Chapter 5 - The Man Using the Morrell Name)
The man was not Adrian's brother.
At least that was what the first police check suggested.
He was forty three.
Too old.
Caroline Morrell's missing baby would have been thirty nine.
His legal name was Daniel Marcus Hall.
The identification card found in his pocket, however, had been altered to read Daniel Morrell.
Police discovered him unconscious inside the abandoned greenhouse on the north edge of the estate.
Vanessa had been beside him.
She was awake.
She refused to explain who he was.
Samuel Voss remained missing.
Adrian saw Vanessa through the glass of the estate security room at four fifteen in the morning.
She had changed into a robe someone provided after investigators took her ivory gown as evidence.
Without the prosthetic belly she looked unfamiliar.
Smaller.
Ordinary.
Human.
Adrian stood outside the interview room for nearly a minute before entering.
Vanessa looked up.
Her eyes were swollen from crying.
"Adrian."
He closed the door.
The detective inside began to object.
Adrian said, "Five minutes."
The detective hesitated, then stepped outside.
Adrian remained standing.
Vanessa whispered, "I never wanted you to find out that way."
He laughed once.
"Which part?"
She lowered her eyes.
"The pregnancy."
"Or my father's archive?"
No answer.
"The fake ultrasounds?"
Silence.
"The disgraced doctor?"
Her jaw tightened.
"The man pretending to be my brother?"
"He isn't pretending."
Adrian stopped.
Vanessa looked up.
"Daniel Hall believes he is Richard Morrell's son."
"He's forty three."
"I know."
"My brother would be thirty nine."
"I know."
"Then explain."
Vanessa rubbed both hands over her face.
"Richard's search didn't begin with one child."
Adrian stared.
"What does that mean?"
"Your father believed St. Catherine's was part of something larger."
Vanessa's voice shook.
"Private adoptions. Altered birth records. Wealthy families. Women who were told their babies died."
Adrian felt sick.
"How do you know this?"
"Because Daniel Hall hired me."
The answer surprised him.
"Hired you to do what?"
"Get close to your father."
Adrian's breathing slowed.
Vanessa continued before he could interrupt.
"Eight years ago Daniel found documents suggesting Richard Morrell had been investigating the hospital. Daniel believed Richard might be his father."
"So you approached him."
"Yes."
"With Voss."
"Voss had records."
"Forged records."
"Some forged. Some real."
Adrian stared at her.
"And when my father died?"
"Daniel believed the truth was inside the archive."
"So you moved on to me."
Vanessa began crying.
"It wasn't supposed to become what it became."
"What did it become?"
"I fell in love with you."
Adrian turned away.
"Don't."
"I did."
"You built my son out of silicone."
Her face collapsed.
"At first the pregnancy was just a way to trigger the trust."
"Just."
"It would force the family to open genetic records. Bloodline documents. Sealed medical files."
Adrian turned back.
"So the child was a key."
"Yes."
"There was never going to be a baby."
Vanessa whispered, "No."
Adrian felt as though something inside him had broken too quietly for anyone else to hear.
He remembered assembling a crib.
Arguing about names.
Buying a tiny navy sweater Vanessa had placed against her stomach and laughed about.
He remembered talking to a child who had never existed.
"How did you plan to end it?"
Vanessa looked away.
"A loss."
Adrian went still.
"You were going to tell me my son died."
Tears rolled down her face.
"I kept delaying it."
"Because you loved me?"
"Because I couldn't do it."
"But you could lie every day."
"I know."
Adrian stepped closer.
"What was in Project Second Son?"
"I don't know."
"You stole it."
"No."
He stared.
"The key fell from your dress."
"I had the key. I didn't take the file."
"Then who did?"
"Voss."
Adrian frowned.
"Why?"
"Because Daniel was never the real target."
Vanessa's voice dropped.
"Voss has been lying to all of us."
Before Adrian could ask what she meant, the interview room door opened.
The detective entered.
"Mr. Morrell, we need you outside."
Adrian did not move.
"What happened?"
"The man from the greenhouse regained consciousness."
"Daniel Hall?"
The detective's face was grim.
"He says that's not his name."
Vanessa stood abruptly.
"What did he say?"
The detective looked at Adrian.
"He says his name is Michael Grant."
Grace's stolen ultrasound report flashed through Adrian's mind.
Original patient.
Melissa Grant.
He turned toward Vanessa.
She looked terrified.
"Who is Melissa Grant?"
Vanessa whispered, "His sister."
The detective continued.
"Michael says his sister disappeared twenty seven years ago."
Adrian felt another piece move into place.
"Why was her ultrasound used for Vanessa?"
Vanessa shook her head.
"I don't know."
Then Grace appeared at the far end of the hall.
She was holding the photocopy.
"Mr. Morrell."
Adrian stepped out.
Grace looked shaken.
"I checked the date on Melissa Grant's original file."
"And?"
Grace handed it to him.
The ultrasound had not been performed six weeks earlier.
That was only the date Vanessa's forged copy had been created.
Melissa Grant's original ultrasound had been performed twenty seven years earlier.
Adrian stared at the document.
The pregnancy listed on the file had reached twenty two weeks.
Then he saw the hospital.
May you like
St. Catherine's.
The same hospital where his brother had supposedly died.
