Detective Simone Brooks stared at the photograph on her desk.
The woman in the picture had dark hair, a narrow face, and a small scar above her left eyebrow. According to hospital records, her name was Vanessa Cole, a former employee who had once worked in the maternity department at Bellwood Memorial Hospital.
But Vanessa had left the hospital six months earlier.
So why had someone using her login accessed Danielle Carter's medical records just three days before baby Amara disappeared?
Simone called Detective Aaron Mitchell into the investigation room.
"We need to find Vanessa," she said. "And I want to know why she left that hospital."
Aaron opened his folder.
"She was terminated after an investigation into unauthorized access to patient records. The hospital couldn't prove she was planning anything criminal, so they never contacted the police."
Simone shook her head.
"Now a newborn is missing, and her name keeps coming up."
The detectives sent officers to Vanessa's last known address. The apartment was empty. Her landlord said she'd moved out two weeks earlier and hadn't left a forwarding address.
It was as if she'd disappeared.
Meanwhile, Simone returned to the hospital to speak with Danielle.
Danielle looked exhausted. Her eyes were swollen from crying, and she hadn't touched the breakfast sitting beside her bed.
"Detective, have you found my baby?"
"We're following several leads," Simone answered gently. "But I need to ask you something about Terrence."
Danielle's expression changed.
"What about him?"
"Did he receive any unusual messages before Amara was born?"
Danielle hesitated before reaching into her hospital bag. She pulled out her phone and showed Simone a message she'd discovered the night before giving birth.
TONIGHT IS THE NIGHT. DON'T BACK OUT NOW.
Simone read it twice.
"Did you ask Terrence who sent this?"
"Yes. He said it was about work. I believed him, but now I don't know what to believe."
"Did he seem afraid?"
Danielle thought for a moment.
"He seemed nervous. He kept checking his phone. When I asked him what was wrong, he told me to stop asking questions."
Simone wrote everything down.
"Danielle, I'm not saying Terrence is responsible. But we need to understand what that message means."
Danielle covered her mouth as tears rolled down her cheeks.
"What if he helped somebody take my baby?"
Simone didn't answer immediately.
She knew that accusing the wrong person could damage the investigation. But ignoring a possible connection could cost them precious time.
"We're going to follow the evidence," she said. "And we're going to keep looking for Amara."
Later that afternoon, Aaron rushed into the investigation room holding a tablet.
"Simone, you need to see this."
He showed her a photograph taken from a security camera outside the hospital. A black sedan was parked near the service entrance shortly before Amara disappeared.
A person wearing a gray hooded jacket stood beside it.
The face wasn't visible, but the figure appeared to be watching the hospital doors.
"Can we identify the vehicle?" Simone asked.
"Not yet. The license plate is too blurry. But the same type of car was reported near Vanessa's former apartment."
Simone leaned closer to the screen.
"Get the footage from every camera on that street. I want to know where that car went."
Aaron nodded and left.
Simone's phone rang a few minutes later. The number was blocked.
"Detective Brooks."
A quiet voice answered.
"You're looking in the wrong place."
"Who is this?"
"Vanessa Cole isn't the person you need to be afraid of."
Simone stood up.
"Then tell me who is."
The caller ignored her question.
"Ask Danielle about her first baby."
Simone's stomach tightened.
"What does that mean? What do you know about Amara?"
The line went dead.
For several seconds, Simone stared at the phone.
Danielle had mentioned her six-year-old son, Micah. She had never mentioned another child.
Could the caller have meant Micah? Or was there something about Danielle's past that nobody had told the detectives?
Simone returned to Danielle's room.
"Danielle, I need to ask you something personal. Have you ever been involved in a situation involving another child that might be connected to what's happening now?"
Danielle looked confused.
"My son Micah is six. He's my first child. What are you talking about?"
Simone explained the anonymous call without revealing every detail.
Danielle's face grew pale.
"I don't understand. Why would somebody bring Micah into this?"
Before Simone could respond, a uniformed officer appeared at the doorway.
"Detective, there's been another development."
He handed her an evidence envelope.
Inside was a photograph of a tiny baby sleeping in a white blanket. Beside the baby stood a woman wearing a gray hooded jacket.
On the back of the photograph, someone had written:
SHE WAS NEVER SUPPOSED TO BE YOURS.
Simone felt a chill run down her spine.
The photograph appeared to show Amara.
But who had taken it? Where was the baby now? And what did the message mean?
Then Simone noticed something in the background of the picture.
A clock.
The time read 4:26.
If the photograph had been taken after the kidnapping, it meant someone had seen Amara alive.
And whoever sent it wanted the police to know.
Simone looked at Danielle, who was trembling as she stared at the image of her daughter.
"We're going to find her," Simone promised.
But as Simone left the room, her phone vibrated again.
One final message appeared on the screen.
THE PERSON WHO TOOK AMARA IS CLOSER TO YOU THAN YOU THINK.
Simone slowly lowered her phone.
Someone was watching the investigation.
Someone knew what the detectives were doing.
And someone was willing to risk everything to keep the truth hidden.
To be continued…