Chapter 13 - THE OTHER CHILD
Rachel Monroe answered on the third call.
She remembered Nathan immediately.
She also remembered Marcus.
"He came to my apartment after you left Chicago," she said. "He told me you were engaged and wanted nothing to do with me."
Nathan closed his eyes.
"Were you pregnant?"
A long silence.
"Yes."
Her son, Caleb, was nine.
Rachel had never pursued Nathan because Marcus paid her medical bills and threatened to expose her undocumented mother to immigration authorities if she contacted the Coles.
Marcus had not been protecting family reputation.
He had been identifying heirs and controlling them.
DNA testing confirmed Caleb was Nathan's son.
Nathan sat alone for an hour after hearing it.
Two children.
Two stolen histories.
Grace found him in the study.
"You okay?"
"No."
"Good answer."
He laughed once, without humor.
"I don't know how to be a father to one child. Now there are two."
Grace sat across from him.
"Start by not making promises you can't keep."
Nathan nodded.
Rachel and Caleb were moved into protection after Marcus disappeared from his condo before police arrived.
His passport remained there.
His car was found at O'Hare.
But security footage showed he never entered the airport.
He had staged the escape.
Emma studied the footage.
"Paul taught him that trick."
Nathan looked at her.
"Where would Paul tell someone to hide if the city was locked down?"
Emma thought for a long moment.
Then her face changed.
"The old ice warehouse."
Nathan knew it.
Cole Capital had sold it years ago.
Except the deed records showed something different.
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The warehouse had been purchased by a shell company.
Owner: Marcus Hale.
