Chapter 14 - The Blood Test
For several seconds, Michael believed he had misheard him.
Then Jonathan repeated it.
“Samuel believed you were his son.”
Michael stared at him.
Christopher looked equally shocked.
“That’s impossible.”
Jonathan shook his head.
“Your mother never confirmed it.”
Michael stepped backward.
“My father was Victor Carter.”
“Legally.”
Michael’s face hardened.
“Biologically.”
Jonathan hesitated.
“Samuel never knew for certain.”
Michael laughed once.
It sounded broken.
“So he secretly funded my company.”
“Yes.”
“Protected me.”
“Yes.”
“Transferred shares into Emily’s name.”
“Yes.”
Michael looked sick.
“Then I married my—”
“No.”
Jonathan interrupted immediately.
“Samuel had a paternity test done before your wedding.”
Michael stopped.
“What did it say?”
“You weren’t his son.”
Michael grabbed the table for support.
Christopher closed his eyes.
Jonathan continued.
“Samuel funded you because he felt responsible for what Victor did to Christopher.”
Michael stared at him.
“Then why hide the possibility?”
“Because your mother begged him.”
Michael looked away.
He did not know what part of his family history was real anymore.
His phone buzzed.
Emily.
She had heard everything.
Michael raised it.
“I’m here.”
Her voice was calm.
Too calm.
“Come back.”
“Emily.”
“Come back to the hospital.”
Michael looked toward Christopher.
“What happened?”
“The FBI is here.”
Michael froze.
“Allison?”
“No.”
“Who?”
“Three agents.”
Michael’s chest tightened.
Emily continued.
“They said Allison Reed hasn’t worked for the FBI in fourteen months.”
Michael felt his blood run cold.
The woman Emily had trusted was an impostor.
“Don’t tell them anything.”
“They already know about the red folder.”
Michael looked at Thomas.
“How?”
Emily whispered.
“One of them showed me a photograph.”
“Of what?”
“The real Allison Reed.”
Michael waited.
Emily continued.
“She’s dead.”
No one in the cabin moved.
“How long?”
“Six months.”
Michael closed his eyes.
The fake Allison had met Emily three days earlier.
Michael immediately understood.
“They were using you.”
Emily’s voice shook.
“They wanted me to gather evidence.”
“For them.”
“Yes.”
Michael turned toward Jonathan.
“Who controls the fake agent?”
Jonathan went pale.
“I don’t know.”
Christopher stepped forward.
“I might.”
Everyone looked at him.
Christopher opened the steel box again.
He removed another photograph.
This one showed Victor Carter with four men.
Michael recognized Daniel.
Not the dead teenage Daniel.
His current CFO.
The fake Daniel.
The photograph had been taken nearly fifteen years earlier.
Michael stared.
“He knew my father.”
Christopher nodded.
“Before you hired him.”
Michael turned the image over.
Four names were written on the back.
VICTOR.
MARCUS.
ELIAS.
PETER.
One man had no name.
The fake Daniel.
Christopher pointed toward him.
“I knew him as Marcus Vale.”
Michael stared at the photograph.
“Who is Marcus Vale?”
Christopher’s expression darkened.
“The man who tried to kill me on the boat.”
Michael’s heart stopped.
“Daniel killed you?”
“Tried.”
Michael looked toward Jonathan.
“So he was working for my father.”
“Yes.”
“And now he’s inside my company.”
“Yes.”
Michael understood.
“He didn’t steal Daniel Reeves’ identity randomly.”
Christopher shook his head.
“He took the identity of the boy he murdered.”
Michael felt a wave of nausea.
Thomas closed the steel box.
“We need to move.”
Michael looked at him.
“Why?”
Thomas held up his phone.
“The hospital just went into lockdown.”
Michael called Emily.
No answer.
Again.
Nothing.
Then Mason’s name appeared on his screen.
Michael answered.
His son was whispering.
“Dad.”
“Mason, where are you?”
“In the bathroom.”
“Where’s Mom?”
“Some woman came into her room.”
Michael stopped breathing.
“What woman?”
May you like
Mason whispered.
“Aunt Sophia.”
