Chapter 11: The Signature That Wasn't Mine
Marcus spent the next several minutes insisting he had never seen the document.
I believed his shock was genuine.
But believing him and trusting him were two different things.
"Where were you six months ago?"" I asked.
"London. I was negotiating the acquisition of a logistics company.""
"Could someone have accessed your office?""
"Yes. My mother had a key.""
Rebecca looked toward him.
"She also had access to your electronic signature.""
Marcus shook his head.
"That's not possible. My signature requires a separate verification code.""
My father picked up the document.
"Who manages your authentication system?""
"Our chief financial officer.""
"Name?""
"Peter Lawson.""
My father exchanged a glance with Margaret.
"Does he report directly to Vanessa?""
Marcus nodded slowly.
"Yes.""
Margaret took out her phone.
"I want a copy of this document immediately.""
Rebecca handed it over.
Marcus sat down heavily.
"My mother used my signature to authorize something involving Leo?""
"Possibly," Margaret replied.
"But we need the original filing and the verification records.""
I looked at Rebecca.
"Why did you wait six years to tell me?""
She lowered her eyes.
"I didn't know where my son was.""
"You knew Vanessa had taken him.""
"I knew she had arranged his disappearance. I didn't know he was living with you.""
I shook my head.
"How could you not know?""
"Because she told me the child had been sent overseas. She showed me a photograph of a baby with a different name. I believed her.""
Rebecca began crying again.
"I was wrong. I know that. But I never stopped looking.""
I looked at Leo.
He was sitting on the carpet, making two dinosaurs fight over a plastic tree.
I couldn't imagine what it would feel like to discover that the child I'd carried, raised, and loved had been the subject of a secret battle before he could even speak.
But I also couldn't imagine being Rebecca.
"Does Leo know?"" she asked.
I shook my head.
"Not yet.""
Rebecca nodded.
"I understand.""
Marcus suddenly stood.
"I'm going to my mother's office.""
My father grabbed his arm.
"You're not going anywhere alone.""
"She's destroyed enough.""
"That's exactly why you need to think before acting.""
Marcus looked at me.
"Nia, I need to find out whether my signature was forged.""
I studied him.
"Then do it. But don't make another decision without telling me.""
He nodded.
Margaret arranged for a forensic document examiner to review the paperwork. Meanwhile, my father contacted the hospital's legal department and requested the original maternity records.
Rebecca agreed to provide a formal statement.
But before any of that could happen, Marcus received a call.
He answered.
"Lawson?""
A man's voice came through.
Marcus put the call on speaker.
"Mr. Whitmore, I need to speak with you urgently.""
"What happened?""
"The board has received a second resolution. Your mother filed it this morning.""
Marcus frowned.
"Filed what?""
"A motion to remove you as executive director.""
He stared at the phone.
"On what grounds?""
"Misuse of company information and unauthorized disclosure of confidential trust documents.""
My father let out a bitter laugh.
"She's trying to silence him.""
The man continued.
"There's something else. The resolution includes a request to freeze the voting rights associated with Leo Hayes's trust.""
Margaret stepped closer.
"On what legal basis?""
"Mrs. Whitmore claims the beneficiary's identity is disputed.""
I felt my blood boil.
"She's questioning my son's identity again?""
Marcus took the phone.
"Who authorized the filing?""
"Your mother.""
"Then withdraw it.""
"Sir, I can't. The board has already scheduled a vote.""
"When?""
"Tomorrow morning.""
Marcus ended the call.
I stared at him.
"She's not giving up.""
"No.""
"She's trying to make Leo disappear from the company records.""
Marcus nodded.
Then he looked at me.
"I can stop her.""
"How?""
"By resigning.""
My father frowned.
"That would be a mistake.""
Marcus continued.
"If I'm no longer an executive, she can't accuse me of using my position to interfere with the investigation. I can provide every document I have.""
Margaret shook her head.
"She would still have the board vote.""
"Then I'll give them something they can't ignore.""
He reached into his jacket and removed a small USB drive.
"I copied my mother's financial records last month.""
My father took it.
"What records?""
"Payments to Dr. Bennett. Transfers to private guardians.
Payments to Peter Lawson. And one account she never mentioned.""
Margaret connected the drive to her laptop.
A list of transactions appeared.
One stood out immediately.
A payment of $2.4 million had been made to a company called Northbridge Family Services.
The payment date was six years earlier.
The reference line read:
*CHILD PLACEMENT — FINAL SETTLEMENT.*
Rebecca covered her mouth.
"That's them.""
I looked at her.
"Who?""
"The agency Vanessa used to arrange the transfer.""
Margaret opened the transaction details.
The recipient account belonged to a private trust.
The beneficiary's name appeared at the bottom.
*Christopher Edward Whitmore.*
Marcus stared at the screen.
"That's my brother.""
I felt a chill.
The trust had been created six years ago, but it had received monthly payments ever since.
"Who was managing it?"" I asked.
Marcus leaned closer.
"Peter Lawson.""
My father shook his head.
"He's been stealing from the company.""
Margaret opened another file.
There was a scanned copy of a guardianship agreement.
The document named a married couple in Connecticut as the child's legal guardians.
Their address matched the one listed on the hospital release record.
Rebecca began trembling.
"That's where they took him.""
I looked at the name.
"Do you know these people?""
She nodded slowly.
"Yes.""
"Who are they?""
Rebecca swallowed.
"My sister and her husband.""
Nobody spoke.
I stared at her.
"Your sister raised the baby?""
"Yes.""
"Does she know who he really is?""
Rebecca closed her eyes.
"She knows he's my son. But Vanessa told her Edward had arranged everything legally.""
Marcus looked devastated.
"Then where is he now?""
Rebecca opened her mouth.
Before she could answer, the office door burst open.
One of the security officers rushed inside.
"Ms. Hayes, we have a problem.""
My father stood.
"What happened?""
"The child has been taken.""
My blood turned to ice.
"Which child?""
The officer looked at Leo's empty chair.
"Leo.""
I ran toward the adjoining room.
His dinosaur backpack was still on the floor.
His drawing lay on the table.
But Leo was gone.
A second security officer appeared in the doorway.
"We've reviewed the cameras. A woman entered using an employee access card. She told the assistant she was taking him to the restroom.""
I grabbed the edge of the desk.
"Who?""
The officer looked at the screen.
Then he turned it toward me.
The woman wearing the security badge was someone I recognized.
Rebecca Cole.
But Rebecca was standing right beside us.
I turned toward her.
She looked at the screen.
Her face drained of color.
"That's not me.""
The woman on the footage had the same face.
The same hair.
The same clothes.
And she was carrying Leo.
May you like
Rebecca whispered:
"That's my sister.""
