Chapter 5: The Son Who Was Stolen
For several seconds, I couldn't speak.
Leon had just told me that Calvin might not be the baby I had given birth to.
And now he was telling me that his own son might still be alive.
"Why didn't you tell me this when you arrived?"" I demanded.
Leon accepted my anger.
"Because I needed to confirm what Arthur had written. And because I didn't know how much of the information had already reached Victor.""
I paced across the living room.
"Where is your son?""
Leon opened his briefcase.
He removed a photograph.
A young man stood beside a hospital entrance. He had dark hair, broad shoulders, and a small scar near his eyebrow.
The photograph looked recent.
"His name is Michael," Leon said.
"At least, that's the name he was given.""
I studied the picture.
"How old is he?""
"Twenty-seven.""
The same age Calvin had been when Arthur died.
I looked up.
"Where did you find him?""
"Through a medical records investigation. A private adoption agency had transferred a child to another state under suspicious circumstances. The documents were incomplete, but the dates matched.""
I felt sick.
"Someone stole your baby?""
Leon nodded.
"Evelyn was unconscious after the delivery. She never got the chance to hold him. When she died, I was told our son had also died.""
I sat down.
"I know what it feels like to believe you've lost someone you love.""
Leon looked at me.
"Yes. That's why Arthur and I never stopped searching.""
A loud bang interrupted us.
Someone was trying the front door.
Eleanor hurried toward the entrance.
"Don't!"" Leon called.
She stopped.
Then we heard Daphne's voice.
"Gloria! We know you're hiding in there with him!""
Calvin shouted next.
"Mother, this is ridiculous. Open the door!""
I walked toward the entrance.
Leon followed.
"Don't let them intimidate you.""
I opened the door but kept the security chain fastened.
Calvin looked exhausted.
His tie was crooked, and sweat had gathered along his forehead.
Daphne stood behind him, her expression perfectly composed.
Victor waited several steps away.
"Mother," Calvin said, "we need the envelope.""
"No.""
"Please don't make me do this.""
I looked at him.
"Do what, Calvin? Threaten your own mother?""
He lowered his voice.
"Daphne's lawyer says the trust documents could cause problems for us.""
"Us?""
He hesitated.
Then he looked over his shoulder at Daphne.
She stepped forward.
"Gloria, this isn't personal. We are trying to protect the family.""
I almost laughed.
"By stealing my home?""
Daphne's eyes narrowed.
"Watch how you speak to me.""
"Or what? You'll order my son to make me kneel again?""
Calvin looked down.
For the first time, I saw something resembling shame on his face.
Then Victor approached.
"Mrs. Bennett, my name is Victor Hale. I believe we should discuss this like reasonable adults.""
I looked at the man who appeared in Arthur's final documents.
"You knew my husband.""
"Very well.""
"Did you arrange his accident?""
Victor's smile disappeared.
Daphne looked sharply at me.
Calvin stepped backward.
Victor adjusted his cuff.
"That's a very serious accusation.""
"Then answer it.""
He leaned closer to the narrow opening.
"Your husband was a stubborn man. He made decisions that hurt people. Perhaps you should ask yourself why he left so many problems behind.""
Leon appeared beside me.
"Leave her alone, Victor.""
Victor's face changed.
For a second, the polished businessman disappeared.
Something ugly emerged beneath the surface.
"You really should have stayed away," Victor said.
Leon replied calmly.
"I tried that for twenty-seven years.""
Victor turned to Daphne.
"Get your husband out of here.""
Daphne grabbed Calvin's arm.
"Come on.""
But Calvin didn't move.
He was staring at Leon.
"Is it true?"" he asked.
Leon looked at him.
"Which part?""
"The baby.""
I felt my chest tighten.
Daphne's grip on Calvin's arm became painful.
"Calvin, don't.""
He turned toward her.
"Is it true that I was adopted?""
Daphne's face went white.
I slowly opened the security chain.
"Come inside, Calvin.""
Victor immediately stepped forward.
"That's enough.""
Leon moved between us.
"Mrs. Bennett has every right to speak with her son.""
Victor looked at Leon with open hatred.
Then he turned and walked toward the car.
Daphne followed.
But before she left, she leaned toward Calvin.
"Remember what I told you about your father.""
Then she disappeared through the gate.
Calvin entered the house.
He sat on the sofa without removing his coat.
For several moments, he stared at the floor.
"Tell me," he finally whispered.
"Am I really not your son?""
I sat opposite him.
"I don't know, Calvin.""
His eyes filled.
"Then why didn't you tell me?""
"Because I didn't know.""
He looked at Leon.
"Who is he?""
Leon pulled out the photograph.
"I'm your father's oldest friend.""
Calvin examined the picture.
"Who is that?""
"My son.""
Calvin frowned.
"Why are you showing me this?""
Leon placed the hospital records beside it.
"Because I believe our lives were connected before either of us understood what was happening.""
Calvin picked up the documents.
His eyes moved over the names.
Then he stopped at one line.
*Infant B — transferred to private placement.*
He looked up.
"What's private placement?""
"An adoption arranged outside the normal hospital process," Eleanor explained.
Calvin turned another page.
A name appeared beneath the transfer authorization.
Dr. Samuel Whitmore.
He dropped the paper.
"That's impossible.""
I leaned forward.
"What is it?""
Calvin looked at me.
"Daphne told me about Dr. Whitmore.""
My heart pounded.
"What did she say?""
"She said he was an old family friend. She introduced him to me three years ago.""
Leon became very still.
"Did you meet him?""
"Yes. He told me he had known my biological family.""
I felt the room spinning again.
"Your biological family?""
Calvin rubbed his forehead.
"He said there were things I needed to understand about my birth. Daphne told me not to listen because he was trying to get money.""
Leon exchanged a glance with Eleanor.
"Where is he now?""
Calvin swallowed.
"Dead.""
"When?""
"Two weeks ago.""
I stared at my son.
"Why didn't you tell me?""
Calvin's voice cracked.
"Because he left me a letter. And Daphne took it.""
Leon immediately stood.
"What letter?""
Calvin looked terrified.
"He said my mother was alive.""
I couldn't breathe.
He turned toward me.
"Mother, I swear I didn't know. I thought you were my biological mother. I still think of you that way.""
Tears ran down my face.
I reached for his hand.
"Whatever the truth is, you were my baby. Nothing changes that.""
He began crying.
Then his phone rang.
Daphne's name appeared on the screen.
Calvin ignored it.
It rang again.
Then a message arrived.
He read it.
His face drained of color.
"What is it?"" I asked.
He turned the phone toward us.
*If you tell Gloria what happened at the hospital, I'll make sure she never sees the truth. You know what happened to the first witness.*
Leon took the phone.
"She's threatening you.""
Calvin nodded.
Then he opened his jacket and removed a small photograph.
"I kept this from her.""
It showed Daphne standing beside an elderly woman outside a nursing home.
On the back was a handwritten name.
Margaret Bennett.
My sister.
I grabbed the photograph.
"Where is she?""
Calvin looked at me.
"Mother, I think Daphne has been visiting your sister for months.""
I felt the room go cold.
Margaret had been living in a care facility since her stroke.
I had visited her two weeks earlier.
She had seemed frightened.
I had assumed it was because of her illness.
Now I understood.
She might have known the truth about Calvin's birth.
And Daphne had found her.
I immediately reached for my coat.
Leon stopped me.
"Gloria, wait.""
"That's my sister!""
"I know. But if Daphne is threatening witnesses, we need to be careful.""
I looked at Calvin.
"Do you know where Margaret is?""
He nodded.
"Riverside Care Center.""
Eleanor checked her phone.
Then she looked up sharply.
"There's a problem.""
"What?""
She showed us an online notice from the facility.
*Patient Margaret Bennett — Discharged at family request, 8:15 a.m.*
I felt my knees weaken.
"Who signed the discharge?""
Eleanor enlarged the document.
May you like
The signature was clear.
Daphne Bennett.
