by Ancelli
The officer ran into the room. “Ma’am, what’s wrong?”
“My baby,” she cried, holding her baby’s blanket. “My baby is gone.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, I put her down for a nap right before my ex-husband came,” she said in between cries. The cop examined every inch of the baby’s room with her again.
“Babies tend to crawl out of places,” he was trying to be encouraging.
“She’s only seven months old,” Kanielle screamed and broke down crying, covering her face. Robert did this? He took her baby. “He took her.”
“Who?”
“My ex-husband.” Robert was going to pay.
The cop pulled his radio from off his shirt, and started talking in codes she didn’t understand. Kanielle’s heart was beating so hard, she could hear the thumping. Her baby was out there alone. The officer helped her search the other rooms, no luck. She ran down the steps and grabbed her phone.
***
“You like hitting women, you asshole?” Brandon forcefully gripped the collar of Robert's shirt, and closed his other hand into a fist, connecting with Robert’s nose so hard he heard the cracking of bones. “How does it feel?” He punched him in his jaw again with everything he had. Blood flowed from his nose and mouth, so much that his hands were covered in the coward’s blood. Brandon couldn’t stop himself, he continued punching him in the face, even though he knew he had to stop or he was going kill him. Robert didn't have any time to react to his attack. He had to snap out of his trance, he couldn’t leave his family. Brandon grabbed Robert's hand, and twisted it around. Robert yelled in agony, it was music to Brandon’s ears. “This is for all the years of mistreatment, abuse, and for every single time you made Kanielle cry.” He heard Robert’s wrist pop, it was broken. “This will teach you to keep your fucking hands to yourself.” He finally pushed him to the ground and kicked him in the stomach. “Your father should’ve taught you not to put your hands on a woman.” His cell phone rang, it was Kanielle. “I didn’t kill him.”
“I can’t find her!” She cried.
“Who?”
“I can’t find Cece!”
The phone slipped out of his hand, and hit the pavement. His whole world stopped, and then he glanced down at Robert. He rushed over to Robert's car and opened it searching for his little girl. It was empty. Brandon got down on his knees, and wrapped his hands around his neck. “Where’s my daughter?”
He was coughing up blood.
“If you don’t tell me where my daughter is I swear I will kill you,” Brandon’s grip around his neck was getting tighter.
Robert tried fighting him off, trying to push his arms away. “I… don’t… know… what…” Brandon released him. He coughed, and rolled to his side. “I would… never… harm… a… child.”
“If I find out you had anything to do with this, I will finish what I started today,” Brandon grabbed his cell from the ground.
“Maggie…” Robert said before passing out.
“Maggie,” Brandon repeated to himself as he jumped into his truck. He prayed this wasn’t really happening.
***
Brandon rolled up to the house. There were six police vehicles parked in front of the house. He didn’t know if he wanted to walk in there. He was healed, or as healed as a person like him could be, and now this. He opened the door, and Kanielle stepped out as soon as she saw him. She ran straight into his arms.
“She’s gone,” she cried against his chest. “My baby is gone.”
“I promise we’ll get her back safe.” He rubbed her back. “What do you remember?”
“I put her down for a nap before Robert showed up.”
“Did you sense anything wrong?” He needed to ask her these questions for his own investigation. She told him everything that happened with Robert, from the court petition to the power of attorney.
“Maggie was involved in this?” Now he understood why Robert said Maggie.
“Yes, whoever took her came in through the backdoor,” Kanielle wiped her tears. “They broke a windowpane out of the door. It was open when the cops checked, and I always keep it locked.”
“Did Robert leave your sight?
“No.”
“Baby, I’m sorry I’m asking you all these questions.”
“It’s okay. You might think of something the cops missed.”
“Does anyone else besides Robert’s family know about this inheritance?” People would do crazy things for money.
“I don’t know.” Brandon kissed the top of her head. The cops came over and asked him some questions, and he answered to the best of his abilities. Robert hadn’t called the cops yet, because if he had he would already be arrested.
Another car parked behind his. Shawn and Angela rushed toward them. “Kanielle!” Angela called out.
The cops were searching, and going through the backyard.
Kanielle continued to sob on him. He would hold her as long as he needed to, but he had somewhere to go. “Sweets,” he pulled her away, cupping her wet cheeks. She looked back at him through red-rimmed eyes. “I promise I’ll bring back our princess.” Her eyes were empty. Brandon turned to Angela. “Don’t leave her side.”
“Where are you going?” Kanielle softly asked.
“To find Cece,” Brandon walked away. He opened his truck’s door and jumped in. Brandon couldn’t break down in front of her. He was her rock, and he needed to be strong. He banged the steering wheel with his fist.
Shawn jumped into the passenger side. “Let’s go find my god-child.” He said.
Brandon’s engine roared to life, and he watched Kanielle in Angela’s arms.
***
Brandon banged on Maggie’s front door. “Maggie!” She had some explaining to do. Like what the fuck was she thinking joining forces with that scumbag?
Shawn stood right beside him.
Someone swung the door open. “What the hell is your problem?” Mike inquired.
“Where’s Maggie?” Brandon pushed back the door, looking into the house. “I need to speak to her now!” He roared. He didn’t have time to ask permission. He would burn the house down if he had to.
“My children are asleep.”
“Then get Maggie, or I’ll wake up the whole fucking neighborhood,” he paced back and forth, trying to calm himself.
She slowly strolled to the door without a care. “I know you’re mad, but you shouldn’t be here.”
“Mad,” he hollered. “I’m furious,” he clenched his jaw. He’d never hit a woman, but at this moment he was tempted. “Give me my daughter.”
Maggie’s eyes opened wide. “What are you talking about? I was talking about the court petition for visitation.”
“Maggie,” Shawn stepped in. “Someone grabbed Coral from her mother’s home, and Robert Richardson accused you of taking her. That’s why we are here.”
“Shawn,” she looked at him. “Brandon, I swear I didn’t take your baby. I would never harm a child, let alone yours. I would never wish the pain of the loss of a child on my worst enemy.” Maggie gazed at him. “Brandon, it wasn’t me. I know I’ve been acting crazy when it came to your baby, but I would never do this. Do you believe me?”
“Should I?” he responded. “You lied, and now you and Robert are suing us for visitation, just because I hurt your damn feelings the other day.”
“Maggie,” Mike looked at her. “Why is this the first I’m hearing about this?”
She started crying. “Robert told me to keep it to myself.”
“Robert used you, it was a trick to get Kanielle to consent to something else. He never intended on taking those documents any further. What judge in his right mind would hand over an innocent child to you and him?” Brandon glared at her. “If I find out you are behind my daughter’s disappearance. I will make you pay.”
“Are you threatening her?” Mike voiced.
“Yes,” Brandon moved forward. “You owe me one.” In a swift move Brand
on punched Mike in the jaw, turned around, and headed to his truck.
Mike moved to follow him, and Shawn stopped him. “If you value your life, you don’t want to go there. Imagine if one of your kids were taken.” He turned and joined Brandon in his truck.
“Fuck!” Brandon snapped. “If she doesn’t have her, then who?”
Chapter Thirty-Six
“Ramona, I did everything you asked me to. I seduced your son, I took him away from that bitch, and now…” Leslie smiled. She took everything away from Kanielle, including her precious baby.
“Except give him a child,” Ramona spat. “You were supposed to give me a grandchild.”
“It’s not my fault your son’s swimmers are weak,” she watched Kanielle’s baby as she cried her lungs out. She just tuned her out. “I even poked holes in all his condoms as you requested, it didn’t work.”
“Maybe it’s you,” she responded. “The first day I met you in Kanielle’s office I knew you hated her. I could tell by the way you looked at her. You were exactly what I was looking for. I knew you were money hungry.”
Leslie chuckled, remembering that day. Kanielle had recently married Robert at the time, and she was the new girl in the office. Ramona and Robert passed by to say hello, and take her out to lunch. Leslie slipped Robert her number, but he never called. Ramona contacted Leslie after Kanielle’s second miscarriage, offering her money if she seduced her son, and got pregnant. At the Christmas party Robert was hammered, so she took advantage, and seduced him right in front of his wife. She was none the wiser, and the rest was history.
“You and your sister assured me you could handle this.”
“Sasha did exactly what you ordered. She went to Kanielle and told her Robert was cheating on her, but what both of you neglected on telling me, was that she did indeed have sex with him,” Leslie thinned her lips. Robert was the love of her life and she wasn’t about to share him with anyone.
Ramona laughed. “You think you’re the only one? My son is just like his father, they can’t keep their dick in their pants for too long.”
“When do I get my money?”
“When I get my hands on that inheritance.”
“And when is that?” She turned the volume up louder on the TV, trying to drown out the baby’s hollering.
“Robert is getting Kanielle to sign those papers. She loves that child, she will sign them.” Ramona replied.
“What does Robert think of you taking his precious Kanielle’s baby?”
“He doesn’t know, and it will remain that way.”
Leslie twisted in her seat, the cries of the baby were starting to get to her. “Shut up!” She screamed at the baby.
“Calm down, Leslie,” Ramona commanded. “She’s just a child. As soon as Robert walks in with the documents you can take her back, or leave her at a firehouse or hospital.”
“So, I can get caught? Hell no, I’ll have Sasha put her back from where I grabbed her.” The baby was now hiccupping.
“Did you feed her?”
“Who Sasha?” Leslie chuckled. “You didn’t tell me I had to do all that.” She stood, and searched in all the grocery bags her sister brought. She found some already made formula. “Fine, I’ll feed her,” she grabbed a couple of nipples and washed them. She actually did have a heart, it was just stepped on one too many times over women like Kanielle. She thought she was better than everybody else, and all the nice, good boys only used Leslie for sex, but wanted a woman like Kanielle for more. Leslie prepared the bottle, and gave it to the baby. “Here”
She grabbed the bottle, and gulped it down. “Slow down,” Leslie smiled. She was a cutie, with her dark brown hair with blonde highlights. The little girl stared at her through big light brown eyes, as she sucked down her bottle. She noticed that the baby had a few pimples on her face. Stop it, Leslie, no feelings. “She’s eating. I’m not a babysitter, so make this transaction fast.”
“You don’t give me orders.”
“Bye,” Leslie hung up on her.
***
“He… lo…” Robert could barely open his mouth.
“Bobby, where are you?” His mother asked.
“In… hos…pit…” he had a broken nose, dislocated jaw, broken wrist, and he couldn’t see out of one eye. Brandon did a number on him, but he couldn’t tell anyone. They would think he was a wimp, letting someone beat him like this.
“What happened?” His mom asked with concern. “Are you okay, son?”
“No… tak…” he closed his eyes. Letting the medication take control over him. He’d told the cops that three men mugged him. Robert made up a story, knowing his father would laugh in his face if he ever learned what truly happened.
“Where are you?”
“Mer…cy…” Robert turned his head looking at the nurse’s ass. She was nice looking and she kept rubbing up on him.
“Bye, on my way.”
The nurse took the cell phone from him, and placed it on the small table next to his bed. “Are you feeling better?” She tipped a straw in his mouth.
He took a sip of the water, “Tha…”
“You’re welcome,” she smiled, turning on the TV. “That’s so sad.”
Robert’s eyes widened as a picture of Coral flashed on the news. There was an Amber Alert out on her. He wondered why Brandon was asking him about the baby. He didn’t take her; it had to be Maggie. As he was about to fall asleep, two officers entered his hospital room.
“Mr. Richardson,” one of the officers said. “We have a couple of questions.”
“Sir, his jaw was dislocated,” the nurse pointed at his mouth. “Can’t this wait?”
“No, ma’am, this can’t wait, a child’s life is at risk,” the female cop voiced. “Mr. Richardson, what can you tell us about your visit to Ms. Jackson’s home today. If you can’t speak you may use a notepad and pen.” She looked at the items on the table and then at the plaster cast on his wrist. It hurt too much to talk and try writing with his left hand. After he was done with his statement, they read him his rights. They handcuffed him to the hospital bed. “We’ll have a cop posted at your door,” the officer said and they walked out.
***
Ramona and Robert Sr. rushed into the hospital. The nurse guided them in the right direction. Bobby was her world, if anything were to happen to him she would die. Damn, that’s how Kanielle must be feeling. She was shocked when she saw a cop outside his door.
“Why are you outside my son’s room?” Robert Sr. demanded to know. “Are they protecting him from the people who did this to him?”
“You need to ask your son, sir,” the cop said and moved to the side.
“Your superiors will hear about this,” Robert Sr. said.
Ramona shook her head, opening the door. What did her son do this time?
“Bobby, what is a cop-” she didn’t to finish her question. Her baby was badly beaten, she could barely see his beautiful eyes, and he was cuffed to his bed.
“Why are you cuffed to the bed?” Robert Sr. asked as he entered behind her. “Bobby!”
“Noth… ing… Dad…” he swallowed. “Misunder…stand.”
“I’ll be right back,” Sr. marched out of the door. He was about to start some shit with the doctors and officers. He was an overprotective father, but she wished he showed more concern for her.
“What did you do?” Ramona rushed forward and placed her purse on the chair. “You were only supposed to make Kanielle sign over the rights to the inheritance. What the hell happened?”
“It… di… not… go… as… pla…” Bobby tried to say.
“It didn’t go as planned?” she asked, and took his hand in hers as he shook his head. “Who did this to you? That man she’s seeing?”
“No…” Bobby nodded his head. “Robbed…”
“Oh baby…”
He pointed at the TV screen, and she watched as a picture of a baby flashed. There was an Amber Alert.
“Kaniel… baby…” Robert’s
cuffed hand bawled into a fist.
Ramona was already guilty for having Leslie take her. Ramona had a copy of the house key Robert had given her years ago, but Sasha stated that it didn’t work. Kanielle must have changed the locks, so Sasha had to break the glass to get in. That’s why it was so easy for them to get in and get out. She needed to call Leslie, and tell her to take the baby back.
“Nana… had… no money…” Robert announced. “She… told Kanie…lle…”
“What?” Ramona raised her voice. “That can’t be true!”
“It… is…”
She shook her head, she did all this for nothing. Why would she leave nothing to Kanielle’s child? “To get back at me,” she said underneath her breath. “That old witch never liked me. She always had to have the last laugh.”
“What did you just say?” Sr. stood at the door with his hands in his pockets.
Ramona eased back. “I was thinking out loud.”
“I hope so.”
***
The baby started crying again. She’d been crying for two hours straight.
“Leslie,” Sasha came through the door. “I can hear her all the way down the road,” she strolled in and picked up the baby from the second-hand playpen. “Leslie.”
“What?” She glared at her sister. “A little crying won’t hurt no one.”
“She’s burning up,” Sasha touched her forehead, and she had a bad rash. “Her eyes are swollen,” Sasha tried calming the baby, but her cries continued. “She keeps rubbing her eyes.”
Leslie stood, watching the baby. Her eyes were red, but she didn’t know if it was from crying or something else. “Damn, whatever it is I hope it’s not dangerous.” She felt the baby, “Shit she has a fever.”
“That’s what I told you.”
