The Unborn

Chapter 7

 Marla stood up and leaned in close to Mike, her striking eyes glued intently on his. "Why don’t you stop beating around the bush Detective? If there’s something you want, spit it out" The ice of her words sent their conversation into an entirely different direction.

 "Actually Marla…" Mike began. "I wanna know why one of your clients was murdered and why you and your boss lady aren’t bein’ straight with me and my buddy?" he returned her coolness, studying her reaction with great interest.

 She leaned in closer to him, glanced briefly over his shoulder and into the waiting room, then said, "I thought you, of all people, would know how dangerous it is to run around accusing people of something before you have evidence to back it up."

 "Accusing?" Mike held her stare. "I ain't accusing you of anything, but since you brought the subject up… do you know anything about Tessa Hunt’s murder?"

 She made no effort to reply; her fixed glare told him that she had no intention of replying either.

 Mike pulled out his notebook; he thumbed through the pages casually, shifting his eyes back to Marla every so often. "Tessa’s murder, there’s things about it… terrible things."

 She retreated back somewhat but still said nothing.

 Mike continued, "The brutality, the slicin’ and dicin’ that was done to her, not a pretty sight. The mutilation, Marla… oh, just awful. Here," Mike gestured to his notebook. "You wanna see for yourself?"

 Marla fell backward into her chair. "Detective please, get that away from me."

 At last he had managed to make her crumble, now he might get some answers from her.

 "Listen Marla, just tell me what you know and get the big boss lady to talk to me, then I’ll leave ya alone." He softened his tone but remained firm.

 "Honestly Detective… I don’t know anything." She hung her head and rested it in her hands. "Tessa was just a client, like any other client. She came in, went through the process and left. That’s all I know."

 "The process, what’s that mean?" he pried her some more.

 "They come in, meet with Dr. Sugars, she explains the procedure…"

 "The baby killin’?" Mike interrupted.

 She looked up at him and rolled her eyes, his terminology less than desirable to her. "The termination procedure, yes."

 "Then what?"

 "Then I accompany them to a small office behind me," she pointed to a door just behind her, "Then I speak to them about alternative choices, give them some handout’s and explain to them that we have a mandatory two week waiting period in which time they must speak to our affiliated counsellor."

 "And who is that? Your affiliated counsellor."

 Marla searched through her desk and produced a glossy business card with bold, italic printing on the front. She handed it to him.

 Anna Jameson- Counsellor.

 Mike simply stared at it, his eyes wide in surprise. "This is your regular counsellor?" He asked.

 "Yes, that’s right."

 "How long has she been working with ya’s?"

 "For nearly twelve months now, I guess," Marla replied.

 He tucked the business card into his notebook and continued questioning Marla about Tessa Hunt. "And what decision did she make?"

 "Detective, you know that’s all confidential," she sighed, knowing full well he was going to keep pushing her anyhow.

 "Well how much confidence has she got now Marla? She’s dead!"

 "Look, all I can tell you is that she asked for more time to make her decision and work through her other options."

 "And what options are they?" 

 "Adoption, motherhood…"

 "So she hadn’t made a firm choice to kill her baby yet?"

 "Would you stop saying it like that? These women come here looking for help when they are in a particularly vulnerable state and the last thing they need is judgement Detective." Marla’s tone became icy again. "Unless you are ever in their position, you have no idea what they are going through, so just back off!"

 "Why Marla, is that compassion I hear in your words?" he taunted her.

 "You, like so many people, will never understand how terrifying it can be to be pregnant and know that you will be emotionally or financially unable to raise the child successfully. Sometimes the alternative to raising a child in this world is kinder."

 Her words ran through Mike’s head. He couldn’t help but disagree with the whole abortion issue on a personal level. He could never entertain the idea of killing his own child, he simply wouldn’t allow it. Children are a gift and should be treated as such.

 "So what did she decide Marla?"

 "All I know is, she scheduled a termina-tion and then phoned to ask for more time to consider it."

 "So you think she was gonna have the kid"

 "That was my impression, and as I say, my impression. I never knew for sure and I guess now we never will."

 "The father?" Mike pried on.

 "Now that, I definitely can’t help you with Detective. I have absolutely no idea. She never discussed him with me. Perhaps the counsellor can give you the insight you need."

 "Perhaps you’re right Marla."

 She looked at him, a snakey smile forming at the corners of her mouth, "I’m sure she’d be simply delighted to meet you."

 Mike chortled at her attempted humour, he did actually find it amusing.

"One final question for you before I see the boss lady…"

 "Oh you can’t see Dr. Sugars," she cut him off. "She’s not to be disturbed today, paperwork overload, you know how it is."

"Now Marla, I know you wouldn’t like me to hang around your desk all day, scaring your customers off. How would it be for busi-ness if a cop was hangin’ around shouting about how you’re violating the commandment Though Shalt Not Kill?" 

 "Okay, okay… what’s your final question? Then I will ask if Dr. Sugars can spare you a few minutes.‛"

 "I just knew you’d come around." He produced the picture of Jane Doe and placed it face up on the counter in front of her. "Do you know this woman?"