Chapter 13: ## Chapter 13: The Little Girl Who Was Already Home
For several: The Little Girl Who Was Already Home
For several seconds, I couldn't understand what my mother was telling me.
“The child you've been calling seconds, I couldn't understand what my mother was telling me.
“The child you've been calling Sofia isn't the only little girl your father has been watching.””
I looked at her.
“What Sofia isn't the only little girl your father has been watching.””
I looked at her.
“What does that mean?””
My mother gripped my hand.
“It means there are three children, Marcus. Three girls. Three birth records. And your does that mean?””
My mother gripped my hand.
“It means there are three children, Marcus. Three girls. Three birth records. And your father has spent seven years making sure nobody discovers what happened to them.””
I stood abruptly.
“Sofia is my father has spent seven years making sure nobody discovers what happened to them.””
I stood abruptly.
“Sofia is my daughter. I don't care what documents he changed. She's my daughter.””
“I know,” my mother whispered.
“Then stop talking about her like daughter. I don't care what documents he changed. She's my daughter.””
“I know,” my mother whispered.
“Then stop talking about her like she's some experiment.””
My mother started crying.
Detective Harris stepped between us.
“Mrs. Cole, we need you to explain exactly what you know. No more half-truths.””
She nodded.
Then she's some experiment.””
My mother started crying.
Detective Harris stepped between us.
“Mrs. Cole, we need you to explain exactly what you know. No more half-truths.””
She nodded.
Then she reached into the drawer and removed a small envelope.
“I kept this because Elena told me that one day Marcus might need to understand why his father chose she reached into the drawer and removed a small envelope.
“I kept this because Elena told me that one day Marcus might need to understand why his father chose these particular children.””
I opened it.
Inside were three photographs.
The first showed Sofia as a newborn.
The second showed a little girl with dark curls standing outside a school.
The third showed a baby wrapped in a white blanket.
There was these particular children.””
I opened it.
Inside were three photographs.
The first showed Sofia as a newborn.
The second showed a little girl with dark curls standing outside a school.
The third showed a baby wrapped in a white blanket.
There was something written beneath each photograph.
*Child A: Sofia Cole.*
*Child B: Lily Bennett.*
*Child C: Unknown identity.*
I looked at my mother something written beneath each photograph.
*Child A: Sofia Cole.*
*Child B: Lily Bennett.*
*Child C: Unknown identity.*
I looked at my mother.
“Who is Child C?””
She hesitated.
“Your father believed the third child carried a rare genetic marker connected to a medical research.
“Who is Child C?””
She hesitated.
“Your father believed the third child carried a rare genetic marker connected to a medical research project.””
Detective Harris frowned.
“What kind of project?””
“I don't know. Richard never explained everything to project.””
Detective Harris frowned.
“What kind of project?””
“I don't know. Richard never explained everything to me. He only said the child was valuable.””
I felt disgusted.
“They were babies.””
“I know.””
“And he treated them like property?””
My mother nodded.
I looked at the third photograph again.
The baby had me. He only said the child was valuable.””
I felt disgusted.
“They were babies.””
“I know.””
“And he treated them like property?””
My mother nodded.
I looked at the third photograph again.
The baby had a tiny crescent-shaped birthmark near her left shoulder.
Something about the picture felt familiar.
Then I remembered Vanessa.
She had a a tiny crescent-shaped birthmark near her left shoulder.
Something about the picture felt familiar.
Then I remembered Vanessa.
She had a small crescent-shaped birthmark in exactly the same place.
I looked up.
“Vanessa.””
My mother nodded slowly.
small crescent-shaped birthmark in exactly the same place.
I looked up.
“Vanessa.””
My mother nodded slowly.
“Yes.””
I couldn't speak.
“Are you saying Vanessa was the third child?””
“That's what Elena suspected.””
Detective Harris immediately stood.
“Where is Vanessa now?””
I looked at him.
“She was at my house.””
He pulled“Yes.””
I couldn't speak.
“Are you saying Vanessa was the third child?””
“That's what Elena suspected.””
Detective Harris immediately stood.
“Where is Vanessa now?””
I looked at him.
“She was at my house.””
He pulled out his phone.
“Get someone to check the holding area. We need to confirm her location immediately.””
My mother continued.
out his phone.
“Get someone to check the holding area. We need to confirm her location immediately.””
My mother continued.
“Richard arranged for Vanessa to be raised under a different identity. He made sure she grew up believing she was unrelated to the other children.””
I shook my head.
“Why would he put her“Richard arranged for Vanessa to be raised under a different identity. He made sure she grew up believing she was unrelated to the other children.””
I shook my head.
“Why would he put her in my life?””
“Because he wanted to keep all three girls connected to him.””
I thought about the years Vanessa had spent in my life?””
“Because he wanted to keep all three girls connected to him.””
I thought about the years Vanessa had spent around our family.
She had known Elena before the disappearance.
She had become my friend.
Then around our family.
She had known Elena before the disappearance.
She had become my friend.
Then my wife.
She had helped raise Sofia.
All while carrying a secret nobody had told her.
But one question remained.
“Did Vanessa know?””
My mother looked down.
“I don't think she knew the my wife.
She had helped raise Sofia.
All while carrying a secret nobody had told her.
But one question remained.
“Did Vanessa know?””
My mother looked down.
“I don't think she knew the whole truth.””
Detective Harris's phone rang.
He answered.
His expression hardened.
“What do you mean she's missing?””
He listened.
Then he looked at whole truth.””
Detective Harris's phone rang.
He answered.
His expression hardened.
“What do you mean she's missing?””
He listened.
Then he looked at me.
“Mrs. Cole has been moved from the temporary holding area.””
My stomach dropped.
“By whom?””
“The officer assigned to me.
“Mrs. Cole has been moved from the temporary holding area.””
My stomach dropped.
“By whom?””
“The officer assigned to her escort says another detective arrived with transfer paperwork.””
“Was that legitimate her escort says another detective arrived with transfer paperwork.””
“Was that legitimate?””
“We're checking.””
My mother grabbed my arm.
“Richard has people everywhere.””
Harris immediately ordered his team to secure the station.
I looked at the three photographs.
Three girls.
?””
“We're checking.””
My mother grabbed my arm.
“Richard has people everywhere.””
Harris immediately ordered his team to secure the station.
I looked at the three photographs.
Three girls.
Three identities.
Three lives manipulated by one man.
And somewhere in the middle of it all was my daughter.
“Detective,” I said, “I want to see the original records.””
He nodded.
“Daniel gave us the location. We'll go there now.””
The abandoned clinic stood near an industrial estate.
Three identities.
Three lives manipulated by one man.
And somewhere in the middle of it all was my daughter.
“Detective,” I said, “I want to see the original records.””
He nodded.
“Daniel gave us the location. We'll go there now.””
The abandoned clinic stood near an industrial estate.
Its windows were boarded up, and weeds had grown through cracks in the parking lot.
Two police vehicles blocked the entrance.
Harris orderedIts windows were boarded up, and weeds had grown through cracks in the parking lot.
Two police vehicles blocked the entrance.
Harris ordered everyone to remain outside while officers checked the building.
I waited beside the gate, staring at the rusted sign.
A faded everyone to remain outside while officers checked the building.
I waited beside the gate, staring at the rusted sign.
A faded medical logo remained above the entrance.
Then I saw something.
A small drawing scratched into the concrete beside medical logo remained above the entrance.
Then I saw something.
A small drawing scratched into the concrete beside the door.
A star.
The same five-pointed star Elena used to paint on Sofia's bedroom ceiling.
I crouched.
There was a date beneath it.
The date Elena disappeared.
My hands started shaking.
“Detective!””
Harris came over.
I pointed the door.
A star.
The same five-pointed star Elena used to paint on Sofia's bedroom ceiling.
I crouched.
There was a date beneath it.
The date Elena disappeared.
My hands started shaking.
“Detective!””
Harris came over.
I pointed at the drawing.
He examined it.
Then he signaled to an officer.
“Check that wall.””
The officer found a loose panel behind an old electrical at the drawing.
He examined it.
Then he signaled to an officer.
“Check that wall.””
The officer found a loose panel behind an old electrical box.
Inside was a small key.
Harris took it.
A few minutes later, we discovered a locked basement door.
The key fitted.
The smell box.
Inside was a small key.
Harris took it.
A few minutes later, we discovered a locked basement door.
The key fitted.
The smell hit us first.
Dust.
Disinfectant.
Something metallic.
The basement contained old filing cabinets, broken medical equipment, and hit us first.
Dust.
Disinfectant.
Something metallic.
The basement contained old filing cabinets, broken medical equipment, and several boxes of documents.
An officer opened the first cabinet.
Inside were folders arranged by year.
Harris began examining them.
Then he stopped.
“Mr. Cole.””
I approached.
He several boxes of documents.
An officer opened the first cabinet.
Inside were folders arranged by year.
Harris began examining them.
Then he stopped.
“Mr. Cole.””
I approached.
He held up a folder.
On its front was my father's handwriting.
*THE THREE GIRLS.*
Inside were three complete files.
Sofia.
Lily.
Vanessa.
But behind held up a folder.
On its front was my father's handwriting.
*THE THREE GIRLS.*
Inside were three complete files.
Sofia.
Lily.
Vanessa.
But behind those files was another envelope.
My name was written across it.
I opened it.
There was a photograph of me as a sixteen-year-old boy, standing beside my father.
On the back, those files was another envelope.
My name was written across it.
I opened it.
There was a photograph of me as a sixteen-year-old boy, standing beside my father.
On the back, he had written:
The son must never know what his mother agreed to.
I turned toward Harris.
“What did she he had written:
The son must never know what his mother agreed to.
I turned toward Harris.
“What did she agree to?””
He removed a second document from the envelope.
It was a signed statement agree to?””
He removed a second document from the envelope.
It was a signed statement.
My mother's signature appeared at the bottom.
The statement claimed she had voluntarily surrendered.
My mother's signature appeared at the bottom.
The statement claimed she had voluntarily surrendered custody of a newborn child.
Not one of the three girls.
A fourth child.
My blood ran cold.
“Who was that?””
custody of a newborn child.
Not one of the three girls.
A fourth child.
My blood ran cold.
“Who was that?””
Harris turned the page.
The name was clearly printed.
*Marcus Cole.*
I stared.
“What?””
My mother hadn't simply hidden my father.
She had hidden the truth about my own birth.
And beneath my name wasHarris turned the page.
The name was clearly printed.
*Marcus Cole.*
I stared.
“What?””
My mother hadn't simply hidden my father.
She had hidden the truth about my own birth.
And beneath my name was a handwritten note.
Biological relationship to Richard Hayes: unconfirmed.
Before I could process it, a sound echoed from deeper inside the basement.
A door a handwritten note.
Biological relationship to Richard Hayes: unconfirmed.
Before I could process it, a sound echoed from deeper inside the basement.
A door slammed.
Then a woman's voice called slammed.
Then a woman's voice called out.
“Marcus?””
I froze.
I knew that voice.
It was Elena.
And she was somewhere inside the out.
“Marcus?””
I froze.
I knew that voice.
It was Elena.
May you like
And she was somewhere inside the clinic.
clinic.
