A Home for Hannah (13 page)

When he explained the circumstances of Hannah’s abandonment, he was surprised to find Hannah’s new case worker was sympathetic. She was familiar with the Amish and understood the reluctance of the Kauffman family to report an abandoned child. She wasn’t quite so understanding of Nick’s part in the affair, but as the baby had received adequate care and medical attention, she didn’t intend to make an issue of it.

At her direction, Hannah was to be admitted to the hospital for observation. Once they were certain her condition was stable, she would be placed in foster care. He arranged to meet the social worker shortly and turn the baby over to her.

He closed the phone and shoved his hands in his pockets to keep from reaching for Miriam again.

“Are they coming?” she asked.

“Yes. A case worker named Helen Benson is on her way here. I know her. She’s a good woman. She wants Hannah admitted to the hospital until the pediatrician here is certain her condition is stable. After that, Hannah will go to foster care.”

“They’ll be good to her, won’t they? I’ve heard so many horror stories about children in foster care.”

“I’ll keep an eye on her and her new family, whoever they are.”

“Thank you, Nick. I know this is difficult for you, too.”

“The social worker will be here soon. Do you want to come with me when I turn Hannah over to them?”

Miriam opened the door to glance into the room. She whispered, “I should be here in case Mother wakes up.”

From the bed, Ada said, “You can stop whispering. I’m not asleep and I hear just fine.”

Nick and Miriam reentered the room. He said, “I’m sorry for disturbing you, Ada. You gave me quite a scare earlier today.”

She chuckled. “Could be it was well earned, but I imagine I should be sorry for upsetting everyone.”

“I’m certainly sorry for upsetting you,” he said as he leaned on the bed rail.

“Old women get foolish sometimes. We think of things we should have done differently and we wish for chance to do them over. The baby is not ours to keep.
Gott
will take care of her.”

“She has to come with me now,” he whispered. He could barely get the words past the lump in his throat.

“Let me give her one more kiss before you take her.”

Miriam lifted the baby from her carrier and placed her in Ada’s arms. She spoke to the child softly in Pennsylvania Dutch and then kissed her on each cheek. “All right Nicolas, you may take her now.”

He picked up the baby and glanced at Miriam. She said, “I already said my goodbyes.”

After settling the baby in her carrier again, he left the room without another word.

* * *

Miriam willed herself not to cry. If she broke down it would only upset her mother.

Ada said, “I know it is a hard thing for you, but rely on God for strength and you will get through this.”

“Is that how you did it when Mark died?”

“
Nee,
I railed against
Gotte
for taking my son. Grief is a human thing. No mother should have to lose her child, but we must accept
Gottes wille
for we cannot change it.”

“I’m not sure I can do that. I’m not sure I can accept that the sorrowful things in life are God’s will.”

“Understanding his ways are not possible for us. Our faith must be as the faith of a child.”

“That is easier said than done.”

“Don’t you think it’s time you told me what is really troubling you?”

Miriam’s defenses shot up. She wasn’t ready for this. “I don’t know what you mean.”

“Yes, you do. You know exactly why you ran away from your faith and your family. Whatever fear you carry in your heart, it is not a burden you must carry alone.”

Ada grimaced and shifted in her bed. Miriam moved to help adjust her pillow. “You should rest now.”

Ada closed her eyes and sighed deeply. “I think you’re right.”

Miriam thought her mother was asleep until a few moments later, when Ada said, “I saw your brother in a dream, earlier.”

“That’s nice.” In Miriam’s dreams she searched for Mark but could never find him. She smoothed a few strands of hair away from her mother’s forehead.

“He loves you, and so do I.” Ada’s voice trailed off. Her mother’s breathing grew regular and Miriam knew she was sleeping at last.

A nurse peeked into the room and asked quietly, “How is she doing?”

Glancing at the monitor over the bed, Miriam was satisfied with the numbers it displayed. Her mother’s color was definitely better and her heart rhythm was normal. The heart cath and stent placement had done wonders. “She’s resting comfortably.”

“Sleep is the best thing for her. Let us know if she needs anything.”

Miriam nodded. “I will.”

The nurse left, closing the door softly behind her. One more crisis averted.

Miriam sat down and glanced at the empty chair where Hannah had been only a short time ago. The tears she tried so hard to hold back began to slide down her cheeks.

Chapter Twelve

H
elen Benson was waiting for Nick when he arrived in the hospital lobby. A petite woman with a short bob of white-blond hair, she was wearing a business suit and carrying a large briefcase. Her smile when she saw him was warm and welcoming. It eased some of his fears.

He set Hannah’s carrier on the floor between them. “This is the baby I was telling you about.”

She squatted in front of Hannah and said, “You are a cute one.”

“Careful, she’ll steal your heart before you know it.” Nick stuffed his hands in his front pockets.

Helen rose. “Don’t worry, Sheriff, we will take good care of her.”

“Will I, or the family who has been caring for her, be able to see her here in the hospital?”

“I’m afraid not. I will keep you updated on any changes in her condition and let you know when she is ready for discharge. Other than that, don’t expect to hear from me until we’ve found a placement for her. How is the investigation into finding her parents going?”

“At this point, there’s little to go on. Just a blue-and-white patchwork quilt and a wooden laundry basket with green trim and a note saying she would be back. Since no one has reported a missing baby in the area, I have to wonder if it was a ruse to give her more time to get away.”

“Placing the baby in an Amish buggy might indicate she wanted the child raised by Amish parents.”

“Or, it might have been the first handy place she saw. I’ve already had the buggy impounded. We’ll check it for prints and trace evidence. We’ll be expanding the search tomorrow and focus on the store in Sugarcreek. I’m hoping they have a surveillance camera in their parking lot. Either way, we’ll do door-to-door interviews in the area. Finding the woman who discarded this baby is going to be my top priority.”

Helen picked up the carrier. “I understand. And making sure the baby is happy and well cared for is going to be mine. How are your friend and her mother doing?”

“Things are looking hopeful for Mrs. Kauffman. Miriam is coping with a lot right now, losing Hannah and having her mother so ill.”

“I’d like to visit with her in the next day or two. I understand she has a foster care license in our state.”

“Yes, but she fosters teens in Medina.”

“It wouldn’t take much for us to do a home study of her new residence.

“Are you saying it is possible she could keep Hannah?”

“Finding willing and skilled foster parents to take children with medical issues is an ongoing problem for our agency. Encourage her to go ahead with her application. Who knows, it may be possible to place Hannah with her eventually. So much depends on finding the child’s parents.”

It was a small ray of hope, but it was better than nothing. Hannah has succeeded in bringing Miriam back into Nick’s life. Her arrival had opened a door he thought was closed forever. He would always be grateful for that. “I’ll relay your information to Miriam. Thank you.”

“I’m sorry this didn’t turn out as you had hoped.”

“You and me, both. How are Danny Jr. and his sister doing?”

“The family has agreed to counseling. I’m hopeful that we won’t need to intervene. Both parents realize it was an unhealthy situation, not only for them, but for the kids, too. The dad says he is willing to do whatever it takes to keep the family together, including anger management classes. I hope he follows through with it.”

“I have a friend who works in construction. He’s going to see about getting Mr. Hicks a part-time job. He understands the man’s out on bail, but I think he’ll get community service rather than jail time. It was his first offense.”

“That would take a tremendous amount of strain off the family. Thank you.”

Helen bid him goodbye and walked toward the admissions desk carrying Hannah. Nick watched her leave with a heavy heart. He missed the little girl already. What was life going to be like without her?

He made his way back to the emergency room and found his deputy selecting a candy bar from the vending machine just outside the doorway of the waiting room. “Any word on the girl, Lance?”

Shaking his head, Lance pulled his selection from the bin. “We’re still waiting for her to come out of surgery.”

“Is the boyfriend talking?” Nick looked inside the room and saw Kevin Smith pacing back and forth by the windows.

“He hasn’t said much, but he sure is nervous. I’m not sure how much longer he’ll stick around.”

“Do you want me to question him?”

“It’s your call, Boss, but I’d really like to take another crack at the guy. Besides, I figure you’ll do better with the girl.”

As they spoke, a woman in blue scrubs came to the doorway. “Family of Mary Smith?”

Kevin came across the room. “Friend, not family. She doesn’t...she doesn’t have any family.”

“I’m afraid I can only give information to family members. There is a form that Mary will have to sign before I can give you any information.”

She turned to leave but Nick stopped her. “How soon can I speak to her?”

The nurse said, “She’s being moved to her room now. If you officers will come with me, I’ll have the doctor speak to you.”

Kevin objected. “Hey, how come they get information and I can’t?”

“Because they are officers of the law,” she said and walked away.

Lance laid a hand on Kevin’s shoulder. “As soon as we find out anything, I will let you know. These hospital rules and regulations are for the birds. Have a seat, I’ll be back in a jiffy.”

Nick and Lance followed the nurse down the hall and around the corner. They waited outside the recovery room doors until the doctor emerged until the doctor emerged.

Nick asked, “How is she?”

“She is stabilized but she is still in serious condition. She’s already had two units of blood. We’re going to give her another two. The lacerations were deep. She was serious about killing herself. We’re giving her something for pain. She will recover from her injuries, but she’s going to need counseling.”

Nodding, Nick asked, “How soon can I interview her?”

“You can talk to her now, although she may be a bit groggy.”

“Did she say why she tried to kill herself?”

“She hasn’t said anything. I think we’re dealing with a lot of factors, and one of them may be postpartum depression.”

“The boyfriend mentioned a miscarriage.” Lance frowned deeply

The surgeon shrugged. “She has certainly had a baby. If something happened to the infant, that might well have triggered the suicide attempt.”

Nick held out his hand. “Thanks, Doc. I think we’d like to get a little more information from the boyfriend before we see her.”

“Very well. She’s not going anywhere.”

Nick and Lance returned to the waiting area. Kevin Smith jumped to his feet. “How is she?”

Lance took the lead. “The doctor says she’ll be okay but she’s gonna be here for a while. Any idea what might’ve made her do this?”

“I guess it must’ve been the baby. She miscarried a while back.”

“I’m sorry for your loss.” The compassion in Lance’s voice was real. Taking Kevin’s arm, Lance led him to a sofa in the middle of the room.

“Yeah, well, I wasn’t into being a dad, so I’m not exactly torn up about it.”

Nick was pacing back and forth behind Kevin. “Dad? I thought she was just staying at your place. Now you’re the father of her child. Which is it?”

Kevin craned his neck to see Nick behind him. “Um, both I guess.”

“What doctor did your girlfriend see after her miscarriage?”

“Nobody, as far as I know.”

Nick planted his hands on the back of the sofa on
either side of Kevin neck. “Your girlfriend had a miscarriage, and you didn’t take her to the hospital?”

“I was out of town for a couple of days. When I came back, she told me she’d lost the baby. She didn’t seem broken up about it at the time.”

“Was it a boy or girl?” Lance asked gently.

“I didn’t ask. I mean what’s the point?”

This guy was some piece of work. Nick hoped he could find a reason to haul him to jail since being a jerk wasn’t against the law.

The man glanced between Nick and Lance. “Can I see her or what? Cause if I can’t see her, then I have things to do.”

The buzz of his cell phone caused Lance to pull the device from his pocket. He read the text, held it out so that Nick could read it and then tucked it back in his pocket.

He clamped a hand on the man’s shoulder, “You’re not going to see her just yet, Kevin Dunbar, wanted for check fraud over in Wayne County. First, we’re going to take a ride downtown, and then you’re going to see the inside of our lovely jail. Put your hands behind your back.”

“There’s been some kind of mistake.”

“You’ll get to tell it all to the judge.”

Once Lance had him handcuffed, Nick walked out with them and waited until Lance had their prisoner secured in the backseat of the cruiser. He said, “Make sure you do a real thorough job of running a background check on this guy. Something tells me he’s been doing more than writing hot checks.”

“You got it, Boss. If I had my way, I’d lock him up and throw away the key. Didn’t even ask if it was a boy or a girl. What kind of father is that?”

“The worst kind. I’m going to have a talk with the girlfriend now.”

Lance walked around to the driver’s side of his car “The poor kid. She’s too young to be involved with a loser like him.”

After Lance drove away, Nick went back into the hospital and learned that Mary Smith had been taken to a room on the fourth floor. He took the elevator to the ward and asked at the nurse’s station to speak to the charge nurse. After a brief conversation with her, he was relieved to learn that Ms. Smith would have a sitter with her through the night.

When he entered her room, he saw a middle-aged woman sitting in a recliner with a book open on her lap. She looked up and asked, “Would you like me to step outside, Sheriff?”

“No, it’s best if you stay.”

He pulled a chair up to the side of the bed where Mary lay curled up beneath the covers. Sitting down, he leaned forward with his elbows propped on his knees. “My name is Sheriff Bradley, and I’m going to have to ask you some questions.”

“Where’s Kevin?” She asked in a tiny, hoarse voice. She didn’t make eye contact but stared at the wall instead.

He decided it was best not to share the fact that Kevin was on his way to jail. He needed this girl cooperation. “He’s fine. You’ll be able to see him later. I need you to tell me what happened tonight.”

She sank farther beneath the covers. “You know.”

“I’m not sure that I do. Why don’t you tell me?”

Glaring at him, she raised her bandaged arm.

“You cut your own wrists? Are you sure that Kevin wasn’t holding the knife? It’s all right. You can tell me if he hurt you. I’ll see that he never hurts you again.”

“Go away.”

“I’m only here to help, Mary. Why don’t you tell me what happened.”

She gingerly tucked her arm back under the sheet. “Go away.”

She picked up her call light and pushed the button. When a nurse answered, she said, “I need something for pain.”

Nick could see he wasn’t going to get anywhere with her, but he made one last try. “Was your baby a little boy or little girl?”

Tears filled her eyes. She rolled over and turned her back to him.

Discouraged, he left the room and stopped at the nurse’s station. Speaking to the woman at the desk, he gave her his card with instructions to call him if anything changed with Mary Smith.

* * *

Dawn was breaking outside the hospital window as Miriam sat up and stretched sore muscles. A night spent in a hospital-grade recliner was a sure way to earn a stiff neck. Her mother’s condition hadn’t changed much through the night. She was on the mend, but her blood pressure had been all over the place.

Miriam rose and moved to the side of the bed. Ada’s eyes snapped open. “It’s about time you got up. It’s been light for almost an hour. The horse will be wondering where her breakfast is.”

“Good morning,
Mamm.
How are you feeling?”

“Better. Can I go home now?”

“I doubt your doctor will let you go home today, but it’s good to see you are on the mend.”

Ada moved to sit up in bed. “I’m hungry. Where is Hannah?”

The reminder brought a sharp pain to Miriam’s chest. “Hannah is upstairs in the nursery.”

“Oh, dear. I was hoping that part was a bad dream. She isn’t coming back to us, is she?”

“I’m afraid not,
Mamm.
”

“You look tired, dear.”

“I am.”

There was a knock at the door and a young woman in blue scrubs looked in. “Mrs. Kauffman, are you ready for some breakfast and a bath?”

“I am. Miriam, why don’t you go get something to eat while I get
redd-up.
”