My Baby’s Gone, Chapter 21

It is dawn. The new shift of workers have come on at the Sanitarium. The morning nurse comes in to check on her patients.

“ Morning, Mrs. Lopez-Fitzgerald. Time for me to check and see if you need anything.”

She moves in to check Sheridan’s pulse, and feels nothing. Pushing back the blanket, she sees why there’s no pulse – there’s no Sheridan. She runs out into the hall.

” Help! Help! Sheridan Crane is missing!”

Luis is pouring himself a cup of coffee.

” Morning, Mama.”

” Luis. You look tired.”

” Actually, I wish it was a case. I was following a lead, and my car broke down. I was miles away from anything, and had to walk for what seems forever before a truck picked me up hitchhiking.”

” Awe, my poor Baby. I’m sorry.”

“ I’ll be fine, Mama. How are things with you?”

Before Pilar has a chance to respond, Antonio burst through the kitchen door.

Luis and Antonio stared at one another.  Pilar stepped in front of Luis.

” Antonio, why did you come in here and attack your brother?”

” THAT sonuvabitch stole Sheridan!”

” Stole Sheridan? Antonio what are you talking about?”, Theresa asked.

” Sheridan is missing.”

” Missing?”

” Don’t pretend that you don’t know that Sheridan is gone from the Sanitarium, Luis. After all, YOU’RE the one who did it!”

” I don’t know what you’re talking about. Sheridan’s missing?”

” Yes. You won’t get away with it, Luis! I’ll find Sheridan and have YOU put IN JAIL!”

“ Antonio, don’t say such things about your brother. Luis didn’t take Sheridan, did you Luis?”

“ No.”

Antonio is about to move in again on Luis, but Pilar gets between them. “ Antonio, if you can’t talk about this rationally, then you should leave.”

” I’ll leave. For now, Mama. But, I’ll be back with the police.”

Antonio leaves, and Pilar turns to Luis. “ Antonio is gone, Luis. Is it true? Did you take Sheridan?”

” Mama. I’m going to the station to see if they have any leads on Sheridan.”

Pilar looked at Theresa. “ Well, what do you think?”

” I wouldn’t blame Luis if he DID take Sheridan. He hasn’t given up on his true love with her anymore than I’ve given up on Ethan.”

Pilar rolled her eyes. “ Theresa, Ethan is in Tokyo. He’s NOT coming back.”

” You don’t know that!”

” That doesn’t matter. He IS Little Ethan’s father. Theresa, give it up. Get a life.”

” This, from the woman who has lit a candle every night for nearly 20 years?”

Pilar slapped Theresa. “ How can you be so disrespectful? I was married to your father, In the church. Before God. What did you have with Ethan? Nothing but lies, lies and more lies. I’m going to see if I can find out anything else about Sheridan. Why don’t you TRY to think about someone other than yourself?”

Luis arrived at the Police Station. Alistair Crane’s voice was booming over the speakerphone at Sam.

” What do you mean you have nothing on Sheridan! She was in a Psychiatric Hospital. How the hell did she get out?”

” Alistair, I told you, I don’t know anything about Sheridan. We’re beginning our investigation.”

“ I told you where to begin. Luis Lopez-Fitzgerald. HE’S the one who has Sheridan.”

” Alistair, we’re following all leads. Now, I have to go.”

Before Alistair could reply, Sam clicked off the speakerphone. He looks up at Luis.

” So, you know?”

” That Sheridan is missing? Yeah. What happened?”

” What we know is that Sheridan was in her bed at last night’s checkup. But, she wasn’t there when they did the morning rounds. So, sometime last night, Sheridan left the Sanitarium. Just to clear this up, where WERE you last night Luis? “

” I got an anonymous tip about a meth lab. I went to check it out, and my car broke down. I walked for miles before I got picked up as a hitchhiker. I was going to get the car towed this morning.”

” Towed? Luis, your squadcar is out back with the rest of them.”

Luis left Sam and went behind the police station. Sam was right. His squadcar was there. Sam had followed him.

” Impossible.”

” Luis…DID you have anything to do with Sheridan going missing?”

Luis shook his head. “ No.”

“ I believe you, because this is our relationship. But, Luis, you better be able to prove where you were when Sheridan went missing. Alistair Crane’s not going to let it go.”

Antonio is in the Library with Alistair.

” You KNOW it was Luis.”

” Of course I know it was your brother. But, he has her, and we have to find a way to get her back.”

” He’s not saying anything. And, I doubt that Sam Bennett will arrest Luis.”

” You’re right. He’s too close to Luis. So, that’s why I’ve called in the FBI. Kidnapping IS a federal offense. Luis will be arrested soon, and we’ll be able to get the information from him.”

Gwen listened with attention at the Library door.