Chapter 10: The Photograph From Eleven Years Ago
For several seconds, I couldn't move.
The photograph lay between us on the metal table.
A younger version of me stood outside a military hospital in Virginia. My hair was shorter. My uniform was immaculate. One arm rested around a woman with dark hair and a beautiful smile.
I remembered her.
Sarah Bennett.
We had met during my final deployment overseas. She was a civilian medical contractor, and we'd spent three months working at the same field hospital.
She had been the first woman I'd seriously considered building a life with.
Then, one morning, she disappeared.
No goodbye.
No explanation.
Just a message saying she'd accepted a position overseas and didn't want me waiting for her.
I'd spent years wondering what had happened.
Now Claire Whitmore was telling me that the little girl in the pink hoodie was connected to her.
"Where did you get this?"" I asked.
Claire pulled out a chair.
"From Daniel's private files.""
"Why would he have photographs of Sarah?""
"Because Sarah was the first woman who tried to expose Nathaniel Voss.""
I stared at her.
"Sarah is dead.""
Claire shook her head.
"No. She's been alive this entire time.""
The room seemed to tilt.
"What?""
"Eleven years ago, Sarah discovered that Voss was experimenting with illegal medical identity transfers. He was working with wealthy families who wanted certain children removed from custody disputes.""
I remembered Sarah's final weeks overseas.
The late-night calls.
The strange questions about patient records.
The way she'd once asked whether I could disappear without leaving a military paper trail.
I had thought she was joking.
Claire continued.
"Sarah became pregnant. When she discovered what Voss was doing, she tried to leave. He found out about the pregnancy.""
I gripped the edge of the table.
"You're saying Lily is Sarah's daughter?""
Claire nodded.
"And Nathaniel Voss is her biological father.""
I stood abruptly.
"That's impossible.""
Claire didn't argue.
She opened the folder and showed me a hospital record.
The mother's name was Sarah Bennett.
The child's name was Lily Bennett.
The father's name had been deliberately altered.
I read the document twice.
Then a third time.
"Why did Daniel raise her?""
"Daniel and Nathaniel were business partners. Daniel's wife, Claire, had suffered several miscarriages. Nathaniel promised Daniel a child through an illegal arrangement.""
Claire's voice trembled.
"Daniel agreed to raise Lily as his own. But when he discovered what Nathaniel intended to do with her, he tried to protect her.""
"By kidnapping her?""
"He became part of the same system he eventually wanted to escape.""
I looked toward Harris.
He was reading another document.
"There's something else," he said.
He placed a photograph on the table.
It showed Sarah standing outside St. Mary's Hospital.
She was holding a little girl.
Lily.
But there was a man standing behind them.
Nathaniel Voss.
I felt sick.
"Where is Sarah now?""
Claire lowered her eyes.
"I don't know.""
"You're telling me you have no idea where Lily's mother is?""
"Daniel told me she was dead.""
"Did you believe him?""
Claire looked up.
"No.""
Her honesty made me angrier than a lie would have.
My phone rang.
Unknown number.
I answered.
"Mercer.""
A familiar voice responded.
"Hello, Cole.""
I stopped breathing.
Sarah.
I recognized her voice immediately.
"Sarah?""
A shaky breath came through the speaker.
"Please don't hang up.""
I gripped the phone.
"Where are you?""
"I can't tell you.""
"You're alive.""
She began crying.
"Yes.""
"Why didn't you contact me?""
Silence.
Then she whispered:
"Because I was trying to keep Lily alive.""
I closed my eyes.
"She's here, Sarah. I met her. She's safe.""
"No, Cole. She's not.""
I looked at the photograph.
"Where is Voss taking her?""
"St. Mary's. The old underground wing.""
Claire stepped closer.
"Sarah, it's Claire. We found the records.""
Sarah gasped.
"Then you found the original transfer agreement.""
"Yes.""
"Did you find the second signature?""
Claire searched the folder.
"There's only one signature.""
Sarah's voice became urgent.
"Look again. There are two.""
Claire turned the document over.
A second signature was printed at the bottom.
I recognized the name immediately.
Cole Mercer.
My own name.
My stomach dropped.
"I never signed this.""
Sarah began crying harder.
"I know.""
"What is this?""
"Eleven years ago, when you were working overseas, someone used your military identification to authorize a medical transport.""
"Whose transport?""
Sarah whispered:
"Mine.""
I stared at the document.
My signature had been forged.
But the next sentence was worse.
"Voss didn't just use your name, Cole. He used your medical records to establish legal paternity for Lily.""
I couldn't speak.
Sarah continued.
"That's why he wants the bracelet. It contains the original genetic reference code.""
I looked at Lily's bracelet.
R-17.
"What happens if he gets it?""
"He can destroy the evidence that proves Lily belongs to me.""
A loud noise interrupted her.
Sarah gasped.
"He's here.""
"Sarah, where are you?""
"Listen to me. Don't let him take Lily to the basement.""
The line crackled.
Then she whispered:
"There's a room beneath the old hospital where they keep the children who remember everything.""
"How do we get there?""
She answered with four words.
"Follow the red staircase.""
Then the call ended.
I stared at my phone.
Harris grabbed his jacket.
"We're going to St. Mary's.""
Claire shook her head.
"You can't go through the main entrance.""
"Why?""
She pointed to the floor plan.
"Because the entire building is controlled by Voss.""
I looked at the clock.
11:19 p.m.
The transfer was scheduled for 11:30.
I picked up the bracelet.
"Then we'll find another way in.""
As we headed for the door, Claire caught my arm.
"One more thing, Cole.""
I turned.
She looked at me with terrified eyes.
"Sarah didn't just hide Lily from Voss.""
"Who else?""
Claire swallowed.
"She hid another child.""
And when she showed me the second photograph, I recognized the little boy immediately.
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He was wearing a Marine Corps identification bracelet.
The same one I'd lost eleven years earlier.
