Chapter 5: The Baby Denise Said Never Existed
I stood beside my car with the phone pressed against my ear.
"Answer me, Denise.""
She started crying.
"Marcus, please don't do this over the phone.""
"Did you have another child?""
A long silence followed.
Then she whispered, "Yes.""
I closed my eyes.
"When?""
"Before we met.""
"How old would that child be now?""
"About thirteen.""
I stared at the street.
Thirteen.
Three years older than Maya.
"Where is the child?""
Denise began sobbing.
"I don't know.""
I felt something twist inside my chest.
"What do you mean you don't know?""
"I gave the baby up.""
I leaned against the car.
"Who adopted the child?""
"I wasn't told.""
"Was Raymond the father?""
"No.""
The answer came too quickly.
I frowned.
"Then who?""
She didn't answer.
"Denise, I need the truth.""
"I was young. I was twenty-one. I made a mistake.""
"Who was the father?""
She whispered a name.
"Daniel.""
I didn't recognize it.
"Daniel who?""
"Daniel Mercer.""
I waited.
"Who is he?""
"Someone I knew before you.""
I looked toward the dark road.
"Does Raymond know about this child?""
"Yes.""
"How?""
"He found out when we started seeing each other again.""
"Why didn't you tell me?""
"Because I was ashamed.""
I laughed bitterly.
"You're not ashamed of having a child. You're ashamed of what people might think when they discover how many things you've hidden.""
She cried harder.
"Marcus, I never wanted any of this.""
"Then why did you let Raymond into our daughter's life?""
"Because he said he wanted to make things right.""
"With Maya?""
"With all of us.""
I shook my head.
"Denise, you're going to tell me everything. No more half-truths.""
She was silent.
I heard a door close somewhere behind her.
Then she spoke.
"Raymond found out about my first baby six months ago. He said he knew someone who could help me find the child.""
"Who?""
"He wouldn't tell me.""
"And you trusted him?""
"I wanted to know what happened to my baby.""
For the first time that night, I understood something about Denise that I hadn't considered.
She hadn't only been hiding an affair.
She'd been hiding grief.
But grief didn't excuse what she'd done to Maya.
Or me.
"Did Raymond actually find the child?""
"Yes.""
"Where?""
"I don't know.""
"Denise!""
"He showed me a photograph.""
I straightened.
"What photograph?""
"A teenage boy. He said his name was Noah.""
I felt a chill.
"Is that Daniel Mercer's son?""
"I don't know.""
"Then what does Raymond want?""
She hesitated.
"He said Noah was connected to Elliot's family.""
I stared at the phone.
"How?""
"I don't know.""
I rubbed my face.
"You're telling me Raymond found your first child, connected him to Elliot, and somehow involved Maya in a plan to take my house?""
"I didn't understand it either.""
"Then why did you keep cooperating?""
She whispered, "Because Raymond told me he could make sure I never saw my children again.""
The word children caught my attention.
"Which children?""
"Maya and Noah.""
I closed my eyes.
This was no longer just an affair.
Raymond had found a way to use Denise's past as leverage.
And somehow, Noah had become part of it.
I ended the call.
Then I drove to Riverside Medical Center.
The hospital parking lot was nearly empty.
Inside, the air smelled of disinfectant and burnt coffee.
I approached the reception desk.
"I'm looking for Elliot Cole. Room 417.""
The receptionist checked her computer.
"Are you family?""
"I'm here at his request.""
She hesitated, then picked up the phone.
After a brief conversation, she handed me a visitor badge.
"Fourth floor. Take the elevators on your left.""
I walked down the corridor.
Room 417 was near the end.
The door was partly open.
Inside, an elderly man sat propped up in bed.
He was thinner than I'd expected, with silver hair and a face that looked exhausted.
He turned when I entered.
"Marcus.""
I approached the bed.
"Mr. Cole.""
He extended a trembling hand.
"Thank you for coming.""
I shook it.
"Start talking.""
He nodded.
"Fair enough.""
He reached toward the bedside table and picked up a thick envelope.
"Everything I know is in here.""
I sat down.
He opened the envelope.
The first document was an old birth certificate.
The name was Daniel Mercer.
The second was a hospital record.
The third was a legal adoption document.
I looked at the date.
Thirteen years earlier.
The mother was Denise Carter.
The father was listed as Daniel Mercer.
The child was named Noah Carter.
I stared at the paperwork.
"Why do you have this?""
"Because my late wife helped arrange the adoption.""
I looked up.
"Your wife?""
"She volunteered at a children's charity. She knew Denise was in trouble and wanted to help.""
I frowned.
"How did the child become connected to your family?""
Elliot looked toward the window.
"Because Daniel Mercer was my biological son.""
I sat motionless.
"What?""
"Daniel was my first child. Raymond was raised as my son, but he wasn't biologically related to me. Daniel was.""
I looked at the documents again.
"Then Noah is your biological grandson.""
Elliot nodded.
"And Maya may be as well.""
I leaned back.
Suddenly, the family trust made sense.
There were two children.
Two possible biological grandchildren.
And one man trying to control the records.
"Why didn't you tell me this earlier?""
"I was afraid.""
"Of Raymond?""
"Yes.""
Elliot looked down at his hands.
"Raymond has been accessing my financial accounts for years. When he learned that Daniel had a child, he started asking questions about the trust.""
"Does Noah know?""
"I don't think so.""
"And Maya?""
"No.""
I rubbed my forehead.
"Then why is Raymond so interested in both children?""
Elliot looked at me.
"Because the trust contains more than money.""
I frowned.
"What else?""
"Control of a property portfolio. Several commercial buildings. Land. Investments.""
He paused.
"Approximately fourteen million dollars.""
I stared at him.
Fourteen million.
"You're saying Raymond wants to use Maya and Noah to claim part of your estate?""
"He's trying to manipulate the beneficiary records so he can control the trust through them.""
"How?""
Elliot reached for another document.
"This is a draft amendment Raymond prepared. It names Maya and Noah as beneficiaries but gives him temporary authority to manage their interests.""
I scanned the page.
There it was.
Raymond Cole.
Authorized representative.
I looked up.
"He wants to control their inheritance.""
"Yes.""
"And my house?""
Elliot sighed.
"That is how he planned to finance the process.""
I stared at the papers.
"Why would he need my house if he has access to your money?""
"Because he doesn't have access to all of it. I froze several accounts last month.""
I looked at him.
"Then he has already stolen from me to fund this?""
Elliot nodded.
"From you, from Denise, and from at least two other people.""
I stood.
"Who are the others?""
He pulled another sheet from the envelope.
A list of names.
I recognized one immediately.
Raymond Cole.
The second was unfamiliar.
The third made my stomach drop.
*Daniel Mercer.*
"Why is Daniel listed as a creditor?""
Elliot's face tightened.
"Because Raymond borrowed money using Daniel's identity.""
I stared at him.
"Is Daniel alive?""
Elliot nodded.
"Yes.""
"Where is he?""
"I don't know. Raymond says he disappeared.""
"Do you believe him?""
Elliot looked at me.
"No.""
He reached for a glass of water.
His hand shook.
I helped him.
After taking a sip, he continued.
"There's something else. Raymond told me Daniel had a son named Noah. But when I asked to meet the boy, Raymond said the adoption records had been destroyed.""
"They haven't.""
"No. My wife kept copies.""
He pointed toward the envelope.
"That's what you're holding.""
I looked down.
There were several more documents.
One contained an old photograph of a young woman holding a newborn baby.
Denise.
I recognized her immediately.
She looked barely twenty.
On the back was a handwritten note.
*For Denise, with love. I hope one day you understand why we had to make this choice.*
I turned it over again.
At the bottom was a signature.
Evelyn Cole.
Elliot's late wife.
"Why would she arrange the adoption?""
"Denise was struggling. Daniel had disappeared, and she couldn't afford to raise the baby alone. My wife promised the child would have a safe home.""
"Where did Noah go?""
"To a couple in Pennsylvania. Their names were Robert and Helen Walsh.""
I looked up.
"Do they still have him?""
"I believe so.""
I sat down again.
Then I noticed something on the final page.
A recent photograph.
A teenage boy standing beside an elderly woman.
Underneath it was a typed caption.
*Noah Walsh, age 13.*
I looked closer.
The boy had dark hair and a familiar smile.
I couldn't explain why, but something about his face felt familiar.
"Is this recent?""
"Three months ago.""
"Who took it?""
Elliot hesitated.
"Raymond.""
I looked at him.
"Why was Raymond photographing him?""
"Because he wanted to confirm the boy's identity.""
I felt a knot form in my stomach.
"Did he approach the family?""
"Yes.""
"What happened?""
Elliot's voice weakened.
"The adoptive father called me. He said a man had come to their home claiming to be a relative. He asked questions about Noah's birth mother.""
"Did he tell them about Denise?""
"Not directly. But he showed them photographs.""
I looked at the picture again.
"Where is the family now?""
Elliot hesitated.
"That's the problem.""
"What problem?""
"They disappeared.""
I stood.
"What do you mean?""
"Their house was sold. Their phone numbers were disconnected. The school records show Noah was withdrawn.""
I stared at him.
"When?""
"Two weeks ago.""
Two weeks.
Around the same time Maya had started recording Denise.
I looked at the hospital clock.
Then at Elliot.
"Does Raymond know where they went?""
Elliot closed his eyes.
"I think so.""
"How?""
"Because he told me Noah was coming home.""
My phone vibrated.
Lauren.
I answered immediately.
"What's wrong?""
Her voice was shaking.
"Marcus, you need to come back.""
My heart stopped.
"What happened?""
"Maya's missing.""
I stood so quickly that the chair fell backward.
"What?""
"She was in the guest room. I went to get her water. When I came back, the window was open.""
I couldn't breathe.
"Did you call the police?""
"Yes.""
"Did you see anyone?""
"No. But there's something on the bed.""
"What?""
"A note.""
I heard Lauren crying.
"Marcus, it's from Raymond.""
My legs felt weak.
"What does it say?""
She swallowed.
Then read it aloud.
*You wanted to keep her from her real family. Now you'll have to find her.*
I ended the call.
Elliot grabbed my wrist.
"Marcus!""
I turned.
His eyes were wide.
"Don't go after Raymond alone.""
I pulled free.
"My daughter is missing.""
Elliot's voice broke.
"Then listen to me. Raymond isn't trying to take Maya to punish you.""
I froze.
"Then why?""
May you like
Elliot stared at me.
"Because he needs her before tomorrow morning.""
