Chapter 6 - THE SECOND TRANSFER
Julian called Chloe from the conference room.
Speakerphone.
His attorney objected.
He did it anyway.
She answered on the third ring.
“What?”
“Emma saw your text.”
Silence.
Then:
“You idiot.”
I stared at the phone.
“What second transfer?”
Chloe didn’t answer me.
“Julian, hang up.”
“No.”
“Now.”
He looked at me.
“What transfer?”
Her voice changed.
“You said you weren’t going to drag me into this.”
“You were already in it.”
Another pause.
Then Chloe said, “The second transfer wasn’t yours.”
I frowned.
“What?”
Julian looked equally confused.
“Then whose?”
“I don’t know.”
“Chloe.”
“I don’t.”
Her breathing became audible.
“There were two incoming cryogenic shipments under Mercer’s old account. One was connected to Julian. One wasn’t.”
“When?”
“Three years ago.”
“Why use the same donor number?”
“I didn’t assign it.”
“Who did?”
“Lab administration.”
“Name.”
“I’m not saying names over the phone.”
I leaned toward the speaker.
“Did you know there were two different men’s specimens under donor 4187?”
Silence.
That was yes.
My skin went cold.
“When did you know?”
“After your insemination.”
“Before I got pregnant?”
“Yes.”
I closed my eyes.
“So when Julian says the babies may be his…”
“He doesn’t know.”
Julian stood.
“You told me they were probably mine.”
“I said possible.”
“You said Mercer’s transfer matched the vial batch.”
“Because one did.”
“One?”
The room went still.
Chloe whispered, “Your cycle used two vials.”
I held my breath.
Claire looked at me.
“Two separate vials?”
Chloe continued.
“One was from Julian’s transfer lot.”
“And the other?”
“I don’t know.”
I put both hands on the table.
“Could twins result from two different biological fathers?”
Nobody answered immediately.
Claire said, “Medically, heteropaternal superfecundation is rare but possible if two eggs are fertilized by sperm from different men within the same cycle. But we are not going to assume anything.”
Twins.
Two vials.
Two potentially different genetic sources.
The room tilted.
I sat back.
Julian looked sick.
“Why would the clinic use two different donor lots?”
Chloe answered.
“They shouldn’t have.”
“Then why?”
“I don’t know.”
“You worked there.”
“I coordinated patients. I didn’t work in embryology.”
“What did you do when you found out?”
“Nothing.”
I laughed bitterly.
Of course.
Everybody did nothing until silence became impossible.
“Why?”
Chloe’s voice sharpened.
“Because I was having an affair with Julian, and if I reported the irregularity they would audit my access.”
There it was.
Human motive.
Not evil genius.
Self-preservation.
“You protected your job.”
“And myself.”
“And Julian.”
Silence.
“Did you alter my record?”
“No.”
“Did you tell anyone to use Julian’s vial?”
“No.”
“Can you prove that?”
“No.”
At least she was honest about something.
Claire asked Chloe to preserve all records and speak through counsel.
She agreed.
Before hanging up, Chloe said, “Emma.”
I almost didn’t answer.
“What?”
“There’s one thing you should know.”
I waited.
“The second transfer was logged under a private account.”
“Whose?”
“I never saw the patient name.”
“But?”
“The billing contact was Garrison Blackwood.”
I looked across the table.
Garrison did not move.
Julian stared at him.
My heart seemed to stop before starting again.
“Garrison?”
He looked at me calmly.
“I can explain part of that.”
Julian laughed.
“Of course you can.”
I stood.
“What part?”
May you like
Garrison’s voice remained quiet.
“My late wife was treated by Adrian Mercer.”
