Luke moved toward the hallway, but I caught his wrist.

“Don’t open it.”

“You heard him, Mom.

He says you hid something.”

“Luke, please.”

Richard pounded again, hard enough to shake the framed photographs beside the door.

“Helen, open this door before you make everything worse!”

Luke pulled away from me.

“Helen?”

“That’s my name.”

“I know your name.

I’ve just never heard Ben’s father use it.”

Richard’s voice came through the wood.

“Ask her how much money she took!”

Luke turned so slowly that it frightened me.

“What money?”

“None.” I stood and faced the door.

“Richard, leave my property.”

“Give me the report, and I’ll leave.”

“So that’s why you’re here.”

Luke reached for the lock.

I stepped between him and the door.

“Mom, move.”

“No.

He doesn’t come inside.”

“Then you tell me.” Luke held up the report.

“Did you know I had a brother?”

My hand went to the back of the chair.

“I was told there had been another baby.”

“Told by whom?”

“The doctor and a nurse.

They said he hadn’t survived.”

Luke’s face lost its color.

“You let me grow up believing I was alone.”

“I believed it too.”

Richard laughed from the porch.

“She’s lying, Luke.

Your mother signed one child away.”

I unlocked the door before Luke could stop me, but I left the security chain in place.

Richard Vale stood outside in an expensive coat, one hand extended.

“Give me the paper, Helen.”

“Tell Luke why you had it.”

“It belongs to me.”

“It has my son’s name on it.”

“Which son?” Richard asked.

Luke flinched behind me.

I pushed the door until the chain pulled tight.

“You don’t get to say that.”

Richard leaned closer to the narrow opening.

“You were twenty-four, broke, and frightened.

You made a choice.

Don’t pretend you were a saint.”

“I never gave away a child.”

“I have your signature.”

“Then show it to us.”

His mouth tightened.

“Hand over the report first.”

Luke stepped beside me.

“Did you know Ben and I were brothers?”

Richard looked at him.

“Ben is my son.”

“That wasn’t my question.”

“Go home, Luke.”

“No.”

Richard’s hand shot through the gap and grabbed the edge of the report.

Luke pulled back, tearing one corner.

“Stop!” I shoved the door closed and fastened the lock.

“I’m calling for help.”

“You do that,” Richard shouted.

“Then I’ll show them what she signed.”

Luke backed away from me.

“Why would he have your signature?”

“I don’t know.”

“That isn’t an answer.”

“It’s the only honest answer I have.”

A car door slammed outside.

Richard turned, and someone hurried up the path.

“Ben?” Luke rushed to the window.

Ben came into view without a coat, clutching a small metal box against his chest.

Richard caught him by the shoulders.

“What did you take?”

“Let go of me.”

“Give me the box.”

“It belonged to Mom.”

Richard’s face changed at the mention of his late wife.

“Claire had no right to keep those things.”

“She had every right.” Ben twisted free.

“She left them for me.”

I opened the door, and Ben ran inside.

Richard pushed forward, but Luke and I forced the door closed together.

“Ben, what’s in the box?” Luke asked.

Ben set it on the kitchen table.

His fingers shook as he opened the lid.

Inside were two faded hospital bracelets, a photograph of two newborn babies, and an envelope with my maiden name written across it.

Ben lifted one bracelet.

It read: BABY A — HELEN CARTER.

Luke picked up the second.

BABY B — HELEN CARTER.

Ben looked at me with tears running down his face.

“Mrs.

Carter, which one of us did they tell you was gone?”