Page 88 of Finding Denver

Fear slows me down as I follow Lewis. Denver’s phone is in her lap, and she’s staring at the floor, her lips parted.

Lewis cups her cheek. “Denver?” She says nothing. She frowns gently and is mouthing words I can’t hear. She suddenly shakes her head, as if disagreeing with herself.

She doesn’t respond, and Lewis takes her phone. As he stands, I kneel in front of her. Her fingers are cold, and even when I say her name, she won’t focus on me.

She just keeps whispering.

Lewis says, “She spoke to her mystery caller just before you called, for longer than usual. I checked out Patricia Heller after I got her name, and Denver was right. She was married to the doctor that treated Theo. But he died a few months ago.”

A tear falls down Denver’s cheek, and I wipe it away. “Del?” She lifts her gaze to me, half lidded and red rimmed. “Tell me what’s happened.”

“I … He’s … he’s not dead.”

“Who? The doctor?”

She shakes her head slowly. “He took my baby from me. He took him.” She squeezes her eyes closed and shudders. “I need to go to bed.”

She stands and walks past me. Lewis catches my eye before we both follow, and she goes to the bedroom, pulling back the covers and climbing under them. I sit by her.

“Denver, who isn’t dead?” I ask softly.

Another tear falls down her cheek. “Theo.”

I look over at Lewis, who looks as confused as I feel. Shetold me just hours ago that Theo had died when he was born. Lewis takes my place, and I call Alistair.

He’s still awake. “Yep?”

“I need you to look into something for me.”

“Sure. Shoot.”

“Denver’s son, Theo. He died not long after he was born, but …” I glance over at Denver’s small form, Lewis whispering something to her. “I need you to make sure he actually died.”

Alistair pauses. “I’m not following.”

“Theo’s doctor, Dr. Heller, died a few months back and his wife called Denver tonight. She isn’t saying much, but she seems to think Theo is alive.”

“Holy shit,” Alistair says quietly. “Yeah, I’ll look into it. Give me an hour.”

Denver doesn’t move. She doesn’t close her eyes, or speak again, or respond in any way when Lewis or I speak to her. She remains totally still, her face pale, her lips parted, staring into nothing. It’s closer to two hours before Alistair calls me back, and I go into the living room to answer.

“She’s right. He’s alive.”

I almost stumble as I sit on the couch. “How?”

“I called Patricia Heller, tried to talk to her, but she hung up. So I looked into Heller. He quit not long after Theo was born. A complaint was filed against him by another member of staff for drinking on the job, so I’m guessing he was pushed into leaving. I called the nurse who made the complaint, instead. She was happy to talk; I think she felt guilty for reporting him. But she said Heller was wasted on a night shift and told her he’d given a newborn away to an adoption agency and had lied to the mother, saying he’ddied. She reported it, but nothing came of it, and when she pushed, she was told to drop it. She eventually quit, too.”

I feel frozen in the moment, in time. “Did Heller tell the nurse why he did it?”

“Fuck, Colt, I can’t even believe I’m saying the words. Ranger Luxe told him to.” My lungs stop working. “Apparently, Ranger told Heller to call an adoption agency and claim Theo was abandoned at the hospital. Then he faked a death certificate and told Denver that Theo had died.”

This can’t be real. This is a nightmare.

Ranger stole her child. Lied to her. Let her grieve foryears.

“Can you find him?” I ask. “Find out where Theo is?”

“I’m already on it.”