Most Wanted (49 page)

Christine blinked. “So who are you?”

“I'm a single mom, and I conceived my son using donor sperm. Zachary was my donor.”

Christine couldn't believe her ears. She didn't know what to say or do for a moment. Griff had fallen uncharacteristically silent, watching her and Tanya. Christine was going to tell him tonight, so she might as well. She turned to face him, but before she could say anything, he winked at her.

“Christine, you didn't really think I bought your reporter story, did you?”

“You didn't?” Christine asked, her face reddening, despite the tiny cuts.

“I had my doubts. Like I said, you're too nice.” Griff smiled, his eyes wrinkling into his deep crow's-feet. “But I didn't know what you were up to until Tanya showed up. You're here for the same reason she is, aren't you?”

Christine swallowed hard, looking from Griff to Tanya and back again, then took a deep breath. “Yes, I am. Zachary is my donor, too. Donor 3319 at Homestead. I was going to tell you, tonight.”

Tanya's smile turned sympathetic. “Sorry, I didn't mean to bust you. You didn't have to say if you didn't want to. I just don't think there's anything to hide.”

Christine couldn't say she disagreed, but she did feel bad and turned back to Griff. “I'm sorry I lied to you. It just felt too strange to tell you why I was really here. I'm pregnant, is the thing.”

Griff shrugged. “This is a brave new world, my dear. I would have lied to me, too.”

Tanya interjected, “Right, Christine, everybody's different, so I totally get why you kept it to yourself.”

“Thanks.” Christine had never expected to meet another woman who had a child fathered by Zachary, so she was still trying to process the revelation.

“I used a donor because I hadn't met anybody that I wanted to marry yet, all the men I met were too immature, and I didn't want to miss out on having a child. I was going to freeze my eggs, but then I thought, why not just have a baby already?” Tanya's face lit up. “My mom and dad were all for it, they'd been dying for a grandchild. We all just adore him.”

Christine understood completely. “So how did you find out about Zachary?”

“I'm a jewelry designer, and I have my studio at home. I keep cable news on in the background. I just happened to look up, and all of a sudden, there he was on TV. My donor. I recognized him from the adult photo he gave Homestead.”

“Me too.” Christine was actually happy to hear it, in a way. It made her feel less crazy.

“But it was
super
scary, thinking that the donor was a serial killer. Creee-py.” Tanya shuddered in an exaggerated way.

“Exactly.” Christine began to feel better, having the truth out in the open, even though it was awkward to have something so intimate in common with a perfect stranger.

“I freaked out and I called Homestead, but they wouldn't tell me anything. Neither would my doctor. She didn't even know.”

“That's just what happened to us.”

“I live in Baltimore and I thought, Philly's not that far. Let me go up and see what's going on.”

“That's just what I thought.” Christine felt her heart open up.

“So I went to Graterford, met Zachary, and I asked him, and he told me yes.”

“So you told him the truth?” Christine asked, surprised.

“Yes, didn't you?”

“No, we haven't told anybody.” Christine didn't want to explain. “So you already have a child?”

“Yes. Ranger.” Tanya beamed. “He's great. My mom is babysitting him so I could come here, but I'm home with him, all the time. He's only eleven months old, but he's already pulling himself up on the coffee table, trying to walk. You want to see a picture?”

“Yes, please.” Christine shifted over, her heart pounding.

“Here's my little monkey man.” Tanya picked up her iPhone and displayed her customized phone case, which held an enlarged photo of an adorable strawberry-blonde toddler with bright blue eyes, patting a gray cat.

“He's so cute!” Christine felt a happiness that was hard to explain, as well as confusion. She realized that she was looking at the half-sibling of her own baby.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the doorjamb, and they all looked over. Marcus stood in the doorway, his suit rumpled, his tie off, and his face a mask of concern as his eyes met Christine's. “Honey, are you okay?” he said, hustling across the room.

“Marcus?” Christine said, confused, as he reached her side and enveloped her in a gentle embrace. She had no idea how he'd gotten here so fast, and it was hard to process that he was really here, even as she put her arms around his waist and laid her bruised cheek against his chest. She felt tears come to her eyes, but she didn't want to feel any feelings in front of anyone else. She just wanted to go home and pray that everything could be okay again.

“Honey, I'm sorry I let you come down here alone.” Marcus released her, and his weary eyes scanned the cuts on her face. His lips parted, and he seemed appalled, but at himself. “Thank God you're okay.”

“It's okay, I'm okay.” Christine held back her tears, trying to compose herself. She gestured at Griff, stiffly. “Marcus, this is Griff, Zachary's defense lawyer.”

“Nice to meet you,” Marcus said, nodding in Griff's direction.

“Likewise. Your wife is an exceptional person.” Griff smiled, almost proudly.

“Thank you.” Marcus smiled back, his eyes glistening.

“And this—” Christine hesitated, not knowing how to introduce Tanya and too tired to keep lying, but she didn't want to upset Marcus more than she already had.

But Tanya jumped to her feet, reached for Marcus's hand, and pumped it with vigor. “I'm Tanya Spencer, and your wife is my hero! She risked her own life to prove that Zachary was innocent.”

“I know, it's incredible.” Marcus's face remained impassive, betraying none of the jealousy and resentment that Christine knew he must be feeling. “And Tanya, you are—”

“I'm a donor recipient of Zachary's, too. Just like you guys. I have a little boy, and Zachary is his biological father.”

Marcus froze, then blinked.

Christine's mouth went dry. “Honey, I'm sorry, I just met Tanya five minutes ago, and I shared with her and Griff that Zachary is our donor.”

Marcus's gaze shifted to Christine, and there was a new tension around his mouth.

“Marcus, I'm sorry, it just came out.” Christine didn't know what else to say. She couldn't explain it anymore. She couldn't make the situation any better. She was tired of apologizing for nothing, of keeping a secret that couldn't be kept anymore. His ego was killing their marriage.

Griff had gone completely silent, and even the effervescent Tanya lowered herself into her chair, deflating like a birthday balloon.

Marcus inhaled visibly, turning to Christine. “Will you sit down, honey? We need to talk.”

 

Chapter Fifty-four

“Marcus, please.” Christine sank into the chair, crestfallen. “You have to get this in perspective, you just have to. We can't keep it secret anymore and—”

“No, it's not that.” Marcus reached down and caressed her shoulder. “Honey, I have news for you. Zachary Jeffcoat is not our donor. He's not Donor 3319.”

“
What?
” Christine asked, dumbfounded.

“What did you say?” Tanya said, shocked.

Marcus looked down at Christine, his expression soft. “Gary got Homestead to tell us. He spoke with the parent company today. They offered to settle our lawsuit. They confirmed that Zachary Jeffcoat is
not
Donor 3319.”

Christine felt confounded. “That's not possible. I mean, he told me he was. He matched the profile.”

Tanya nodded, frowning in confusion. “Yes, and I asked him directly. He told me he was, too.”

Marcus pursed his lips. “The truth is, he is not Donor 3319.”

“Then who is?” Christine felt absolutely bewildered.

“Homestead wouldn't say.” Marcus's expression remained gentle, his tone heavy. “That's not part of the settlement. They won't breach the real 3319's confidentiality. We agreed to settle if they would confirm or deny that Jeffcoat was 3319, and they confirmed that Jeffcoat is
not
3319. He may look a lot like 3319, but that's a coincidence. In fact, Homestead took the real 3319 sample off the shelves because other patients were calling about the similarity. I left the office as soon as Gary told me, to bring you home. I was almost here when I got the call that you were in the hospital.”

Christine shook her head, trying to process the information. A million thoughts raced through her brain. She felt herself slump, looking down. Her entire body ached. Her head thundered. She'd gone through hell and back, for no reason. Zachary wasn't her donor. She wasn't carrying Zachary's baby. She didn't know who their donor was, after all that. She looked up at Marcus. “So we're back at square one?”

“No, not at all.” Marcus frowned slightly, buckling his lower lip.

“How so?”

Tanya interrupted, stricken, “I don't know how this could happen.”

Griff raised his arthritic hand. “Let's go ask him.”

“Now?” Christine looked over at Griff, and so did Marcus and Tanya.

“Yes. Lawyers have twenty-four-hour visiting privileges. I was going to go over, I was waiting for you, Christine.” Griff rose, pressing himself up by a hand on his desk. “Let's go.”

“Okay,” Christine said, dazed.

Marcus took her hand and helped her to her feet.

 

Chapter Fifty-five

Christine, Griff, Marcus, and Tanya crowded into the interview booth, waiting wordlessly for Zachary to be brought in. Griff and Christine took the two chairs, with Marcus and Tanya standing behind them, and Christine tried to get her bearings. She couldn't wrap her mind around the fact that Zachary wasn't their donor, or the horrific events of the day.

The interview booth was the only bright spot in the visiting room, which was otherwise completely empty, with all the chairs vacant and the overhead lighting dim, having been turned on only because they were here. The entire floor was quiet, though Christine could hear shouts echoing hollowly elsewhere in the prison. The booth felt warm and damp, the air close and dusty. A corrections officer stood guard outside.

Christine straightened up when she saw Zachary through the Plexiglas of the door, approaching with a corrections guard. His face was still bruised and his eyes swollen, and Christine realized with a start that they had that much in common. Otherwise, she felt only confusion at the sight of him, not the connection she'd felt before, her emotions bollixed up. She didn't know what Marcus was thinking, standing behind her chair, and she was glad she couldn't see his face.

The corrections guard took the handcuffs off Zachary, opened the door on the secured side of the booth, and led Zachary inside, where he started talking before he sat down, his blue eyes shining with happiness despite the swelling in his right eye.

“Is it really true?” Zachary sat down in his chair, leaning forward, his hands on the counter. A huge grin animated his expression. “Am I getting out of here? Did they get who did it? One of the COs told me, he saw on the news! I'm in ad seg, I don't know anything! What happened? Griff, when am I getting out of here?”

Griff held up his hand. “I spoke with the D.A. He's not sure yet. These things take time. It might be tomorrow or the next day.”

“What happened? How did they find out I didn't do it? How did they get the guy who did it?” Zachary looked at Christine, confused but still wildly happy. “What happened, Christine? Were you in some kind of accident? Why are you in scrubs? You look like a nurse!”

Griff kept his hand up. “Zachary, you need to thank Christine. She almost lost her life today, trying to prove your innocence. She is the reason you will be released.”

“Christine, thank you so much.” Zachary met her eye directly. “I don't know what you did, but I thank you from the bottom of my heart. I didn't kill Gail, I didn't kill anybody. I knew you believed in me. Thank you so much for whatever you did. For everything you did. I don't know how I can ever repay you.”

“You're welcome,” Christine said, on autopilot. She felt shaken to her very core. She thought she saw sincerity in his expression, but she didn't know whether to trust it. She didn't trust him anymore. She didn't trust herself, either.

Griff cleared his throat. “Zachary, I know how you can thank her. You can explain to her, and Tanya, why you lied.”

Tanya interjected, standing behind Griff, “Zachary, are you 3319 or not? You told me you were, but Homestead says you're not. Christine's husband found out.”

Zachary's smile vanished and his lips parted. His gaze went to Tanya, then to Marcus, and finally to Christine. He heaved a deep sigh in his orange jumpsuit, and his lower lip puckered with apparent regret. “Okay, Christine, Tanya, I did lie about that. I'm sorry, I truly am. I'm not Donor 3319. I never donated sperm, or blood, like I told you I did. I'm sorry, but I lied, I did.”

Christine swallowed hard. The words had a visceral impact, and she absorbed them like a blow. She wasn't angry, she was confused. The fact that Zachary had been her donor had powered her every thought, and now that he wasn't, she felt as if the rug had been yanked from under her.

Tanya interjected, wounded, “Why did you lie to us? Why did you lie to me?”

“Tanya, I'm sorry to you, too.” Zachary looked up at Tanya, his mouth forming a regretful line. “When you came to the prison that morning, you seemed so sure and so nice, and I thought if I told you yes, that you would help me, and you did. You did help me. You were there for me, you even gave me half of the retainer. I'm sorry that I lied to you, but if you want to know why I lied, I was desperate. I needed help. I didn't know what to do. You can imagine what it's like. I go to meet Gail for a date, and she's bloody, and she's dead, and I call 911, and the next thing I know, they arrest me for killing her. They think I'm a
serial killer
. I was desperate.” Zachary lowered his gaze to Christine, leaning forward urgently. “Christine, I'm so sorry I lied to you, but that was why. You know how they say, ‘desperate times call for desperate measures'? I was desperate. I had to get out of here. When I met you, and we started talking, I really did like you.”