Chapter 18 - The Man Who Called Himself a Savior
Investigators located the unit through details in the photograph.
Kessler was alive when they arrived, suffering from an injury that required emergency treatment.
Thomas was gone.
An attorney representing him called Naomi before police finished processing the scene.
Thomas offered to surrender if authorities guaranteed medical protection and a fair opportunity to present evidence.
Prosecutors did not promise immunity.
They agreed to receive evidence and consider a lawful surrender arrangement.
Blake watched the developments from Abigail's room.
“Is he my grandpa?” she asked, pointing at Thomas's photograph.
Blake chose his words carefully.
“He may be someone related to us.”
“Is he nice?”
“I don't know yet.”
Abigail nodded, accepting an answer that adults hated to give.
Later that day Thomas surrendered at a courthouse entrance.
Cameras caught his face as he walked between attorneys.
Darlene watched the broadcast without expression.
Her husband was alive.
And that fact no longer made her happy.
In an interview with investigators, Thomas acknowledged arranging Blake's secret adoption and deceiving Darlene about their son's survival.
He also admitted he had allowed Halcyon to use confidential family data.
He claimed he had subsequently tried to shut the program down when he learned consent forms had been altered.
The prosecutor asked why he had not contacted police earlier.
Thomas answered that powerful people inside the company and medical industry would have destroyed the evidence.
“People like you?” the prosecutor asked.
Thomas looked away.
Blake was allowed to observe part of the interview through counsel.
He did not call Thomas his father.
“Did you know Sarah was in danger?” Blake asked.
“Yes.”
“Did you warn her?”
“Not soon enough.”
“Did you know Abigail was being monitored?”
Thomas hesitated.
“Yes.”
Blake's voice cracked.
“Then you stood by while my family suffered.”
“I thought I could protect you by controlling the information.”
“You protected yourself.”
Thomas had no answer.
When the interview ended, prosecutors disclosed that Kessler had requested counsel and would not yet give a full statement.
But Thomas provided an archive access credential.
It unlocked a hidden directory on the recovered drive.
There were dozens of folders named for children.
Abigail's contained a single scheduled instruction.
At the top was a date only three days away.
Below it were the words FINAL REVIEW: SUBJECT A-01.
May you like
The reviewer was listed as Darlene Stanley.
