Chapter 3 - The Mother Who Was Told to Disappear
Dana Brooks did not bring Shelby Nolan into the NICU immediately.
She first asked Wade to place the baby back in the incubator.
“I’m not handing him over until I understand what’s happening,” Wade said.
“You are not his guardian,” Dana replied. “You’re a volunteer.”
Wade’s eyes hardened.
“And whoever threatened his mother isn’t his guardian either.”
Dr. Hale stepped between them before the argument could grow.
“Mr. Holden, Baby Nolan needs to remain inside the incubator while we evaluate the situation.”
Wade looked down at the child.
The baby’s face had tightened again, sensing the tension in the room.
Wade lowered his voice.
“You’re safe, little bear.”
Then, with visible reluctance, he allowed Rachel to lift the infant from his chest.
The moment Baby Nolan lost contact with Wade, he began to cry.
Shelby heard him from the corridor.
“No!”
The glass doors opened.
A thin young woman rushed toward bed nine before security caught her by both arms.
Her brown hair was tangled, her sweatshirt was stained, and a dark bruise curved beneath her left eye. She could not have been older than twenty-two.
“That’s my baby!” she screamed. “Let me see him!”
Dana stepped in front of her.
“Shelby, calm down.”
“Don’t tell me to calm down! He’s crying!”
The infant’s monitor began flashing.
Rachel moved quickly to steady him while Dr. Hale checked the readings.
Wade stood from the rocking chair.
The movement caused every security officer to tense.
Shelby saw him.
Her face drained of color.
She stumbled backward.
“No.”
Wade stopped.
Shelby pointed at him with a shaking hand.
“He sent you.”
The room went silent.
Wade’s expression became unreadable.
“Who sent me?”
“Don’t lie.”
“I’ve never seen you before.”
Shelby looked toward security.
“Get him away from my son!”
One officer moved between them.
Wade did not resist.
He only watched her.
“Who do you think I work for?” he asked.
Shelby pressed both hands against her mouth.
Dana gently took her arm.
“Shelby, you told me a man threatened you. Is Mr. Holden that man?”
Shelby shook her head rapidly.
“No. But they said someone big would come.”
Wade glanced at Rachel.
“Someone big?”
Shelby stared at his tattoos.
“They said a man covered in ink would finish it if I came back.”
Wade’s jaw tightened.
“What exactly did they tell you?”
Dana raised her hand.
“You don’t question her.”
“I’m trying to determine whether that threat has anything to do with me.”
“It doesn’t,” Shelby shouted. “I don’t know you.”
“Then answer the question.”
His voice was calm, but its weight silenced everyone.
Shelby’s eyes filled with tears.
“A man came into my room after I delivered.”
“When?”
“Maybe an hour later. I was still dizzy. I thought he was hospital staff because he wore scrubs.”
Rachel looked sharply at Dr. Hale.
“Did she report this?”
Shelby laughed bitterly.
“To who? He took my phone.”
“What did he look like?” Wade asked.
“He had dark hair. A scar near his mouth. He knew my name. He knew where my mother lived.”
Dana opened the folder.
“You told me he demanded that you leave the hospital.”
Shelby nodded.
“He said if I signed the papers and disappeared, my baby would be placed with a family. He said they wanted him healthy.”
Rachel’s face changed.
“What family?”
“I don’t know.”
“And if you refused?” Wade asked.
Shelby looked through the incubator wall at her son.
“He said premature babies die every day.”
Emily whispered, “Oh, my God.”
Shelby wiped her face.
“I thought he would kill him if I stayed. So I left.”
Rachel’s voice softened.
“Why didn’t you call police after you were away from the hospital?”
“I tried. A man followed me.”
“How do you know?”
“The same black car was outside every place I went. When I used a pay phone, the driver held up a picture of my mother’s house.”
Dana added, “Shelby slept in an abandoned bus depot for three nights. A shelter worker found her and contacted us.”
Wade turned toward the security officer.
“Lock down the unit.”
The officer frowned.
“You don’t give orders here.”
“Then consider it advice from a man who recognizes an organized abduction.”
Dr. Hale looked at Dana.
“Could someone be trying to take the baby through the foster system?”
Dana’s face was pale.
“It has happened before. Falsified documents. Private adoption brokers. Vulnerable mothers pressured into surrendering custody.”
Shelby shook her head.
“I never agreed to give him away.”
Dana looked down at the folder.
“The abandonment report says you verbally surrendered him.”
“I didn’t.”
“It contains a nurse’s signature.”
Rachel crossed the room.
“Which nurse?”
Dana showed her the page.
Rachel stared at the name.
“Lydia Marsh.”
Emily frowned.
“There’s no Lydia Marsh in this unit.”
“There hasn’t been for years,” Rachel said.
Dr. Hale took the document.
“Lydia Marsh retired seven years ago.”
Wade’s eyes narrowed.
“Someone used an old employee’s identity.”
A sharp alarm sounded at bed nine.
Baby Nolan’s oxygen level dropped.
Shelby lunged forward.
“My baby!”
Dr. Hale opened the incubator.
“Everyone step back.”
Rachel adjusted the oxygen line while Emily checked the infant’s airway.
Shelby began sobbing.
“Please save him.”
Wade stood behind the security officer, every muscle in his body rigid.
Dr. Hale worked quickly.
“Heart rate is falling.”
Rachel reached for a respiratory mask.
“Come on, sweetheart.”
The monitor continued sounding.
Shelby collapsed into Dana’s arms.
“No, no, no.”
Wade closed his eyes.
For one terrible second, he was no longer inside the modern NICU.
He was twenty-three years younger, watching doctors surround Samuel’s incubator.
He heard Clara screaming.
He heard a monitor flatten.
He felt a plastic hospital bracelet being pressed into his palm.
Wade opened his eyes.
“Talk to him,” he said.
Rachel glanced over.
“What?”
“He knows her voice.”
Dr. Hale nodded.
“Shelby, come closer. Speak calmly.”
Shelby approached the incubator on trembling legs.
She pressed both hands against the clear wall.
“Baby, it’s Mom.”
Her voice broke.
Dr. Hale looked at her.
“Keep going.”
“I’m sorry I left. I’m so sorry. I thought I was protecting you.”
The monitor numbers shifted slightly.
Shelby leaned closer.
“I came back. Do you hear me? I came back for you.”
Wade stepped nearer.
“Tell him his name.”
Shelby looked at him.
“I never chose one.”
“Choose now.”
She stared at her son.
Then she whispered, “Noah.”
The baby’s fingers moved.
Shelby began crying harder.
“Your name is Noah. Noah James Nolan.”
The oxygen number climbed.
Rachel exhaled.
“He’s responding.”
Shelby pressed her forehead to the incubator.
“You’re not alone, Noah. Mommy’s here.”
The heart rate stabilized.
Dr. Hale lowered the mask slightly.
“He’s improving.”
A wave of relief moved through the room.
Wade stepped back.
Shelby looked at him.
“You knew what to do.”
“I knew what I wished someone had done.”
Before she could ask what he meant, the glass doors opened again.
Wade’s brother entered with two security officers behind him.
He wore a dark suit and an expression filled with urgency.
“Wade, we need to speak.”
“Not now, Cole.”
“It is about the man who threatened her.”
Wade turned slowly.
Cole Holden held up his phone.
A surveillance image showed a man in medical scrubs entering the maternity floor on the night Noah was born.
The scar near his mouth was clearly visible.
Shelby gasped.
“That’s him.”
Wade stared at the image.
He knew the face.
“Victor Crane,” he said.
Dana looked between the brothers.
“Who is Victor Crane?”
Cole answered.
“He runs an illegal adoption network through three states.”
May you like
Wade’s expression became colder.
“And six years ago, he worked for me.”
