Font Size:  

She’d had her for English her senior year and had heard the story about Adam and Ashlie having a baby together. However, it wasn’t public knowledge that there was a conflict regarding the baby’s custody, so she didn’t hesitate to unlock the door and let her in.

“I saw Adam drop her off,” she said, grinning. “He told me to pick her up if I wanted to so here I am.”

“Oh! He just left,” Sheryl said. “He didn’t mention that…”

“No, I just ran into him, just now.”

Pointing over her shoulder toward the street, Ashlie stood at the counter, looking at her baby. She gripped the seat and pulled it toward her.

“Get her bag for me, please, Sheryl.”

Sheryl hesitated, something about the encounter not feeling right. They had a strictly hands off policy there; whoever brought the child in took the child out, unless they had made prior arrangements.

“Let me just check the intake forms,” she said.

“I’m taking her.” She picked up the baby in her car seat.

“Miss Thebideux, wait,” she said, but Ashlie was heading to the door.

“Adam knows I’m here,” she insisted.

Sheryl didn’t care how ridiculous she looked and ran ahead of her to block the door. “I’m sorry, but you can’t take her until I talk to Mr. Spencer. Wait and I’ll call him. It will only take a minute.”

Not going to be dissuaded, Ashlie pushed her, shoving her with the car seat. “No, Sheryl, I’m leaving with my baby.”

“Calista!” Sheryl screamed, waking up the baby who startled and cried out.

“Now you’ve done it, you asshole; move the hell out of my way,” Ashlie shouted.

Missy and Calista came running in. Struggling, Sheryl got the seat out of Ashlie’s hands and fled with Adelaide to the back where the other children were and shut and locked the door. Fortunately, she’d locked the outer door again after Ashlie had entered the building, giving Calista time to call 911.

“Why are you doing this?” Ashlie cried, trying to open the door. “She’s my baby.”

“Call Adam and tell him to come back,” Calista instructed Missy. “His number should be on the intake sheet.”

Ashlie had gotten the door unlocked just as Sheriff Chastain pulled up to the curb with another officer. A second and third car arrived behind him.

“Ash, you’re not going anywhere,” he said gently, catching her on the sidewalk. “Tell me what happened?”

“I came for my baby,” she said, crying. “It’s not fair they’re keeping her from me.”

“You don’t have the right to do that, Ashlie. You know that. You’re going to get yourself in a lot of trouble over this.”

He instructed one of the other officers to get Calista’s statement. “Find out if they called Adam Spencer back, too.”

The sheriff led her to the patrol car and opened the door for her. He hesitated cuffing her, but did it, just in case. Some Houdinis could find their way out of the back of a patrol car even though there were no door handles in the back seat.

“Are you arresting me?”

“Not at this time. I’m holding you for questioning until Adam gets here,” he explained. “If he corroborates your story, you’ll be free to go with my apologies.”

He wasn’t sure if the attempt to take the baby, knowing the circumstances, was a cause for arrest. For all he knew Adam had called her to pick up the baby. They’d wait for him to show up.

In five minutes, since the school was just down the street, Adam came running, not even bothering to bring his car.

“What happened?” he asked, frantic.

“Ashlie came to take the baby, saying you told her to do so.”

Source: www.allfreenovel.com
Articles you may like