"Who else?""
Helen opened her mouth.
Then stopped.
Her eyes moved toward the hospital doorway.
A man in a dark suit had appeared.
He was holding a badge.
" eyes moved toward the hospital doorway.
A man in a dark suit had appeared.
He was holding a badge.
"Detective Harris?""
Harris turned.
"Who are you?""
"Deputy Commissioner Robert Hayes. I'm here to take over this investigation.""
The room went silent.
Detective Harris?""
Harris turned.
"Who are you?""
"Deputy Commissioner Robert Hayes. I'm here to take over this investigation.""
The room went silent.
Detective Harris stared at him.
"You're not authorized to enter this room.""
Hayes displayed his badge.
"I have an order fromDetective Harris stared at him.
"You're not authorized to enter this room.""
Hayes displayed his badge.
"I have an order from the department.""
"Then show it to me.""
Hayes handed him a document.
Harris read it.
His jaw tightened.
"This order the department.""
"Then show it to me.""
Hayes handed him a document.
Harris read it.
His jaw tightened.
"This order doesn't authorize you to remove evidence or witnesses.""
Hayes smiled.
"Then perhaps you should read it doesn't authorize you to remove evidence or witnesses.""
Hayes smiled.
"Then perhaps you should read it again.""
I noticed something in his right hand.
A small black device.
He pressed a button.
The hospital's electronic doors clicked.
An again.""
I noticed something in his right hand.
A small black device.
He pressed a button.
The hospital's electronic doors clicked.
An alarm sounded somewhere down the corridor.
The lights flickered.
Helen suddenly stood alarm sounded somewhere down the corridor.
The lights flickered.
Helen suddenly stood.
"He's here.""
Hayes looked at her.
"Sit down, Marianne.""
She immediately obeyed.
Rebecca grabbed Mark's sleeve.
"That's.
"He's here.""
Hayes looked at her.
"Sit down, Marianne.""
She immediately obeyed.
Rebecca grabbed Mark's sleeve.
"That's him.""
Mark turned.
"Who?""
"The man who came to Rebecca House every Friday.""
Hayes slowly him.""
Mark turned.
"Who?""
"The man who came to Rebecca House every Friday.""
Hayes slowly smiled.
"Hello, Rebecca.""
Her face drained of color.
"You're supposed to be retired.""
"People retire from jobs, smiled.
"Hello, Rebecca.""
Her face drained of color.
"You're supposed to be retired.""
"People retire from jobs, not responsibilities.""
Detective Harris reached for his radio.
Hayes raised his hand.
"Don't.""
Two men not responsibilities.""
Detective Harris reached for his radio.
Hayes raised his hand.
"Don't.""
Two men appeared behind him.
Neither wore a uniform.
Both carried identification cards from a private security company.
Harris appeared behind him.
Neither wore a uniform.
Both carried identification cards from a private security company.
Harris positioned himself between them and the hospital bed.
"This is a restricted medical area. Leave immediately.""
Hayes ignored positioned himself between them and the hospital bed.
"This is a restricted medical area. Leave immediately.""
Hayes ignored him.
He looked at me.
"Mrs. Mitchell, I believe we can resolve this without making matters worse.""
I held him.
He looked at me.
"Mrs. Mitchell, I believe we can resolve this without making matters worse.""
I held Noah against my side.
"Stay away from my family.""
"Your son is part of a very complicated situation.""
"He's seven years old.""
Noah against my side.
"Stay away from my family.""
"Your son is part of a very complicated situation.""
"He's seven years old.""
"Exactly.""
Hayes opened a thin folder.
Inside was a photograph of Noah sitting in his kindergarten classroom.
Bes"Exactly.""
Hayes opened a thin folder.
Inside was a photograph of Noah sitting in his kindergarten classroom.
Beside it was a medical evaluation dated before he started attending Westbrook.
I recognized the handwriting.
Dr. Price's.
ide it was a medical evaluation dated before he started attending Westbrook.
I recognized the handwriting.
Dr. Price's.
Hayes tapped the document.
"Your son was never selected because of his school behavior.""
"Then why?""
"Because he completed aHayes tapped the document.
"Your son was never selected because of his school behavior.""
"Then why?""
"Because he completed a developmental screening that matched a very specific profile.""
Mark stepped forward.
"What profile?""
Hayes looked at him.
"Your family's.""
Rebecca suddenly grabbed the photograph.
She examined developmental screening that matched a very specific profile.""
Mark stepped forward.
"What profile?""
Hayes looked at him.
"Your family's.""
Rebecca suddenly grabbed the photograph.
She examined the date.
Then she looked at Mark.
"That's not possible.""
"What?""
She pointed to a small code beneath Noah's picture.
**R-01 / the date.
Then she looked at Mark.
"That's not possible.""
"What?""
She pointed to a small code beneath Noah's picture.
*R-01 / M-02 / N-03.*
Rebecca whispered:
"They didn't just study our family.""
She turned M-02 / N-03.**
Rebecca whispered:
"They didn't just study our family.""
She turned toward Hayes.
"They were trying to recreate the original experiment.""
Hayes's expression changed.
And for the first time, he toward Hayes.
"They were trying to recreate the original experiment.""
Hayes's expression changed.
And for the first time, he looked genuinely afraid.
Then he reached into his folder and removed one final document.
It was a list of twelve children.
At the top was Noah's name.
At the bottom was a date.
Tomorrow looked genuinely afraid.
Then he reached into his folder and removed one final document.
It was a list of twelve children.
At the top was Noah's name.
At the bottom was a date.
Tomorrow.
*FINAL OBSERVATION — FAMILY RESPONSE TRIAL.*
Mark grabbed the paper.
*FINAL OBSERVATION — FAMILY RESPONSE TRIAL.*
Mark grabbed the paper.
"What happens tomorrow?""
Hayes looked at Noah.
"That depends on whether his mother cooperates.""
.
"What happens tomorrow?""
May you like
Hayes looked at Noah.
"That depends on whether his mother cooperates.""
