Chapter 12: The Child Nobody Was Supposed to Find
Samuel removed the cassette.
His hands were shaking.
Marcus stared at him.
"What baby?""
Samuel placed the tape on the table.
For several seconds, he said nothing.
Then he looked at Marcus.
"Before you were born, Robert and I had a sister.""
Marcus frowned.
"You said you were brothers.""
"We were. But there was a third child. A younger sister named Catherine.""
Ethan leaned forward.
"Why wasn't she mentioned in any of the letters?""
"Because she disappeared when she was nineteen.""
Samuel rubbed his scarred cheek.
"She was involved with Richard. They were secretly together. When she became pregnant, Richard refused to acknowledge the child.""
Marcus felt his stomach tighten.
"Was the baby me?""
Samuel shook his head.
"No.""
He took a breath.
"The baby was a girl.""
Daniel exchanged a glance with Marcus.
"What happened to her?""
Samuel looked at the cassette player.
"That's what I've spent twenty years trying to find out.""
He walked toward a metal cabinet and removed a thin folder.
Inside were hospital records, photographs, and a birth certificate.
The name on the certificate was:
*ELIZABETH VOSS.*
Date of birth: March 18, 1986.
Marcus stared at the date.
His birthday.
He looked at the photograph of the newborn from Richard's warehouse.
It was the same child.
"Elizabeth," he whispered.
Samuel nodded.
"Your biological father was Richard. But the baby born that day wasn't you.""
Marcus felt confused.
"Then who was?""
Samuel placed another photograph on the table.
It showed a woman holding a baby outside a hospital.
The woman was younger than Helen, with dark hair and tired eyes.
Marcus recognized her from the warehouse photograph.
His mother.
Samuel pointed toward the baby.
"That's you.""
Marcus looked at the date.
March 18, 1986.
Then he looked at the birth certificate.
Same date.
Different child.
Two babies had been born that day.
One had been registered as Richard's daughter.
The other had been raised as James Reed's son.
Ethan looked at the records.
"Are you saying the children were switched?""
Samuel nodded.
"That's what I believe.""
Marcus stared at him.
"Why?""
"Because Richard wanted a male heir. He believed a son would give him greater control over the partnership. Catherine wanted to protect her daughter. James agreed to raise the other baby as his own.""
Daniel shook his head.
"That doesn't explain why the records were changed.""
Samuel looked at him.
"Because the original hospital records were destroyed.""
Marcus felt a cold sensation spread through his chest.
"Where is Elizabeth now?""
Samuel lowered his eyes.
"I don't know.""
"Then how do you know she exists?""
"Because I saw her.""
Marcus grabbed the edge of the table.
"When?""
"Twenty years ago.""
Samuel looked at the photograph.
"She was a little girl. Richard had taken her away after Catherine disappeared.""
Marcus stared at the birth certificate.
"Why would he keep her?""
"Because he believed she was his daughter. And because Catherine had left something behind that Richard wanted.""
"What?""
Samuel opened the folder again.
A photograph fell out.
It showed Catherine standing beside a young Robert.
On the back was a message:
The truth belongs to both children.
Marcus looked up.
"Both children?""
Samuel nodded.
"Richard's daughter and James's son. You.""
The room seemed to shrink around Marcus.
"You're telling me I have a sister?""
"Yes.""
"Where is she?""
Samuel swallowed.
"I think Richard knows.""
Marcus stared at him.
"Why didn't you tell me this before?""
"Because I didn't have proof.""
"You've had twenty years!""
Samuel's voice cracked.
"And I've spent every one of them trying to get it!""
The older man slammed his fist against the table.
"Richard destroyed my family. He used Catherine, threatened Robert, manipulated James, and made me help him hide the truth. When I finally tried to expose him, he told me he'd make sure nobody believed a word I said.""
Marcus looked at the cassette.
"And the woman on the recording?""
"My wife. Margaret.""
"She knew?""
Samuel nodded.
"She helped Catherine escape.""
Marcus remembered Margaret standing in Helen's kitchen.
The white envelope.
The warning.
The photograph of Samuel outside the convenience store.
"Where is Margaret now?""
Samuel looked at the floor.
"At Helen's farm.""
Marcus reached for his phone.
He called Ray.
The call rang twice.
Then Ray answered.
"Marcus?""
"Is Helen okay?""
A pause.
"She's fine. Why?""
"Where's Margaret?""
Another pause.
"She left about fifteen minutes ago.""
Marcus stood abruptly.
"Did she say where she was going?""
"She said she had to make a phone call.""
"Ray, listen to me. Don't let anyone leave that farm.""
"What's happening?""
Marcus looked at Samuel.
"Margaret might be connected to something bigger than we thought.""
Ray's voice became serious.
"Understood.""
Marcus ended the call.
Ethan was already gathering the documents.
"We need to get back.""
Samuel shook his head.
"Not yet.""
Marcus turned.
"What do you mean, not yet?""
Samuel pointed to the final page of the hospital records.
There was a handwritten note.
*TRANSFERRED TO PRIVATE CARE — OCTOBER 1996.*
A name appeared beneath it.
*MARGARET BROOKS.*
Marcus looked at him.
"Your wife took Elizabeth?""
Samuel nodded.
"She raised her for a while.""
"Where?""
"At a property near Miller's Creek.""
Marcus looked at the date.
"Twenty years ago?""
Samuel nodded.
"That's when Richard found out.""
Ethan examined the paper.
"There's an address.""
Marcus leaned closer.
It was an old farmhouse near the creek.
The same area where Robert's truck had crashed.
Daniel looked at Samuel.
"Why would Margaret leave the farm now?""
Samuel's expression changed.
"Because she knew we found the records.""
Marcus grabbed his jacket.
"Then we're going after her.""
They climbed out of the underground room and returned to the garage.
The afternoon light was fading.
Samuel locked the hidden entrance.
Marcus climbed onto his motorcycle.
His phone vibrated.
A message from Ray.
*MARGARET JUST RETURNED. SHE'S NOT ALONE.*
Marcus called immediately.
Ray answered on the first ring.
"What's going on?""
Ray's voice was strained.
"There's a woman here.""
"Who?""
"She says her name is Elizabeth.""
Marcus stopped breathing.
"Elizabeth Voss?""
"Yes.""
"Where's Helen?""
"Inside.""
"Is she safe?""
Ray didn't answer.
Instead, Marcus heard Helen shouting in the background.
"That's impossible! You're supposed to be dead!""
Then another voice spoke.
A young woman's voice.
"Mrs. Brooks, I'm sorry. But I've been told my entire life that Robert Brooks murdered my mother.""
Marcus felt the blood drain from his face.
He looked at Samuel.
The older man had heard the voice through the phone.
His eyes filled with tears.
"Elizabeth," he whispered.
Marcus put the phone on speaker.
The young woman continued.
"And I've come here to find out why my father spent twenty years hiding the truth.""
Marcus swallowed.
"Elizabeth, this is Marcus Reed.""
Silence.
Then she spoke again.
"Marcus?""
"Yes.""
Her voice trembled.
"Do you know who I am?""
Marcus looked at the birth records in his hand.
"I think you're my sister.""
A long silence followed.
Then Elizabeth said something that made everyone freeze.
"That's impossible.""
"Why?""
"Because I have a birth certificate proving I'm Richard Voss's only child.""
Marcus looked at Samuel.
The older man shook his head.
Elizabeth continued.
"And I have another document.""
"What document?""
"A death certificate.""
Marcus frowned.
"Whose?""
Elizabeth's voice dropped.
"James Reed's.""
Marcus felt his chest tighten.
"My father died eight years ago.""
"Not according to this document.""
She paused.
"According to the records I found, James Reed died eleven years ago.""
Marcus stared at the phone.
Eleven years.
Not eight.
Someone had changed the date of his father's death.
And if Elizabeth was telling the truth, the man who raised him might have disappeared long before Marcus believed he did.
Then Elizabeth whispered:
"Marcus, I think the man who raised you wasn't James Reed.""
A sudden crash sounded through the phone.
Helen screamed.
May you like
Ray shouted.
And the call went dead.
