“No, I asked about the autopsy, but the doctor never showed me the report. He claimed my baby died of heart failure. But the blood type doesn’t match mine or yours.”
A knot of anxiety tightened Gavin’s stomach as he studied her expression. Her story seemed bizarre—could it be true?
“I think someone switched my baby with the infant that didn’t make it. And they tried to cover up the switch.”
“Sounds pretty sinister. Why would someone switch babies?”
A defeated expression darkened her already dull eyes. “Maybe someone kidnapped my baby or adopted him out. Or maybe someone wanted to hurt me or get back at me…” Her voice broke, a wave of tears gushing out.
He ran a hand over his beard stubble, fighting the urge to fold her in his arms. When another tear slipped down her cheek, he lost the battle and actually reached forward. She stiffened immediately and he dropped his hand, trying to decide if she hadn’t accepted the truth about the infant’s death or if the odd events could have happened the way she described. If their child could be alive…
“Did you go to the local police?”
“Yes, but the sheriff in Maple Hollow is as old as Methuselah. He’s been best friends with Dr. Cross since grade school.” She pressed her fingers to her temple. “He assured me nothing strange or illegal ever occurs in Maple Hollow. That Dr. Cross would never lie to a patient.”
“You don’t believe him?”
She shook her head. “I’m not imagining the phone calls, Mac. Or the fact that someone sent me this report.”
Lindsey had slipped and used the nickname she’d whispered that night in bed, but she didn’t even realize it. He stared at his dirty boots. He’d break her heart if he investigated and discovered the doctor had told the truth. But they were talking about his son here. How could he not believe her? Not investigate?
He shifted, agitated. “Maple Hollow isn’t in my jurisdiction, Linds. If the sheriff doesn’t suspect any wrong-doing, he won’t welcome a stranger poking around. Besides, missing persons are usually referred to the FBI.”
She stood so abruptly her chair teetered backwards and hit the wall with a loud thump. “Then you won’t help me?”
Panic rolled through him at the wild, stricken look in her eyes. “I didn’t say that.”
“But you’re not going to, are you? You think I’m some irrational female. That I’m crazy, that I’m making this up.”
“I never said that either.” He clenched his jaw, lowering his voice to a soothing pitch. “I’ve never known you to be irrational.” And he hadn’t. The woman was made of steel—she taught handicapped kids, for God’s sake. And she’d stood up to her ex-husband in court and in front of the man’s family. She had to be tough. But he’d be crazy to get tangled up with her again. Hell, he’d never gotten over her the first time.
“Will you help me?”
The desperation in her voice tore at his soul. “Of course, I’ll help you. You’re talking about our child.” In his mind he pictured her round with his baby. The pain was so intense his knees almost buckled. “Did Faulkner know you were pregnant?”
Lindsey paused, the strain of the day obviously wearing on her. “No.”
“You’re sure? Have you had any contact with his family at all?”
Lindsey sighed. “His mother phoned me a few times before the trial and asked me not to go through with the charges. Then she called once or twice afterward to try and persuade me to recant my testimony. But after I moved from Raleigh, I never heard from them.”
“So, they didn’t know about the baby?”
“I don’t think so. I moved the day after I saw you at the courthouse.” She toyed with a fingernail. “Besides, I never told anyone the name of the baby’s father.”
Including him. Their gazes met, held. He gritted his jaw, the pain once again almost unbearable. Lindsey threaded her fingers together in her lap, looking tired and drawn and too damned thin.
“What about the staff, you said they didn’t see anyone go in your room?”
“That’s right. Only, I went back the week after I was released from the hospital to talk to Janet, the nurse who helped with my delivery, but she’d taken a leave of absence.”
His voice softened. “Even nurses go on vacation, Linds.”
Her face jerked toward him and he saw fear in her eyes, the same fear he’d seen the night he’d crossed the line from duty to pleasure. The night they’d created a son.
“Maybe, but it seemed odd that no one in town knew where Janet went on vacation. Maple Hollow’s so small everyone usually knows everyone else’s business.”
He mulled over that piece of information, trying to piece together a reason someone might kidnap their baby and make her think the child had died, but guilt slammed into him. If he’d been there to take care of her, maybe he could have prevented her premature labor, or if he’d been at the hospital, he could have seen his son himself, protected him…
“What about the other members of the staff?”
“A terrible explosion occurred that night at a local factory. Except for Dr. Cross and the nurse, all the emergency workers were called to help.” She paused.
“Something else odd, happened, too. I heard a girl crying in one of the other rooms at the clinic.”
“Another patient maybe?”
She threw up her hands in frustration and paced to the window. “I thought so, but the doctor claimed I was the only patient that night, that I imagined the other woman.”
He narrowed his eyes. “You’re sure you heard someone else?”
“I’m positive. You know the kids I taught said I had eyes and ears in the back of my head.”
He smiled at the memory. A natural with children, Lindsey would have been a wonderful mother. “Could the woman have been someone from the explosion?”
“No, they transferred all the injuries to the county hospital. The clinic isn’t equipped for major medical emergencies.”
Gavin stood, walked to the window beside her and stared out at the busy street. Thick traffic crawled by, horns honked intermittently, the wail of a siren burst into the strained silence. Sun splashed off the concrete, flickering from a beautiful blue sky. But Gavin had never felt more dismal in his life.
“What’s the sheriff’s take on things?”
“He thinks Dr. Cross invented medicine. He can’t believe anything bad about him.”
“But you’re convinced Cross is involved?”
“I don’t know what to think, Mac, but I feel my son is out there, I hear him crying for me at night in my sleep. I have to know the truth about what happened.”
His gaze dropped to her arms where she’d cradled them around her. His voice softened with sympathy. “Even if it turns out our baby died like the doctor said? Do you want to know that, too, Lindsey?”
“Yes, even then.” Lindsey choked back the tears clogging her throat. “Whatever you find out, I’ll deal with it. But knowing the truth is the only way I can put this ordeal behind me and get on with my life.”
Gavin nodded, his own throat thick. “I’ll talk to Peterson. I’m due a few days vacation. Then we’ll get out of here.” She nodded and he crossed the room and forced himself to leave without touching Lindsey when he wanted to drag her in his arms and hold her, apologize for letting her down, promise her everything would be all right.
But