Chapter 6: The Second Signature
Nathan and I sat in an unused staff dining room at 4:20 a.m.
Neither of us touched the coffee.
He kept looking at me as if he were trying to recognize something in my face.
I kept looking at him because I was afraid that if I blinked, he would disappear.
“Did you know you were adopted?”” I finally asked.
Nathan nodded.
“My parents told me when I was twelve. They said my biological mother had died during childbirth.””
“And your biological father?””
“They said there was no information.””
I looked down.
“Your adoptive parents were kind to you?””
“Very.””
“Good.””
He studied my face.
“Why are you asking all these questions?””
I swallowed.
“Because I think I'm your mother.””
Silence.
The refrigerator hummed in the corner.
Nathan stared at me.
Then he gave a small, disbelieving laugh.
“That's impossible.””
“I know what the hospital told me.””
“You're saying my parents lied?””
“I'm saying someone may have lied to both of us.””
He stood abruptly.
“This is crazy.””
I didn't move.
He paced toward the window.
“My parents loved me. They raised me. They were there for every birthday, every school event, every terrible decision I made.””
“I don't want to take that away from you.””
“Then what do you want?””
I looked at him.
“To know why someone took you from me.””
His expression softened slightly.
He returned to the chair.
“Do you have proof?””
I reached into my pocket and took out the photograph of Daniel.
Nathan stared at it.
“Who is that?””
“Your father.””
He picked up the photograph.
For a long moment, he didn't speak.
Then he looked at his watch.
“Why does he look familiar?””
“Because you have his eyes.””
Nathan's fingers trembled.
He turned the photograph over.
On the back was Daniel's handwriting.
My son, Nathan. One day, I hope you'll understand why I had to leave.
Nathan's face changed.
“Where did you get this?””
“It was hidden in Room 1808.””
He lowered the photograph.
“My adoptive father died last year. Before he passed, he told me something strange.””
“What?””
“He said my biological father had tried to contact him.””
My heart began pounding.
“When?””
“About six months ago.””
“Did he meet him?””
Nathan nodded.
“He said a man came to our house. He had a photograph of a woman and asked whether I was happy.””
I gripped the edge of the table.
“Was the woman me?””
Nathan nodded slowly.
“My father said he refused to tell the man where I was living.””
I covered my mouth.
Daniel had found our son.
He had been so close.
“Why didn't he come to me?”” I whispered.
Nathan reached across the table.
“I don't know.””
Then his phone rang.
He looked at the screen.
His expression hardened.
“It's Peter Lawson.””
I frowned.
“Why would the general manager be calling you?””
Nathan answered.
“Hello?””
Peter's voice came through loudly enough for me to hear.
“Where are you?””
“Staff dining room.””
“Come to my office immediately.””
“Why?””
“Because you've accessed confidential personnel files.””
Nathan looked at me.
“I haven't accessed anything.””
“Don't lie to me, Nathan. Security has footage.””
The call ended.
Nathan stared at the phone.
“What is happening?””
I stood.
“We need to leave.””
But before we reached the door, it opened.
Marcus Reed stood outside.
His eyes moved between us.
“Eleanor.””
I instinctively stepped in front of Nathan.
“What do you want?””
Marcus looked at the young man.
“Who is he?””
Nathan answered.
“Nathan Brooks. Maintenance technician.””
Marcus frowned.
“Why are you two together?””
“Because he's my son,” I said.
Marcus went completely still.
“What?””
Nathan looked at me.
I nodded.
“I'm almost certain.””
Marcus closed the door.
“Then we need to talk.””
I remembered Daniel's warning.
Trust no one. Especially Marcus Reed.
“No,” I said.
Marcus looked genuinely hurt.
“Mrs. Hayes, I understand you have reasons not to trust me.””
“You're Richard Reed's son.””
“Yes.””
“Your father destroyed my family.””
Marcus lowered his eyes.
“I know.””
I stared at him.
“What did you say?””
He reached into his jacket and removed a small envelope.
“My father left this in a safe deposit box. I found it three months ago.””
He placed it on the table.
The envelope was old.
The handwriting on the front was unmistakable.
Daniel Hayes.
I opened it.
Inside was a letter.
Marcus,
If you're reading this, your father has probably told you that I stole from the hotel.
I didn't.
Your father knows what happened to my son. He also knows that the money was never stolen. It was moved into a protected account to prevent him from using it to finance the illegal adoption operation.
I have spent years trying to correct what was done.
But there is something you must understand.
Your father did not act alone.
I stopped reading.
A second page had been folded behind the first.
At the bottom was a list of names.
Arthur Whitmore.
Peter Lawson.
Richard Reed.
And one more.
Vanessa Cole.
I looked up.
Marcus's face had gone pale.
“Vanessa?”” I whispered.
He nodded.
“She was my father's private assistant before we got engaged.””
The room seemed to shrink.
“Why didn't you tell me?””
“I didn't know she was involved.””
I returned to the letter.
The final paragraph was written in darker ink.
The second signature belongs to the person who authorized the transfer of our son. Eleanor, if you ever find this, remember that the person who signed the adoption papers is still alive.
My hands began shaking.
“Who signed them?””
Marcus pointed toward the bottom of the page.
There was a name.
Not Richard Reed.
Not Peter Lawson.
Not Vanessa.
It was a name I had never expected to see.
Samuel Brooks.
I stared at it.
“Sam?””
Nathan leaned forward.
“Samuel Brooks?””
I nodded.
“The man who works here?””
Marcus looked between us.
“That's impossible. Samuel has been employed at this hotel for decades.””
I couldn't breathe.
Sam had been the one who told me about Nathan.
Sam had brought me the photograph.
Sam had promised Daniel he would protect our family.
And now his signature was on the document that had taken my baby away.
Nathan stood.
“Are you saying the man who gave me that photograph is responsible for my adoption?””
“I don't know,” I whispered.
Marcus picked up the letter.
“There's only one way to find out.””
He took out his phone and called the hotel's security office.
“Lock down the service entrances. Nobody leaves the building.””
A voice answered.
Marcus listened.
Then his expression changed.
“What do you mean he's already gone?””
He lowered the phone.
“Samuel Brooks disappeared twenty minutes ago.””
Nathan looked at me.
“Then who gave me this?””
He placed a second envelope on the table.
I hadn't noticed it before.
My name was written across the front.
Inside was a single photograph.
A hospital room.
A newborn baby.
And a woman standing beside the incubator.
I recognized her immediately.
My younger sister, Margaret.
But Margaret had died twelve years ago.
On the back of the photograph was a handwritten message.
Eleanor, I didn't give your baby away. I saved him.
Below it was a date.
The date Daniel disappeared.
And beneath that, one final sentence:
Ask Marcus what his father promised him in exchange for keeping the truth buried.
I slowly turned toward Marcus.
He was staring at the photograph.
His face had become completely white.
“Marcus?””
He didn't answer.
I stepped closer.
“What did your father promise you?””
He looked at Nathan.
Then at me.
Finally, he whispered:
“Your husband wasn't the only person Richard Reed threatened that night.””
He swallowed.
“He threatened me too.””
May you like
And before I could ask another question, Marcus revealed the secret that changed everything.
“I was the one who drove Daniel out of this hotel eighteen years ago.””
