Chapter 10 - THE CHILDREN WHO DISAPPEARED
Vivian's confession changed the investigation.
What had begun as one stolen child became evidence of a larger criminal operation.
Investigators uncovered falsified medical records.
Fraudulent adoption paperwork.
Payments routed through shell companies.
And families who had been told their babies died.
Mallerie sat with Rebecca as the evidence grew.
Her stomach turned.
“How many?”
Rebecca looked grim.
“We don't know yet.”
Gideon funded independent legal support for affected families through a court-supervised charitable fund, with no influence over the investigation.
Mallerie insisted on that.
“This can't become a story about you rescuing everyone,” she told him.
Gideon nodded.
“It shouldn't.”
He looked at her.
“What do you want it to be?”
Mallerie thought.
“About the families.”
The investigation led to Dr. Kessler's arrest.
He had been hiding under an assumed identity in another state.
When officers found him, he had documents connecting the network to several hospitals.
Under questioning, Kessler admitted that Owen had been taken from Mallerie.
He had falsified the death certificate.
Forged the relinquishment paperwork.
And arranged the placement through New Horizons.
Mallerie listened to the recorded confession in Rebecca's office.
She cried silently.
Then Kessler said something that made her stop breathing.
“Julian Mercer was going to expose us.”
The investigator asked:
“What happened to him?”
Kessler hesitated.
Then said:
“His death wasn't an accident.”
Mallerie gripped the table.
The investigator continued.
“Who was responsible?”
Kessler looked down.
“Someone hired a man to sabotage the boat.”
Mallerie's vision blurred.
Julian.
The man she'd loved.
The father of her child.
She looked at Gideon.
He was staring at the recording.
Then Kessler named the person who had ordered the sabotage.
Vivian Vale.
Mallerie closed her eyes.
Gideon's sister had not only helped steal her baby.
She had helped destroy the family Mallerie might have had.
For a long time, nobody spoke.
Then Gideon whispered:
“I'll testify against her.”
Mallerie looked up.
His eyes were wet.
“She is my sister,” he said.
May you like
His voice hardened.
“But she doesn't get to escape what she's done.”
