I spot the message thread between him and his mum and open it, scrolling up through the minimal messages, my breath catching as I stop on a photo sent seven weeks ago.
There she is, Elizabeth smiling, and in her arms is a little baby.
Mybaby.
Everything comes rushing back.
Flashes of details I must have suppressed.
When I first held Bobbi in the forest, she was covered in mucus and blood, and my vision was blurry from my unrelenting tears. I never let myself compare that version of Bobbi with the little baby in the morgue… but now…oh my God!
The baby in the morgue had a flatter nose, while the one in the picture looks more like the little button nose I first saw while Bobbi lay on my chest.
The baby in the morgue had a pointier head, too. Almost cone shaped, and the one in the picture looks moreinshape, just as I’m now remembering little Bobbi.
There’s no doubt in my mind that the baby Elizabeth is holding is my daughter.
But who did the baby in the morgue belong to?
Oh, God… is that why they insisted I not hold her? Did they know that holding her would feel wrong because that baby wasn’t actually mine?
“Call your mum.” I shove the phone towards Daniel, my hand trembling with the need to hold my daughter and let myself feel that this is real.
“I c-can’t.” He shakes his head. “She turned her phone off so she can’t be tracked. She only switches it on once a week to call and check in. The next call isn’t due for three more days.”
Gritting my teeth, I fight the urge to slam my fist into his face just for admitting that.
How dare his mum be so hard to contact!
Glancing at his phone, I tap on Elizabeth’s number, hitting call.
It goes straight to voicemail saying,‘the number you are calling is currently switched off.’
Shit!
My shoulders sag as I hold out the phone to no one in particular, and Ringo’s fingers close around it, taking it off my hands.
“Do you know the name of the nurse your mum reached out to for help?” Ringo asks, and Daniel shakes his head.
“I’ve told you everything I know.”
“Do Banes or Allen know your mum has the baby?” Ringo asks, and Daniel shakes his head again.
“No. I promised Mum I wouldn’t tell anyone. Everyone else thinks the baby died.”
Sighing, Ringo looks at Vender. “Lock him up. Make sure he’s comfortable.”
Vender smirks. “Oh, I’ll make sure he’s real fucking comfortable.”
Feeling depleted, I can’t even muster a grin at how Vender will make sure Daniel is the complete opposite of comfortable.
“Abs.” Ringo steps into my line of sight as Vender drags Daniel away. “We need to get you cleaned up.”
I shake my head as my throat tightens, feeling like it might close up. “I have to find Bobbi.”
“I know, Angel,” Ringo sighs, “but unfortunately, it’s not going to be today. We need to regroup.” Ringo reaches up, cupping my face, and I can’t help but lean into his touch.
God, he feels like home.
