Chapter 11 - Claire’s Child
Daniel stood motionless.
“What infant?”
Samuel looked toward Olivia.
“We should focus on the delivery.”
Daniel grabbed his shoulder.
“What infant?”
Samuel’s voice shook.
“Claire survived the crash.”
Vanessa covered her mouth.
Daniel’s grip tightened.
“For how long?”
“Seven weeks.”
The answer nearly destroyed him.
“You knew she was alive for seven weeks?”
“She was unconscious for most of that time.”
“Where?”
“A private medical facility owned by Bennett Holdings.”
Daniel stepped backward.
“I searched every hospital.”
“She was registered under another name.”
“Why?”
“Victor convinced your father that someone was trying to kill her.”
Vanessa whispered,
“Someone was.”
Samuel nodded.
“But we protected her from the wrong people.”
Daniel looked toward the dark screen.
“Was she still pregnant?”
“Yes.”
“She woke briefly during the fourth week.”
“What did she say?”
“She asked for you.”
Daniel closed his eyes.
Samuel continued.
“Victor told us you were involved in the crash.”
Vanessa looked at Daniel.
“He blamed you?”
“He showed us security footage of your car near the mountain road.”
“I was at the hotel with Vanessa.”
“The footage made it appear you left the hotel.”
Daniel looked toward Vanessa.
She shook her head.
“You never left.”
“I know.”
Samuel lowered his voice.
“Claire went into premature labor during the seventh week.”
“The baby survived.”
Daniel’s knees nearly gave way.
“A boy or a girl?”
“A girl.”
Olivia began crying silently.
Daniel looked at Samuel.
“My daughter survived.”
“Yes.”
“Where is she?”
“I don’t know.”
“You signed the transfer documents.”
“I signed what I believed were protective custody papers.”
“To whom?”
“The receiving guardian’s identity was sealed.”
“By you?”
“By Victor.”
Daniel moved closer until their faces were inches apart.
“You handed my daughter to an anonymous person.”
“I believed I was saving her life.”
“What happened to Claire?”
Samuel’s eyes filled with shame.
“She died the next morning.”
“How?”
“Officially, complications from the crash and delivery.”
“Unofficially?”
“I saw bruising around her throat.”
Vanessa sank into a chair.
“He killed her.”
Samuel nodded.
“I believe Victor entered her room after midnight.”
“Why didn’t you call the police?”
“I was afraid.”
Daniel looked at him with disgust.
“You were the family attorney.”
“I had forged hospital documents.”
“I had hidden a living accident victim.”
“I had transferred a newborn without government oversight.”
“Victor made certain every person involved became guilty.”
Olivia looked at Samuel.
“That is how he controls people.”
“Yes.”
Daniel paced away.
His daughter could be alive.
She would be almost six years old.
Somewhere in the world, she might be living under another name.
Perhaps she had no idea who she was.
Perhaps Victor had been watching her.
A severe contraction seized Olivia.
She screamed.
The monitor alarm accelerated.
Samuel moved toward her.
“The first baby is coming.”
Daniel rushed to her side.
“What do I do?”
“Stay with her.”
“Talk to her.”
“Keep her conscious.”
Vanessa approached the medical cabinet.
Samuel looked at her.
“Wash your hands.”
She stared at him.
“You want my help?”
“Unless you prefer standing there while two children die.”
Vanessa moved immediately.
Olivia looked at her with fear.
“Don’t let her touch me.”
Vanessa stopped.
Daniel held Olivia’s hand.
“She won’t come near you.”
Samuel examined the delivery equipment.
“The emergency room has remote medical support.”
“Can we contact someone?” Daniel asked.
“If Victor hasn’t disabled it.”
Samuel activated the terminal.
A connection icon appeared.
REMOTE PHYSICIAN AVAILABLE
The screen flickered.
A masked doctor appeared.
Her face was hidden by shadows.
Samuel spoke quickly.
“We have a thirty-four-week twin delivery in progress.”
The woman on the screen did not respond.
Daniel moved closer.
“Can you hear us?”
The masked doctor slowly removed her surgical mask.
Vanessa gasped.
Daniel stared at the screen.
The woman had dark hair and a pale scar along the left side of her face.
She looked older than the woman Daniel remembered.
But her eyes were unmistakable.
Daniel whispered,
“Claire?”
The woman looked directly at him.
Her voice came through the speakers.
May you like
“Save Olivia first.”
“Then I’ll explain why everyone believes I’m dead.”
