Chapter 5: The Woman Who Knew Laura's Secret
Vanessa arrived at the Mitchell estate shortly before noon.
She expected to find Marcus alone.
Instead, she found a locksmith standing in the entrance hall and two security officers carrying boxes toward the garage.
"What is going on?""
One of the officers stepped forward.
"Mrs. Mitchell, Mr. Mitchell has requested that we secure certain personal documents and devices.""
Vanessa dropped her handbag onto the console table.
"Where is my husband?""
"In his office.""
She marched down the hallway.
Marcus was standing behind his desk, speaking to someone on the phone.
He looked up when she entered.
"Call you back," he said before ending the call.
Vanessa closed the door.
"Have you lost your mind?""
Marcus placed his phone on the desk.
"Good morning to you too.""
"Why are strangers going through my belongings?""
"They're securing financial records.""
"Those are my private things!""
"Anything connected to Jordan's trust is no longer private.""
Vanessa laughed.
"You cannot be serious.""
Marcus pushed a folder across the desk.
"These are copies of transfers from Jordan's account.""
She didn't touch it.
"I already explained the money.""
"No, you haven't.""
"Marcus, I used the funds to manage the household.""
"Then why did you transfer money into an account connected to Arthur Bell's estate?""
Vanessa's expression changed.
Only slightly.
But Marcus noticed.
"I don't know what you're talking about.""
"Your company transferred nearly two hundred thousand dollars into that fund.""
"Investments.""
"Investments for whom?""
"For the family!""
Marcus leaned forward.
"Which family?""
Vanessa crossed her arms.
"You are becoming impossible.""
"Did you know Arthur Bell before we met?""
Her jaw tightened.
"I worked in finance. I knew hundreds of people.""
"Did you work for him?""
"No.""
"Did you meet Laura?""
Vanessa stared at him.
"Why do you keep bringing her up?""
"Because she met you four times before she died.""
Vanessa looked away.
Marcus stood.
"She knew about the trust.""
"Laura was paranoid.""
"She knew someone was trying to get access to Jordan's money.""
"She was sick.""
"She was my wife.""
Vanessa's eyes flashed.
"And I'm your wife now!""
Marcus shook his head.
"That doesn't give you the right to steal from my son.""
She slammed her hand against the desk.
"I raised him!""
"You charged him rent.""
"I provided a home!""
"You made him pay for food.""
"He had an allowance!""
"He had an inheritance that you stole!""
Vanessa stepped closer.
"You think you can throw me out because your mother whispered some ridiculous story into your ear?""
Marcus looked at her.
"I'm not throwing you out because of my mother.""
He opened another folder.
"I'm asking you to leave because my son is afraid to sit at his own dinner table.""
Vanessa stared at him.
For a moment, she looked almost confused.
Then her expression hardened.
"Fine.""
She picked up her handbag.
"But before you make any permanent decisions, you should ask your mother why Laura was driving that night.""
Marcus went still.
"What?""
Vanessa smiled faintly.
"Ask her.""
Then she walked out.
Evelyn was in the garden when Marcus found her.
She was sitting beneath the old oak tree, holding a photograph of Laura.
Marcus approached slowly.
"Mom.""
She looked up.
"What happened?""
"Vanessa says you know something about Laura's accident.""
Evelyn lowered the photograph.
"I do.""
Marcus sat beside her.
"Tell me.""
Evelyn looked toward the house.
"Laura called me that afternoon. She was upset because she had discovered another unauthorized withdrawal.""
"From the trust?""
"Yes.""
"How much?""
"Fifty thousand dollars.""
Marcus closed his eyes.
"And?""
"She said she was going to meet someone who could explain the transfer.""
"Who?""
"Arthur Bell.""
Marcus stared at her.
"She met Arthur that day?""
"She intended to.""
"Did she actually meet him?""
Evelyn shook her head.
"I don't know.""
Marcus looked down at his hands.
"Why didn't you tell the police?""
"I did.""
"What?""
"I gave them everything I had. They told me there was no evidence connecting the financial dispute to the accident.""
Marcus looked at her.
"Then why did you keep investigating?""
"Because Laura told me something during our last conversation.""
"What?""
Evelyn's voice trembled.
"She said that if anything happened to her, I should look for the woman who had been asking questions about Jordan's birth certificate.""
Marcus frowned.
"His birth certificate?""
Evelyn nodded.
"Laura was convinced someone had been trying to obtain information about Jordan's legal identity and inheritance rights.""
Marcus looked toward the house.
"Why would anyone care about his birth certificate?""
Evelyn didn't answer.
Instead, she reached into her coat pocket and removed a small photograph.
It showed Laura holding newborn Jordan in a hospital room.
Beside her stood a nurse.
Marcus recognized the hospital.
"St. Mary's.""
"Yes.""
"What about it?""
"That nurse contacted me three months ago.""
Marcus turned sharply.
"Why?""
"She said she had something Laura left behind.""
Evelyn handed him a business card.
A name and phone number were printed on it.
*Patricia Moore, Retired Maternity Nurse.*
"Why didn't you tell me?""
"Because Patricia wanted legal protection before speaking.""
Marcus stood.
"Then we're going to see her.""
Patricia Moore lived in a small brick house on the outskirts of town.
She opened the door after Marcus knocked twice.
She was in her late sixties, with gray hair and reading glasses hanging from a chain around her neck.
When she saw Evelyn, she immediately stepped aside.
"Mrs. Mitchell.""
"Thank you for agreeing to see us.""
Patricia glanced at Marcus.
"This is your son?""
"Yes.""
"Then I think you should both come inside.""
They sat in a modest living room.
Patricia placed three cups of tea on the coffee table.
Then she removed a small plastic folder from a drawer.
"I kept this because I thought someone might eventually need it.""
Marcus looked at the folder.
"What is it?""
"Copies of documents from Laura's maternity records.""
"Why would you keep those?""
Patricia folded her hands.
"Because there was an incident at the hospital the night Jordan was born.""
Marcus frowned.
"What incident?""
Patricia looked at Evelyn.
Then she turned back to him.
"Someone attempted to obtain a copy of the original birth registration.""
Marcus stared.
"Who?""
"I never saw the person clearly. But I remember the name on the visitor log.""
She opened the folder.
A photocopy of the old hospital log lay inside.
Marcus scanned the names.
Then he stopped.
The visitor's name was Arthur Bell.
Marcus looked up.
"Arthur was at the hospital the night Jordan was born?""
Patricia nodded.
"Yes.""
"Why?""
"He claimed he was a family friend. He said Mr. Mitchell had asked him to collect some paperwork.""
Marcus stared at the page.
"My father?""
Patricia shook her head.
"Your father wasn't there. He was out of town.""
Marcus felt a cold chill.
"What did Arthur want?""
"He asked about the baby's original records. Specifically, he wanted to know whether any information could be amended later.""
Marcus looked at Evelyn.
She seemed as stunned as he was.
Patricia continued.
"Laura refused to release anything. She came to the nurses' station herself and told us never to give documents to anyone without her written consent.""
Marcus rubbed his forehead.
"Why didn't anyone tell me?""
"Laura asked us to keep the matter confidential.""
Patricia removed another paper.
"This was found inside her hospital file.""
It was a handwritten note.
The ink had faded.
But the words were clear.
*If Arthur comes back, call Evelyn. Do not trust him with Jordan's records.*
Marcus slowly lowered the paper.
"Was there anything else?""
Patricia hesitated.
"Yes.""
She opened a second folder.
Inside was a photograph of a woman standing outside the hospital.
Marcus leaned forward.
He recognized Vanessa immediately.
She looked younger, with longer hair and a different style of clothing.
But it was unmistakably her.
The photograph was dated two years before Marcus met her.
He looked at Patricia.
"Why was she here?""
Patricia's face became serious.
"She came to the hospital asking questions about Laura.""
Marcus felt his chest tighten.
"What questions?""
"Whether Laura had given birth to a boy. Whether the baby was healthy. Whether the child had been registered under the Mitchell name.""
Marcus stared at the photograph.
"Did she know Laura?""
"I don't know.""
"Did she ever speak to her?""
Patricia nodded.
"Once.""
"When?""
"About three months after Jordan was born.""
Marcus looked toward Evelyn.
His mother slowly covered her mouth.
Patricia continued.
"Laura came to see me afterward. She was very upset. She told me that a woman had threatened to expose a family secret if Laura didn't cooperate.""
Marcus stood.
"What secret?""
Patricia looked directly at him.
"She didn't tell me.""
Then she reached into the folder and removed a sealed envelope.
"This was left with me two weeks before Laura died.""
Marcus recognized the handwriting.
It was Laura's.
The front read:
*For Marcus. If the truth about Jordan ever becomes necessary.*
His hands trembled as he opened it.
Inside was a single sheet of paper.
Laura had written only a few lines.
Marcus,
I love you. I love our son more than anything in this world.
There is something about the circumstances surrounding Jordan's birth that I never found the courage to explain.
I was afraid that telling you would destroy the family we had built.
But if Vanessa ever comes near our son, you must ask Evelyn about the original hospital record.
And you must find out why Arthur Bell wanted it changed.
Please believe me when I tell you that Jordan is innocent.
Marcus read the final sentence again.
Jordan is innocent.
He looked at Evelyn.
"What does this mean?""
His mother was crying now.
She reached for his hand.
"Marcus, there is something I should have told you a long time ago.""
"What?""
Evelyn closed her eyes.
"Jordan's original hospital record was changed.""
Marcus stepped backward.
"Changed how?""
Evelyn looked at the letter.
Then she whispered:
"Because the baby Laura gave birth to was not the baby Arthur Bell expected.""
They drove home in silence.
Marcus kept the letter on his lap.
Evelyn sat in the back seat.
Neither spoke until they reached the estate.
Jordan was waiting in the kitchen.
He had been drawing at the table.
When he saw his father, he smiled.
"You're back.""
Marcus forced a smile.
"How was your day?""
"Grandma's housekeeper made pancakes.""
"Good.""
Jordan noticed the envelope in his father's hand.
"Is that from Mom?""
Marcus nodded.
"Yes.""
"Does it say anything about me?""
Marcus looked at him.
For a moment, he didn't know what to say.
Then he crouched beside his son.
"It says your mother loved you more than anything.""
Jordan smiled faintly.
"I know.""
He returned to his drawing.
Marcus stood.
Evelyn touched his arm.
"Not yet," she whispered.
"We need to understand what Laura meant.""
Marcus nodded.
But that night, he couldn't sleep.
At 2:17 a.m., he went into his father's old study.
The room hadn't been renovated since Richard died.
Dust covered the bookshelves.
Old business ledgers filled the cabinets.
Marcus began searching through the boxes.
At the bottom of a locked drawer, he found a small metal case.
Inside were several documents, an old photograph, and a hospital wristband.
He picked it up.
The name printed on it was:
*Baby Mitchell — Male — 11:42 p.m.*
But the date was wrong.
It was dated three days before Jordan's recorded birth.
Marcus stared at it.
Then he found a second wristband.
Same hospital.
Same surname.
Same date as Jordan's birth.
But the baby's first name was different.
It read:
*Baby Bell.*
Marcus's phone vibrated.
An unknown number had sent him a message.
Stop looking into the hospital records. Your father made a promise, and Laura broke it.
A second message arrived.
If you want to know who Jordan really is, ask Evelyn why she raised two babies as one family.
Marcus looked toward the doorway.
His mother was standing there.
May you like
She had seen the wristbands.
And the expression on her face told him that the truth was far worse than either of them had imagined.
