Mariah Stewart - Acts of Mercy

When Robert started to protest, Collier turned to him and said, “If you take one more step, I will have you locked up for interfering with an investigation.”

Robert backed off.

The chief went to the vending machine and dropped in some change. He made a selection, then grabbed two paper cups from the shelf under the water cooler before making his way to the back of the station. They heard a door open and close.

Robert was in acute pain, and it showed on his face.

“I know how hard this is for you.” Susanna stroked his back, her voice soothing. “But it’s going to be worth it. We’re going to get him back. Just be patient a little longer.”

“He’s going to need the fingerprints.” Robert did not even attempt to hide his anguish. “She isn’t going to give them to him.”

“Then we’ll have Luke Parrish get a subpoena, or a warrant, or whatever it is we need to force her to let him be printed,” Kevin said. “A court order, maybe.”

“All right, yes.” Robert nodded and patted his pockets for his phone. “I’ll ask him to get started on that right away.”

“He sounded really busy earlier,” Kevin reminded them.

“He can get unbusy. What’s the number?”

Robert began to dial the number Kevin recited, but the call went straight to voice mail. Robert left a message and hung up.

“I’ll call him every hour on the hour if I have to,” Robert grumbled.

“Rob, maybe you should call Noah Goodman,” Susanna suggested.

“That’s not a bad idea. I’m going to need him before this is over anyway.” Robert began to dial his lawyer’s number. “Do any of us really expect her to admit outright that she took the baby from the car?”

When the attorney picked up, Robert explained the situation. When the conversation ended, he told the others, “Noah thinks we need to file a court order today, to force Carole Woolum to permit us to obtain Ian’s fingerprints. He’s contacting a friend of his who has a practice up here. He’ll know the judges, and he’ll know exactly what to file and with whom.”

The door to the back room opened and all three of them lunged forward, but it was Collier calling for Officer Duffy to do something. Susanna and Kevin sat down again, but Robert began to pace. He wasn’t accustomed to feeling powerless. He didn’t understand why he couldn’t see his son. And he thought the chief was being overly cautious and taking too long.

Another twenty minutes passed, and Duffy went down the hall and waved the chief out. They conferred for several minutes-“Are you sure? You’re positive?” they heard Collier ask, and Duffy nodded emphatically.

“What the hell are they doing down there?” Robert looked like he was close to snapping. “What is taking so damned long?”

Duffy went into the room with Carole Woolum, and the chief went into his office. Several minutes later, he came back out, went across the hall again.

A scream reverberated through the station, bringing everyone to their feet. The door to the room at the back of the hall opened, and Collier walked out, holding the child.

“No, you don’t understand!” Carole Woolum fled into the hall, struggling with Duffy and the other officer, who were trying to restrain her. “God gave him to me. He’s my gift from God! You can’t take him!”

“Mommy!” Ian cried, and the knife twisted in Robert’s heart.

“Mr. Magellan, the FBI is on the way,” Collier told him. “There’s going to be some paperwork, there will be some details to resolve. But there’s no question in my mind that this is your son, and I can’t see any reason to keep him from you.” He handed the frightened child to Robert, who eagerly reached out for him with tears in his eyes. But Ian-Matthew-began to cry.

“Let me try,” Susanna said. “Maybe he isn’t used to men…”

She took the boy from Collier.

“There now. It’s all right, little guy.” She brushed the dark curls from his face. “You’re a little scared right now, aren’t you? It’s going to be all right soon. I promise.”

He rested his head on her shoulder, and she began to sway slightly from side to side. Just like Beth used to do , Robert thought. Just like every other mother he’d ever seen.

“What convinced you?” Kevin asked Collier.

“I got his prints off the paper cup, had Duffy compare them electronically. There’s no question in my mind who that boy is.” He shook his head. “Folks, that is one mixed-up lady back there.”

“Chief Collier, perhaps I could have a word with her,” Kevin said.

“It may not help, but it probably won’t hurt, either. Go on back,” the chief told him.

Kevin walked down the hall to the door where Carole Woolum waited to be booked for kidnapping and other charges. He opened the door and went inside.

“What happens now?” Robert asked. “And when can I take my son home?”

“It would sure help if the padre can get Carole Woolum to admit that she found the boy.”

“And if she doesn’t?”

“Then we’ll have another whole mess to deal with. In the meantime, I’m going to have to call in Children’s Services. Might as well do that now.” Collier headed back to his office.

Robert was aching to hold Ian, but every time he came too close, the child began to cry and clung to Susanna, burying his face in her neck. At least he seemed comfortable with her. It would be a long trip home if Ian continued to cry.

It would be longer still if they had to go home without him.

“Ms. Woolum-Carole,” Kevin took her gently by the shoulders and looked into her eyes. “Will you sit and talk with me for a few moments?”

The woman’s sobs were huge, wracking cries. “They took my baby away. They took my son…”

Officer Duffy met Kevin’s eyes, then stepped off to the side.

“Do you remember me, Carole?” He kept his voice soft, and forced a calm he didn’t feel. “We met earlier today. I’m Father Burch.”

“Yes… yes. I remember.”

“I told you I’d spoken with Mother Joseph at the convent.” He held the woman’s hands, and she grasped onto them.

“I remember.”

“You were going to tell me about the last time you were at the cabin.”

“It’s been a while. I… I don’t remember, exactly.”

“Was it summer, winter…?”

“Winter,” she said readily. “It was cold. I had to build a little fire there in the fireplace. There was a lot of wood outside, stacked up.”

“Why had you gone to the cabin by yourself in the cold of winter?”

“I needed to think.” She pulled her hands from his and covered her face with them. “I needed to be alone to think.”

“How long ago had you left the convent?”

“Three years. It’s been three years. I was Sister Jerome then. Jerome, after my father.”

Kevin took a handkerchief from his pocket and pressed it into her hands. She nodded her thanks and began to dry her face.

“I wasn’t sure, you see. The first time I went to the cabin, it was to think things through. Did I want to stay in the order, or should I leave? Had I lost my vocation? Was there something else God wanted me to do?” She shook her head. “I didn’t know. But I thought if I was questioning it that much, then maybe I didn’t have a true calling. So I did leave. I went home. My father was gone, my mother was dying… she did die while I was home that time. I stayed in the house for a couple of months afterward, but I started thinking that maybe I should call Reverend Mother, maybe I should go back. I really didn’t know where I belonged, do you understand?”

“Yes, I do.” Kevin had had his period of doubts, too. He couldn’t think of anyone who’d taken Holy Orders who never questioned their decision.