Chapter 5 - The Voice Behind the Door
“Adrian, don't come upstairs.”
Claire's voice came from behind the half-open bedroom door.
Jordan stood frozen at the top of the staircase.
The silver key shook in his small hand.
Adrian took another step.
“Daddy, please.”
Jordan's voice stopped him.
“Come down to me.”
“I can't.”
“Why?”
Jordan looked toward the dark room behind him.
“She has Justin.”
Adrian's fear turned cold.
Behind him, Evelyn whispered, “Oh God.”
Warren raised his gun toward the second floor.
Adrian grabbed his wrist.
“My son is up there.”
“I know.”
“Then lower it.”
“There's someone behind that door.”
“With Justin.”
Warren reluctantly lowered the weapon.
The emergency lights continued pulsing red along the staircase.
Thomas was still outside.
Caroline crouched near the foyer wall.
Mrs. Bell clutched the banister.
Nobody understood how Jordan had returned.
Nobody knew who had brought him.
And Justin was still missing.
Adrian looked at his son.
“Jordan, listen to Daddy.”
Jordan nodded.
“Put the key down.”
The boy's fingers tightened around it.
“I can't.”
“Why not?”
“She said it's Mommy's.”
Adrian looked toward the doorway.
“Who said that?”
Jordan whispered, “Mommy.”
Something moved inside the room.
Adrian's heart hammered.
Then the woman spoke again.
“Jordan, sweetheart, come back inside.”
Jordan began crying.
Adrian moved immediately.
“No. Jordan, come to me.”
“I told you not to come upstairs,” the woman said.
Adrian climbed another step.
“You took my children.”
Silence.
“Show yourself.”
Nothing.
“Show yourself!”
A shadow crossed the doorway.
Then a woman stepped into the red emergency light.
Adrian stopped.
Claire.
Again.
But not Caroline.
Caroline stood downstairs.
Adrian looked from the woman above him to the woman behind him.
Same face.
Same eyes.
Same height.
Almost.
Caroline whispered, “No.”
The woman upstairs smiled faintly.
“Hello, Carrie.”
Caroline's legs nearly gave way.
Mrs. Bell caught her.
“Who is she?” Evelyn asked.
Caroline couldn't answer.
Adrian could barely think.
The woman looked exactly like Claire had looked before her death.
Not thinner.
Not older.
Even her hair was styled the same way.
“Where's Justin?”
The woman tilted her head.
“He's safe.”
“Bring him out.”
“Give Jordan the key.”
“No.”
“Then Justin stays with me.”
Adrian's hands curled into fists.
“You have ten seconds.”
She almost smiled.
“You still think being angry makes people obey you.”
That sentence hit him.
Claire had said it before.
During arguments.
Usually when Adrian was frustrated.
Usually when he thought money, authority or sheer force of will could fix something that required patience.
Nobody else should have known it.
“Who are you?”
The woman looked hurt.
“You know.”
“No.”
“You identified my body.”
Adrian's stomach twisted.
Caroline whispered, “Claire?”
The woman looked past Adrian.
“Carrie.”
Caroline pushed away from Mrs. Bell.
“You're dead.”
“So were you.”
Caroline covered her mouth.
Adrian stared between them.
“Someone starts explaining now.”
Warren spoke first.
“Adrian, get Jordan downstairs.”
The woman upstairs laughed.
“You're still pretending to be a detective, Michael?”
Adrian turned.
Warren went pale.
Thomas's warning returned.
Warren was never assigned to Claire's accident.
“Michael?”
Warren said nothing.
The woman looked at Adrian.
“His real name is Michael Warren. But he hasn't been a detective for nine years.”
Adrian stepped away from him.
“You showed me a badge.”
“A real badge.”
“Not yours.”
Warren's jaw tightened.
“It was complicated.”
Adrian nearly lunged at him.
Evelyn stepped between them.
“Justin first.”
She was right.
Adrian looked upstairs.
“Bring me my son.”
The woman disappeared into the bedroom.
Adrian started upward.
“Wait,” Evelyn said.
He ignored her.
Jordan suddenly screamed.
“Daddy!”
Adrian ran.
He reached Jordan and pulled him against his chest.
Jordan buried his face in Adrian's shoulder.
“It's okay.”
“She told us you didn't want us anymore.”
Adrian closed his eyes.
“Never.”
“She said that's why Mommy went away.”
“Look at me.”
Jordan lifted his tearful face.
“I will always come for you.”
“Promise?”
“Always.”
A sound came from the bedroom.
Adrian pushed Jordan behind him.
The woman returned.
Justin was in her arms.
The boy appeared sleepy but unharmed.
“Daddy?”
Adrian almost collapsed from relief.
“Justin.”
The woman lowered him.
Justin ran.
Adrian dropped to his knees and caught him.
For several seconds, nothing else existed.
He held both boys.
Jordan's arms wrapped around his neck.
Justin pressed his face into Adrian's chest.
Adrian kissed their hair again and again.
“You're okay.”
Justin nodded.
“She gave me juice.”
Adrian looked at the woman.
“What did you give him?”
“Apple juice.”
“Anything else?”
“No.”
Evelyn had reached the top of the stairs.
She crouched beside Justin.
“Do you feel sleepy?”
He nodded.
“Did you feel sleepy before the juice?”
Justin thought.
“No.”
Adrian's expression changed.
The woman stepped backward.
Evelyn smelled Justin's breath.
Then the empty plastic cup on the floor.
“Don't touch it.”
Adrian stood.
“What?”
“Something was in the drink.”
The woman ran.
She slammed the bedroom door.
Adrian reached it before the lock caught.
He drove his shoulder into the wood.
The door flew open.
Empty.
Window open.
Curtains moving.
“Damn it.”
He ran to the window.
A fire ladder descended along the side of the house.
The woman was already gone.
Warren came upstairs.
“She's heading toward the woods.”
Adrian turned.
“You stay away from my children.”
“Adrian—”
“Downstairs.”
“Listen—”
“Now.”
Something in Adrian's voice finally silenced him.
Evelyn took Justin.
“He needs a doctor.”
“No hospital,” Caroline called from below.
Adrian looked over the railing.
“What?”
Caroline climbed the stairs.
“If she drugged him, we need to know what she used. But not a hospital connected to St. Catherine's.”
“Every hospital in this city is independent.”
Caroline shook her head.
“Not every doctor.”
Adrian hated riddles.
“Then tell me where.”
“Dr. Samuel Greene.”
Mrs. Bell gasped.
Adrian noticed.
“Who is he?”
Caroline looked at Justin.
“The doctor who delivered the twins.”
Adrian stared.
“That was Dr. Franklin.”
“No.”
“I met him.”
“You met the doctor whose name was on the paperwork.”
Adrian felt another piece of his life shift.
“Greene delivered them?”
Caroline nodded.
“Call him.”
“He won't answer me.”
“He'll answer Mrs. Bell.”
Everyone looked at the housekeeper.
She started shaking.
“No.”
Adrian walked downstairs.
“Why would he answer you?”
Mrs. Bell sat on the bottom step.
“Because Samuel is my brother.”
Adrian closed his eyes.
Another secret.
Another lie.
“How many people in my life were connected to this?”
Mrs. Bell whispered, “More than you know.”
“Call him.”
She did.
Samuel Greene answered after two rings.
“Margaret?”
“We need you.”
Silence.
“Is it the boys?”
Mrs. Bell looked at Adrian.
“Yes.”
“Bring them to my house.”
“We need to know if it's safe.”
“It isn't.”
Adrian took the phone.
“Dr. Greene.”
A pause.
“Adrian.”
“You're going to tell me what happened when my sons were born.”
“Not on the phone.”
“My child may have been drugged.”
“Is he conscious?”
“Yes.”
“Breathing normally?”
“Yes.”
“Can he walk?”
Adrian looked at Justin.
“Yes.”
“Then bring him.”
“And then?”
Another pause.
“I'll tell you why Claire made me change the birth certificates.”
Adrian's hand tightened around the phone.
“What did you change?”
The call ended.
Adrian stared at the screen.
Caroline whispered, “Now you understand why we need him.”
“No. I understand everyone believes they can give me half an answer and demand my trust.”
Thomas knocked again.
Adrian looked toward the door.
Warren said, “Don't.”
Adrian ignored him.
He opened it.
Thomas stepped inside.
He looked at Warren.
“You.”
Warren raised his hands.
“Not now.”
Thomas turned to Adrian.
“Are the boys safe?”
“For the moment.”
“Thank God.”
Adrian grabbed Thomas by the collar.
“Do you have a silver key?”
Thomas froze.
“What?”
“Answer.”
“No.”
“Claire said the second key belonged to someone I trusted more than her.”
Thomas looked hurt.
“You think that's me?”
“You were on St. Catherine's board.”
“Yes.”
“You never told me.”
“You never asked.”
Adrian shoved him away.
“My wife was involved with that place.”
“I know.”
“My children were born there?”
Thomas hesitated.
“No.”
That answer caught everyone.
Adrian stared.
“What did you say?”
“Jordan and Justin were not born at St. Catherine's.”
Caroline looked confused.
“Then why are their records there?”
Thomas's face changed.
“What records?”
“The records room.”
Thomas slowly looked at Caroline.
“Who told you there are records for the twins?”
“Rachel.”
Thomas went pale.
“Rachel never knew.”
Evelyn stepped forward.
“Knew what?”
Thomas looked at Adrian.
“The photograph you found. Rachel holding the baby.”
“Yes.”
“That baby wasn't Jordan.”
Adrian waited.
“Then Justin?”
“No.”
Evelyn whispered, “Who was it?”
Thomas looked toward Caroline.
She shook her head.
“Don't.”
Adrian caught it.
“You know.”
Caroline backed away.
“Adrian.”
“Who was the baby?”
Caroline's eyes filled.
“Claire's.”
Adrian almost laughed from confusion.
“They're both Claire's.”
“No.”
Caroline shook her head.
“The baby in Rachel's arms was born before Claire ever met you.”
Silence.
Adrian's chest tightened.
“My wife had another child?”
Caroline nodded.
“A son.”
“What happened to him?”
“We thought he died.”
“Thought?”
“St. Catherine's told Claire the baby died six hours after birth.”
Adrian looked at the brass key.
“But?”
“Rachel discovered the death certificate was false.”
Evelyn covered her mouth.
Adrian felt sick.
“Why?”
“Because St. Catherine's wasn't just a maternity hospital.”
Caroline glanced at the twins.
“Not in its final years.”
“What was it?”
“A place where wealthy people paid to make complicated births disappear.”
Thomas closed his eyes.
“Caroline.”
She continued.
“Unwanted pregnancies. False adoptions. Changed identities. Children moved between families.”
Adrian stared.
“You were on the board.”
Thomas shook his head.
“I joined afterward to investigate it.”
“Convenient.”
“Claire asked me to.”
“Before our wedding?”
“Yes.”
Adrian felt betrayed in a way he couldn't yet measure.
Claire had known Thomas before she supposedly introduced them.
His best friend.
His wife.
Both had constructed a life around him while hiding an entire history.
Justin suddenly sagged in Evelyn's arms.
“Adrian.”
His head dropped.
Adrian ran.
“Justin?”
No response.
“Justin!”
Evelyn checked his breathing.
“He's breathing.”
Adrian lifted him.
“We're leaving.”
Nobody argued.
Dr. Greene lived fifteen minutes away.
Adrian drove.
Evelyn sat beside Justin in the back.
Jordan refused to leave his brother.
Thomas followed in another car.
Caroline came with him.
Warren disappeared before Adrian could stop him.
That worried Adrian more than if he had stayed.
They reached Greene's house in eleven minutes.
The doctor was waiting.
He examined Justin immediately.
“Mild sedative.”
“What kind?”
“Probably antihistamine-based. He's safe.”
Adrian nearly collapsed with relief.
“Are you certain?”
“Yes.”
Justin slept on the examination bed.
Jordan curled beside him.
Evelyn stayed with them.
Adrian followed Greene into his study.
Thomas and Caroline entered.
Mrs. Bell remained at the Cole house.
Adrian placed both keys on Greene's desk.
Brass.
Silver.
Jordan had returned with the silver one.
Greene stared.
“Where did you get that?”
“Jordan.”
The doctor sat down.
“Then we're too late.”
“For what?”
Greene opened a drawer.
He removed an old photograph.
Claire.
Rachel.
Caroline.
And a fourth woman.
Adrian didn't recognize her.
All four stood outside St. Catherine's.
Claire was visibly pregnant.
“What is this?”
“The reason Claire lied.”
Greene turned it over.
Four names.
Claire Bennett.
Caroline Bennett.
Rachel Hart.
Rebecca Cole.
Adrian stopped breathing.
Cole.
His surname.
“Who is Rebecca?”
Greene looked at him.
“You knew her as someone else.”
“Who?”
Before Greene could answer, someone knocked at the front door.
Three slow knocks.
Greene went white.
“Nobody knows I live here.”
The knocks came again.
Thomas moved toward the window.
A woman stood on the porch.
Gray hair.
Long coat.
Holding a hospital file.
Adrian stared at her through the glass.
He recognized her.
He had known her his entire life.
The woman raised her face.
Adrian whispered, “Mom?”
Then she lifted the file against the window.
On its cover were two names.
JORDAN COLE.
JUSTIN COLE.
May you like
Underneath them was a third.
And that child had Adrian's name.
