Chapter 26

twenty-six

PAUL

The following afternoon, I glanced at the calendar on the kitchen wall. Even though we hadn't chosen to come here, the time had gone quickly. Liam's friend's house had everything we needed. If it weren't for the terrorists, it would have been an idyllic place for a vacation.

I added a little more flour to the cake batter. I was desperate to do something that would take my mind off the photo of Amy. If I couldn't make Christmas cakes for my clients, I'd give this one to the man who could be my brother and leave the others for Jacob.

The cake that was already baking in the oven was for Liam. After our conversation last night, I didn't know how he'd be this morning. But knowing him, he'd carry on as if nothing had happened.

I folded the wooden spoon through the batter, making sure the extra flour was mixed in well.

The results from the DNA test wouldn't be far away. Liam had checked with the lab, and our samples were being processed. I took that as a good sign. At least they hadn't lost the kits.

The kitchen door opened, and Liam walked toward me. He sniffed the air. "Cinnamon, mixed spice, and, if I'm not mistaken, a hint of lemon and almond essence."

"Right again. You should have been a chef. A lot of people can't distinguish between different smells."

"Some days I'd prefer to work in a kitchen."

I studied the grim expression on his face. "Is this one of them?"

Liam nodded. "I don't know if I'm the bearer of bad news or good, but your DNA results have arrived. Do you want to see them?"

The spoon in my hand dropped into the batter. I'd been waiting patiently for the results of the test. Now that they were here, I didn't know what to think.

"You don't have to open them now," Liam said quickly. "I've printed off a copy of the report. You can read it when you're ready."

I took the folder he handed to me. "Have you seen the results?"

Liam shook his head. "No, but I'd appreciate knowing what the lab said. It could make a difference to what happens next."

I placed both hands on the edge of the counter and held on tight. Everything I'd imagined about my life was about to be proven right or wrong. But whatever the results showed, they wouldn't change who I was. I had to remember that and believe in it.

"What if I'm not Amy's biological uncle? Will that make a difference to my guardianship of her?"

"Your sister named you as Amy's legal guardian. No one can take her away from you. "

I wished that were true, I really did. But there were so many unknown factors in Amy's life, too.

Liam leaned against the counter. "Do you want me to stay with you while you read the report?"

I stared at the green folder. "That would be great." With shaking hands, I turned to the first page. After days of speculation, the simple, straightforward text was an anticlimax. Alex Quinn, a man I'd never met, was my brother.

I looked at Liam. "I'm related to Alex. He's my brother." I cleared my throat and took another deep breath. "We share the same parents."

Liam's eyes narrowed. "Both parents?"

I nodded and sat at the kitchen table. With my head resting in my hands, I tried to think of a reason why I would have been adopted out of his family.

Liam sat beside me. "I have something else for you, too."

The brown envelope in his hand looked new. "What is it?"

"It's a copy of a letter that was in your adoption file. The FBI wasn't able to take the original but, given the results from the DNA test, I'm sure you could ask for it."

I lifted the envelope's flap and stared at the folded piece of paper. If the results of the DNA test weren't enough to change my life, I had a feeling the letter would.

Liam frowned. "Where's Amy?"

"She's having a nap in the living room. Her late-night astronomy session made her tired."

"We can look through the telescope every second night, if that helps."

"She'd miss it too much." I opened the sheet of paper. The letter was handwritten. Small, precise words in black ink covered one side. Tears filled my eyes when I read the first line. To my darling son. The letter was from my biological mother.

As I kept reading, I began to understand why my mother had given me up for adoption. "You were right," I said to Liam. "My biological mother was worried my father would find me. He wasn't a good person. She wanted to divorce him, but she knew she couldn't raise two children on her own."

A lot of my questions were being answered. But an important one remained a mystery. Why hadn't my biological mother kept in contact with me? We'd both lived in Milwaukee. It wouldn't have been hard to organize some kind of meeting or to send a birthday or Christmas card to each other.

I felt hurt and betrayed by the people who should have loved me the most.

With a trembling hand, I handed the letter to Liam. "Would you like to read it?"

"I don't need to."

"It might help with your investigation." I looked closely at him and frowned. "I thought you'd want to…" My mouth dropped open. "You've read the letter, haven't you?"

"It was included in your profile."

I was stunned. "You've known all along that I'm Alex's brother?"

Liam crossed his arms in front of his chest. "I was ninety-nine percent sure you were related to Alex. But we needed the DNA test to confirm how close a match you are."

"What difference does it make?"

"If you weren't Alex's full sibling, the FBI needed to look more closely at his mom and dad. If our assumptions were completely wrong, someone else's life could be in danger."

I placed the letter in the folder. "I should call Alex. "

"I'll check with the people who are looking after him. It might not be a good time."

I could understand Liam's reluctance to let me speak to my brother. I could even understand why he hadn't told me about the letter when we'd first met. But after more than a week of living together, he should have trusted me more.

"You could have told me you'd seen a letter written by Alex's mother."

Liam sat straighter. "I couldn't tell you about the letter until the FBI knew you were Tammy Smith's son. At least you're safe. The rest can be worked through later."

I threw my hands in the air. "You don't get it. My whole life has been turned upside down, and you're acting as if it doesn't matter."

If one of the people I'd called mom and dad wasn't related to me, it would have been hard enough to understand. But neither of them was my biological parent. And then there was the issue of sharing DNA with a man who had abused his wife and family. What kind of monster did that to the people he loved?

What did that make me?

Liam leaned forward. "I know how upsetting this must be, but nothing will change what's happened."

Cold logic wouldn't make this any better. My heart felt as though it had been ripped in two. If I didn't do something soon, I'd burst into tears.

I picked up the half-finished bowl of fruitcake batter and added the coconut. If I couldn't call my brother, I'd bake like there was no tomorrow. And if Liam kept looking at me as if I was on the edge of a breakdown, I'd leave him off my Christmas cake gift list.

"Isn't there something else you have to do?"

Liam's scowl reminded me of the first time we'd met.

"There's no need to take out your anger on me. I wasn't the person who created this mess, but I am trying to keep you and Amy safe."

I tipped a cup of toasted walnuts into the mixing bowl. "We appreciate everything you've done. Now if you don't mind, I've got a few Christmas cakes to bake."

Liam didn't waste any time in leaving. With an ominous thud, the back door swung shut as he left the house.

It wasn't until the next cake was in the oven that I knew I'd acted like an idiot. Liam didn't deserve my anger. No one did. Not even the woman who had abandoned me.