Grievous Sin (10 page)

“Have you ever seen Marie run out for a moment and leave the babies alone?” Decker asked.

“No.”

“Never? Not even once?”

“Honestly, no.”

Decker said, “Who do you think was in Nursery J around the time the baby was taken?”

“It could have been anyone working tonight, including temporaries or floaters.”

“We’re compiling a list right now. These floaters…who exactly are they?”

“They’re nurses who go where they’re needed. We’re getting less and less OB nurses to work OB. In the past year, we’ve only had three nurses who have had specific training in OB or neonate. Makes it hard to get things done when you don’t have specialists for the job.”

“Going back to the floaters…are they hospital employees?”

“I think so. But I don’t know for sure.”

“How about the temporaries? Are they employed specifically by the hospital, or does the hospital get them from agencies?”

“I don’t know.”

“Do you usually see the same floaters and temporaries working?”

“Some of the faces look familiar. I’ve even learned a name or two. Detective, I’m so shaken…maybe I’ll do better the next time we talk. I’m so sorry.”

Decker held back a yawn and finished up some notes. He’d pursue the status of the work staff with the administrators. They’d know about hiring procedure. Then he remembered Cindy’s description of the weirdos who worked at night. He was willing to bet that the hospital hired as cheap as possible
and wasn’t always meticulous about checking out credentials. Chances were the administrators wouldn’t be forthcoming about opening up their files. They’d probably state that divulgence of names was an unwarranted invasion of privacy or some other bull. For them, it was going to be
cover your ass royally
time.

He said, “I’d like to talk to you about Marie Bellson.”

Darlene nodded. “Did they find Marie’s car?”

“Not yet.”

“I just can’t believe that Marie…” Darlene met Decker’s eyes. “It doesn’t make
sense
, Sergeant.”

“Did Marie seem agitated lately?”

“No.”

“Worried? Preoccupied?”

“No.”

“Did she seem unusually happy—like she’d won the lottery?”

“No. She was just plain old Marie.” Darlene redirected her eyes to him. “I just can’t believe…it doesn’t make
sense
!”

“Okay, let me ask you this, Darlene. Do you ever remember Marie going through some hard times?”

“Everyone goes through hard times.”

“Tell me about Marie’s.”

“I don’t know, Sergeant. I found out that you’re
Sergeant
Decker, right?”

“Sergeant’s fine,” Decker said. “
Think
, Darlene. There’s a
baby
at stake.”

“I
know
!” She started sobbing. “It’s all my fault!”

“Darlene—”

“If I’d just been a little more careful!”

“Darlene—”

“I just
trust
everyone!” she cried. “I think everyone’s good, and no one would ever hurt a little baby. Who would ever hurt a
baby
? And now a little baby is gone because I was too trusting!”

“Darlene, whipping yourself isn’t going to help.” Decker
handed her a tissue. “Let’s talk about Marie. Think about Marie now.”

Darlene dabbed her eyes and told him to go on.

Decker said, “Do you ever remember Marie going through some stressful times?”

“At work?”

“At work or in her personal life—a breakup with a mate, a parent dying, trouble with the kids, something like that.”

“Marie didn’t have children. Matter of fact, I don’t recall Marie ever having a special someone. As far as I know, her life started and stopped with nursing and God.”

She asked the moms to pray to Jesus with her
…. Decker remembered the gold cross over her uniform pocket. He had mistakenly thought it was a medical emblem—like the Red Cross.

“God?”

“She believed in Jesus. But she wasn’t obnoxious about it.”

“Cindy said she used to ask patients to pray with her.”

“Only if she felt they wanted to. She wouldn’t ever have forced Jesus down their throats. She wasn’t preachy.”

“It wasn’t routine?”

“No, not at all.”

“It is inappropriate.”

Darlene was quiet. “Yes, I suppose it is.”

Decker tapped his pencil against the pad. “Marie was single for as long as you’ve known her?”

“Yes.”

“Did she ever mention regrets at not having kids?”

Darlene shook her head. “She liked the babies, but not in a sick way. Marie was terrific with the little ones, but she was even more terrific with the moms. Helping them adjust to their newborns. And she was great as a nurse supervisor. She
trained
me, Sergeant. She trained just about every nurse who has ever passed through OB in the last ten years.”

“Was that part of her job? To train nurses?”

“Yeah, of course. But she took it even further, ’cause deep
down she really
cared.
She took a special interest in every single one of us. She wanted us to
know
what it meant to be a truly dedicated nurse. She was a busy woman, Sergeant, but she always had time for our questions. Had time for the moms’ questions, too. That’s why it doesn’t make sense.”

“What do you mean when you say she took a special interest in her nurses? Don’t all head nurses answer questions?”

“Marie went beyond that. First week on the job, I got an invite to her home. I was nervous, I can tell you that. I thought it was like a test.” Darlene shook her head. “She was just being friendly. Asked me to talk about myself, asked me what I wanted out of nursing, if I had any problems I’d like to discuss with her.”

“Doesn’t sound like the Marie Bellson I’ve been told about,” Decker said. “The one I’ve heard about was all business and pretty testy.”

“Marie could be testy. We’re all under a lot of pressure here. But she really
cares.
”

Darlene suddenly looked puzzled. Decker asked her what was wrong.

“Only problem with Marie was…” Darlene seemed to collect her thoughts. “Seemed to me that once I’d learned the ropes, she cut the personal relationship…didn’t ask me to her house, didn’t accept any of my invites to my house. She was nice enough at work—nice but professional. The personal touch was gone.”

Darlene sighed.

“But you’ve gotta understand Marie, Sergeant. She saved her energies for those that really
needed
her. She’s a true nurse inside and out. And she has ethics, a belief in right and wrong. And she’s God-fearing. That’s why I refuse to believe that she’d ever lay a finger to harm a little baby.”

“Who said she’s planning to harm the baby? Maybe she just took the baby and wants to raise it as her own.”

“No, I don’t believe it.”

“Did Marie ever have any miscarriages?”

“So far as I know, she was never married.”

“She could have had miscarriages without being married.”

Darlene blushed. “I don’t know of any miscarriages, no.”

“Any abortions?”

Again Darlene turned red. “Not that I know of.”

“Did Marie ever lose a child?”

“I wouldn’t know.”

“How about a younger sibling?”

“If you’re trying to give her a motivation to steal a baby, I think you’re barking up the wrong tree.”

“Then why would she steal a baby?”

“I don’t believe she did.”

“Then where is she, Darlene? And where’s the baby?”

“I don’t know.” Darlene suddenly shivered and hugged herself tightly. “I truly don’t know.”

It didn’t matter
what she said.

It didn’t matter what
he
said.

Past is irrelevant. So is the future.

The here and now.

The here and now.

What mattered?

Who cared?

She cared.

That’s how it all started…because she cared.

They didn’t, but she did.

She cared.

She
cared.

Flowers took up every available inch of space—either a hospital room or a mortuary. Decker put down his cup of coffee and smelled a bouquet of yellow roses. He pulled a blossom from the arrangement and presented it to Rina. She took it and placed it on her lap. Her eyes were unfocused…far away.

When she’d come into the hospital, there’d been a blush in her cheeks. Now they were pale and bony. Decker sat on the bed, then took her hand and kissed it.

“How’re you feeling?”

Rina took in her husband’s face—suffused with tension
and worry. “I just saw the six o’clock morning news. They flashed the baby’s picture on the TV screen.” She looked down. “You know the newborn photo that the hospital takes when the baby is a day old? The blanket in the background was the same blanket they used for Hannah’s picture.”

Decker nodded.

“Oh, Peter! And here I was feeling
sorry
for myself.” Rina blinked back tears. “I’m such an
idiot
for not appreciating what I have.”

Decker squeezed her hand. “Rina, you’ve been through an awful ordeal. It’s okay to feel bad. I feel bad for you. And in all honesty, I feel bad for me. I feel like we both got a raw deal.”

“It’s trivial compared to what that poor mother must be going through.”

“Your operation wasn’t trivial, darlin’. But if we’re comparing hells, I’d rather be in our shoes than in Lourdes Rodriguez’s.” Decker saw his Rina’s face do a slow crumple. He drew her into his shoulder, caressing her arm as she cried. “Get it out, honey. Get it all out.”

“I feel so
terrible
!”

“Scared?”

“Terrified!”

“So am I.”

Rina raised her head. “You are?”

“It hit close to home.” Decker straightened up. “You and Hannah are checking out of this place. Your mom’s moving in with us until everyone’s back on their feet. She’s overjoyed that I asked for her help. I never thought I’d be saying this, but thank God for mothers-in-law.”

Rina managed a smile. “Cindy really appreciated being part of the experience, too. She’s been a real godsend. If it wasn’t for her—”

“Don’t even
think
about it,” Decker interrupted. “It’s too damn frightening.”

No one spoke for a moment. The silence became eerie rather than comforting. Decker cleared his throat. “So…we
have your mom and Cindy watching over you…and watching over the baby nurse, too. It’s terrible to be suspicious, but after what happened—”

“Definitely. Look, Peter, Georgina said Nora was the
best.
But we both know what that means. If you don’t want to use a baby nurse, I can manage—”

“No friggin’ way!” He wagged his finger at his wife. “I don’t want you out of bed, let alone working, even if you think you can do it. Your mom and Cindy’ll be there full time, so you don’t have to worry about a thing. I don’t want you doing anything until the doctor says you’re one hundred percent healed,
understand
?”

“Why not? I’m useless for anything else—” She stopped herself and sighed. “There I go again, feeling
sorry
for myself.”

“Darlin’, life isn’t school. You don’t have to get straight A’s. Just promise me you’ll take care of yourself—physically and emotionally. Do something
nice
for yourself, Rina. Read that book you’ve been putting off. Drink a cup of hot chocolate, smothered in whipped cream. Hey, I’ve got a great idea. Why don’t we finally use the satin sheets we got for our wedding?”

“I’m saving them.”

“For
what
?”

Rina thought about that. What was she saving them for? “You’re right, Peter. I’ll have my mom put them on the bed.”

Decker couldn’t believe his ears. She was actually
agreeing
with him. “
Thank
you, Rina.” He checked his watch. “Do you know where Cindy is?”

“Jack took her away about a half hour ago.” Rina knitted her fingers together. “Peter, who’s watching Hannah?”

“All the nurseries are under special watch. Don’t be concerned with Hannah’s safety. I guarantee you she’s fine.”

“I didn’t have a fever last time the nurse took my temperature.” Rina’s eyes became wet. “Do you think I could hold her now?”

Decker remembered how uplifting it had been to hold his
baby—pure love for something so beautifully innocent. Rina needed that feeling.

“I’ll ask the doctor, darlin’.” Decker stood. “I’m sure it would do wonders for your spirit.”

“It’s the only thing I want right now.”

“You bet. I’ll find Dr. Hendricks.”

Rina dried her eyes. “Peter, the missing baby…is it your case?”

“I took it on.”

“I’m glad you did. It was the right choice.”

Decker thought about that.
The right choice.

It had been his
only
choice.

The interview was set up in an empty labor room. A metal-framed bed with stirrups on the end, I.V. stands posing like stainless stick figures, computer monitors, a nightstand with gizmos for positioning the bed, and a nurse’s call button. So cold and impersonal, Marge thought. She wondered if there wasn’t something in between birthing via high tech and squatting in the fields.

She pulled up a plastic red chair and motioned Cindy and her grandfather onto the bed. It wasn’t going to be easy interviewing Pete’s daughter, but compared to the Rodriguez boys, the teenager would be a cakewalk. The brothers were a modern-day James Gang, but in the last analysis, Marge felt they had nothing to do with the kidnapping.

Cindy was upset, poor kid. And she probably felt a little guilty, too. Jack Cohen sat close to her, drawing her near, his arm around her shoulder.

“Are you sure you’re okay, honey?” he said to Cindy.

“I’m all right.”

“Do you want something to eat or drink?” Marge asked.

“No, I’m okay,” Cindy answered.

“I want you to relax,” Marge said. “The more you relax, the more you can remember.”

“I wish I could remember more! I wish I’d been paying closer attention!”

“Baby, no one could possibly have predicted something like this,” Cohen said. “Just relax and answer the questions to the best of your ability. That’s the best way you can help.”

Cindy felt her throat clog. “Thanks for coming down, Grandpa.”

“What are you thanking me for? I had to come down. Grandma would have killed me if I didn’t.” To Marge, he said, “Detective?”

“Okay,” Marge said. “Cindy, do you remember when you arrived at Nursery J?”

“Around three…maybe four in the afternoon.”

“Who was there when you arrived?”

“Marie…Marie Bellson.”

“Anyone else?”

Cindy thought for a moment. “There could have been…I don’t remember.”

“But you remember Marie being in Nursery J?”

“When I arrived, yes.”

“Who else do you remember seeing in Nursery J?”

Cindy sighed. “Who didn’t I see? Marge, there were people coming in and out of the nursery
all the time.
Some of them were suited up—the fathers, grandparents. They could go near the babies. Others stayed in the peripheries—the supply room or the nurses’ office only. People like the janitors or orderlies. They’d restock stuff or sweep the floor or change the garbage and then just leave. There really wasn’t a lot of control of who was in and out.”

Marge rested her pencil against her pad. “You recall seeing janitors and orderlies in the nursery?”

“Yeah, sure.”

“Do you recall seeing anyone who wasn’t suited up near the babies?”

Cindy thought a moment. “I don’t recall, but I wasn’t with the babies most of the time. I was in the back room with Hannah. I couldn’t really see what was going on. And with all the
noise the babies were making, I couldn’t hear too well, either.”

“Who else besides janitors and orderlies do you remember wandering in and out?”

“Nurses, mostly…of course, there were doctors, too. And lots of
supply
people—salespeople, if you can believe that. They’d bring in all sorts of things—boxes of formula and sugar water, free samples of baby medicine, and lots of diapers. And then there were people from Laundry bringing in blankets for the layettes.”

Marge frowned, surprised at how busy a single nursery could be.

Cindy said, “I saw them come and go. But like I said, mostly I was with Hannah. I used to take her layette away from the rest of the babies into this back room. Darlene set me up there, and Marie just kind of let me be through inertia. I liked it in the back because I wasn’t in anyone’s way.” She paused. “I wasn’t in Marie’s way, specifically. She didn’t like me—even after I brought her chocolate-chip cookies.”

“You brought her cookies?”

“I thought it would help me get on her good side. Maybe it did. She let me stay.”

“But you couldn’t see or hear other people in front.”

“I could hear snatches, catch glimpses of people. That’s all. I should have been keeping an eye on Marie. I knew she was weird.”

“Cindy,” Jack said, “it was not your place or duty to keep an eye on the staff. You were there, but not in any work capacity whatsoever. You were there only as a favor to your father. So stop yelling at yourself.”

Cindy sighed. “I just wish—”

“Uh-uh. I don’t want to hear that,” Cohen said.

“All I mean, Grandpa, is I feel so sorry for the baby. And for the mother. I got to know all the babies. I look at Hannah, I see them all.” The teenager’s eyes watered. “This is just so bad.”

Jack kissed his granddaughter and looked at Marge. “She’s just too good for this world.”

“Oh, Grandpa!” Cindy returned her attention to Marge. “I remember Marie and Darlene being in the nursery, of course. Mostly, that’s who I remember. And Christine Simms wafting in and out…oh—and Lily—that’s Darlene’s trainee. I met her a couple of days ago. I don’t remember seeing her last night, but who knows? All sorts of people were in and out. Babies going into their mothers’ rooms, returning from their mothers’ rooms.”

“Lots of traffic, huh?” Marge said.

“You wouldn’t believe it. There was no way to keep track of everyone without sign-up sheets.”

Marge said, “Do you remember anyone who looked like they didn’t belong there?”

“Not really. I don’t remember seeing anyone not in a uniform or surgical scrubs. Everyone looked like they were
doing a job.
But
I
wasn’t paying any attention, Marge.”

“She knows that, honey,” Cohen intervened.

“You’re doing great, Cindy,” Marge said. “Let’s talk about Marie for a moment. You stated she didn’t like you?”

“She didn’t. I stayed out of her way.”

“But occasionally you saw her.”

“Yes, a couple of times.”

“Did she appear professional when she worked?”

“Yeah, I suppose.” Cindy looked troubled. “Sometimes I’d overhear her talking to other nurses about the mothers. Marie had preferences in her mothers. It bothered me.”

Marge said, “Did you ever hear her say anything specific about Lourdes Rodriguez?”

Cindy’s eyes widened. “Marge, she
did
talk about Lourdes Rodriguez. She told me she was counseling her.”

Marge sat up. “What kind of counseling?”

“Baby counseling. How to bathe the baby, how to diaper the baby…basic stuff. Marie adopted this superior attitude when she lectured. That bothered me, too.”

“Superior attitude?” Marge asked.

“Yeah, like ‘They’d be lost without me.’ That kind of thing. Darlene told me Marie liked doing that kind of stuff—teaching mothers how to care for their babies. If the mother didn’t need her, she didn’t like that.”

“Marie told you that she didn’t like the independent mothers?” Marge said.

“No, that was just my impression after listening to Darlene.”

Jack said, “Honey, just stick to what
you
heard from Marie. The rest is what we call hearsay.”

Marge smiled. Once a lawyer…“So Marie told you she was counseling this baby’s mother?”

“Yes—maybe she didn’t use the word
counsel.
More like teaching the mother.”

“Okay,” Marge said. “She seemed to take a special interest in Lourdes Rodriguez. How about this, Cindy? Did you ever see Marie take a special interest in Lourdes’s baby?”

Cindy shook her head. “Not that I can remember. She talked more about Lourdes than about the baby. Marie didn’t think Lourdes was equipped to handle the baby.”

“She
said
that?” Marge asked.

“No, no, no, she didn’t say it,” Cindy said. “It was just my opinion.”

Jack said, “Honey, just stick to what you heard.”

“Grandpa, maybe Marge would like to hear my opinions.”

Gently, Marge said, “Sure, but maybe a little later.”

Cindy nodded. Marge thought she looked wounded. “Did Marie ever mention anything about how Lourdes Rodriguez wasn’t fit to be a mother?”

“Truthfully, no. Marie never said that Lourdes wasn’t fit. Just that she didn’t know much. And that she should appreciate the baby Jesus gave her.”

Marge’s ears perked up. “Marie spoke about Jesus a lot?”

“Yeah, she liked to pray with her patients. I told Daddy this. We both agreed it was inappropriate.”

“Did Marie ever mention she was doing God’s work, Cindy?”

The teenager paused. “No…no she didn’t.”

“But she prayed with Lourdes?”

“I don’t remember.”

“Did Marie ever say anything about how the baby should be taken away from Lourdes because she didn’t appreciate what Jesus gave her?”

“No.”

“And you never remember seeing Marie being especially attached to Baby Girl Rodriguez?”

“No.”

“Did Marie seem unusually attached to
any
baby in particular?”