Chapter 14: The Last Carter Secret
I reached Vanessa before she hit the floor.
Blood spread across the front of her jacket.
"Vanessa!""
Daniel dropped beside us.
"She's been shot!""
Morgan shouted for an ambulance.
Emily stood frozen.
Then she knelt beside Vanessa.
"Mom?""
Vanessa's eyes opened.
She looked at Emily.
A weak smile appeared.
"You called me that.""
Emily began crying.
"Don't talk. Please.""
Vanessa tried to raise her hand.
Emily caught it.
"I'm sorry," Vanessa whispered.
"Stop apologizing.""
"I should have told you.""
"Just stay alive.""
Vanessa looked at me.
"Marcus... the second recording.""
"Where is it?""
"Daniel has it.""
Daniel pulled a small flash drive from his pocket.
"She gave it to me before we left.""
Morgan took it.
"Get this to the forensic team.""
Then she looked toward the hallway.
The shooter had escaped.
Two agents ran after him.
I pressed my jacket against Vanessa's wound.
"Stay with us.""
She struggled to breathe.
"Your father...""
"What about him?""
"He's not James's only secret.""
I stared at her.
"What does that mean?""
She swallowed.
"Ask him... about the night Eleanor adopted you.""
Her eyes closed.
"Vanessa!""
The paramedics arrived.
They carried her out on a stretcher.
Emily followed, refusing to release her hand until the ambulance doors closed.
I stood beside Daniel.
"Who shot her?""
He shook his head.
"I don't know.""
"How did you find her?""
"She called me this morning. She said Eleanor was going to kill us both.""
Morgan approached.
"We need to get somewhere secure. Now.""
But I couldn't leave.
Not yet.
I had another question.
"Daniel, did Vanessa ever tell you why Eleanor chose Marcus?""
Daniel looked toward the ambulance.
"She found something in the old hospital archives.""
"What?""
"An adoption agreement.""
Morgan turned.
"Between whom?""
Daniel hesitated.
"James Carter and Eleanor Carter.""
I frowned.
"That doesn't make sense. Eleanor raised me.""
"Exactly. But according to the document, she wasn't adopting you as a mother.""
He handed me a photocopy.
The agreement was dated three days after my birth.
Eleanor had been appointed my legal guardian.
James had signed as my biological father.
Grace Miller's signature appeared beneath his.
I stared at the paper.
"Why would James give me to Eleanor?""
Daniel shook his head.
"Vanessa said the agreement was only part of it.""
Morgan took the document.
"Where is the original?""
"With Eleanor.""
My phone rang.
It was the hospital.
My father had regained consciousness.
I rushed there with Emily.
When we entered his room, he looked at us with exhausted eyes.
"Marcus.""
I sat beside him.
"Dad, I need the truth.""
He glanced at Emily.
"What happened?""
"Vanessa was shot.""
His face tightened.
"Is she alive?""
"She's in surgery.""
He closed his eyes.
Then I showed him the adoption agreement.
"Why did you sign this?""
He stared at it.
"Because I had no choice.""
"Why?""
He took a painful breath.
"Because Eleanor threatened to expose the truth about your birth.""
I leaned closer.
"What truth?""
He looked at Emily.
"Your mother gave birth to you both.""
Emily stiffened.
"Grace gave birth to me?""
James nodded.
"Yes.""
I frowned.
"Then why does Vanessa's record say she gave birth to Emily?""
James turned toward me.
"Because Eleanor switched the records.""
Silence filled the room.
He continued.
"Grace gave birth to twins. A boy and a girl. You and Emily.""
I stared at him.
"Twins?""
Emily looked at me.
Her face had gone white.
James nodded.
"Eleanor wanted a child of her own. She had suffered several miscarriages. When Grace gave birth, Eleanor arranged to take one of the babies.""
"Why me?""
"Because Eleanor believed a son would secure the Carter inheritance. She wanted to raise you as her own and make sure you never knew Grace existed.""
"And Emily?""
"She was left with Grace. But Vanessa was involved in the hospital records. She had just given birth to a child of her own, and Eleanor used her medical file to make Emily appear to be Vanessa's daughter.""
Emily shook her head.
"Why would Vanessa agree?""
"She was seventeen. Eleanor threatened to send her brother to prison. She was told the baby would be placed with a safe family.""
"But you knew?""
James looked at her.
"I discovered it later.""
I felt anger rising.
"You knew I had a twin sister?""
"Yes.""
"For how long?""
"Since the night you were born.""
I stood.
"You let me believe she was dead.""
"I thought I was protecting you.""
"That's what everyone says!""
My father lowered his eyes.
"I made a terrible choice.""
Emily stepped closer.
"What happened to Grace?""
James looked at her.
"She was told you were dead. Eleanor kept you, and she arranged for Vanessa's baby to be recorded as deceased. Grace eventually discovered the deception.""
I turned toward the door.
"She told us she was my mother.""
"She was.""
"Then why did she never tell me about Emily?""
James struggled to sit up.
"Because Eleanor threatened to kill her if she spoke.""
I looked at the adoption agreement again.
There was another signature.
A witness.
Dr. Richard Hale.
And beneath his name was a second name.
Eleanor's brother.
A man I had never heard of.
"Who is Thomas Carter?""
My father froze.
Emily looked at him.
"Who?""
James's expression changed.
"Your grandfather's younger son.""
I frowned.
"Our grandfather had another son?""
James nodded.
"He was supposed to inherit the estate before me. But he disappeared the year you were born.""
"Why?""
My father looked directly at me.
"Because he was the one who exposed Eleanor's first attempt to steal a child.""
Before I could ask another question, Morgan entered.
She held a tablet.
"We recovered the second recording.""
She played it.
A man's voice spoke first.
"James, if Eleanor gets those children, neither of them will ever know the truth.""
My father's face drained of color.
Then another voice answered.
Eleanor.
"Then we'll make sure nobody survives to tell them.""
The recording ended.
Morgan looked at my father.
"Do you recognize the first voice?""
James nodded slowly.
"Yes.""
"Who is it?""
My father closed his eyes.
"Thomas.""
I stared at him.
"Your brother?""
James nodded.
"He's alive.""
Morgan lowered the tablet.
"Where is he?""
My father looked at me.
"He's the man who has been helping Eleanor.""
The room went silent.
Then the hospital television switched on by itself.
A live news report appeared.
The headline read:
*CARTER FAMILY HEIR ACCUSED OF MURDER AS POLICE SEEK MARCUS CARTER.*
A photograph of me filled the screen.
Morgan's phone rang.
She answered.
Her expression changed.
"What?""
She listened.
Then she looked at me.
"Mr. Carter, the hospital has just received an emergency court order.""
"About what?""
"Your father has been declared mentally incompetent.""
I looked at James.
Two men in suits entered the room.
One held a document.
The other held a syringe.
The first man smiled.
"Mr. Carter, we're here to transfer your father into protective custody.""
James began shaking.
He recognized them.
May you like
And he whispered one name.
"Thomas.""
