The Perfect Solution-A Suspense of Choices (18 page)

"These lights are killing me." Mona rubbed her temples in agitation. Her headache was returning and she had forgotten to take her medication.

"Ma'am, I can't do anything about the lighting." The manager stated. “If there’s nothing else I have to get back to work.”

"I don't give a damn about the lights." Mona blinked rapidly, which was a sure sign to anyone that she was irritated. "My son is locked in the restroom." She pointed in the general direction of the restroom. "Would you get your key and open the door?"

"Okay, no problem." He obligingly turned and walked towards the counter and Mona smiled in triumph towards the teenager as he placed the receiver back on its hook.

"Oh, Ma'am," The manager turned back to her. "I just remembered that we lost the keys." Mona glared at the smiling teenager and then blankly back at the manager. "If you have the time," he continued. "I can call a locksmith or the police. The police would be a better choice. They have a sub-station right down the street."

"Don't bother." She patted the manager on the shoulder before backing from the area. "I'll go and talk to my son. I'm sure he can open the door with a little enticement."

Moving around the corner and out of view as quickly as she could, Mona slipped out of the nearest door and ran across the four lanes of traffic without stopping, narrowly avoiding being hit by oncoming cars. Turning to look back at the restaurant, Mona watched as a police car slowly turned into its parking lot. Damn. She opened and slammed the door of the house with a burning anger. And in the midst of that burning anger, she attacked everything in her reach.

Scooping the small brown dog from the floor, she ripped the head from its body and yanked all of the stuffing from its insides. The fluffy material drifted through the air like flakes of snow.

Mona stumped around destroying everything. She was angrily throwing lamps, books, and the telephone. Knocking down, kicking over everything in her path.

She flipped over the sofa and the chair and then ran into the small bedroom. Nothing was safe from the manic anger that had her screaming in mind-blowing frustration and hurt.

She was imploding and the effects were evident on everything surrounding her. In less than a flash she had destroyed the room that had previously been decorated with such love. She felt betrayed and she berated herself for trusting in another male. Men were dogs. No matter what their age, a male would betray you.

Running to her room and searching through the drawers like a mad animal, Mona threw her things, few that there were, into her suitcase and dragged it to the car. She was just about to close the trunk when she saw her floor length black hooded wool coat lying on its floor. Taking off the jacket she was wearing, a new plan formed in her mind. She would have a son. Slipping her arms through its holes, she got in the car and sped off.

CHAPTER 6- CONFRONTATIONS

Ten minutes after leaving Catrine's apartment, Phalene turned into The P. S. Center's parking lot and parked beside one of the three cars that were already parked in the marked slots. Getting out of the car, Austin opened the door for Catrine and pulled her aside.

“What is it Austin? I need to get in there.”

“I know. I want to go in there too, but I have an emergency call to make.” He held up his cell so she could see the text.

“You think I care?” She looked into his face in confused frustration. “Do you think at this moment I care about someone else’s pain? I’m hurting here and scared. This is about your child Austin. Is this the way it’s going to always be. Will other people always come before him?”

“Whoa, wait a minute. I’m a goddamned heart surgeon for Christ’s sake. Emergencies arise. I’m not putting anything before my kid; I’m trying to get a replacement. And before you come down hard on me, you remember you’re the reason I haven’t been in his life. And for the record, you can bet I will always be there. I was just letting you know I’m taking a call and will then come in.”

“I’m sorry. I don’t know where my mind is.” She looked everywhere, but back into his eyes. “I just feel a little desperate. Old habits come back without a thought. I forgot we’re not together like that anymore. I just fell back to leaning on you as if I don’t have a brain of my own.”

“That’s okay.” He pulled her close and wrapped her tightly his arms, one hand patting her on the back as if comforting a child. “I understand. Go with your sister. I’ll handle this call and will be in as soon as possible.”

Releasing his hold he pushed her towards Phae and watched as she and Catrine followed the four women that were crossing the paved drive and walking towards the building.

After a couple of steps, Catrine looked back over her shoulder to where Austin stood having an obvious volatile conversation with whomever was on the other end of the phone. For a moment as she stood in the warmth of his arms, with the scent of his skin in her nose she’d almost forgotten the horrors of the night. The comfort he was giving her had always come easy to him. She wanted to kick herself for having given up on their relationship. If only time would damn well backup and turn around.

"Ms. Teddi."

One of the women, whom Catrine recognized as the teacher of the younger three year old group of children, detached herself from the group and walked back to join Catrine.

"I can’t believe that this has happened. Nothing like this has ever happened at The P. S. Center before." She turned towards the other women and begged for collaboration. "Has it ladies?"

"No, never," the women agreed.

"You mean you all have never given anyone's child away?" asked Catrine sarcastically. "Oh, that's right, you all don't give children away," she stressed the word 'give' a second time. "You just leave them behind."

Each of the women looked at the other in surprise. A rather plump, elderly white woman separated herself from the remaining two women and extended her hand.

"I'm Mrs. Krull. I teach the four year olds."

Catrine automatically shook the extended hand. Of course she’d seen the woman many times before, but she had never noticed that the woman was so well rounded. Maybe her roundness had something to do with the red jogging suit she was wearing. In it the woman resembled a female version of Santa Claus.

"I’ve seen you. Do you have any idea who may have taken my baby?"

"No, but do you see that black girl over there? I mean the young one wearing the hooded black leather jacket?"

"Yes."

"She substituted as Brhin's teacher today and the other one in the short blue jean jacket was working in the office. Her name is Mrs. Julioux. She’s worked here for almost two weeks. Those are the two you need to speak with. I just stay in my room and mind my business. I have no idea what happened today, but Mrs. Wall is already in the building and....oh, here come the police and the Channel six news vans. Did you call the television station?" She questioned Catrine.

"No, but I am glad that they’re here."

"I'll go and join the others."

The two women excused themselves and left Catrine and Phae to wait for the police officers to join them. The male partner of the team pulled a small notepad from his pocket when he neared the two women.

"Mrs. Teddi?" He addressed himself to Phalene.

"No, you want my sister." She placed her hand on Catrine's shoulder. "This is Brhin's mother."

"Sorry. This is my partner Detective Williams and I'm Detective Serge. We took the liberty of calling the news stations. Hopefully we'll get a description of the person responsible for this so we can put it in an Amber Alert. It will spread information to the public faster. Do you have a picture of your son, Ms. Teddi?"

"Yes, I do. Let me call his father over so that he can hear whatever you have to say.”

She looked over the officer’s shoulder to where Austin had been standing, but he was no longer there.

“Never mind, can we go inside? I’ve been ill and it is really cold out here." She pushed her hands deeper into the pockets of her coat.

Detective Serge stepped ahead of the women and opened the glass door. The chill in the air of The Perfect Solution Day Care Center was only slightly warmer than the freezing temperature outside and the attitude of the five women that turned at the sound of the glass door opening. They stood in a cluster under a clock in the hallway looking into a brown binder and whispering. The tall, heavy set, blotchy face director of The P. S. Center slowly extracted herself from the rest of the women and walked towards the entering group. She introduced herself to the officers.

"I am the owner, Mrs. Wall. Nothing like this has ever happened during the entire history of The P. S. Center." She stated the fact as if she hoped it would clear her of all responsibility of Brhin's abduction. "I run a secure establishment. No one is allowed in without visiting the office first. This is the book," She turned and picked up the brown notebook and gave it to Detective Williams. "That we use to sign the children in and out of The P. S. Center. As you can see, Ms. Teddi's sister signed the boy out at 2:40 p.m."

"Of course I signed him out." agreed Phae, angrily glaring at the director. "It is a rule of this 'secure establishment', as is the supposedly checking out of the person that comes to get a child."

"That is true and you are the one that signed him out."

"Are you totally stupid, woman?" Staring at Mrs. Wall as if the woman had lost her mind, Phae paused to watch as the reporters entered the building, set up their equipment, and prepared themselves for showing a 'live viewing'. Austin slid in to stand behind the camera crew. "I can’t believe," she continued, "that you are making such a big deal out of the fact I signed my nephew out of this 'secure' day care when you should be worried about the stupid person in your employ that neglected her duties and gave a small boy to a total stranger. What good did it do us to have me sign Brhin out when your people had already given him away? What kind of places are you running here?" She swung her hand to encompass the staff members. "Is everyone in your employ complete incompetent asses? Are they too stupid to find out in whose hands they are placing a child? I am sure that it is required on each child's application, to have the names of the designated people allowed to take them home. Does anyone check these things?"

"Phae, please calm down." Catrine broke in. Pulling the paperboy style hat from her head, she stuffed it into her coat pocket and smoothed her hair with the tips of her fingers. "Mrs. Wall, have you questioned your staff, yet?" When Mrs. Wall shook her head in the negative, Catrine turned to tearfully search the faces of the other women. "Does anyone have any idea who took my baby? Is there a possibility that he could be in the after-school center?"

"No, I checked that center thoroughly." Mrs. Wall stated firmly. "Anyway, that center did not open until after 3. I mean a teacher is there for 2:30, but no one goes in until the vans come with the school kids. That's usually about 3:30 or 3:45. I have asked…" Mrs. Wall began.

"I know who took your baby." A low voice interrupted Mrs. Wall's explanation.

So, this is the woman that gave my child away, thought Catrine. Fighting down the urge to grab what looked like a child by her skinny bejeweled throat and squeeze the life out of her, Catrine clenched her fists tightly as they rested in her pockets. She stared unblinkingly as the young woman wearing the hooded leather jacket stepped away from the other women. No more than twenty years old and extremely nervous she looked as if she had rushed out of her house without putting a comb through her unruly shoulder length pageboy styled hair.

"Tell us everything that you know." directed Detective Serge.

"Okay." She glanced towards the television cameras and quickly away. "I'm Stephanie Francine Franklin and today was my first day here." She pulled her shirt down twice and pushed her hands into the pockets of her jeans. "As a matter of fact, it was my first day working on my own in any childcare center and there were twenty-five two and three-year old children in the class. I think some of them weren't even two because they wore diapers and could barely put two words together. I had to do everything on my own. I had to change all of the dirty bottoms, and accompany the children to the bathroom.

After naptime I was still alone and had to put away cots, and change more diapers while continuously stopping what I was doing to correct the behavior of the children. During all of this, people were coming in and grabbing their children and walking out.

I didn't know which child belonged to which person and hard as I tried, I could do nothing about the chaos. Most of the parents didn't even acknowledge that I was in the room. At first I was worried about the way the people were walking in and out, but when I was in the kitchen getting the snack and I mentioned it to one of the teachers, she said that was how the parents always did it and not to worry about it. If a problem occurred it would be handled in the office. I hurried back in the room as soon as I could."

Phalene placed her hands on her hips in indignation.

"Ms. Franklin, I know it was probably disconcerting to be asked to do so much, but it was your job. That still does not excuse the fact that you could not keep up with this one child."

"Don't take what I'm saying the wrong way; I'm not trying to excuse myself. It was just that I was alone. Mrs. Wall had said that an aide would be in the room, but none ever showed."