Undercover Baby

“I just want Tyler,” she half sobbed. Tears poured down her cheeks. “They said he wasn’t injured in the fall, but maybe the pediatrician has found something wrong after all.”

His lips brushed her moist cheek. “I’ll be right back, my love.”

After he left the room, she breathed more easily. If he touched her again or used more any more endearments, she would ask the nurse to tell him to stay away.

Hurt because she’d winced when he’d kissed her, Cal wheeled out of the cubicle and made a beeline for Dr. Farr who was filling out a chart. At his approach, the doctor looked up.

“How is your wife? Did she recognize you?”

“Not yet.” He expelled the breath he’d been holding. “But she referred to the baby as Tyler, which is a step in the right direction.” Cal then proceeded to explain the significance of the name.

The other man gave him an encouraging smile. “No doubt about it. Her memory is returning. I’m sure Dr. Harkness will agree. Too bad something has held him up. I’ll make another inquiry and send him to you as soon as he comes into emergency.”

“I would appreciate that. However, there’s another problem. Diana’s worried about the baby and wants to see him to make sure he’s all right. After what I’ve told you about her last miscarriage, I don’t think it’s a good idea.”

“I understand where you’re coming from, Mr. Rawlins. You don’t want her to get unduly attached to a baby that isn’t hers. On the other hand, I’d like to decrease any anxiety she’s feeling right now. If seeing the baby will bring her momentary comfort, that might be the best medicine to hasten the initial healing process.”

In his heart of hearts Cal knew that for the time being, the baby was the only thing that would console his wife. The fact that she didn’t need or want him, her own husband, cut deeper than a knife. But he realized he had to put her desires ahead of his own.

“How old is the infant?”

“I estimate three, maybe four days.”

So young!

A shudder passed through Cal’s body. His wife would find a virtual newborn irresistible.

Diana, darling—Where did the baby come from? What were you doing with it? Lord, what a nightmare.

“Could you ask someone to bring the baby down to her?”

“It could be under the lights for a while. But I’ll find out what I can and keep you posted. In the meantime, go back to your wife and see if your conversation jars her memory a little more.”

He nodded. But first he needed to get hold of Roman.

Someone’s baby was missing.

If Diana couldn’t shed any light on the situation within the next little while, this could become a police matter. Roman would know exactly how to handle it and be discreet at the same time.

Cal didn’t think for a minute that his wife had gone off the deep end, and had stolen the baby. But whatever the explanation, when she regained her full memory she would be loathe to give it up.

This accident had happened too soon after her last miscarriage. More than ever he felt it vital to go ahead and start adoption proceedings.

Needing privacy, he found the empty examination room and called his friend on his cellular phone.

“Roman, here.”

“Roman? It’s Cal.”

“Hey! I’m glad you called. I was just telling Brittany the four of us need to get together this weekend. By the way, where’s the best assistant I’ve ever had? She told me she was going to come in early to catch up on some paperwork.”

“That’s what I’m calling about. Lord, Roman. I’m at Bonneville Regional. Diana’s in the emergency room with a head injury.”

“What?”

Cal’s eyes closed tightly. He was too broken up to talk.

“Say no more. I’ll be right there.”

“Thanks,”’ Cal said in a hoarse whisper, and put the phone back in his pocket. Right now he needed his buddy to help make sense of this nightmare. “Thank God for Roman,” he murmured, hurrying to Diana’s cubicle.

By this time another doctor was examining her, asking her questions. Cal figured it was Dr. Harkness. With eye signals the neurosurgeon indicated he wanted to be alone with his patient and would talk to Cal later.

He fought the desire to inform the doctor that he was Diana’s husband, that he wanted to be involved. However Dr. Harkness had left him with no choice but to return to the reception area.

Since the examination might take some time, Cal decided to go outside and wait for Roman. He needed to fill his lungs with fresh air that wasn’t tainted by the smell of antiseptic. On the way out, he asked someone to show him where his wife had fallen.

One of the ambulance attendants accompanied him to the spot, but any sign of an accident had been cleaned up.

“Did anyone see her fall?”

“Not that I know of, sir. We went out when an ambulance drove in and noticed her sitting on the path. Her pupils were dilated. She couldn’t tell us any information, so we brought her inside.”

“Okay. Thanks.”

Without wasting another second he strode swiftly toward her parked car. She’d left the doors unlocked, something she normally never did for safety reasons. It meant she was in such a hurry to get inside the emergency room, she didn’t bother.

Suddenly his eye caught sight of a rectangular carton in the back seat. It was the kind of box that held produce meant for a grocery store. With a jerk, he opened the back door and reached for the box. The empty carton had been lined with a thin, wrinkled cotton blanket.

Dear Lord. Had she found the baby in this box?

“Cal?” a familiar male voice called out.

Cal whirled around to see Roman standing there. He must have flown from his office to make it here this fast.

“What’s going on?”

After emitting a tortured sigh, Cal told his friend everything he knew. “The hell of it is, she didn’t recognize me, Roman.”

He felt a clap on his shoulder. “When I was on the police force, I investigated a lot of accidents and saw plenty of cases like this. Her amnesia is temporary.”

Cal shivered again. “You can’t imagine what it’s like to kiss your wife, look into her eyes, only to see fear and repulsion there.”

“No, I can’t. But she only fell a couple of hours ago. Give it time for her mind and body to absorb the shock. It won’t be long before she’s back to normal. Meanwhile, let’s see if there’s anything else in the car that will give us a clue as to what happened.”

Roman’s was the voice of sanity. Together they searched the immaculate interior, but found nothing else.

“Have you looked in her purse or her clothes?”