Chapter 8 - Six Pairs of ShoesSix pairs.
Six children.
Six stories.
Only one had ever been officially reported missing.
Lily.
The others had disappeared from different towns.
Different families.
Different years.
But all had one connection.
Margaret.
Detective Harris showed me the records.
Margaret had volunteered at several children's charities.
She had access to vulnerable families.
She had built relationships.
She had taken photographs.
Collected medical information.
And tracked children.
I felt nauseous.
“Why?”
Detective Harris pointed to the documents.
“Adoption fraud.”
Margaret had been involved in illegal transfers of children.
Some children had been sold.
Others were placed with wealthy families under false identities.
Lily was one of the few who escaped.
And Maisie?
She had accidentally become part of the same system.
I looked at Evan.
“How long did your mother plan this?”
He shook his head.
“I don't know.”
Then Detective Harris placed another file on the table.
“Your daughter's birth records were altered.”
I stared at him.
“What?”
“Someone changed the hospital record.”
“To what?”
He slid it toward me.
My name was correct.
Evan's name was correct.
Maisie's name was correct.
But the biological mother's identification code was different.
I looked at him.
“What does this mean?”
“We don't know yet.”
Then Lily entered the room.
She looked at the document.
And immediately went pale.
“I know that code.”
Everyone turned.
“Where have you seen it?”
“In my original adoption file.”
My heart pounded.
Lily pointed at the number.
“That wasn't my adoption code.”
“Then whose?”
She whispered:
“Margaret's.”
Silence.
Margaret had not simply stolen Lily.
She had registered herself as Lily's legal guardian under a false identity.
And someone inside the system had helped her.
Then Detective Harris received a phone call.
He listened.
His expression changed.
“She's gone.”
I stood.
“Who?”
“Margaret.”
“How?”
“She was released.”
“Released?”
“Someone posted bail.”
“Who?”
He looked at me.
“A company called Hale Family Holdings.”
I froze.
Evan looked confused.
“I don't own that company.”
Detective Harris stared at him.
“No.”
Then he handed Evan a document.
“Your mother does.”
Evan read it.
His face went white.
At the bottom was a signature.
Not Margaret's.
His.
Forged ten years ago.
And beneath it was a clause stating that if Margaret was ever arrested, Evan would assume full legal responsibility for the trust.
I looked at my husband.
“Evan…”
He stared at the document.
May you like
Then whispered:
“She planned this long before she met you.”
