Our Secret [Completed]

Chapter 23

We were in the public library, Noah was at the computer and I was sitting to his left, we'd spent all day searching through public records, searching through anything we could think of. We searched birth records, death records and even marriage records trying to find anything we could about Brad's past and where he might possibly be hiding out. It wasn't our job to find him and we knew that but we were the only people who had spoken to Brooke, the only people who knew where she was. Not even the police knew that.

His name was Bradley Henry Connor and it was the only thing I knew about his identity from when we first met. Come to think of it, it was the only thing I knew about him but from these records, I'm starting to think that wasn't even true. He'd always said he hadn't any siblings but the woman who fears her life and is addicted to heroin tells a completely different story.

Noah typed in Brad's name, the search results came up as empty. He then typed it in again, maybe he'd spelt it wrong. The results still came up empty.

"Try my name," I said and Noah did as I asked. Birth records showed up of myself, my mother, father and brother Ethan. They came up with anyone related to me, which also included all of their death records. "Try Brooke?"

He did and in an instant, her families records showed, her father Will, her mother Margaret and herself but no Brad.

"Do you see this?" Noah said.

"Is he...not her brother?"

Noah shook his head and bit his lip in frustration, "I don't know but something just doesn't add up."

We continued to search, looking through records after records and found nothing of any help. Usually birth records would have biological parents names of children her under Alan's records there were only his 4 children, not a trace of Brad.

We printed anything we thought of use and left the library. I had to go back to Pennsylvania that evening and I hated that my short two weeks 'vacation' was up. That's what I'd told work, I'd told them I was going to take two weeks off to go and visit my family. They didn't know I hadn't any but it was easier than saying I have to go to New York with my boyfriend and find my ex who is a drug dealer and escaped from house arrest.

Noah had to stay in New York, he insisted that it was better for him to speak to Brooke again. I didn't protest because even though I'd rather he was at my side its better for all of us if he stayed.

The following day it hadn't taken me long to get back into the swing of things. My internal body clock woke me at 7 am and I dressed for work and left with enough time to stop by Willow's office on my way up. We had been texting back and forth over the two weeks and she kept me up to date on office gossip.

"You're back," Willow said when I walked into her office and slumped myself into the small couch. We'd surprisingly become good friends even though we are so different and I hadn't realised how much I had missed her since I'd been away.

"Anything happen while I was gone?"

"Not really, just the usual. Nothing exciting...although I sense your life was more dramatic than mine over this past week?"

"Don't even get me started. It's a long story, more of a conversation for after work."

"I've got time," she said as she looked at the clock on her wall. I had 20 minutes until I needed to be at my desk so I told her everything that happened in New York. I told her about Noah being arrested, our conversation with Brooke and our search through public records. "You know," she began. "I could work my magic, find out what you need."

"And what exactly does that mean?"

"You said it's like Brad doesn't exist, so maybe he doesn't."