Chapter 16: The Child They Stole
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
I looked at Greg, then at the phone in my hand.
"Abigail, are you certain?""
"No," she answered.
"That's why I'm calling. Victoria found a file with eight names, eight birth dates, and eight sets of altered hospital records. One of them is Greg's.""
Greg took the phone from me.
"How can that be? I had a DNA test.""
"Who arranged it?"" Abigail asked.
Greg hesitated.
"Franklin.""
The silence that followed told us everything.
"Greg," Abigail said carefully, "did you see the laboratory receive your samples?""
"No.""
"Did you personally deliver them?""
"No. Franklin arranged the appointment.""
"Then we need to verify the results independently.""
Greg sank into a chair.
I wanted to comfort him, but my mind was racing.
For fifty-one years, I had believed I knew the story of my son's birth. I remembered the hospital room, the nurses, the tiny blanket, and Robert holding Greg for the first time.
I remembered Robert crying.
He had whispered, "He's perfect, Ellie.""
Had that child been ours?
Or had someone taken him from us before we ever had the chance to know?
Officer Brooks stepped closer.
"Abigail, where is Victoria now?""
"At my apartment. She's safe. She's also copied the files.""
"Don't let her leave. We'll send someone.""
Abigail paused.
"There's something else. The records show that the newborn transfers weren't all connected to adoption. Some babies were moved between hospitals.
Others were assigned new identities. The same names appear repeatedly: Franklin Mercer, Evelyn Mercer, and Dr. Samuel Reed.""
Caleb looked at the old medical ledger.
"Reed was involved from the beginning.""
"Yes," Abigail said.
"And there's a note beside Greg's name.""
"What note?"" I asked.
Abigail read it.
"Priority transfer. Biological parentage disputed. Maternal claim to be suppressed.""
My knees weakened.
"Maternal claim?""
"Your name is written beside it, Eleanor.""
Greg looked at me.
"Mom...""
I couldn't answer.
Officer Brooks immediately ordered the evidence secured and requested a search warrant for the Mercer estate. He also arranged for a forensic laboratory to collect fresh DNA samples from Greg and me.
But before we could leave the ranch, Greg's phone rang.
It was Vanessa.
He answered.
"What's wrong?""
Her voice was frantic.
"Greg, someone was at the house.""
He stood.
"What?""
"I came home and found the back door open. Nothing looks stolen, but the nursery window is broken.""
"Where are the children?""
"At my sister's. I took them there this morning.""
"Stay there. Don't come home.""
"Greg, who is doing this?""
He looked at me.
"Franklin's people.""
Officer Brooks took the phone.
"Mrs. Whitmore, this is Officer Brooks. I need you to remain where you are. An officer will come to your location.""
Vanessa began crying.
Greg turned away.
For the first time since the hospital confession, I saw something in his face that wasn't guilt.
It was terror.
He had spent twenty years protecting Franklin because he feared losing his own life. Now Franklin was threatening his children.
Caleb placed a hand on his shoulder.
"You're going to have to decide what kind of father you want to be.""
Greg nodded.
"I know.""
We left the ranch under police escort.
At the station, a forensic technician collected our DNA samples. I watched as the sealed containers were labeled and signed.
Greg stared at the paperwork.
"What if I'm not your son?""
I looked at him.
"Then someone stole a truth from both of us. But it won't change the years I raised you.""
He swallowed.
"What if the test proves I was switched?""
"Then we'll find out who did it and why.""
"And what if the truth is worse?""
I took his hand.
"Then we'll face it without lying to each other.""
That evening, Abigail arrived with Victoria.
Victoria looked exhausted. Her eyes moved from Greg to me, then to the evidence bags on the table.
"There's something you need to see.""
She opened her laptop.
The screen showed a scanned document from St. Matthew's Hospital, dated September 1975.
A newborn registration form.
My name appeared under the mother's section.
But the baby's identification number was different from the one on the birth certificate I had kept for decades.
Victoria opened another record.
It listed a second mother.
Evelyn Mercer.
The same date.
The same hospital.
Two babies had been born within forty minutes of each other.
One record showed that Evelyn's newborn had been transferred to another ward.
The other showed that my newborn had been discharged under a different identification number.
I felt the room tilt.
"She gave birth the same day I did?""
Victoria nodded.
"My grandfather was the hospital administrator. Dr. Reed signed the transfer orders. Evelyn approved the records.""
Greg stared at the screen.
"Why would they do that?""
Victoria opened a third document.
It was a handwritten note.
*Whitmore infant to remain with Whitmore family. Mercer infant to be placed under controlled identity. Both records must be altered.*
Caleb frowned.
"That doesn't explain why they switched them.""
Victoria scrolled down.
A final note appeared.
*The boy must remain close to Robert Whitmore. His bloodline is essential to the inheritance arrangement.*
Greg looked at me.
"Bloodline?""
I could barely breathe.
Then Victoria opened a scanned letter from Franklin.
It was dated six months before Greg's birth.
*Evelyn, Robert has no idea what we're arranging. Once the boy is born, we will have a way to control him for the rest of his life. He will believe Robert is his father, and Robert will never know the difference.*
Greg stepped backward.
"That means...""
He couldn't finish.
I looked at the document.
Then I saw the signature.
Franklin Mercer.
And beneath it, in a different handwriting, was a second name.
Robert Whitmore.
I stared at it.
"Why would your father sign this?"" Caleb asked.
I shook my head.
"He wouldn't.""
But as I looked closer, I recognized the date.
Robert had been overseas.
May you like
The signature was a forgery.
And someone had wanted us to believe he had agreed to the exchange.
