Page 92 of Paternal Instincts
“No. I want to talk to Imogen.”
“Don’t shoot the messenger. I’m just telling you what Jordyn said.”
“We’re on our way.”
I relayed the message to Aslan, and he took off for the hospital.
“Dammit. I don’t want to chase after Jude and Flynn for DNA samples. I want to ask Imogen where the hell she’s been and nail her ass to the floor. That woman knows where her son is, or at least who he’s with. She’s been lying to us, and I don’t know why, but I intend to find out.”
Aslan rested a calming hand on my thigh. “You have to let Jordyn take this one, Quaid. We’re a phone call away from being done. If she assigns you a lesser job, there’s a reason.”
“I still want to see her. I want her to look me in the eyes and tell me the truth.”
“You and Nixon both, I’m guessing.”
***
Aslan couldn’t have been more right. We found Jordyn and Ruiz on the labor and delivery floor amidst a power struggle centered around Nixon, who seemed to want to storm his wife’s room and demand answers. A doctor, two police officers, Diane and Ronald Walsh, their daughter Odelia, and Flynn, were there as well. It had dissolved into a chaotic exchange of caustic words.
Flynn held his brother’s shoulders, talking to him in hushed tones. It did nothing to simmer the fire in Nixon’s eyes. One officer had Nixon loosely restrained so he couldn’t bolt as a doctor tried to explain something to Imogen’s raging parents, who were also demanding entrance to their daughter’s room.
Sparrow and Zoey weren’t in sight, and I hoped, for the child’s sake, our family liaison officer had taken her elsewhere or stayed back at the house.
I entered the fray, tugging Costa’s sleeve to announce my arrival and yanking him away from the crowd. He’d positioned himself on the outskirts, letting Jordyn handle the problem. Knowing my partner, she’d likely insisted on taking charge.
“What the hell is happening?”
“They won’t let Nixon or the parents in to see Imogen yet. Apparently, she was dazed upon arrival and having contractions. So far as I understand, she’s still lethargic, but they believe they’ve managed to stop labor.” Costa shook his head. “Nothing is guaranteed, though. Not at this stage. They’re afraid this situation might upset her.” He motioned to the hostile energy.
Costa leaned against my shoulder, lowering his voice. “Nixon’s losing his shit about the paternity test and wants answers.”
“Did you get his sample?”
“Yep.” Costa nodded at Flynn. “This one showed up around the same time we did. Nixon must have called him from the car. We haven’t pulled him away yet.”
We also needed a sample from Ronald, Imogen’s father, while he was at hand.
I turned to Aslan. “Can you take care of them and get the samples to the lab here at the hospital? Ensure they prioritize the results and deliver them directly to Jordyn in case we aren’t around.”
“On it.”
Costa got the keys to the Charger from Jordyn and explained where they had parked. “We came through emergency. Nixon’s sample is in the trunk along with the extra kits.”
“The lab will need a copy of the paternity test to compare,” I added. “Don’t leave them with the original.”
Aslan snagged a handful of my ass and kissed my cheek. “I’m not that stupid, Quaid. Be back shortly.”
He headed to a bank of elevators at the end of the hall and was gone. The only person we would be missing was Jude, but the process of elimination would work in our favor. If none of the others fit the bill, we’d have to hunt him down.
Unless it was someone else altogether, but I doubted it. My gut told me whoever had taken Crowley was among the people we’d already met.
“Where’s Imogen’s room?”
Costa angled his head to a closed door a short way down the hall. “They won’t let us in either. Not yet. They want her to rest.”
I eyed the group. The doctor spoke to Nixon. Flynn hovered nearby, clearly monitoring his brother’s temper. Diane shouted at a nurse while Robert seemed to be doing what he could to pull her away. The officers were focused on Nixon, probably due to the unpredictable storm in his eyes. I could hardly blame him. Odelia looked on, amusement on her face, but paid no attention to Costa or me.
At the end of the hallway, another elevator opened, drawing my attention. Benedict and Bess exited, dashing down the hall and into the fray. Benedict immediately shouted at Flynn, who shouted back. Nixon stamped a foot and demanded to see his wife. Diane broke free from the nurse and swung her handbag at Benedict. Bess stopped it from hitting her husband before Jordyn jumped between the two aggressors and shouted for them to knock it off.
