Chapter 10 - The Woman Who Owned the Room
Doreen recovered quickly.
People like her always did.
She looked at Leah for only a moment before smiling.
“What recording?”
Leah said nothing.
Nathan stepped toward the bed.
“Leah.”
“Don’t.”
He stopped.
Doreen straightened her jacket.
“If you have secretly recorded private conversations, I would suggest you be very careful about how you use them.”
Simone laughed from behind the curtain.
Doreen turned.
“I forgot you were here.”
“That seems to happen a lot.”
Simone stepped into view.
She held her phone loosely in one hand.
Doreen looked her over.
“Who exactly are you?”
“Someone with excellent hearing.”
Doreen’s expression cooled.
Simone smiled.
“And a bar license.”
The room went silent.
Nathan looked at Leah.
“You got a lawyer?”
“I got lucky.”
Doreen picked up her handbag.
“This is becoming ridiculous.”
Simone’s voice sharpened.
“No.”
“Forged patient authorizations are ridiculous.”
“Fabricated psychiatric documentation is potentially catastrophic.”
“Preparing to remove a newborn from a competent mother based on those documents is something else entirely.”
Doreen looked toward Nathan.
“We’re leaving.”
Nathan didn’t move.
“Now.”
He followed her out.
Simone watched them go.
“They’re going to destroy whatever they can.”
Leah’s stomach tightened.
“What do we do?”
“We make sure they can’t.”
Mae entered moments later.
Her face looked pale.
“Dr. Rusk has been pulled from Leah’s case.”
Leah exhaled.
“That’s good.”
Mae didn’t smile.
“She’s also missing.”
“What?”
“She left the hospital twenty minutes ago.”
Simone’s expression hardened.
“Without speaking to administration?”
“Yes.”
“Someone warned her.”
Mae nodded.
Elena appeared behind her.
“I’ve contacted hospital security.”
Leah looked at Owen.
“What about Nathan?”
“Your husband can visit unless you revoke permission.”
“Revoke it.”
Elena nodded.
“And Doreen?”
“Her too.”
Mae looked relieved.
Elena made notes.
“Done.”
For the first time since delivery, Leah felt she had created a wall between her son and the people trying to take him.
Then Elena’s phone rang.
She answered.
Her expression changed almost immediately.
“What do you mean she’s downstairs?”
Leah sat straighter.
Elena listened.
Then looked toward Leah.
“Do not allow her upstairs.”
She ended the call.
“Who?”
Elena hesitated.
“Doreen.”
Leah frowned.
“She just left.”
“She didn’t leave the building.”
“What is she doing?”
Elena looked stunned.
“She arrived at hospital administration with two attorneys.”
Simone folded her arms.
“Of course she did.”
Elena continued.
“And a court petition.”
Leah’s skin went cold.
“What kind of petition?”
Elena placed the phone on the table.
“She is requesting emergency guardianship over Owen.”
Leah stared at her sleeping son.
Simone stood.
“How could she file that quickly?”
Elena’s answer was quiet.
“She didn’t.”
Everyone looked at her.
May you like
Elena continued.
“The petition was drafted three days before Owen was born.”
