Chapter 10: The Man in My Mother's Photograph
For several seconds, I couldn't hear anything except the steady beeping of the hospital monitor.
My grandfather wasn't my biological grandfather?
I looked at Dad.
He was staring at the phone as if the officer had just told him the world was ending.
"That doesn't make sense," he finally said.
"Laura's father was her father. Everyone knew that.""
The officer replied, "Sir, we're only repeating what was written in the note. We haven't established whether the statement is true.""
Dad rubbed his forehead.
"Where is Vanessa?""
"She's being questioned. David is also in custody. We found several documents in the house that appear to have been removed from a locked safe.""
"Don't let anyone touch them.""
"We've already secured the scene.""
Dad ended the call.
Grandma Margaret sat beside me.
Her hands were trembling.
"Grandma," I whispered, "did Mom ever tell you anything about her father?""
She looked away.
That was enough to make me suspicious.
"Grandma?""
She took a long breath.
"Your mother loved her father. But there were things about his past that she never fully understood.""
"What things?""
"His business dealings. His relationship with Richard Hale. And the circumstances surrounding your grandmother's death.""
Dad turned.
"Mom, what are you saying?""
Grandma lowered her eyes.
"Laura's father married twice. His first wife died when Laura was very young. Richard Hale was his closest friend at the time.""
I stared at her.
"Was Richard involved with my grandmother?""
Grandma didn't answer.
Dad paced toward the window.
"This is getting ridiculous. We need facts, not rumors.""
My phone, which the hospital had returned after Vanessa's belongings were collected, suddenly vibrated.
An unknown number.
I opened the message.
There was a photograph of a little girl standing beside a man in a gray suit.
The girl looked about four years old.
The man was unfamiliar.
But the little girl had my eyes.
Underneath the photograph was a message.
Your mother knew the truth. Ask Margaret who the man holding you in this picture really is.
I slowly turned the phone toward Grandma.
Her face went white.
"Oh, no.""
Dad took the phone.
"Who sent this?""
"I don't know.""
Grandma reached for the photograph.
Her fingers trembled as she touched the screen.
"That's Richard Hale.""
Dad stared.
"And the child?""
Grandma closed her eyes.
"Emily.""
I felt something cold move through my chest.
"Why was I with him?""
Grandma looked at me.
"Because he was part of your mother's life long before you were born.""
Dad shook his head.
"Mom, stop speaking in riddles.""
Grandma finally told us what she'd kept hidden.
Years before my birth, Richard Hale had been involved in a bitter dispute with my grandfather. Richard believed he had been cheated out of part of the family business.
Laura had been caught between them.
She'd spent years trying to repair the relationship.
After my mother married Michael, Richard disappeared from their lives.
But shortly before my birth, he returned.
"He came to the hospital," Grandma whispered.
"He brought flowers. He held you.""
Dad stared at her.
"Why didn't I know?""
"Because Laura asked me not to tell you. She said it would only cause more trouble.""
I looked at the photograph again.
"Was Richard my biological father?""
Grandma's eyes filled with tears.
"I don't know, sweetheart.""
Dad immediately shook his head.
"No. That's impossible.""
Grandma looked at him.
"Michael, I never said it was true.""
"But Laura never told me anything like that.""
"Perhaps she was protecting you.""
Dad walked out into the hallway.
I watched him disappear.
I knew he was hurt.
But I was hurt, too.
Everything I'd believed about my family suddenly seemed uncertain.
A few minutes later, Rachel entered the room.
She carried a brown envelope.
"I found something," she said.
She placed it on the bed.
It was a copy of a document from my mother's estate.
At the bottom was a handwritten instruction.
In the event that Emily's parentage is questioned, request a certified copy of the sealed medical record.
Rachel looked at me.
"Your mother anticipated this possibility.""
"Does that mean she knew?""
"Maybe. But there's only one way to find out.""
Dad returned.
He read the document.
Then he looked at Grandma.
"Where is the original?""
Grandma swallowed.
"At home.""
"Where?""
"In Laura's writing desk. Behind the false bottom.""
Dad looked toward the door.
"We're going to get it.""
But Rachel shook her head.
"There's another problem.""
She showed us a message from the attorney.
The police had recovered the safe, but the original documents were missing.
Someone had removed a sealed envelope before the officers arrived.
And the person who had taken it was not Vanessa.
It was David.
Rachel enlarged the photograph attached to the message.
David was standing beside a black car.
A woman sat in the driver's seat.
I recognized her immediately.
It was Vanessa.
But she wasn't looking at David.
She was looking directly into the camera.
And she was holding something in her lap.
May you like
A small brown envelope.
The same envelope my mother had hidden.
