Chapter 9: The Mother Who Was Buried Alive
Nobody moved.
Sophie stood halfway down the staircase, clutching her stuffed rabbit.
Her small face was confused.
She looked at Richard, then at Patricia.
"Did I say something bad?""
I wanted to run to her.
I wanted to hold her and tell her that she had done nothing wrong.
But Detective Harris raised a hand, gently signaling me to wait.
"What's your name, sweetheart?"" he asked.
"Sophie.""
"How old are you?""
"Four.""
"Do you know where your mommy is?""
Sophie shook her head.
"Daddy says she went to heaven.""
Richard stepped forward.
"That's enough. She's upset.""
Detective Harris turned.
"Mr. Bennett, I need you to step away from the child.""
"This is my daughter.""
"Then you'll have no problem allowing us to verify her guardianship documents.""
Richard's face tightened.
Patricia began crying harder.
I looked at her.
"You told her that her mother was dead?""
She shook her head.
"I didn't have a choice.""
"Who was her mother?""
"Emily...""
"Tell me!""
Patricia looked toward Richard.
He gave her a warning glance.
But she finally whispered a name.
"Laura.""
I frowned.
"Who is Laura?""
Patricia wiped her cheeks.
"She was the woman who gave birth to Sophie.""
"Where is she?""
My mother closed her eyes.
"She's dead.""
Sophie suddenly started crying.
"No! Daddy said Mommy is sleeping!""
Richard turned sharply.
"Sophie, go upstairs. Now.""
The little girl backed away.
I couldn't take it anymore.
I moved closer to the staircase.
"Sweetheart, you don't have to be scared.""
Sophie looked at me.
"Are you my auntie?""
The question nearly broke me.
I nodded.
"I think I am.""
She slowly came down another step.
Then Richard blocked her path.
"Go upstairs.""
Detective Harris stepped forward again.
"Mr. Bennett, move aside.""
Richard stared at him.
For a moment, I thought he would refuse.
Then he stepped back.
Sophie ran down the remaining stairs and stopped beside me.
She looked at my face.
"You look like me.""
I smiled through my tears.
"People have told me that.""
She held out her rabbit.
"His name is Mr. Buttons.""
I gently touched its ear.
"He's very handsome.""
Sophie smiled.
Then she whispered, "Can you take me to my mommy?""
I looked at Eleanor.
My biological mother was crying silently.
Margaret approached the detective and handed him the hospital records.
"Detective, this child may have been illegally transferred into the Bennett household in 2006. We also have reason to believe her biological mother is still alive.""
Richard laughed.
"That's ridiculous.""
Margaret looked at him.
"Then you'll have no objection to a DNA test.""
Richard's expression changed.
"Absolutely not.""
"Why?""
"Because she's my daughter.""
"Then the test should settle the matter.""
Richard turned toward Patricia.
"Tell them.""
My mother didn't move.
"Patricia!""
She stared at the floor.
Finally, she whispered, "Sophie isn't Richard's biological daughter.""
The room fell silent.
Richard looked at her with fury.
"Shut up.""
Patricia continued.
"She's Daniel's daughter.""
I felt the air leave my lungs.
Daniel.
My father.
The man whose name appeared on my birth certificate.
The man who had loved me.
The man who had supposedly died before I could understand what was happening.
Sophie was his child too.
My sister.
Margaret spoke carefully.
"Then the records need to be verified immediately.""
Richard turned toward her.
"You don't understand anything.""
"Then explain.""
He laughed bitterly.
"Daniel was a weak man. He couldn't protect either of his children.""
Eleanor stepped forward.
"How dare you?""
Richard looked at her.
"You're supposed to be dead.""
Eleanor's voice trembled.
"I know. Someone worked very hard to make sure of that.""
Richard's expression changed.
For the first time, he looked genuinely afraid.
Detective Harris noticed.
"Mr. Bennett, I want you to answer a few questions.""
"I have nothing to say.""
"Then perhaps you'd like to explain why you signed the original infant custody documents in January 2006.""
Richard said nothing.
Margaret produced a copy.
"Your signature is here.""
He glanced at it.
Then he looked at Patricia.
"You promised me those records were destroyed.""
My mother covered her mouth.
I stared at him.
"You knew?""
Richard turned toward me.
"Emily, you need to understand. This family was complicated long before you came along.""
"Don't call it family.""
He shook his head.
"Your father had a habit of creating problems and leaving other people to solve them.""
Eleanor slapped him.
The sound echoed through the hallway.
"Daniel loved those children!""
Richard touched his cheek.
Then he smiled.
It was the same smile he'd worn when he pushed my face into Lily's birthday cake.
"That's what made him so easy to destroy.""
Detective Harris immediately stepped between them.
"That's enough.""
He instructed another officer to remain with Sophie and asked Richard to accompany him for questioning.
Richard protested.
He demanded his attorney.
He accused everyone of conspiring against him.
But he didn't resist when the detective escorted him outside.
As he passed me, he leaned close enough to whisper.
"You think you've won something?""
I looked at him.
He smiled.
"Ask your mother what happened to Daniel's real last will.""
Then he walked away.
Two hours later, Sophie was sitting beside me in a quiet room at the police station.
She had fallen asleep with Mr. Buttons tucked under her chin.
Eleanor sat across from us.
She couldn't stop looking at the little girl.
"She has Daniel's nose," she whispered.
I smiled faintly.
"She does.""
Patricia had been taken to another room for questioning.
Margaret was reviewing the adoption documents.
Detective Harris came in carrying a folder.
"We've received preliminary confirmation that the child's birth record lists Daniel Bennett as her biological father.""
I closed my eyes.
"Can I take her home?""
"Not yet. We need to establish legal custody and ensure she's placed somewhere safe.""
I nodded.
"I understand.""
He sat down.
"There's something else.""
I looked up.
"The hospital records indicate that Laura, the woman identified as Sophie's mother, was discharged from St. Catherine's in January 2006. There is no death certificate.""
"So she's alive?""
"We don't know.""
He opened the folder.
"However, a woman using the name Laura Collins contacted the hospital six months ago asking for information about a child named Sophie.""
I stared at him.
"Did she leave a number?""
Detective Harris nodded.
He placed a small piece of paper on the table.
There was a phone number and an address.
I picked it up.
Then my phone rang.
Unknown number.
I answered.
A woman's voice came through.
"Emily Bennett?""
"Yes.""
"My name is Laura.""
I stopped breathing.
She continued.
"I think you've met my daughter.""
I looked at Sophie, sleeping peacefully beside me.
"Are you her mother?""
There was a pause.
Then the woman whispered:
"Yes. And I need you to listen very carefully.""
I gripped the phone.
"Where are you?""
"That doesn't matter right now. What matters is that Richard knows I've contacted you.""
My stomach tightened.
"How do you know?""
"Because he called me ten minutes ago.""
"What did he say?""
Her voice cracked.
"He told me that if I ever tried to take Sophie back, he'd tell you what really happened to Daniel.""
I looked at Detective Harris.
He immediately reached for a notepad.
I whispered into the phone.
"What happened to my father?""
Laura went silent.
Then she said:
"Emily, your father didn't die in an accident.""
My fingers went numb.
"What?""
"He was murdered.""
I looked at Eleanor.
She had heard every word.
Her face went white.
Laura continued.
"And the person who arranged it was not Patricia.""
I swallowed.
"Who was it?""
There was a long silence.
Then Laura spoke five words.
"Your father-in-law, Arthur Bennett.""
The call ended.
I stared at the phone.
My grandfather had supposedly been dead for twenty years.
My husband had been protecting him.
My mother had helped hide two children.
And now the woman who had given birth to my sister was telling me that the man who raised my husband had murdered my father.
But before I could process it, Detective Harris's phone rang.
He listened for several seconds.
Then he looked at me.
"Mrs. Bennett, we have a problem.""
"What?""
"Arthur Bennett has just filed an emergency petition for custody of Sophie.""
I stared at him.
"On what grounds?""
The detective lowered his voice.
"He's claiming that Richard isn't the child's legal guardian.""
May you like
He paused.
"He's claiming that he is her biological father.""
