Chapter 6 - THE DNA REPORTSterling obtained a copy through my lawyer, Caroline Nash, whom he recommended because he could not represent both the estate and me personally.
Caroline was forty-four and incapable of pretending a bad fact was less bad.
She read the report.
Then:
“This is not something I would ignore.”
“Is it valid?”
“Different question.”
The report came from Atlas Kinship Laboratories.
Private.
Not one of the laboratories used by our fertility clinic.
It claimed to compare:
A fetal genetic profile.
A sample identified as David Bennett.
Result:
David excluded as biological father.
“What fetal sample?” I asked.
Caroline pointed.
“Source says ‘prenatal genetic data supplied by client.’”
“That is not an answer.”
“No.”
“And David’s sample?”
“‘Buccal specimen, decedent reference.’”
“Who swabbed a dead man?”
“Good question.”
Chain of custody was weak.
No independent collector listed.
No hospital witness.
No notarized collection.
No accession record linking the swab to David beyond client submission.
Caroline said:
“This may be scientifically informative. It is not remotely the clean courtroom proof Eleanor presented at the cathedral.”
I looked at the exclusion line.
My stomach tightened.
Caroline watched me.
“You don’t look surprised.”
I looked at her.
Then:
“I’m not ready to explain why.”
She nodded.
“Fine. But before litigation gets serious, your lawyer needs the full truth.”
“I know.”
That night, I took my wedding ring from the envelope.
Held it.
Did not put it on.
May you like
Not because Chloe was right.
Because my finger still hurt where she had twisted it off.
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