Chapter 12: Two Women Named Samantha
For several seconds, I couldn't speak.
Carter repeated the name, as though saying it twice might make it easier to understand.
“Claire Thompson was born Samantha Reed.””
I shook my head.
“No. I knew Samantha Reed.””
“You knew a woman who used that name.””
“I knew her for years.””
“And someone may have known exactly how convincing that identity would be.””
Brooks pulled out a chair.
“Let's slow down. Rebecca may have been injured and under extreme stress. We need to verify what she said before drawing conclusions.””
I barely heard her.
I remembered Samantha's smile. The way she'd pushed a cup of coffee toward me across the halfway-house table. The way she'd touched my cheek when I told her I was afraid I'd never become a decent man.
Could all of that have been an act?
Could the woman I loved have been someone else entirely?
Carter placed a photograph in front of me.
It showed Claire Thompson at twenty-two, standing beside a hospital entrance.
A second photograph showed Samantha Reed at approximately the same age.
The resemblance was extraordinary.
Same eyes.
Same narrow chin.
Same small scar beneath the right eyebrow.
But there was one difference.
Claire's left ear had no visible birthmark.
Samantha's photograph showed a faint mark just behind the ear.
I pointed at it.
“What is that?””
“According to Rebecca, Samantha and Claire were identical twins.””
The room went silent.
“Twins?”” I repeated.
“Born six minutes apart. Their birth records were altered after their mother died.””
Brooks leaned forward.
“Why?””
“Rebecca says their father was involved in the hospital's illegal transfer program. He arranged for one twin to be raised under a false identity while the other was placed with a different family.””
I stared at the photographs.
“So the woman I loved was Samantha. The woman who helped kidnap Ellie was her twin.””
“That's what Rebecca believes,” Carter replied.
“And the woman who called me?””
“We don't know which twin called you.””
My stomach twisted.
The voice had sounded like Samantha's.
But if Claire and Samantha were identical twins, the voice alone proved nothing.
“What about the child?”” I asked.
“The six-year-old?””
Carter opened a new file.
“Rebecca confirmed that Samantha gave birth to a girl six years ago. She said the child was taken from the hospital under an altered identity.””
“Did she know where the child went?””
“She believes the baby was transferred to a family outside Georgia. But the original records were removed.””
I looked at Brooks.
“What about Ellie?””
“Ellie's biological records also appear to have been altered,” she said.
“We have requested an emergency DNA comparison, with Michael's consent.””
“And Claire?””
“She's missing.””
I stood and began pacing.
Two identical women.
One kidnapped Ellie.
One supposedly died six years ago.
One had called me and claimed we had a daughter.
And someone was still trying to kill everyone who knew the truth.
Carter's phone rang again.
She answered and put it on speaker.
A hospital physician spoke quickly.
“Agent Carter, Rebecca is stable. She wants to speak with you immediately.””
“We're on our way.””
When we reached the hospital, Rebecca was pale but conscious. Her left arm was immobilized, and an oxygen tube rested beneath her nose.
She looked at me as soon as I entered.
“Ray.””
I moved beside her bed.
“Tell me the truth.””
Her eyes filled with tears.
“I will.””
“Was Samantha alive when you helped declare her dead?””
Rebecca looked toward Carter.
“Please. I need to explain everything.””
Carter pulled a chair close.
“Go ahead.””
Rebecca took a shaky breath.
“Six years ago, Samantha discovered that Claire had been using her identity to move money through the security company. The company wasn't just stealing money. It was arranging illegal transfers of children whose identities had been falsified at birth.””
“Why would Claire be involved?”” Brooks asked.
“Because she believed the children were commodities. She thought families with enough money could obtain whatever they wanted, and that the original parents would never be able to fight back.””
I clenched my jaw.
“And Samantha tried to stop her.””
“Yes. She found the original records and threatened to expose everything.””
“Then why did you help her disappear?””
Rebecca looked at me.
“Because Claire arranged for her to be killed.””
I felt my chest tighten.
“What happened at the garage?””
“Samantha was attacked. Pierce was there. He told everyone she was dead, but I helped her escape through the hospital's service tunnels.””
“Why didn't you tell the police?””
“Pierce controlled the investigation. He had evidence that could destroy my family. He threatened my son. He threatened my granddaughter.””
Her voice broke.
“I was a coward.””
“No,” I said quietly.
“You were frightened.””
Rebecca looked at me with exhausted eyes.
“I let innocent children suffer because I was frightened.””
Nobody answered.
She reached for the water beside her bed, but her hand trembled. Carter helped her take a sip.
“Where is Samantha now?”” Carter asked.
“I don't know. The last time I saw her, she was trying to locate her daughter.””
“Ray's daughter?””
Rebecca nodded.
“Claire stole the baby six years ago. Samantha thought she had arranged for the child to be placed with a safe family. Instead, the transfer records were altered.””
I leaned closer.
“Why would Claire steal her own sister's child?””
“Because Samantha had something Claire wanted.””
“What?””
Rebecca closed her eyes.
“The original ledger.””
Carter's expression sharpened.
“Explain.””
“The ledger listed every child transferred through the program. It also listed the people who paid for them. Claire believed Samantha had hidden it with the baby.””
I thought of Samantha's warning.
The girl has the ledger.
“Where is the child now?””
Rebecca shook her head.
“I don't know.””
“Who was she placed with?””
“I never saw the final paperwork.””
“Then how do you know Claire stole her?””
“Because Claire told me.””
Rebecca began to cry.
“She said Samantha had one weakness. She loved that baby more than she loved herself. Claire believed that if she took the child, Samantha would spend the rest of her life obeying her.””
I gripped the bedrail.
“And Ellie?””
Rebecca opened her eyes.
“Ellie was never supposed to be kidnapped. Claire arranged the operation because Michael had discovered the financial records. She wanted to frighten him into surrendering the file.””
“Then why did the recording mention sending pictures to her father?””
“Because the people involved wanted to prove Ellie was alive and under their control.””
“Who gave the order?””
Rebecca hesitated.
“Claire.””
Carter stood.
“We need to find her immediately.””
Rebecca caught her hand.
“There's one more thing.””
“What?””
“Claire didn't work alone. She had help from someone inside the courthouse.””
I remembered the evidence request, the threats, and the way the defense attorney had reacted when the recording played.
“Who?””
Rebecca looked at me.
“Charles Whitmore.””
The defense attorney.
The man who'd called Ellie's red heart an attempt to manipulate the jury.
The man who'd tried to convince everyone that I was part of the kidnapping.
Carter's face hardened.
“Are you certain?””
“I saw him with Claire the night Samantha disappeared. He gave her money and told her the police would never connect her to the transfer program.””
Brooks immediately called the courthouse security chief.
I stared at Rebecca.
“Why would Whitmore defend Daniel Voss if he knew what happened?””
“Because Voss has been paying him for years.””
“Then why did Voss turn himself in?””
Rebecca's eyes widened.
“He didn't turn himself in to help you.””
She tried to sit up, wincing.
“He wanted to get inside the federal building.””
Carter froze.
“What?””
Rebecca gripped her arm.
“He knew you would bring Ray there. He knew the evidence would be moved. He knew where the original files were stored.””
My blood turned to ice.
The hospital corridor erupted with footsteps.
An officer burst into the room.
“Agent Carter! We have a situation at the courthouse.””
Carter turned.
“What happened?””
“The evidence storage room has been breached. Multiple case files are missing.””
“Which files?””
The officer looked directly at me.
“Ray Dawson's original conviction file. The Samantha Reed investigation. And the recovered helmet-camera data.””
I felt the room tilt.
Carter reached for her radio.
“Lock down the building. Nobody leaves.””
But the officer wasn't finished.
“There's another problem. We found the security guard unconscious beside the service entrance.””
“Who did it?””
The officer swallowed.
“Witnesses saw Charles Whitmore leaving the building with a woman.””
Carter's phone rang.
She answered.
For a moment, she said nothing.
Then she looked at me.
“Ray, the woman with Whitmore has been identified.””
I already knew what she was going to say.
“Claire Thompson?””
Carter shook her head.
“No.””
She turned the phone toward me.
A grainy security image showed a woman with dark hair, a pale coat, and a silver bracelet.
The woman looked directly into the camera.
It was Samantha Reed.
May you like
Alive.
And standing beside the man who had spent the morning trying to prove I was a kidnapper.
