Unbreakable Bond by Rita Herron Page B

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    Nina’s experience had been so different, yet she had to smile at the thought of the happy couple and grandparents celebrating a new life.
    â€œExcuse me,” Slade said to a curly-haired nurse wearing pink scrubs at the nurses’ station. “Is Carrie Poole here?”
    The woman nodded. “She’s in the NICU.”
    â€œCan you ask her if she can speak with us?” Slade asked.
    The woman glanced at Nina with a frown. “Regarding what?”
    Nina cleared her throat. “I just want to ask her a couple of questions. She took care of my baby when I was here a long time ago.”
    â€œYou’re Nina Nash, aren’t you?” the woman asked.
    Nina stiffened. “Yes.”
    â€œDr. Emery said you hired a private investigator and were asking questions.” A wariness tinged her eyes. “I wasn’t here back then, but I’ve heard how horrible it was. I can’t imagine…”
    â€œI’m not here to cause trouble for the staff, or blame anyone for that night,” Nina said. “In fact Carrie was so sweet to me, that I just want to talk to her, that’s all. Please.”
    The woman’s expression softened. “All right, sugar. I’ll let her know.”
    She rose from the desk, exited on the opposite side and walked down the hallway.
    Voices sounded, and she glanced to the left and saw a new mother cradling her baby as the nurse pushed her in a wheelchair toward the elevator. The father walkedbehind, carrying a bouquet of balloons and pink roses. As they reached the elevator, he leaned over and kissed his wife and baby girl. Tears stung Nina’s eyes.
    Slade’s hand stroked her shoulder as if he understood how the scene affected her. A minute later, the nurse returned and pointed them to a waiting room. The bubbly red-haired nurse Nina remembered popped into the room a second later, and Nina made the introductions.
    â€œI don’t know if you remember me or not,” Nina began.
    â€œOf course I do.” Carrie sat down and took her hands in hers. “I’ve thought about you a lot over the years. I’m sorry for all you’ve been through.”
    Her kindness touched Nina. “You were so sweet to me and my baby,” Nina said. “I want to thank you for that.”
    Carrie smiled. “I can still see her little face, all scrunched up and fussing. She was a real fighter. I…thought she had a good chance.” Carrie’s voice cracked. “And then everything went wrong.”
    â€œCan you tell us exactly what you remember about that night?” Slade said.
    She bit her lip as she looked at him, then nodded. “I wasn’t in the nursery when the fire broke out. I was down the hall with another patient. I helped them to get out, then rushed back to help clear the babies. Two other nurses from the regular unit had infants in their arms, and rescue workers were rushing toward them to help. I ran to the NICU. There were only two babies in there that night, and Jane had the little boy. I went to get Peyton, but she wasn’t in the bassinet.”
    â€œNo one saw anyone take her?”
    Carrie shook her head. “Dr. Emery had ordered tests for the baby, and I assumed that someone had taken her to another wing to administer them.”
    â€œCarrie, I know it’s been a long time,” Slade said. “But do you remember anyone odd hanging around the nursery, someone who looked out of place?”
    She fidgeted with the pocket of her scrubs jacket. “No, not that I can think of.”
    Slade hesitated. “How about other births that might have gone wrong that night or week? Maybe someone who had a miscarriage?”
    Carrie drew her shoulders back. “That information is restricted for the patient’s privacy.”
    â€œPlease,” Nina said. “If there’s a chance another patient kidnapped my baby, you have to help me.”
    Her eyes flickered sideways