Chapter 8 - THE BRACELET IN THE PURSE WAS LUCA’S
Forensic examination answered one question.
The loose bracelet from Lucia’s purse was not a duplicate.
It was Luca’s original ankle band.
How could they tell?
The serial matched.
Adhesive wear matched photographs taken after birth.
A small crease near the barcode appeared in an earlier nurse image.
The clasp fragment found beneath the observation bassinet matched the broken closure on the bracelet.
Luca’s band had been opened near that bassinet.
Then the mismatched baby in Gianna’s room.
His band belonged to Baby Mercer.
Original.
Not counterfeit.
Its clasp had also been opened.
Why open it if Lucia planned to leave it on him?
Investigators developed a likely sequence.
Not yet confirmed.
Lucia entered the nursery corridor during the emergency.
Luca was in one bassinet.
Baby Mercer in another.
She removed Luca’s band.
She started removing Baby Mercer’s.
Something interrupted her.
She moved the infants anyway.
Luca was left in the Mercer observation bassinet without his band.
Baby Mercer was placed into Luca’s return bassinet still wearing his own loosened band.
Lucia took Luca’s removed band.
Probably intending to place it on Baby Mercer later in the private room.
That would make the false infant appear electronically tied to Gianna.
But Gianna became suspicious before Lucia could finish.
Nolan arrived.
Then the bucket confrontation.
Then scan.
The plan was not sophisticated.
It almost failed immediately.
It did fail.
But thirty minutes of confusion was enough to create trauma across two families.
Then why had Lucia moved Luca at all?
That remained.
The fact Serena “only needs one” was obvious motive.
But what was the next step?
How did she expect to get Luca out of the hospital?
Security discharge would catch a mismatch.
Unless she had another plan.
Investigators found a clue in Serena’s apartment.
A fully prepared newborn nursery.
Crib.
Bassinet.
Diapers.
Formula.
Clothing sized newborn.
No crime in that.
Serena had been considering adoption.
Then a hospital-style infant car seat.
Also normal.
Then one overnight bag packed before the twins were born.
Inside:
Two bottles.
Receiving blankets.
A baby cap embroidered:
L.B.
Luca Bellante?
Or simply random initials?
Serena said Lucia had ordered it.
Then the most troubling item.
A discharge authorization template printed from the hospital’s public patient portal.
Blank.
No forged signature.
No completed form.
No fake court order.
Just a template.
May you like
Still.
Preparation.
