“I found… something…” he said hesitantly. Fox was glad that Jacob was sitting down. People said that there was news that someone needed to be sitting down. This may have been one of those moments.
Instead of letting it hang there and making Jacob pry, Fox continued to speak. “I checked in on your birth certificate first. But… there were more than a few. It’s not unexpected. People have the same name all the time and they’re not related. Then I fine tuned the search a bit. I found a record of Jacob Sheppard with his parents listed as Simon and Emylee Sheppard… and a record of Jacob Sheppard with his parents listed as Simon Sheppard and a Clara Lewis. Same names aren’t uncommon. Someone with your name having your father listed as your father twice? That’s a little bit too big a stretch for me.”
He reached into the file and pulled out a copy of another certificate. “I started with the mother, first. Emylee Sheppard… she does exist. There’s only one problem. The person listed as your mother, Jacob, also has a death certificate that predates your birth by over twenty years.” With this information, Fox handed Jacob the paper that showed that. “I think… I think someone’s been lying to you…”