Chapter 8 - Thomas Carter’s Ring
Thomas Carter died two years earlier from pancreatic cancer.
His wedding ring disappeared at hospital after death.
Rachel assumed it lost.
Now Mia described it accurately:
silver band.
thin black line.
small engraving inside.
She couldn't read engraving but called it “Daddy's stripe ring.”
Who had it?
Hospital property log showed ring released to Rachel’s sister:
Laura Mills.
Rachel stared.
“I don't have a sister.”
Signature forged.
Security footage from two years earlier retained only lobby stills.
A blonde woman collected envelope using identification.
Name:
Laura Mills.
ID later proved fraudulent.
So unknown woman had been near Carter family for years.
Could she be Westbridge staff?
Personnel photos.
Mia viewed them with child interviewer, no leading questions.
She pointed to Natalie Shaw.
Martin Shaw’s daughter.
Forty-one.
Blonde.
Former Westbridge patient coordinator.
Natalie disappeared from professional records after clinic closure.
Police located address.
Empty apartment.
Neighbors said she moved three weeks earlier.
Natalie had motive?
Her father Martin died three years ago.
She had defended him publicly when Westbridge closed.
She accused regulators of destroying his reputation.
If Daniel and Claire investigation threatened reveal Martin intentionally substituted sample, Natalie might want control.
But why expose truth by bringing Mia to Lily?
Maybe to prove Martin had “helped” create child.
Or destabilize families.
Then Claire remembered anonymous messages months earlier.
One said:
YOUR AUDIT WILL DESTROY A GIRL WHO EXISTS BECAUSE MARTIN BROKE THE RULES.
Claire assumed threat.
Maybe Natalie.
Police searched storage unit under Natalie.
Found boxes of Westbridge records unlawfully retained.
Also matching yellow shirts and denim overalls.
And Claire’s stolen camera packaging.
Strong evidence she staged two-Lily encounter.
But Natalie wasn't found.
Then Emma asked question central to doorway scene:
“Why warn Claire?”
Because Natalie wanted Claire witness.
She sent live link.
She knew Claire would recognize Mirror Test history.
She expected Claire to bring Ethan because Ethan helped investigations.
She wanted Emma confronted with impossible image, forcing reopened case.
Why?
Storage notes revealed Natalie believed father Martin was not villain.
She wanted prove Thomas Carter had requested donor substitution.
If Thomas authorized, Martin might appear justified.
But Rachel had not consented.
Still violation.
Natalie had spent years trying rehabilitate father.
She found Thomas’s signed anonymous-donor backup form.
She believed this absolved Martin.
It did not.
One parent could not secretly authorize replacing other parent’s agreed reproductive material where dual consent required.
Worse, Daniel’s sample was not approved donor sample.
Natalie seemed unable to accept.
Then investigators found map.
Emma’s house circled.
Rachel’s house circled.
Claire’s office circled.
A fourth address:
ELEANOR BENNETT.
Emma stared.
“Daniel’s mother?”
Yes.
Eleanor Bennett, seventy-two.
Emma had been told she died before Emma met Daniel.
Public records showed otherwise.
Alive.
Living twenty miles away.
Daniel had lied about mother too.
First sister Emily.
Now mother Eleanor.
Emma whispered:
“What kind of family did I marry into?”
Detective Grant answered carefully:
“We don't know yet.”
They visited Eleanor.
She opened door.
Looked at Emma.
Then Lily.
And began crying.
“You finally found Mia.”
Emma froze.
“How do you know Mia?”
Eleanor stepped aside.
On wall were photographs.
Lily.
Mia.
May you like
Taken across four years.
Someone had been watching both girls since birth.
