Page 10 of Forged in Steele

“And do you have a photo of the birthmark?” Bristol asked.

“I’ll send it to you too.” Mrs. Pratt tapped her phone’s screen.

Bristol accepted that photo as well, and Franz took a long look. “I’ll need the baby’s full name, and please spell it for me.”

“Luna Louise Pratt,” Mrs. Pratt said proudly, then spelled it out.

“And date of birth?”

“She’s only three days old.” Mrs. Pratt started to cry again.

Bristol wanted to give her a hug but settled for resting her hand on the distraught woman’s arm to keep things professional.

“I’ll also need to see your driver’s license,” Franz said.

She pointed at the cabinet in the corner. “My purse is in there with my license.”

“I’ll get it.” Bristol retrieved the large hobo-style bag and handed it to the mother. She dug out her license and gave it to Franz, who took a picture of it.

“You don’t think I had something to do with this, do you?” She lifted her chin.

Franz returned the license. “I have to officially establish custody of the child.”

He would also need the information for National Crime Information Center Missing Persons File that the detective would create, but better not to mention such a thing to the mother as it would surely set her off.

“We’ll get an AMBER Alert issued and be right back.” Franz reached for his radio microphone. “Hold positions for further instructions.”

He jerked the door open and stepped out but stopped by another deputy standing outside. “Don’t leave this post for any reason.”

“Roger that.”

Jared followed Franz, but Bristol looked at Mrs. Pratt. “We’ll be back soon.”

“Can my husband or Nurse Johnson come back?”

“Sorry. Not yet.” Bristol couldn’t leave the father’s backpack in the room alone with the mother, so she grabbed it.

Mrs. Pratt raised the baby blanket to her face, and Bristol escaped the room before she broke the professional barrier she needed to keep in place and gave the grieving mother a hug.

“Text me those pictures now.” Franz dug out his phone and rattled off his number.

She texted them to him.

“Lead the way to the video, Steele,” he said. “As we walk, I’ll call my sergeant to get that AMBER Alert going.”

She moved as fast as possible while walking in the spikes of death on her feet. Outside the birthing center, she noted Aaron was still AWOL, and that put a hitch in her steps as much as the shoes did.

Stupid shoes. She’d never planned to be walking all day in them. Just to show up for the press conference looking her very best then change into more sensible shoes for the rest of the work day. Of course, in her hurry to leave, she’d left the other pair at home.

She led the men down to the first floor and toward the back of the building to the security office. Franz remained on the phone with his supervisor confirming that this abduction met the AMBER Alert criteria, mainly that the victim was seventeen or younger and was in imminent danger of serious bodily injury or death. And that they had a description of the child and full name and the information would be entered into the National Crime Information Center NCIC system before requesting the alert.

He ended the call as they reached the last hallway. “I’ll need to call in the suspect’s description after we view the video, and then we’ll be good to go on the AMBER Alert.”

Teagan buzzed them into the security office and waved her over to a wall of computer monitors being watched by three techs, Zeke overlooking it all in the room that smelled like stale popcorn. Bristol introduced Franz and Jared, and Teagan shook hands, her expression intense as usual.

“Can we see the video?” Bristol asked.

“Zeke has the files queued up.” Teagan stepped to an unmanned computer near their supervisor with a buzzed haircut and stern look.

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