Page 14 of Forged in Steele

“Where would Pratt ditch the body other than here?” Bristol asked. “Various cameras tracked him straight to the cafeteria. And he sure wouldn’t take the baby out in a public area.”

“We need Zeke to look at the video outside this room again,” Jared said. “See if anyone came in here after the father and could’ve carried the baby out.”

“You mean he left the child in here and had arranged for someone else to take her,” Franz clarified.

“Yes.”

“Their timing would have to be exact or they would risk someone else finding her,” Bristol said. “But I’ll call Zeke.”

Jared watched her every move as she ripped off her gloves, got out her phone, and explained their need. “I’ll hold while you look, Zeke.”

She tapped her foot, her expression tight with the same horror that was churning Jared’s breakfast. Tim had asked Jared to stop at Deb’s best-loved restaurant and arrive at the hospital early with her favorite quiche, thick slabs of bacon along with hearty wholegrain toast, the tangy smell alone mouthwatering. Of course, he couldn’t resist eating the fluffy toast with the crispy bacon.

What Jared wouldn’t give to go back and eat his normal egg and toast for the morning. Even better, go back to keep this baby from being abducted.

“Okay, thanks.” Bristol shoved her phone into her pocket. “No one entered the bathroom between Pratt’s departure and our arrival.”

“Okay, so doesn’t look like he took the child,” Franz said.

“But we can’t rule him out,” Bristol said. “He could’ve simply left the birthing room so the woman could come and take the baby. Maybe he even was the one who disabled the door for her.”

“All very good possibilities.” Jared met her gaze. “Time to question the parents and especially the father.”

3

Bristol was thankful when Franz got a call before they entered the mother’s room as it gave Bristol time to make a quick phone call. She excused herself and hurried to the end of the hallway where she could still keep an eye on Jared and Franz, dialing her father on the way. As the founder of Steele Guardians, along with her uncle Hugh, her dad was still a vital part of the company. Even as much as she didn’t want to ask for his help, she needed his connections. As a former Multnomah County detective, he had contacts she couldn’t begin to access on her own, and she needed him to work a miracle for her.

“I’m on my way to the hospital to help review security footage, but you need more help, Baby Girl?” he asked.

Just like him to use his nickname for her even if she was at work, but the love oozing from his tone brought tears to her eyes. She had to fend them off for now. “A task force is forming, and the hospital account is mine and my responsibility, but there’s no way a patrol deputy will be allowed on the task force. So I hoped you would call in some favors and get me on it.”

He didn’t answer right away and her heart fell as she knew what was coming.

“I don’t know if it’s possible,” he said, confirming her thoughts. “We’re talking kidnapping here, and like you said, it would be very unusual to have a patrol deputy involved.”

“But I’d be an asset to the team. I know everything about the investigation so far. And about the hospital security and can get information in an instant that others might need a warrant to obtain.”

“As lead on this contract with the hospital, you also have a conflict of interest,” he pointed out as she thought he might.

“Not really a conflict. The hospital and I both want the same thing as the task force wants. To find this baby and find her fast.” She waited for her dad to speak but he didn’t say anything. “Please, Dad. We’re talking about a newborn who might have a health issue. We have to do everything we can and do it quickly.”

“Okay,” he said, but it was with reluctance. “I’ll make a few calls and get back to you.”

Hope burgeoning in her heart, she rejoined Franz and Jared, who watched her as if he expected her to share her conversation, but she wouldn’t. Not yet. Maybe never actually, as she wouldn’t want him to think she got her slot on the task force due to her sphere of influence. Even if that was exactly how she got it, she’d like him to think it was because she brought much-needed skills to the team. Her confidence still stung from the way he could so easily walk away from her, and she didn’t need him questioning anything about her life.

“It wasn’t about the missing guard,” she said to him to get him to quit staring at her.

It worked as he looked away, but not before she caught his skeptical expression.

Franz finished his call, and he led them into Mrs. Pratt’s room. She took one look at them, and her crying amped up. Her deep wailing cries cut Bristol to the quick. She couldn’t just let the distraught mother suffer alone. Bristol crossed the room and handed her the tissue box. Bristol wanted to assure the mother that they would find her child, but Bristol had already let the heat of the moment get to her and made the mistake of saying she would find the baby. She couldn’t give the parents false hope again.

“Thanks.” Mrs. Pratt blew her nose.

“I’m so sorry, Mrs. Pratt,” Bristol said. “Is Luna your first child?”

“Sonya. It’s Sonya. Please.” She swiped at her nose again and took jerky breaths.

Bristol would love to call this mother by her first name, but formality was required in such a situation. Bristol would ignore the request, and she knew Jared and Franz would do the same.

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