Page 77 of The Forsaken
“Lord, I hope not. This is about as much as I can handle,” Logan joked. “So, what’s our plan?”
“Our plan?” Quinn gazed at Logan across the table. She hadn’t expected him to want to help, but she’d accept his assistance gladly if it was on offer.
“Well, you are planning to look for her, are you not?” he asked as he helped himself to more rice.
“Yes, but it’s proving rather difficult. I have no legal ties to Quentin, and neither does Sylvia. And all this happened nearly thirty-one years ago. Hetty Marks, the Social Services case worker I met with this afternoon, suggested I start at the hospital.”
Logan shook his head. “That’s a dead end, if you ask me. In 1983 the records would still have been handwritten, so accessing the NHS database would yield no results. Given that this case is three decades old, the files from that period would no longer be kept on-site.”
“Where would they be?” Quinn asked, alarmed. She hadn’t considered that.
“The files would have been archived. They’re either still in the building or have been transferred to some other facility. In any case, no one on staff would let you anywhere near them.”
Quinn felt a pang of disappointment. Her plans had been tentative, but now she didn’t even have a starting point. She pushed away her plate, no longer hungry.
“Can I have some pudding?” Emma asked as she came into the dining room, dragging Mr. Rabbit by the ear. “I finished watching the film.”
“I think pudding is an excellent idea,” Gabe said. “How about we clear the table and bring out pudding for everyone? Emma, will you help me?”
“Mr. Rabbit is tired,” Emma replied.
“I bet he’s weak with hunger too,” Logan joked. “I can look after him while you help your dad.”
Emma gave Logan a loaded look but handed over the toy and accepted the bread basket from Gabe. “Go put that in the kitchen.”
“What’s for pudding anyway?”
“Banofee pie,” Gabe replied with a smile of anticipation.
“Did you make it yourself?” Colin looked impressed.
“Is my name Rhys Morgan?” They all laughed at the joke. “No, I bought it on the way home, so I know it’s good.”
“Bring it on,” Logan said. “Emma, do you like banoffee pie?”
Emma shrugged. “It’s all right, I suppose. I like ice cream better.”
“We have ice cream too,” Quinn said. “I wouldn’t let you down.”
Emma lit up. “I’ll have that then and you can all have your banana toffee thingy.”
“We’ll show you the sword as soon as Emma goes to bed,” Quinn promised quietly after Emma disappeared into the kitchen. “We don’t want her to know where it’s kept.”
“Would she go looking for it?” Colin asked.
“She might, just out of curiosity. Let me give them a hand,” Quinn said. She collected the dirty plates and headed toward the kitchen. “After ice cream, it’s off to bed with you,” she said, smiling at Emma, who was taking out an extra-large bowl for herself.
“But I want to stay up.”
“You have school tomorrow.”
“I’m not tired.”
“But Mr. Rabbit is,” Gabe replied. “Or is he to sleep alone tonight? He might get lonely.”
Quinn pinned Gabe with a disapproving look, and he shrugged. One of the things they were learning as parents was to watch what they said because Emma didn’t miss a trick.
“Is that why you two sleep together?” Emma asked. “Who will I sleep with once I’m too old to sleep with Mr. Rabbit?”
