David Baldacci - First Family

The blood drained from Diane's face. "What are you talking about?"

"Willa is your daughter. Willa Dutton she's called now. She just celebrated her twelfth birthday. Her mom's name is Pam Dutton. Her adoptive mom, I mean. I had Mrs. Dutton's blood checked too just in case yours didn't match. But it did. And so did Willa's. You are, without no doubt at all, her ma."

"That's impossible," she said dully, her voice barely able to form the words.

"You got pregnant, had the baby, and then the Duttons adopted it." He waved the papers in the air. "DNA don't lie, lady."

"Why are you doing this?" she said, her voice low, but panicky.

"I got my reasons." He stood. "Would you like to see your daughter again?"

Wohl put a hand against the tabletop to steady herself. "What?" she gasped.

"I know you two just got acquainted, but I thought you might want to see her again now that you know."

She glanced at the papers. "I don't believe you."

He handed the pages across to her. "I had them put it in language folks like me could understand. The top batch test is Willa's. The one under that is yours. Read the result line."

She took the papers and read them slowly. "Ninety-nine point nine percent match for mother and child," she said dully.

She threw the papers down and screamed, "Who are you!"

"It's a long story and not one I'm willing to share with you. Do you want to see the girl or not?"

Wohl was already shaking her head, whipping it back and forth.

Quarry looked down at her with a curious mixture of sympathy and disgust. "You coulda kept the child. Guess I kind of understand why you didn't. But that doesn't mean I agree with it. Children are precious. Got to hang on to 'em. I learned that lesson the hard damn way."

Wohl straightened up. "I don't know who you are or what you want, but you have no right to judge me."

"If I were the judgmental type, maybe you'd already be dead."

This remark caused Wohl to drop to her knees, curl into a tight ball, and start sobbing.

Quarry bent down, picked up the DNA reports where she'd dropped them, and stood there watching her. "Last chance to see the girl," he finally said.

A minute passed. Finally, Wohl said, "Does… does she have to see me?"

"Ma'am, you two already met."

"But I didn't know she was my daughter," Wohl shot back. Then she added calmly, "I didn't know… I was her mother."

"Okay, I can see that."

Diane had a sudden thought. "Oh my God, does she know I'm her mother?"

"No. I saw no reason to tell her. 'Cause you're not the one who raised the girl."

"Do you know this Pam Dutton?"

"Never met her."

"But do you know if she's been good to Willa?"

"You telling me you didn't know the woman before you gave your daughter to her?"

"It wasn't that way. I really didn't have a choice."

"Everyone has a choice."

"So can I see her without her seeing me?"

"I got a way. If you're willing."

Wohl rose on unsteady legs. "I'd like to see her." Somehow this admission came out as a guilty confession.

"Give me a couple minutes."

Diane rushed forward and clutched at his arm. "You're not going to do anything that will hurt her?"

Quarry slowly removed the woman's fingers from his sleeve. "I'll be back shortly."

Five minutes later he returned and held the door open for her. She looked at it fearfully, as though if she walked through it she would never be coming back.

Sensing this Quarry said, "I give you my word, I'll take you to see the girl and then I'll bring you back here."

"Then what?"

"Then we'll just have to see. Can't promise you any more than that."

QUARRY REMOVED the board from metal hooks driven deep into the wall, opened the door, and motioned Wohl inside.

"Where is she?"

He pointed to his left. "Over there."

Wohl spun around and stared at a small lump under the blanket on a cot against one wall. Quarry lifted off the blanket. Underneath Willa lay there, sleeping.

Wohl crept closer. "What if she wakes up?"

"I gave her something to knock her out. Good hour or so. She looks like you," said Quarry quietly. "In the nose, the chin. You can't see her eyes, but they're the same color as yours."

Wohl involuntarily nodded. She could see the resemblance too. "Willa Dutton. That's a pretty name."

"You didn't name her?"

"No. I knew I was giving her up so I didn't… I mean I couldn't."

Wohl stroked the girl's dark hair. She looked back at Quarry. "You're not going to hurt her."

"She's not the one at fault here. Neither are you, really."

"But you said before-"

"There are degrees of guilt."

"So who…"

"Did you want to give her up?"

"I said I didn't have a choice."

"And like I told you before, folks always have a choice."

"Can I hold her?"

"Go on."

Wohl put her arms around Willa's shoulders. She touched her face, nestled her cheek against the girl's, and finally gave her a kiss on the forehead.

"What do you remember about the adoption?"

"Not much. I was only twenty."

"And the daddy?"

"None of your business."

"So you just gave her up?"

"Yes." She gazed at him. "I had no money. I was still in college. I couldn't care for her."

"So they took her off your hands. And your life turned out okay," said Quarry. "You finished college, got a good job. Married, but then got divorced. Never had any more children."

"How do you know all this about me?"

"I'm not a real smart man. But I work hard. And I needed to know about you. So I did."

"And what are you doing all this for?"

"None of your business."

Wohl turned back to Willa when the girl started moaning a little bit.

"Is she waking up?" she asked fearfully.

"Just dreaming in her sleep. But let's head on back."

After returning to her room Wohl said, "How much longer will I be kept here?"

"If I had an answer to that I'd give it to you, but I don't."

"And Willa?"

"The same."

"You said Pam was her adopted mother's name?"

"That's right."

"She must be terribly worried."

"I don't think so," said Quarry.

"Why not?"

"Because she's dead."

SEAN WAS ABLE to grab a flight to Nashville that night. Michelle picked him up from the airport. On the drive to her father's house he filled Michelle in on what he'd discovered about Tuck and Cassandra Mallory.

"She sounds like someone whose ass I would really love to kick," she snapped.

"Well, you sure wouldn't have any trouble finding it. The lady tends to put it right out there."

"So who was the man who was meeting with Pam? The one Tuck thought was having an affair with her?"

"I haven't had a chance to follow that up."

After they rode in silence for a few seconds he said, "You really think your father killed your mother?"

"I don't know what to think. I only know that someone killed her and he's acting like the prime suspect."

"Do the cops share your suspicions?"

"He's a former police chief and my brother Bobby is on the force here. They tend to cover their own."

"But if the evidence points in one direction, they'll have to act."

"I know that," she said tensely.

"Have you talked to this Donna person? The one your mom was supposed to be meeting for dinner?"

"Not yet. I was hoping you and I could do it together."

He gripped her shoulder. "I know this is hard, Michelle. But we'll get through it."

"I know you've got your hands full with the Dutton case. I mean the First Lady and all. I feel sort of guilty pulling you into this."

He smiled reassuringly. "I'm a great multitasker. You should know that by now."

"I still appreciate it."