What the heck kind of town were Magda and Ken living in where people acted so nonchalant? Devin had been to Afghanistan and Baghdad, but they didn't give him the creeps like Glaxton, Ontario did.
Fourth Chapter
Devin decided to touch base with Poppy Stewart at the police station before setting off to see what Dr. Grassley did or didn’t know. After meeting with Magda, Devin realized that she could be of little help. She was sedated when everything took place, and Ken was hyper-focused on the birth of Hope. Neither took the time to read name badges or check credentials. The mastermind behind the kidnapping likely knew this and figured they had committed the perfect crime with no witnesses.
Devin walked into the courthouse, which was more significant than the hospital. It also had a vibe that things were getting done. Hopefully, they were nothing like GCH and things were being done correctly. "Reverend Devin Grant here to see Detective Poppy Stewart." Devin used his title because he found that Reverends got quicker access in most situations.
“Devin, great to see you again. Is your cousin Sam any closer to walking down the aisle with that boyfriend of hers?”
“Oh, you must mean Harold. He’s long gone, and so is just about every boyfriend Samantha has had in the last five years. They’re having trouble keeping up with her.” Devin joked.
“Yeah, we have similar jobs and similar personalities. I was married for a short time, but now I’m flying solo. I got a new name out of the deal – Mooseburger wasn’t easy of a name to handle. We also have a three-year-old that we co-parent. Are you single, Devin?”
"Yes. Currently, I am." Devin knew Poppy and Sam talked. Sam was forever trying to set him up. “Have you any leads with the Spencer kidnapping?”
Poppy shook her head. “Either no one knows anything or no one’s talking. I put an APB out, but all I have is that it is an infant. I have no vehicle description and no suspect description. He or she could be passing Hope off as a boy, and no one would know. If you look at the history in this sort of case, the chances are we’ll never find Hope Spencer.”
“We’ll get DNA off something – there had to be a sample left somewhere,” Devin said.
“Not likely, hospitals scrub down pretty thoroughly.”
“I bet GCH doesn’t. I’ve noticed, they don’t follow protocol on most things.”
“Good observation, Devin, and you’re right but not when it comes to sterilization. They were dinged on an inspection last year, and it’s the one thing they do right. If Hope Spencer is found, it’ll be the result of good instincts and detective work.” Poppy smiled. “Sam said you tend to be a loose cannon, which I take to mean a dog with a bone. Heck, if you can help, I’d be thrilled.”
“I’ll keep you informed, Poppy, and won't step on your toes,” Devin said.
“I’ll let you step on my toes if we’re on the dance floor.” Poppy winked before she sashayed back into her office.
Devin wanted to reunite Ken and Magda with their baby, and he would stay as long as needed, but not a minute more. Glaxton was cold, the medical professionals left something to be desired, it was creepy, and the police detective was on the prowl.
***
Devin pulled up at the address on Pearl Street for Dr. Bernard Grassley. It was the largest home he had seen since arriving in Glaxton. A wrought-iron gate surrounded the house, and white columns stood on either side of the front door. A knocker the size of Devin’s head and shaped like a lion was centered on the heavy oak door. The gate was open, so Devin pulled around the circular driveway. A new model Tesla sat off to the side of the brick house. Devin zippered his parka and trudged through the snow to the door.
He rang the bell, and a screen lowered featuring the pleasant face of a middle-aged man. "Hello, may I help you? You look cold; I'll buzz you in, and you can tell me who you are.”
Devin brushed snow from his parka and put the tip of his glove in his mouth to pull it off. He offered his hand. "I'm Reverend Devin Grant, a friend of Ken and Magda Spencer."
“Terrible, terrible thing that happened to that nice couple. I delivered Hope, and I’ve already told the police that I didn’t see anything out of the ordinary.” Dr. Grassley poured two snifters of brandy. The brandy was top-shelf, and the glasses were crystal.
“How did you manage to deliver a baby early with no assistance from a nurse? I’m sure you assumed the child would need intensive care and be transferred to a facility with a NICU.” Devin asked.
“As an outsider, you’d have no idea how things operate in Glaxton.” Dr. Grassley’s temperament took a drastic turn. He was on the defensive. He drained his snifter quickly and placed it down on the marble tabletop. “We have a pioneer mentality. We get things done by any means necessary – I mean, available. Mrs. Spencer’s delivery wasn’t perfect, but a healthy child was born – my part was done.”
“Your granddaughter was present. She was acting as a nurse’s assistant, but there wasn’t a nurse on duty – isn’t that right?” Devin asked at the risk of further offending Dr. Grassley.
“I refuse to discuss my granddaughter who isn’t here to defend herself.”
Devin was taken aback. “Defense would require an attack; I’m not attacking Kara.” Devin felt a strong desire to exit the creepy mansion. He was onto something, but he wasn’t sure what. “I just remembered an appointment I have, so I must run, but I hope we can pick this up later.”
“Please call first, and I can be sure to ready myself for visitors.”
In his car, as the soothing sound of falling snow filled the space, Devin breathed a sigh of relief. Dr. Grassley was hiding something, although he wasn’t sure what – yet.
Fifth Chapter
Devin Grant sought the comfort of the nearest church in Glaxton, which he was guessing was the only church. It was still bone-chilling cold, but the sky was vibrant blue without a cloud in sight. He maneuvered Ken’s car through the towering banks of snow in Our Father’s House Church parking lot. There was no service in session, and only a few parishioners occupied the pews.
“Can I help you?” a man about 45 years old asked. He was wearing a collar.
“I felt relief from the moment I walked in the door. I’m Reverend Devin Grant from New Hampshire.” He offered his hand.
“I’m Reverend Del Ferguson – call me Del. Another man of the cloth. Welcome to Glaxton and welcome to Canada. I ended up here from Boston. It’s nice to see a fellow Yank in town. What brings you to this frigid berg?”
“Ken and Magda Spencer; who are close friends.” Devin could tell that Del knew about the kidnapping. “The local police are on the case, but I’m here to help if I can,” Devin said as he sat in a pew joined by Del.
“God bless you for offering support. I dedicated the morning service to the soul of sweet Hope Spencer. When the Elkhart baby died, I prayed I’d never see another infant tragedy in Glaxton. Moving to a small town did not lessen the sorrow.”
“If prayers can help find Hope Spencer, we’re in good shape. Who was the Elkhart baby and when did this occur?” Devin asked. It seemed as if Glaxton wasn’t the ideal place to have a child.
“Cody Elkhart died about 18 months ago. He was a full-term baby who died when the cord became wrapped around the baby’s neck, and he was deprived of oxygen. He was born blue and non-responsive. Cody’s Dad killed himself, and Mary Elkhart is heavily medicated up in Toronto. She had a break with reality, and they say she’ll never re-enter society. She’s a threat to herself and those around her,” Del said.
“Was there an investigation?”
“No, there was no indication that it was anything other than a tragic accident. Accidents happen. My visit to Mrs. Elkhart was disturbing, and I haven’t been back to the hospital in Toronto. My visit was a way of letting Mrs. Elkhart know that she still had support from God and the people of Glaxton. I have my hands full, but if I can be of further help, don’t hesitate to ask.”
“Use your direct line to God.” Devin chuckled. “I’ll do the s
ame. God bless, Del.” Devin made his way back out to the car that was neatly parked between two snowbanks. Not a good spot for a claustrophobic.
***
Devin stopped at the nurse’s station to pick up a visitor’s badge before checking in with Magda and Ken. He wasn’t surprised when the desk was unattended. The files were out in the open as usual, and it seemed that the cabinets were unlocked. Forgive me for what I’m about to do. Devin knew that he was only reading a few files, but it could be mistaken as stealing. A note written by Nora Grassley caught his attention.
January 12 – No nurse on duty. Kara NA will be here for Spencer delivery. Morgan Toronto
Devin took a photo of the note and shut the file cabinet. He looked up and saw Darlene standing next to him. “Can I help you Reverend?”
"I was double checking the Spencers home zip code. I'm having some paperwork sent to me."
“Oh, there’s only one code in Glaxton. Did you get what you needed?” Darlene asked.
"I did. Darlene, do you recall the Elkhart baby?”
“I was off-duty that night, but I'm glad I wasn't working. The kidnapping is causing me to have a sleepless night, losing a child while on duty would send me straight into therapy.”
“Was Dr. Grassley the doctor in the delivery room that day?” Devin asked.
“I don’t have that information. That is your business why?” Darlene snapped. Devin didn’t think Darlene had anything to do with the kidnapping. She didn’t want anyone changing things around GCH because it was an easy place to work with very few pesky regulations she had to follow.
“I need a visitor’s badge, and I’d like to leave you with a bit of advice.”
“What’s that, Reverend?” Darlene asked.
“Lock up confidential files before your made to do so by the Medical Commission. A bad inspection report will result in numerous follow-up inspections, which are never pleasant.” Devin walked away having given Darlene his two cents. Devin wasn’t sure there was any connection between Hope’s kidnapping and the Elkhart baby. Perhaps Del was right, and tragedy can’t be entirely avoided. He realized Ken and Magda needed his undivided attention, but a nagging feeling persisted that something big was happening in Glaxton, Ontario.
Sixth Chapter
“Am I interrupting?” Devin said as he poked his head into Magda’s room.
Magda was dressed in her street clothes, and her small bag was packed. It appeared she had been crying. “No, pull up a chair, Devin. We were just about to say a prayer before I leave the hospital. I’m waiting for my discharge papers from Dr. Morgan.” Ken was sitting on the edge of her bed while Elena stood on her feet.
“I was coming to offer to lead a prayer. I had no idea you were being discharged,” Devin said.
Ken spoke on Magda’s behalf because she was on the verge of breaking down in tears. “We find it difficult to leave the hospital without our daughter. It feels wrong, and there hasn’t been a break in the case of Hope’s kidnapping. They say if a child is missing for longer than 24 hours, then the chances of finding them alive are drastically decreased.”
"Let's join hands," Ken said. "Father, help the Spirit bring Hope Spencer home. Let there be a shepherd to bring your helpless child home to the family that loves her. Give us the strength to endure the tragedy that has fallen on us. We trust you and love you, our Father. Amen."
“Thank you, Devin. I feel helpless, so I must leave it in the hands of our loving God. Are you and Detective Stewart any closer to finding answers?”
“We don’t have any solid leads that we can discuss at this point, but I may be on to something, Magda. I promise to keep you, and Ken informed. You have my number on speed dial, I assume. Call me if you hear from the kidnappers, which is doubtful, or remember anything you think may be of help. Elena, you get the couch where I’ve been sleeping. I got a room at the small B & B in town. You guys need some options like a hotel chain,” Devin said as he placed his small leather-bound Bible in the backpack he was using while in Glaxton. He usually kept a bible and a few other relics in his 4x4 at home – another reminder that he wasn’t home.
Devin walked down the white hallway with the constant sound of pumps and a few televisions on in the background. He knocked on Dr. Noah Morgan’s door. He was the obstetrician who was in Toronto at the time Baby Hope was taken. Chances were a busy doctor would be hard to catch in his office, but this was Glaxton, and anything could happen.
The door was pulled open by a young man with red hair and freckles. His name badge identified him at Dr. Morgan. He looked to be fresh out of medical school.
“Hello.” The young physician looked at Devin quizzingly. “Do we have an appointment?”
“I’m Reverend Devin Grant. We don’t have an appointment, but I’d like to chat if you have a moment.”
"No thank you, Reverend. I'm covered as far as my religious needs, but feel free to pray for me.”
The door began to close in Devin’s face, so he pushed back. “Dr. Morgan. I’m here to ask a few questions about the Spencer infant. While I’m a Man of the Cloth, I’m not here for religious purposes.”
“My apologies. Let’s start over. I’m Noah Morgan, come in and take a seat. I just arrived back in Glaxton this morning, so you probably know more than me. What can I help you with?” Noah said as he sat behind a metal desk that looked as if it was from 1975.
“How the heck did something like this happen and why is everyone, except a select few, not making a big deal out of this? I’d expect the FBI to be involved, but I guess that’s the USA and this is Canada. There are red flags all over this case.” Devin raked his hands over his short military hair. “Sorry to raise my voice. Ken and Magda are good friends, and it’s personal.”
“Welcome to Glaxton, Ontario. I came here after graduating from UCLA. I was in a program that provided help in funding tuition fees if I agreed to work in a small-town hospital. Here I am, and I thought I’d have a chance to turn things around, but I’ve had push-back with every change suggested.”
Devin guessed Noah was frustrated being away from the action and couldn’t wait to leave Glaxton. If he helped solve a kidnapping, it would give him name recognition, which would come in handy when he looked for new employment. It was a carrot Devin was willing to dangle.
“I’ll start with an easy question; why was Magda told her due date was in early February when it was January 12?”
The doctor looked at him perplexed. “I prefer to give expectant mother’s a more definitive date when they are closer to the time of birth. It’s just a personal preference of mine. I only saw Magda during her first and early second trimester. I could have given her a ballpark figure during that time, but I wouldn’t have been that far off.”
“Why did you see Magda so seldom? You were listed as her OB.”
"Dr. Grassley worked here his entire career, and if he takes over an occasional patient, I'm fine with it. I need the backup because I go to Toronto at least once a month. I'm learning a new procedure from a world-class OB. We're operating on infants in-utero as early as four months post conception. That kind of microsurgery is the reason I got into medicine." Dr. Morgan glanced at his vibrating phone. "Duty calls Reverend. I'd like to talk more, but I have to run. Keep me posted.”
Devin stood up and shook Dr. Morgan’s hand. His hand wasn’t clammy like almost everyone else he came into contact with in Glaxton. Dr. Morgan seemed to be someone Devin could trust, and he’d definitely contact him in the future.
Seventh Chapter
Devin checked into his B & B, which was like walking into his grandmother's house. He had to give Barb and Arti Zucker credit for filling a niche in Glaxton. Even the smallest towns needed a guesthouse of some sort. No national chain would ever consider opening a location in Glaxton because it wasn't exactly a tourist draw. The five-bedroom house had recently been painted pink, apparently to draw in customers. It was hard not to notice the Pepto-Bismol-colored home. White, wrought-iron lawn furniture was pl
aced on the front lawn, although it wasn't a welcoming place to sit. It was on the corner of Glaxton that provided the highway on-ramp. It was loud.
Devin wasn’t going to leave a stone unturned. He had the Spencers constantly on his mind, and he wasn’t going to let up. “I’m not sure how long I’ll be here, Mrs. Zucker. I was planning to stay a week in Glaxton, but I’m not leaving until Ken and Magda are reunited with their baby girl.”
"Oh, Reverend, please call me Barb and my husband, Artie. We try to create a homey atmosphere, and Mr. and Mrs. are way too formal. We pray each night before the fire and invite our guests to join. Hope Spencer is at the top of our prayer list. Would you be interested in leading prayer tonight?”
“If I’m available, I’d be honored. Have you had any families with infants passing through?” Devin asked.
Barb looked at the ledger to verify the date. “We had a young couple check-in on the 11th for one night. They had an infant, but we didn’t see the child until check-out. It was a very sweet, baby boy who slept through the night without a peep.”
“How old was the baby?”
“Ten days old. They were on their way to Toronto to show the baby to the mother’s dying father. That’s the only reason they would travel with a child that young. His name was Ethan. I know what you’re thinking, but it couldn’t have been the Spencer baby because it was a boy.”
Devin didn’t suspect Artie and Barb had done anything wrong, but it was too much of a coincidence that a couple with an infant was passing through the day Hope went missing. “Barb, what was the last name of this couple?”
“Johnson. I saw the baby as they left, and he had a thick head of black hair with olive skin.”
“You’ve been very helpful. Excuse me while I make a phone call. You look terrified, Barb – don’t be. What you’ve told me could be helpful or could be nothing.”
Devin grabbed his room key. It had been a while since he received anything but a key card upon check-in. He closed the walnut door behind him and sat down on the fourposter bed. “Poppy Stewart. This is Reverend Devin Grant.” He waited on hold while listening to soft jazz.
When Hope is Missing Page 2
