Chapter 8 - The Clinic
The clinic was called North Lake Genetics.
It had closed five years earlier.
Its former medical director, Dr. Nolan Price, now lived in Arizona.
Detective Morales reached him before Diane’s lawyers did.
Price initially denied everything.
Then federal agents showed him wire transfers from Bennett accounts totaling $740,000.
He asked for a lawyer.
Forty-eight hours later, he asked for immunity.
Michael and Emma watched the recorded interview in Rachel Sloan’s office.
Price looked older than his website photograph, with gray skin and hands that would not stop moving.
“Mrs. Bennett paid for private testing,” he said.
“On whom?” the agent asked.
“Family members.”
“Which family members?”
“Michael Bennett. Richard Bennett. Stephen Bennett. Later, samples connected to Emma Bennett’s pregnancy.”
Emma felt sick.
“They tested me without consent?”
Rachel paused the video. “We don’t know how they got the sample.”
Emma remembered a prenatal charity event Diane had insisted she attend. A nurse had offered a ‘routine anemia screen.’
She whispered, “I know.”
The video resumed.
“Did you falsify results?”
Price stared at the table.
“Yes.”
“For Diane Bennett?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“She wanted documents showing Michael was not the father if she ever needed them.”
Michael stood so abruptly his chair rolled backward.
Emma grabbed his hand.
The agent asked, “Were the fake results ever used?”
“Not officially.”
“What about other records?”
Price swallowed.
“There was one older case.”
“What case?”
“A paternity file from 1988.”
Michael looked at Rachel.
He was born in 1988.
On screen, Price continued.
“Diane Bennett paid to have a record destroyed.”
“What did it show?”
Price rubbed both hands over his face.
“I never saw the original. My predecessor did.”
“Who was being tested?”
“Richard Bennett and a newborn boy.”
Michael stopped breathing.
The agent leaned closer.
May you like
“And what was the result?”
Price whispered, “Richard Bennett was not the child’s biological father.”
