Chapter 9 - THE BABY MONITOR
Her name was Elena Ruiz.
She was thirty-one.
She carried no child.
Only a small silver baby monitor.
Daniel would not look at her.
Lucia looked like she wanted to leave.
The judge allowed a limited proffer.
Elena spoke quietly.
“I had Daniel’s daughter when I was twenty.”
My chest tightened.
The first child.
“She was named Sofia.”
Daniel stared at the table.
Elena continued.
“His family said I was unstable.”
Lucia interrupted.
“That is not true.”
The judge warned her.
Elena looked at me.
“I was not unstable.”
Her voice cracked.
“I was broke.”
I understood that sentence too well.
She had been working nights at a nursing home.
Daniel’s family offered help.
Then they documented every mistake.
A late daycare pickup.
A utility shutoff.
One night when Elena brought the baby to work because her sitter did not arrive.
Exactly like me.
“They told the court I was reckless.”
My stomach turned.
“What happened?” Jasmine asked.
“They got temporary custody.”
“And then?”
“Daniel signed guardianship to his mother.”
Daniel finally spoke.
“I was twenty-one.”
Elena looked at him.
“You were her father.”
He shut up.
“What happened to Sofia?”
Elena gripped the monitor.
“Lucia moved her.”
“Where?”
“I don’t know.”
The courtroom went silent.
“You haven’t seen your daughter?”
“Not in nine years.”
Lucia stood.
“This is a circus.”
The judge ordered her seated.
Elena held up the monitor.
“This was Sofia’s.”
Jasmine frowned.
“Why did you bring it?”
“Because it recorded sound.”
Older monitors sometimes stored short clips.
Elena had kept everything.
One clip was from the night Lucia took Sofia.
A woman’s voice could be heard.
Veronica.
“She signed. Stop worrying.”
Then Lucia.
“The trust will recognize the child once we control the guardianship.”
Then a man.
Daniel’s father.
“And if Elena fights?”
Lucia answered.
“Then we make sure the court sees exactly the mother we need them to see.”
I looked at Daniel.
He looked sick.
The judge ended the emergency hearing.
Daniel’s request for temporary custody was denied.
A guardian ad litem was appointed for Lily.
The court ordered Daniel and his family not to contact me outside counsel.
It should have felt like victory.
It did not.
Outside the courtroom, Elena touched Lily’s tiny foot.
Then pulled her hand back.
“I’m sorry.”
“For what?”
“That they found another mother to do this to.”
Before I could answer, Sebastian’s security chief rushed toward us.
“Mr. Calder.”
Sebastian turned.
“What?”
“Calder House lost power.”
“So?”
“The backup system was disabled manually.”
My stomach dropped.
The basement office.
Sebastian was already moving.
May you like
Then his security chief added, “And someone is inside.”
