Chapter 7
I couldn't speak.
Jason ripped the phone from my hand.
“What did you say?”
Diane sobbed.
“Robert believed Sarah’s baby had the mutation.”
“What mutation?”
“I don't know!”
“You keep saying that!”
“Because he never told me!”
Jason's face turned red.
“Then how do you know Lily was supposed to die?”
Diane went silent.
“Mom!”
“Because Patricia told me.”
My stomach turned.
“When?”
“After the switch.”
“What exactly did she say?” I demanded.
Diane took a breath.
“She said Robert had ordered her not to give Sarah’s biological baby a routine treatment after birth.”
I gripped the chair.
“What treatment?”
“Vitamin K.”
The detective looked up sharply.
Most newborns received vitamin K to prevent dangerous bleeding.
“Did Lily get it?” I asked.
“I don't know.”
Diane cried.
“I swear.”
“But she survived.”
“Yes.”
“So Robert failed.”
“Yes.”
“Why would a genetic mutation matter?”
“I don't know.”
Jason slammed his hand against the table.
“Stop saying that!”
“I DON'T KNOW!”
Her scream echoed through the phone.
Then quieter:
“Robert told me Sarah carried something dangerous. Something that could appear in a daughter.”
I stared at Jason.
My family had no known serious inherited disease.
At least none I knew about.
“Why would Robert care whether my baby had a genetic condition?”
Diane whispered, “Because of the trust.”
“What trust?”
Jason froze.
I looked at him.
“What trust?”
“My grandfather created one.”
“For whom?”
“His descendants.”
“So?”
Jason's face slowly changed.
“The family company shares pass through direct descendants who meet certain conditions.”
Rachel frowned.
“Medical conditions?”
“No.”
He shook his head.
“There’s a clause about competency, guardianship, and survivorship. It's old.”
I stared at him.
“Speak English.”
“If I died, my biological children would inherit most of my portion.”
“And if there were no biological children?”
“My parents.”
Suddenly every piece looked different.
Money.
Of course there was money.
“There it is,” I whispered.
Jason looked sick.
“But I’m alive.”
“Robert faked his death.”
The detective spoke.
“Maybe he planned more than one death.”
Nobody moved.
Jason stared at him.
“You think my father planned to kill me?”
“I'm saying we consider every possibility.”
Diane started sobbing again.
“That's why I called.”
Jason went pale.
“What?”
“He wants everyone at the cabin.”
“Why?”
“I heard him talking to someone.”
“Who?”
“I don't know.”
“What did he say?”
“That tonight would finish it.”
The detective immediately began coordinating units.
Blackwater Lake was ninety miles away.
Remote.
Forested.
One access road.
I stood.
“I’m going.”
The detective shook his head.
“No.”
“My daughter is there.”
“Possibly.”
“Two of my daughters are involved.”
“Sarah—”
“I’m going.”
Jason said, “Me too.”
The detective looked ready to argue.
Then another officer entered.
“We got a ping.”
Everyone turned.
“Lauren’s phone came online for nine seconds.”
“Where?”
“Near Blackwater Lake.”
That settled it.
Within fifteen minutes, we were in separate vehicles headed north.
Police didn't let us ride directly to the cabin.
Good.
Because I probably would have done something reckless.
We waited at a command point two miles away.
Night fell quickly.
Rain began.
Of course it did.
Because apparently the universe thought this nightmare needed weather.
I paced beside a police SUV.
Jason sat on the bumper.
Neither of us spoke.
After twenty minutes, he said, “Sarah.”
I kept walking.
“I did not sleep with Lauren.”
“I know.”
He looked up.
“You believe me?”
“I believe the evidence.”
He nodded.
“Not me.”
“Not right now.”
That hurt him.
I saw it.
I couldn't carry his hurt too.
“You hid eight weeks of information.”
“I know.”
“You signed divorce papers.”
“I know.”
“You let your mother convince you I was the problem while she knew our child had been switched.”
“I know.”
“So whether you cheated physically is almost irrelevant.”
He stared at the wet ground.
“I love you.”
I closed my eyes.
“Don't.”
“It’s true.”
“You were going to leave me.”
“I thought I wanted to.”
“Exactly.”
He stood.
“I was angry. Confused. Mom kept—”
“Stop blaming your mother for decisions you made.”
He flinched.
“You signed.”
“Yes.”
“You hid.”
“Yes.”
“You lied.”
“Yes.”
“Those were your hands. Your mouth. Your choices.”
Rain rolled down his face.
“I know.”
For once, he didn't defend himself.
That almost made it worse.
My phone rang.
Rachel.
“Emma wants you.”
My entire body softened.
Rachel put her on video.
Emma was wearing pajamas covered in yellow ducks.
Her cheek bandage looked huge on her little face.
“Mommy?”
“Hi, baby.”
“Are you coming home?”
“Soon.”
“Did you find Lily?”
I froze.
Rachel must have explained more than I expected.
“Not yet.”
“Is Lily my sister?”
The question broke me.
“Yes.”
That was the only answer I could give.
“How?”
I almost laughed through tears.
“It’s complicated.”
“Can she have my blue blanket?”
I covered my mouth.
Emma continued.
“I have two.”
Jason turned away, crying.
“Yes,” I whispered. “She can have your blue blanket.”
“Okay.”
“Emma?”
“Yes?”
“I love you.”
“I love you more.”
“No chance.”
She grinned.
“Daddy there?”
I looked at him.
“Yes.”
“Can I see?”
I handed him the phone.
His face crumpled when she said, “Hi, Daddy.”
I walked away.
Not because I hated him.
Because I didn't.
That was the problem.
Forty minutes later, an officer ran toward us.
“They have visual.”
I rushed forward.
“Children?”
“Three occupants visible. Adult female. Two minors.”
Lauren.
Lily.
Noah.
“What about Robert?”
“Inside.”
“Any weapons?”
“Unknown.”
“Can you get them out?”
“We're working on it.”
Then gunshots cracked through the night.
Three.
Sharp.
Close enough that my entire body locked.
Jason grabbed my arm.
“No.”
More shouting.
Police radios exploded with voices.
I couldn't understand any of it.
“Who fired?”
No answer.
“WHO FIRED?”
An officer ordered us into the vehicle.
We refused.
Then headlights appeared on the road.
A truck tore out of the trees.
Police vehicles moved to block it.
The truck swerved.
Hit a ditch.
Rolled once.
I screamed.
Officers rushed forward.
“Stay here!”
I didn't.
Neither did Jason.
We ran until police stopped us fifty yards away.
A rear door of the truck opened.
A little boy crawled out.
Noah.
He was crying.
An officer grabbed him.
Then another small figure appeared.
A girl.
Dark curls.
Green jacket.
Lily.
My knees went weak.
I had seen photographs.
Nothing prepared me for the real child.
Her face.
My nose.
My mother’s eyes.
My chin.
It was like seeing pieces of my family arranged in someone else's little girl.
I started sobbing.
“Lily.”
She couldn't hear me.
Police carried her away from the truck.
Then Lauren climbed out.
Blood covered one side of her face.
She screamed for the children.
She saw Jason.
Stopped.
Saw me.
Everything changed.
We stared at each other across flashing lights.
Two mothers.
Two daughters.
Four stolen years.
Then the driver's door opened.
Robert stumbled out.
Older than I remembered.
Thinner.
Alive.
He held a gun.
Police shouted.
“DROP IT!”
Jason moved forward.
“Dad!”
Robert looked toward him.
For one second, he smiled.
“Son.”
“Put the gun down.”
Robert shook his head.
“You ruined everything.”
Jason stared at him.
“You did this.”
“I protected you.”
“You stole children.”
“I protected my blood.”
I stepped forward.
“And Lily?”
His eyes found me.
Cold.
“You were never supposed to find her.”
Police shouted again.
Robert raised the gun.
Not toward police.
Toward me.
Jason moved in front of me.
A shot cracked.
I screamed.
Jason fell.
Police fired.
Robert hit the ground.
Everything became noise.
I dropped beside Jason.
Blood spread across his shoulder.
“Jason!”
He gasped.
“I'm okay.”
“You're shot!”
“Shoulder.”
Paramedics rushed in.
I held his hand until they pushed me back.
Then I heard a small voice behind me.
“Mom?”
I turned.
Lily stood beside Lauren.
She wasn't looking at me.
She was looking at Lauren.
Of course.
Lauren was her mother.
The realization hurt and comforted me at the same time.
Lauren hugged her.
Then looked over Lily’s head at me.
Her face was wet with tears.
“He told me you'd hate me.”
I stepped closer.
“I don't know you enough to hate you.”
She almost laughed.
Almost.
Then she whispered, “I’m sorry.”
“For what?”
“For keeping her after I knew.”
I looked at Lily.
“Why?”
Lauren held her tighter.
“Because she’s my little girl.”
I understood.
God help me, I understood.
Then Noah walked toward Jason’s stretcher.
He stared at Jason.
“Are you my dad?”
Jason's face collapsed.
He looked at Lauren.
She nodded.
“Yes,” Jason whispered.
Noah stood very still.
May you like
Then asked:
“Why didn't you ever come get me?”
