He moves into the dining room to make the call. Not knowing what else to do, I walk back to the nursery. Outside the door, I bury the irrational fear of finding the baby lifeless or not breathing—an unsuspecting victim of SIDS or allergy to something in my milk. I push open the door and immediately hear his labored, snotty breathing. At the crib, I lower my hands to where his body should be, but find that he’s positioned himself all the way to the edge of the rails. I gently palm his body—still warm.

“Poor little guy.” The words are out of my mouth before I realize it. Though he’s not mine, he’s someone’s child, and I’m still a mother. I press my hand against his forehead and then down to his cheeks. I trace small circles over his back. I decide something in my son’s room, comforting another woman’s child. While this baby is here, I will make sure he’s okay. I make the promise to myself, to Jackson, to us.

My phone rings. My heart does an irrational lurch and I back out of the room before it wakes the baby. I issue a breathless “hello.” Could it be whoever has Jackson? Maybe this nightmare will be over before it’s even begun.

“Hey. Are you okay?” Jess’s voice is clogged with sleep, and I feel guilty for waking her.

“Is there any way you can come over?”

“Now? Is the baby okay? Are you—”

“The baby is fine, but a detective is here.”

A door shuts. “Already on my way.”

I hang up. I walk back downstairs to tell Jake, but he’s still on with the precinct. I sit on the bottom stair, drop my head into my hands, and wait.

17

BEC

Jess lets herself in moments later. “Bec?” she whispers into the hallway. Jake and I meet her in the foyer.

“This is Detective Jake Donovan,” I explain before she can ask.

“Hi.” Jess’s voice is confused. “Where’s Jackson?”

I steel myself and sigh. “Let’s go into the kitchen.” Once there, I turn toward her. “I know you think I’m confused, but I’m not. I don’t know what happened from the time I fainted until the time we left the park, but somehow I made it home with a different baby.”

“Rebecca.” Jess’s tone borders on condescending. “I was right there. You fainted for like twenty seconds.”

“Didn’t every mother turn to see what was happening when I fainted? Someone could have switched him.”

Jess remains silent.

“Look,” Jake interjects. “I know this all seems confusing. And it is, but we’ll get to the bottom of it, okay? Jessica, can I ask you a few questions?”

Jess sighs and slips off her stool to pour herself a cup of coffee. “Shoot.”

“Bec, would you mind if we talked alone?”