Dr. Marshall yelled her name again, and they glanced up from Clarissa.
Mr. Granes’ face reddened, and he pointed a finger at the doctor. “You, you did this. Taking advantage of our poor daughter this way. How dare you show your face here!” He started toward the doctor, and O’Connor had the good sense to step in front of him. Mr. Granes tried to get around the detective but couldn’t. Instead, he demanded, “Detective, arrest this man. He kidnapped our daughter and put that abomination in her.”
O’Connor crossed his arms over his chest. “As far as I’m concerned, this man has done nothing wrong. It’s you and your wife who have some explaining to do. Starting with why you are restraining a pregnant woman, who is clearly in distress.”
Mandy and I rushed into the room once O’Connor had Mr. Granes out of the way. Mrs. Granes tried to stop us, an anxious look on her face. “You can’t take her. She needs to be here. With her father and me. We are the only ones who can take care of her.”
I got in her face, making her back up a step. “She’s a grown adult who can make her own choices. She might have some problems, but it seems to be that the biggest problem she has is you. Now, move before I make you move.”
Mrs. Granes did the smart thing and moved out of the way. She hurried over to her husband who was still yelling at O’Connor. Mandy and I untied Clarissa and helped her up. Suddenly, Clarissa doubled over, crying out in pain. Water spewed from her and coated my shoes.
Forcing back a grimace, I shouted to Dr. Marshall, “Call the hospital now!”
“Oh my god, my baby,” Clarissa gasped, grabbing her stomach.
“It’s okay,” I hushed, rubbing her back and exchanging a look with Mandy. “We’re gonna get you some help.”
Mandy helped me get her toward the bedroom door. O’Connor had put the dad in cuffs while the mother cried at his side. When Mrs. Granes tried to help us, I shrugged her off. “Haven’t you done enough?”
After that, she dropped her hands, a look of shame covering her face. Good, she should be. I suddenly felt so thankful for my own mother. She might be quirky and a bit inappropriate at points, but she and dad would have never done anything like this to me.
We slowly made our way down the stairs with Dr. Marshall close at our backs. I grabbed a set of keys off the table on our way out the door. “Are these your car keys?” I asked Mrs. Granes. When she nodded, I continued, “Good, you can start making up for your actions by driving us to the hospital.”
Mrs. Granes took the keys and rushed to her sedan. Opening the back door, she watched as we loaded Clarissa in the back. O’Connor took the still enraged father in the back of Mandy’s vehicle. Mandy let Dr. Marshall replace her and got in the car with O’Connor. I slid into the front seat of Mrs. Granes’ car, twisting around to keep an eye on Clarissa.
“Get going,” I told Mrs. Granes. “And don’t even think about going anywhere but the hospital.”
Mrs. Granes started up the car, and we were on our way. We followed close behind Mandy and O’Connor as we sped toward the hospital. When we arrived, a nurse came out with a wheelchair and helped Dr. Marshall get Clarissa out of the car.
I watched from the waiting room as they took Clarissa to the maternity ward, Mandy at my side. We took a seat in the hard chairs that always filled places like this. For a hospital, you’d think they would want you to feel comfortable waiting, but the literal pain-in-the-butt chairs said otherwise. It implied more of an if-you’re-not-dying-get-out kind of mentality. Like the dying didn’t want a nice soft seat to sit their butt on while they waited for the All Mighty. I glanced over at Mandy. “Do you think she’ll be okay?”
Mandy patted my shoulder. “I don’t know. Babies aren’t my specialty. Maybe you should ask your guys to put in a special request to the big guy.”
I gave her a look. “I don’t think it works that way.”
“Can’t hurt to try.” She shrugged.
“Where’d O’Connor go?” I glanced around the waiting room but didn’t see him or Mr. Granes in sight.
“He went ahead to the precinct to book Mr. Granes. Mrs. Granes will be following shortly after. We have officers coming to take her in now.” Mandy nodded toward where Mrs. Granes had disappeared with her daughter before.
“Can you even book them with anything?”
“Well, lying to the police for one and impeding the investigation,” Mandy explained. “Holding their daughter against her will for another. I’m sure there are a few more things we can add on once Clarissa is fit to talk.”
“You know what I don’t get?” I asked. “She’s only been missing for like a week. How did she hide her pregnancy from her parents this long?”
Mandy shrugged. “It’s easier than you think. She’s a thin girl, she probably didn’t start showing until recently, and even that can be hidden by baggy clothes. How she kept calm in her condition though?” Mandy shook her head. “She must really want her baby.”
“Yeah,” I mused. Some people were meant to be parents. Clarissa’s folks weren’t among them. I just hoped she would learn from her parent’s mistakes with her own child.
We waited downstairs for what seemed like forever when Dr. Marshall finally came back down. Mandy and I jumped to our feet. When he saw us, he diverted from the hospital door to walk towards us.
“How is she?” Mandy asked, a look of concern on her face.
“Did the baby live?” I blurted out, earning me a chastising look from Mandy. What? I wanted to know.
Dr. Marshall grinned, relief etched on his face. “She’s fine. The baby’s fine. While they had to put him in the NICU, the doctor says we shouldn’t have anything to worry about.”
“So, it’s a boy?” I arched a brow.
Nodding, Dr. Marshall seemed like he might burst at the seams with joy at any moment. “Yes, we’re calling him Michael.”
I burst out laughing. Mandy hit me in the stomach with her elbow causing me to wince.
Dr. Marshall raised a curious brow.
“Ignore her,” Mandy reassured him. “Ex-boyfriend issues.”
“I see.” Dr. Marshall adjusted his glasses. “Would you ladies like to see him? It was you who made this all possible after all.”
Before Mandy could protest, I answered, “Of course!”
Mandy glared at me behind Dr. Marshall’s back as he led us upstairs. See, Mandy had a thing about babies. She thought they were cute in theory, but she had a perpetual fear of holding them. Something about dropping them. Crazy, right? She handles guns every day and didn’t drop those. I thought keeping a hold of a baby would be a hell of a lot easier.
We stopped in front of a window where they had several plastic-shielded basins. Inside were what I hoped were the babies.
Leaning over toward Mandy, I whispered, “Why do they look like a bunch of wrinkly old men?”
“Shh!” Mandy glanced toward Dr. Marshall, but he was too absorbed in looking at his baby boy to notice my comment.
Baby Michael didn’t look much cuter than the rest of the babies, but I had to admit I still felt good to see the child safe and sound. Sure, I might have started out this little consulting job simply for money, but to know that I, well, the guys and I, had done some real good here …
Mandy interrupted my goody-goody feelings by telling Dr. Marshall, “He’s adorable. Thank you for sharing him with us.”
Nodding distractedly, he didn’t notice much when we snuck away. Out of view of the babies and their adoring parents, we sagged. Chuckling, I turned to Mandy. “Is it just me or were some of those babies verging on gorilla territory?”
Mandy laughed and shoved me. “That’s not nice. They’re cute.”
“To their parents maybe.” I sniffed. “My kid won’t be like that. She’ll have a perfectly rounded bald head and her poop will come out in perfect little cupcake-sized packages.”
“You’re delusional.” Mandy rolled her eyes as we entered the waiting room once more.
“So, what now?” I turned away from Mandy and back toward the hospital exit.