Chapter 10 - THE BABY WITHOUT A CRY
Khloe reached the hospital unconscious.
The placental abruption was severe.
Her blood pressure collapsed.
The baby’s heartbeat began slowing inside the ambulance.
Doctors rushed her into emergency surgery.
Harrison stood outside the operating room with blood covering his hands.
A nurse asked whether he wanted them cleaned.
He shook his head.
The blood felt like proof that Khloe had still been alive when he held her.
Mara arrived first.
Then Rachel.
Then two federal investigators.
Harrison gave them one instruction.
“Preserve every courthouse recording.”
His voice sounded mechanical.
Mara touched his shoulder.
“Harry.”
He looked at her.
“Richard created the confrontation.”
“We need his phone.”
“We need Vanessa’s phone.”
“We need Price’s communications.”
“We need the alarm records.”
“Harry.”
This time, she forced him to hear her.
“Your sister is in surgery.”
His face changed.
The weapon disappeared.
The brother returned.
He sat.
For forty-seven minutes, no one received an update.
Then a surgeon entered.
“Mr. Cole?”
Harrison stood.
“Your sister is alive.”
His knees nearly failed.
“And the baby?”
The surgeon paused.
“We delivered a girl.”
“She required resuscitation.”
“She is breathing with assistance.”
“She is in the neonatal intensive care unit.”
Harrison closed his eyes.
“Can I see Khloe?”
“Not yet.”
“What happened?”
“The fall caused major bleeding.”
“We controlled it.”
“She may need additional surgery.”
“Will she wake up?”
“We expect her to.”
“That is not a guarantee.”
“No.”
“It isn’t.”
Harrison looked through the glass doors toward the operating wing.
“What is the baby’s condition?”
“Critical but stable.”
The words sounded impossible together.
Critical but stable.
Alive but not safe.
Hopeful but not certain.
A nurse asked the baby’s name.
Harrison did not know whether Khloe had chosen one.
He searched her purse.
Inside was a folded list.
Three names.
Amelia.
Clara.
Hope.
The final name was underlined.
Hope Cole Harrington.
Harrison stared at it.
Khloe had included Richard’s name because she still believed her daughter deserved the truth of where she came from.
He gave the nurse the name.
Then he removed Harrington from the temporary identification paperwork until legal parentage and custody could be addressed.
Richard arrived at the hospital with his attorney.
Security stopped him.
“I am the father.”
Harrison met him inside the lobby.
“You stood at the top of the stairs while your wife bled.”
“I was in shock.”
“You engineered the encounter.”
“That is absurd.”
“You told Vanessa Khloe gave prosecutors the recordings.”
“She did.”
“No.”
“I did.”
Richard’s expression shifted.
Harrison continued.
“You wanted Vanessa angry.”
“You wanted a public scene.”
“I did not tell her to push anyone.”
“You wrote force confrontation outside cameras.”
Richard’s face went still.
Harrison stepped closer.
“The courthouse had cameras.”
“The alarm forced everyone toward the staircase.”
“And your attorney pulled me away at the exact moment Vanessa approached Khloe.”
Price interrupted.
“I was delivering a filing.”
Harrison looked at him.
“You will need your own lawyer.”
Security escorted Richard out.
He shouted that Harrison could not keep him from his daughter.
Harrison watched him leave.
Then Mara approached with the courthouse footage.
“The shove is clear.”
“And the alarm?”
“Pulled manually from a panel near Price’s conference room.”
“By whom?”
May you like
Mara showed him a still image.
Richard Harrington.
