Chapter 4 - THE SECRET BASEMENT
The old clinic had been closed for nearly a year.
At least, officially.
The front doors were locked.
The windows were dusty.
But Daniel's car sat behind the building.
Detective Collins surrounded the property with officers.
I stayed in the vehicle.
Every part of me wanted to run inside.
Then Collins returned.
“We found him.”
“Daniel?”
“Yes.”
“Is he alone?”
Collins didn't answer immediately.
“No.”
My heart dropped.
“Who is with him?”
“Dr. Harris.”
I stared at him.
“What are they doing?”
“Looking for something.”
“What?”
“A storage room.”
The basement door had been hidden behind a false wall.
Inside were dozens of medical files.
Patient records.
Insurance documents.
Research papers.
And photographs.
One photograph showed Lily at age two.
Another showed her receiving allergy testing.
Another showed her sleeping in a hospital bed.
I felt sick.
“Why would anyone photograph my child?”
Collins shook his head.
“We're still figuring that out.”
Then an officer found a locked cabinet.
Inside were encrypted drives.
One file had Lily's name.
Another had mine.
Another had Daniel's.
But the final file was labeled:
PROJECT LILY.
I couldn't breathe.
Collins opened it.
The first page contained a payment schedule.
$50,000.
$100,000.
$250,000.
$500,000.
The payments had been made to a company overseas.
The sender?
Daniel Reed.
The recipient?
Hartwell Medical Consulting.
Evelyn's brother.
But there was another name.
Dr. Harris.
I stared at the screen.
“They were all involved.”
Collins nodded.
Then we heard shouting.
Daniel had been found.
Officers brought him upstairs.
His hands were cuffed.
His face was bruised.
“What happened?”
“He resisted arrest.”
Daniel looked at me.
“I didn't hurt Lily.”
I stepped toward him.
“You sold her medical records.”
“No.”
“The files say otherwise.”
“I was trying to protect her.”
“You deliberately let my mother-in-law hide her injector.”
“I didn't know.”
“You knew about the second one.”
Daniel's eyes filled with tears.
“I knew someone was going to take it.”
“Who?”
He looked toward Dr. Harris.
The doctor lowered his head.
Daniel whispered:
“Her biological father.”
I froze.
“What?”
Daniel looked at me.
“Lily's father isn't me.”
The world seemed to tilt.
I stared at him.
“Don't.”
“I found out two years ago.”
“You're lying.”
“I wanted to tell you.”
“Then why didn't you?”
“Because the man is dangerous.”
I couldn't speak.
Daniel continued.
“He's been trying to get Lily since she was born.”
“Who is he?”
Daniel looked toward Detective Collins.
“Check the original birth records.”
Collins frowned.
“We already did.”
“Not the amended ones.”
“What amended records?”
Daniel's voice broke.
“The name on Lily's birth certificate was changed.”
I felt numb.
“Who changed it?”
Daniel whispered:
“Evelyn.”
I turned toward the detective.
“Find the original record.”
Collins nodded.
An officer rushed in moments later.
“We found it.”
He handed Collins a sealed document.
Collins opened it.
His expression changed.
I stepped closer.
“Who is Lily's biological father?”
Collins looked at me.
Then at Daniel.
May you like
Finally, he said:
“Michael.”
