She did have long fingers. Perhaps the piano.
I put my cell phone away in my diaper purse and rummaged past Laurie?s puppy for a piece of gum. For fun I pressed the puppy?s ear and listened to Laurie?s recorded coos. I listened to the playback about a dozen times.
What in the world was I doing here?
This was ridiculous. I should be home with munchkin and Daddy.
A blue car turned the corner and rolled down the street past me. I strained to get a look at the driver. I watched in the rearview mirror as the car pulled up to the center doors. I was parked down the street, hoping I was far enough to be tucked out of view.
The center doors opened and Celia rushed out to the car.
Could it be Howard?
Come on, come on. I need a break here!
Celia helped the driver out. It was Evelyn! She was hunched over. Celia held her as she rocked back and forth.
Oh my gosh! Evelyn was in labor. She was going to have her baby!
After a few moments Evelyn stood straight up. Celia helped her to the center and looked down the block.
Had she seen the van?
Oh, well. Not like she?d be running off to see Howard now. May as well head home and knock some items off my to-do list.
Wait, Kenny was on his way here. I grabbed my phone to see if I could reach him. If I could catch him before he left, then I wouldn?t be stuck here waiting for him.
I dug around my bag for my phone. I dialed Kenny but got his voice mail. I started to text him when I heard a car start.
I looked in my rearview mirror and saw Evelyn?s car zooming toward me. Celia was driving.
Wait.
Where was she going in Evelyn?s car? What about Evelyn in labor? Maybe Celia was simply reparking the car.
I studied the spot where the car had been. It looked like a legal spot.
My phone rang in my hand. I glanced at the caller ID. Paula.
?Did you find anything??
?I did!? She was breathless. ?I found the story, and then I called the paper and spoke to the writer. She was able to look up the midwife?s name for me. Get this. Cecelia Martinez.?
Labor Cecelia Martinez?
What did this mean? I knew her as Celia Martin?certainly that was an alias . . . or was it all a coincidence?
Wait! When I had been at the hospital, the nurse had called her Martinez. Yes! She?d said that.
?Kate. What do you know about that adoption she was arranging?? Paula asked.
My throat felt thick. It was difficult to breathe. ?No. They can?t be related. The story in Miami is more than a couple years old, right? Bruce and Helene were going to adopt a newborn, Celia?s cousin?s baby. I saw Helene?s plane ticket from SFO to Costa Rica. There were notes about traveling with an infant.?
I recalled the moms at La Petite Grenouille this afternoon discussing plane travel. Children over two years old needed their own ticket.
?Wait. What did you say?? Paula asked. ?Did you say SFO to Costa Rica??
?Yeah.?
?Why would she be traveling with an infant from SFO? Wouldn?t she be traveling there solo and then flying back with the baby??
I needed air. I cracked open the window and felt a breeze hit my face.
?Oh my God! They were going to steal a baby. Celia and Helene were going to steal a baby. I?m sure of it. Only maybe Helene had changed her mind. She canceled the construction plans and was going to leave Bruce. She was going to live with Alan and fight for custody of his children. It?s all making sense now!?
Celia was driving Evelyn?s car away to hide it. Make it look like Evelyn had never arrived.
Evelyn. Her baby! I had to get to her.
I started the engine and drove down the street to the front of the birthing center. One tire popped the curb but I didn?t care, I slammed the transmission into park.
