Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 80889 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 404(@200wpm)___ 324(@250wpm)___ 270(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80889 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 404(@200wpm)___ 324(@250wpm)___ 270(@300wpm)
“Soon,” he says crisply, and then continues with his questions.
When is the last time you saw Miss Martin?
Did you know she was pregnant?
Could this be a prank someone’s playing on you?
“A prank?” I growl. “Who fucking leaves a baby on a doorstep as a prank?”
Officer Brandis blinks in surprise and has the grace to actually blush. He gives a slight cough. “I’m sorry. I’m just trying to think of all the questions I need to ask so I don’t miss anything. I’ve not run into this scenario before.”
I blow out a long breath, running my fingers through my hair. “I’m sorry I snapped. This is just a little stressful as I think you can imagine.”
“Absolutely,” he says with a grateful smile since I’m choosing not to be a dick about things.
A car pulls up behind the patrol car, and a woman gets out. She walks straight up to me and the officer, giving only a cursory glance at the back of the ambulance.
“Mr. Bay?” she inquires, sticking a hand in my direction while holding a notepad under her other arm.
“Yes,” I say as we shake.
“I’m Louise Mankle.” She gives me a quick pump and releases my hand. She’s probably in her late fifties if I had to guess, and her no-nonsense tone is actually reassuring to me. “I’m from the Department of Child Safety.”
“Nice to meet you,” I say lamely.
Louise looks to Officer Brandis. “If you don’t mind me stepping in, I need to get some basic information and then I want to follow the ambulance to the hospital. I’m the child’s advocate and will need to be there when he or she is examined.”
“It’s a she,” Officer Brandis says proudly, as if he’s cracked the investigation wide open. He refers to his notes. “Mr. Bay found the baby on his doorstep at approximately 8:45 P.M. There was a note allegedly written by a Miss Lida Martin of Miami, Florida. Mr. Bay has confirmed it’s her handwriting.”
Louise gives him a curt nod and looks back to me. “Mr. Bay…is there any reason to doubt the baby is yours?”
I shrug, not in a careless way, but completely bewildered. “I don’t know. I had an intimate relationship with Lida. We had protected sex, but…”
“That’s not foolproof, now is it?” she asks kindly.
“No,” I mutter, and then my anger froths up and out. “I mean…what kind of person leaves a kid on a porch like that? Does she not understand that baby could have died there? Or been dragged off by coyotes? Or, how was she even sure I’d be home tonight?”
Louise gives me an empathetic smile and pats my arm. “It’s terrible. But that baby will get great medical care and we’ll look out for her.”
I nod, again dragging my hand through my hair. I look over at the ambulance and Pepper is watching me carefully, her eyes awash with concern.
With a sigh, I turn back to Louise. “What happens next?”
“I go with the baby to the hospital. She’ll get examined by a doctor and if she’s okay, I’ll place her with an emergency foster family until we can determine paternity. You’ll need to come in for a saliva swab.”
Paternity?
Jesus fuck…I could be a father?
My gaze snaps back to Pepper and I have no clue what she sees registered in my expression but she leaves the ambulance and walks over to me. I’m stunned when she takes my hand in hers and gives it a squeeze.
There’s no inclination to pull away from her and I squeeze back. “They’re going to take the baby to the hospital. I need to go in too and they’ll test for paternity.”
She nods and releases my hand. “I’ll drive you, okay?”
“Okay,” I murmur, incredibly grateful to have this thorn in my side woman with me right now.
And then a thought hits me, and I turn back to Louise. “If she’s my daughter, shouldn’t she stay with me rather than a foster family?”
I get another kind smile from Louise. “Mr. Bay…we have laws we have to follow and you’re not an approved foster parent. Our fosters go through extensive training and background checks. But I have a family on standby that I already called and they are wonderful. A retired couple here in Phoenix that have been fostering for many years. She’ll be in good hands.”
I nod dumbly, also acknowledging that there’s no way in hell I could take a baby tonight. I don’t have a crib, diapers or anything to feed the child. Hell, again…I don’t even know how to hold a baby.
A paramedic walks over to us. “We’re ready to transport now. The baby is stable and appears to be in good condition.”
“Wonderful,” Louise says. “Let’s get her in the child safety seat in the back of my car.”
This surprises me but before I can inquire, Louise tells me. “Since she’s checked out okay with the paramedics, it’s far safer for her to ride in the car seat than one of the paramedics holding her.”