Unmasking the Heiress (Evangeline and Walte)

Once the call ended, James turned to Evangeline and said, "Your Uncle Yale is really worried about you. He even called to check in."

Yale's concern for Evangeline was a given, so neither Holden nor Evangeline thought much of it.

As the two comforted each other, James slipped out of the room, making up an excuse to call Yale back without delay. "What's going on, Yale?"

"Evie didn't get suspicious, did she?" Yale was always protective of his niece, and she was his first concern.

"Nope, I'm far enough from the room now. You can talk."

"Okay." Yale let out a sigh of relief. "I'm starting to think that Evangeline's baby didn't just die. Someone might have... you know."

"Julia."

James did not wait for Yale to finish; he had the same hunch.

"I've been thinking the same thing. Evie's pregnancy was smooth sailing-good food, and good sleep. Nothing that should've hurt the baby, especially not like that sudden bleeding."

"Yale, did you find any proof?" James knew his brother too well. Yale would not stir the pot without something solid to go on.

"Do you remember Celina, the girl Evie rescued downtown? Shortly after you guys took off, she told me something weird. Where Evangeline had her fall, there was a spilled cup of milk, but get this-the waiter whisked away the whole carpet. Not a single milk spot was left behind.

"I even rang up Roslyn, and she confirmed Evie had hot milk right before her stomach started acting up.

"So, the missing link is that hot milk, snatched up by the waiter. However, how does Julia fit into this puzzle?"

Guesswork was not worth much without proof.

James, with his law degree, knew that better than anyone.

However, there was no way he would let his niece take the fall for something she did not do.

The real shocker was who he suspected as the perpetrator.

"You're out of the loop, huh? Celina is actually on Julia's payroll. And wouldn't you know it, she spotted that waiter while she was tailing Julia!"

The pieces were nearly all in place; they just needed the lab report on the milk.

Then it hit James like a bolt of lightning.

"I get it now. If Evie drank that milk, there has to still be traces of it in her stomach! I need to tell her, now!"

"Of course! Why didn't I see it?" Yale slapped his forehead, the realization dawning on him. "I'll handle the waiter. You... Have a careful chat with Evie, okay? Break it to her gently..."

James knew his niece inside and out.

If she found out her baby was targeted, she would go through hell and high water to nail the guilty party.

Evangeline had just gone through

the heartbreak of losing her child Hearing more bad news then

seemed almost too harsh. James felt a pang of sympathy for her as he thought about it.

He gently pushed the hospital room door open and saw Roslyn, who had quietly come in. She put her finger to her lips, signaling him to be quiet, then motioned for him to come outside.

However, James had something pressing to do.

Every minute that milk stayed in Evangeline's stomach, the chances of a botched sample increased.