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“Okay. This way,” I said, feeling like a dope.
They followed me into the living room, and I saw them looking around. I felt pride, but also concern. What difference did it make what my house looked like?
“Can you tell us what happened?”
“I worked late tonight and got off at Grand Central. For some reason, there were no cabs, so I got out my pepper spray and started to walk. It’s only three blocks. When I got to the corner of Lexington, a car pulled up to the curb, the door opened, and a guy held the bundle up, leaned out a little way, the driver yelled something, and the guy holding the bundle dropped it on the median. The car started to pull away, and that’s when I heard the crying, so I went to see what it was. But not before the diaper bag came flying out the window.”
“Did you notice anything about the car?”
“It was an older sedan. Dark, maybe dark green.”
“How about the guy? Did you get a look at him?”
“Not really. It was dark. No street lights in the middle of the block. He had a dark baseball cap on, scrawny, facial hair. He wore dark glasses, too.”
The baby fussed a little, so I put her to my shoulder.
“He dropped the baby onto the median,” the detective said, a hint of incredulity in his voice that I appreciated.
“Right. He leaned out, like he didn’t want to drop it too far down,” I replied, patting the baby’s back.
What happened next floored me. The female officer, Officer Cameron, got a call and left the room to talk. I heard the strain in her voice as she replied to whatever had upset her. When she returned, I’d get the bombshell.
“Well, this is a first. Child Protective Services is unable to step in right away and has asked me to take the baby back to the precinct until they can get a caseworker over there to place her in a foster home.”
I had zero experience with a kid, let alone a tiny baby, but when I looked down at the little scrunched-up face, something inexplicable bubbled up in my chest. When I could speak without blubbering, I looked up at the officer. “Can she stay with me?”
The detective and the officers exchange glances, then turned to me.
“Yes,” said Officer Cameron. “Will you allow a quick background check?”
“Of course,” I replied.
She nodded and left the apartment, I supposed for the squad car. The detective got out his phone and pointed to the bundle I held.
“I’ll take photos of the baby and what she’s wearing and the diaper bag.”
The bag was in my bedroom. After following me, he waited while I emptied the bag and arranged the items on my bed. He spent the next few minutes taking pictures of the baby and her belongings, cataloging the contents of the diaper bag. I noticed him looking around the room, and once again, it made me proud.
“That’s it for now,” he said.
We went back out to the living room.
“Would you like coffee?” I asked.
Officer Griffin nodded. “Thank you, yes.”
“How about you, Detective?”
“I’m good. Can I hold her for you?”
“Okay. I’m not sure I can multitask holding a baby,” I said, not sure I was capable of taking care of a baby, period, but here I was.
I reluctantly handed him the little bundle. He followed me to the kitchen with her in his arms. It was the first chance I had to look at the detective. He was so handsome, lean and dark and dressed to the teeth.
“Have a seat,” I said, pointing to a bar stool. “That’s a pretty fancy suit for a detective.”
He looked down at his jacket, grinning. “I like nice clothes and bargain shopping,” he said, looking up at me with that smile. “I also discount shop in New Jersey.”
