Motherhood Is Murder

mask.

She pulled away from the EMT. ?I can deliver the baby.?

?No!? I screamed. ?Call Inspector McNearny! She?s killed two people! Call Inspector??

Evelyn let out a low moan.

Celia rushed to her side.

More sirens sounded from down the street.

The EMT said, ?Her heart rate?s too low. We?re losing her.?

More EMTs rushed in. Soon they had Evelyn on a stretcher and into an ambulance with Celia. Kenny and I were ushered to the other ambulance. When we made our way through the lobby of the center, I spotted my diaper bag strewn across the floor. I gathered up my items, including Laurie?s purple puppy, which had fallen out.

I remembered that my cell phone was somewhere in the middle of the street. When I asked the EMT if I could go retrieve it, he gave me a look that would freeze over hell.

We were silent on the ride to the hospital. I was examined by a middle-aged physician, who told me my ribs were bruised where Celia had repeatedly kicked me. He taped them up for me and then I was left to wait with Kenny for Inspector McNearny or Jones in the waiting room.

Please, God, let then send Jones. Please send Jones!

My understanding was that Celia was having her nose set, and given my accusations, she would be held in a separate waiting room.

Suddenly my hand flew to Kenny?s knee. ?The Opera! Oh my God! What time do you have to be there??

Kenny looked at the giant white clock on the wall and smiled. ?Half an hour ago.?

I grabbed his shoulders. ?Kenny! I?m so sorry.?

?It?s okay, Kate. Helping you catch a murderer is much more exciting than??

?Don?t say it. You should be at the Opera right now.

I?m so sorry I dragged you into this.?

He waved me off. ?Nah. This is a much cooler story for my friends.?

We waited in silence. Kenny pulled out his phone and started texting. ?Are you already bragging?? I asked.

He laughed.

I thought about Evelyn. We hadn?t seen her since they?d rushed her out of the center. When I arrived at the hospital, I?d asked a nurse about her, but she?d been grim-faced and told me she didn?t know the status of the mother or child.

I thought of Evelyn?s little son, ?the biter.? Where was he tonight? Probably with his nanny. Poor little guy, he needed to have his mommy live.

Please God, let them be okay.

I dug into my diaper purse and pulled out Laurie?s puppy. Her toothless grin flashed in my mind. I pressed the puppy?s ear to hear her little coo.

Instead of Laurie?s coo, my voice came out of the recorder:

?The cops are on their way.?

My jaw dropped and I glanced at Kenny.

?Liar! You?re going to ruin everything! You should have stayed out of it.?

Kenny squeezed my arm.

?You killed that woman in Miami and took her baby. You sold her baby! You killed her and sold her baby!?

?Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!?

?That?s how you got the money for this remodel!?

?And I?m going to kill you! Just like I killed her!?

Kenny jumped up. ?You got her on tape! You got her on tape!?

The door to the waiting room swung open slightly and I could see Jones?s cropped hair.

Yea! It was Jones! No McNearny!

Jones pushed the door open and walked into the room. The door swung closed behind him only to reopen as McNearny followed him into the room, a tired expression on his face. ?Got who on tape??

My hands were shaking as I replayed the tape for Jones and McNearny.

McNearny listened, a stoic expression on his face.

They took statements from Kenny and me and confiscated Laurie?s little puppy. ?Any word on Evelyn and her baby?? I asked.

McNearny and Jones exchanged looks. Jones hung his head.

McNearny?s lips formed a straight line. ?They delivered the baby by cesarean. She?s going to be fine.?