Chapter 7: The Doctor Who Finally Told the Truth
Dr. Patricia Morgan stood in my father's entrance hall with tears running down her cheeks.
She looked nothing like the confident woman who had reassured me throughout my pregnancy.
Her expensive coat was soaked from the rain. Her hands trembled around a leather handbag, and she kept glancing toward the police officers standing behind her.
My father stepped forward.
"Dr. Morgan, you have some explaining to do.""
She swallowed.
"I know.""
"Did you falsify my daughter's medical records?""
She looked at me.
"Danielle, I'm so sorry.""
I stood up, leaving Grace safely in her bassinet.
"Don't apologize. Tell me what happened.""
Dr. Morgan began crying harder.
"I was approached by Daniel approximately five months before your delivery. He told me he was concerned about your financial situation and wanted to make arrangements for the baby's future.""
I stared at her.
"Daniel and I weren't having financial problems.""
"I know that now.""
"Then why did you help him?""
She lowered her eyes.
"Because he showed me documents suggesting that your family had agreed to a private medical arrangement.""
My father folded his arms.
"What arrangement?""
She opened her handbag and removed a thick envelope.
"An arrangement involving a newborn.""
Helen Carter immediately stepped forward.
"Before you say anything else, you need to understand that this conversation is being documented.""
Dr. Morgan nodded.
"I understand.""
She handed the envelope to Helen.
Inside were several printed emails, payment records, and copies of medical forms.
Helen examined the first document.
"These payments came from Whitmore Development Group.""
My father looked at the figures.
"How much?""
"Approximately $175,000," Helen replied.
My stomach twisted.
I looked at Dr. Morgan.
"Why did Daniel pay you?""
She wiped her face.
"He wanted access to your medical information and authorization records. He also wanted to ensure that a particular discharge procedure could be arranged without your direct involvement.""
"What procedure?""
She hesitated.
"Danielle, the night Grace was born, there was another newborn at the hospital.""
I felt my knees weaken.
"What?""
"A baby boy. His mother had complications during delivery and was receiving emergency treatment. The child was temporarily placed in the neonatal observation unit.""
My father stepped closer.
"Get to the point.""
Dr. Morgan took a shaky breath.
"Daniel arranged for Melissa Collins, a hospital contractor, to remove Grace from your room under the pretense of a routine examination.""
I grabbed the back of a chair.
"Where did she take my daughter?""
"She returned with another bassinet.""
The room became silent.
I stared at her.
"You switched my baby?""
Dr. Morgan covered her mouth.
"I didn't personally carry out the exchange. But I knew the plan involved moving the babies between rooms.""
A terrible sound escaped my throat.
"No.""
Helen immediately moved beside me.
"Danielle, breathe.""
I couldn't.
My daughter.
My tiny girl.
The child I'd held against my chest every night.
The child whose fingers wrapped around mine.
Had someone taken her?
My father looked at Dr. Morgan.
"Where is the other baby?""
She shook her head.
"I don't know.""
"You're telling me someone may have switched two newborns, and you don't know where either child went?""
"I was told the arrangement had been canceled before the final discharge.""
I stared at her.
"Then why did you let me take Grace home?""
She began sobbing.
"Because Daniel told me the situation had been corrected.""
My father turned toward the police officers.
"Arrest her if you have sufficient grounds. I want every person involved identified.""
Dr. Morgan suddenly reached into her handbag.
One officer stepped forward.
"Ma'am, don't move.""
She froze.
Then she slowly removed a small USB drive.
"I brought this because I couldn't live with it anymore.""
Helen accepted it.
"What's on it?""
"An audio recording. Daniel made it during one of our meetings. He didn't know I kept a copy.""
We connected the drive to the laptop.
A man's voice filled the room.
Daniel.
The important thing is that Danielle never sees the original paperwork. Once the trust is activated, we can move the money without involving her.
A second voice responded.
Vanessa.
And what happens to the baby?
Daniel laughed.
The baby stays with Danielle. Nobody is taking her daughter. We just need the documents.
I felt a strange relief.
But it lasted only a moment.
Vanessa's voice returned.
What about the other child?
Daniel answered.
That part is already handled. Melissa knows what to do.
The recording ended.
Nobody spoke.
Then Helen replayed the final section.
I heard something in the background.
A telephone ringing.
Daniel answered.
"Yes?""
A woman's voice came through.
Mr. Brooks, there's been a problem with the newborn transfer.
Daniel's tone changed.
"What problem?""
The baby's identification bands don't match the paperwork.
A long silence followed.
Then Daniel said something that made my blood run cold.
Then make sure nobody checks them again.
The recording stopped.
My father slowly turned toward Dr. Morgan.
"Where is Melissa Collins now?""
She looked at him with terrified eyes.
"She disappeared three days after Grace was discharged.""
I stared at the screen.
Then my phone vibrated.
An unknown number.
A photograph appeared.
It showed a little boy, approximately three weeks old, sleeping in a white hospital blanket.
Beneath the photograph was one sentence.
*If you want to know which baby you brought home, ask Daniel about the blue bracelet.*
I looked at my daughter's wrist.
She was wearing a tiny pink hospital bracelet I'd kept as a memory.
But I suddenly remembered something.
On the night Grace was born, Daniel had insisted that the hospital remove the original identification band before we left.
May you like
He'd told me it was uncomfortable for her.
And now I understood why.
