Chapter 18: The Third Child
The man called Peter stood in front of us as if he had all the time in the world.
I couldn't stop staring at him.
Three children.
My mother had given birth to three children.
And nobody had told me.
"Who are you?"" I asked.
Peter's expression softened.
"Your oldest brother.""
I shook my head.
"No.""
"I understand.""
"No, you don't. I've spent my entire life believing I had one brother. Then I learned about twins, switched babies, false records, and people who were supposed to be dead.""
Peter nodded.
"And now you have learned there were three of us.""
"Why should I believe you?""
He reached into his coat and removed a photograph.
It showed Margaret in a hospital bed, holding three newborn babies.
On the back was the date.
May 14, 1987.
I recognized the hospital bracelet on her wrist.
It was the same hospital where my birth record had supposedly been altered.
Peter handed me the photograph.
"Your mother named us before the transfer.""
I looked at the three tiny faces.
"Who were they?""
"Me. You. And the baby who was taken.""
I looked up.
"Taken where?""
Peter glanced at Elizabeth.
"That's what she was supposed to explain.""
Elizabeth folded her arms.
"The third baby was transferred to a family outside the state. It was part of the original plan.""
"Why?""
"Because the operation needed a child with no traceable family connection.""
Peter's voice sharpened.
"That isn't what happened.""
Elizabeth looked away.
"Peter—"
"You told them the child was safe.""
"He was.""
"Then why did you falsify the death certificate?""
I looked between them.
"Whose death certificate?""
Peter looked at me.
"The third child was declared dead six days after birth.""
My hand began to shake.
"Was the baby a boy or a girl?""
"A girl.""
I stared at the photograph again.
Three babies.
Two boys.
One girl.
I looked toward Dad.
"Which one was I?""
"You were the middle child," he said quietly.
"And Peter?""
"The oldest.""
"Then who was the third?""
Nobody answered.
Elizabeth finally spoke.
"Her name was Lily.""
I remembered the name from the adoption documents.
Lily Collins.
The baby supposedly adopted by the Collins family.
"Is Lily alive?""
Peter nodded.
"Yes.""
"Where?""
He looked at Daniel.
"That's why I came here.""
Daniel frowned.
"What do I have to do with Lily?""
Peter took another photograph from his coat.
This one showed a young woman standing outside a school.
She had dark hair and a silver bracelet.
My heart stopped.
Emily.
I looked at Peter.
"That's my daughter.""
He shook his head.
"Look at the date.""
The photograph was taken twenty years earlier.
The girl was older than Emily was now.
But the bracelet was unmistakable.
I turned it over.
On the back was a handwritten note.
Lily Collins. Age seventeen. Final transfer pending.
My mouth went dry.
"You're saying Emily is Lily?""
Peter nodded.
"Yes.""
I looked toward Daniel.
"Then why did you tell me she was Rebecca's daughter?""
"Because Rebecca raised her for a short time after the hospital transfer. She was the only person who knew where Lily had gone.""
Thomas stepped forward.
"That still doesn't explain the photograph.""
Peter looked at him.
"Rebecca was given the wrong child.""
Thomas stared.
"Then whose baby did she have?""
"She had a daughter of her own. But the baby she was allowed to keep was Lily.""
I felt sick.
"Then where is Rebecca's real daughter?""
Peter looked toward Dad.
Robert lowered his eyes.
"She's alive.""
The words landed heavily.
I looked at my father.
"Where?""
He didn't answer.
Peter did.
"She's the woman who raised you.""
I couldn't move.
"Margaret?""
Peter nodded.
"Your mother was given another child after the transfer. She believed that child was you. But the hospital had already switched the records.""
I felt tears fill my eyes.
"So who am I?""
Peter's expression changed.
"You're Sarah Mitchell. You're Margaret's biological daughter. But the child in the photograph wasn't you.""
I looked at the three babies again.
"Then where is my real birth photograph?""
Peter reached into his coat.
He removed a final document.
A hospital transfer record.
Three names were written in different handwriting.
- Peter Collins. - Sarah Mitchell. - Lily Collins.
Beside Lily's name was a second notation.
Transferred to Mitchell household.
I looked at the document.
"That says Lily was sent to the Mitchell household.""
Peter nodded.
"Yes.""
"Then how did she become Emily?""
"Because the transfer happened years before you were old enough to understand. The child who was placed with Michael and Helen was given a new identity.""
Daniel looked horrified.
"Then Emily's entire life was built on a false record.""
Peter shook his head.
"Her records were false. Her life wasn't.""
I looked at him.
"Why didn't anyone tell us?""
"Because the people who controlled the operation were still alive. They wanted the children separated. If you found each other, you could expose everything.""
Martin suddenly moved.
He grabbed the gun from the workbench and pointed it toward Peter.
"That's enough.""
Thomas lunged, but Martin fired.
The shot struck the concrete pillar beside Peter's head.
Eric tackled Martin from behind.
The gun fell.
Daniel rushed forward and kicked it away.
Elizabeth screamed.
Dad tried to stand, but his injured shoulder gave way.
I ran to him.
"Stay down!""
He gripped my hand.
"Sarah, the ledger.""
I looked toward the brass key.
Peter picked it up.
"Where is the cabinet?""
"Under Elizabeth's house," Dad said.
Peter nodded.
"Then we need to go now.""
Martin began laughing from the floor.
"You think the ledger will save you?""
Thomas held him down.
"It will prove what you did.""
Martin looked at me.
"Not everything.""
"What does that mean?""
He smiled.
"Your mother knows.""
I turned toward Elizabeth.
She looked pale.
"Tell me what he means.""
Elizabeth swallowed.
"There's one more transfer.""
"What transfer?""
She looked at Peter.
Then at Daniel.
Finally, her eyes settled on me.
"The third child wasn't the only baby moved that night.""
My stomach tightened.
"How many?""
Elizabeth whispered:
"Four.""
Dad closed his eyes.
Peter looked toward the warehouse door.
And from somewhere outside, a siren began to wail.
Elizabeth stepped closer and lowered her voice.
"The fourth child was never entered into the hospital records.""
I stared at her.
"Then how do you know the baby existed?""
She looked at me with an expression I couldn't understand.
"Because I was holding the child when your mother gave birth.""
Before I could ask another question, my phone vibrated.
A message from Emily.
Mom, I'm at Grandma Margaret's house. There's someone here who says he's my real father.
I looked up.
Daniel was standing only a few feet away.
He had read the message over my shoulder.
His face turned white.
May you like
Then another message appeared.
He says his name is Robert Mitchell.
