Chapter 11: The DNA Test Nobody Wanted
Dad refused to wait another day.
The next morning, he contacted the estate attorney and arranged for the original medical records to be located.
Meanwhile, the police continued questioning Vanessa and David.
Rachel stayed with me.
She had become the one person who seemed to understand exactly what I was going through.
"Do you think Richard Hale is really my father?"" I asked.
Rachel looked at me carefully.
"I think your mother deserves to have her truth heard before anyone makes assumptions.""
I nodded.
A few minutes later, Dad entered carrying a folder.
"I spoke to the hospital where you were born.""
I sat up.
"What did they say?""
"They still have archived records. Your mother requested that certain information remain confidential.""
Rachel leaned forward.
"Can they release it?""
"Not without following the proper legal process. But the attorney has already submitted the necessary request.""
Dad sat beside me.
"Emily, whatever those records say, nothing changes how I feel about you.""
I looked at him.
"Even if Richard is my biological father?""
His eyes filled.
"Especially then.""
He took my hand.
"I raised you. I held you when you were sick. I taught you to ride a bicycle. I sat outside your bedroom when you had nightmares.""
His voice broke.
"Nobody can take those years away from us.""
I started crying.
He pulled me into his arms.
"I love you, sweetheart. That will never change.""
Later that afternoon, the attorney arrived with a sealed document.
He was a tall man with silver hair and a leather briefcase.
"Michael, Emily, I have something important.""
He placed the envelope on the table.
"This was recovered from the secure estate archive. Your mother deposited it there shortly before her death.""
Dad looked at the seal.
"What's inside?""
"Two documents and a letter.""
The attorney carefully opened it.
The first document was a certified birth record.
The second was a laboratory report.
Dad read the report.
Then he looked up.
His expression was impossible to read.
"What does it say?"" I whispered.
He passed it to the attorney.
The attorney explained.
"The report confirms that Michael is Emily's biological father.""
I stared.
"What?""
Dad looked at me.
"You're my daughter.""
I began crying again.
He wrapped his arms around me.
For several seconds, neither of us spoke.
Then I noticed something.
"Why did Mom hide this?""
The attorney opened the letter.
He read aloud.
Michael,
If you're reading this, then someone has begun questioning Emily's identity. I want you to know that I never doubted you were her father.
However, I discovered that Richard Hale had attempted to use a false paternity claim to gain access to my father's estate.
Dad frowned.
"Richard claimed he was Emily's father?""
The attorney continued.
Richard threatened to challenge the inheritance if I refused to surrender control of the family properties. He believed that if he could convince people Emily was his child, he could claim rights through her.
Rachel shook her head.
"So the entire biological father story was a lie?""
The attorney nodded.
"According to this letter, yes.""
I looked at Grandma.
She was crying quietly.
"Your mother was protecting you," she whispered.
Dad read the rest of the letter.
Richard was not acting alone. Someone had been providing him with confidential information about our family finances.
I eventually discovered that the person helping him was Vanessa.
Dad slammed his hand against the table.
"She knew about the inheritance before she married me.""
The attorney nodded.
"That appears to be the case.""
Rachel opened her folder.
"Then we need to know why Vanessa was working with Richard.""
The attorney removed the final document.
It was a handwritten agreement dated six months before my mother died.
Richard Hale had agreed to transfer his remaining claims against the family estate in exchange for a payment.
The payment was listed as $250,000.
The recipient was Vanessa.
Dad stared.
"She was paid to help Richard steal from my wife's estate?""
The attorney pointed to the bottom.
"Look at the second signature.""
Dad leaned closer.
It belonged to David.
The same David who had worked for him for eleven years.
Then the attorney revealed something else.
"There's a problem with the dates.""
"What problem?"" Dad asked.
"Richard signed this agreement six months before Laura died. But the payment was processed three weeks after her death.""
Dad slowly sat down.
"Who authorized it?""
The attorney turned the page.
A signature appeared.
Michael.
My father's signature.
Dad shook his head.
"I never signed that.""
The attorney nodded.
"I know. The signature is suspiciously similar to the one on the other fraudulent documents.""
Rachel looked at me.
"Vanessa had access to everything.""
I stared at the agreement.
Then I noticed a small handwritten note in the margin.
It was dated two days after my mother's funeral.
The girl must never discover what her mother found.
I read it twice.
"Who wrote this?""
The attorney examined the handwriting.
"I can't say without an expert analysis.""
Dad leaned closer.
Then he recognized something.
"The handwriting belongs to David.""
Nobody spoke.
Suddenly, Dad's phone rang.
It was the police detective.
"Mr. Michael, we need you to come to the station.""
"Why?""
"We've received a statement from Vanessa.""
Dad frowned.
"What statement?""
The detective hesitated.
"She's claiming that Laura was the person who arranged the fraudulent transfers.""
I felt my stomach drop.
Dad stood.
"That's impossible.""
The detective continued.
"She says she has original recordings proving it.""
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Then he added:
"She's also requesting to speak directly with Emily.""
