Over Her Dead Body (25 page)

Chapter 42

“Oh my God!” Amber said as she went to the doctor’s side and knelt down.

“Don’t touch anything,” Michael said, “we’ve got to get out of here.”

“We can’t just leave him here,” said April, “we need to call the police.”

“It’s the police I’m worried about.” Michael said. “I’ve already been found with one dead body. No way I’m going through that again.”

“Michael!” April exclaimed and nodded her head toward Amber with a look that said ‘shut up stupid’.

Michael looked down at Amber who was looking at him with a wounded expression. Michael was so caught up in reliving the being found with a dead body experience that he had forgotten that that dead body was Amber’s sister. “I’m sorry,” Michael said, “I didn’t mean to sound insensitive. It’s just, when I found Maria, they didn’t exactly coddle me. They tend to treat you like you’re a murderer and it’s up to you to prove
you aren't
.” Amber’s look softened. “I just don’t want this hanging over our heads. You don’t know what it’s like to try and prove you didn’t do something. It won’t look good. And whoever did this, did it just moments ago. Look at the drink.” Michael nodded toward the glass on the end table near the chair.

April and Amber looked toward the glass. There were still ice cubes in it and it was sweating on the outside. “Michael, we just can’t…” April began.

“No. He’s right. The guy who killed the Doctor is probably the same guy who killed Maria. He’s looking for me. If you’re with me when he finds me, he’ll kill you too!” Amber said. “I’ll go. I’ll go to the police and tell them everything.” Amber looked from Michael to April. It was obvious she was trying not to cry. “Maybe they can catch him before…” Amber turned her head away and back toward the doctor. “…before anyone else gets killed.” Amber stood up. Tears were falling down her cheeks. “This is all my fault,” she said, “If I had been brave enough to go back to the police, they might have caught this guy and the doctor would still be alive.”

Michael put his arm around Amber’s shoulder and embraced her. Amber was crying hard and laid her head on his chest. She had never had a shoulder to cry on before.

April comforted her by rubbing her back. “It’s not your fault,” she said, “you didn’t do this. It’s not your fault.”

“You know what?” Michael said. As he pulled back a little. Amber lifted her head up. Her brown hair was stuck to her wet cheeks. Michael ran his finger under the stray hairs and pulled them back. “We are going to stick together. All three of us. We’ll all go to the police and tell them what happened. I’ll have April’s sister Becca meet us there and she will make sure nothing happens to you even if we get arrested. Who knows, maybe they can make sense out of this mess.” Michael said.

Amber nodded her head and wiped her cheeks with the back of her hand. April reached around her and embraced her. “Come here you.” April said as she hugged Amber. “I forget how hard this must be on you too. Michael’s right, we need to end this for better or for worse.” She said.

“In sickness and in health.” Michael chimed in. April smiled and with her arm around Amber they all headed toward the door.

They were just about to go back through the door they had come in when a fragile voice of a female came from behind. “Please don’t go.”

Michael, April, and Amber spun around to see an older lady in a nightgown peering around the corner of the adjacent room. “Please…don’t go.” She said again. “My hu…hu…husband…he’s dead isn’t he?” She asked.

The two girls stood expressionless with their mouths half ajar in shock. Michael nodded his head. “Yes
ma'am
, I’m afraid he is.” He said.

The older lady nodded. She had beautiful gray hair. She looked to be in her mid sixties. Her face was smooth and didn’t have many wrinkles except under her eyes. Her eyes were a dark brown color that gave away too much. Michael could see the pain in them. “It was only a matter of time.” She said.

Michael looked at her. “What do you mean? You’re husband was shot
ma'am
.” Michael said.

“Ye
s, I know. I heard it from down
stairs. I assumed that’s what had happened. It’s a wonder he made it this long.”

“I’m afraid I don’t follow you.” Michael said.

“Please, take me to him will you?” The older lady asked.

“You’re his wife?” Amber asked. The older lady nodded. “But he said you
left him
years ago. Right after you found my sister and I on your door step.”

The older lady nodded. “He was protecting me. He was worried they would find me.”

“They?” April asked.

The older lady nodded. “Please, take me to him. I’ll tell you everything.”

Michael offered his arm and she held on and followed him as he led her into the other room where her husband lay on the floor.

The older lady stifled a gasp and cupped her hand over her mouth. “Oh my poor Benjamin. What have they done to you?” The older lady spoke aloud. “Dear…” The older lady looked at Amber. “There is a closet down the hall on the right. There are sheets on the second shelf from the top. Would you…”

Amber nodded and walked around the doctor and down the hall. There was a sound of a door opening and a moment later she came back with a white sheet. She opened it up and April stepped over to help, and they both covered up the doctor.

“Thank you dear.” The older lady said. She glanced over at the tea on the end table. There was a book titled
Finding Mommy
l
aying
open and face down. The older lady nodded. “He always liked to read about this time. Come, let’s sit down at the table and talk for a while. I haven’t spoken to anyone but Benjamin in twenty years or more.” She said and motioned toward the other room.

Michael offered his arm again and led the way into the adjacent room. It appeared to be a dining room. There was a large table and many chairs around it. There was a light attached to a ceiling fan overhead. Amber found a switch on the wall and turned the light on. “Thank you dear.” The older lady said as Michael pulled out a chair for her. “Would any of you care for something to drink?” She asked.

Michael, April, and Amber all looked from one to the other and shook their heads no. “Tell us, what happened to your husband Mrs…” April began.

“Jane dear. You can call me Jane.” The older lady said.

“Ok Jane. I’m April, this is my husband Michael, and this is Amber.”

The older lady froze her eyes on Amber. “My how you have grown into such a beautiful young lady.” She said. “I’m so sorry about your sister. I wish none of this had happened.”

“So you remember us?” Amber asked. “You remember the day we were dropped off on your porch?”

“Oh I remember you.” Jane smiled at Amber. “But you weren’t dropped off on our porch I’m afraid.”

“We weren’t?” Amber showed an expression of shock. “So you knew our parents?” She asked.

“Well, no. I mean…I didn’t.” She looked from Michael to April. “But I do now.”

Amber felt a big lump well up in her throat as she looked at Michael and then at April. April did look an awful lot like her and her sister. “I don’t understand,” she said, “April has never given birth. She can’t possibly be my biological mother.”

“That’s because she didn’t give birth to you,” Jane said, “but I can assure you, she is your biological mother.”

“How can…” April began. “How can you know this? I don’t understand. How can I be her biological mother if I never gave birth to her?”

Jane smiled at April and then at Amber. “I know this because you weren’t found on our doorstep. That is just the story we made up for the newspaper to protect you.”

“Then who gave birth to me?” Amber said.

Jane looked at Amber right in the eyes. “I did.”

Amber stood up. Her eyes were welling up with tears. “I can’t do this. I’ve got to go. This is creeping me out.” A tear rolled down her cheek. “I don’t understand.” She said.

Jane’s smile faded. She reached out and put her hand on Ambers. “Please. Don’t go. I’ll explain. You’re right. The story is a strange one. Sit. Please.” Jane pleaded with Amber. Amber nodded her head and wiped away a stray tear and sat down.

“I’m so sorry you have to go through this.” Jane said. “Nobody deserves this. Least of all you.” Jane said with a sorrowful look. “I know you’re searching for answers…”Jane began. “And I’m going to give them to you. But don’t get your hopes up that they will comfort you.” Jane said. Amber’s eyes went wide. “If you thought it was creepy before…just you wait. It gets worse.”

“What happened Mrs…” Michael began.

“Jane dear. You can call me Jane.”

“What happened Jane? We all need to know.”

Jane took a long sigh and leaned back a little looking straight ahead but her eyes were in the past. “My husband and I had been married nearly ten years you know.” She began. “He was so handsome. And kind. And gentle. He was an honest man you see. Whatever you may think about him after I tell you this, you must know that he was a good man.” Jane looked around and everyone nodded their understanding. We had tried to have kids for more than five years. I don’t know if he wasn’t fertile or maybe it was me. I don’t know. It didn’t matter. But he felt responsible and powerless, that much is certain. I think in his mind, he felt like he was going to lose me.” Jane looked around. All eyes were focused on her. “He wouldn’t have of course. I never blamed him for it. But just the same it was a terrible burden on him.” Jane took another long sigh before continuing. “I don’t know why they chose him.”

“Why who chose him?” April asked.

Jane looked across at April. “I don’t know dear. I’m not sure he knew either. But they came to him and asked him to do things and told him that they would kill me if he refused.”

“What kind of things?” Amber asked.

“They wanted him to steal things from his patients. Things that they wouldn’t miss.” Jane continued.

“Their sperm. Their eggs.” Michael finished for her.

Jane nodded. “That is correct Michael. We never found out why. Maybe they were selling them on the black market. Maybe they sold them to surrogate centers. Or maybe it was something worse…” Jane hesitated trying to keep herself from crying.

Michael placed a hand on her shoulder. “It’s ok.” He said. “It wasn’t your fault.”

Jane patted his hand. “I know. But maybe we could have stopped them. They just seemed too powerful. They had assistants working with Benjamin. He couldn’t get away and they saw everything that he did.” Jane took a deep breath. “Everything but this.” She said nodding at Amber. Jane looked at April. “Do you remember having surgery when you were younger?” She asked.

April nodded her head. “No not…” She thought for a moment. “I had my tonsils taken out when I was fourteen.” She said. Then it dawned on her and she cupped her hand over her mouth. She began shaking her head. “You mean…you mean…he?” April was in shock.

Jane nodded her head sol
emnly. “That is how it happened
I’m afraid. He was supposed to turn over your eggs to the people who were threatening to kill me.” A tear rolled down Jane’s cheek. “I don’t know if he thought he was protecting you, or if he thought he was helping me. Or our marriage.” Jane wiped away the tear with a shaky hand. “But he told those people that the eggs were no good. And he brought them home. Along with your semen Michael.” Jane looked at Michael whose mouth was half wide open in disbelief.

“And you agreed to steal our eggs and sperm?” Asked April in utter disbelief.

Jane shook her head no. “I didn’t find out until after.”

“After?” April asked.

Jane nodded. “Benjamin, in all his misguided intentions, drugged my after dinner drink. When I awoke the next morning, he had told me that I had too much to drink and passed out.” Jane sniffled. “About a month later, I began to notice the changes.” Jane looked at Amber. “I was pregnant.” Jane smiled. “It was the best day of my life.”

“If it was the best day of your life, then why did you give us up?” Asked Amber. “Why did you send us off to live in terrible homes?”

Jane began shaking her head. “I didn’t want to dear. I had to you see. I had to save your life.”

“I don’t understand.” Said Amber.

“They found out. I don’t know how they did, but they found out what Benjamin had done. They threatened him and told him they were going to take you away. Benjamin had to tell me what he had done. He told me that they were going to take my babies.” Jane began to cry. “I wouldn’t let them. I couldn’t let them. I don’t know what they were going to do, but I’d be damned before I let them take you away.” Jane looked at Amber who was also crying. “You may not have had my DNA, but I loved you like you were my own.” Jane looked down for a moment. She wiped her tears with the cuff of her nightgown. “I gave birth when Benjamin was at work. It was the best and worst day of my life. I cleaned you both up and put on little pink outfits.” She looked at Amber. “You were so cute. I got to spend the whole day with both of you.” Jane looked across to Michael and Amber. “Then I made the call before Benjamin came home. I knew if the news got wind of the story that twins were left on our doorstep, that you would be safe. They wouldn’t be able to take you. Benjamin knew they would kill me, so he purchased a plane ticket in my name. Then he built a secret room in the basement. He told them that I had left him and I’ve been living down there ever since.” Jane looked at Amber again and put her hands on hers. “I’m so sorry dear. I’m so sorry this happened to you. And your poor sister…” Jane broke down into tears again. Amber scooted her chair over and put her arms around Jane and hugged her.