Chapter 17 - The Father Who Stayed Close
Fingerprint comparison answered the question by dawn.
Samuel Price and Michael Reed were the same man.
Daniel sat in stunned silence.
His biological father had not died.
He had lived nearby under another name.
He had attended Daniel's birthdays.
He had taught him to tie fishing knots.
He had hugged him at Richard's funeral.
And he had never told him the truth.
"Why?" Daniel asked.
Thomas stared at the floor. "Because Richard threatened to send you overseas if Michael came forward. Later, Michael was afraid the trafficking network would target you. So he stayed close without claiming you."
Daniel's voice cracked. "That was his choice too."
Every adult in his life had chosen secrecy and called it protection.
Ortiz found an old pension account tied to Samuel Price. A recent withdrawal had been made at a bank in Rockford, Illinois.
Security footage showed him alive two days earlier.
Daniel recognized him instantly.
Sam.
Michael.
His father.
A burner number associated with the withdrawal pinged near an old ambulance depot.
They found Michael in a maintenance garage, packing medical supplies into a van.
Daniel entered with Ortiz.
Michael looked up.
For a long moment neither man spoke.
Then Michael said, "You have your mother's eyes."
Daniel nearly hit him.
Instead he said, "I had a father. He lied to me. Now I find out I had another father standing ten feet away my whole life doing the same thing."
Michael absorbed the blow.
"You have every right to hate me."
"I don't know you well enough to hate you."
That hurt him more.
Michael sat on the edge of a workbench.
"I tried to take you back in 1997. Thomas beat me nearly unconscious. Richard paid police officers to make me disappear. I spent years collecting proof. Every time I got close, somebody got threatened."
"So you watched me grow up."
"Yes."
"You watched me call Richard Dad."
Michael's eyes filled. "Yes."
"You were at my wedding."
"Yes."
Daniel turned away.
Rachel asked the question he couldn't.
"Did you take Emma?"
Michael shook his head. "No. But I knew Evelyn would."
Daniel spun back. "And you didn't warn me?"
"I tried. I sent the note to Rachel's car."
Rachel whispered, "That was you."
Michael nodded.
"Evelyn discovered the ledger's buyer list. She plans to sell it back to the families named in it. Millions for silence."
Ortiz's face hardened. "Where is she?"
Michael looked at Daniel.
"At the place this started."
"The hospital?"
"St. Matthew's closed twelve years ago. The old maternity wing is still standing."
Daniel moved toward the door.
Michael caught his arm.
"There's something else."
"What?"
"Evelyn didn't kidnap Emma for money."
May you like
Michael's face went gray.
"She wanted to trade Emma for you."
