The Baby Discovery
The Baby Discovery
Rebecca Winters
Zane Broderick couldn't believe it. The bundle he had found in the snow was a baby!He rushed the little boy to hospital and straight into nurse Meg Richins's arms…. Surrounded by babies all day, Meg longed for children.When Zane Broderick brought this adorable baby into her ward, she immediately wanted to adopt him - and so did Zane. The solution seemed obvious - but could she really marry a stranger?
“I know you’re crazy about the baby.”
“I am!” she confessed. “But that’s not the problem.”
“Then what is?” Even in the semi-dark interior of the cab, his eyes blazed a hot blue. The problem is you, Mr. Broderick. I think I’ve fallen in love with you, and you only see me as a live-in nanny.
“It’s inevitable he would get attached to me. It would be a wrench for him when I have to leave. Cruel, in fact. He deserves to have someone around on a permanent basis, not just a month or two.”
“I couldn’t agree more, and I have a solution. In fact I would have suggested it in the beginning. But first I needed to find out if there was a man in your life.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Marry me.”
Captain Howard Stansbury of the U.S. Topographical engineers, who surveyed the valley of the Great Salt Lake in 1849, reported, “This valley is called Tuilla Valley.”
(sounds like Two-Willa).
The name comes from the Shoshoni Indian Language and is a Gosiute tongue variant, named for the Bear family, a Gosiute Indian family, some of whose members still reside in Tooele today.
THE BABY DISCOVERY
Rebecca Winters
To Janet and George, with love and gratitude for their invaluable help.
CONTENTS
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
EPILOGUE
CHAPTER ONE
A FREEZING gust of wind caused Zane Broderick to turn up the collar of his sheepskin jacket. An early December snowstorm had blown in, making for poor visibility in this remote wilderness.
It was the “lake effect” that gave Tooele its reputation for severe winter weather. Forty minutes from Salt Lake, the tiny Utah town received an overabundance of moisture due to its proximity to the Great Salt Lake.
Tonight he felt a whiteout coming on. The kind where livestock froze and all transportation came to a standstill. By tomorrow morning the conditions would be perfect for the engineering team to do an experimental, driverless winter test run of the new prototype magnetic levitation train he’d designed.
As soon as he’d given one more inspection to this last section of forged track for any unforeseen problems, he could call it a night.
Blizzard conditions made it impossible to rely on his eyes without help. He pulled the heavy-duty flashlight from the back of his truck where he’d covered his equipment with a tarp.
The wind drove the snow so hard, his footsteps disappeared with every step he took alongside the platformed structure housing the twelve miles of seamless track.
Twenty minutes later he was satisfied that the workmanship looked slick-as-a-whistle, as his father would say. He came to the last hundred feet, carefully shining his light down inside to make certain he’d covered every square inch.
While he’d been out here, the wind, strengthened in force, pelted him with icy shards. At times its moaning sounds rose in pitch, imitating an animal’s cry.
Zane began to think a cougar foraging for food must have come down from the nearby mountains and had picked up his scent.
He made a last scan with the light, then froze.
Something about the size of a sack of flour was lying in the middle of the track wrapped in a snow-covered cloth. It was hard to make out details with white stuff swirling all around him.
He heard another cry, more distinct this time. What the devil?
In the next second he vaulted inside to see what it was. As he drew closer, he could have sworn the material moved.
A grimace marred his features. Had some deranged lunatic decided to dispose of a cat in this fashion?
Hunkering down, he carefully removed one edge of the thin cotton material. After pointing the light on it, he let out a gasp of sheer disbelief.
A newborn baby without a stitch of clothing on!
It made another infant cry.
Good Lord. The little boy was on the verge of freezing to death!
Tears of rage filled Zane’s eyes. If he hadn’t decided to inspect this end portion of track one more time…
Setting down the light, he whipped off his jacket. Carefully he placed the baby against the sheepskin lining and wrapped it up like a cocoon. All the while he prayed the warmth from his own body would ward of hypothermia.
Without a second to lose, he climbed back out with his precious bundle and started running.
The tears continued to run down his cheeks. They froze to his skin but he wasn’t cognizant of anything except the tiny life that would have died from exposure, if not from…
He couldn’t think about the other horrific scenarios flooding his mind. He refused!
The truck was two miles away, but it felt like a hundred. The baby could die before he got it to a hospital.
Suppressed memories of Zane’s twin brother drowning in San Francisco Bay years ago came back with gut-wrenching clarity.
Please God. Let this baby live.
Julie Becker, the other registered nurse on duty in the emergency room at the small Oquirrh Mountains Medical Center, came into the cubicle where Meg Richins was setting up a morphine drip on a migraine sufferer.
“It’s pretty quiet, Meg,” she whispered. “I thought I’d run across the street for some fresh cappuccino. The coffee around here is ghastly. Do you want anything?”
“I don’t think so, but thanks anyway,” Meg whispered back. “Let’s just be grateful we’re on the night shift. After the storm is over in the morning, there will be a steady stream of casualties.”
“Don’t I know it, and we’ll both be in our apartments sound asleep! But alone in our beds,” she added jokingly.
Meg smiled, but it really wasn’t funny.
“See you in a few minutes.”
When she left, Meg looked down at her patient. “How’s the nausea, Mrs. Pope?”
“It’s not too bad yet.”
“Let me know if it gets worse and I’ll tell Dr. Tingey. We can give you something for it.”
“I’m allergic to a lot of things.”
“I can see that on your chart. Don’t worry. I hate a bad reaction as much as anyone. I promise we’ll do everything in our power to make sure you don’t suffer any additional discomfort.”
A few years ago, after the operation to remove Meg’s ovaries, she’d become deathly ill on her first injection of a normal painkiller for that kind of surgery. Since then she’d learned great respect for her patients’ fears in that department.
After drawing the curtain for privacy, she walked over to the desk where their intense new resident, Dr. Parker, was writing a prescription for an outgoing patient who’d come in with a broken arm.
She waited until he was finished.
“Yes, Meg?”
“Do you know where Dr. Tingey is?” Meg knew it was wrong of her, but there were some cases where she would rather deal with the seasoned, mellow head of the ER.
“Over in X-ray for the moment. What do you need?”
“This is a list of drugs Mrs. Pope is allergic to. She’s nauseated and I’m afraid it’s going to get worse. I thought we should be prepared.”
He studied it for a minute. “I’ll go in and talk to her.”
Somehow Meg knew he would say that. One of the new breed of doctors, he always questioned everything the patients said, as if their input wasn’t credible. She wondered if he treated his wife the same way, then chastised herself for being unprofessional.
Dr. Tingey was so different, Meg was spoiled. She not only had the greatest respect for his medical expertise, she loved him for his wonderful bedside manner with the patients who adored him.
On more than one occasion she’d heard him say he’d seen everything in his forty years of practice. In that amount of time he’d learned to listen, and truly cared about people. Those qualities alone made him the greatest doctor around as far as she was concerned. Dr. Parker would do well to emulate him.
A slight draft in the room brought Meg’s head in the direction of the double doors leading to the entrance of the ER. She assumed it was Julie returning from the convenience store.
Instead her gaze fell on a tall, lean male in his mid-thirties rushing toward her in a snow-covered cowboy hat, jeans and a plaid flannel shirt, but no winter coat. He was clutching something wrapped in his arms.
“Quick! Help me! The baby was left out in the blizzard to die!” The man sounded absolutely frantic.
The word “baby” galvanized her into action. “Come with me.” She hurried down to a room marked Infant ICU. “Right in here. Lay the baby on this counter.”
While he did her bidding, she switched on the warmer of the specially equipped cribs to treat hypothermia, then undid the rust-colored jacket covering the baby. A tiny head with a dusting of dark hair appeared.
It was a newborn boy! Meg’s professional eye looked him over. The umbilical cord still needed trimming.
His naked, shivering body had been wrapped in a thin, blood-stained cotton receiving blanket. He had an unhealthy pallor. She felt for a pulse. It was alarmingly weak, as were its infant cries. When she pressed on the skin of his upper arm, she noted decreased capillary refill.
Who could have done such a thing to a human being, her heart cried in fury.
Swallowing her sobs she whispered, “You precious little darling. Let’s get you warmed up.”
With the utmost care she lifted him from the counter and placed him unclothed on his back inside the crib. The quiver of his baby chin exaggerated his total helplessness, wringing another inner convulsion from Meg.
“I’ll get the doctor,” she murmured to the rugged stranger who hovered anxiously nearby. With one covert glance she read pain in his expression as he stared at the miniscule lump of humanity struggling for life.
To her relief, Dr. Tingey had returned from X-ray. As soon as she told him the situation, he followed her to the room where she’d put the baby.
After nodding to the man standing next to the crib, he proceeded to examine the infant.
“This little tyke isn’t more than a couple of hours old. Where did you find him?”
“On the train track,” came the thick-toned response. Meg moaned at the same time Dr. Tingey grimaced. “I was doing a last-minute inspection of the end section when I heard a cry.
“The second I realized it was a baby, I brought it here as fast as I could. Is it going to live?” His deep voice sounded haunted.
“We’re going to do everything in our power to make certain it does,” he assured him in a calm tone.
Two years of working in the ER had taught Meg how to read the expression on Dr. Tingey’s face. When one eyebrow arched higher than the other, it meant the victim’s medical condition was precarious, but no one else knew that.
“Set up an IV to start the antibiotics and fluid bolus. Then call the lab. I want a full workup, blood cultures, et cetera. Tell Julie to phone the sheriff’s office. We have a Baby Doe.”
“I’ll get right on it.”
Meg hurried to do his bidding. It was just as she’d feared. The infant had suffered blood loss during birth. No telling where the delivery had taken place. Considering the raging storm outside, she didn’t think she could bear to hear the tragic details, even if they were ever to come to light.
Within fifteen minutes everything possible was being done to stabilize the baby. Meg stood by to monitor the speed of the drip and get more IV bags ready if needed. Dr. Tingey finished trimming and cleaning the cord to make it sterile.
He’d told the stranger he could wait out in the small reception area if he wanted. But the other man insisted he would remain in the room.
It touched Meg’s heart that he would show this kind of concern for an abandoned baby. Unfortunately she’d seen too many cases where the natural parent seemed to have no nurturing instincts whatsoever.
Soon she heard voices in the hall and then a police officer came into the room. He nodded to everyone before his gaze went to the stranger.
“I’m Officer Brown assigned to this case. You’re the man who found the baby?”
“That’s right.”
“What’s the name, Sir?”
“Zane Broderick.”
“Age?”
“Thirty-four.”
“Do you live around here?”
“Yes—1017 Parkway.”
“Phone?”
“My number is 734-9812.”
“What’s your occupation?”
“I’m a mechanical engineer.”
“Tell me what happened.”
“My crew and I are performing a test on a new maglev train in the morning.”
Meg blinked. She’d heard about the exciting project when one of the engineers who’d been involved came in to be treated for a gash on his leg a few months earlier. She’d ridden on a bullet train similar to the type they were building when she’d gone to Japan on a trip with some fellow nurses after graduation.
“I was checking the last section of track for any last-minute problems when I saw a bundle in the middle of it, covered in snow. I thought it was a cat crying until I opened it and found the baby inside, barely alive. It was wrapped in a cloth.” He pointed to the cotton blanket still lying inside the jacket.
The officer peered at the bloodstains. “Is this track the one on the west side of town where a large building has been erected at one end?”
“Yes.”
“I’ve seen it.”
“I wrapped the baby in my coat and ran for my truck. It was parked two miles up the track. Then I drove straight here.”
“Do you know what time it was when you found the baby?”
“Forty-five minutes ago.”
“Is that your white Chevy V8 out there in the emergency parking?”
“Yes.”
“Give me the names and addresses of a couple of your crew, please.”
“Rod Stigler and Martin Driscoll. They live at the Doxey apartments on Conover Street. Number 10 and 14.”
“Okay. Thanks for your cooperation. I’m going to have to ask you to remain here until another officer from the station comes over to deal with the evidence and get a blood sample from you.”
The policeman turned to Dr. Tingey, but his gaze included Meg. “Don’t touch the blanket or the coat. In the meantime, if you should learn anything that could help us trace the birthmother or father, call the station. I’ll be in touch.”
“Is it routine to be given the third degree?” Mr. Broderick demanded quietly after the officer had left the room. Meg could feel his anger.
“I’m afraid even the good Samaritan is suspect until proven otherwise. As far as the police are concerned this could be a case of attempted murder,” Dr. Tingey murmured.
“The problem is, there have been too many instances in the past where the person who found an abandoned newborn turned out to be connected to it in some way. But normally it’s a teenage couple who can’t deal with the fact that they’ve become parents. They’ll do anything to get rid of it.”
Meg shuddered.
“Be patient. The truth will come out soon enough. Looking on the positive side, if this little guy continues to hold his own, there will come a day when he’ll want to thank you for saving his life.
“I’d like to thank you now for your quick action. The body warmth from your coat obviously helped preserve him.” Dr. Tingey shook the other man’s hand.
“Meg?” he called over his shoulder. “Keep the IV going. I’ve got to check on a head injury patient, then I’ll be back.” He left the room.
Under the circumstances, Meg couldn’t help but admire the kind way Dr. Tingey had tried to put the stranger at ease. He knew how unsettling it must be for Mr. Broderick whose good deed had fallen under suspicion.
“You look like you could use a cup of coffee. Can I get you some?”
His gaze was still riveted to the baby. He seemed deep in thought. “If it wouldn’t be too much trouble, I’d appreciate it.”
“Not at all. Why don’t you bring that stool in the corner over to the crib and sit down while you watch the baby. I’ll be back in a moment.”
When she returned a few minutes later, she discovered he’d followed her suggestion. In the process he’d removed the well-worn cowboy hat which had been set on the counter next to his coat. Beneath the brightness of the overhead light, his medium-cropped dark-blond hair gleamed with health.
It surprised her to realize they’d both been living in town and she’d never seen him before. Lines of character defining a face burnished by the sun added to his masculine appeal. The combination of his six-foot-three height and well-honed physique made him a rarity among the male of the species. In Tooele, she hadn’t known such a man existed…
“Here’s your coffee.”
“Thank you.” He took it from her hands. In that brief moment when he’d looked up, she’d glimpsed a flash of blue. The man was even more attractive than she’d first realized.
“Hi, Meg.” The lab technician breezed in with her cart.
“How are you, Angela?” The mother of three was always cheerful.
“Can’t complain. Word has spread around the clinic that we have a Baby Doe.” She put on sterile gloves, then placed her hands inside the holes of the crib to get started.
“Oh—isn’t he sweet!” As she began drawing blood from the baby’s heels she said, “With those cheeks, he looks like a chipmunk.”
Meg smiled. “My words exactly. He’s the most precious thing I’ve ever seen.”
But she noticed that Zane Broderick continued to wear a pained expression throughout the procedure. For someone who’d never laid eyes on the baby until he’d found him on the track, the man seemed exceptionally attached to the child.
Maybe it was because the miracle of birth had happened only hours before its discovery and the crisis had managed to tug at his parental instincts. In some men those feelings were very strong. If that was the case, Meg could well understand his reaction.
Since she’d discovered the tiny infant wrapped inside the man’s coat, the powerful drive to mother the child she would never be able to conceive had been given a real workout.
By the time the technician had finished her job, it was time for Meg to start another IV. Mr. Broderick leaned closer to the crib.
“Do you think the baby looks any better yet?”
I wish I could tell you yes, but I can’t. “He’s holding his own, which means he’s a fighter.”
“In other words, there’s a good chance he might not make it.”
His tormented tone alarmed her. “Give him a little more time. Babies are more resilient than you might imagine.”
“I wouldn’t know.” He downed the rest of his coffee.
She checked the thermostat on the warmer to be sure it was maintaining a constant temperature, then reached for his empty cup. “I’ll dispose of that.” On her way over to the waste bin, two policemen entered the room.
“Mr. Broderick? If you’ll come with me.”
The stranger’s jaw hardened. Meg shared in his frustration as he got up from the stool and was forced to follow one of the officers out the door. The other officer placed the cotton blanket and sheepskin parka in bags for the forensics lab to examine.
Putting on sterile gloves, Meg walked back to the crib. Her heart ached for this baby who’d been deprived of his mother and desperately needed to be held. She reached inside the holes and grasped his tiny hands, trying to infuse him with all the love she would have poured out on her own baby. The one she would never have…
“You’re the sweetest boy I’ve ever seen. So strong and brave. The man who saved you thinks you are, too. He’ll be back. You’re not alone in the world, little precious.”
“Am I allowed to make a phone call now?” Zane demanded in suppressed anger, rolling down his shirt-sleeve over the gauze the technician had taped to his inner elbow.
The officer nodded. “Of course. Thanks for cooperating. We’ll get your coat back to you within twenty-four hours.”
After the policeman and technician had left the emergency room cubicle, Zane pulled out his cell phone. First he called Martin. Following the brief explanation, he asked his assistant to inform the rest of the crew that the test run for tomorrow needed to be postponed for a couple of days. He’d get back to him later.
As soon as they’d said goodbye, he rang Dominic Giraud at his apartment in Laramie, Wyoming. If he didn’t answer, then Zane would phone Alik Jarman who lived nearby. Both men were his best friends. Together the three of them were making the maglev project a reality.
This test was the critical one. He knew they’d be upset when they heard it had to be put off for another day or two, but circumst—
“Hello?”
“Hannah?” Dom’s wife was a sweetheart.
“Zane! Dominic and Alik were just talking about you.”
“Are they still there?”
“Yes.”
“Put them both on, will you? I’ve got something important to tell them.”
“Of course. Just a minute.”
He could hear happy sounds in the background. In his mind’s eye he pictured the small apartment bulging at the seams with both couples and their children assembled in the front room. At the odd time like this, Zane experienced a disquieting emptiness he didn’t like to acknowledge, not when his bachelor status had served him perfectly well all these years.
“Mon vieux—” His French friend often used the endearment in addressing him and Alik. Right now Zane felt like he was an old man. “Is everything ready for tomorrow?”
“We’ve been watching the weather channel,” Alik broke in on the other line. “You’re being blasted with snow right now. Exactly what we wanted for the test run in the morning!”
Zane gripped the phone a little tighter. “I’m afraid the test has to be postponed. That’s why I’m calling.”
After a slight pause, “What happened?” The disappointment in Dom’s voice was tangible.
“It has nothing to do with the train’s mechanics.”
“Then there’s something wrong with you,” Alik surmised, his tone full of concern.
He sucked in his breath. “You’re not going to believe this, but the track has been taped off as a crime scene.”
“What?” both men interjected at the same time.
“That’s right. At the moment I’m the chief suspect in an attempted murder case. As we speak, I’m in the ER in Tooele where I’ve just been fingerprinted by the police. They took a blood sample. I’ve been warned not to leave town until further notice. Oh yes, they’ll give me back my parka after the crime lab has examined it.”
“It sounds like you need an attorney. Alik and I will phone New York as soon as we hang up.”
Thank God for choice friends.
“I appreciate the backing, you two. If it comes to that, I’ll let you know. But this is an entirely different situation than you’re imagining. Just hear me out.”
For the next little while Zane told them everything that had happened. “You should have seen the little guy with only a thin cotton blanket for protection in that blizzard. An animal could have come along. If we’d done that test tomorrow—” Zane was so choked up, he couldn’t talk.
“Good Lord,” Alik muttered.
“How old did you say he was?”
“An hour maybe.”
“Mon Dieu.”
“Everything possible is being done for him here, but no one’s guaranteeing anything.” Not even the attractive nurse who’d brought him coffee had tried to paint a rosy picture. That pretty well said it all.
“How in the hell could the police think you had anything to do with it when you’re the one who brought the baby in?”
“According to the doctor, more often than not that person is an accessory to the crime or has knowledge of it. So until the police track down the mother and anyone else involved, I won’t be off the hook.”
“We’re flying to Salt Lake tomorrow, mon ami. Because of the snow, it will probably have to be a late afternoon flight.”
“There’s no need to take you away from your families.”
“We’re coming,” Alik declared.
When Zane heard that note of finality in their voices, he knew there was no arguing with them. In truth, he was glad they had insisted. He could use their support at a time like this.
“We’ll phone you when we’re in the car on the way to Tooele.”
He swallowed hard. “Thanks, guys. It means more than you know.”
Anxious to check on the baby’s condition, he clicked off and left the cubicle for the Infant ICU.
While Dr. Parker listened to the baby’s heart, Meg charted its fluid intake and output on the computer.
“This is a pretty sick baby.”
“I know,” she murmured, hating to hear the words. Dr. Tingey always kept those kinds of thoughts to himself. Unfortunately, he’d gone home and left Dr. Parker in charge.
He pulled the ends of the stethoscope out of his ears and turned to Meg. “What’s your take on the man who brought it in?”
“What do you mean?” she played dumb.
“You have to admit that without prior knowledge, the chances of anyone finding Baby Doe where he did on a night like tonight are a zillion to one.”
“I don’t understand your point.”
“His story is too far-fetched to be believed. When it all comes out, we’ll probably learn it was his girlfriend who tried to get rid of it at home, and he suffered a last-minute attack of conscience.”
Dr. Parker had never been her favorite person. His remark just now alienated her even more. No sooner had he gone out the door than she felt another presence in the ICU.
“Is that what you think, too?”
The stranger’s deep, unforgettable voice brought Meg’s head around to receive the full brunt of brilliant blue eyes alive with pain.
Horrified he’d overheard Dr. Parker’s comment she said, “I’m sorry, Mr. Broderick. Would you repeat the question?”
He stood there with his hands on his hips in a purely masculine stance. “Your diplomacy does you great credit, Ms. Richins.”
For a moment she’d forgotten about the name tag attached to the pocket of her lab coat. Her face went warm. “Please don’t mind what he said. At times no one is immune to the stress of the ER.”
“I could go along with that if this place resembled a war zone. But it’s as quiet as a tomb around here tonight.”
He had a point.
“Dr. Parker has three children of his own. I’m assuming it was the baby’s plight that caused him to venture a negative opinion about you.”
“Apparently it’s shared by a majority of people. Why not you?”
The pointed question caught her off guard.
She could hardly tell him it was the haunted sound of his voice, the look of torment in his eyes when he’d rushed in the ER crying out for help, that had decided her.
“I’ve always considered a person innocent until proven guilty.”
There was a slight pause. “It’s nice to know I have one person on my side.”
“Two,” she amended in the next breath. At his questioning look she said, “You’re forgetting the baby.”
CHAPTER TWO
“YOU mean Johnny?”
She blinked. Johnny?
“I abhor calling him Baby Doe,” came the explanation.
“So do I,” she said in a tremulous voice. “John’s my father’s name. I love it. Just don’t let anyone else hear you use it. They would jump to the wrong conclusion.”
“It will be our secret.”
Though what he’d said implied a certain intimacy, she knew they were just words on his part.
“I heard the doctor tell you he’s sick,” Mr. Broderick added. “I take it he wasn’t talking about hypothermia.”
She shook her head. “No. The baby has an infection. We’ll give him antibiotics for as long as the blood culture comes back positive.”
“What else is wrong with him?”
“He’s lost blood. That means he’s missing vital nutrients we’re feeding him through the IV.”
“The guy’s so tiny. Do you think he’s premature?”
The questions fired one after the other reminded her of a brand-new father who needed constant reassurance.
“Probably. But under the circumstances, five pounds is a good weight. Until his lungs are more developed, we’ll continue the oxygen to help him breathe.” She bit her lip. “Thank heaven you found him!”
“I’ve been doing a lot of that for the last little while,” he muttered, his whole attention focused on the baby. He didn’t act or sound like he was going to leave anytime soon.
“Excuse me for a moment.”
Julie stopped Meg on the way to the lounge area. “I got a good look at the Adonis who brought in Baby Doe,” she whispered. “He’s a living, breathing miracle!”
“I agree,” Meg murmured back. Unless I’m no judge of character, he’s even more exceptional on the inside.
“It isn’t fair!” the vivacious blond nurse whined. “I step outside for five minutes and the only excitement to happen around here in months takes place without me.”
“Tell you what. Wait here while I get him a chair, and you can take it to him. The stool’s a back-breaker.”
“You mean he’s not leaving yet?” Her blue eyes lit up in anticipation.
“I’m not sure. He’s very anxious about J—the baby,” she stammered.
In a matter of seconds Meg returned with one of the comfortable canvas-backed chairs. “I’ll keep an eye on Mrs. Pope while you monitor the baby’s progress.”
Julie smiled with satisfaction. “You’re just too good to be true,” she sang the song near Meg’s ear before wheeling away with the chair.
It was better to let Julie take over in there. She was a natural flirt. If Mr. Broderick turned out to be single and available, the two ought to hit it off without problem.
As for the baby, Meg already felt an attachment to him that went way beyond the norm.
She’d always loved babies and had dreamed of a large family of her own one day. But since she’d learned she could never give birth, it seemed like her problem was all she ever thought about. Especially when her older brother and sister were both married and had children.
Her gynecologist had suggested she get a dog to love. Unfortunately there was a “no pets” rule at the apartment she shared with a dental hygienist, Debbie Lignell. But after her response to the baby, maybe she ought to start thinking about moving to a place where animals were allowed.
By the time she went off the shift at five-thirty a.m., Debbie would be getting ready for work. Meg could broach the subject, but her friend wouldn’t like it. Their apartment was a convenient half block away from the dentist’s office.
Perhaps the best thing to do was let Debbie advertise for a new roommate so Meg could find a place of her own.
Maybe now would be the best time to move back to Salt Lake. There were plenty of nursing jobs available. If she couldn’t get her old floor position back at Emigration Hospital, there were a lot of other hospitals in the Salt Lake Valley. As for apartments that accepted pets, it wouldn’t be a problem. What she needed was a new reason to get up in the morning…
Since her operation, she’d avoided dating. That way she didn’t have to explain that she could never bear a child and that the guy would be wasting his time with her.
The last man she’d been interested in was a pilot she’d met at an N.B.A. game featuring the Jazz and the Lakers. Once the two of them got talking, it appeared he liked some of the same outdoor activities she loved.
But they’d only been dating a couple of weeks when he was unexpectedly transferred to Atlanta. He’d wanted her to fly out there for a visit. But by then she had developed female problems.
Once she knew the prognosis, she was glad he’d moved away before their relationship had progressed any further. It spared her the anguish of confessing that she was no longer a whole woman.
Since then not even her hobbies interested her. Perhaps a little dog she could train from puppyhood would help bring her out of this depression. Much as she hated to admit, that’s what it was.
If she was really being honest with herself, she’d chosen to work in Tooele because it was only eight miles from Grantsville where her family lived. For someone who’d always been so cheerful and independent, she hated it that her inability to have children had changed her into some kind of emotional cripple.
She needed to go back to Salt Lake which was far enough away that she couldn’t just pop in on her parents when she felt down. If getting a dog didn’t help, then she would probably have to seek some counseling.
Her mother had urged her to look on the bright side. One day when she married, she could adopt. Intellectually Meg knew her mom was right. But most men wanted to father their own flesh and blood.
It took a special man to deal with a woman’s infertility. He had to love you so much he could look past the medical problem. If there was a man out there who could do that, she hadn’t met him yet.
As for the tiny infant in the ICU, she could steal him away tonight and love him forever.
The fact that she would even entertain the thought proved she needed to do something about her situation as soon as possible.
A half hour later Mrs. Pope’s IV had run out. “How’s the headache now?”
“It’s gone. My husband should be here any minute to take me home.”
“I’m glad you’re feeling better. Your color has come back.” Meg removed the needle and bandaged the spot. “I’ll tell the doctor. While I’m at it, is there anything else I can do for you?”
“Nothing. But thank you for sitting with me and being so nice. My husband has a hard time when I get like this.”
“If he’s good to you otherwise, I forgive him.”
Her patient’s wan smile told Meg all she needed to know. “He is.”
Lucky you.
She went out to the desk. “Dr. Parker? Mrs. Pope’s waiting to be discharged.”
He nodded. “Get the lab over here, then join me in cubicle four. We’ve got a victim with a knife wound who’s about to go to surgery.”
“I’ll call them.”
Between that injury and a heart attack victim brought in by an ambulance, the doctors and staff were run off their feet for the next couple of hours. Around four it was Meg’s turn to check on the baby.
To her surprise, Mr. Broderick was still in the Infant ICU watching the baby.
“At last,” came the deep voice as soon as he saw her.
“Things got busy out there.”
He rose to his full height. “So I noticed.”
While she checked on the drip and various monitors, she felt his anxious gaze on her face. “What do you think?”
She knew what he wanted to hear, but she still couldn’t tell him. “H-he’s not any worse.”
“Damn,” he bit out, then threw his head back. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t apologize. I was on the brink of saying something unprofessional myself. He’s so precious and so utterly helpless.” Her voice quavered.
Lines darkened his face. “I’m afraid to leave for fear he’ll—”
“I know,” she broke in before he could finish. “Why don’t I have a cot brought in so you can lie down next to him.”
By his expression she could tell her suggestion had shocked him. “You would do that?”
“If I had realized you were still here, I would have suggested it earlier. There’s no one else to keep the baby company. Finders, keepers,” she said with a smile. “In the meantime, wash your hands in the sink over there. Here’s a pair of sterile gloves for you. When you’ve dried off, put them on. Then you can reach inside the crib and touch him while you talk to him. I bet he’d like to hear how you sing, too.”
She leaned close to the holes. “You haven’t been on this earth very long, have you, sweetie. And every new little guy deserves all the love and attention he can get. I would say this big guy here who saved your life is the perfect person to do that. Now I’ll leave you two to get better acquainted.”
Meg didn’t know what had possessed her just now, but she’d sensed Mr. Broderick needed somewhere to go with his feelings. Giving him a job would help the agonizing hours pass faster.
Besides, she was a firm believer in touching babies as much and as often as possible. The ER didn’t have enough staff to lavish the kind of physical love normally extended by the adoring parents of a newborn.
“Hey, Meg?” Julie signaled to her from the desk. Things had quieted down for the moment. No doubt she was going to brag about the date she’d wangled out of Mr. Broderick. Meg didn’t want to hear it.
“Just a minute and let me call housekeeping first.” When she’d rung for a cot to be sent to the Infant ICU, she gave Julie her attention. “What were you going to say?”
“I was hoping you would tell me,” she whispered.
Meg frowned. “What do you mean?”
“I got nowhere with that guy. I mean nowhere. He only asked one question that didn’t have to do with the baby. When were you going to come back in the room.”
To Meg’s consternation her heart turned over.
“He probably thought I had news from the doctor. Don’t forget the man found the baby. I think he’s still in shock.”
“That’s for sure. What a grouch.”
“The police haven’t cleared him yet, Julie.”
“Oh for heaven’s sake— If that were the case, he would never have brought the baby in!”
“I agree it’s absurd.”
“Uh-oh. We’ve got a new customer.”
Meg looked over her shoulder in time to see the paramedics come through the doors pushing a gurney. An old tramp lay there bundled in a blanket. He looked half dead. The poor thing probably hadn’t been able to find shelter from the storm. She wished she were immune to sights like that, but it hadn’t happened yet.
Zane could hear someone screaming.
“Johnny? I’m coming! Hang on!”
The screaming grew louder, bringing Zane fully awake from an old nightmare. He’d broken out in a cold sweat and his heart was pounding like a locomotive.
It took him a second to remember where he was.
He rubbed his eyes and raised up on the cot to get a better look at the wall clock. It was almost noon!
The last time he recalled anything, it was Ms. Richins who’d come in to check on the baby.
The baby!
Zane’s heart skidded to a stop before he levered himself from the cot, terrified he would find the crib empty.
Relief flooded his system to see the infant lying in the same position as before. Without hesitation he put on a new pair of gloves, then fit his hands through the holes of the crib.
When he put out his finger and brushed it against the baby’s left hand, the little guy’s fingers responded and clung to him the same way they’d done last night.
A lump lodged in Zane’s throat. “I told you to hang in there for me, and you did.”
With his other hand he smoothed the fine dark hair on the tiny head. He studied each perfect feature, the shell ears, the minute finger and toenails. There weren’t any lashes yet, but his eyes looked like they might be open a tiny slit. Surely that had to be a good sign!
“Dear God, if you aren’t a miracle!”
A middle-aged nurse he didn’t recognize came into the room. She smiled when she saw him standing at the crib. “Sorry if the noise woke you. I heard you were here all night and figured you needed the sleep.”
“I should have been up before now. What does the doctor say about the baby’s condition today?”
“At this stage, things are tentative.”
His spirits plummeted. He should have known better than to ask. “Do you have any idea what time Ms. Richins will be on duty again?”
“She works the night shift. If she’s scheduled for tonight, she’ll be in at eight p.m. Is there anything I can do for you?”
“No, thank you. I wanted to let her know I appreciated the cot.”
“She went home at five-thirty this morning, but I’ll pass your gratitude along.”
“Thank you.”
He touched the baby’s flailing hands once more, then pulled his own hands out of the crib.
“I’ll be back later,” he whispered. “Get better for me now.”
After tossing the gloves in the waste bin, he reached for his cowboy hat. Before walking out the door, he hesitated.
“There is one thing,” he said to the nurse. “I carry a cell phone. If there’s any change in the baby either way, could someone phone me immediately?”
“Of course. Write your number at the top of the chart hanging on the front of the crib.”
He walked back and put it there with an attached pencil, but once that was accomplished, it was almost impossible to walk away from the baby. Zane felt like he was leaving a part of his heart.
“Babies are stronger than you think.” The nurse could read his mind.
“I pray you’re right.”
When he stepped outside the ER, the sunlight nearly blinded him. One thing about Utah blizzards. After they’d blown themselves out, the bluest sky on earth magically appeared.
At least a foot and a half of wet, heavy snow, maybe more, had blanketed the world around him. Its whiteness dazzled the eyes. He had his work cut out to clear it off his truck before he could see enough to drive home.
After snow-blowing his driveway and the front path leading to the porch, he went in the house and checked his answering machine. The police hadn’t called, of course.
Still full of anger, he headed for a hot shower. In case his cell phone rang, he kept it on the tile sink so he could hear it.
Later, when he’d put on a clean shirt and jeans, he rustled up some food for a sandwich, but his stores were low. He needed to do something about that before the guys pulled in tonight.
First, however, he needed to talk to his crew, then straighten the house. He had a cleaning lady who came in once a week, but there were still things to do.
Three hours later he took off for the supermarket and loaded up on supplies. On his way down one of the aisles looking for napkins, he found himself stopping in front of the disposable diaper section, something he’d never done before in his life.
There were several brands for newborns. Zane felt a pit in his gut when he thought of Johnny struggling for life beneath the heater of his crib.
As his gaze strayed to the baby bottles, pictures of the tubes and IVs hooked up to those five precious pounds of humanity flooded his mind, bringing tears to his eyes.
He blinked them back before heading to one of the checkout counters. Once he’d put the groceries away, he’d drive out to the ER and stay with Johnny. When the guys phoned, he’d give them directions to the hospital so they could see the baby before they all moved on to his house.
Hopefully Ms. Richins was working tonight and would come on duty while he was still there. For some reason the image of her gleaming brown hair and eyes like rich, warm drops of melted chocolate, managed to intrude whenever he thought about Johnny. He couldn’t seem to separate the two in his mind.
There was a sweetness in her voice and expression around the baby. Zane had been charmed by her.
When Meg went out to her car at seven p.m., she told herself it was because she needed time to scrape the ice off her windshield so she wouldn’t be late for work. On a clear night after a storm, everything froze.
But the job only took five minutes, and her Jeep could go anywhere in the snow without problem.
When she walked into the ER at seven-twenty, Dr. Parker’s head turned in her direction. She’d forgotten his hours were different than those of the staff.
He checked his watch. “You’re forty minutes early tonight. In case you’re looking for Baby Doe, he’s not here.”
“No!” she cried in agony, and started shaking her head.
“Take it easy, Meg. I meant that it was good news. He’s still sick, but stabilized. I took him off the extremely Critical List and had him transferred to the nursery around dinnertime.”
“Thank heaven!” She clung to the counter, still trying to recover.
“I guess we should have hung a sign. When Mr. Broderick discovered the baby wasn’t here, he reacted the exact same way you did.”
“He’s here?” Just the mention of the stranger’s name brought this suffocating feeling to her chest.
“Obviously he was.”
Without conscious thought Meg raced around the corner and down the hall. She opened the door and took the stairs to the nursery one floor up.
“Where have you put Baby Doe?” she asked Shelby Clark, one of the nurses at the station.
“You mean, our little celebrity? I’m afraid you’ll have to stand in line outside the sick baby nursery,” she teased. “At the moment there are three people ahead of you. They’re all men, and they’re gorgeous!” she confided.
“If you’re up here, that means the word has already spread to the main floor. I think every eligible female in this hospital is waiting her turn for a glimpse of them. Donna says they’re movie stars here on location for a film.”
Donna was wrong.
The men were probably the engineers helping Zane Broderick on his project. But Meg kept those thoughts to herself.
“I just want a peek at the baby before I go on duty in a few minutes.”
“Sure you do.” Shelby winked.
Under other circumstances Meg would have enjoyed Shelby’s innocent teasing. But not tonight. Meg was too close to this case. Dr. Parker had upset her too much.
If she’d found Dr. Tingey in the ER, his first words would have been, “I have good news. Baby Doe has been transferred to the nursery.”
But that wasn’t Dr. Parker’s style. Telling her the baby was gone had almost given her a heart attack. Aside from her other reason for leaving Tooele, the thought of not working around Dr. Parker any longer than necessary held a lot of appeal.
It was just as well she’d talked to Debbie this morning about moving back to Salt Lake. To her surprise, her roommate admitted she’d been worried about Meg and thought a change of scene sounded like a good plan for her.
Meg also learned that Debbie had been considering moving home to Logan, Utah, where she could stay with her folks and attend graduate school at Utah State. But she’d been hesitant to talk to Meg about it because she didn’t want to leave her in the lurch.
Not only had their talk helped Meg decide to give two weeks’ notice to the hospital, Meg’s first reaction when she heard the baby was gone proved her emotions were too involved to be healthy.
Hard as it was to do, she decided it would be better not to see the baby again. Now that he’d been moved to the nursery, there was no reason for Meg to be up here. No reason at all.
This was the crucial moment to practice self-restraint. Otherwise she would be in a much worse condition when child welfare services came to the hospital.
The police report was already in their files. Any day now, probably as early as tomorrow, a social worker would show up to find out how soon the baby could be placed in foster care.
Already the abandoned infant had endeared himself to Meg. Because of Mr. Broderick, she no longer thought of him as Baby Doe. In her heart, he’d become Johnny.
She needed to make the break while she still could. It meant she wouldn’t be seeing Mr. Broderick again, either. He made up the other part of her forbidden list.
“You know what, Shelby? I think I’ll come back when there isn’t a line. See you later.”
Meg left the floor, not interested in remaining there to catch up on hospital gossip. Once she’d reached the ER and had hung up her coat, she plunged into her work with a vengeance.
If there wasn’t anything going on between crises, she took inventory of supplies in the cubicles, anything to keep so busy she wouldn’t think about what was going on upstairs.
“What’s with you?” Julie asked when there was a quiet moment. Meg had been counting boxes of gloves and syringes. Her colleague’s question threw her off.
“Just trying to make myself useful.”
“Well stop it! You’re putting me to shame.”
Meg was still down on her haunches. “Sorry, I hadn’t realized.”
“Hey— I was only teasing. What’s wrong? You don’t seem yourself.”
“Let me get you something for it.”
“I took some tablets while I was hanging up my coat, but thanks anyway.”
“Sure. Did you know Baby Doe was transferred to the nursery?”
“Yes, I heard. I-it’s wonderful.”
“Lucky, too.”
“What do you mean?”
“The police were here a few minutes ago looking for that gorgeous grouch who brought the baby in. At least now they can’t pin a murder charge on him.”
Upon that revelation, Meg dropped the clipboard. After grabbing for it, she got to her feet. “Surely they weren’t here to arrest him!”
“I don’t know. Dr. Parker sent them to the nursery.”
Adrenaline surged through Meg’s body. “Julie— It’s quiet right now. Would you cover for me? I’ll be back inside of ten minutes.”
“Of course. You spelled me off last night when I missed all the action. Give me the clipboard.”
“Thanks.”
She dashed out of the cubicle and ran down two corridors in search of the stairs. Once she’d reached the next floor, she headed straight for the sick baby nursery.
Through the glass of one of the partitioned rooms, she could see Zane Broderick talking to the policemen who’d come to the ER last night. Two other men as tall and attractive as he was stood close by, their expressions equally solemn.
If those officers were reading him his rights…
Heedless of the consequences, Meg marched into the nursery, swept past the staff and opened the door where Mr. Broderick was being interrogated. All eyes swerved in her direction.
“Excuse me for interrupting,” she began, “but if you’re still thinking this man had any knowledge of Baby Doe’s situation prior to his finding the baby and bringing him to the ER, then you’re way off base, gentlemen.
“He’s the engineer who built that track where the baby was found. If he’d had anything to hide, he would never have admitted to finding the child there of all places.”
She struggled for breath. “I was here all night to observe him. He never went home. In fact I had to get him a cot because he was dead on his feet, but that didn’t matter to him. He hovered over that baby, talked to it, touched it— He willed it to live, officers.
“I haven’t seen most fathers show that kind of love or concern or devotion for their own offspring, let alone for a nameless baby someone had left out to die!”
By now she was trembling. “Why don’t you gentlemen get out there and beat the bushes to find the birthparents of that adorable little baby? You’ll probably discover it was a couple of terrified fifteen-year-olds who don’t have a clue about the sanctity of life!
“I’m telling you right now that if you charge this man with the crime, I’ll fight you every step of the way. When you hear what Dr. Tingey, the head of the ER, and one of the most powerful figures in this community, has to say about this matter, he’ll make mincemeat of you in court!”
Silence filled the room.
“Are you quite through?” one of the officers inquired in such a mild-mannered voice she wanted to scratch his eyes out.
“For now.” She was still bristling with rage.
His eyes held a mysterious twinkle. “That’s good, because we came to bring Mr. Broderick his jacket and let him know he’s no longer under suspicion. For one thing, his blood type isn’t the same as the blood type on the blanket.
“For another, fresh horse manure droppings along with the bloody droplets matching that on the blanket, were found in the snow at the end of the track where Mr. Broderick rescued the infant from certain death.
“We’re now looking for someone who rode a horse to that spot. Someone who couldn’t have ridden very far considering the baby had been born within the same hour of his being placed there.
“Don’t worry, Ms. Richins. We’ve been beating the bushes for the last twenty-four hours. Hopefully we’ll discover the person who did this and learn the identity of the mother before too much more time passes.
“Your breathtaking defense of Mr. Broderick has been duly noted and will go in the record.” He cocked his head. “If I’m ever in need of someone to stand up for me, I’ll know exactly where to come.
“Goodnight, Ms. Richins. Gentlemen.” He nodded to the others before he and his partner left the room. The door closed behind them with a click.
Meg wasn’t a person who blushed easily. But she felt heat sweep up her body into her face and hair.
Talk about resembling a red light globe—
The two dark-haired men stood there openly smiling down at her with their eyes as well as their mouths. She didn’t dare look at Mr. Broderick, but she could feel his intense gaze scrutinizing her.
“Ms. Richins.” He broke the silence with his deep voice. “I’d like to introduce you to my best friends, Dominic Giraud and Alik Jarman.”
They shook hands with her.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” said the one with the French accent.
“I wouldn’t have missed this,” the other man teased gently. “We flew out from Denver to offer our support.”
Denver? She’d thought these men were part of his crew!
“But obviously none was needed,” the Frenchman added silkily.
She tried looking anywhere else, but ended up meeting Zane Broderick’s penetrating regard. He wasn’t smiling.
“If the officers had come here to arrest me,” he began in a husky voice, “I’m not sure they would have carried out their objective after hearing your testimonial.”
He folded his arms. “You risked having to pay a fine, or worse, for harassing a police officer in the line of duty. A mere thank-you for your sacrifice doesn’t quite cover what you did for me just now.”
“I would have done it for anyone I felt was innocent,” she defended, hoping lightning wouldn’t strike her for that particular white lie. “I’m very glad you’re no longer under suspicion.”
His eyes darkened to an inky blue. “So am I. But until the baby is completely out of the woods, it’s a little too soon for the celebration I have in mind.”
Her heart wouldn’t stop hammering.
“He is improved though. Otherwise Dr. Parker wouldn’t have upgraded his condition. We can be thankful for that much.”
“I’m thankful you were there when the baby needed you most.”
The fervency in his tone caused her to avert her eyes. “Then we’re both thankful, because you’re the one who found him in time.” Feeling out of breath, she backed away from him. “If you will excuse me, I’m supposed to be on duty in the ER. I-it was very nice meeting all of you.”
Needing to be strong right now, she purposely refused to look at the baby as she hurried through the nursery. Midway across the room, Shelby stopped her flight.
“Wait up! I found out who those men in the other room really are. Donna was wrong about them being movie stars.”
“I know. They’re Mr. Broderick’s friends from Denver.”
“They’re a lot more than that!”
“I’d like to hear it, but I’ve got to get back to the ER.”
“I’ll walk you to the door. Get this— Dr. Silvano recognized them from a television appearance. The three of them are these fabulously weal—”
“Shelby?” Meg interrupted. “You’ll have to tell me later. Otherwise I won’t have a job.”
For many reasons, including a decent recommendation when she left the clinic in two weeks, Meg needed to get out of there and back to her own floor.
CHAPTER THREE
“ARE there any more barbecued ribs?”
“Sorry, Dom. We ate all seven pounds of them.”
Dominic shook his head. “You know something, mon ami? You missed your calling as a master chef.”
“Coming from an exacting connoisseur, that’s a real compliment.”
“It’s true, Zane,” Alik concurred. “Blaire’s a great cook, but nobody does ribs and baked beans like you.”
“Since you guys flew through sleet and storm to bail me out, I thought the least I could do was make it worth your while.”
“I’d say a certain beautiful nurse already did that.” Dominic grinned.
Alik grinned back. “Here I was feeling sorry for you having to be stuck out here in the back of beyond. How long have you been holding out on us, you sly old fox?”
Zane pulled the warm, store-bought blueberry pie from the oven and set it on the table with a pitcher of cream.
“I swear I never saw her before last night.”
Dominic served everyone a large piece. “It appears the ravissante Jeanne D’Arc is very much alive.”
A chuckle escaped Alik. “Did you see the fire in her eyes? She was amazing! Those police officers are never going to forget it.”
“None of us will,” Dominic murmured.
Reaching for the pitcher, Zane poured cream over his pie. “She’s crazy about the baby. I know for a fact she would have championed anyone who’d found him.”
“He’s an awfully cute little tyke. It’s hard for me to believe our baby was ever that small,” Alik said.
Dominic swallowed another bite. “Hannah’s going to be giving birth to our child next year. Looking at that baby tonight made me realize all the things that can go wrong. I confess I’m getting nervous.”
Zane studied his friend. Dominic had two vulnerable spots. His wife and adopted daughter, Elizabeth. “Your baby is going to be born in a hospital with the best medical care there is. The situations aren’t comparable.”
“He’s right, Dom,” Alik cut in. “But since I didn’t know about Nicky until after he was born, I can only imagine the fears you must experience once in a while.
“Speaking of fears—” Alik eyed Zane. “Dom and I are aware of your concern for the baby. Why don’t you go over to the hospital and check on him while we clean up? When you get back, we’ll talk about the test run.”
“I don’t have to go.”
“Yes, you do,” Dominic insisted. “All evening we’ve sensed your preoccupation.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t know it was that obvious.”
Alik frowned. “Don’t apologize. We understand. Once you’ve ascertained he’s holding his own, you’ll be able to think about something else.”
“That’s the problem. He’s going to be sick for a while.”
“All the more reason to reassure yourself he’s okay tonight.”
They understood him too well. “You’re right. I’ll leave now and be home before you know it.”
Five minutes later Zane pulled into the parking lot of the hospital. Though he hadn’t expected to remain under police suspicion too much longer, it was a relief to walk through the main entrance knowing they’d crossed him off their list.
There were three babies in the sick nursery. Two sets of exhausted-looking parents who’d been in there earlier were still doting on their offspring.
When Zane’s gaze flicked to the other side of the semidark room and fell on one lone crib, it felt like a giant hand had just squeezed out his heart’s blood. He rushed over to the baby.
“I’m here, Johnny. I’m here.”
He threw off his jacket and helped himself to a pair of gloves from a nearby cart. Snagging a rolling stool with his boot, he planted himself at the side of the crib.
“I came as soon as I could.” Carefully he put his hands through the holes and caught the baby’s tiny fingers. They curled around his with astonishing strength and his little legs kicked harder.
“It looks like you’ve missed me, too.” The thought that the baby recognized him thrilled him to the core of his being. “Remember those men you met? They’re home doing the dishes so I could come and be with you.
“No man ever had better friends. I’ll bring them over tomorrow so the three of you can get well acquainted. You’d like that, wouldn’t you?”
He molded his palm to the baby’s chest. “It’s warm and snug in there, but I bet it’s boring.”
As if the baby understood, he suddenly yawned, endearing himself to Zane that much more.
An hour passed before he was even aware of it. When he happened to look up and saw that it was after eleven, he realized that if he didn’t leave now, the guys would probably turn in.
“I have to go, Johnny, but I’ll come back in the morning.” It was a wrench to tear himself away. “Be a good boy and get well for me while I’m gone.”
After discarding the gloves, he grabbed his jacket. With a nod for the nurse on duty, he exited the room only to collide with a woman intent on entering the nursery.
His hands automatically went out to steady her. She must have washed her hair with some kind of peach shampoo. The scent was intoxicating.
“I’m sorry!” she cried. “It’s my fault for bumping into you.”
When she lifted her head, he discovered it was Ms. Richins who’d been in too big a hurry to watch where she was going. Since he’d planned to talk to her in the ER before going out to the parking lot, nothing could have pleased him more.
He stared into her dark-fringed eyes, fascinated by their velvety brown color. “I’m glad you did. I think little Johnny’s lonely for company.”
After a pause, “I’m still on duty in the ER, but thought I’d dash up here for a minute and check on him. Does he seem improved to you?”
Considering she was a nurse, her hopeful question was one for the books. But from the moment he’d met her, he’d also been aware that she was a warm, caring woman. Evidently he wasn’t the only person who’d fallen under the baby’s spell.
“It’s probably my imagination, but I thought he was a little more active tonight.”
“That’s a good sign.”
“Is it?” His heart lurched.
“I’ll know better when I look at him.”
“Let’s do it together.”
She lowered her eyes. “I thought you were leaving.”
He wasn’t sure how to take her remark. “Actually I was on my way downstairs to talk to you about his condition.”
By tacit agreement they entered the nursery. She made a beeline for the crib.
“Hello, little sweetheart.” She tapped a knuckle against the transparent top. “What have you been doing tonight?”
At the sound of her voice, Zane noticed how Johnny turned his head toward her. His arms and legs wiggled. Anyone watching her smile at the baby could be forgiven for thinking she was the mother.
“My goodness—you are more animated! That’s wonderful! I wish I could stay with you.”
Zane knew exactly how she felt.
“Keep fighting, sweetheart.”
“Hi,” a female voice spoke behind them. Zane turned his head. It was one of the other mothers. She was alone and looked washed-out. Apparently her husband had left. “The waiting gets hard, doesn’t it.”
“Very,” Zane murmured.
“You two surely have a cute baby there. He looks perfect. Sam and I were wondering what was wrong with him?”
In the next instant Ms. Richins had backed away from the crib. Maybe it was a trick of light, but he thought there was more color in her face than before.
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Rebecca Winters
Zane Broderick couldn't believe it. The bundle he had found in the snow was a baby!He rushed the little boy to hospital and straight into nurse Meg Richins's arms…. Surrounded by babies all day, Meg longed for children.When Zane Broderick brought this adorable baby into her ward, she immediately wanted to adopt him - and so did Zane. The solution seemed obvious - but could she really marry a stranger?
“I know you’re crazy about the baby.”
“I am!” she confessed. “But that’s not the problem.”
“Then what is?” Even in the semi-dark interior of the cab, his eyes blazed a hot blue. The problem is you, Mr. Broderick. I think I’ve fallen in love with you, and you only see me as a live-in nanny.
“It’s inevitable he would get attached to me. It would be a wrench for him when I have to leave. Cruel, in fact. He deserves to have someone around on a permanent basis, not just a month or two.”
“I couldn’t agree more, and I have a solution. In fact I would have suggested it in the beginning. But first I needed to find out if there was a man in your life.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Marry me.”
Captain Howard Stansbury of the U.S. Topographical engineers, who surveyed the valley of the Great Salt Lake in 1849, reported, “This valley is called Tuilla Valley.”
(sounds like Two-Willa).
The name comes from the Shoshoni Indian Language and is a Gosiute tongue variant, named for the Bear family, a Gosiute Indian family, some of whose members still reside in Tooele today.
THE BABY DISCOVERY
Rebecca Winters
To Janet and George, with love and gratitude for their invaluable help.
CONTENTS
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
EPILOGUE
CHAPTER ONE
A FREEZING gust of wind caused Zane Broderick to turn up the collar of his sheepskin jacket. An early December snowstorm had blown in, making for poor visibility in this remote wilderness.
It was the “lake effect” that gave Tooele its reputation for severe winter weather. Forty minutes from Salt Lake, the tiny Utah town received an overabundance of moisture due to its proximity to the Great Salt Lake.
Tonight he felt a whiteout coming on. The kind where livestock froze and all transportation came to a standstill. By tomorrow morning the conditions would be perfect for the engineering team to do an experimental, driverless winter test run of the new prototype magnetic levitation train he’d designed.
As soon as he’d given one more inspection to this last section of forged track for any unforeseen problems, he could call it a night.
Blizzard conditions made it impossible to rely on his eyes without help. He pulled the heavy-duty flashlight from the back of his truck where he’d covered his equipment with a tarp.
The wind drove the snow so hard, his footsteps disappeared with every step he took alongside the platformed structure housing the twelve miles of seamless track.
Twenty minutes later he was satisfied that the workmanship looked slick-as-a-whistle, as his father would say. He came to the last hundred feet, carefully shining his light down inside to make certain he’d covered every square inch.
While he’d been out here, the wind, strengthened in force, pelted him with icy shards. At times its moaning sounds rose in pitch, imitating an animal’s cry.
Zane began to think a cougar foraging for food must have come down from the nearby mountains and had picked up his scent.
He made a last scan with the light, then froze.
Something about the size of a sack of flour was lying in the middle of the track wrapped in a snow-covered cloth. It was hard to make out details with white stuff swirling all around him.
He heard another cry, more distinct this time. What the devil?
In the next second he vaulted inside to see what it was. As he drew closer, he could have sworn the material moved.
A grimace marred his features. Had some deranged lunatic decided to dispose of a cat in this fashion?
Hunkering down, he carefully removed one edge of the thin cotton material. After pointing the light on it, he let out a gasp of sheer disbelief.
A newborn baby without a stitch of clothing on!
It made another infant cry.
Good Lord. The little boy was on the verge of freezing to death!
Tears of rage filled Zane’s eyes. If he hadn’t decided to inspect this end portion of track one more time…
Setting down the light, he whipped off his jacket. Carefully he placed the baby against the sheepskin lining and wrapped it up like a cocoon. All the while he prayed the warmth from his own body would ward of hypothermia.
Without a second to lose, he climbed back out with his precious bundle and started running.
The tears continued to run down his cheeks. They froze to his skin but he wasn’t cognizant of anything except the tiny life that would have died from exposure, if not from…
He couldn’t think about the other horrific scenarios flooding his mind. He refused!
The truck was two miles away, but it felt like a hundred. The baby could die before he got it to a hospital.
Suppressed memories of Zane’s twin brother drowning in San Francisco Bay years ago came back with gut-wrenching clarity.
Please God. Let this baby live.
Julie Becker, the other registered nurse on duty in the emergency room at the small Oquirrh Mountains Medical Center, came into the cubicle where Meg Richins was setting up a morphine drip on a migraine sufferer.
“It’s pretty quiet, Meg,” she whispered. “I thought I’d run across the street for some fresh cappuccino. The coffee around here is ghastly. Do you want anything?”
“I don’t think so, but thanks anyway,” Meg whispered back. “Let’s just be grateful we’re on the night shift. After the storm is over in the morning, there will be a steady stream of casualties.”
“Don’t I know it, and we’ll both be in our apartments sound asleep! But alone in our beds,” she added jokingly.
Meg smiled, but it really wasn’t funny.
“See you in a few minutes.”
When she left, Meg looked down at her patient. “How’s the nausea, Mrs. Pope?”
“It’s not too bad yet.”
“Let me know if it gets worse and I’ll tell Dr. Tingey. We can give you something for it.”
“I’m allergic to a lot of things.”
“I can see that on your chart. Don’t worry. I hate a bad reaction as much as anyone. I promise we’ll do everything in our power to make sure you don’t suffer any additional discomfort.”
A few years ago, after the operation to remove Meg’s ovaries, she’d become deathly ill on her first injection of a normal painkiller for that kind of surgery. Since then she’d learned great respect for her patients’ fears in that department.
After drawing the curtain for privacy, she walked over to the desk where their intense new resident, Dr. Parker, was writing a prescription for an outgoing patient who’d come in with a broken arm.
She waited until he was finished.
“Yes, Meg?”
“Do you know where Dr. Tingey is?” Meg knew it was wrong of her, but there were some cases where she would rather deal with the seasoned, mellow head of the ER.
“Over in X-ray for the moment. What do you need?”
“This is a list of drugs Mrs. Pope is allergic to. She’s nauseated and I’m afraid it’s going to get worse. I thought we should be prepared.”
He studied it for a minute. “I’ll go in and talk to her.”
Somehow Meg knew he would say that. One of the new breed of doctors, he always questioned everything the patients said, as if their input wasn’t credible. She wondered if he treated his wife the same way, then chastised herself for being unprofessional.
Dr. Tingey was so different, Meg was spoiled. She not only had the greatest respect for his medical expertise, she loved him for his wonderful bedside manner with the patients who adored him.
On more than one occasion she’d heard him say he’d seen everything in his forty years of practice. In that amount of time he’d learned to listen, and truly cared about people. Those qualities alone made him the greatest doctor around as far as she was concerned. Dr. Parker would do well to emulate him.
A slight draft in the room brought Meg’s head in the direction of the double doors leading to the entrance of the ER. She assumed it was Julie returning from the convenience store.
Instead her gaze fell on a tall, lean male in his mid-thirties rushing toward her in a snow-covered cowboy hat, jeans and a plaid flannel shirt, but no winter coat. He was clutching something wrapped in his arms.
“Quick! Help me! The baby was left out in the blizzard to die!” The man sounded absolutely frantic.
The word “baby” galvanized her into action. “Come with me.” She hurried down to a room marked Infant ICU. “Right in here. Lay the baby on this counter.”
While he did her bidding, she switched on the warmer of the specially equipped cribs to treat hypothermia, then undid the rust-colored jacket covering the baby. A tiny head with a dusting of dark hair appeared.
It was a newborn boy! Meg’s professional eye looked him over. The umbilical cord still needed trimming.
His naked, shivering body had been wrapped in a thin, blood-stained cotton receiving blanket. He had an unhealthy pallor. She felt for a pulse. It was alarmingly weak, as were its infant cries. When she pressed on the skin of his upper arm, she noted decreased capillary refill.
Who could have done such a thing to a human being, her heart cried in fury.
Swallowing her sobs she whispered, “You precious little darling. Let’s get you warmed up.”
With the utmost care she lifted him from the counter and placed him unclothed on his back inside the crib. The quiver of his baby chin exaggerated his total helplessness, wringing another inner convulsion from Meg.
“I’ll get the doctor,” she murmured to the rugged stranger who hovered anxiously nearby. With one covert glance she read pain in his expression as he stared at the miniscule lump of humanity struggling for life.
To her relief, Dr. Tingey had returned from X-ray. As soon as she told him the situation, he followed her to the room where she’d put the baby.
After nodding to the man standing next to the crib, he proceeded to examine the infant.
“This little tyke isn’t more than a couple of hours old. Where did you find him?”
“On the train track,” came the thick-toned response. Meg moaned at the same time Dr. Tingey grimaced. “I was doing a last-minute inspection of the end section when I heard a cry.
“The second I realized it was a baby, I brought it here as fast as I could. Is it going to live?” His deep voice sounded haunted.
“We’re going to do everything in our power to make certain it does,” he assured him in a calm tone.
Two years of working in the ER had taught Meg how to read the expression on Dr. Tingey’s face. When one eyebrow arched higher than the other, it meant the victim’s medical condition was precarious, but no one else knew that.
“Set up an IV to start the antibiotics and fluid bolus. Then call the lab. I want a full workup, blood cultures, et cetera. Tell Julie to phone the sheriff’s office. We have a Baby Doe.”
“I’ll get right on it.”
Meg hurried to do his bidding. It was just as she’d feared. The infant had suffered blood loss during birth. No telling where the delivery had taken place. Considering the raging storm outside, she didn’t think she could bear to hear the tragic details, even if they were ever to come to light.
Within fifteen minutes everything possible was being done to stabilize the baby. Meg stood by to monitor the speed of the drip and get more IV bags ready if needed. Dr. Tingey finished trimming and cleaning the cord to make it sterile.
He’d told the stranger he could wait out in the small reception area if he wanted. But the other man insisted he would remain in the room.
It touched Meg’s heart that he would show this kind of concern for an abandoned baby. Unfortunately she’d seen too many cases where the natural parent seemed to have no nurturing instincts whatsoever.
Soon she heard voices in the hall and then a police officer came into the room. He nodded to everyone before his gaze went to the stranger.
“I’m Officer Brown assigned to this case. You’re the man who found the baby?”
“That’s right.”
“What’s the name, Sir?”
“Zane Broderick.”
“Age?”
“Thirty-four.”
“Do you live around here?”
“Yes—1017 Parkway.”
“Phone?”
“My number is 734-9812.”
“What’s your occupation?”
“I’m a mechanical engineer.”
“Tell me what happened.”
“My crew and I are performing a test on a new maglev train in the morning.”
Meg blinked. She’d heard about the exciting project when one of the engineers who’d been involved came in to be treated for a gash on his leg a few months earlier. She’d ridden on a bullet train similar to the type they were building when she’d gone to Japan on a trip with some fellow nurses after graduation.
“I was checking the last section of track for any last-minute problems when I saw a bundle in the middle of it, covered in snow. I thought it was a cat crying until I opened it and found the baby inside, barely alive. It was wrapped in a cloth.” He pointed to the cotton blanket still lying inside the jacket.
The officer peered at the bloodstains. “Is this track the one on the west side of town where a large building has been erected at one end?”
“Yes.”
“I’ve seen it.”
“I wrapped the baby in my coat and ran for my truck. It was parked two miles up the track. Then I drove straight here.”
“Do you know what time it was when you found the baby?”
“Forty-five minutes ago.”
“Is that your white Chevy V8 out there in the emergency parking?”
“Yes.”
“Give me the names and addresses of a couple of your crew, please.”
“Rod Stigler and Martin Driscoll. They live at the Doxey apartments on Conover Street. Number 10 and 14.”
“Okay. Thanks for your cooperation. I’m going to have to ask you to remain here until another officer from the station comes over to deal with the evidence and get a blood sample from you.”
The policeman turned to Dr. Tingey, but his gaze included Meg. “Don’t touch the blanket or the coat. In the meantime, if you should learn anything that could help us trace the birthmother or father, call the station. I’ll be in touch.”
“Is it routine to be given the third degree?” Mr. Broderick demanded quietly after the officer had left the room. Meg could feel his anger.
“I’m afraid even the good Samaritan is suspect until proven otherwise. As far as the police are concerned this could be a case of attempted murder,” Dr. Tingey murmured.
“The problem is, there have been too many instances in the past where the person who found an abandoned newborn turned out to be connected to it in some way. But normally it’s a teenage couple who can’t deal with the fact that they’ve become parents. They’ll do anything to get rid of it.”
Meg shuddered.
“Be patient. The truth will come out soon enough. Looking on the positive side, if this little guy continues to hold his own, there will come a day when he’ll want to thank you for saving his life.
“I’d like to thank you now for your quick action. The body warmth from your coat obviously helped preserve him.” Dr. Tingey shook the other man’s hand.
“Meg?” he called over his shoulder. “Keep the IV going. I’ve got to check on a head injury patient, then I’ll be back.” He left the room.
Under the circumstances, Meg couldn’t help but admire the kind way Dr. Tingey had tried to put the stranger at ease. He knew how unsettling it must be for Mr. Broderick whose good deed had fallen under suspicion.
“You look like you could use a cup of coffee. Can I get you some?”
His gaze was still riveted to the baby. He seemed deep in thought. “If it wouldn’t be too much trouble, I’d appreciate it.”
“Not at all. Why don’t you bring that stool in the corner over to the crib and sit down while you watch the baby. I’ll be back in a moment.”
When she returned a few minutes later, she discovered he’d followed her suggestion. In the process he’d removed the well-worn cowboy hat which had been set on the counter next to his coat. Beneath the brightness of the overhead light, his medium-cropped dark-blond hair gleamed with health.
It surprised her to realize they’d both been living in town and she’d never seen him before. Lines of character defining a face burnished by the sun added to his masculine appeal. The combination of his six-foot-three height and well-honed physique made him a rarity among the male of the species. In Tooele, she hadn’t known such a man existed…
“Here’s your coffee.”
“Thank you.” He took it from her hands. In that brief moment when he’d looked up, she’d glimpsed a flash of blue. The man was even more attractive than she’d first realized.
“Hi, Meg.” The lab technician breezed in with her cart.
“How are you, Angela?” The mother of three was always cheerful.
“Can’t complain. Word has spread around the clinic that we have a Baby Doe.” She put on sterile gloves, then placed her hands inside the holes of the crib to get started.
“Oh—isn’t he sweet!” As she began drawing blood from the baby’s heels she said, “With those cheeks, he looks like a chipmunk.”
Meg smiled. “My words exactly. He’s the most precious thing I’ve ever seen.”
But she noticed that Zane Broderick continued to wear a pained expression throughout the procedure. For someone who’d never laid eyes on the baby until he’d found him on the track, the man seemed exceptionally attached to the child.
Maybe it was because the miracle of birth had happened only hours before its discovery and the crisis had managed to tug at his parental instincts. In some men those feelings were very strong. If that was the case, Meg could well understand his reaction.
Since she’d discovered the tiny infant wrapped inside the man’s coat, the powerful drive to mother the child she would never be able to conceive had been given a real workout.
By the time the technician had finished her job, it was time for Meg to start another IV. Mr. Broderick leaned closer to the crib.
“Do you think the baby looks any better yet?”
I wish I could tell you yes, but I can’t. “He’s holding his own, which means he’s a fighter.”
“In other words, there’s a good chance he might not make it.”
His tormented tone alarmed her. “Give him a little more time. Babies are more resilient than you might imagine.”
“I wouldn’t know.” He downed the rest of his coffee.
She checked the thermostat on the warmer to be sure it was maintaining a constant temperature, then reached for his empty cup. “I’ll dispose of that.” On her way over to the waste bin, two policemen entered the room.
“Mr. Broderick? If you’ll come with me.”
The stranger’s jaw hardened. Meg shared in his frustration as he got up from the stool and was forced to follow one of the officers out the door. The other officer placed the cotton blanket and sheepskin parka in bags for the forensics lab to examine.
Putting on sterile gloves, Meg walked back to the crib. Her heart ached for this baby who’d been deprived of his mother and desperately needed to be held. She reached inside the holes and grasped his tiny hands, trying to infuse him with all the love she would have poured out on her own baby. The one she would never have…
“You’re the sweetest boy I’ve ever seen. So strong and brave. The man who saved you thinks you are, too. He’ll be back. You’re not alone in the world, little precious.”
“Am I allowed to make a phone call now?” Zane demanded in suppressed anger, rolling down his shirt-sleeve over the gauze the technician had taped to his inner elbow.
The officer nodded. “Of course. Thanks for cooperating. We’ll get your coat back to you within twenty-four hours.”
After the policeman and technician had left the emergency room cubicle, Zane pulled out his cell phone. First he called Martin. Following the brief explanation, he asked his assistant to inform the rest of the crew that the test run for tomorrow needed to be postponed for a couple of days. He’d get back to him later.
As soon as they’d said goodbye, he rang Dominic Giraud at his apartment in Laramie, Wyoming. If he didn’t answer, then Zane would phone Alik Jarman who lived nearby. Both men were his best friends. Together the three of them were making the maglev project a reality.
This test was the critical one. He knew they’d be upset when they heard it had to be put off for another day or two, but circumst—
“Hello?”
“Hannah?” Dom’s wife was a sweetheart.
“Zane! Dominic and Alik were just talking about you.”
“Are they still there?”
“Yes.”
“Put them both on, will you? I’ve got something important to tell them.”
“Of course. Just a minute.”
He could hear happy sounds in the background. In his mind’s eye he pictured the small apartment bulging at the seams with both couples and their children assembled in the front room. At the odd time like this, Zane experienced a disquieting emptiness he didn’t like to acknowledge, not when his bachelor status had served him perfectly well all these years.
“Mon vieux—” His French friend often used the endearment in addressing him and Alik. Right now Zane felt like he was an old man. “Is everything ready for tomorrow?”
“We’ve been watching the weather channel,” Alik broke in on the other line. “You’re being blasted with snow right now. Exactly what we wanted for the test run in the morning!”
Zane gripped the phone a little tighter. “I’m afraid the test has to be postponed. That’s why I’m calling.”
After a slight pause, “What happened?” The disappointment in Dom’s voice was tangible.
“It has nothing to do with the train’s mechanics.”
“Then there’s something wrong with you,” Alik surmised, his tone full of concern.
He sucked in his breath. “You’re not going to believe this, but the track has been taped off as a crime scene.”
“What?” both men interjected at the same time.
“That’s right. At the moment I’m the chief suspect in an attempted murder case. As we speak, I’m in the ER in Tooele where I’ve just been fingerprinted by the police. They took a blood sample. I’ve been warned not to leave town until further notice. Oh yes, they’ll give me back my parka after the crime lab has examined it.”
“It sounds like you need an attorney. Alik and I will phone New York as soon as we hang up.”
Thank God for choice friends.
“I appreciate the backing, you two. If it comes to that, I’ll let you know. But this is an entirely different situation than you’re imagining. Just hear me out.”
For the next little while Zane told them everything that had happened. “You should have seen the little guy with only a thin cotton blanket for protection in that blizzard. An animal could have come along. If we’d done that test tomorrow—” Zane was so choked up, he couldn’t talk.
“Good Lord,” Alik muttered.
“How old did you say he was?”
“An hour maybe.”
“Mon Dieu.”
“Everything possible is being done for him here, but no one’s guaranteeing anything.” Not even the attractive nurse who’d brought him coffee had tried to paint a rosy picture. That pretty well said it all.
“How in the hell could the police think you had anything to do with it when you’re the one who brought the baby in?”
“According to the doctor, more often than not that person is an accessory to the crime or has knowledge of it. So until the police track down the mother and anyone else involved, I won’t be off the hook.”
“We’re flying to Salt Lake tomorrow, mon ami. Because of the snow, it will probably have to be a late afternoon flight.”
“There’s no need to take you away from your families.”
“We’re coming,” Alik declared.
When Zane heard that note of finality in their voices, he knew there was no arguing with them. In truth, he was glad they had insisted. He could use their support at a time like this.
“We’ll phone you when we’re in the car on the way to Tooele.”
He swallowed hard. “Thanks, guys. It means more than you know.”
Anxious to check on the baby’s condition, he clicked off and left the cubicle for the Infant ICU.
While Dr. Parker listened to the baby’s heart, Meg charted its fluid intake and output on the computer.
“This is a pretty sick baby.”
“I know,” she murmured, hating to hear the words. Dr. Tingey always kept those kinds of thoughts to himself. Unfortunately, he’d gone home and left Dr. Parker in charge.
He pulled the ends of the stethoscope out of his ears and turned to Meg. “What’s your take on the man who brought it in?”
“What do you mean?” she played dumb.
“You have to admit that without prior knowledge, the chances of anyone finding Baby Doe where he did on a night like tonight are a zillion to one.”
“I don’t understand your point.”
“His story is too far-fetched to be believed. When it all comes out, we’ll probably learn it was his girlfriend who tried to get rid of it at home, and he suffered a last-minute attack of conscience.”
Dr. Parker had never been her favorite person. His remark just now alienated her even more. No sooner had he gone out the door than she felt another presence in the ICU.
“Is that what you think, too?”
The stranger’s deep, unforgettable voice brought Meg’s head around to receive the full brunt of brilliant blue eyes alive with pain.
Horrified he’d overheard Dr. Parker’s comment she said, “I’m sorry, Mr. Broderick. Would you repeat the question?”
He stood there with his hands on his hips in a purely masculine stance. “Your diplomacy does you great credit, Ms. Richins.”
For a moment she’d forgotten about the name tag attached to the pocket of her lab coat. Her face went warm. “Please don’t mind what he said. At times no one is immune to the stress of the ER.”
“I could go along with that if this place resembled a war zone. But it’s as quiet as a tomb around here tonight.”
He had a point.
“Dr. Parker has three children of his own. I’m assuming it was the baby’s plight that caused him to venture a negative opinion about you.”
“Apparently it’s shared by a majority of people. Why not you?”
The pointed question caught her off guard.
She could hardly tell him it was the haunted sound of his voice, the look of torment in his eyes when he’d rushed in the ER crying out for help, that had decided her.
“I’ve always considered a person innocent until proven guilty.”
There was a slight pause. “It’s nice to know I have one person on my side.”
“Two,” she amended in the next breath. At his questioning look she said, “You’re forgetting the baby.”
CHAPTER TWO
“YOU mean Johnny?”
She blinked. Johnny?
“I abhor calling him Baby Doe,” came the explanation.
“So do I,” she said in a tremulous voice. “John’s my father’s name. I love it. Just don’t let anyone else hear you use it. They would jump to the wrong conclusion.”
“It will be our secret.”
Though what he’d said implied a certain intimacy, she knew they were just words on his part.
“I heard the doctor tell you he’s sick,” Mr. Broderick added. “I take it he wasn’t talking about hypothermia.”
She shook her head. “No. The baby has an infection. We’ll give him antibiotics for as long as the blood culture comes back positive.”
“What else is wrong with him?”
“He’s lost blood. That means he’s missing vital nutrients we’re feeding him through the IV.”
“The guy’s so tiny. Do you think he’s premature?”
The questions fired one after the other reminded her of a brand-new father who needed constant reassurance.
“Probably. But under the circumstances, five pounds is a good weight. Until his lungs are more developed, we’ll continue the oxygen to help him breathe.” She bit her lip. “Thank heaven you found him!”
“I’ve been doing a lot of that for the last little while,” he muttered, his whole attention focused on the baby. He didn’t act or sound like he was going to leave anytime soon.
“Excuse me for a moment.”
Julie stopped Meg on the way to the lounge area. “I got a good look at the Adonis who brought in Baby Doe,” she whispered. “He’s a living, breathing miracle!”
“I agree,” Meg murmured back. Unless I’m no judge of character, he’s even more exceptional on the inside.
“It isn’t fair!” the vivacious blond nurse whined. “I step outside for five minutes and the only excitement to happen around here in months takes place without me.”
“Tell you what. Wait here while I get him a chair, and you can take it to him. The stool’s a back-breaker.”
“You mean he’s not leaving yet?” Her blue eyes lit up in anticipation.
“I’m not sure. He’s very anxious about J—the baby,” she stammered.
In a matter of seconds Meg returned with one of the comfortable canvas-backed chairs. “I’ll keep an eye on Mrs. Pope while you monitor the baby’s progress.”
Julie smiled with satisfaction. “You’re just too good to be true,” she sang the song near Meg’s ear before wheeling away with the chair.
It was better to let Julie take over in there. She was a natural flirt. If Mr. Broderick turned out to be single and available, the two ought to hit it off without problem.
As for the baby, Meg already felt an attachment to him that went way beyond the norm.
She’d always loved babies and had dreamed of a large family of her own one day. But since she’d learned she could never give birth, it seemed like her problem was all she ever thought about. Especially when her older brother and sister were both married and had children.
Her gynecologist had suggested she get a dog to love. Unfortunately there was a “no pets” rule at the apartment she shared with a dental hygienist, Debbie Lignell. But after her response to the baby, maybe she ought to start thinking about moving to a place where animals were allowed.
By the time she went off the shift at five-thirty a.m., Debbie would be getting ready for work. Meg could broach the subject, but her friend wouldn’t like it. Their apartment was a convenient half block away from the dentist’s office.
Perhaps the best thing to do was let Debbie advertise for a new roommate so Meg could find a place of her own.
Maybe now would be the best time to move back to Salt Lake. There were plenty of nursing jobs available. If she couldn’t get her old floor position back at Emigration Hospital, there were a lot of other hospitals in the Salt Lake Valley. As for apartments that accepted pets, it wouldn’t be a problem. What she needed was a new reason to get up in the morning…
Since her operation, she’d avoided dating. That way she didn’t have to explain that she could never bear a child and that the guy would be wasting his time with her.
The last man she’d been interested in was a pilot she’d met at an N.B.A. game featuring the Jazz and the Lakers. Once the two of them got talking, it appeared he liked some of the same outdoor activities she loved.
But they’d only been dating a couple of weeks when he was unexpectedly transferred to Atlanta. He’d wanted her to fly out there for a visit. But by then she had developed female problems.
Once she knew the prognosis, she was glad he’d moved away before their relationship had progressed any further. It spared her the anguish of confessing that she was no longer a whole woman.
Since then not even her hobbies interested her. Perhaps a little dog she could train from puppyhood would help bring her out of this depression. Much as she hated to admit, that’s what it was.
If she was really being honest with herself, she’d chosen to work in Tooele because it was only eight miles from Grantsville where her family lived. For someone who’d always been so cheerful and independent, she hated it that her inability to have children had changed her into some kind of emotional cripple.
She needed to go back to Salt Lake which was far enough away that she couldn’t just pop in on her parents when she felt down. If getting a dog didn’t help, then she would probably have to seek some counseling.
Her mother had urged her to look on the bright side. One day when she married, she could adopt. Intellectually Meg knew her mom was right. But most men wanted to father their own flesh and blood.
It took a special man to deal with a woman’s infertility. He had to love you so much he could look past the medical problem. If there was a man out there who could do that, she hadn’t met him yet.
As for the tiny infant in the ICU, she could steal him away tonight and love him forever.
The fact that she would even entertain the thought proved she needed to do something about her situation as soon as possible.
A half hour later Mrs. Pope’s IV had run out. “How’s the headache now?”
“It’s gone. My husband should be here any minute to take me home.”
“I’m glad you’re feeling better. Your color has come back.” Meg removed the needle and bandaged the spot. “I’ll tell the doctor. While I’m at it, is there anything else I can do for you?”
“Nothing. But thank you for sitting with me and being so nice. My husband has a hard time when I get like this.”
“If he’s good to you otherwise, I forgive him.”
Her patient’s wan smile told Meg all she needed to know. “He is.”
Lucky you.
She went out to the desk. “Dr. Parker? Mrs. Pope’s waiting to be discharged.”
He nodded. “Get the lab over here, then join me in cubicle four. We’ve got a victim with a knife wound who’s about to go to surgery.”
“I’ll call them.”
Between that injury and a heart attack victim brought in by an ambulance, the doctors and staff were run off their feet for the next couple of hours. Around four it was Meg’s turn to check on the baby.
To her surprise, Mr. Broderick was still in the Infant ICU watching the baby.
“At last,” came the deep voice as soon as he saw her.
“Things got busy out there.”
He rose to his full height. “So I noticed.”
While she checked on the drip and various monitors, she felt his anxious gaze on her face. “What do you think?”
She knew what he wanted to hear, but she still couldn’t tell him. “H-he’s not any worse.”
“Damn,” he bit out, then threw his head back. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t apologize. I was on the brink of saying something unprofessional myself. He’s so precious and so utterly helpless.” Her voice quavered.
Lines darkened his face. “I’m afraid to leave for fear he’ll—”
“I know,” she broke in before he could finish. “Why don’t I have a cot brought in so you can lie down next to him.”
By his expression she could tell her suggestion had shocked him. “You would do that?”
“If I had realized you were still here, I would have suggested it earlier. There’s no one else to keep the baby company. Finders, keepers,” she said with a smile. “In the meantime, wash your hands in the sink over there. Here’s a pair of sterile gloves for you. When you’ve dried off, put them on. Then you can reach inside the crib and touch him while you talk to him. I bet he’d like to hear how you sing, too.”
She leaned close to the holes. “You haven’t been on this earth very long, have you, sweetie. And every new little guy deserves all the love and attention he can get. I would say this big guy here who saved your life is the perfect person to do that. Now I’ll leave you two to get better acquainted.”
Meg didn’t know what had possessed her just now, but she’d sensed Mr. Broderick needed somewhere to go with his feelings. Giving him a job would help the agonizing hours pass faster.
Besides, she was a firm believer in touching babies as much and as often as possible. The ER didn’t have enough staff to lavish the kind of physical love normally extended by the adoring parents of a newborn.
“Hey, Meg?” Julie signaled to her from the desk. Things had quieted down for the moment. No doubt she was going to brag about the date she’d wangled out of Mr. Broderick. Meg didn’t want to hear it.
“Just a minute and let me call housekeeping first.” When she’d rung for a cot to be sent to the Infant ICU, she gave Julie her attention. “What were you going to say?”
“I was hoping you would tell me,” she whispered.
Meg frowned. “What do you mean?”
“I got nowhere with that guy. I mean nowhere. He only asked one question that didn’t have to do with the baby. When were you going to come back in the room.”
To Meg’s consternation her heart turned over.
“He probably thought I had news from the doctor. Don’t forget the man found the baby. I think he’s still in shock.”
“That’s for sure. What a grouch.”
“The police haven’t cleared him yet, Julie.”
“Oh for heaven’s sake— If that were the case, he would never have brought the baby in!”
“I agree it’s absurd.”
“Uh-oh. We’ve got a new customer.”
Meg looked over her shoulder in time to see the paramedics come through the doors pushing a gurney. An old tramp lay there bundled in a blanket. He looked half dead. The poor thing probably hadn’t been able to find shelter from the storm. She wished she were immune to sights like that, but it hadn’t happened yet.
Zane could hear someone screaming.
“Johnny? I’m coming! Hang on!”
The screaming grew louder, bringing Zane fully awake from an old nightmare. He’d broken out in a cold sweat and his heart was pounding like a locomotive.
It took him a second to remember where he was.
He rubbed his eyes and raised up on the cot to get a better look at the wall clock. It was almost noon!
The last time he recalled anything, it was Ms. Richins who’d come in to check on the baby.
The baby!
Zane’s heart skidded to a stop before he levered himself from the cot, terrified he would find the crib empty.
Relief flooded his system to see the infant lying in the same position as before. Without hesitation he put on a new pair of gloves, then fit his hands through the holes of the crib.
When he put out his finger and brushed it against the baby’s left hand, the little guy’s fingers responded and clung to him the same way they’d done last night.
A lump lodged in Zane’s throat. “I told you to hang in there for me, and you did.”
With his other hand he smoothed the fine dark hair on the tiny head. He studied each perfect feature, the shell ears, the minute finger and toenails. There weren’t any lashes yet, but his eyes looked like they might be open a tiny slit. Surely that had to be a good sign!
“Dear God, if you aren’t a miracle!”
A middle-aged nurse he didn’t recognize came into the room. She smiled when she saw him standing at the crib. “Sorry if the noise woke you. I heard you were here all night and figured you needed the sleep.”
“I should have been up before now. What does the doctor say about the baby’s condition today?”
“At this stage, things are tentative.”
His spirits plummeted. He should have known better than to ask. “Do you have any idea what time Ms. Richins will be on duty again?”
“She works the night shift. If she’s scheduled for tonight, she’ll be in at eight p.m. Is there anything I can do for you?”
“No, thank you. I wanted to let her know I appreciated the cot.”
“She went home at five-thirty this morning, but I’ll pass your gratitude along.”
“Thank you.”
He touched the baby’s flailing hands once more, then pulled his own hands out of the crib.
“I’ll be back later,” he whispered. “Get better for me now.”
After tossing the gloves in the waste bin, he reached for his cowboy hat. Before walking out the door, he hesitated.
“There is one thing,” he said to the nurse. “I carry a cell phone. If there’s any change in the baby either way, could someone phone me immediately?”
“Of course. Write your number at the top of the chart hanging on the front of the crib.”
He walked back and put it there with an attached pencil, but once that was accomplished, it was almost impossible to walk away from the baby. Zane felt like he was leaving a part of his heart.
“Babies are stronger than you think.” The nurse could read his mind.
“I pray you’re right.”
When he stepped outside the ER, the sunlight nearly blinded him. One thing about Utah blizzards. After they’d blown themselves out, the bluest sky on earth magically appeared.
At least a foot and a half of wet, heavy snow, maybe more, had blanketed the world around him. Its whiteness dazzled the eyes. He had his work cut out to clear it off his truck before he could see enough to drive home.
After snow-blowing his driveway and the front path leading to the porch, he went in the house and checked his answering machine. The police hadn’t called, of course.
Still full of anger, he headed for a hot shower. In case his cell phone rang, he kept it on the tile sink so he could hear it.
Later, when he’d put on a clean shirt and jeans, he rustled up some food for a sandwich, but his stores were low. He needed to do something about that before the guys pulled in tonight.
First, however, he needed to talk to his crew, then straighten the house. He had a cleaning lady who came in once a week, but there were still things to do.
Three hours later he took off for the supermarket and loaded up on supplies. On his way down one of the aisles looking for napkins, he found himself stopping in front of the disposable diaper section, something he’d never done before in his life.
There were several brands for newborns. Zane felt a pit in his gut when he thought of Johnny struggling for life beneath the heater of his crib.
As his gaze strayed to the baby bottles, pictures of the tubes and IVs hooked up to those five precious pounds of humanity flooded his mind, bringing tears to his eyes.
He blinked them back before heading to one of the checkout counters. Once he’d put the groceries away, he’d drive out to the ER and stay with Johnny. When the guys phoned, he’d give them directions to the hospital so they could see the baby before they all moved on to his house.
Hopefully Ms. Richins was working tonight and would come on duty while he was still there. For some reason the image of her gleaming brown hair and eyes like rich, warm drops of melted chocolate, managed to intrude whenever he thought about Johnny. He couldn’t seem to separate the two in his mind.
There was a sweetness in her voice and expression around the baby. Zane had been charmed by her.
When Meg went out to her car at seven p.m., she told herself it was because she needed time to scrape the ice off her windshield so she wouldn’t be late for work. On a clear night after a storm, everything froze.
But the job only took five minutes, and her Jeep could go anywhere in the snow without problem.
When she walked into the ER at seven-twenty, Dr. Parker’s head turned in her direction. She’d forgotten his hours were different than those of the staff.
He checked his watch. “You’re forty minutes early tonight. In case you’re looking for Baby Doe, he’s not here.”
“No!” she cried in agony, and started shaking her head.
“Take it easy, Meg. I meant that it was good news. He’s still sick, but stabilized. I took him off the extremely Critical List and had him transferred to the nursery around dinnertime.”
“Thank heaven!” She clung to the counter, still trying to recover.
“I guess we should have hung a sign. When Mr. Broderick discovered the baby wasn’t here, he reacted the exact same way you did.”
“He’s here?” Just the mention of the stranger’s name brought this suffocating feeling to her chest.
“Obviously he was.”
Without conscious thought Meg raced around the corner and down the hall. She opened the door and took the stairs to the nursery one floor up.
“Where have you put Baby Doe?” she asked Shelby Clark, one of the nurses at the station.
“You mean, our little celebrity? I’m afraid you’ll have to stand in line outside the sick baby nursery,” she teased. “At the moment there are three people ahead of you. They’re all men, and they’re gorgeous!” she confided.
“If you’re up here, that means the word has already spread to the main floor. I think every eligible female in this hospital is waiting her turn for a glimpse of them. Donna says they’re movie stars here on location for a film.”
Donna was wrong.
The men were probably the engineers helping Zane Broderick on his project. But Meg kept those thoughts to herself.
“I just want a peek at the baby before I go on duty in a few minutes.”
“Sure you do.” Shelby winked.
Under other circumstances Meg would have enjoyed Shelby’s innocent teasing. But not tonight. Meg was too close to this case. Dr. Parker had upset her too much.
If she’d found Dr. Tingey in the ER, his first words would have been, “I have good news. Baby Doe has been transferred to the nursery.”
But that wasn’t Dr. Parker’s style. Telling her the baby was gone had almost given her a heart attack. Aside from her other reason for leaving Tooele, the thought of not working around Dr. Parker any longer than necessary held a lot of appeal.
It was just as well she’d talked to Debbie this morning about moving back to Salt Lake. To her surprise, her roommate admitted she’d been worried about Meg and thought a change of scene sounded like a good plan for her.
Meg also learned that Debbie had been considering moving home to Logan, Utah, where she could stay with her folks and attend graduate school at Utah State. But she’d been hesitant to talk to Meg about it because she didn’t want to leave her in the lurch.
Not only had their talk helped Meg decide to give two weeks’ notice to the hospital, Meg’s first reaction when she heard the baby was gone proved her emotions were too involved to be healthy.
Hard as it was to do, she decided it would be better not to see the baby again. Now that he’d been moved to the nursery, there was no reason for Meg to be up here. No reason at all.
This was the crucial moment to practice self-restraint. Otherwise she would be in a much worse condition when child welfare services came to the hospital.
The police report was already in their files. Any day now, probably as early as tomorrow, a social worker would show up to find out how soon the baby could be placed in foster care.
Already the abandoned infant had endeared himself to Meg. Because of Mr. Broderick, she no longer thought of him as Baby Doe. In her heart, he’d become Johnny.
She needed to make the break while she still could. It meant she wouldn’t be seeing Mr. Broderick again, either. He made up the other part of her forbidden list.
“You know what, Shelby? I think I’ll come back when there isn’t a line. See you later.”
Meg left the floor, not interested in remaining there to catch up on hospital gossip. Once she’d reached the ER and had hung up her coat, she plunged into her work with a vengeance.
If there wasn’t anything going on between crises, she took inventory of supplies in the cubicles, anything to keep so busy she wouldn’t think about what was going on upstairs.
“What’s with you?” Julie asked when there was a quiet moment. Meg had been counting boxes of gloves and syringes. Her colleague’s question threw her off.
“Just trying to make myself useful.”
“Well stop it! You’re putting me to shame.”
Meg was still down on her haunches. “Sorry, I hadn’t realized.”
“Hey— I was only teasing. What’s wrong? You don’t seem yourself.”
“Let me get you something for it.”
“I took some tablets while I was hanging up my coat, but thanks anyway.”
“Sure. Did you know Baby Doe was transferred to the nursery?”
“Yes, I heard. I-it’s wonderful.”
“Lucky, too.”
“What do you mean?”
“The police were here a few minutes ago looking for that gorgeous grouch who brought the baby in. At least now they can’t pin a murder charge on him.”
Upon that revelation, Meg dropped the clipboard. After grabbing for it, she got to her feet. “Surely they weren’t here to arrest him!”
“I don’t know. Dr. Parker sent them to the nursery.”
Adrenaline surged through Meg’s body. “Julie— It’s quiet right now. Would you cover for me? I’ll be back inside of ten minutes.”
“Of course. You spelled me off last night when I missed all the action. Give me the clipboard.”
“Thanks.”
She dashed out of the cubicle and ran down two corridors in search of the stairs. Once she’d reached the next floor, she headed straight for the sick baby nursery.
Through the glass of one of the partitioned rooms, she could see Zane Broderick talking to the policemen who’d come to the ER last night. Two other men as tall and attractive as he was stood close by, their expressions equally solemn.
If those officers were reading him his rights…
Heedless of the consequences, Meg marched into the nursery, swept past the staff and opened the door where Mr. Broderick was being interrogated. All eyes swerved in her direction.
“Excuse me for interrupting,” she began, “but if you’re still thinking this man had any knowledge of Baby Doe’s situation prior to his finding the baby and bringing him to the ER, then you’re way off base, gentlemen.
“He’s the engineer who built that track where the baby was found. If he’d had anything to hide, he would never have admitted to finding the child there of all places.”
She struggled for breath. “I was here all night to observe him. He never went home. In fact I had to get him a cot because he was dead on his feet, but that didn’t matter to him. He hovered over that baby, talked to it, touched it— He willed it to live, officers.
“I haven’t seen most fathers show that kind of love or concern or devotion for their own offspring, let alone for a nameless baby someone had left out to die!”
By now she was trembling. “Why don’t you gentlemen get out there and beat the bushes to find the birthparents of that adorable little baby? You’ll probably discover it was a couple of terrified fifteen-year-olds who don’t have a clue about the sanctity of life!
“I’m telling you right now that if you charge this man with the crime, I’ll fight you every step of the way. When you hear what Dr. Tingey, the head of the ER, and one of the most powerful figures in this community, has to say about this matter, he’ll make mincemeat of you in court!”
Silence filled the room.
“Are you quite through?” one of the officers inquired in such a mild-mannered voice she wanted to scratch his eyes out.
“For now.” She was still bristling with rage.
His eyes held a mysterious twinkle. “That’s good, because we came to bring Mr. Broderick his jacket and let him know he’s no longer under suspicion. For one thing, his blood type isn’t the same as the blood type on the blanket.
“For another, fresh horse manure droppings along with the bloody droplets matching that on the blanket, were found in the snow at the end of the track where Mr. Broderick rescued the infant from certain death.
“We’re now looking for someone who rode a horse to that spot. Someone who couldn’t have ridden very far considering the baby had been born within the same hour of his being placed there.
“Don’t worry, Ms. Richins. We’ve been beating the bushes for the last twenty-four hours. Hopefully we’ll discover the person who did this and learn the identity of the mother before too much more time passes.
“Your breathtaking defense of Mr. Broderick has been duly noted and will go in the record.” He cocked his head. “If I’m ever in need of someone to stand up for me, I’ll know exactly where to come.
“Goodnight, Ms. Richins. Gentlemen.” He nodded to the others before he and his partner left the room. The door closed behind them with a click.
Meg wasn’t a person who blushed easily. But she felt heat sweep up her body into her face and hair.
Talk about resembling a red light globe—
The two dark-haired men stood there openly smiling down at her with their eyes as well as their mouths. She didn’t dare look at Mr. Broderick, but she could feel his intense gaze scrutinizing her.
“Ms. Richins.” He broke the silence with his deep voice. “I’d like to introduce you to my best friends, Dominic Giraud and Alik Jarman.”
They shook hands with her.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” said the one with the French accent.
“I wouldn’t have missed this,” the other man teased gently. “We flew out from Denver to offer our support.”
Denver? She’d thought these men were part of his crew!
“But obviously none was needed,” the Frenchman added silkily.
She tried looking anywhere else, but ended up meeting Zane Broderick’s penetrating regard. He wasn’t smiling.
“If the officers had come here to arrest me,” he began in a husky voice, “I’m not sure they would have carried out their objective after hearing your testimonial.”
He folded his arms. “You risked having to pay a fine, or worse, for harassing a police officer in the line of duty. A mere thank-you for your sacrifice doesn’t quite cover what you did for me just now.”
“I would have done it for anyone I felt was innocent,” she defended, hoping lightning wouldn’t strike her for that particular white lie. “I’m very glad you’re no longer under suspicion.”
His eyes darkened to an inky blue. “So am I. But until the baby is completely out of the woods, it’s a little too soon for the celebration I have in mind.”
Her heart wouldn’t stop hammering.
“He is improved though. Otherwise Dr. Parker wouldn’t have upgraded his condition. We can be thankful for that much.”
“I’m thankful you were there when the baby needed you most.”
The fervency in his tone caused her to avert her eyes. “Then we’re both thankful, because you’re the one who found him in time.” Feeling out of breath, she backed away from him. “If you will excuse me, I’m supposed to be on duty in the ER. I-it was very nice meeting all of you.”
Needing to be strong right now, she purposely refused to look at the baby as she hurried through the nursery. Midway across the room, Shelby stopped her flight.
“Wait up! I found out who those men in the other room really are. Donna was wrong about them being movie stars.”
“I know. They’re Mr. Broderick’s friends from Denver.”
“They’re a lot more than that!”
“I’d like to hear it, but I’ve got to get back to the ER.”
“I’ll walk you to the door. Get this— Dr. Silvano recognized them from a television appearance. The three of them are these fabulously weal—”
“Shelby?” Meg interrupted. “You’ll have to tell me later. Otherwise I won’t have a job.”
For many reasons, including a decent recommendation when she left the clinic in two weeks, Meg needed to get out of there and back to her own floor.
CHAPTER THREE
“ARE there any more barbecued ribs?”
“Sorry, Dom. We ate all seven pounds of them.”
Dominic shook his head. “You know something, mon ami? You missed your calling as a master chef.”
“Coming from an exacting connoisseur, that’s a real compliment.”
“It’s true, Zane,” Alik concurred. “Blaire’s a great cook, but nobody does ribs and baked beans like you.”
“Since you guys flew through sleet and storm to bail me out, I thought the least I could do was make it worth your while.”
“I’d say a certain beautiful nurse already did that.” Dominic grinned.
Alik grinned back. “Here I was feeling sorry for you having to be stuck out here in the back of beyond. How long have you been holding out on us, you sly old fox?”
Zane pulled the warm, store-bought blueberry pie from the oven and set it on the table with a pitcher of cream.
“I swear I never saw her before last night.”
Dominic served everyone a large piece. “It appears the ravissante Jeanne D’Arc is very much alive.”
A chuckle escaped Alik. “Did you see the fire in her eyes? She was amazing! Those police officers are never going to forget it.”
“None of us will,” Dominic murmured.
Reaching for the pitcher, Zane poured cream over his pie. “She’s crazy about the baby. I know for a fact she would have championed anyone who’d found him.”
“He’s an awfully cute little tyke. It’s hard for me to believe our baby was ever that small,” Alik said.
Dominic swallowed another bite. “Hannah’s going to be giving birth to our child next year. Looking at that baby tonight made me realize all the things that can go wrong. I confess I’m getting nervous.”
Zane studied his friend. Dominic had two vulnerable spots. His wife and adopted daughter, Elizabeth. “Your baby is going to be born in a hospital with the best medical care there is. The situations aren’t comparable.”
“He’s right, Dom,” Alik cut in. “But since I didn’t know about Nicky until after he was born, I can only imagine the fears you must experience once in a while.
“Speaking of fears—” Alik eyed Zane. “Dom and I are aware of your concern for the baby. Why don’t you go over to the hospital and check on him while we clean up? When you get back, we’ll talk about the test run.”
“I don’t have to go.”
“Yes, you do,” Dominic insisted. “All evening we’ve sensed your preoccupation.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t know it was that obvious.”
Alik frowned. “Don’t apologize. We understand. Once you’ve ascertained he’s holding his own, you’ll be able to think about something else.”
“That’s the problem. He’s going to be sick for a while.”
“All the more reason to reassure yourself he’s okay tonight.”
They understood him too well. “You’re right. I’ll leave now and be home before you know it.”
Five minutes later Zane pulled into the parking lot of the hospital. Though he hadn’t expected to remain under police suspicion too much longer, it was a relief to walk through the main entrance knowing they’d crossed him off their list.
There were three babies in the sick nursery. Two sets of exhausted-looking parents who’d been in there earlier were still doting on their offspring.
When Zane’s gaze flicked to the other side of the semidark room and fell on one lone crib, it felt like a giant hand had just squeezed out his heart’s blood. He rushed over to the baby.
“I’m here, Johnny. I’m here.”
He threw off his jacket and helped himself to a pair of gloves from a nearby cart. Snagging a rolling stool with his boot, he planted himself at the side of the crib.
“I came as soon as I could.” Carefully he put his hands through the holes and caught the baby’s tiny fingers. They curled around his with astonishing strength and his little legs kicked harder.
“It looks like you’ve missed me, too.” The thought that the baby recognized him thrilled him to the core of his being. “Remember those men you met? They’re home doing the dishes so I could come and be with you.
“No man ever had better friends. I’ll bring them over tomorrow so the three of you can get well acquainted. You’d like that, wouldn’t you?”
He molded his palm to the baby’s chest. “It’s warm and snug in there, but I bet it’s boring.”
As if the baby understood, he suddenly yawned, endearing himself to Zane that much more.
An hour passed before he was even aware of it. When he happened to look up and saw that it was after eleven, he realized that if he didn’t leave now, the guys would probably turn in.
“I have to go, Johnny, but I’ll come back in the morning.” It was a wrench to tear himself away. “Be a good boy and get well for me while I’m gone.”
After discarding the gloves, he grabbed his jacket. With a nod for the nurse on duty, he exited the room only to collide with a woman intent on entering the nursery.
His hands automatically went out to steady her. She must have washed her hair with some kind of peach shampoo. The scent was intoxicating.
“I’m sorry!” she cried. “It’s my fault for bumping into you.”
When she lifted her head, he discovered it was Ms. Richins who’d been in too big a hurry to watch where she was going. Since he’d planned to talk to her in the ER before going out to the parking lot, nothing could have pleased him more.
He stared into her dark-fringed eyes, fascinated by their velvety brown color. “I’m glad you did. I think little Johnny’s lonely for company.”
After a pause, “I’m still on duty in the ER, but thought I’d dash up here for a minute and check on him. Does he seem improved to you?”
Considering she was a nurse, her hopeful question was one for the books. But from the moment he’d met her, he’d also been aware that she was a warm, caring woman. Evidently he wasn’t the only person who’d fallen under the baby’s spell.
“It’s probably my imagination, but I thought he was a little more active tonight.”
“That’s a good sign.”
“Is it?” His heart lurched.
“I’ll know better when I look at him.”
“Let’s do it together.”
She lowered her eyes. “I thought you were leaving.”
He wasn’t sure how to take her remark. “Actually I was on my way downstairs to talk to you about his condition.”
By tacit agreement they entered the nursery. She made a beeline for the crib.
“Hello, little sweetheart.” She tapped a knuckle against the transparent top. “What have you been doing tonight?”
At the sound of her voice, Zane noticed how Johnny turned his head toward her. His arms and legs wiggled. Anyone watching her smile at the baby could be forgiven for thinking she was the mother.
“My goodness—you are more animated! That’s wonderful! I wish I could stay with you.”
Zane knew exactly how she felt.
“Keep fighting, sweetheart.”
“Hi,” a female voice spoke behind them. Zane turned his head. It was one of the other mothers. She was alone and looked washed-out. Apparently her husband had left. “The waiting gets hard, doesn’t it.”
“Very,” Zane murmured.
“You two surely have a cute baby there. He looks perfect. Sam and I were wondering what was wrong with him?”
In the next instant Ms. Richins had backed away from the crib. Maybe it was a trick of light, but he thought there was more color in her face than before.
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Rebecca Winters
Тип: электронная книга
Жанр: Современные любовные романы
Язык: на английском языке
Издательство: HarperCollins
Дата публикации: 16.04.2024
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О книге: Zane Broderick couldn′t believe it. The bundle he had found in the snow was a baby!He rushed the little boy to hospital and straight into nurse Meg Richins′s arms…. Surrounded by babies all day, Meg longed for children.When Zane Broderick brought this adorable baby into her ward, she immediately wanted to adopt him – and so did Zane. The solution seemed obvious – but could she really marry a stranger?