Chapter 8: The Two Babies
Daniel read the document again.
Then he enlarged it.
The hospital logo was genuine.
The date matched Lily's birthday.
And the signature at the bottom belonged to a physician who had worked at St. Mary's Medical Center for more than twenty years.
Marcus took the phone.
“What's Emily Hale?””
Daniel pointed to the document.
“Another baby.””
Vanessa stepped closer.
“Let me see.””
He pulled the phone away.
“Why?””
“Because I recognize the name.””
Daniel stared at her.
“From where?””
Vanessa looked toward the window.
“Richard Hale has a daughter named Emily.””
The room went silent.
Marcus slowly lowered his head.
“You're telling me Hale's daughter might be connected to Lily's birth?””
Vanessa nodded.
“She's around the same age as Lily.””
Daniel looked back at the document.
Two infants.
One identification error.
One family with an enormous inheritance.
Another family with a child who had grown up believing she belonged somewhere else.
“Who sent this?””
He checked the email address.
There was no name.
Only a temporary account.
A second attachment appeared.
It was a photograph of two hospital bassinets.
Each had a small identification card.
The first read:
*BABY CARTER — RACHEL CARTER.*
The second:
*BABY HALE — EMILY HALE.*
Daniel felt his legs weaken.
He looked at Lily.
She was standing beside Marcus, holding her mother's photograph.
“Daddy, why are you sad?””
He crouched.
“I'm okay, sweetheart.””
“Are we going to find Mommy's friend?””
“Yes.””
“Will she know where Mommy is?””
Daniel swallowed.
“She might know some things about her.””
Lily nodded.
Then she touched his cheek.
“Don't cry, Daddy.””
He closed his eyes.
That small gesture nearly destroyed him.
He hugged her tightly.
When he stood, Vanessa was looking at him with tears in her eyes.
“Daniel, I need to tell you something about that hospital.””
He turned.
“What?””
“Rachel once told me that she remembered a nurse saying something strange about her birth.””
“What nurse?””
“An older woman named Patricia.””
Daniel frowned.
“Patricia Reed?””
Vanessa nodded.
“My mother.””
He stared.
“Your mother worked at St. Mary's?””
“She was a maternity nurse for thirty-two years.””
Daniel looked at the document.
“Did she know about the two babies?””
Vanessa shook her head.
“She died before Rachel found the records.””
Marcus checked the time.
“Then we need to go to the hospital.””
Daniel nodded.
He called Catherine Brooks again and explained the new evidence.
She listened carefully.
“Do not accuse anyone of a crime based on an unverified document,” she said.
“But this is enough to justify requesting the original maternity records.””
“Can you come with us?””
“I can meet you there. I'll also contact the hospital's legal department.””
Daniel ended the call.
They left the old house together.
At St. Mary's, Catherine was waiting near the main entrance.
She was in her early forties, with short brown hair and a leather briefcase.
“Daniel.””
He shook her hand.
“This is Vanessa Reed.””
Catherine studied Vanessa for a moment.
“I know who you are.””
Vanessa looked uncomfortable.
“I'm sure you do.””
Catherine turned toward Daniel.
“I've spoken with the hospital administrator. They can confirm that two infants were born within minutes of each other on the date in question. However, the original identification records are archived.””
“Can we see them?””
“Not without authorization.””
Daniel showed her the document.
Catherine examined it carefully.
“Where did you get this?””
“Email.””
“From whom?””
“I don't know.””
She looked at the signature.
“This appears to be a copy of an internal incident report.””
Vanessa leaned closer.
“Then the hospital knew?””
Catherine nodded.
“It appears someone reported an identification discrepancy.””
Daniel felt his chest tighten.
“Did they correct it?””
Catherine didn't answer immediately.
She looked at the administrator.
“Can we speak privately?””
They were taken into a small conference room.
The administrator, a gray-haired woman named Linda Foster, sat across from them.
“I understand you're asking about a historical maternity incident,” she began.
Daniel nodded.
“My daughter was born here. Her name is Lily Carter.””
Linda opened a folder.
“I'm sorry, Mr. Carter. I can confirm that the hospital has a record of a patient named Rachel Carter delivering a baby girl on the date you've provided.””
“And another baby?””
Linda glanced at Catherine.
“Yes. Another patient delivered a baby girl within the same period.””
“Emily Hale?””
Linda looked surprised.
“I cannot confirm another patient's private medical information.””
Daniel placed the incident report on the table.
“Then explain this.””
Linda read it.
Her expression changed.
“I've never seen this document.””
“Can you check the archive?””
Linda stood.
“I'll need some time.””
Catherine followed her into the hallway.
Daniel remained with Vanessa.
He looked at her.
“Your mother worked here.””
“Yes.””
“Did she ever mention Rachel?””
Vanessa shook her head.
“She knew the name Carter. But she never explained why.””
“Did she know Grace?””
Vanessa hesitated.
“My mother and Grace were friends.””
Daniel sat back.
“What?””
“They met while working at the hospital. Grace had been admitted several times during her pregnancy. My mother helped her when she was having difficulty.””
Daniel stared.
“So Patricia knew Rachel's biological mother.””
Vanessa nodded.
“And she knew Thomas Carter.””
“Did she know about the affair?””
“I think so.””
Daniel looked at the hospital document.
“Then your mother might have known what happened to those babies.””
Vanessa's eyes filled.
“She left me a box of personal papers after she died. I never opened all of it.””
Daniel turned toward her.
“Where is it?””
“At my apartment.””
“Then we're going there.””
Vanessa nodded.
A few minutes later, Linda returned.
She carried a thin folder.
“Mr. Carter, I found something.””
Daniel stood.
“What?””
Linda placed the folder on the table.
Inside were two birth records.
The first belonged to Rachel Carter.
The second belonged to Emily Hale.
But there was something unusual.
Both records contained handwritten corrections.
The first listed Rachel as the biological child of Grace Ellis.
The second listed Emily as the biological child of Patricia Reed.
Daniel frowned.
“Why was Patricia listed as Emily's mother?””
Linda looked uncomfortable.
“Because Patricia Reed was listed as the attending nurse and emergency guardian during a period when Emily's biological mother was unavailable.””
Vanessa went pale.
“My mother was Emily's guardian?””
Linda nodded.
“For approximately six weeks.””
Daniel stared.
“Why?””
“I don't have that information.””
Catherine examined the paperwork.
“There's a note here.””
She read it aloud.
*Temporary custody pending parental identification and court review.*
Daniel looked at Vanessa.
“Who was Emily's father?””
Vanessa whispered:
“Richard Hale.””
The room went silent.
Linda cleared her throat.
“I think we need to involve the hospital's legal department.””
Catherine nodded.
“Absolutely.””
But Daniel had noticed something else.
The dates.
Rachel and Emily had been born minutes apart.
Yet Emily's records showed that she had been transferred to another hospital two days later.
Lily's records showed no transfer.
He looked at the document.
“Where is Emily now?””
Linda shook her head.
“I can't disclose that.””
Vanessa suddenly spoke.
“She lives with Richard.””
Daniel turned.
“How do you know?””
“I've met her.””
“How old is she?””
“Twenty-eight.””
Daniel stared.
“That's Lily's age?””
“No. Lily is six.””
Daniel frowned.
Vanessa quickly corrected herself.
“Sorry. I mean the ages match the birth records. Emily is six years old.””
Daniel felt a chill.
“Richard has a six-year-old daughter?””
Vanessa nodded.
“He and his wife adopted her.””
Daniel stared at the document.
“Why would he adopt a baby who was already his?””
Vanessa shook her head.
“I don't know.””
Catherine closed the folder.
“We need the original records. There may have been an administrative error, but we cannot assume what happened.””
Daniel looked toward Linda.
“Can you contact the doctor who signed this?””
Linda checked the name.
“Dr. Samuel Price.””
“Is he still alive?””
“Yes. He's retired, but he occasionally consults here.””
Catherine immediately asked for his contact details.
Linda hesitated.
“I'm afraid I can't provide his personal number.””
“Then please tell him we're requesting a formal interview through counsel.””
Linda nodded.
As they left the conference room, Daniel's phone vibrated.
A text from an unknown number.
*UNKNOWN:* Stop looking into the birth records. You're hurting two innocent children.
Daniel typed a reply.
*DANIEL:* Who is this?
The response came immediately.
*UNKNOWN:* Someone who knows what happened in that maternity ward.
Then another message appeared.
*UNKNOWN:* Lily is yours. But not in the way you think.
Daniel stopped walking.
He read it again.
Vanessa noticed his expression.
“What is it?””
He showed her.
Her face went white.
Before she could speak, a woman approached from the far end of the corridor.
She wore a beige coat and carried a small handbag.
Her eyes were fixed on Daniel.
“Mr. Carter?””
He turned.
“Yes?””
The woman approached slowly.
“My name is Grace Ellis.””
Daniel felt his breath catch.
Rachel's biological mother.
The woman who had supposedly abandoned her.
The woman whose letter had been hidden behind a mirror for thirty years.
Grace looked at Vanessa.
Then at the photograph in Daniel's hand.
“Have you found the two birth records?””
Daniel nodded.
Grace closed her eyes.
“Then the truth has finally reached you.””
He stepped forward.
“Tell me what happened.””
Grace looked toward the hospital's maternity wing.
“Your wife was never supposed to discover that the babies had been switched.””
Daniel stared at her.
“Switched?””
Grace nodded.
“But that wasn't the worst part.””
May you like
She looked directly at him.
“Because Lily wasn't the baby who was supposed to leave the hospital with you.””
