“The volunteer who has been visiting me — I will not name her here, to protect her privacy until she has been told — has a birthday that matches the birth record exactly.
Her adoption was processed through the same agency, in the same city, in the same month.
When I asked Mr.
Hale to verify her background, he confirmed the receiving family’s surname matches the partial record in my possession.” Eleanor paused.
“I have sat across from this woman for nearly two years.
I have watched her face.
I have listened to her speak.” Another pause.
“She has my mother’s laugh.
I don’t expect that to hold up in court.
But I wanted it on record.”
Hale stopped the recording.
I looked at the wall for a moment.
“She never told me about her mother,” I said.
“No,” Hale said.
“But she told the camera.”
The documentary evidence was strong.
Hale was confident.
