Chapter 12: Two Babies, One Deadly Secret
The detective's office was on the second floor of an old government building.
By the time Mom and I arrived, the rain had started.
Thomas Reed stood behind his desk, surrounded by folders, photographs, and boxes of old case files.
He looked older than I expected.
His white hair was thinning, and his left hand trembled slightly when he poured coffee.
But his eyes were sharp.
“Matthew,” he said.
I shook his hand.
“Tell me about the second baby.””
He opened a folder.
“On November 3, 1993, two girls were born at St. Mary's Hospital. One was Evelyn Bennett's daughter, Anna. The other was born to a woman named Patricia.””
I frowned.
“Patricia Bennett?””
“Yes. Charles's wife.””
Mom sat down.
Reed continued.
“Both babies were premature. Both were placed in the same neonatal unit. Margaret Bennett had access to the hospital because she was a major donor.””
I stared at him.
“What did she do?””
“She arranged a transfer.””
He placed two photographs on the desk.
One showed a newborn with a hospital identification bracelet.
The other showed another baby in a similar blanket.
“The records indicate that Anna was transferred to a private facility. The other child was registered under Anna's name.””
I shook my head.
“Why would my grandmother do that?””
Reed looked at Mom.
“Evelyn, perhaps you should explain.””
Mom's eyes filled.
“Margaret believed Charles was planning to use his own daughter to gain control of the family trust.””
I frowned.
“What?””
“Patricia had discovered that Charles was stealing money. She threatened to leave him. He told her that if she did, he would make sure she never saw their daughter again.””
Reed nodded.
“Margaret wanted to protect both children. She believed separating them would prevent Charles from using them against each other.””
I stared at the photographs.
“So she switched their identities?””
“Yes.””
I looked at Mom.
“Which baby did you raise?””
Mom closed her eyes.
“I thought I was raising Anna.””
“And who was the other child?””
Reed placed another photograph on the desk.
It showed a little girl standing beside a woman.
The woman was Patricia.
The child was Vanessa.
I looked at it.
“Then Vanessa was actually Patricia's daughter?””
Reed shook his head.
“Not necessarily.””
He removed a DNA report.
The document showed a comparison between Charles and Vanessa.
The result was negative.
No biological relationship.
I stared at the page.
“But Grace's test said Charles was her father.””
“Correct.””
“So who was Vanessa's biological father?””
Reed opened another folder.
“Daniel Bennett.””
I stopped breathing.
“What?””
He nodded.
“According to the original records, Vanessa was Daniel's biological daughter. Anna was Charles's biological daughter.””
Mom began crying.
I looked at the two photographs.
My father had fathered Vanessa.
My uncle had fathered Anna.
And my grandmother had switched their identities.
But why?
Reed explained.
“Margaret discovered the affair between Daniel and Patricia. She also discovered that Charles had fathered a child with Evelyn before Daniel's marriage was officially dissolved.””
Mom shook her head.
“No. That isn't possible.””
Reed placed a handwritten letter on the desk.
It was signed by Margaret.
Evelyn, I know you believe Daniel was Anna's father. But the hospital records tell another story. I am sorry I allowed you to believe otherwise. I thought it was the only way to keep Charles from claiming the child.
Mom read it.
Then she covered her mouth.
“Anna was Charles's daughter?””
Reed nodded.
“And Vanessa was Daniel's.””
I stared at the report.
The woman I had nearly married was my biological half-sister.
But the child my mother had believed she lost was actually her biological daughter with Charles.
Everything had been reversed.
“Why would Margaret switch them?””
Reed leaned back.
“Because she believed Charles would never harm his own daughter.””
I laughed bitterly.
“Apparently, she didn't know him very well.””
“No,” Reed replied.
“She knew him too well.””
He opened another folder.
Inside was a photograph of Charles standing beside a hospital bed.
A newborn baby lay in the crib.
Beside him was Margaret.
The date was November 4, 1993.
Reed tapped the photograph.
“Your grandmother arranged the transfer the following morning. She believed that by giving each child a different identity, she could prevent Charles from using the children to control the family.””
I looked at Mom.
“Did you know any of this?””
She shook her head.
“I knew Margaret was involved in the hospital arrangements. She told me Anna needed special treatment. When I received the death certificate years later, I believed her.””
Reed looked uncomfortable.
“There's another problem.””
He removed a final document.
It was a medical report dated six months before my father's death.
The patient was Daniel Bennett.
The report listed a rare blood condition.
I looked at it.
“What does this have to do with anything?””
Reed pointed to the final paragraph.
“Daniel underwent genetic testing shortly before he died. The results were sent to Margaret.””
I frowned.
“Why?””
“Because he suspected that one of his children had inherited the condition.””
I read the report.
Then I noticed the names of the children tested.
Matthew Bennett.
Anna Bennett.
Vanessa Bennett.
And a fourth name.
Elizabeth Bennett.
My blood ran cold.
“Who is Elizabeth?””
Reed looked at me.
“That's the question.””
Mom stood.
“Margaret told me Elizabeth was a distant relative.””
Reed shook his head.
“She wasn't.””
He removed an old hospital photograph.
It showed a newborn girl in a pink blanket.
The identification tag read:
Elizabeth Bennett — Mother: Patricia Bennett.
I stared at it.
“Another child?””
Reed nodded.
“Born eight months before Anna and Vanessa.””
I looked at Mom.
“How many children did Charles have?””
She began shaking her head.
“I don't know.””
Reed placed another DNA report on the desk.
This one had been prepared recently.
The tested individuals were Charles Bennett and Elizabeth Bennett.
The result showed a 99.99 percent probability of biological paternity.
I stared at the report.
“Where is Elizabeth now?””
Reed hesitated.
Then he slid a photograph toward me.
A woman stood outside a small restaurant, wearing a black coat and holding a red umbrella.
I recognized her immediately.
She had been at my wedding.
She had been standing near the aisle when Vanessa threw the rose.
Natalie.
My cousin.
The woman who had hugged me before the ceremony and told me she hoped I would be happy.
I looked at Reed.
“She's Elizabeth?””
He nodded.
“She's been living under that identity for thirty-three years.””
My phone vibrated.
A message appeared.
It was from an unknown number.
Matthew, I know what Reed told you. Don't believe him.
Another message followed.
Your grandmother didn't switch the babies to protect them.
Then a third.
She switched them because one of the girls was supposed to die.
I looked up.
Mom was staring at the screen.
“Who sent that?””
I shook my head.
A final message appeared.
Meet me at the old Bennett estate tonight. Come alone. I have the original hospital register.
I called the number.
It went straight to voicemail.
Then my phone rang again.
This time, the caller ID displayed a name.
*Natalie Bennett.*
I answered.
Her voice was shaking.
“Matthew, please don't go to Reed's office again.””
“Why?””
“Because he's lying about the babies.””
“What do you know?””
She began crying.
“I know which baby was supposed to die.””
I gripped the phone.
“Who?””
Natalie whispered:
“Me.””
Then the call ended.
I looked at the photograph of her.
For the first time, I noticed something strange.
She was wearing a small silver pendant.
The same pendant my grandmother had worn in every family photograph.
And beneath the photograph, in the handwriting of Margaret Bennett, was a sentence I had never seen before:
Elizabeth is the only child who knows what happened in the delivery room.
I looked at Mom.
She slowly shook her head.
Then she whispered:
“Matthew, we have to find Natalie before Charles does.””
A second later, Richard called.
His voice was frantic.
“Matthew, don't go to the old estate.””
“Why?””
“Because Charles is already there.””
A pause.
May you like
Then he said:
“And he isn't alone.””
