Abducted by Janice Cantore Read Free Book Online Page A

aren’t any volunteers assigned to that floor right now. Problem is, about the same time the baby disappeared, one of the sick babies began having problems and most of the staff were involved with that infant. The other parents who were up there with sick children can’t tell us much because they were concerned about their own problems.”
    “But Andrea brags about all the cameras in this place. Security here is tops; surely they picked something up?” Carly feared she sounded hysterical; she swallowed, working to calm down.
    “Pete Harris is the assigned investigator. He’s reviewing security discs as we speak. Everyone who was on duty in pediatrics was talked to, or will be talked to, and no one saw anything or anyone unusual that is any help . . . so far. I’ve got officers interviewing everyone who was in the hospital at the time of occurrence. The FBI is sending a couple of agents to help. We’ll chase down every lead. I promised Joe our best.”
    He paused and took a deep breath. “You know what the worst part of this is?”
    Carly shook her head.
    “Joe was on his way to get A.J. and take him home. He found the stupid doll.”
    Nelson pulled Jacobs away to deal with something on the phone. Carly left them to their work and went back to the elevator. As she stepped on board, her thoughts went to Andrea. She was working pediatrics; chances were good she’d be in the thick of this investigation. When her phone buzzed with a text message, she looked down and saw it was from Nick. Nick! She hit her forehead with her hand. I forgot to call him back. He probably heard the news from the TV. Oh well, she thought. He will have to wait until after I talk to Joe.
    Between the hospital’s own security and the LPPD, every floor at Memorial was shut up tight. She hated to think it, but it was typical: the barn door securely shut after the horse had escaped. Most of the guards recognized Carly, but a couple of new guys asked to see her badge. When she reached critical care, she found Joe in a quiet module holding Christy’s hand. His beard was darker, and black half circles weighed down his bloodshot eyes. He stood to give Carly a hug and held on tight.
    “How’s she doing now?” Carly asked in a whisper, looking down at the still-pale form. Joe’s parents, seated on the other side of the bed, nodded silently to her.
    “She’s stable at least. They still don’t know what’s wrong with her, but she’s not getting worse. She isn’t conscious, but I’m almost afraid that’s better. I couldn’t tell her that A.J. . . .” His voice broke.
    “Hang in there, Joe. We’ll find him. People don’t get away with taking babies from hospitals; you know that.” Carly hugged his sagging shoulders.
    He sniffed back his tears. “I know what I want to believe: that this is a long, involved nightmare I’m in, and I’ll wake up any minute now. I can’t—I never would have thought that something so horrible could happen to my family.”
    “My mom has a lot of people praying for you, Joe.”
    “Thanks . . . thanks.”
    His mom, a small woman with a scarf covering her head, came over and took Joe’s hand. They talked a little about Christy and what the doctors had ruled out. One of the nurses padded softly into the module and said apologetically that there were really too many people in the room. The gentle shove made Carly tell Joe she’d be close if he needed anything. She left to locate Andrea and find out from her how the investigation was going on the hospital’s side.
    Glancing back as she left, Carly saw Joe with his mother, huddled close to the pale Christy. Her BlackBerry buzzed again, and this time Nick used 911—the call-back-right-away signal.
    Well, I’ve put it off as long as I can, she thought. Still, she decided to make the call from Andrea’s floor and rode the elevator one level down. Cell phone use was discouraged in the hospital, so she found a free phone at the nurses’ station and