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An unspeakable act?
A block of air pushed hard against Jacob’s chest, real hard.
“Josie didn’t hire a New York lawyer. I did,” Cruz continued. “And not to bring havoc on you, but to see what went wrong six years ago.”
“Except in a closed adoption, the names are not exchanged.” Jacob leaned forward and tightened his expression. “Josie not only knew my sister’s name, she recognized Addie when she saw her. Which means she must have been secretly spying on her as she grew up.”
Cruz held his gaze for a long moment, long enough for more of that air to tighten Jacob’s chest. “Or it could mean that Josie gave up a lobe of her liver to save her daughter’s life over three years ago. But your story is good, too.”
“She did what?” Jacob pressed his hands against the flat of his desk. “She was the donor for Addie’s surgery?”
“She was. Josie fully respected the contractual agreement of the adoption, but they inserted a clause that in the case of a medical emergency, Josie could be contacted. When Addie got sick, Ginger contacted Sweet Hope. In turn, they called Josie and passed along the information, wondering if she would be tested as a donor. She was a blood match and willingly went ahead with a life-threatening operation because nothing was more important than saving Addie’s life. Even though it meant risking hers.”
Josie, donating a part of her liver to save Addie’s life. Josie, keeping her end of the agreement until she was needed. “You’re sure about this?”
“Do you need to see the scar? Or would hospital records at Children’s Hospital of Atlanta and Emory do?”
At the moment, Jacob’s head felt like it was spinning in circles. “Ginger said—”
“Mr. Weatherly, the further we’ve gotten into this case, the less anyone should believe things your sister presented as fact.” Cruz stayed matter-of-fact but firm as he ticked off his fingers. “She lied to the agency, complicit with her then-husband, then lied to Josie in the hospital by saying Adam was too emotional to come see her, but extended his thanks through a forged note to maintain the charade of a solid marriage.”
Lies… Ginger hadn’t just stretched the truth, she’d lied as a means to achieve her ends, whatever they were.
“Why would the hospital use a drug user’s liver? That can’t be right.”
Cruz stood. He settled a look on Jacob that questioned more than his words, that maybe questioned him. “Who gave you that information, Mr. Weatherly?”
Now it wasn’t just air making his chest tight.
It was realization, followed by guilt. “My sister.”
“And there you go.” Cruz studied him, turned toward the door, then swung back. “Talk to Josie. If you have an ounce of human decency in you, you should go and talk to her face-to-face. Yes, she recognized Addie that first day. She saw her carefully constructed plans to ensure her baby’s future had been altered. Her daughter walked onto the property calling a strange man ‘Daddy.’ So yes, she took steps to find out what happened to the adoptive parents, and then to make sure you weren’t a horrible person. Under the circumstances, I think any parent would do the same thing. And just so you know—” he stared at Jacob, long and hard “—if she gives you a chance to talk to her, to hear her story, then consider yourself a fortunate man. Any guy who throws teenage indiscretions into someone’s face is best avoided in my book. But then, Josie might be kinder than I am.”
He left.
Jacob stared at the door. He lifted the phone, but who was there to call? The agency?
They’d give their spin on their stated position. He’d already heard that.
His heart wasn’t just heavy in his chest. It thrummed like a bass drum, and he probably deserved the headache that came along with it.
Ginger.
Her selfishness had gone too far this time. She’d deceived professionals, his parents, him, even Addie…and of course, the sacrificial mother, giving up the most precious thing in the world, her child. Ginger and Adam had willingly misled the agency as a means to an end—Ginger’s wish to be a mother.
Shame knifed him.
