Rick Mofina - If Angels Fall

Gene and the police holding her.

No, you lying bastards! Where is my baby? You bring me my baby!

Maggie waking on the living room couch. Someone holding her hand.Nathan. Eyes red. Gene standing over them. Gene’s wife, Sharon, nearby, huggingherself. Sharon was a distant relative of the President. She loved raspberrytea. Gene asking Maggie to take the two pills he gave her, holding Danny’sGoofy glass from Disneyland. She took the pills. One of the FBI agents, theolder one with the scarred chin, watching from one end of the sofa. The youngerone was on a phone. Police officers moving her grandmother’s Louis the XVIthchair, setting up a table right where they stand the Christmas tree. Dannyloved- loves — Christmas. A technician quickly installing telephones, a taperecorder, wires everywhere. Gene telling her the pills would relax her. Wherewould she be more comfortable?

Nathan suggested the studio. Gene and a policewoman in jeans helpedher upstairs, where she sat staring at the park.

The FBI agents talked to her several times. Did she know AngelaDonner? Franklin Wallace? No. Then the San Francisco detectives. Others camelater. Linda Turgeon, the policewoman in jeans, sat with her, silently drinkingcoffee.

“It’s after Danny’s bedtime,” Maggie said.

Turgeon smiled, nodded. She was pretty.

Maggie watched the swans burrowing their heads under their wings.Funny how dreams could be so real. Strange. But now it was time to wake up.Time to put Danny to bed.

Someone entered-the big inspector again, the one in the tatteredsports jacket who smelled of Old Spice. He had soft gray eyes and seemedunderstanding. He put his hand on Maggie’s shoulder. Maybe now she would wake.

“How are you doing, Maggie?” Sydowski asked.

She said nothing.

“It’s important we talk some more. Are you up to talking to me, tohelping us?” He sat beside her.

Maggie nodded.

She liked Sydowski’s reassuring presence.

“We’re doing everything we can to bring Danny home. Anything you canremember that now you consider odd will help, okay?

“Uh-huh.” Her chin crumbled. “This is real, Inspector. Someone tookmy baby. I’m not dreaming, am I?”

“No. You aren’t dreaming.”

She buried her face in Danny’s pajamas. Her body shook as she wept.Turgeon held her. Sydowski waited. He offered to come back in a little while,but Maggie wanted to go on. They had to find Danny.

He opened his notebook.

“Does Danny have any serious medical problems, allergies, does hetake any special medication?”

Maggie shook her head. “When he gets frightened, usually at night,he’ll wet his bed. We’re seeing a specialist about it.”

“What kind of boy is Danny? Describe his personality.”

“A good little boy. Friendly. He likes helping with chores.”

“How does he get along with other people? Other children?”

“He likes to play with other children, likes to share his things.”Maggie nodded with each point. “Gregarious, inquisitive, and he spills his foodall the time. You know how children can be.”

“Does he know his full name, his address, phone number, area code,does he know how to call home?”

“He’s only three.”

Sydowski saw Maggie’s painting of the swans.

“That’s quite good. How long have you been painting?”

“Oh” — Maggie touched her nose-“as long as I can remember.”

“It’s beautiful.”

“Thank you.”

“Sell many pieces?”

“About three dozen a year.”

“I’d like to have the names of the people who’ve bought one of yourworks over the last three years as soon as possible. Do you have a favoriteartist supply store that you shop at?”

“Yes.”

“Do you take Danny with you?”

“Sometimes.”

“What are the names of the stores?”

“The Rainbow Gallery and Meuller’s Arts and Crafts.”

Sydowski wrote it down. “Do you take Danny to any groups, clubs,classes, or local organizations?”

“I’m a member of the Community Association. I go to meetings once aweek and usually take Danny with me to the community hall. There’s a playroomthere and he plays with the other children while one of the parents supervises.We all know each other.”

“Have you noticed any strangers hanging around your house in thelast little while? Anybody asking for directions?”

“No more than the usual.”

“Do you employ anyone, housekeeper, gardener…?”

“A neighborhood boy, Randy Anderson, does landscaping for us.”

“Who baby-sits for you?”

“Vicky Harris and Melanie Lyle. They’re teenage daughters offriends. We seldom go out. Usually it’s the three of us at home.”

“Have you ever spanked Danny?”

“We’ve given him a tap on his bum-“ The tears started again. “Whenhe was bad.”

“About six months ago. We were grocery shopping and he smashed abottle of ketchup on purpose. I spanked him right there.” Her voice trailedoff. “But he’s a good boy, really. He was just tired that day and I wasimpatient.”

“Have you and Nathan had any marital problems, have you been seeinga marriage counselor, a clergyman?”

Maggie looked at him.

“No.”

“Have you or Nathan ever had an extramarital affair?”

“No.”

“I have to ask.” He made a note.

“Are you or Nathan under psychiatric care? Have you ever been?”

“No.”

“Anyone in your husband’s circles you think would do this?”

“No.”

“Has your husband ever used or dealt drugs?”

“Absolutely not.”

“Does he gamble?”

“No.”

“How are you set financially?”

“Comfortable, I guess.”

“No heavy debts, large loans?”

“No.”

“Do you know Angela Donnor or Franklin Wallace?”

“Only from the news last year.”

“Would you object to a polygraph test.”

“A lie-detector? My son’s missing and you think I’d lie to you.”

“It’s routine, but it will help. I am being straight with you.”

Maggie covered her mouth with her hands and nodded.

“Good. It really is routine,” Sydowski continued. “Can you think ofanyone in yours or your husband’s past who might hold a grudge, might have astrong dislike for either of you?”

“No, I can’t.”

“Is there anyone in your families, or circle of friends or acquaintances,who desperately want children, but can’t have any?”

“Just us. Before we had Danny.” Tears rolled down Maggie’s face.

Sydowski put his big hand on hers.

“Maggie, what we’re going to ask you is very important. As soon asyou can, we need you to write out a daily schedule, with a detailed hour-by-hourbreakdown of the entire family’s routine for the last month. What you do, whereyou go, everything, with all the detail you can provide. Places, name,everything. Inspector Turgeon can help you. It’s crucial. Can you do it?”

“I will do anything you ask of us, Inspector.”

“Don’t answer your phone without us knowing.”

Maggie nodded.

“You were very helpful. We’ll talk again later.”

“Is my son dead, Inspector?” Her voice became ragged. “I know whathappened last year with that little girl at Golden Gate Park. I know you andLinda are homicide police, so you tell me right now if you think my boy isdead. You tell me.”

Sydowski stood, remembering Golden Gate. The rain. Tanita MarieDonner’s body in the garbage bag. Her killer may have just claimed anothervictim, Maggie Becker’s boy. What could he tell her?

“We don’t know if Danny’s dead. We have no evidence to suggest it.All we know right now is that a stranger took him. Maybe he just wants him fora little while and will let him go. That happens.”