Faye Kellerman - Decker 06 - Grievous Sin

by Grievous Sin(lit)

  He said, 'I'd like to talk to you about Marie Bellson.' Darlene nodded. 'Did they find Marie's car?' 'Not yet.'

  'I just can't believe that Marie..." Darlene met Decker's eyes. 'It doesn't make sense, Sergeant.' 'Did Marie seem agitated lately?' 'No.'

  'Worried? Preoccupied?' 'No.'

  'Did she seemed unusually happy - like she'd won the lottery?'

  'No. She was just plain old Marie.' Darlene redirected her eyes to him. 'I just can't believe... it doesn't make sense!'

  'Okay, let me ask you this, Darlene. Do you ever remember Marie going through some hard times?'

  'Everyone goes through hard times.'

  'Tell me about Marie's.'

  'I don't know, Sergeant. I found out that you're Sergeant Decker, right?'

  'Sergeant's fine,' Decker said. 'Think, Darlene. There's a baby at stake.'

  'I know!' She started sobbing. 'It's all my fault!'

  'Darlene—'

  'If I'd just been a little more careful!'

  'Darlene—'

  'I just trust everyone!' she cried. 'I think everyone's good and no one would ever hurt a little baby. Who would ever hurt a baby? And now a little baby is gone because I was too trusting!'

  'Darlene, whipping yourself isn't going to help.' Decker handed her a tissue. 'Let's talk about Marie. Think about Marie now.'

  Darlene dabbed her eyes and told him to go on.

  Decker said, 'Do you ever remember Marie going

  through some stressful times?'

  'At work?"

  'At work or in her personal life - a break-up with a mate, a parent dying, trouble with the kids. Something like that.'

  'Marie doesn't have children. Matter of fact, I don't recall Marie ever having a special someone. As far as I know, her life started and stopped with nursing and God.'

  She asked the moms to pray to Jesus with her... Decker remembered the gold cross over her uniform pocket. He had mistakenly thought it was a medical emblem - like the Red Cross.

  'God?'

  'She believed in Jesus. But she wasn't obnoxious about it.'

  'Cindy said she used to ask patients to pray with her.'

  'Only if she felt they wanted to. She wouldn't ever have forced Jesus down their throats. She wasn't preachy.'

  'It wasn't routine?'

  'No, not at all.'

  'It is inappropriate.'

  Darlene was quiet. 'Yes, I suppose it is.'

  Decker tapped his pencil against the pad. 'Marie was single for as long as you've known her?'

  'Yes.'

  'Did she ever mention regrets at not having kids?'

  Darlene shook her head. 'She liked the babies, but not in a sick way. Marie was terrific with the little ones, but she was even more terrific with the moms. Helping them adjust to their newborns. And she was great as a nurse supervisor. She trained me, Sergeant. She trained just about every nurse who has ever passed through Obstetrics in the last ten years.'

  'Was that part of her job? To train nurses?'

  'Yeah, of course. But she took it even further, 'cause

  deep down she really cared. She took a special interest in every single one of us. She wanted us to know what it meant to be a truly dedicated nurse. She was a busy woman, Sergeant, but she always had time for our questions. Had time for the moms' questions, too. That's why it doesn't make sense.'

  'What do you mean when you say she took a special interest in her nurses? Don't all head nurses answer questions?'

  'Marie went beyond that. First week on the job, I got an invite to her home. I was nervous. I can tell you that. I thought it was like a test.' Darlene shook her head. 'She was just being friendly. Asked me to talk about myself, asked me what I wanted out of nursing, if I had any problems I'd like to discuss with her.'

  'Doesn't sound like the Marie Bellson I've been told about,' Decker said. 'The one I've heard about was all business and pretty testy.'

  'Marie could be testy. We're all under a lot of pressure here but she really cares.'

  Darlene suddenly looked puzzled. Decker asked her what was wrong.

  'Only problem with Marie was..." Darlene seemed to collect her thoughts. 'Seemed to me that once I'd learned the ropes, she cut the personal relationship... didn't ask me to her house, didn't accept any of my invites to my house. She was nice enough at work - nice but professional. The personal touch was gone.' Darlene sighed.

  'But you've gotta understand Marie, Sergeant. She saved her energies for those that really needed her. She's a true nurse inside and out. And she has ethics, a belief of right and wrong. And she's God-fearing. That's why I refuse to believe that she'd ever lay a finger to harm a little baby.'

  'Who said she's planning to harm the baby? Maybe she just took the baby and wants to raise it as her own.'

  'No, I don't believe it.'

  'Did Marie ever have any miscarriages?'

  'So far as I know, she was never married.'

  'She could have had miscarriages without being married.'

  Darlene blushed. 'I don't know of any miscarriages, no.'

  'Any abortions?'

  Again, Darlene turned red. 'Not that I know of.'

  'Did Marie ever lose a child?'

  'I wouldn't know.'

  'How about a younger sibling?'

  'If you're trying to give her a motivation to steal a baby, I think you're barking up the wrong tree.'

  'Then why would she steal the baby?'

  'I don't believe she did.'

  'Then where is she, Darlene? And where's the baby?'

  'I don't know.' Darlene suddenly shivered and hugged herself tightly. 'I truly don't know.'

  It didn't matter what she said. It didn't matter what he said. Past is irrelevant. So is the future. The here and now. The here and now. What mattered? Who cared? She cared.

  That's how it all started... because she cared. They didn't, but she did. She cared. She cared.

  Flowers took up every available inch of space - either a hospital room or a mortuary. Decker put down his cup of coffee and smelled a yellow bouquet of roses. He pulled a blossom from the arrangement and presented it to Rina. She took it and placed it on her lap. Her eyes were unfocused... far away.

  When she'd come into the hospital, there'd been blush in her cheeks. Now they were pale and bony. Decker sat on the bed, took her hand and then kissed it.

  'How're you feeling?'

  Rina took in her husband's face - suffused with tension and worry. 'I just saw' the six o'clock morning news. They flashed the baby's picture on the TV screen.' She looked down. 'You know, the newborn photo that the

  hospital takes when the baby is a day old? The blanket in the background was the same blanket they used for Hannah's picture.'

  Decker nodded.

  'Oh, Peter! And here I was feeling sorry for myself.' Rina blinked back tears. 'I'm such an idiot for not appreciating what I have.'

  Decker squeezed her hand. 'Rina, you've been through an awful ordeal. It's okay to feel bad. I feel bad for you. And in all honesty, I feel bad for me. I feel like we both got a raw deal.'

  'It's trivial compared to what that poor mother must be going through.'

  'Your operation wasn't trivial, darlin'. But if we're comparing hells, I'd rather be in our shoes than in Lourdes Rodriguez's.' Decker saw Rina's face do a slow crumple. He drew her into his shoulder, caressing her arm as she cried. 'Get it out, honey. Get it all out.'

  'I feel so terribleV

  'Scared?'

  'Terrified!'

  'So am I.'

  Rina raised her head. 'You are?'

  'It hit so close to home.' Decker straightened up. 'You and Hannah are checking out of this place. Your mom's moving in with us until everyone's back on their feet. She's overjoyed that I asked for her help. I never thought I'd be saying this, but thank God for mothers-in-law.'

  Rina managed a smile. 'Cindy really appreciated being part of the experience, too. She's been a real godsend. If it wasn't for her—'


  'Don't even think about it,' Decker interrupted. 'It's too damn frightening.'

  Neither of them spoke for a moment. The silence became eerie rather than comforting. Decker cleared his

  throat. 'So... we have your mom and Cindy watching over you... and watching over the baby nurse, too. It's terrible to be suspicious, but after what happened—'

  'Definitely. Look, Peter, Georgina said Nora was the best. But we both know what that means. If you don't want to use a baby nurse, I can manage—'

  'No friggin' way!' He wagged his finger at his wife. 'I don't want you out of bed, let alone working, even if you think you can do it. Your mom and Cindy'U be there full time, so you don't have to worry about a thing. I don't want you doing anything until the doctor says you're one hundred per cent healed, understand!'

  'Why not? I'm useless for anything else—' She stopped herself and sighed. 'There I go again, feeling sorry for myself.'

  'Darlin', life isn't school, You don't have to get straight A's. Just promise me you'll take care of yourself — physically and emotionally. Do something nice for yourself, Rina. Read that book you've been putting off. Drink a cup of hot chocolate, smothered in whipped cream. Hey, I've got a great idea. Why don't we finally use the satin sheets we got for our wedding?'

  'I'm saving them.'

  'For whatV

  Rina thought about that. What was she saving them for? 'You're right, Peter. I'll have my mom put them on the bed.'

  Decker couldn't believe his ears. She was actually agreeing with him. 'Thank you, Rina.' He checked his watch. 'Do you know where Cindy is?'

  'Jack took her away about a half-hour ago.' Rina knitted her fingers together. 'Peter, who's watching Hannah?'

  'All the nurseries are under special watch. Don't be concerned with Hannah's safety. I guarantee you she's fine.'

  'I didn't have a fever last time the nurse took my temperature.' Rina's eyes became wet. 'Do you think I could hold her now?'

  Decker remembered how uplifting it had been to hold his baby - pure love for something so beautifully innocent. Rina needed that feeling.

  'I'll ask the doctor, darlin'.' Decker stood. 'I'm sure it would do wonders for your spirit.'

  'It's the only thing I want right now.'

  'You bet. I'll find Dr Hendricks.'

  Rina dried her eyes. 'Peter, the missing baby... is it your case?'

  'I took it on.'

  'I'm glad you did. It was the right choice.'

  Decker thought about that. The right choice.

  It had been his only choice.

  The interview was set up in an empty labor room. A metal-framed bed with stirrups on the end, IV stands posing like stick figures, computer monitors, a nightstand with gizmos for positioning the bed and a nurse's call button. So cold and impersonal, Marge thought. She wondered if there wasn't something in between birthing via high tech and squatting in the fields.

  She pulled up a red plastic chair and motioned Cindy and her grandfather on to the bed. It wasn't going to be easy interviewing Pete's daughter, but compared to the Rodriguez boys, the teenager would be a piece of cake. The brothers were a modern-day James Gang, but in the last analysis, Marge felt they had nothing to do with the kidnapping.

  Cindy was upset, poor kid. And she probably felt a little guilty, too. Jack Cohen sat close to her, drawing her near, his arm around her shoulder.

  'Are you sure you're okay, honey?' he said to Cindy.

  'I'm all right.'

  'Do you want something to eat or drink?' Marge asked.

  'No, I'm okay,' Cindy answered.

  'I want you to relax,' Marge said. 'The more you relax, the more you can remember.'

  'I wish I could remember more! I wish I'd been paying closer attention!'

  'Baby, no one could possibly have predicted something like this,' Cohen said. 'Just relax and answer the questions to the best of your ability. That's the best way you can help.'

  Cindy felt her throat clog. 'Thanks for coming down, Grandpa.'

  'What are you thanking me for? I had to come down. Grandma would have killed me if I didn't.' To Marge, he said, 'Detective?'

  'Okay,' Marge said. 'Cindy, do you remember when you arrived at Nursery J?'

  'Around three... maybe four in the afternoon.'

  'Who was there when you arrived?'

  'Marie... Marie Bellson.'

  'Anyone else?'

  Cindy thought a moment. 'There could have been... I don't remember.'

  'But you remember Marie being in Nursery J?'

  'When I arrived, yes.'

  'Who else do you remember seeing in Nursery J?' Cindy sighed. 'Who didn't I see? Marge, there were people coming in and out of the nursery all the time. Some of them were suited up - the fathers, grandparents. They could go near the babies. Others stayed on the peripheries - the supply room or the nurses' office only. People like the janitors or orderlies. They'd restock stuff or sweep the floor or change the garbage and then just leave. There really wasn't a lot of control of who went in and out.'

  Marge rested her pencil against her pad. 'You recall seeing janitors and orderlies in the nursery?'

  'Yeah, sure.'

  'Do you recall seeing anyone who wasn't suited up near the babies?'

  Cindy thought a moment. 'I don't recall, but I wasn't with the babies most of the time. I was in the back room with Hannah. I couldn't really see what was going on. And with all the noise the babies were making, I couldn't hear too well either.'

  'Who else besides janitors and orderlies do you remember wandering in and out?'

  'Nurses, mostly... of course, there were doctors too. And lots of supply people, salespeople, if you can believe that. They'd bring in all sorts of things - boxes of formula and sugar-water, free samples of baby medicine, and lots of diapers. And then there were people from Laundry bringing in blankets for the layettes.'

  Marge frowned, surprised at how busy a single nursery could be.

  Cindy said, 'I saw them come and go. But like I said, mostly I was with Hannah. I used to take her layette away from the rest of the babies in this back room. Darlene set me up there, and Marie just kind of let me be through inertia. I liked it in the back because I wasn't in anyone's way.' She paused. 'I wasn't in Marie's way, specifically. She didn't like me - even after I brought her chocolate chip cookies.'

  'You brought her cookies?'

  'I thought it would help me get on her good side. Maybe it did. She let me stay.'

  'But you couldn't see or hear other people in front.' 'I could hear snatches, catch glimpses of people. That's all. I should have been keeping an eye on Marie. I knew she was weird.'

  'Cindy,' Jack said, 'it was not your place or duty to keep an eye on the staff. You were there, but not in any work capacity whatsoever. You were there only as a favor to your father. So stop yelling at yourself.'

  Cindy sighed. 'I just wish—'

  'Uh uh. I don't want to hear that,' Cohen said.

  'All I mean, Grandpa, is I feel so sorry for the baby. And for the mother. I got to know all the babies. I look at Hannah, I see them all.' The teenager's eyes watered. 'This is just so bad.'

  Jack kissed his granddaughter and looked at Marge. 'She's just too good for this world.'

  'Oh, Grandpa!' Cindy returned her attention to Marge. 'I remember Marie and Darlene being in the nursery, of course. Mostly that's who I remember. And Christine Simms wafting in and out... oh, and Lily - that's Darlene's trainee. I met her a couple of days ago. I don't remember seeing her last night, but who knows? All sorts of people were in and out. Babies going into their mothers' rooms, returning from their mothers' rooms.'

  'Lots of traffic, huh?' Marge said.

  'You wouldn't believe it. There was no way to keep track of everyone without sign-up sheets.'

  Marge said, 'Do you remember anyone who looked like they didn't belong there?'

  'Not really. I don't remember seeing anyone not in a uniform or surgical scrubs. Everyone looked like they were doing a job. B
ut I wasn't paying any attention, Marge.'