Chapter 8: The Second Test
The brown envelope sat on the dining-room table.
Nobody touched it.
Marcus stared at his mother as though he were looking at a stranger.
“The second test?””
His mother nodded.
“Your father had another one done.””
“When?””
“Six months after Lily was born.””
“Why?””
“Because he didn't trust the first result.””
Marcus pulled out a chair.
“Tell me everything.””
His mother sat opposite him.
Her hands trembled as she opened the envelope.
Inside were several documents.
A laboratory report.
A handwritten letter.
And a small photograph of Lily as a newborn.
Marcus picked up the photograph first.
She was wrapped in a pink blanket, her tiny face turned toward the camera.
He remembered holding her for the first time.
He remembered being terrified that he might hurt her.
He remembered promising never to let anything bad happen to her.
He placed the photograph down.
“Show me the report.””
His mother pushed the document across the table.
The first report was dated seven years earlier.
It stated that Marcus was excluded as Lily's biological father.
But the document contained something else.
A handwritten note at the bottom.
Sample identity disputed. Repeat testing recommended.
Marcus looked up.
“What does that mean?””
His mother swallowed.
“Your father said the first sample might have been contaminated.””
“Did he investigate?””
“Yes.””
“Then where is the second report?””
She pulled out another document.
Marcus read it.
This time, the result was different.
The report indicated a probability of paternity exceeding 99.99 percent.
Marcus read the number twice.
Then a third time.
He looked at Claire.
She was crying.
“It's true?”” he whispered.
Claire nodded.
“I told you.””
Marcus looked back at his mother.
“You knew?””
“Yes.””
“For seven years?””
She lowered her head.
“Your father told me not to interfere.””
Marcus pushed the document away.
“Then why did you let me believe there was a question?””
His mother began crying harder.
“Your father thought Claire would use the result to control you.””
“Control me?””
“He said you would never leave if you believed Lily was yours.””
Marcus stared at her.
“She WAS mine.””
“I know.””
“No. You don't understand. You knew she was my daughter.
You knew the test proved it. And you still let me question Claire?””
His mother covered her face.
“I was afraid of your father.””
Marcus stood.
“Your husband is dead.””
“I know.””
“Then who are you afraid of now?””
She couldn't answer.
Officer Brooks carefully collected the documents.
Detective Bennett examined the second report.
“Mrs. Hale, did your husband ever tell you why he kept the original results hidden?””
His mother hesitated.
“He said the family needed to be protected.””
“From what?””
She looked at Marcus.
“From the man Claire had been seeing before her marriage.””
Marcus turned.
“Who was he?””
Claire's face tightened.
“His name was Daniel.””
“Daniel who?””
“Daniel Carter.””
Marcus recognized the surname.
He had heard it years ago.
Daniel Carter had been an old friend of Claire's from university.
They had briefly dated before Claire met Marcus.
Marcus frowned.
“Why would Dad care about him?””
His mother looked at the documents.
“Because Daniel worked for your father.””
Marcus felt a chill.
“What?””
“Your father owned several businesses. Daniel was an accountant at one of them.””
Claire looked stunned.
“I didn't know that.””
His mother continued.
“Your father believed Daniel was trying to get close to Claire because he wanted access to the family money.””
Marcus shook his head.
“Daniel and Claire hadn't spoken in years.””
“Your father didn't believe that.””
Detective Bennett asked, “Did Daniel have any connection to Lily's hospital treatment?””
His mother shook her head.
“Not that I know of.””
Officer Brooks closed the envelope.
“We'll need to verify all of this.””
Marcus looked toward the window.
He felt exhausted.
He had spent three days believing he had failed to answer his daughter's calls.
Now he was discovering that the people closest to him had spent years building a web of lies around his family.
His mother reached for his hand.
“Marcus, I did everything because I wanted you to be happy.””
He pulled away.
“You watched me become a stranger to my own daughter.””
She began sobbing.
“I never wanted that.””
“You paid Vanessa two hundred thousand dollars.””
“I thought she would help you start over.””
“By making Lily believe I didn't love her?””
His mother looked down.
“I didn't know she would do that.””
“Did you know she was visiting the hospital?””
“No.””
“Did you know she had access to my old phone?””
“No.””
Marcus shook his head.
“Then why did you keep paying her?””
His mother stared at the table.
“Because she said Claire was planning to tell you something that would destroy your life.””
“What?””
His mother didn't answer.
Detective Bennett leaned forward.
“Mrs. Hale, what exactly did Vanessa threaten to reveal?””
His mother looked frightened.
“She said Claire knew something about Daniel Carter.””
Claire stood.
“That's ridiculous.””
Marcus turned.
“Claire, what is she talking about?””
Claire shook her head.
“I don't know.””
His mother continued.
“Vanessa said Daniel had returned.””
“When?””
“Several months ago.””
Claire looked genuinely confused.
“I haven't seen Daniel in years.””
Marcus stared at her.
“Are you sure?””
“Yes.””
Then Claire's phone rang.
She glanced at the screen.
Her face changed.
Marcus noticed.
“Who is it?””
She didn't answer.
“Claire?””
She turned the phone around.
An unfamiliar number.
A message appeared.
I heard they're investigating Lily's death. We need to talk before they find out what happened seven years ago.
The message was signed:
*Daniel.*
Marcus slowly sat down.
“Do you know him?””
Claire nodded.
“He was my friend.””
“Was?””
She swallowed.
“I haven't spoken to him in seven years.””
Marcus looked at the message.
“Why is he contacting you now?””
Claire shook her head.
“I don't know.””
Officer Brooks took the phone and photographed the message.
“We'll need to identify this number.””
Detective Bennett looked toward Marcus.
“Mr. Hale, we have another question.””
“What?””
“Did your daughter ever mention someone named Daniel?””
Marcus frowned.
“No.””
Claire looked down.
Then she remembered something.
“Wait.””
Everyone turned.
“What?”” Marcus asked.
Claire slowly opened Lily's schoolbag, which she had brought with the memory box.
She reached into the front pocket and removed a folded drawing.
It showed Lily standing beside a man with dark hair.
The man was holding a red balloon.
Above his head, Lily had written:
*UNCLE DANIEL.*
Marcus stared at the drawing.
“Who is that?””
Claire looked at it carefully.
“I don't know.””
“Lily called him Uncle Daniel?””
“I never introduced them.””
Detective Bennett examined the picture.
“Could this have been drawn at school?””
Claire shook her head.
“It's dated last month.””
Marcus felt his heartbeat quicken.
“Then she met him.””
Claire nodded slowly.
“Apparently.””
Officer Brooks took a photograph of the drawing.
“Do either of you know where Daniel lives?””
Claire shook her head.
“I don't have his address.””
Marcus looked at his mother.
“Do you?””
She hesitated.
Then she nodded.
“Your father kept Daniel's employment records.””
“Where?””
“In his office.””
Officer Brooks glanced toward Detective Bennett.
“We'll need those records.””
His mother pointed toward the hallway.
“There's a filing cabinet in the basement.””
They searched it together.
The first drawers contained old tax returns and business contracts.
The second contained employee files.
Then Marcus found a folder marked:
*DANIEL CARTER — PRIVATE.*
He opened it.
Inside were employment records, bank transfers, and a series of printed emails.
One email had been sent to his father three months before Lily died.
The subject line read:
*THE CHILD KNOWS.*
Marcus read the first paragraph.
I believe Lily has started asking questions about the people who were present when she was born. I tried to explain that certain matters are complicated, but she wants to know why her grandmother refuses to acknowledge her.
Marcus looked up.
“What does this mean?””
Claire took the paper.
Her hands began shaking.
Then she read the next paragraph.
I never intended for the child to become involved. But if she discovers the original records, everything your family has hidden will come out.
Officer Brooks took the email.
“Who sent this?””
Marcus looked at the bottom.
The sender's name was Daniel Carter.
Detective Bennett examined the attached document.
It was a photograph of an old hospital record.
The date was seven years earlier.
The patient was Claire Hale.
The newborn was Lily Hale.
And beside the attending physician's signature was a handwritten note:
Father present. Genetic sample collected.
Marcus stared.
“Why would Daniel have this?””
Claire whispered:
“Maybe he was there when Lily was born.””
His mother suddenly stood.
“No.””
Everyone looked at her.
She shook her head.
“Daniel wasn't there.””
“Then how did he get the record?”” Detective Bennett asked.
His mother began backing away.
“Your father told me Daniel had stolen those documents.””
Marcus picked up the email again.
There was a final attachment.
A scanned letter.
The handwriting was his father's.
He unfolded it.
Daniel, if Marcus ever discovers what happened in that hospital, make sure he understands that the first test was deliberately falsified.
Marcus's blood ran cold.
He read the sentence again.
“Deliberately falsified?””
Claire covered her mouth.
Officer Brooks looked at the officers nearby.
“Secure every document.””
Marcus turned toward his mother.
“Who falsified the test?””
She began crying.
Then she whispered:
“Your father.””
“Why?””
She looked at him.
“Because he wanted Marcus to believe he wasn't Lily's father.””
Marcus felt the room spinning.
“But the second test proved I was.””
His mother nodded.
Then she said the sentence that changed everything.
“Your father didn't falsify the test to protect Daniel.””
She looked directly at Claire.
“He falsified it because Daniel had discovered that someone else in this family was Lily's biological father.””
Nobody spoke.
Marcus slowly turned toward Claire.
Her face had gone completely white.
“Who?”” he whispered.
May you like
His mother lowered her eyes.
“Your brother.””
