Chapter 8: The Doctor Who Was Supposed to Be Dead
My mother sat down.
Her hands were trembling so badly that she couldn't remove her gloves.
I stared at her.
“You spoke to Dr. Reed last week?””
She nodded.
“Where?””
“At a private clinic outside Milwaukee.””
Adrian immediately pulled out his phone.
“Which clinic?””
Eleanor looked toward Vanessa.
My wife was standing perfectly still.
Then she whispered:
“Don't tell him.””
I turned.
“Tell me what?””
Vanessa swallowed.
“Your mother has been visiting him for months.””
I looked back at Eleanor.
“Why?””
She closed her eyes.
“Because he has the original records.””
Adrian stepped forward.
“What original records?””
Eleanor reached into her handbag again and removed a second envelope.
This one was sealed.
“Dr. Reed gave me this. He said it was the only way to protect Leo.””
I took it.
The paper inside was folded into several sections.
At the top was the name of the fertility clinic.
Beneath it were several pages of medical documentation.
I scanned the first page.
Then stopped.
There were two embryo identification numbers.
One belonged to Emily's original selection.
The other had been substituted.
But the second number was followed by a handwritten note:
Transfer authorization obtained from Vanessa Carter.
I looked up.
“Vanessa?””
She shook her head.
“That's not what it looks like.””
“Then explain it.””
She walked toward the window.
“Emily had already agreed to the transfer.””
Adrian's voice rose.
“No, she hadn't.””
Vanessa turned.
“You weren't there.””
“I was the biological donor. I signed the original consent forms.””
“And you withdrew your consent.””
“Because Emily and I separated!””
Vanessa laughed.
“Exactly. You abandoned her.””
Adrian stepped closer.
“I withdrew my consent before the embryos were transferred. The clinic was supposed to destroy them.””
I looked at the paperwork.
“Then how was Leo born?””
Vanessa said nothing.
Eleanor began crying.
I turned toward her.
“Mom?””
She wiped her cheeks.
“I didn't know the whole story.””
“You knew enough to sign the discharge papers.””
“I know.””
I looked at the documents again.
There was another page.
A note from Dr. Reed.
Patient Emily Carter was informed of the discrepancy at approximately fourteen weeks gestation. She expressed distress and requested a full investigation. Patient was advised to consult independent legal counsel.
I felt my chest tighten.
Fourteen weeks.
Emily had known.
She had carried that secret for months.
I remembered her sitting on the edge of our bed one night, staring at the baby monitor.
She had asked me whether I would love Leo if he turned out to be different from what we expected.
I had laughed and kissed her forehead.
“Of course,” I had said.
She had started crying.
I had assumed it was pregnancy hormones.
Now I wondered whether she had been trying to tell me.
Adrian touched my shoulder.
“Marcus, there's more.””
I turned the page.
The final document was an internal email from the clinic.
It had been sent by Vanessa.
Emily has discovered the transfer discrepancy. She intends to contact the authorities. We need to ensure that the original consent documents cannot be accessed.
The email was dated six days before Emily died.
My fingers went numb.
“Did you write this?””
Vanessa looked away.
“Yes.””
Officer Bennett moved closer.
“Mrs. Carter, I need to ask you some questions.””
She folded her arms.
“I want my lawyer.””
“That's understandable. But I need you to remain here.””
She glanced toward Richard.
He had been unusually quiet.
I turned toward him.
“You knew about this?””
Richard adjusted his glasses.
“I was retained to advise on a complicated family matter.””
“You forged my signature.””
“I did not.””
I held up the guardianship petition.
“Then explain this.””
Richard examined it.
“I have no knowledge of any forgery.””
Daniel suddenly spoke from the doorway.
“That's a lie.””
Everyone turned.
He stepped into the room holding his phone.
“I recorded the conversation.””
Vanessa's face hardened.
“Daniel, don't.””
He looked at her.
“You told me Richard would protect us.””
Richard stepped toward him.
“Be careful.””
Daniel raised his phone.
“I'm done being careful.””
He played the recording.
Richard's voice came through the speaker.
“Once Marcus signs the document, the court won't need to investigate the clinic. We'll establish that he is emotionally unstable and that Vanessa is the only person capable of providing continuity for the child.””
Vanessa's voice followed.
“And the trust?””
Richard answered.
“We transfer the voting rights through the guardianship arrangement. After that, it's administrative.””
I looked at Richard.
He didn't deny it.
Instead, he turned toward Officer Bennett.
“I'd like to make a phone call.””
“You can do that after we finish securing the evidence.””
Richard's expression darkened.
“You're making a serious mistake.””
Officer Bennett didn't move.
Daniel continued.
“There's another recording.””
He looked at me.
“This one was made in the basement.””
I stared.
“What does it contain?””
Daniel swallowed.
“Vanessa and Richard talking about Emily.””
He pressed play.
The recording began with the sound of a chair scraping across a floor.
Then Vanessa spoke.
“Emily is becoming a problem.””
Richard answered.
“She has every right to know what happened.””
“She knows too much.””
“And?””
“She wants to go to the police.””
A pause.
Then Richard said:
“Then you need to convince her to stay quiet.””
Vanessa laughed.
“She won't.””
Richard lowered his voice.
“Don't do anything reckless.””
The recording ended.
I looked at Daniel.
“Is there more?””
He nodded.
“But the next part is difficult to hear.””
He adjusted the volume.
A different conversation began.
Vanessa's voice was clearer.
“If Emily tells Marcus, I'll lose everything.””
Richard replied:
“Then make sure she can't tell him.””
I stopped breathing.
A long silence followed.
Then Vanessa said something that made Eleanor collapse into a chair.
“I'm not going to let her leave that hospital alive with my secret.””
Officer Bennett immediately stopped the recording.
“That's enough.””
Vanessa stared at Daniel.
“You recorded me?””
He nodded.
“You made me believe I was helping you.””
She took a step toward him.
“You owe me everything.””
Daniel shook his head.
“No. I owe Leo an apology.””
Vanessa's face twisted.
“You ungrateful little coward.””
Officer Bennett moved between them.
“That's enough, Mrs. Carter.””
I looked at Daniel.
“Why didn't you give this to the police earlier?””
He lowered his head.
“Because I was afraid. She had documents showing I'd been involved in the recordings. I thought I'd go to prison.””
“You helped her manipulate my son.””
“I know.””
His voice broke.
“I know, Marcus. I was wrong.””
I didn't forgive him.
Not then.
Perhaps not ever.
But I understood that his fear had kept him silent, and that silence had given Vanessa more time.
Officer Bennett stepped into the hallway to speak with his supervisor.
Adrian came closer.
“Marcus, we need to get Leo away from this house.””
I looked toward the bedroom door.
“He's not going anywhere without me.””
“I didn't mean that. I meant somewhere safe.””
I nodded.
“Get Nia. Ask her to pack his things.””
Then I turned toward my mother.
She was staring at the hospital records.
“Mom, did Emily ever tell you she was afraid of Vanessa?””
Eleanor nodded slowly.
“She called me the night before she died.””
I felt my stomach tighten.
“What did she say?””
My mother covered her face.
“She said Vanessa had been following her.””
I stared.
“Why didn't you tell me?””
“Because Emily begged me not to confront anyone until she could speak to Dr. Reed.””
I stepped closer.
“Did she say where she was going?””
Eleanor nodded.
“She said she had hidden something at the hospital.””
“What?””
“I don't know.””
Then my mother reached into her coat pocket.
She pulled out a small photograph.
It showed Emily standing outside a hospital room.
On the back, in her handwriting, were the words:
If anything happens to me, check Room 317.
I looked at Adrian.
“Which hospital?””
Eleanor answered.
“St. Catherine's.””
I felt a strange chill.
That was the hospital where Emily had died.
Before I could ask anything else, Officer Bennett returned.
“Mr. Carter, we've contacted the hospital. They have an archived patient storage room matching that number.””
I nodded.
“Then we're going.””
He raised a hand.
“Not so fast. There's another issue.””
“What?””
He looked toward the front windows.
A black sedan had pulled into the driveway.
A man stepped out.
He wore a gray coat and carried a leather medical bag.
Adrian recognized him immediately.
“Dr. Reed.””
I stared.
“But Eleanor said he was supposed to be dead.””
The doctor looked through the window.
Then he raised his hand and pointed directly at Vanessa.
And spoke through the glass.
“Tell Marcus the truth about Emily's final night.””
May you like
Vanessa backed away.
For the first time, she looked genuinely terrified.
