Chapter 8: The Girl in Room 418
I followed the nurse down the corridor.
Michael stayed behind with Rebecca.
My thoughts were moving faster than my feet.
The girl in room 418 wanted to see her father.
But whose father?
Victor's?
Mine?
Or the man she'd been told was dead?
The nurse stopped outside the door.
“She's been very quiet,” she said.
“Please don't overwhelm her.””
I nodded.
Then I stepped inside.
A little girl was sitting on the bed.
She was sixteen.
Her dark hair fell over her shoulders, and her hands were folded tightly in her lap.
A bruise marked her left cheek.
There was an IV in her arm.
When she looked up, I recognized the face from the photograph.
Lily.
She stared at me.
“Daniel?””
I stopped.
“Yes.””
She looked toward the door.
“Is my mother here?””
“She's downstairs.””
Lily's eyes filled.
“Did she come back?””
I pulled a chair closer.
“She came to see you.””
Lily looked away.
“Is Victor outside?””
“No. Hospital security is aware of the situation.””
She nodded.
Then she asked something I wasn't prepared for.
“Did you bring the pink backpack?””
I stared at her.
“Yes.””
Lily closed her eyes.
“Then she found it.””
“Who?””
“Claire.””
I leaned forward.
“Lily, I need you to explain what's happening.””
She rubbed her fingers together.
“Claire gave me the backpack.””
I frowned.
“When?””
“Three weeks ago.””
“Why?””
“She told me to keep it safe.””
I felt my stomach tighten.
“What was inside?””
“A USB drive. Some papers. And a photograph.””
“The photograph of you and my father?””
Lily nodded.
“Grandpa Richard gave it to me.””
I froze.
“Grandpa?””
She looked at me.
“He told me to call him that.””
I sat back.
My father had known Lily well enough for her to call him Grandpa.
“Did he know about the money?””
“Yes.””
“Did he know Victor was taking it?””
Lily nodded.
“He tried to stop him.””
“What happened?””
Lily's voice became very quiet.
“Victor said if Grandpa didn't sign the documents, he'd tell everyone something about our family.””
I leaned closer.
“What?””
Lily looked at me.
“That you weren't really Daniel Bennett.””
My heart stopped.
“What do you mean?””
She swallowed.
“Victor said your identity had been stolen before you were born.””
I stared at her.
“That doesn't make sense.””
Lily shook her head.
“He told me your real birth certificate was different.””
I felt a chill crawl down my spine.
“Did he show you anything?””
She nodded.
“On the USB.””
I stood up.
“Lily, listen to me. We need to tell the authorities everything.””
She caught my hand.
“Please don't let Victor get the backpack.””
“He won't.””
“He'll hurt Maya.””
I went still.
“Why would he hurt Maya?””
Lily looked toward the door.
“Because Maya knows what he did.””
I lowered myself into the chair again.
“What did he do?””
Lily began crying.
“He made her carry things.””
My chest tightened.
“Like the backpack?””
She nodded.
“He told Claire that Maya was too young to understand. He said nobody would suspect a little girl.””
I felt sick.
“Did he put the USB inside?””
“Yes.””
“What else?””
Lily looked down.
“Documents with your signature.””
I clenched my jaw.
“Did Maya know?””
“She knew something was wrong. She heard them arguing.””
“About what?””
Lily wiped her eyes.
“About the trust. About the money. About the girl who disappeared.””
“Who disappeared?””
Lily looked up.
“Me.””
I stared at her.
“You were missing?””
“For six years.””
Her voice trembled.
“Victor kept telling people I was living with relatives. But I wasn't.””
“Where were you?””
She looked toward the window.
“I was with different people. He moved me whenever someone asked questions.””
I struggled to breathe.
“Why didn't you contact the police?””
“He told me my mother was dead.””
I closed my eyes.
Then I understood.
Victor hadn't simply stolen money.
He had used Lily's disappearance to control Rebecca, Claire, and anyone who might have tried to investigate.
“What happened last night?””
Lily began twisting the hospital blanket.
“I found the papers in his car.””
“Which papers?””
“Copies of the original trust records.””
“And?””
“A list of payments.””
“Payments to whom?””
She looked at me.
“Your brother.””
I froze.
“Michael?””
Lily nodded.
“He was getting money too.””
I stood.
“No. That's not possible.””
“He came to see Victor last week.””
I shook my head.
“Why?””
“I don't know. But I heard them arguing.””
“What did Michael say?””
Lily's voice dropped.
“He said, 'Daniel can't find out what happened at the hospital.''”
My blood turned cold.
“What hospital?””
Lily looked at me.
“The hospital where you were born.””
I stared at her.
“What are you talking about?””
She swallowed.
“Victor said the original records were hidden there.””
I stepped backward.
Then the door opened.
Michael stood in the doorway.
His face was pale.
“Daniel.””
I turned toward him.
“Did you take money from Victor?””
Michael froze.
“Who told you that?””
“Lily.””
He looked at the girl.
Then back at me.
“She's confused.””
Lily shook her head.
“You told him I was dead.””
Michael's jaw tightened.
“Lily, you don't understand.””
She pulled the blanket over her knees.
“You told Victor I wouldn't remember.””
Michael stepped inside.
I moved between him and the bed.
“Don't come any closer.””
“Daniel, listen to me.””
“No. You listen.””
My voice shook.
“Did you take money from Victor?””
Michael looked down.
Then he whispered:
“Yes.””
I felt something inside me break.
“Why?””
“Because he said he had proof.””
“Proof of what?””
Michael looked at Lily.
Then at me.
“Proof that Maya was switched at birth.””
The room went silent.
I gripped the bedrail.
“What?””
Michael swallowed.
“Daniel, there were two baby girls born at the same hospital on October 14. One was yours. The other was Rebecca's.””
I stared at him.
“And?””
May you like
He closed his eyes.
“Someone switched their identification bracelets.””
