## CHAPTER 14 — THE WOMAN IN THE THIRD ROW
Harrison reviewed every photograph taken during Evan and Judith’s trial.
On the third day, he found her.
She had sat in the third row behind the prosecution.
A woman in her sixties wearing a dark blue scarf.
She appeared in every courtroom photograph.
She never spoke to reporters.
She never reacted to testimony.
Even when the jury heard the emergency recording of Khloe crying for her unborn child, the woman remained perfectly still.
Leo ran facial-recognition software.
The result identified her as Dr. Evelyn Shaw, a retired pediatric specialist who had worked at the hospital where Harrison was born.
She had signed his newborn medical evaluation.
Her listed address was an isolated property two hours north of the city.
Harrison, Leo, and Dana Ruiz drove there without alerting local police.
The house appeared abandoned.
Inside, however, the electricity was still running.
The kitchen contained fresh food.
The living room walls were covered with photographs of children.
Some were infants.
Others were teenagers.
Every photograph had a number beneath it.
Harrison found Subject 12.
The first image showed him as a newborn.
The last showed him leaving the courthouse after Judith’s sentencing.
“They’ve been documenting his entire life,” Dana said.
Khloe’s photographs were displayed on another wall.
Beside them were recent images of Nora.
One had been taken at the courthouse ceremony.
A second showed Khloe entering her home.
The newest photograph showed Nora asleep in the car that morning.
“They’re watching them right now,” Leo said.
Harrison called Khloe.
She was at home with two police officers posted outside.
“Take Nora and leave,” he ordered.
“Where?”
“Anywhere they don’t know.”
A floorboard creaked upstairs.
Harrison ended the call and drew his weapon.
They moved through a hallway lined with empty bedrooms.
The final door was locked.
Leo forced it open.
Inside was a gray room containing one chair, a desk, and an active surveillance monitor.
The screen displayed Khloe’s home.
The camera angle came from inside Nora’s nursery.
Harrison called the officers outside Khloe’s house.
Neither answered.
On the monitor, a shadow moved behind the crib.
Harrison shouted Khloe’s name into the phone.
At the house, Khloe heard something fall in the nursery.
She entered while holding Nora.
The window was open.
A small camera had been mounted behind a stuffed rabbit.
The officers stationed outside were gone.
Khloe locked herself in the bathroom and called emergency services.
At Dr. Shaw’s house, the surveillance feed changed.
A woman appeared on-screen.
She wore the same blue scarf from the trial.
Dr. Evelyn Shaw looked directly into the camera.
“Hello, Michael,” she said.
Harrison stepped toward the monitor.
“Where are you?”
“I gave you a family. I gave Judge Vale influence. I gave Daniel Cole a son.”
“You stole children.”
“I saved valuable bloodlines from unworthy parents.”
Harrison’s face hardened.
“You tried to kill my sister.”
“No. Judith Mercer acted emotionally. Khloe was only supposed to lose the child.”
Dana stared at the monitor.
Dr. Shaw continued.
“Nora’s birth activated an inheritance that was meant to finance our work for another generation.”
“You’re never touching her.”
Dr. Shaw smiled.
“I already have.”
The screen changed to a hospital record.
It showed Nora’s blood type.
Then another record appeared.
A DNA profile.
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According to the results, Evan Mercer was not Nora’s biological father.
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