Chapter 6: The Woman Who Answered My Husband's Phone
Detective Cole photographed the record before placing it inside a protective folder.
“Mrs. Carter, I need you to remain calm while we establish exactly how that consent was recorded.””
I almost laughed.
Remain calm.
My husband had allegedly impersonated me, my newborn daughter was missing, and another woman's child had been left in the wrong bassinet.
Calm was no longer a word I understood.
“He used his phone number,” I said.
“He pretended to be me.””
“We have evidence that a consent entry was made using a number associated with your husband. We still need to determine who entered it and what information was provided.””
“Who else could it be?””
Detective Cole held my gaze.
“I won't rule anyone out before we verify the facts.””
She stepped into the hallway to speak with her team.
Camille remained beside my bed while the records supervisor left to preserve the original documentation.
Ethan sat with his hands tucked beneath his thighs, staring at the floor.
Denise had moved closer to the bassinet, though she kept a careful distance from the newborn.
Nobody spoke for nearly a minute.
Then Ethan looked up.
“Mom, does Dad hate June?””
The question cut through me.
“No, baby.””
I answered automatically.
Then I stopped.
I couldn't explain Luke's actions, and I couldn't promise Ethan that his father hadn't done something terrible.
So I drew him close.
“I don't know why your dad did what he did. But none of this is your fault, and none of it is June's fault.””
Ethan pressed his face against my shoulder.
“I don't want her to think I didn't protect her.””
I held him tighter.
“You did protect her. You told the truth when it was frightening. You did exactly what you needed to do.””
His shoulders shook.
Across the room, Denise wiped her eyes.
“I hope my daughter has someone brave enough to speak for her, too.””
“You do,” I told her.
“You have us.””
She nodded, but her gaze kept returning to the bassinet.
The newborn stirred again, making a small sound beneath her blanket.
Denise flinched.
“I want to hold my baby.””
Camille approached her gently.
“I know. But we need to establish the baby's identity first. Holding her before we complete the verification could complicate the process.””
Denise closed her eyes.
“I understand.””
Her voice broke.
“I just don't know how much more waiting I can do.””
Neither did I.
A few minutes later, Detective Cole returned.
“We've located Dr. Reed.””
I sat straighter.
“Where is he?””
“He left the hospital about twenty minutes ago. Security footage shows him exiting through the staff parking area.””
“Did he take June?””
“We haven't established that.””
“Then why did he leave?””
“He says he had finished his shift.””
“Was he on duty?””
“According to the schedule, yes.””
Detective Cole glanced at her notes.
“He's agreed to speak with investigators, but we're still trying to locate him.””
I felt anger rise through my exhaustion.
“He can agree to talk while my baby is missing?””
“We're taking steps to locate him and verify his account.””
“Your steps aren't bringing June back!””
My voice echoed against the walls.
Camille rested a hand on my arm.
“Breathe with me.””
I shook my head.
“No. Everyone keeps telling me to breathe, to stay calm, to wait. I don't want another explanation. I want someone to find my daughter.””
Detective Cole waited until my breathing steadied.
“I understand. We've expanded the search to include the service corridors, staff areas, and the building's exits. We're also checking whether either infant was transported outside the hospital.””
My blood ran cold.
“Outside?””
“We haven't confirmed that either baby left the building.””
“But you think it's possible.””
“We have to investigate the possibility.””
I turned toward the window.
Beyond the glass, cars moved along the hospital entrance. People carried flowers, balloons, and overnight bags. Families were arriving to meet their babies and leaving with them tucked safely against their chests.
Somewhere out there, someone might know where June was.
Someone might have seen her.
Someone might be holding her.
And every minute that passed made the silence more unbearable.
Detective Cole's phone rang again.
She answered, listened, then looked toward the doorway.
“Put him through.””
A man's voice came faintly through the speaker.
“I don't know anything about a missing baby.””
Detective Cole straightened.
“Dr. Reed, this is Detective Cole. You were identified as the person whose credentials were used to amend an infant's identification record this morning.””
“That wasn't me.””
“Did you authorize anyone to use your credentials?””
“No.””
“Then how do you explain the audit record?””
“I can't explain it. I was seeing patients.””
“Were you involved in a transfer involving June Carter or Amara Brooks?””
There was a pause.
“No.””
“Did you speak to Luke Carter this morning?””
Silence.
Detective Cole repeated the question.
“Dr. Reed, did you speak to Luke Carter?””
“I speak to plenty of patients' relatives.””
“Did you speak to him about either newborn?””
The answer came more quietly.
“I need to speak with my attorney.””
Detective Cole ended the call.
I stared at her.
“Another one asking for a lawyer.””
“That's his right.””
“Does everyone in this hospital know something except me?””
She didn't answer immediately.
Then she said, “We're investigating whether someone deliberately manipulated the identification records. It may involve more than one person.””
Denise sank into her chair.
“Why would anyone do that to two babies?””
No one could answer.
Then my own phone vibrated on the bedside table.
I glanced at the screen.
An unknown number.
For one irrational second, I thought it might be June's location. Perhaps someone had found her and was calling to tell me she was safe.
I reached for it.
Detective Cole noticed.
“Mrs. Carter, please wait.””
But I had already answered.
“Hello?””
A woman's voice came through the speaker.
“Is this Naomi Carter?””
“Yes. Who is this?””
“My name is Tasha. I work with Dr. Reed.””
Detective Cole immediately gestured for me to put the call on speaker.
I did.
Tasha's breathing was uneven.
“I shouldn't be calling you. I don't even know if I should have your number, but I heard what happened, and I think I need to tell you something.””
My fingers tightened around the phone.
“Where is my daughter?””
“I don't know where she is.””
“Then what do you know?””
“I saw Luke this morning.””
Detective Cole moved closer.
“Where did you see him?””
Tasha hesitated.
“In the records corridor. He was talking to Dr. Reed. They were arguing.””
“About what?””
“I couldn't hear everything, but I heard Luke say, 'You promised she'd never find out.''”
I felt as though someone had punched the air from my lungs.
Detective Cole spoke firmly.
“Tasha, this is Detective Cole. I need you to tell me exactly what you witnessed, without guessing or adding anything you didn't hear.””
“I understand.””
“Did you see a baby?””
“No. But I saw Luke carrying a hospital blanket when he came out of the corridor.””
“Was it pink?””
A pause.
“Yes.””
Denise covered her mouth.
Detective Cole asked another question.
“Did you see Dr. Reed leave with him?””
“No. Dr. Reed stayed behind.””
“Did you hear anything else?””
Tasha's breathing grew faster.
“Yes. Luke said, 'If she finds out who the father is, she'll destroy both our lives.''”
The room seemed to shrink around me.
I stared at the phone.
“Who is the father?”” I whispered.
Nobody answered.
Tasha made a small, frightened sound.
“Mrs. Carter, there's something else.””
Detective Cole leaned toward the speaker.
“What is it?””
“I found a file on the shared workstation after they left. It had been left open. I saw Naomi's name and the baby's name.””
My hands went numb.
“What did it say?””
“I didn't read all of it. I was afraid someone would come back. But there was a genetic test attached.””
I couldn't feel my legs.
“A genetic test?””
“Yes.””
Detective Cole's expression sharpened.
“Do you still have access to that file?””
“No. It disappeared when I returned to the workstation. Someone must have removed it.””
“Did you photograph it?””
A long silence followed.
Then Tasha whispered, “I took one picture before it disappeared.””
My heart pounded.
“Please send it to the detective,” I said.
“Please. Whatever it says, I need to know.””
“I will.””
The call ended.
Detective Cole immediately gave her team the information and asked them to preserve the hospital's electronic records.
I stared at the blank screen.
Genetic test.
The phrase carried me back to the final weeks of my pregnancy, when Luke had started behaving strangely. He'd asked whether my family had any history of inherited illnesses. He'd questioned the dates of my prenatal appointments. He'd even asked whether the hospital had ever repeated a blood sample because of a labeling error.
At the time, I'd thought he was nervous about becoming a father again.
Now every conversation felt like a warning I hadn't understood.
Detective Cole sat beside me.
“Naomi, I need you to tell me something. Did you and Luke ever have reason to question June's paternity?””
I stared at her.
“No.””
“Did he ever accuse you of being unfaithful?””
“No.””
“Did he ever suggest that a genetic test might reveal something unexpected?””
I hesitated.
Once.
Only once.
Three weeks earlier, Luke had come home late and stood in the doorway of our bedroom while I folded baby clothes.
He'd asked me whether I had ever kept a secret from him that could destroy our family.
I'd laughed nervously and asked what he meant.
He'd said it didn't matter.
Then he'd asked me to promise that if a doctor ever gave us unexpected test results, I would listen to him before making any decisions.
I had promised.
Because I loved him.
Because I believed there was nothing in our marriage that could survive only through silence.
I looked at Detective Cole.
“He asked me to promise I'd listen to him if we ever received unexpected genetic results.””
“What did you say?””
“I said I would.””
“And did he tell you why?””
“No.””
My voice broke.
“I thought he was scared about being a father again.””
Detective Cole's expression softened, but she didn't offer false reassurance.
“Until we see the test and verify its authenticity, we cannot draw conclusions from it.””
I nodded, though my mind was already racing.
If Luke believed the genetic results could destroy our family, perhaps that explained why he had taken June.
Perhaps he believed she wasn't his daughter.
Perhaps he'd tried to replace her with a baby he believed belonged to someone else.
The thought made me sick.
But one question remained.
Why would he take June instead of simply telling me the truth?
Before I could speak, Detective Cole's phone chimed.
She read the incoming message.
Then she looked at me.
“Tasha has sent the photograph.””
“What's it say?””
Detective Cole didn't answer immediately.
She enlarged the image on her screen, studying the document.
Then she turned it toward me.
At the top was my name.
Below it was June's.
And beside a section labeled *PATERNITY ANALYSIS*, a result had been highlighted.
I read it once.
Then again.
The words wouldn't stay still.
*Probability of paternity: 0.00%.*
I gripped the edge of the bed.
“No.””
Detective Cole lowered the phone slightly.
“This is an image of a document. We still need to authenticate it and verify whose samples were tested.””
“No,” I repeated.
“Luke is her father.””
Ethan looked up at me, frightened.
I reached for him, but my hands were shaking too badly to pull him close.
Detective Cole studied the photograph again.
“There's another name listed under the tested male sample.””
I could barely speak.
“Whose?””
She looked at the screen.
Then she looked at me.
“The report identifies the tested male as Luke Carter.””
“That doesn't make sense.””
“It could reflect a genuine result, a mislabeled sample, or an altered document. We have to establish which.””
I stared at the photograph.
Luke had known something.
He had known enough to ask me for a promise. Enough to speak to Dr. Reed. Enough to take June from the maternity unit and arrange a transfer under false pretenses.
But if he believed June wasn't his biological daughter, why had he gone to such lengths to conceal the truth?
And whose child was he trying to bring back?
My phone vibrated again.
This time, the message came from a number I recognized immediately.
Luke's.
Detective Cole looked at me before I opened it.
“Don't respond yet,” she said.
“Let me see the message first.””
I turned the screen toward her.
The text contained only one sentence.
*Naomi, don't trust the DNA report. June is my daughter—but if you find out whose baby is in that bassinet, you'll understand why I had to switch them.*
I read it twice.
Then I looked toward the clear bassinet, where the newborn slept beneath her blanket.
The baby we'd all been trying to identify.
The baby Ethan had insisted wasn't his sister.
And the baby Luke had apparently placed in June's position.
My husband had finally admitted there had been a switch.
May you like
But he was still hiding the reason.
And somewhere in that hospital, June was still missing.