corporation on an island somewhere in the Indian Ocean or Caribbean. She took my card and told me to think it over.”
“Did you tell your bosses about this?”
“No. Because later I got a follow-up call from a stranger, who told me that if I confidentially supplied them information, I would be extremely well paid. We needed the money, so I agreed.”
“How much did they pay you?”
“Five thousand dollars for the first batch of data.”
“What was the data for?”
“They said it would lead to a cure for major diseases.”
“Why did they have to be so secretive?”
“They said other corporations were trying to duplicate their work. They said they didn’t have time to comply with international rules and regulations. They had to take steps now to protect their research.”
“What did you have to do?”
“At first I just provided generic information. You see, Golden Dawn collects DNA from all donors and all clients, to ensure quality and avoid the rare chance of well, inbreeding—you wouldn’t want to be using your long lost brother’s sperm, that sort of thing.”
Polly exhaled.
“We have a complex screening process, one of the world’s best. It eliminates abnormal DNA, bacteria, infections and viruses from the samples. At first, the ‘researchers’ asked for general information on our clients. It involved no privacy concerns, so I ran a computer scan and gave them generic information. I thought it was for statistical analysis, demographic tables.”
“How did you give them information?”
“They would tell me to go to a branch of the L.A. Public Library at a specific time and leave a memory card in a certain book. I would get an envelope of cash the same way.”
“So you never saw anyone?”
“No. I was called at home by different people from ‘the study team.’ I never knew who or where they were based. They had accents, they said they were contractors. The numbers were blocked. I figured the calls came from all over the world.”
“How did this involve Tyler?”
“They started to ask for specific DNA sequences, profiles. I got nervous. This was crossing a line, but they offered more money, so I agreed.”
“What did you give them?”
“Samples of your baby’s DNA, your DNA, the donor’s DNA, your husband’s, too. They got very interested in Tyler’s DNA, they said it was exactly what they needed. They asked for all of your private information—names, address, and your complete files.”
“What did you do?”
“I told them I was uneasy and they offered me fifteen thousand dollars.”
“You took it?”
“I thought this was a start at clearing some of Brad’s debts and rebuilding our lives, so I took the money and I gave them everything. I kept working with them until your tragedy.”
“What happened?”
Polly pulled on her cigarette.
“I was getting so scared. I knew I was acting in denial, that I didn’t want to know what was going on because I needed the money. But my conscience ate at me. Finally, I demanded to know what was happening. They said their ‘research’ was going on around the world, that it was part of a ‘major operation’ and that I couldn’t tell anyone because I was implicated and there would be consequences.”
“What did you do?”
“I started freaking out, asking, What did I get myself into?”
“Did you go to the police?”
“I was afraid. I was sure I was being followed, the house was being watched. I started making errors at work. But I thought I was okay when the clinic got your notification.”
“My notification?”
“We monitor and update all of our client files, like whenever there’s a miscarriage, a stillbirth or a crib death we update the file. When your doctor alerted us to your terrible crash, your husband’s death and Tyler’s death, I was sad. But also—and oh, God forgive me—I was relieved because I thought that this would end my dealings with the study group.”
“What do you mean?”
“At that time they’d called demanding more DNA information on Tyler’s file. I told them I was finished with them because Tyler had just died in a car accident. They said, ‘Oh we know about that. Your information is incorrect. We’ve recovered that case.’ And I said, ‘What do you mean you’ve recovered that case?’ and they said, ‘That child is actually alive. Our work continues.’”
“What!”
“I was so terrified, so overcome with guilt. I called you to somehow let you know that your baby is alive.”
“Who are these people, Polly?”
“I’m so sorry. Come back tomorrow, I’ll give you my files. I’m so messed up with Brad and everything. I need to sleep.”
“Wait! Polly, what