The Twin Sisters Rescued a Baby Left Beside the Garbage — Then Refused the Millionaire’s Reward and Exposed a Terrible Secret
Chapter 4
The next morning, Marcus returned.
He did not come alone.
A woman named Evelyn Shaw stood beside him. She was in her late fifties, wore a navy wool coat, and carried a leather folder with a cracked corner.
Marcus introduced her as the attorney who had represented his family for almost twenty years.
Evelyn did not behave like someone entering a poor neighborhood to rescue anyone.
She looked at the doorframe.
At the extension cord.
At the bucket beneath the leak.
Then she looked at Lena.
“Mr. Vale says you found the baby.”
“My daughters found him.”
Evelyn nodded.
“I would like to ask you a few questions.”
“You can ask.”
Lena pointed toward the baby.
“But he’s staying here until someone tells me why he was left in an alley.”
Marcus exchanged a look with Evelyn.
“That’s why we’re here,” Evelyn said.
She opened the folder.
Inside were photocopies of hospital forms, police reports, photographs and handwritten notes.
Lena looked at the first page.
Then stopped.
There was a name.
Rachel Vale.
Below it was a date.
Below that was the baby’s name.
Noah Vale.
Lily leaned around her mother’s arm.
“His name is Noah?”
Marcus looked at her.
“Yes.”
Lily smiled faintly.
“Noah.”
The baby opened his eyes.
June whispered,
“He heard you.”
Marcus crouched beside the carrier.
He did not touch the baby.
He simply watched.
After a moment, he said,
“His mother disappeared.”
“Disappeared where?”
“We don’t know.”
Evelyn closed the folder.
“That is what we’re trying to determine.”
Lena studied her.
“And you think she left him?”
“We think she intended to.”
Marcus looked up sharply.
“No.”
Evelyn turned toward him.
“Marcus—”
“No.”
His voice was harder now.
“You don’t know that.”
“You asked me to be honest.”
“I asked you to find her.”
“And I will.”
Lena noticed something.
Marcus was not angry because Evelyn had suggested Rachel abandoned the baby.
He was angry because the suggestion frightened him.
That mattered.
“Why would she leave her own child?” Lena asked.
Evelyn hesitated.
Marcus answered.
“She wouldn’t.”
Lena looked at him.
“You’re sure?”
He stared at the floor.
“I thought I was.”
