Page 23 of Forged in Steele

The man took the hint and headed for the door.

Bristol looked at Coglin. “Just so you know, I spoke to Teagan. She’s putting the video files on the network so we can view them here. I’ll need logins for the agents to access the files.”

He nodded and hurried out.

“Seems like he might be upset with us for banning him from the room,” Bristol said.

“Can’t be helped. We need to be sure we lock down security on this room. Wouldn’t do to have any leaks that could potentially put this child in more danger.” He glanced at the computer. “Let’s start by putting No Entry signs on the door.”

She nodded but honestly his intensity was unsettling her. Sure, they needed to have top secrecy around the information and only disseminate what was needed, but this man gave a new meaning to intense right now, and she was certain there was a story behind it that he hadn’t shared.

Question was, was he fully in control of his emotions or did something in his past impact his ability to lead the investigation where a baby’s life was on the line?

Jared held the door for Bristol to the suite where Nurse Natalie Johnson sat on the bed, her hands clutched in her lap. She shot to her feet and pushed up oversized black glasses with thick lenses. Jared had to remain professionally detached from the parents and use the formal Mr. and Mrs. Not with Nurse Johnson. A casual approach would help her relax so she could do a better job of sharing every bit of information she could remember.

She shoved her hands into the pockets of her uniform top. “Any news?”

Jared moved close to her but tried to appear relaxed when he wanted to pummel her with questions and get this investigation moving faster. “Not yet.”

She crumpled back onto the bed. “If I’d only come into the room sooner.”

“Where were you when the baby was taken?” Bristol asked as she stepped past Jared.

“I was in the suite next door. The Bakers.” She poked a thumb to her left. “They’d just delivered, and we were getting the baby settled. I heard Sonya scream and rushed in. By then the baby was gone. So I called my supervisor, and she took care of getting the Pink Alert issued.”

“When you say called, do you have phones you use on the job?” Jared asked.

Natalie nodded and held up a cell phone.

“We’ll want to take that for evidence.” Jared held out his hand for the phone.

She planted it firmly on his palm. “You’ll tell my supervisor you took it? If I lose it, I have to pay for a new one.”

“We’ll tell Mr. Coglin.” Jared pocketed the phone, glad that he had a way to track any calls this woman had taken this morning.

“Did you stay with the family the whole time after you entered the room?” Bristol asked.

Natalie nodded and chewed on her lip.

“Did you participate in Luna’s delivery?” Jared asked, trying to get a read on Nurse Johnson. She fidgeted, which could be a sign that she was deceiving them or could just be anxious over the missing baby.

Natalie shook her head. “I started working with them when Luna had a problem latching on to feed. I do labor and delivery, but I’m also one of our lactation specialists.”

All things Jared had heard Tim and Deb talking about but had tuned out. “Anything unusual about the parents?”

“Unusual? I’m not sure I know what you mean.”

“Extra nervous,” he clarified. “Not ready to be parents.”

“You don’t think…” She paused. “I mean you think they might have something to do with her disappearance?”

He forced a smile to ease the woman’s worry. “We have to consider all angles.”

Natalie narrowed her eyes. “Kevin’s kind of a nervous guy. Not sure if it has to do with becoming a dad, but his head was often elsewhere when I was in the room. Not Sonya, though. No. No. She’s a very devoted mother and wanted Luna more than anything.”

The father had the skills to disarm the alarm, and he was acting nervous. Could he be involved? Didn’t seem like it, but then, Jared couldn’t discount the parents at this point. “Did they seem like typical parents?”

Natalie sat forward. “No such thing. All the parents are here to bring a child into the world, but no case is like the other. That’s what makes this such an interesting job.”

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