Chapter 10: The Baby They Buried
For several seconds, nobody moved.
I stared at the photograph of the two newborn babies.
One wore a pink blanket.
The other wore blue.
Both had tiny identification bracelets around their wrists.
And beneath the photograph, someone had written that one of them was my daughter.
"The baby Vanessa buried wasn't hers," I repeated.
Thomas nodded.
"That's what happened.""
I turned toward Vanessa.
She was sitting in the chair with both hands covering her face.
"Tell me he's lying.""
She didn't answer.
"Vanessa!""
She slowly lowered her hands.
"I was told my baby died.""
"By whom?""
"Daniel.""
"And you believed him?""
"He showed me the body.""
My stomach tightened.
"What body?""
"A baby wrapped in a hospital blanket. He told me the doctors had tried everything.""
I looked at Thomas.
He nodded slowly.
"That wasn't Vanessa's baby.""
I felt sick.
"Then whose was it?""
"Emily's.""
Vanessa began crying harder.
"I didn't know.""
Thomas continued.
"Emily discovered the switch shortly after the delivery. Daniel had arranged for the hospital records to be altered. His intention was to make everyone believe Vanessa had given birth to Maya.""
"Why?""
"Because he wanted legal control over one child and emotional control over the other.""
I stared at him.
"That doesn't make sense.""
"It will.""
Thomas walked toward the fireplace and removed a framed photograph.
It showed Emily holding a newborn baby.
Vanessa stood beside her.
Both women looked exhausted.
But they were smiling.
"Emily knew something was wrong," Thomas said.
"She realized the child she was holding wasn't the baby she had delivered.""
I looked at the picture.
"How could she tell?""
"One of the babies had a small birthmark behind her left shoulder. Emily had seen it during the delivery.""
My thoughts raced.
Maya had a small birthmark behind her left shoulder.
I had noticed it when she was a toddler.
I looked at Vanessa.
"Does Maya have it?""
She nodded.
"Yes.""
Thomas continued.
"Emily's baby had the birthmark. Vanessa's didn't.""
I stared at him.
"So Maya is Emily's daughter?""
"Yes.""
"Then whose child was the other baby?""
Thomas looked down.
"That's what Daniel wanted to keep hidden.""
Detective Harris stepped forward.
"Mr. Reed, where is the second child now?""
Thomas hesitated.
"Alive.""
"Where?""
"I don't know her current location.""
"You're going to need to explain that.""
Thomas nodded.
"After the hospital incident, Daniel arranged for the second baby to be placed with another family. The records were changed again. The child was given a different name.""
"Was the family aware?""
"No.""
I felt my jaw tighten.
"Someone raised a child for years without knowing her identity?""
Thomas nodded.
"That's why Emily kept the original records.""
I looked at him.
"Did she know where the child was?""
"She found out shortly before she died.""
My heart began pounding.
"Who?""
Thomas reached into his pocket and removed another photograph.
It showed a young woman standing beside Emily outside a coffee shop.
She looked about twenty.
Dark hair.
A small scar near her chin.
And familiar eyes.
I looked closer.
"Who is she?""
Thomas placed the photograph on the table.
"Her name is Sophie.""
"How old is she?""
"Twenty-one.""
I stared.
"How can that be? The babies were born six years ago.""
Thomas shook his head.
"Sophie isn't the second baby.""
He pointed to the photograph.
"She's the woman who helped Emily uncover the truth.""
I frowned.
"Then where is the other child?""
Thomas took a breath.
"Daniel has her.""
The room went silent.
Detective Harris immediately reached for his radio.
"Any indication of the child's current location?""
Thomas shook his head.
"No. But Daniel has been using the girl as leverage.""
"Leverage against whom?""
"Against Vanessa.""
Vanessa suddenly stood.
"Stop talking.""
Thomas turned.
"You need to tell him.""
"You're destroying everything!""
"No," Thomas replied.
"Daniel did that years ago.""
She looked at me.
"Marcus, please. I didn't know the baby was Emily's. I swear.""
I stepped back.
"I don't know what to believe anymore.""
She reached for my arm.
I pulled away.
"Don't touch me.""
Detective Harris asked Thomas another question.
"Why did Daniel send Marcus that photograph?""
"Because he wants him to open Room 219.""
"What's inside?""
Thomas looked at me.
"The original medical records, the recording, and a letter from Emily.""
I frowned.
"There's already a letter.""
"Not the one I'm talking about.""
Thomas explained that Emily had rented the storage unit under a false name. She had hidden several documents there, but the most important evidence was locked inside a secondary compartment.
The brass key opened the outer box.
A second key was needed for the compartment.
And Daniel had that key.
"Why would Emily leave the second key with him?"" I asked.
"She didn't.""
Thomas reached into his pocket.
He removed a small silver object.
A key.
"She gave this to me.""
Detective Harris took it.
"Why didn't you turn it over earlier?""
"Because I was waiting for the right moment.""
"What moment?""
Thomas looked at me.
"When Marcus finally understood that Maya wasn't the only person we needed to save.""
My phone buzzed.
An incoming message.
Unknown number.
It contained a photograph of a little girl sitting at a kitchen table.
She was eating cereal.
Her dark hair was tied into two small ponytails.
She looked about six.
Underneath the picture was a message.
*SHE THINKS HER NAME IS OLIVIA.*
Another message followed.
*SHE IS YOUR DAUGHTER.*
I stared at the screen.
The photograph was too clear to be a threat made from an old image.
It had been taken that morning.
Detective Harris looked over my shoulder.
"Who is that child?""
Thomas went pale.
"Olivia.""
I turned.
"Who?""
Thomas whispered.
"Daniel's granddaughter.""
I looked at Vanessa.
She had stopped crying.
Her expression was one of absolute terror.
Then Thomas spoke again.
"Marcus, that little girl is the child who was switched with Maya.""
I couldn't breathe.
"You're saying she's my daughter?""
Thomas nodded.
"Emily gave birth to twins.""
The room seemed to spin.
"Twins?""
He looked at me.
"One was taken. The other was hidden.""
I stared at the photograph.
Two little girls.
Two lives.
One family.
And a man who had spent six years making sure neither child knew the truth.
My phone buzzed again.
This time, the message was a voice recording.
I pressed play.
A little girl's voice came through.
"Mommy says I'm not allowed to talk to strangers.""
Then a man's voice.
"That's right, sweetheart. But you can talk to Daddy.""
I froze.
The little girl asked:
"Is Daddy coming to get me?""
The man answered.
"Yes. He's coming tonight.""
The recording ended.
Detective Harris immediately ordered an emergency search.
But before he could finish, Thomas looked at the clock.
"There's something else.""
"What?""
He swallowed.
"Daniel isn't planning to wait until tonight.""
May you like
He pointed toward the photograph.
"He's moving both girls.""
