Chapter Forty One: Prime Suspect
Amelia, Jonah, and Sarah were deep in conversation in Amelia's office, trying to piece together the next steps. The atmosphere was tense, they knew they had to be cautious, as whoever was behind the baby's disappearance was still out there and possibly aware of their actions.
A sudden knock on the door shattered their focus. All three of them froze, eyes wide with fear. Amelia quickly assessed the situation and gestured for Jonah and Sarah to hide in the bathroom. They slipped inside silently, closing the door just as another knock echoed through the room.
"Come in," Amelia called out, trying to keep her voice steady.
The door opened, and to her surprise, Maxwell stepped inside. His eyes scanned the room suspiciously before settling on Amelia. She felt a jolt of shock but quickly masked it with a professional act.
"Maxwell ," she greeted him, gesturing to a chair. "Please, sit down."
Maxwell remained standing for a moment, his eyes narrowing as if trying to read her mind. Finally, he took a seat, his posture rigid and confrontational.
"What's going on with you, Amelia?" he asked, his tone accusatory. "Something's off, and I can tell."
Amelia forced a smile, though her heart was pounding. "Nothing's going on, Maxwell. Just a busy day at the hospital."
He shook his head, clearly not convinced. "Don't lie to me. I know you well enough to see when something's up. And you've been acting strange ever since you came back."
Amelia leaned back in her chair, keeping her expression neutral. "I've been dealing with a lot, sir. Returning to work after everything that happened has been challenging."
Maxwell 's eyes flickered with something akin to guilt, but it was quickly replaced by suspicion. "And what about now? Why do I feel like you're hiding something?" He asked her.
She maintained her calm, even as anxiety gnawed at her insides. "I'm not hiding anything, Maxwell . I'm just trying to get through the day."
He leaned forward, his eyes piercing into hers. "I don't believe you. I think you're involved in something, and I want to know what it is."
Amelia's mind raced, trying to come up with a plausible explanation. She couldn't afford to let Maxwell find out about Jonah and Sarah. Not yet, not when they were so close to uncovering the truth.
"Sir, I don't know what you're insinuating, but I assure you, there's nothing going on," she said firmly.
He stood up abruptly, pacing the room. "You're lying, Amelia. I can see it in your eyes. And I won't rest until I find out what it is."
Amelia forced a smile as Maxwell studied her intently. "Your return to work should be a fresh start, Amelia," he said, his tone unusually conciliatory. "I hope you've buried whatever grudges you had with Maxwell"
"Of course," Amelia replied, her smile feeling tight and fake. "I'm focused on moving forward."
Maxwell didn't seem entirely convinced. "Who were you talking to when I came in?"
"No one," she lied smoothly, maintaining her calm facade. "Just going over some notes for my next patient."
He lingered a moment longer, his eyes searching hers, before finally nodding. "Good. I hope that's the case." With that, he turned and left the room, closing the door behind him.
Amelia waited, counting the seconds, ensuring Maxwell was far enough away. Her heart pounded in her chest, and beads of sweat dotted her forehead. After a few minutes, she cautiously approached the bathroom door and opened it. Jonah and Sarah stepped out, their faces still tense from the close call.
"He's gone," Amelia whispered. "But we have to be extremely careful. Maxwell is suspicious."
Jonah nodded, his jaw set in determination. "We need to find the baby and get to the bottom of this, and we need to do it fast."
Sarah, still clutching her purse tightly, looked between them with wide, desperate eyes. "What are we going to do?"
Amelia took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. "First, we need to get out of here without drawing attention. We'll regroup at Jonah's place and figure out our next move."
The three of them moved swiftly but cautiously through the hospital corridors, avoiding anyone who might recognize them. Once outside, they piled into Jonah's car and drove in tense silence to his apartment.
When they arrived, Amelia finally allowed herself to relax a little. "Okay," she said, turning to face Sarah and Jonah. "We need to think about this logically. Where could your baby be? Is there anyone else who might have taken her?"
Sarah shook her head, her eyes brimming with tears. "I don't know. I just want my baby back."
"We'll find her," Jonah assured her, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. "We just need to figure out who has her and why."
Amelia nodded. "And we need to keep Maxwell from interfering. He's too close to discovering the truth."
They spent the next few hours going over every detail Sarah could remember, trying to piece together any clues. As the sun set, they knew they had to act quickly. Time was running out, and the baby's safety was their top priority.
"Tomorrow, we start looking for leads," Jonah said firmly. "We won't stop until we find her."
Amelia agreed. "And we'll keep Maxwell in check. He won't derail our efforts."
Together, they formed a plan, hoping to reunite Sarah with her child and uncover the truth behind the mysterious events that had upended their lives.
Amelia called Jonah to have a talk with him by the side, she needed him to understand the severity of the situation. "Do you have anyone in mind? Someone you suspect is capable of something like that?" Amelia asked him.
Jonah thought hard for a few seconds and then clicked his tongue. "You and I both know that there can only be one person behind this."
"I know right..." Amelia stressed, her mind going to just one person but they didn't want to call Maxwell's name so that Sarah wouldn't hear.