CHAPTER 6 – THE DNA TEST
CHAPTER 6 – THE DNA TEST
At exactly 11:38 p.m., Claire stepped out of the private elevator carrying two designer suitcases.
She made it only five steps.
"Claire Bennett."
She froze.
Three detectives stood waiting in the lobby.
"We have a warrant for your arrest."
Her smile returned instantly.
"There must be some mistake."
One detective held up photographs from the hospital surveillance footage.
Another displayed copies of the forged financial documents recovered from her apartment.
Claire's confidence cracked.
"I want my lawyer."
"You'll have one."
As officers placed handcuffs around her wrists, she looked straight at Daniel.
"You think you've won."
"You have no idea what Rebecca was hiding."
Those words echoed through the marble lobby.
Daniel felt a chill run down his spine.
"What does that mean?"
Claire smiled.
"You'll find out."
She refused to say another word.
The following morning, Michael entered Daniel's office carrying another folder.
"We found something else."
Inside was an anonymous letter mailed to Rebecca three months before the triplets were born.
There was no return address.
Only one sentence.
"Raise them well... even if they're not yours."
Daniel stared at the page.
"What kind of sick joke is this?"
Michael remained quiet.
"We don't know."
"But after everything that's happened..."
"We can't ignore it."
Daniel felt anger rising inside him.
Rebecca had loved those boys more than life itself.
She would never betray him.
Never.
Yet doubt had already been planted.
That afternoon, the lead detective requested a private meeting.
"We recovered messages from Claire's encrypted phone."
He handed Daniel a printed transcript.
One message read:
'Once the DNA results destroy him, he'll be easier to manipulate.'
Daniel frowned.
"What DNA results?"
"We don't know."
"But Claire seemed very interested in genetic testing."
Michael looked toward Daniel.
"I think we should perform one."
Daniel stood abruptly.
"No."
Michael didn't argue.
Instead, he quietly placed another document on the desk.
Hospital records.
The triplets had never actually received a legally certified paternity test after birth.
It had been recommended...
But never completed because of Rebecca's medical emergency.
Daniel slowly sat back down.
His entire world had become built on unanswered questions.
The next morning, he carried each of the boys into one of the nation's top genetic laboratories.
Tiny cheek swabs were collected from Evan...
Lucas...
Noah...
And finally Daniel himself.
The technician sealed the samples inside tamper-proof evidence bags.
"Results in forty-eight hours."
Daniel kissed each baby on the forehead.
"No matter what that paper says..."
"You'll always be my sons."
The technician smiled sadly.
"I've heard many fathers say that."
"But I don't think I've ever believed one as much as I believe you."
Forty-eight hours later...
Daniel and Michael sat across from the laboratory director.
The sealed envelope lay unopened on the desk.
The director hesitated before sliding it forward.
"I've performed this test three times."
"Every result matched."
Daniel slowly opened the envelope.
His eyes scanned the first page.
Then the second.
The color drained from his face.
Michael reached for the report.
He read the conclusion...
Then looked at Daniel in complete disbelief.
The DNA test had revealed a truth so extraordinary...
May you like
That it challenged everything anyone thought they knew about Rebecca, the triplets...
...and the night she died.
