Ivy held the baby carefully, but her eyes were wide with shock. "What... how..."
Ss''s heart flipped at the tremble in her voice, and he stepped closer. "Do you...
want me
to take him?"
"No," she said. "It''s... just..." She trailed off, then turned to the officer. "How am I
supposed to take care of a child that isn''t mine?"
"You don''t have to, ma''am," the officer replied gently. "We can take him, but he
would be ced in foster care until we find his mother or a rtive."
Ss watched Ivy closely. Of course, it was hard and humiliating to care for a child
born from an affair that changed her life.
Still, leaving the baby in foster care didn''t feel right.
She squeezed her hand and she looked at him, uncertainty clouding her
expression. "Whatever you do is fine," he said softly.
She had every right to walk away. Especially after everything that had happened.
The baby cooed, and both of them looked down. Ivy reached out, and his tiny
fingers wrapped tightly around hers.
Ss saw something shift in her then, and he knew her answer even before she
spoke.
"I''ll keep him," she said quietly.
The officer gave a small nod. "Alright, ma''am."
Ivy held the baby tightly-shaky, but firm. "Yeah."
"So, officer," Ss asked, hoping to shift the conversation, "what''s the update?"
"We''re still searching for his mother," the officer said. "All avable units are
working on it. We''ve already checked with Mason Hunter''s family and searched
his properties, but nothing has turned up yet."
"How did you find him?" Ivy asked, rocking the baby gently.
"When we released an Amber Alert, a woman came forward. Apparently, she had
already contacted us after finding the baby and taking him home."
"Did... she see anything?" Ss asked.
"No. She said she found the baby alone in the car."
Ivy''s brow furrowed. "But wasn''t the driver unconscious? How did she not see
him?"
"I''m not sure," the officer said. "You''ll have to fill out some documents before you
can take him home."
Ss feared Ivy might continue questioning the officer, but thankfully she bit her lip
and nodded. "Okay."
"Right this way, ma''am," the officer said, leading them down the hall.
Panic returned in her eyes, and her cheeks turned red, but she went, holding the
baby awkwardly yet protectively.
Ss followed behind her. As they entered the office, Ivy turned to him. "Can you
help... take him?"
"Sure," he smiled.
"ching his arms.
She gently handed the baby to him before stepping forward to sign the
paperwork. Ss rocked the child as she scribbled down.
He was a beautiful boy, with hair like his annoying father and eyes like Cheryl''s.
The baby cooed again, and Ss''s heart flipped.
What would his own child be like? Would she have Ivy''s eyes or his? What color
would her hair be?
"I''m done," Ivy said, then paused. "What? Why are you smiling?"
He hadn''t realized he was. "Nothing," he said.
He had said ''she''. The thought of having a daughter made his chest warm.
Ivy stared at him for a moment, then said, "Okay. We can leave."
"Alright," he replied, turning toward the door.
They left the station and got into the car.
"Are... you okay with him?" Ivy asked, gesturing toward the baby.
"Yes," he said. "But if you want to take him, you can."
She reached out immediately, and he passed the baby to her. Her expression
softened as she leaned back in her seat, rocking him.
"I think she wanted to steal him."
Ss blinked. "Who?"
"The woman who found him. I think she only gave him up because the police
were already searching."
He wasn''tpletely convinced, but he said, "Maybe. Either way, he''s here now.
With you."
"Yeah," she said quietly.
A moment of silence passed before Ss leaned closer. "Have you tried calling
Mason''s number?"
Ivy raised an eyebrow. "I haven''t. Why?"
"Since he said he kidnapped Cheryl and wants a ransom, he should''ve called by
now."
Ivy''s eyes narrowed. "I... I didn''t think of that. Can you get my phone?"
He reached into her coat pocket, and his fingers brushed her thigh. She shivered
slightly, a small gasp escaping her lips.
"Don''t," he chuckled.
She smacked her lips, cing the baby on
He groaned at the yful sparkle in her eyes, and his body reacted. "Just call
Mason," he said, his voice already thick.
She chuckled, but then her face turned serious. She lifted the phone to her ear.
"It''s not going through."
"That''s just crazy."
"How am I supposed to pay him if I can''t even reach him?"
"I guess he''s either really dumb... or just in stupid," Ss muttered.
Ivy went quiet, staring out the window.
Just then, Ss''s phone rang. He nced at the screen. "Hey, Tyler," he said as
he answered.
"Hello, sir," Tyler replied. "Aaliyah Salvador''s story is trending big, I and the team
have created ad strategies for it."
14:50 Sun, 29 Jun G
Relief washed over Ss. "That''s great news."
"Yes, sir."
"And the tape?"
"We''re... still working on taking everything down sir."
"Alright. Keep me posted."
"Definitely, sir. Bye."
"Bye." Ss ended the call, turning to Ivy. "That was Tyler." Then he told her
everything.
"Oh, that''s good," Ivy said. "I''m so d it worked out."
"Yeah, we-"
He was interrupted by the sudden wail of the baby.
Ivy picked him up quickly, rocking him. That didn''t work at all as his cries grew
louder, echoing through the car.
Ss sat up, rmed. "What''s wrong with him?"
"I have no idea," Ivy said, equally rmed.
"ce him on your shoulder, ma''am," Bud advised. "And pat him."
Ivy did as he said, patting him gently. "Am I supposed to sing?"
"I think you should," Ss''s advice.
Ivy''s eyes widened as she began a wobbly, off-key version of Wheels on the Bus,
but it didn''t help either.
"It''s not working," Ss said, her voice cracking.
"Give him to me," Ss said. He took the baby and ced him on his shoulder,
rocking him gently. "Don''t cry, baby," he murmured, his voice just as bad
as Ivy''s.
The baby only cried harder, making Ss''s stomach churn.
Ivy was sweating now, despite the cool air, her eyes gleaming with fear. "What
next?"
"I don''t know," Ss said, still patting him.
Then Ivy''s eyes lit with realization. "He has colic! Cheryl said so!"
"Oh," Ss blinked. He had no idea what that was.
"How do you reduce colic?" She asked Bud.
"I... don''t know," Bud shrugged, his hand tightened around the wheel.
"Is it like a headache or body ache?" Ss asked.
"I think it''s the stomach," Ivy replied.
Ss gently rubbed the baby''s stomach, but it didn''t help. "If it''s medical, we
should head home. Theresa should be there by now!"
"Yes, sir," Bud replied, stepping on the gas.
14:50 Sun, 29 Jun
As the baby''s wails intensified, so did his panic. The moment the car stopped,
they both jumped out carefully but quickly enough.
"Theresa!" Ivy called as they entered the house. "Theresa!"
Theresa ran from the hallway, wrapped in a white towel. Her eyes widened.
"What happened?"
"The baby! I think he''s dying," Ss said, giving him to her. "Please check!"
Theresa hurriedly took the baby to the living room, and he and Ivy followed.
Monica joined them, her face creased with worry, her voice filled with panic.
"What''s going on?"
"The baby has colic," Ivy said, her voice trembling. "We might have made it
worse."
Theresa examined him quickly. "He''s fine. Nothing''s wrong."
"Let me see him," Monica said, reaching out. She ced a thumb gently in the
baby''s mouth, and he suckling on it instantly. Monica sighed. "He''s hungry."
Ss blinked. "Really?"
"Yes. One of the staff gave birth a few months ago, she can feed him."
Theresa followed Monica out of the room.
Ivyughed tightly, her eyes still shining with panic. "That was crazy."
Before Ss could respond, his phone rang again. Detective Spence was on the
line, and his chest tightened.
"Hello, Detective."
"Hello, Ss Stone. Sorry to bother you thiste. I just wanted to confirm, is it
Ind Nova you want me to inve
His heart dropped. "Yes. That''s the one. Why?"
"Well..." David sighed. "I can''t find anything like that. That ind doesn''t exist."