Chapter 11 - The Ghost of Thomas Stanley
The confirmatory genetic test arrived two days later.
It supported the conclusion that Darlene was Blake's biological mother.
They sat together without cameras, attorneys, or witnesses when Naomi gave them the results.
Blake's first thought was not of wealth or inheritance.
It was of Ruth, who had taught him to ride a bicycle and sat beside him during fevers.
Darlene seemed to understand.
“Nothing changes who raised you,” she said.
Blake nodded.
“Nothing changes what happened to you either.”
Darlene covered her eyes.
For thirty-nine years, she had mourned a son who was growing up somewhere in the same country.
For thirty-nine years, someone had let her believe he was dead.
The next discovery came from Cross, now guarded in a hospital.
He admitted he arranged the adoption at Thomas's request.
He also admitted that he concealed the child's survival from Darlene.
“Thomas told me she couldn't know,” he said.
“He said the baby carried a risk the company couldn't afford.”
“What risk?” Blake demanded.
Cross closed his eyes.
“The boy might have been a match.”
“For what?”
Cross would not answer until the detective placed a recording device on the table.
“Northstar was studying inherited immune responses,” he said.
“The original program involved adults.
Then Thomas started demanding family profiles.”
Blake felt sick.
“You tracked me because I was his son.”
“And years later we tracked Abigail because she was your daughter.”
Darlene stood.
“The word you want is exploited.”
Cross began to cry.
“I was promised they would never hurt anyone.”
“You believed that after they buried a living child?” Darlene asked.
Cross had no answer.
He finally described the man he believed still controlled Halcyon.
Thomas Stanley had faked his death after moving assets and research data beyond Oakridge's oversight.
Julian became the public operator.
Thomas remained hidden, communicating through intermediaries.
They had recently fallen out over how aggressively to seize the company.
“So Julian really did arrange my crash?” Darlene asked.
“Yes,” Cross said.
“But Thomas gave him the target.”
“What target?”
Cross looked directly at Blake.
“He wanted you to find the hospital records.”
Blake's heart thudded.
“Why?”
“Because Thomas knows something about Abigail that isn't in the file.”
Cross leaned forward, shaking.
May you like
“He believes your daughter is the only living person who can expose what Aurora really did.”
