Chapter Forty: Rumours

As Amelia tried to walk away from Maxwell's office, she felt a sudden grip on her hand. Maxwell had grabbed her, his eyes wide with a mix of desperation and fear. She turned to face him, her gaze steady and unyielding.

"Let go of my hand, Maxwell," she said coldly. "Unless you want the world to see the kind of animal you are."

Maxwell's grip loosened, and he slowly released her hand. She held his gaze for a moment longer, making sure he understood the gravity of her words, then turned and walked away without looking back.

The rest of the day passed in a blur of routine tasks and patient consultations. But Amelia's encounter with Maxwell lingered in her mind. She tried to focus on her work, but her thoughts kept drifting back to the look in his eyes—the fear, the desperation.

After settling in her office, Amelia tried to focus on her work, but her thoughts kept drifting back to the recent events. The confrontation with Maxwell still lingered in her mind, and she couldn't shake the unease that had settled in her chest. Just as she was about to dive into a patient's file, a knock on her door interrupted her thoughts.

"Come in," she called out, straightening up in her chair.

The door opened, and a woman stepped inside. She looked tired, her eyes filled with a mix of anxiety and determination. Amelia gestured for her to sit down, and the woman took a seat opposite her.

"How can I help you?" Amelia asked, her tone professional but gentle.

The woman took a deep breath before speaking. "I'm the mother of the baby that was dropped off at Jonah's porch," she said, her voice trembling slightly. "I didn't find my baby at the address I left in the note that was in her shawl."

Amelia's heart skipped a beat. She leaned forward, her eyes narrowing as she tried to process what the woman had just said. "You're the baby's mother?" she repeated, her mind racing.

"Yes," the woman replied, her voice steadier now. "I had no other choice but to leave her there. I thought it would be safer for her. But when I went to the address I left, my baby wasn't there."

Amelia felt a surge of anger and frustration. "We took the baby to the address you left, but no one was there," she explained. "We waited for a long time, but when no one showed up, we had no choice but to leave. After that, the baby and the woman who came to get her vanished without a trace."

The woman looked devastated. "I don't know what to do," she said, her voice breaking. "She's my only child. I just wanted to protect her."

Amelia's mind raced as she tried to think of a solution. "Have you contacted the police?" she asked.

The woman nodded. "Yes, but they haven't been able to find any trace of her. It's like she disappeared into thin air."

Amelia felt a knot of anxiety tighten in her stomach. "We'll do everything we can to help you find your baby," she said firmly. "Tell me everything you can about what happened."

The woman took a deep breath and began to recount her story. She explained how she had been in a desperate situation, unable to care for her child. She had heard about Jonah's abilities and believed he could help. But after leaving her baby on his porch, she had gone into hiding, afraid that whoever was after her might find her.

"When I thought it was safe, I went to the address I left," she said, tears streaming down her face. "But my baby was gone."

Amelia felt a pang of sympathy for the woman. "Do you have any idea who might have taken her?" she asked gently.

The woman shook her head. "No, I don't. But I have a feeling that whoever took her knew about Jonah's abilities and wanted to use the baby to get to him."

Amelia felt a chill run down her spine. "We'll find her," she promised. "Jonah and I will do everything in our power to help you."

The woman nodded, her eyes filled with a glimmer of hope. "Thank you," she said softly. "I don't know what I'd do without your help."

As the woman left her office, she knew that finding the baby and ensuring her safety was their top priority. And she was prepared to do whatever it took to bring her home.

Amelia immediately reached out to Jonah, explaining the situation and their new lead. Jonah, equally fekt alarmed and agreed to meet her right away to start piecing together the puzzle. They knew time was of the essence and every moment counted in their search for the missing baby.

Jonah arrived at Amelia's office a short while later, though he snuck in to avoid being seen. He couldn't wait for her to get backhis face set in a grim expression. "We need to act fast," he said as he took a seat. "If someone took that baby to get to me, they might be planning something even more dangerous."

Amelia nodded. "We need to figure out who knew about the baby being left on your porch and who would have any reason to target you or the child."

Jonah leaned back, running a hand through his hair. "It has to be someone who knows about my healing abilities. But why use a baby to get to me?"

"Maybe they think you have something they need," Amelia suggested. "Or maybe they want to exploit your abilities for their own gain."

Jonah sighed. "I just can't believe someone would use an innocent child like this."

"We need to find out who it is and why they're doing this," Amelia said firmly. "Let's start by talking to the mother again. Maybe she can give us more details about who might have been after her."

They arranged to meet the woman, whose name was revealed to be Sarah, in a discreet location. As they sat down with her, they pressed for more information about her situation and any potential enemies she might have.

"Is there anyone who knew about your connection to Jonah?" Amelia asked.

Sarah shook her head. "No, I kept it a secret. But there were rumors in the refugee camp about a healer. People talked, and word got around."

"Do you remember anyone showing unusual interest in those rumors?" Jonah asked.

Sarah thought for a moment. "There was a man, someone I didn't recognize. He kept asking questions about where the healer was and how he could find him. I didn't trust him, so I didn't say anything. But he seemed determined."

"Do you know his name?" Amelia pressed.

"No, I don't," Sarah replied. "But I remember his face. He has a distinctive tattoo on his wrist—something that looked like a snake."

Jonah and Amelia exchanged a glance.