Chapter 6 - THE SECOND BIRTH CERTIFICATE
Evan took Claire’s phone.
His eyes locked on the date.
“That’s my birthday.”
Robert didn’t move.
Evan enlarged the photograph.
The document appeared old.
Hospital stamp.
County seal.
Mother: Judith Mercer.
Father: Robert Mercer.
Child: Daniel Mercer.
Evan looked up.
“I don’t have a brother.”
Robert’s silence became the answer.
Claire’s heart began pounding.
Detective Torres immediately photographed the message.
“Where is the original?”
“No idea,” Claire said.
Evan turned back toward his father.
“Who is Daniel?”
Robert looked toward the windows.
“Not here.”
Torres’s tone became sharp.
“You don’t get to control the conversation anymore.”
Robert lowered his voice.
“If Judith is outside, we should leave.”
“Then talk while we leave.”
Torres ordered officers to move the family to a secure location.
Within ten minutes, Claire was in the back seat of an unmarked police SUV with Evan beside her.
Robert rode in another vehicle.
As they pulled away, Claire stared at the dark Mercer house.
For months, she had been terrified inside those walls.
Now the house looked almost relieved to be empty.
Evan sat beside her.
“I’m sorry.”
Claire didn’t answer.
He tried again.
“I know that doesn’t fix anything.”
“No.”
“I should have listened.”
“Yes.”
Her honesty hurt, but he deserved it.
Evan looked at her hands resting over their baby.
“I kept thinking defending my mother meant I was being a good son.”
Claire stared ahead.
“And you never noticed what kind of husband that made you.”
He closed his eyes.
The police convoy continued toward the station.
Then his phone rang.
Unknown number.
Torres’s voice came over the radio from the front vehicle.
“Do not answer unknown calls.”
Evan stared at the screen.
The caller stopped.
Then called again.
Then a third time.
A voicemail notification appeared.
Torres told him to forward it immediately.
The recording lasted twelve seconds.
A woman’s voice whispered:
“Evan, if you hear this, don’t go to the police station.”
Claire grabbed his arm.
Evan replayed it.
The voice continued.
“Judith knows Torres.”
The message ended.
Everyone in the SUV became silent.
The driver immediately contacted Detective Torres.
No answer.
Again.
No answer.
Claire looked behind them.
The vehicle carrying Torres and Robert had disappeared.
“Where are they?”
The driver swore.
“They were right behind us.”
Evan twisted around.
Only empty road stretched through the darkness.
The driver radioed dispatch.
Static.
Then Claire’s phone rang.
This time the caller ID displayed:
ANNA REED.
Claire answered.
“Hello?”
Heavy breathing.
Then a woman spoke.
“Claire?”
“Yes.”
“This is Grace.”
Evan’s entire body went rigid.
Claire switched to speaker.
Evan whispered:
“Grace?”
Silence.
Then the woman began crying.
“My God.”
Evan covered his mouth.
“Grace?”
“I’m sorry.”
He couldn’t form another sentence.
For sixteen years he had talked to a grave that never contained her.
Grace spoke quickly.
“You’re not safe with the detective.”
Claire looked at the driver.
“Why?”
“Because Torres’s father worked at St. Agnes.”
Claire’s blood ran cold.
“What?”
“He signed some of my medication orders.”
Evan leaned toward the phone.
“Where are you?”
“I can’t tell you.”
“Grace, please.”
“I’ve been trying to keep Claire alive.”
Evan looked toward his wife.
The letters.
The warnings.
All from Grace.
“Why didn’t you contact me?”
Grace’s voice broke.
“Because I watched you choose Mom over Claire again and again.”
Evan went silent.
Another brutal truth.
Grace continued.
“And because Mom isn’t working alone.”
“Who is Daniel?”
A long silence followed.
Then Grace said:
“You really don’t know.”
Evan felt Claire grip his hand.
“No.”
Grace whispered something.
The connection crackled.
“What?”
“Daniel is the reason Mom has been watching you your entire life.”
“Grace, who is he?”
A vehicle suddenly appeared behind them.
Headlights rushed closer.
The driver accelerated.
Grace shouted through the phone.
May you like
“Evan, listen to me. You weren’t the only baby Judith took home from that hospital.”
The line went dead.
