Chapter 14: The Last Secret of Christmas
I didn't remember leaving the police station.
I only remembered Marcus sitting beside me in Richard's car, staring through the window.
His hands were clasped tightly together.
He hadn't spoken since Vanessa mentioned the DNA report.
Finally, he turned toward me.
“Mom, was Dad my biological father?””
I looked at my son.
The little boy who used to run into Robert's arms whenever he came home from work.
The teenager Robert taught to drive.
The man who had stood beside his father's hospital bed and promised to take care of me.
“Yes,” I said.
Marcus swallowed.
“How can you be so sure?””
“Because Robert was your father in every way that mattered.””
“That's not what I asked.””
I reached for his hand.
“I know.””
He pulled away.
“Did you ever have an affair?””
The question hurt, but I understood why he asked.
“No.””
“Then why would Diane have a DNA report?””
“I don't know.””
He looked out the window again.
“I need the truth, Mom.””
“So do I.””
Richard arranged an emergency meeting with Detective Miller.
They had obtained a warrant to search Diane's house after Vanessa identified the location of the original will.
We arrived shortly before seven.
Diane's house looked perfectly ordinary.
White curtains. A wreath on the front door. Two small Christmas decorations in the windows.
I had visited that house hundreds of times.
Now I was walking toward it with police officers.
Detective Miller knocked.
No answer.
He knocked again.
“Police department. We have a warrant.””
A light came on upstairs.
Then the front door opened.
Diane stood there wearing a cream-colored sweater.
She looked surprised to see me.
“Evelyn? What is this?””
The detective held up the warrant.
“We need to search the property.””
Diane's expression hardened.
“On what grounds?””
“Fraud, evidence tampering, and suspected financial crimes connected to the Bennett Family Trust.””
She looked at me.
“You brought the police to my house?””
I stared at her.
“You brought a criminal into my home and helped him steal from my family.””
Diane gave a bitter laugh.
“Your family?””
“Yes.””
She stepped aside.
“Come in, then. But you're making a terrible mistake.””
Officers searched the living room and kitchen.
Another team went upstairs.
Marcus remained beside me.
Diane approached him.
“Marcus, sweetheart, you don't have to believe everything your mother tells you.””
He stepped away.
“Don't call me that.””
Her expression changed.
“I helped raise your children.””
“You helped threaten my daughter.””
“I was protecting Vanessa.””
“From what? The truth?””
Diane's eyes flashed.
“You have no idea what Robert did to Elizabeth.””
I stepped forward.
“Tell me.””
She turned toward me.
“Your husband promised my sister a future. He promised her money, security, and a place in the Bennett family. Then he watched her die with nothing.””
“That's not true.””
“You weren't there.””
I looked at her.
“Neither were you when Robert and I built our life.””
Her mouth tightened.
“You got everything. The house. The money.
The respectable family. Elizabeth got an adoption certificate and a grave.””
I felt tears burn my eyes.
“Robert tried to protect her daughter.””
“Too late!””
Diane's voice echoed through the house.
Then she lowered it.
“Elizabeth died believing the Bennett family had abandoned her.””
Richard stepped forward.
“Diane, the trust documents show that money was set aside for her.””
Diane laughed.
“Money? You think money fixes everything?””
“No. But stealing it doesn't help either.””
Before she could answer, an officer came down the stairs.
“Detective, we found something.””
He held up a black document folder.
Inside was the original will.
I recognized Robert's signature immediately.
There were also several photographs, bank statements, and a sealed medical report.
Diane's face changed.
“Put that down.””
The officer ignored her.
Detective Miller opened the folder.
“What's this medical report?””
Diane didn't answer.
Marcus stepped forward.
“Is that the DNA report?””
Diane looked at him.
For a moment, I thought she might deny everything.
Instead, she whispered:
“Your mother knows the truth.””
Marcus turned toward me.
“Mom?””
I shook my head.
“I have never seen that report.””
Diane suddenly laughed.
“Then perhaps you should read the letter attached to it.””
The detective opened the folder.
There was a laboratory report dated thirty-nine years earlier.
The names were partially obscured, but the conclusion was clear.
The test had been conducted to establish biological paternity.
The alleged father was Robert Bennett.
The child was Marcus Bennett.
The result showed a probability of paternity exceeding 99.9 percent.
Marcus stared at the page.
Then he looked at Diane.
“You lied.””
She shook her head.
“No.””
“You said Robert wasn't my father.””
“I said there was another possibility.””
“Why?””
Diane's face crumpled.
“Because Gregory wanted you to believe Robert had betrayed your mother. He needed you to question the estate documents.””
Richard examined the report.
“Diane, why was this kept in your possession?””
She looked at me.
“Because Robert gave it to me.””
My stomach tightened.
“When?””
“The week before he died.””
“Why?””
Diane's eyes filled.
“He knew Gregory was planning something. He asked me to protect Marcus if anything happened to him.””
I felt anger rise.
“You helped Gregory instead.””
She lowered her head.
“I made a mistake.””
“A mistake? You stole money, helped forge my signature, and threatened my granddaughter!””
Diane began crying.
Then Detective Miller found another document.
It was a handwritten statement from Robert.
He read it aloud.
I have confirmed that Marcus is my biological son. The rumors about Evelyn are lies created by Gregory to damage our family.
I also know Diane has been pressured to participate in the theft of the trust funds. I have given her one opportunity to come forward.
If she refuses, I will report everyone involved.
The statement was dated two days before Robert died.
I looked at Diane.
“What happened after that?””
She wiped her face.
“Gregory came to the house. He said Robert was going to destroy all of us. He told me the trust money belonged to the family.””
“And you believed him?””
“I was afraid.””
“Afraid of what?””
Diane looked toward the staircase.
Then she said something that made my blood turn cold.
“Gregory told me he had already poisoned Robert's medication.””
Marcus stumbled backward.
Richard immediately called Detective Miller's attention.
“Did you know about this?””
Diane shook her head.
“I didn't believe him. I thought he was trying to frighten me.””
The detective's expression became serious.
“Did you see Gregory handle the medication?””
“No.””
“Did you see anything unusual the night Robert died?””
Diane hesitated.
Then she looked directly at me.
“I saw him leave your house carrying Robert's medical bag.””
My knees weakened.
Richard caught my arm.
“Evelyn, sit down.””
But I couldn't.
I remembered Robert's final hours.
The medication.
The glass of water.
The argument in the study.
The ambulance.
Everything suddenly seemed connected.
Detective Miller ordered the medical report to be preserved and requested an immediate review of Robert's death records.
Then another officer approached.
“Detective, we have a problem.””
“What?””
“Gregory Bennett has been released from questioning.””
Richard frowned.
“On what grounds?””
The officer hesitated.
“Someone posted bail under an identity we haven't verified.””
“Who?””
The officer checked his tablet.
Then he looked at me.
“Vanessa Bennett.””
I stared at him.
“But she's in custody.””
“She was released on a separate matter after providing additional evidence.””
Marcus shook his head.
“Where is she now?””
The officer swallowed.
“She left the station twenty minutes ago.””
Detective Miller's phone rang.
He answered.
Listened.
Then his expression changed.
“What do you mean the body was exhumed?””
He looked at Richard.
Then at me.
“Mrs. Bennett, we're reopening your husband's death investigation.””
An hour later, Detective Miller returned.
He carried a sealed envelope.
Inside was the preliminary report from the medical examiner's office.
Robert's original death certificate listed natural causes.
But a new examination of archived hospital records had revealed an unusual concentration of a medication that Robert had not been prescribed.
The detective placed the report on the table.
“We can't conclude what happened yet. But we have enough to investigate possible poisoning.””
I covered my mouth.
Marcus reached for my hand.
Then Detective Miller turned to Diane.
“There's one final question.””
She looked up.
“Where is Gregory?””
Diane shook her head.
“I don't know.””
The detective leaned closer.
“Diane, if you want to cooperate, now is the time.””
She closed her eyes.
Then whispered:
“He told me he was going to finish what he started.””
Richard frowned.
“What does that mean?””
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Diane looked directly at me.
“He said Evelyn was never supposed to survive Robert.””
