Chapter 8: The Third File
Evelyn stared at the black folder.
“Target?””
Sarah grabbed her wrist.
“Don't touch it.””
Evelyn pulled free.
“I've spent half my life being lied to. I'm done being careful.””
She opened the folder.
The first page contained financial records.
The second showed property transfers.
The third contained photographs.
Evelyn turned one over.
Her husband.
Daniel.
And another man.
A man she recognized immediately.
Her breath caught.
“That's my brother.””
Sarah nodded.
“Thomas.””
Evelyn looked at her.
“You knew?””
“Yes.””
“Everyone knew except me.””
Amara stepped closer.
“What were they doing?””
Evelyn flipped another page.
A bank statement.
A shell company.
A payment.
Then another.
All dated within months of Maya's birth.
The amounts were enormous.
Evelyn's voice shook.
“They paid someone.””
Sarah pointed to a signature.
“Daniel.””
“Who received it?””
Sarah looked.
Her expression changed.
“Thomas.””
Evelyn's face hardened.
“My brother paid Daniel.””
“Yes.””
“For what?””
Sarah whispered, “The baby switch.””
Maya stood silently near Amara.
“Why would Uncle Thomas want me switched?””
Evelyn looked at her.
“Because he believed your father would leave everything to you.””
“But I'm family.””
“That was the problem.””
Amara frowned.
“What about me?””
Evelyn turned.
“What?””
“If I was Elizabeth's daughter, why would Thomas care about me?””
Sarah looked down.
“Because you weren't supposed to survive either.””
Amara's face went still.
“What?””
Sarah swallowed.
“Daniel told me the plan was to make both babies disappear.””
Maya whispered, “Both?””
“Yes.””
“But why didn't he?””
Sarah looked at Maya.
“Because someone changed the plan.””
“Who?””
Sarah's eyes filled.
“Me.””
The room went silent.
“I took you,” Sarah continued.
“I ran.””
Evelyn's voice cracked.
“You took my baby.””
“I saved her.””
“And Amara?””
Sarah looked at her.
“I didn't know where she went.””
Amara stepped backward.
“You left me.””
“I didn't know you were alive.””
“You should have looked.””
“I did.””
“For how long?””
“Twenty-nine years.””
Amara stared at her.
“Then why didn't you find me?””
Sarah's voice broke.
“Because Daniel made sure every record led somewhere else.””
The officer suddenly held up a page.
“This address.””
Sarah looked.
Her face drained.
“What?””
“This is where the second baby was transferred.””
Evelyn took the page.
The address was in Connecticut.
A private children's home.
Closed in 2003.
Maya looked at Amara.
“Did you grow up there?””
Amara shook her head.
“No.””
“Where did you grow up?””
“With a foster family in Queens.””
Sarah's eyes widened.
“What's their name?””
Amara hesitated.
“The Bells.””
Evelyn looked at the folder.
“Daniel's last name.””
Amara nodded.
“He adopted me.””
Sarah covered her mouth.
“He kept you.””
“Yes.””
“And told you your mother was dead.””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
Amara looked at Daniel's files.
“Because he wanted me close.””
Evelyn's voice was barely audible.
“For what?””
Amara didn't answer.
Instead, she pulled out her phone.
“I found something before I came here.””
She opened a photograph.
A handwritten ledger.
Rows of names.
Dates.
Payments.
And beside each name, one word.
*TRANSFERRED.*
Evelyn's eyes moved down the page.
There were dozens.
She looked at Amara.
“What is this?””
“Children Daniel moved through private adoption networks.””
The officer took the phone.
“We need a copy of this.””
Amara nodded.
Evelyn kept staring.
“Why did he keep the records?””
“Insurance.””
Sarah whispered, “Against everyone who paid him.””
Evelyn looked at the black folder.
“So if we find the ledger…”
“We find everyone,” Amara said.
A noise came from upstairs.
A door slammed.
The officer immediately drew his weapon.
“Stay here.””
Maya grabbed Sarah's hand.
Footsteps crossed the floor above.
One.
Two.
Three.
Then silence.
The officer moved toward the stairs.
Suddenly his radio crackled.
“Unit Three, respond.””
He lifted it.
“This is Unit Three.””
Static.
Then a woman's voice.
“Do not trust the man with you.””
The officer frowned.
“What?””
The voice repeated:
“Do not trust the man with you.””
Then the radio died.
Evelyn looked at him.
“Who was that?””
“I don't know.””
Sarah stared at the officer.
Then at his holster.
Then at the basement door.
Amara whispered, “Something's wrong.””
The officer turned.
“Everyone stay where you are.””
His hand moved toward his weapon.
Maya stepped behind Evelyn.
Evelyn whispered, “Why is he reaching for it?””
Sarah's face went pale.
“Because Daniel knew we'd come.””
The officer's eyes flicked toward Sarah.
Then he smiled.
It wasn't a police officer's smile.
It was Daniel's.
May you like
“Actually,” he said quietly, “he knew you would bring Maya.””
He raised the gun.
