Chương 2
Security officer Mark Delaney appeared at the NICU doors, accompanied by Dana Pike, the on-call hospital social worker. Delaney was a heavy man with careful manners and a habit of resting his hands far from his belt when dealing with frightened families. Tonight his attention went immediately to Earl.
Dana noticed.
“Mr. Ransom,” she said, “I need you to step into the consultation room with us.”
“I’m leaving.”
“Not until we clarify how you entered a secured unit and why your name appears on the mother’s paperwork.”
“I was buzzed in.”
“By whom?”
Earl looked toward Claire.
Claire felt heat rise beneath her collar. She had authorized his entry after finding his name on the form and hearing him say Lena had called him from the ambulance. She had then ordered him to remain away from the bassinets until they verified his relationship. Ten minutes later, Baby Girl Reed’s oxygen saturation had dropped during a prolonged crying spell. Earl had stood by the glass with his hands clenched, listening.
He had asked, once, if he could speak to her.
Claire had refused.
He had begun humming anyway, barely audible, an old marching cadence stripped of words. The baby’s crying had thinned. Claire had told herself it was timing. Then the infant’s numbers dipped again, and Dr. Shah had allowed Earl closer under supervision.
Nothing about the situation had followed the shape Claire preferred.
“I admitted him,” she said.
Dana’s expression remained neutral. “Then we’ll clarify that too.”
Earl looked at Claire, not with gratitude. If anything, he seemed irritated that she had stepped between him and blame.
“I’m going to find Lena,” he said.
“You are not law enforcement,” Dana replied.
“Good. She’d hang up on law enforcement.”
“She may be medically unstable.”
“That’s why I’m going.”
Delaney shifted his weight. “Sir, we can’t let you take hospital information and conduct your own search.”
“I don’t need hospital information.”
“What do you have?”
Earl glanced at the desk phone. “A guess.”
Dana folded her arms. “A mother has abandoned inpatient care less than forty-eight hours after an emergency delivery. Child protective services has been notified. Hospital counsel has been notified. The police have been asked to locate her for a welfare check. This is not a private family matter anymore.”
Earl’s eyes hardened. “It stopped being private when everybody decided she was guilty before asking why she ran.”
Claire felt the sentence as if it had been aimed at her, though he was looking at Dana.
Dana did not retreat. “And a premature infant cannot be protected by promises nobody can verify.”
“I can verify mine.”
“That isn’t what I said.”
For a moment, Claire thought Earl might push past them. His body seemed built for direct solutions—doors opened, obstacles moved, weight carried until it gave way. Instead he rubbed his thumb over the side of his index finger, a small repetitive motion that did nothing to stop the tremor.
“Jonah’s parents are coming,” he said.
Dana’s eyes narrowed. “How do you know?”
“Hal called me twelve times tonight.”
“Did you answer?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“Because I know what he sounds like when he thinks grief has appointed him sheriff.”
Delaney exhaled through his nose. It might have been amusement. He covered it by adjusting his radio.
Dana said, “Mr. and Mrs. Reed are the infant’s paternal grandparents, assuming paternity can be established.”
“It can.”
“Not by a name on a necklace.”
Earl’s gaze dropped to her badge. “You got kids, Ms. Pike?”
Dana’s face changed almost imperceptibly.
Claire stepped in. “That’s enough.”
Earl looked at her. “You asked me why she was holding a dead soldier’s name.”
“And I shouldn’t have asked it that way.”
“No. You shouldn’t have asked it loud enough for half the unit to hear.”
The shame came cleanly this time. Claire did not defend herself.
Behind them, the monitor alarmed. Dr. Shah raised one hand, signaling that she had the situation. The baby’s oxygen level recovered within seconds.
Earl turned toward the sound.
Dana watched him. “If you leave, I cannot promise you’ll be readmitted tonight.”
“You couldn’t promise that if I stayed.”
“No.”
At least the answer was honest.
Earl reached beneath the gown and pulled out the second dog tag. It was less damaged than Jonah’s. EARL RANSOM, the metal read. He separated the chains, removed Jonah’s tag, and held it toward Claire.
She did not take it immediately.
“You’re giving this to me?”
“I’m not taking it out there.”
“Why not?”
His eyes moved to the bassinet. “Because it’s hers. Just not yet.”
Claire accepted the tag. It was warm from his body, one edge blackened and warped.
“Put it in her property envelope,” he said. “Not around her neck. Not in the bassinet. I know what a choking hazard is.”
“I wasn’t going to suggest—”
“I know.”
His voice softened just enough to make the interruption worse.
He stripped off the disposable gown, dropped it in the proper bin, and walked toward the secure doors. Delaney moved aside after Dana gave a reluctant nod.
Claire followed him into the vestibule.
“Mr. Ransom.”
He stopped but did not turn.
“The east terminal announcement,” she said. “They announce departures by bay number. The north terminal uses route numbers.”
Now he faced her.
Claire held his gaze. “That isn’t protected medical information. It’s something I heard.”
“You helping me?”
“I’m helping a patient who may have severe postpartum hypertension.”
“And the baby?”
“She has an entire team.”
His expression made clear what he thought of teams.
Claire added, “Find Lena. Call emergency services. Do not try to bring her back yourself if she’s confused, bleeding, short of breath, or complaining of a severe headache.”
“I know what sick looks like.”
“Not always. None of us do.”
Something in that answer reached him. His shoulders dropped a little.
“What do you think Hal threatened?” Claire asked.
Earl pushed the elevator button. “To take the baby.”
“Can he?”
May you like
“Not tonight.”
“Then why would she believe him?”
