Fatal Identity Read Free Page B

nails.
    â€œSorry about that.”
    â€œNo problem.”
    Their assistant, Shelby Faircloth, came into the room from the kitchen, carrying a cup of tea and holding her iPad under her arm.
    â€œHey, Sam, what’re you doing home? And why is Nick here?”
    â€œHe’s sick, and I’m off for four days,” she said with a meaningful glance.
    â€œAhh, gotcha.” Shelby knew Sam was due to hear the results of the IAB hearing today.
    â€œCould I borrow your iPad for a minute?” Sam asked. “Oh, and this is Josh. I’m helping him out with something. Josh, Shelby, our assistant.”
    â€œNice to meet you, Josh.” Shelby punched in her code and handed the iPad to Sam. “What’s going on?”
    Without telling Shelby about Josh’s connection to Director Hamilton, Sam told her about the photo Josh had found on the Internet.
    â€œOh my,” Shelby said, dropping into a chair.
    Sam gave the iPad to Josh. “Show me the site where you found the photo.”
    He did some typing and poking at the screen until he landed on the site. “Here.”
    Sam took it from him and scanned the text that accompanied the photo. A newborn male by the name of Taylor Rollings had gone missing from a maternity ward in Franklin, Tennessee, located twenty miles outside of Nashville in Williamson County. According to the article, the baby’s kidnapping had been the lead story for weeks in the Williamson Herald and had been picked up by papers and TV news channels around the state.
    His parents—Chauncey, a farmer, and Micki, a homemaker—were now in their sixties but had never given up hope of finding their missing son.
    â€œHe was taken right out of his bassinet while I was sleeping,” Micki said in the article, “and we’ve never seen him again.” The reporter noted that Micki still weeps when she speaks of the son who disappeared on a cold winter night three decades ago. “I’ll never stop looking for him. As long as I have a breath left in me, I’ll look for him.”
    Touched by Micki’s sorrow, Sam skimmed the rest of the article, planning to read everything she could find on the case later. “If you really think you’re the missing son of this family, we could reach out to local law enforcement in Williamson County.”
    â€œWhat would happen then?”
    â€œThey’d probably request DNA and run it against Mr. Rollings to see if it’s a match. That might be a good place to start.”
    â€œBut what if it doesn’t match? They’ve been through so much. I’d hate to get their hopes up.”
    â€œThat’s a very real concern and one you’ll need to weigh carefully if you’re determined to go through with this.”
    â€œWhat would you do?”
    Sam tried to put herself in his place. “I’d want to know, but that’s my nature. I always want to know everything. I guess that’s why I’m good at my job. I’m not satisfied until I know the truth.”
    â€œI don’t know what to do. You saw what they said about Taylor’s mom, how she still cries when she talks about him thirty years later. What it if turns out not to be true, and I get their hopes up?”
    â€œWhat if it turns out to be true? What if you’re their missing son? Think about the peace and comfort you could bring them.”
    He dropped his head into his hands and sighed.
    â€œMay I ask a question?” Shelby said.
    Josh raised his head to nod.
    â€œWhat’s your gut telling you? I’m a big believer in trusting my gut.”
    â€œMe too,” Sam said.
    â€œThere’s something to this,” Josh said. “I know there is. I don’t know if I’m this missing kid, Taylor, or not, but when I saw the picture? I felt like I’d been struck by lightning.”
    â€œYou should listen to that feeling,” Shelby said.
    â€œI agree,” Sam said.