Chapter 9: The Last Lie Vanessa Told
Officer James Porter disappeared at 6:42 that morning.
His house was empty.
His personal vehicle was missing.
And the security footage from the police station showed him entering the building shortly after midnight and leaving with a cardboard box.
The investigator called Dad twice before noon.
By the third call, she had stopped asking questions and started giving instructions.
“Mr. Reed, I need you to stay away from Officer Porter.””
Dad paced across the living room.
“Why?””
“Because we believe he may be carrying evidence connected to your wife's death.””
“Then find him.””
“We're trying.””
Dad looked at Caleb.
“Did Porter tell you where he was going?””
Caleb shook his head.
“He said he was leaving town.””
“Did he say why?””
“He told me someone was threatening him.””
The investigator interrupted.
“Mr. Reed, did he mention Vanessa?””
Caleb looked at the phone.
“Yes.””
There was a pause.
“What did he say?””
Caleb swallowed.
“He said Vanessa wasn't the person we should be worried about.””
Dad stopped pacing.
“Who should we be worried about?””
Caleb looked toward me.
Then he answered.
“Rebecca.””
My stomach tightened.
Dad immediately called the hospital.
Rebecca answered after two rings.
“Marcus?””
“Are you alone?””
“Yes. Why?””
“Has anyone visited you?””
A pause.
“Not since yesterday.””
“Rebecca, I need you to listen carefully. Don't leave your room.””
Her voice changed.
“What's happened?””
“We're coming.””
Dad ended the call.
When we arrived at St. Mary's, Rebecca's room was empty.
Her bed was neatly made.
The bedside table had been cleared.
A nurse approached us.
“Are you family?””
Dad nodded.
“Where is Rebecca Collins?””
The nurse checked her computer.
“She was discharged this morning.””
“By whom?””
“Her daughter.””
“Which daughter?””
The nurse looked at the screen again.
“Sky Collins.””
I pulled out my phone.
I called Sky.
No answer.
I tried again.
Nothing.
Then a message appeared.
I'm sorry, Maya. I need to talk to Rebecca before you find out what really happened.
Dad read it over my shoulder.
His expression darkened.
“What does she mean?””
I called Sky again.
This time, someone answered.
But it wasn't Sky.
It was Rebecca.
“Marcus?””
“Rebecca, where are you?””
There was traffic noise in the background.
“I'm with Sky.””
“Where?””
“I can't tell you yet.””
Dad closed his eyes.
“Why are you doing this?””
Rebecca began crying.
“Because there is something I should have told you eighteen years ago.””
“What?””
She hesitated.
Then she whispered:
“Vanessa didn't act alone.””
Dad looked at me.
“Who helped her?””
Rebecca took a breath.
“Elena.””
The world seemed to stop.
Dad's face went completely blank.
“No.””
Rebecca cried harder.
“I'm sorry.””
“Elena would never have helped Vanessa steal a child.””
“She didn't steal you.””
Rebecca's voice trembled.
“She gave you away willingly.””
I felt my knees weaken.
Dad gripped the phone.
“Explain.””
Rebecca began speaking quickly.
“After the twins were born, Elena discovered that Marcus had been secretly paying for a medical treatment for a woman named Vanessa. She believed Vanessa was dying. She thought Marcus was helping her out of compassion.””
Dad frowned.
“What treatment?””
Rebecca continued.
“Vanessa told Elena she had a terminal illness. She said she had very little time left and wanted to raise one child before she died.””
Dad shook his head.
“That isn't true.””
“I know. But Elena didn't.””
Rebecca explained that Vanessa had been diagnosed with a serious condition years earlier, but had recovered.
She never told Elena.
Instead, she used the old diagnosis to convince her that she was dying.
“Elena felt sorry for her,” Rebecca said.
“She believed you had already promised Vanessa that she could adopt Maya.””
Dad's voice cracked.
“I never made that promise.””
“I know.””
Rebecca continued.
“Elena thought she was giving Maya a loving home. She signed the temporary placement papers because she believed Vanessa would be alone.””
I stared at Dad.
“So my mother knew Vanessa was raising me?””
Rebecca hesitated.
“Yes.””
Dad lowered the phone.
For a moment, I thought he was going to throw it.
Then Rebecca said something else.
“But Elena discovered the truth later. She found out Vanessa wasn't dying. She found out the adoption papers had been changed. She wanted to bring Maya home.””
Dad raised the phone again.
“Then why did she stay with Vanessa?””
“She was afraid.””
“Of what?””
Rebecca's voice dropped.
“Of losing both girls.””
Dad looked confused.
Rebecca continued.
“Vanessa had discovered something about Sky's birth. Something she threatened to expose if Elena went to the police.””
I felt sick.
“What?””
Rebecca didn't answer immediately.
Then she said:
“Sky wasn't born healthy.””
I stared at Dad.
“What does that mean?””
Rebecca began crying.
“She needed surgery. The hospital believed she might not survive without immediate treatment. Vanessa told Elena that if she exposed the adoption, she would withdraw the money she had promised to cover Sky's medical care.””
Dad closed his eyes.
“Vanessa had no right to make that decision.””
“No,” Rebecca whispered.
“But she did.””
I felt tears running down my face.
“Did Sky know?””
Rebecca went silent.
Then she answered:
“Yes.””
Dad looked toward the hospital entrance.
“Where are you?””
Rebecca sighed.
“We're at the old church on Maple Street.””
Dad stared at the phone.
“Why?””
“Because that's where Elena wanted to meet me the night she died.””
He closed his eyes.
“Rebecca, stay there.””
The call ended.
The old church stood at the end of a quiet road.
Its white paint had faded, and the wooden doors were weathered from years of rain.
Sky was sitting on the front steps.
Rebecca stood beside her.
When she saw us, she looked down.
I approached her.
“Why didn't you tell me?””
Sky wiped her eyes.
“Because I didn't know how to explain it.””
“You knew Mom had agreed to let Vanessa raise me?””
Sky nodded.
“She told me Elena had made the decision.””
“Then why did she try to bring me back?””
Sky looked toward Rebecca.
“Because Elena changed her mind.””
Rebecca nodded.
She pulled a small envelope from her coat.
“This is the letter Elena wrote the night before the accident.””
Dad took it.
The handwriting was unmistakable.
Marcus, I need you to forgive me for not telling you sooner.
Dad read silently.
Then he continued aloud.
I agreed to let Vanessa raise Maya because I believed she was dying. I thought I was giving her a chance to experience motherhood. I never imagined she would use that kindness to steal our daughter's identity.
Dad stopped.
His hands were shaking.
He continued.
I have discovered that Vanessa's illness was exaggerated. I have also discovered that she used money from my trust to pay someone at the police department. Rebecca has agreed to help me bring both girls home.
I looked at Rebecca.
“You were supposed to meet Mom that night?””
She nodded.
“Yes.””
Dad read the final paragraph.
If I don't make it home, please remember that I never stopped loving Maya. And please find Sky. She deserves to know that she was wanted from the moment she was born.
Dad lowered the letter.
For a long moment, nobody spoke.
Then Sky took my hand.
“She never forgot us.””
I squeezed her fingers.
“No.””
Rebecca looked toward the church.
“I was supposed to meet Elena here at eight. But she never came.””
Dad frowned.
“Then how did Vanessa know about the meeting?””
Rebecca hesitated.
“Because someone told her.””
“Who?””
Rebecca looked at Sky.
Then she said:
“Officer Porter.””
Dad stared.
“How?””
Rebecca opened her handbag and removed a small photograph.
It showed Porter standing beside a woman outside a hospital.
The woman was younger.
But I recognized her.
It was Vanessa.
Rebecca turned the photograph over.
A date was written on the back.
October 17.
The day Sky and I were born.
Dad looked at the picture.
Then he noticed a third person standing in the background.
A man wearing a hospital uniform.
Dr. Coleman.
I felt my stomach drop.
“Was he involved too?””
Rebecca shook her head.
“No. He was there because he delivered the babies.””
Dad looked at the photograph again.
“Then why is Porter there?””
Rebecca lowered her voice.
“Because Porter was the person who helped Vanessa remove the original hospital records.””
Dad stared at her.
“Why would a police officer be involved in a hospital adoption?””
Rebecca's eyes filled.
“Because he wasn't a police officer yet.””
She pointed toward the photograph.
“He was Vanessa's brother.””
The silence was immediate.
Caleb looked up sharply.
“Mom has a brother?””
Rebecca nodded.
“James Porter is Vanessa's older brother. He helped her arrange the adoption, and later he helped her hide what happened to Elena.””
Dad turned away.
For eighteen years, he had trusted a man who had investigated his wife's death.
And that man had been family to the woman responsible.
I looked at Rebecca.
“Why didn't you tell us this earlier?””
She closed her eyes.
“Because Porter threatened me. He told me that if I ever spoke, he would make sure Sky disappeared.””
Sky gripped my hand.
Rebecca continued.
“And because I knew something about Vanessa that even Porter didn't.””
Dad turned.
“What?””
Rebecca reached into her handbag again.
This time, she removed a folded hospital document.
It was an original birth record.
The baby's name was Sky Collins.
But beneath the birth details was a section marked:
*BIOLOGICAL FATHER.*
The name was not Marcus Reed.
Dad stared.
“What?””
Rebecca looked at him.
“Marcus, I need you to understand something. Vanessa has been lying about the twins, but she has also been lying about their father.””
My heart began pounding.
Dad took the document.
He read the name.
Then he looked at Rebecca.
“Why is this name here?””
Rebecca's voice broke.
“Because I was already pregnant when I met you.””
Dad stared at her.
The document slipped from his hand.
I looked down.
The biological father's name was clearly printed.
*JAMES PORTER.*
Sky covered her mouth.
Caleb took a step backward.
Dad looked at Rebecca as if the ground had disappeared beneath him.
“You told me Sky and Maya were mine.””
Rebecca shook her head.
“I never told you that. Vanessa did.””
Dad's voice was barely audible.
“Then why did Elena believe they were mine?””
Rebecca looked toward the church doors.
“Because Vanessa changed the records.””
Dad closed his eyes.
“And Elena never knew?””
Rebecca shook her head.
“No. She believed she was protecting your daughters.””
I looked at Sky.
She was crying.
Then Rebecca reached into the envelope and removed another photograph.
It showed Vanessa holding a newborn baby.
Beside her stood James Porter.
On the back was a handwritten message:
Our little girl. October 17.
Dad stared at the photograph.
“Which one of the twins is his?””
Rebecca swallowed.
“Sky.””
Sky stepped backward.
“No.””
Rebecca nodded.
“I'm sorry, sweetheart.””
Sky shook her head.
“No. I can't.””
I reached for her hand.
She held it tightly.
Dad looked at Rebecca.
“Then Maya?””
Rebecca's eyes filled.
“Maya is yours, Marcus.””
Dad turned toward me.
For a moment, neither of us spoke.
Then he walked over and pulled me into his arms.
I held him tightly.
But the relief lasted only a few seconds.
Because Rebecca was still holding the final page of the original hospital record.
And the information written beneath Sky's name was even worse.
Dad noticed her expression.
“What else?””
Rebecca looked at all of us.
Then she whispered:
“Vanessa didn't just separate the twins because she wanted a family.””
She looked at Sky.
“She separated them because she knew Porter would never allow his biological daughter to grow up believing she belonged to anyone else.””
Dad stared.
“And what does that mean?””
Rebecca's voice trembled.
“It means Porter has been searching for Sky all these years.””
My phone suddenly vibrated.
An unknown number.
A message appeared.
Bring Sky to the old house. Come alone. If you want to know who really caused Elena's death, I'll show you.
A second message followed.
It contained a photograph.
Vanessa was standing beside a black car.
Behind her was Officer Porter.
And between them was Caleb.
The photograph had been taken that morning.
I looked at Dad.
“Where is Caleb?””
Dad immediately called him.
No answer.
He called again.
Still nothing.
Then my phone received one final message.
You have one hour.
May you like
And beneath it was a name.
*VANESSA.*
