Chapter 11 - The Test That Lied
“Hello, daughter.”
Richard Bennett’s voice came from the darkness.
For several seconds, nobody moved.
The safe house was completely black except for the faint blue light coming from the emergency panel near the kitchen.
Sophie clutched my hand.
Melissa stood frozen beside Sarah.
Daniel slowly stepped in front of us.
“Richard,” he said. “Come into the light.”
A low laugh answered him.
“You always were the brave one, Daniel.”
Then footsteps.
One.
Two.
Three.
A man emerged from the hallway.
Richard Bennett looked older than I remembered.
His hair had turned almost completely gray. His expensive coat was soaked from the rain outside, and there was a small cut across his cheek.
But his eyes were the same.
Cold.
Patient.
Calculating.
The eyes of the man who had sat at our Christmas dinners for years while pretending to be nothing more than my mother's quiet husband.
Sophie whispered,
“Grandpa Richard?”
Richard looked at her.
For the first time, his expression changed.
Not fear.
Recognition.
“You shouldn't be here.”
I tightened my grip on Sophie's hand.
“You knew about her.”
Richard didn't answer.
“You knew about my father. You knew about the trust. You knew about Redwood Holdings.”
Still nothing.
Then I held up the DNA report.
“And you knew this was going to be found.”
Richard stared at the paper.
A strange smile appeared.
“No.”
He shook his head.
“I knew you would find it.”
My stomach dropped.
“What does that mean?”
Richard stepped closer.
Daniel immediately raised his weapon.
“Stop.”
Richard stopped.
Then he looked at me.
“Your mother lied to you.”
“I know.”
“She lied about your father.”
“I know.”
“She lied about the money.”
“I know.”
“And now she's lying about this.”
He pointed toward the DNA report.
My fingers tightened around the paper.
“What are you talking about?”
Richard's eyes moved toward Sarah.
“She finally showed you the report?”
Sarah's face went pale.
Richard smiled.
“Then she didn't tell you the truth either.”
Sarah stepped forward.
“Richard, don't.”
“Why?”
He looked at her.
“Because you promised John you would protect them?”
Sarah didn't answer.
Richard continued.
“That report isn't what you think it is.”
I looked down.
The words were still there.
SOPHIE BENNETT — BIOLOGICAL RELATIONSHIP TO JOHN BENNETT: CONFIRMED.
My voice came out barely above a whisper.
“It says John was her biological father.”
Richard nodded.
“Yes.”
My heart stopped.
Sophie looked up at me.
“Mom?”
I couldn't answer.
Richard continued.
“But it doesn't say John was her biological father in the way you think.”
Silence.
“What does that mean?”
Richard reached inside his coat.
Daniel raised his weapon higher.
Richard slowly removed a second envelope.
He dropped it onto the floor.
“Open it.”
I didn't move.
Sarah whispered,
“Don't.”
I looked at her.
“Why?”
“Because once you know, everything changes.”
“That happened twelve years ago.”
Sarah closed her eyes.
“Exactly.”
I picked up the envelope.
Inside was another DNA report.
This one was older.
The date was from eleven years ago.
My hands trembled.
The report contained three names.
John Bennett.
Sophie Bennett.
Caroline Bennett.
I read the result.
Then read it again.
My breathing stopped.
The test wasn't a paternity test.
It was a grandparentage test.
John was listed as Sophie's biological grandfather.
And Caroline was listed as Sophie's biological grandmother.
I looked at Richard.
“You manipulated the report.”
“No.”
He shook his head.
“Your mother did.”
Sarah stepped closer.
“She wanted you to believe John was Sophie's father.”
“Why?”
Richard answered.
“Because if you believed John was directly connected to Sophie, you'd stop asking why he created the trust.”
I stared at him.
“What trust?”
“The original trust.”
Richard looked toward Sophie.
“John didn't create it because she was his daughter.”
His voice softened.
“He created it because she was his granddaughter.”
Sophie looked confused.
“I'm Grandpa John's granddaughter?”
Richard nodded.
“Yes.”
She looked at me.
I knelt beside her.
“Yes, sweetheart.”
Her eyes filled with tears.
“Then why did everyone lie?”
I didn't have an answer.
Richard did.
“Because your grandmother was terrified that the truth would destroy everything she built.”
Daniel stepped forward.
“And what exactly was the truth?”
Richard's smile disappeared.
“John discovered that Caroline had been stealing from the family for years.”
Daniel's jaw tightened.
“We already knew that.”
“No.”
Richard looked at him.
“You knew she stole money.”
He paused.
“You didn't know where she was putting it.”
He turned toward me.
“Redwood Holdings wasn't the final destination.”
My heart began pounding.
“Then where did the money go?”
Richard said one word.
“Caroline.”
I frowned.
“What?”
“She created Redwood Holdings under a false identity.”
Sarah whispered,
“That's impossible.”
Richard looked at her.
“Is it?”
He pulled out a photograph.
He placed it on the table.
It showed my mother standing beside a man I didn't recognize.
The date was twelve years old.
December 2014.
I turned the photograph over.
Written on the back were four words.
The woman behind Redwood.
I looked at Richard.
“Who is he?”
Richard stared at the photograph.
“Victor Hale.”
The room went silent.
“But Victor died.”
Richard shook his head.
“No.”
He looked directly at me.
“Victor Hale didn't die twelve years ago.”
My blood ran cold.
“He disappeared.”
“Exactly.”
Daniel stepped toward him.
“Where is he?”
Richard looked at the front door.
Then back at us.
“He's been watching this house all night.”
A loud metallic sound came from outside.
Everyone froze.
A car door slammed.
Then another.
Richard whispered,
“They found us.”
The lights suddenly came back on.
May you like
And on the living-room wall, written in fresh red paint, were five words:
YOUR FATHER IS STILL ALIVE.
