Chapter 8: What Evelyn Did
Malik read the message again.
Then again.
His hands began to shake.
“Where is he?””
Tiana didn't answer.
Malik looked at Marcus.
“You said you knew where he was.””
Marcus nodded.
“I know where he was.””
“Was?””
Marcus looked toward the closed wedding doors.
“He disappeared yesterday.””
Evelyn sank into a chair.
Malik turned toward her.
“You said Samuel was dangerous.””
“I was afraid.””
“Of him?””
“Of what he'd discover.””
Malik's voice became colder.
“What did you do?””
Evelyn covered her face.
“I didn't hurt him.””
“That's not what I asked.””
She lowered her hands.
“I gave him away.””
Malik froze.
“When?””
“The day after he was born.””
Tiana whispered, “Oh, God.””
Evelyn continued.
“Your father arranged for another family to take him.””
Malik stared at her.
“You gave your baby to strangers?””
“I thought they would keep him safe.””
“You thought?””
“I was twenty-nine. I had just lost control of everything. Your father told me Samuel was going to be taken from us anyway.””
“So you agreed?””
“I was told he would have a better life.””
Marcus stepped forward.
“You knew exactly what they were doing.””
Evelyn looked at him.
“I knew he would be alive.””
Marcus's eyes filled with anger.
“You knew he would grow up believing his mother abandoned him.””
“I had no choice.””
“You always had a choice.””
Malik raised his hand.
“Enough.””
He looked at Evelyn.
“Where did they take him?””
She shook her head.
“I don't know.””
“You don't know?””
“Your father destroyed the records.””
Marcus pulled a folded paper from his pocket.
“No.””
Evelyn looked up.
Marcus placed it on a nearby table.
“I found the adoption record.””
Malik grabbed it.
His eyes moved across the page.
The adoptive parents' names were listed.
Then the child's name.
*Samuel Carter.*
Malik stared.
“Carter.””
Marcus nodded.
“They changed his last name.””
Malik looked at Tiana.
“You knew him as Samuel Carter.””
“Yes.””
“How?””
“He contacted me through a genealogy website.””
“Why you?””
Tiana swallowed.
“Because he found my name in the records.””
Malik looked at the document.
“Then what did he want?””
“To know why he was abandoned.””
“And you told him?””
“I told him what I knew.””
“What did you know?””
Tiana hesitated.
“That Evelyn had been afraid of your father.””
Malik looked at his mother.
“What else?””
Tiana's eyes dropped.
“She knew where he lived.””
Evelyn suddenly stood.
“No.””
Malik turned.
“You knew where Samuel lived?””
“I knew where the family lived.””
“Same thing.””
“No. They moved.””
“When?””
“Years ago.””
Marcus stepped closer.
“They didn't.””
Evelyn looked at him.
Marcus pulled out another photograph.
An older man stood outside a modest brick house.
Beside him was a younger version of Samuel.
Malik stared at the picture.
“That's him.””
“Yes.””
“Where is this?””
Marcus pointed to the street sign in the background.
“Twenty minutes from here.””
Malik's eyes widened.
“Twenty minutes?””
Marcus nodded.
“Samuel came back to this city six months ago.””
Tiana whispered, “That's why he found me.””
Malik looked at her.
“And that's why you married Jordan.””
Tiana's face tightened.
“I didn't marry Jordan because of Samuel.””
“Then why?””
She took a breath.
“Samuel told me something.””
“What?””
“He said your father wasn't the only person who wanted him gone.””
Evelyn closed her eyes.
Malik looked at her.
“Who else?””
Tiana stared directly at Evelyn.
“You.””
Evelyn shook her head.
“No.””
“You sent him away.””
“I protected him.””
“You told the adoptive family never to contact you.””
“I had to.””
“You told them if Samuel ever came back, he should stay away from this family.””
“I was trying to keep him alive.””
Malik's voice cracked.
“Mom, what are you hiding?””
Evelyn began crying.
“Samuel discovered something.””
“What?””
“Your father didn't arrange the adoption.””
Marcus stepped forward.
“Tell him.””
Evelyn looked at Malik.
“The adoption was arranged by the hospital.””
Malik frowned.
“Why?””
“Because the baby delivered that night…”
She stopped.
Malik waited.
“Mom?””
Evelyn whispered,
“The hospital record said Samuel had been born dead.””
Malik stared.
“But he wasn't.””
“No.””
“Then why was he listed as dead?””
Evelyn looked at Marcus.
“Because someone switched the babies.””
Malik's face went pale.
“What?””
Evelyn pointed toward the photograph of the newborn.
“That wasn't Samuel.””
Malik's eyes widened.
“Then whose baby was it?””
Evelyn's voice broke.
“I don't know.””
Marcus suddenly stepped backward.
A phone rang.
Everyone looked toward him.
He answered.
His expression changed immediately.
“Where?””
He listened.
Then looked at Malik.
“They found Samuel.””
Malik stepped forward.
“Where?””
Marcus hung up.
“Outside the hospital.””
Evelyn stood abruptly.
“No.””
Malik turned.
“Why are you afraid?””
She looked at him.
“Because that's where it started.””
Then the ceremony's side doors burst open.
A police officer rushed inside.
“Which one of you is Malik Brooks?””
Malik stepped forward.
“I am.””
The officer looked at him.
“Your brother asked us to find you.””
Malik's stomach dropped.
“What happened?””
The officer hesitated.
“He's alive.””
Tiana exhaled.
May you like
Then the officer added,
“But he isn't the person you think he is.””
