Carly read the note aloud with Nick looking over her shoulder.
“‘I’m sorry I took the baby. You can see he’s not hurt. He may be hungry in a few hours, but he’s not hurt. I thought if I took him, it would save Stanley, but now Stanley’s dead. I’ll be dead too if they find me, and they’re after me. Right now I’m only one step ahead, but at least I know the baby will be okay. Please tell the parents I’m sorry for their pain. Mary Ellen.’”
Carly looked up at Nick, certain the astonishment she saw on his face was also evident on her own.
29
JOE GRABBED HER SHOULDERS, his face glowing. “Thanks, partner! Thanks. Only thanks doesn’t cover it.” He pulled her into a tight bear hug that took her breath away.
“I wish I could take credit, but the baby just showed up at my doorstep, so to speak,” she said, gasping for breath and trying to explain.
“For some reason she thought she could leave A.J. with you, and for that I will be forever in your debt.”
“Ditto that,” a radiant Christy said without looking away from A.J.’s face.
Carly leaned into Nick, who put his arm around her shoulders. Everyone was smiling, and it felt so good. But something was missing. There were a couple of people who needed to know about this happy development. For one of them, Carly needed to ask permission.
“Do you guys mind if I call Alex Trejo and let him be the first reporter to document the reunion?” Carly asked.
Joe and Christy looked at the doctor, who nodded and smiled. “We’re going to do a thorough exam to be certain he’s all right, but from what I’m seeing so far, whoever had him kept him fed and changed. Save for the need of a bath and clean clothes, he appears fine. You can give an interview while we run tests if you want.”
Joe nodded. Carly bet his grin was permanent. “Go ahead,” he said. “We just talked to him, and he helped us to calm down and have hope. Turns out the hope he gave us was justified. I want to tell the whole world my son is safe.” Joe hugged Christy, whose face was wet with happy tears.
Carly walked out to the waiting room to use her phone, passing Sergeant Nelson and Pete Harris as they arrived. They would need to investigate, see if the kidnapper left any clues along with the baby and the note. The report they filed would be a happy one since the doctor seemed certain the baby was healthy.
But two questions kept poking Carly like a sharp stick: Where is Mary Ellen, and is she safe?
She started to pull up Alex’s number and then changed her mind. Andrea needed to know that the baby was safe as well. Carly wasn’t sure if the news would do anything to help repair their relationship, but it might help assuage Andi’s guilt. The call went to Andi’s voice mail but she left a detailed message, certain the news would be welcome. She prayed briefly for her friend and then punched in the reporter’s number. He answered on the first ring.
“My favorite storm trooper.”
“Ha, the comedian. Don’t give up your day job. Do you want to sharpen your pencil and get over to Memorial?”
“Why—?” She heard him suck in a breath. “The baby?”
“Back safe and sound, and you get the scoop.”
“On my way.”
Carly disconnected the call and smiled.
“You look awfully pleased with yourself.” Nick had followed her out.
She laughed and reached out her hand, and he took it. “This is a great moment.” She stepped up to hug him and caught her reflection in the emergency room window.
“Ahh,” she groaned as she pulled away, realizing what a sight she must be. A hand flew to her hair. “Oh, I’m a mess! I changed, but I should have managed a quick shower to get the salt water out of my hair. I didn’t even comb it out.”
It was Nick’s turn to laugh. “You look great.”
Carly’s smile faded. “Do you want to call Jonah, or should I?”
Nick sobered and took his phone out of his pocket. “I will. This is a good news, bad news kind of call.”
Carly stepped back as he made the call. From Nick’s side of the conversation, Carly could tell that Jonah was relieved and worried at the same time.
When Nick finished, he put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. They walked back to the exam room where Joe and Christy were watching as the doctor examined A.J.
“By the way, I noticed earlier that you’re walking better and barely limping.”
“Yep. I’m going to force this leg to work. Okay if I lean on you for a bit?” His eyes were a blazing sapphire color, and Carly felt as if a shell had just cracked and fallen off her heart, letting the sunshine in.
“Fine with me, Sarge.”
• • •
It was dark when Carly and Nick left the hospital. Alex was in full reporter mode, interviewing the elated parents. Exhausted and hungry, Carly sat back in Nick’s truck and closed her eyes.
“I think after I eat a couple of pizzas, I could sleep for a week.”
“Yeah, I am definitely up for some food. Pizzamania?”
“Great. Mind if I call my mom to join us? She’s been a prayer warrior on this.” She remembered her hair and winced at the thought of the auburn locks sticking out in every direction. “On second thought, why don’t we get it to go and take it over to her house?”
Nick chuckled. “As long as we eat.”
Carly called Kay with a sigh of relief, glad to have a happy bit of news to share.
“She left the baby with Mrs. Shane?” Kay exclaimed. “Thank God it all worked out. I’m so happy to know the baby is back where he belongs with his mother and father. But Joe and Christy should probably stay on the church’s meal ministry list. They shouldn’t be bothered by routine chores yet. Maybe I’ll make a welcome-home cake.”
“I wish I could have contributed with a meal. But I’m glad the main reason for help is no more.”
“You’ve been busy with so much. No idea where Mary Ellen is?”
“No. We know we have to find her, but right now, no leads.”
They’d reached the pizza place, but Nick told her to keep talking; he’d go in and order.
“Jonah told me she’s his niece. He’s had the church open for prayer. He is so broken by the knowledge that he wasn’t there for her.”
It didn’t surprise Carly that Jonah had confided in her mother about Mary Ellen. Kay was the head of the prayer ministry, so it made sense he’d ask for prayer and want the church involved.
“Nick and I are picking up some pizza. Do you feel like some or have you already eaten dinner?”
“That sounds great. I haven’t eaten, and Jonah said he might stop by. He must have called me before he talked to you. I’m sure he’ll have more questions for you and Nick.”
“I wish we had more answers, but I look forward to talking with him.”
Nick knocked on her door and put two pizzas in her lap.
• • •
Jonah arrived at her mother’s house a few minutes after Nick and Carly got there. He and Nick chatted in the living room while Carly and Kay set the table and fixed a salad to go with the pizza.
“Pray for Andrea, Mom,” Carly said while they worked. “She’s been suspended, and she’s moved out.”
“Suspended? What happened?”
She told her mother about the work lapse, Andi’s disciplinary hearing, and the scene that had played out earlier in the day.
“Now she’s moving out? I’m so sorry to hear that. The two of you have always been so close. I’d think she’d want your support during this difficult time.”
“All she seems to want is to get away.”
“I can’t believe you’ve done anything so horrible it will end your friendship. I love Andrea too, but she has always been a wild one. I think she’s hurt and scared about losing her job—she’s venting. And moving out seems like she’s running away, as well.”
“Running from what? I’m her friend. I don’t know why she’s so angry with me.”
“It’s fear, I th
ink, and you’re a convenient target.”
“I can’t imagine Andi’s ever been afraid of anything. She’s always gone at life full speed ahead.”
“Sometimes people live like Andrea out of fear, jumping into things before they have a chance to think about them.”
“But I never preached to her.”
“Maybe you need to preach to her.”
“What?” When Carly remembered the anger in Andi’s voice and body language, she couldn’t imagine trying to broach the subject of God or Christianity.
“She needs to know she’s loved. And job or no job, man or no man, Jesus will always love her. Pray about telling her that without judgment.”
Carly sighed and set out a pitcher of iced tea and some glasses. “I don’t know. It might just make her more upset.”
“Maybe at first, but the truth is always best. And she needs to understand that even with Christ, people are still flawed. I’m sorry her mother found that out in such a painful way and that it has affected Andrea all this time. And I will keep praying for her. Just look what prayer did for you and Nick.”
Her mother’s advice made sense. Carly remembered her own life before she realized she needed God. Once she came to that realization, it was as if someone had turned on all the lights and she saw things clearly for the first time.
Carly smiled at her mother’s reminder about her and Nick. “Okay, Mom, I get the picture. I’ll pray for an opportunity to tell her the truth. Until then I will miss her. By the way, make your German chocolate cake for Joe and Christy. They’ll love that.” Her thoughts went back to A.J. as she called the guys into the kitchen for dinner. It was definitely an answer to prayer, the baby showing up like that. But where is Mary Ellen?
“Plenty of pizza,” Nick said as he and Jonah sat. “Hope you’re hungry.”
“I am, but like I said, mostly I’m somewhat relieved.”
They sat at Kay’s kitchen table, and Jonah blessed the food.
“I’m so happy she brought the baby back and he’s okay,” he said as they began to eat. “What will happen to her when she’s found? Won’t the fact that she did bring him back help her case?”
Carly held a piece of pizza in her hand, a little disconcerted by the thought that she’d always believed the juvenile justice system was too lenient and now, in the case of Mary Ellen, she found herself hoping it would be very lenient.
“Initially, she’ll be treated as a minor charged with kidnapping, which is a felony. But because she’s seventeen, they can direct file and charge her as an adult.”
“In your experience, what do you think will happen?” Jonah had a slice of pizza on a plate in front of him but wasn’t eating.
“Usually it’s when a teen like her commits a violent crime that they’re tried as an adult.” She chewed a bite and swallowed. Her time working juvenile had not been happy—all she could think about then was getting back to patrol—but that hadn’t stopped her from paying attention. “But there are extenuating circumstances. We don’t know why she ran away from placement. She has no criminal record. And Harper told me Mary Ellen had been slapped around, so you could argue she took A.J. because of fear. Once she had the baby, she kept him safe, and he was returned unhurt. That may count for something.”
Jonah drank some iced tea, a thoughtful expression on his face. “When they catch her, will she be sent to jail or back to foster care while she awaits a hearing?”
“Since she’s a ward of the court already, and she ran away from foster care, she’ll probably be placed in a secure facility. Jail won’t happen unless she’s tried and convicted as an adult. Once she’s in custody, she’ll be evaluated by probation. The level of security will depend on whether probation sees her as violent or a danger.”
“Will I be able to offer any kind of testimony, any kind of help to her?”
“I’m sure you can write a letter to probation, but the person who can most help Mary Ellen is Mary Ellen. If she’s obviously contrite, understands that what she did is wrong, and is straightforward with probation, her report will be positive. A positive probation report goes a long way with juvenile judges.”
Rawlings considered this for a moment, then finally nodded and picked up his pizza. “Thank you for explaining. But I can’t help thinking that her soul is in great danger because of the dark world she’s traveling in. I pray fervently she will be found soon.”
“That’s for sure,” Carly agreed as she thought to herself, And we need to find her first, because if Sperry finds her, I’m afraid her life is in danger.
30
“WOULD YOU DO ME A FAVOR?” Carly asked Nick as he pulled to a stop in front of her apartment.
“Sure, what?”
“I know it’s a DCC and Nelson takes it seriously, but I want to check out the catch basin tomorrow. Since we’re both off . . .”
“You want some company? Sure. I’ll come pick you up after my therapy.”
They said good night, and Carly let herself into her apartment, empty but for the dog. Once alone with her thoughts, she mentally reviewed the evening. The dinner with Jonah and Kay had been bittersweet. It was awesome that the baby was safe, but Carly knew Mary Ellen was still in danger, especially if she’d taken precious gems from Sperry. After they’d eaten, Nick had called to see if there was any update, but so far there was no trace of Mary Ellen or Alex’s car.
She let Maddie out for a bit, showered, and dropped off to bed, falling asleep almost instantly.
• • •
True to his word, Nick picked Carly up Thursday morning. As she buckled her seat belt, Nick told her Stanley Harper’s vehicle had been discovered.
“That’s great news. Please tell me Mary Ellen was in it.”
“I don’t have the details. I swung by the station and heard from Pete that the CHP got a tip from a passerby. The car was left in a vacant lot in LA. An officer is en route to check it out.”
Carly faced Nick. “Her last foster home was on the border of Las Playas and LA. You don’t think she went up that way, do you?”
Nick shrugged. “Anything is possible. But we’re not on the clock, and I know that look.”
Carly sat up in her seat, indignant. “What look are you referring to?”
“The look that says you want to go to her old neighborhood and nose around.”
“Would it hurt?”
“We’re not on duty.”
“That might work in our favor. We’re less threatening.”
Nick smiled, picked up her hand, and kissed it. “Then let’s go.”
The border neighborhoods of Las Playas and Los Angeles were old and tired-looking. The foster home was one street over from the freeway, so it was noisy as well. They’d just pulled up when Carly’s phone buzzed.
“It’s Pete. Maybe he has news.” She answered the call. “What’s up?”
“False alarm.”
“What?”
“It wasn’t Harper’s car after all—his plates, not his car. She’s smart, this girl—switched plates with the same make and model vehicle. CHP didn’t notice until the VIN check. Car belongs to a guy who lives in LA. We put his plate into the system as lost or stolen. But right now this is a dead end.”
Carly wrote down the missing plate, speculating that the plate switch was something Mary Ellen had learned from Harper. She told Pete where she and Nick were.
“We had LAPD go out there and talk to those people. But you’re right; maybe you will be less threatening.”
With that, Nick and Carly got out of the car and walked up to the door of the foster home. She couldn’t help but notice how depressing the place was. Clean, but sterile and devoid of any welcoming touch. The porch was empty of furniture and the number of locks on the front door staggering. She’d been to many depressing foster homes in her career, so sadly, she was not surprised. Unfortunately, a lot of foster parents saw kids in the system as paychecks only. They passed social services inspection by a thread.
Nick knocked.
After a long moment of unlocking locks, a large woman answered the door. She did not look happy. “Can I help you?”
Nick told her who they were. “We came here to talk to you about Mary Ellen Barber—”
“You got a warrant?”
“No, we just—”
“Then I got nothing to say.” The door closed. She didn’t slam it; she just closed it.
Nick turned to Carly. “Well, that’s that.”
“I guess I should have figured this might happen. Since Mary Ellen ran away and then kidnapped a baby, social services has probably been here a lot.”
Nick nodded. “And we can’t force her to talk to us.”
They were walking back to the car when Nick’s phone chimed. It was Jonah.
Carly listened to Nick’s side of the conversation.
“Is there a problem?”
“He’s organized a prayer meeting and wonders if we can come.”
“Right now?”
“Yeah,” Nick said.
“I guess there’s not much we can do here.” She glanced down the street and fidgeted.
Nick gripped her shoulders and whispered in her ear, “I know you want to do more, and you’d bang on every door between here and Las Playas or camp in the catch basin if you thought it would help. But Pete is still working the case, and we have to trust that the DCC will police the catch basin while we can’t.”
“You’re right.” Carly sighed. “I’m ready to pray.”
• • •
With Nick’s words ringing in her ear—and knowing the catch basin was being checked on a regular basis—Carly left the prayer meeting with the strongest impression that place was the key. She had learned over the years to trust her instincts. She almost made a trip there after dark but decided to leave it to the next day. As she lay down to sleep that night, she wished she were going back to work instead of to bed.
The ringing phone woke her from a light sleep at 3 a.m. Groaning and knowing that only bad news came this early in the morning, Carly answered.
“Edwards.”
“Carly, it’s Pete.”
“Oh no. You found Mary Ellen.” She sat up, wide awake with a knot of dread in her stomach.
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