by Marja McGraw
“He’s dead?”
“Yes. I heard them talking and it seems he didn’t have a chance. Now I must get back to my wife.”
“We’ll be right here,” I called after him, “waiting for news.”
We sat down and began the long wait.
“The one man who could have given us answers is dead,” I said. “And, frankly, I’m too tired to think of another path to take.”
“We’re all tired,” my mother said. “At least we know Zasu and Sophie are safe by now, and I’m not worried about being kidnapped again.”
Aunt Martha had already fallen asleep in her chair. The way her head was tilted, I knew she’d wake up with a stiff neck. Mother tried to move her sister’s head, but Aunt Martha brushed her hand away.
“They should put cots in these waiting rooms.” Mother leaned her head back, too.
Stanley joined us one more time. “They’re moving Felicity to the Maternity section. The nurse told me it’s more comfortable in that Waiting Room.”
He gave us directions and said he’d meet us there.
My mother shook my aunt, none to gently. “Come on. We’re moving.”
“Huh? What?”
“We’re moving to the Maternity Ward.”
“What about waiting for the Detective?” Aunt Martha looked dazed.
“You two go upstairs,” I said, “and I’ll wait for Pete and Redding.”
My mother nodded and pulled on my aunt’s arm. “Come on. I’m not carrying you up there.”
“As if you could.”
They left and I sat quietly, waiting for Pete. People came and people went, but no Pete. I was reaching for my cell phone to call him when he and Redding walked out of the exam room area.
“How’d you get back there?” I asked. “I didn’t see you walk through here.”
“There’s a back way. Redding knows this place like the back of his hand.”
“I suppose it would be farfetched to hope the guy made a Dying Declaration or something like that?”
Redding shook his head. “The EMTs said he was unconscious when they picked him up and he never came to.”
“If this one was shot, I can’t help wondering what happened to the other thug,” I said.
“Chances are he’s either dead or running for his life,” Redding said.
“Since he wasn’t in the van, my gut feeling is he’s running for his life. Both men seemed upset about the call they got from their boss.” My mother nodded.
“I thought you went up to the Maternity Ward,” I said. I hadn’t noticed her standing near me until she spoke. My aunt stood with her.
“We came back to find out what Detective Redding found out.”
“You have a gut feeling?” Redding smiled at my mother.
“Ask Sandi. She gets them, too. We’re not psychic or anything, but we have gut feelings that usually turn out to be right.”
“I see.” The cop looked skeptical.
Pete surprised me when he turned to him and said, “Don’t knock it. Sandi’s been right more times than not.”
“Women’s intuition?” Redding asked.
“Call it what you will, but I’d trust my mother,” I said. “The guy is still out there. I don’t know if he’s actually running or not, but he’s alive and well.”
Aunt Martha interjected her two cents. “My sister used to get those feelings when we were kids, too, and danged if she wasn’t always right. I never would have dated Michael Swanson if I’d have listened to her, and it would have saved me a lot of grief.”
“See? You should have listened.” Mother folded her arms and stared at her sister.
“Okay,” Redding said. “Let’s assume you’re right. I want you to look at some photos right away. Maybe we can identify this guy and find out what’s going on. This is one of the most frustrating cases I’ve ever worked.”
“How’s Mateo doing?” I asked.
“He’s okay. They’re releasing him tomorrow. I’ll pick him up and take him to Ms. Pitts. They’ll be at a secret location.”
“Did you ever find out any more about Kennedy, the first victim?” Pete asked.
“Only that whatever he was into, it didn’t involve a gang. He was a CPA and had other clients. We’re still digging around for information.”
“Who was the guy who was shot?” my mother asked.
“He had no ID and the van turned out to be stolen. We’re looking into it,” Redding said.
Aunt Martha raised her eyebrows. “Sounds like you’re looking into a lot of things.”
“It’s all part of the job, ma’am. Nothing is as easy as they make it look on TV. We have to work hard for answers.”
“Of course you do,” Mom said. “Leave him alone, Martha.”
“Okay,” I said. “We need to go upstairs and see how Felicity is doing. Let’s let Detective Redding take care of business. Zasu isn’t our responsibility anymore.”
There was some grumbling, but my relatives walked toward the elevators. Pete and I followed while I told him what Stanley had said about Felicity’s condition.
“Induce labor?” he asked. “That sounds like something I don’t want to hear about.”
“You need to be there for Stan,” I said. “He’s awfully nervous. Well, you know how he is.”
“I’d be nervous, too,” Pete said.
The elevator stopped and we all walked off, my mother and aunt heading straight for the Waiting Room while Pete and I stood in the hallway and talked.
“I’ve been thinking, and I don’t feel like we’ve done enough to solve this case,” I said.
“It’s not our case. We were just caretakers for Zasu and her baby.”
“But they made it personal when they snatched Gloria, and then my mother and aunt.”
Pete looked at me closely. “Sandi, we don’t have the
same resources here that we have in L.A.”
“If you think about it,” I said, “we don’t need those resources. We’re investigators and we can do our job anywhere. Our bigger problem is that we don’t know the area yet. We don’t know the right places to look or the right people to talk to.”
I thought about what I’d just said.
“You’re right, Pete, we need resources.”
He nodded. “We don’t live here in Vancouver. We live in Battle Ground, and we don’t know that many people there. If we’re going to come up with some resources, we’re going to have to do some footwork – start talking to people.”
“Let them get to know us,” I added. “If they know us, they’ll talk to us.”
“The problem is, who are they?”
“That’s where Redding will come in handy.”
Pete laughed. “Do you really think he’s going to help us?”
“We’d be helping him,” I said. “Think about it.”
“Or we’d be getting in his way.”
I glanced at my watch. “It’s seven o’clock in the morning, sweetie. We haven’t had any sleep yet. We need to come at this when we’re fresher.”
The elevator door opened and Redding stepped out. “Since I feel like I have a vested interest in your friend, I thought I’d see how she’s doing.”
“Vested interest?” I asked.
“I drove her here without wasting any time.” He grinned.
“You did do that,” Pete said.
“Have you heard anything from Joe?” I asked. “He should have Zasu at the Vancouver station by now.”
“Now that you mention it, no.” Redding pulled his cell phone out of his pocket. “I’m going to call in and check on that. I should have heard something, but we’ve all been running in different directions on this.”
Pete and I headed for the waiting area.
Chapter Twenty-nine
I turned back to Redding. “Back to your original question, it looks like Felicity will be having her baby sometime today. She had a medical issue.”
He waved at me and went back to making his cell phone call.
Entering the waiting room, we found my mother and aunt lying on the floor and sound asleep. They were using their purses for pillows.
“Shhh,” I whispered. “Don’t wake them.”
“Are you kidding?” Pete asked. “I may join them.”
I smiled at him. “I’m too tired to even laugh at that.”
We sat down next to each other and I laid my head on Pete’s shoulder. He leaned his head back and we both relaxed.
The next thing I knew, Stanley was shaking my shoulder.
“Is it time?” I asked, immediately sitting up straight.
“No. Oh, Sandi, I just don’t know what to do. I tried to stay in her room, but I don’t think I can do it. Every time she has a pain, I want to hold her in my arms, but I can’t. She was doing her breathing technique and asked me to move. I thought she wanted me to come closer, so I stepped forward and bent over to ask if I could get anything for her. She shoved me – hard. She’s stronger than she looks.”
“Why did she shove you?” Pete asked.
“It seems I was standing between her and a clock. She was trying to look at the clock. She apologized and asked me to go take a walk and come back later. I think I was making her nervous.
“I’m just not cut out to be a part of the process. Imagine what I’ll be like when they take her to the Labor Room.”
“Don’t worry about it,” Pete said. “I probably couldn’t do it either.”
Bless his heart. My husband was trying to be supportive.
“She doesn’t want drugs,” Stanley said.
“Oh.” Pete and I spoke in unison and I thought he cringed. I know I did. Call me a wuss, but when my time comes – if my time comes – I want drugs.
Time to put up a brave front. “I’ll spell you, Stan. You and Pete can go for that walk and I’ll go sit with her for a while.”
Stanley looked relieved. “Thank you, Sandi. I owe you a favor.”
I smiled. “You bet you do.”
My mother and aunt slept through the entire conversation, which surprised me.
Stanley gave me Felicity’s room number and I left him and Pete to see if I could be of any help.
Just as I walked into the room, my friend groaned quite loudly. I rushed forward. “Here,” I said. “Take my hand. Squeeze it, if that will help.”
The moment passed without her taking my hand. “Where’s Stan?”
“You told him to take a walk and he’s with Pete. He’ll be back. He’s having a difficult time with what you’re going through.”
“I know he is. Did he tell you I pushed him?”
“He did.”
“I didn’t mean to. I couldn’t help myself.”
“Do you want him in the Delivery Room with you?” I asked.
“Good Lord, no! I’d probably end up ripping his head off, if he doesn’t pass out first.”
“This is a side of you I’ve never seen.” I couldn’t think of a tactful way to put it.
She smiled, almost. “I’ve never seen this side of myself. Poor Stan. He doesn’t know how to handle me, and I can’t help him. He’s been trying so hard.”
“This will all be over soon and you’ll be starting a new life with a child.” Words of wisdom? Probably not.
We talked for several minutes and she seemed fairly normal, although tired.
“You’d think…” She groaned again and grabbed my hand, squeezing it for all she was worth. Stanley had been right. She was stronger than she looked.
I tried to grin and bear it, reminding myself it wouldn’t last long and hoping she wouldn’t break any of my fingers.
A nurse came in, watched us and smiled indulgently. “Mrs. Hawks, I’m going to give you a rolled towel to squeeze. It might save some wear and tear on your friend.”
The pain passed and Felicity let go of my hand.
“Try to think about something else,” the nurse suggested.
“Ha! Like that’s going to happen,” my friend replied.
She turned to me.
“What about your mother and your aunt? How are they doing?”
“They’re sound asleep on the floor in the waiting room.”
The nurse tipped her head. “I’ll get them something clean to lie on.”
“Thank you,” I said, “but please don’t bother. I don’t want you to wake them up. They’ve had quite a traumatic night.”
The nurse pointedly glanced at Felicity as though to say, Yeah? As traumatic as hers?
“Long story,” Felicity said. “Her mother and her aunt were kidnapped last night.”
The nurse looked shocked.
“Let me tell you what happened,” Fel said.
“I’ll come back later. I don’t think I want to hear the story retold,” I said. “Living through it was enough.”
Felicity nodded, waved at me and started telling the tale.
I couldn’t get out of the room fast enough.
Pete and Stanley had disappeared when I returned to the waiting room. I sat and watched my relatives. My mother snored softly while Aunt Martha never moved or made a sound.
The nurse eventually showed up bearing two warmed blankets. “They deserve these,” she whispered.
She helped me cover the two women and quietly left the room.
My mother reached up and, in her sleep, pulled the cover up to her chin, snuggling in for the duration. Apparently Aunt Martha was a sound sleeper. She never moved a muscle.
I leaned back, hoping to doze off.
Pete and Stanley returned, so I scrapped the idea of sleeping.
“How’s Felicity doing?” Stanley asked.
“Not too bad. You’ll be happy to know she doesn’t want you in the Delivery Room with her. Nothing personal, but she doesn’t think you’re a good candidate for that duty.”
He looked relieved and disappointed, both at the same time.
Pete looked grim. “I called Gloria to see how things went when Joe picked Zasu up.”
I could tell by his face that he didn’t want to tell me what he’d found out. “Spit it out, Pete. What happened?”
“Joe drove to the bed and breakfast to pick up Zasu and the baby. She went upstairs to pack up their things. Joe went out to his car to set up the baby seat and Gloria followed him out to tell him how to do it. He didn’t need her help, but he was… Doesn’t matter. They returned to the house and found Phil walking a crying Sophie.”
I didn’t like the sound of this.
“Phil said he heard the baby start crying and went upstairs to see if he could help, and Zasu was gone. All of her things were still sitting on the bed.”
“What? Zasu’s gone?” My mother had awakened.
There was a loud peal of thunder.
“Stop that!” I said.
“Stop what?” Aunt Martha asked, sitting up and joining in.
I pursed my lips. “It seems like every time something dramatic happens, it’s like an invitation for the storm to start up again.”
“That’s just your imagination, sweetie,” my mother said.
I ignored her. It wasn’t my imagination. “How long were Gloria and Joe outside?”
Pete ignored her, too. “Gloria said they were out there for about fifteen minutes. They started talking while they waited for Zasu to come outside.”
“Where was Phil during that time?” I asked.
“He was in the kitchen, warming a bottle for the baby, but then he heard her start crying.”
“Wait a minute,” I said. “How could Zasu, or someone abducting her, get past Phil and out the door?”
“Honey, that house is full of empty rooms. Gloria said
they don’t have any guests right now – she thinks it’s because of the weather – and the place is empty except for Zasu and the baby.”
“So someone could have pulled Zasu into an empty room and held her there until Phil went up to check on the baby, then forced her down the stairs.” I suddenly felt a chill, but I shrugged it off.
“Remember, the back door of the house is through the laundry room. All they had to do was wait until Phil was out of the way.”
“So someone could have hidden in the laundry room… It just doesn’t make sense to me,” Mom said.
“I don’t know when they got into the house. Someone could have sneaked in while everyone was asleep,” Pete said.
“They could have hidden in one of the vacant rooms upstairs when they saw Joe pull up, and then grabbed Zasu when she went up to pack her things.” It made sense to me.
“Zasu could have left on her own,” Aunt Martha suggested.
“No.” Stanley had been listening to all of this. “Zasu would not have left without her child. I watched them together and Sophie is the light of Zasu’s life. She would not have left without her.”
“He’s right,” Mother said.
“Yes, he is,” Aunt Martha chimed in.
“Of course, he is,” I said. “Zasu is in deep trouble right now.”
“Joe, Redding and everyone they could notify are all out looking for her. Even Phil is checking the property to see if he can find her. He says he knows where all the nooks and crannies are.” Pete was looking grimmer by the minute.
“They’ll find her,” I said.
“It’s time for us to join the search,” Aunt Martha said.
“You’re darn tootin’,” my mother added. “We understand how these people think.”
“Because you were in their van?” I knew better.
“No,” she said. “Because we know they want Mateo.”
Chapter Thirty
My mother had a smug look on her face. “They’re going to come to the hospital again and try to take Mateo.”
Aunt Martha’s face looked like a light had dawned on her. “Yes. They’ll use Zasu to coerce him into leaving with them.”
I glanced at my husband. “Pete? They’re right, you know.”
“I know.” I could see an unspoken comment on his face – and I hate that they’re right.
“Does Redding still have someone watching Mateo?” I asked.
“He does. I’m going up to his room, too. They’re going to release him, and I think it’s today.”
“Do you want me to come with you?”
“No. You stay here with Felicity.” His gaze swept the room, which contained no one but me and my relatives. “All of you stay here. Understand?”
