Daddy's Little Girl (Complete book- limited time only)

Chapter 31: Toying With The Law

Ron frantically tries to recover his fumbled phone. Having fallen into the depths of the dark foot space of the car, he pats with his hand around on the floor mat, searching desperately. At last he feels the small device with his large hand. He quickly brings the phone back to his ear.

"Hello? Are you still there?" Ron prays the call wasn't dropped like his phone was.

Nurse Ames' rough voice comes through, "Yes, I'm still here."

Ron sighs in relief, "Good. I'll be right there. Don't let that little girl outta your sights."

"Oh, um...I don't see her. S-she was right here but I looked away for just a second...and now she's gone."

"Shit! Well go find her." Ron ends the call and peels out, racing toward the hospital.

***

Still in her coma, Brandy lays in the now darkened room. No emergency lights are within the room. The only signs of light come from the dimly lit hallway and the faintest hint of moonlight that shines through the window. All is quiet except for the soft steady beeps coming from the monitoring devices. Brandy's heart carries on ceaselessly, unwilling to quit on her. Perhaps her heart would be beating much faster right now if her body and mind had not given up on her. If her eyes could open, and her brain could process the information they saw, her heart would surely be beating a hole through her chest. If only she would just open her eyes, she would see the small silhouette of the child standing at the doorway to her room.

***

Nurse Ames scurries out from behind the nurses' station in search of the little girl. She checks down a few hallways but there are no signs of the lost child. She calls aloud for the girl, "Hello? Little girl where are you?"

The nurse's pace quickens as she hurries toward Detective Brandy Page's room.

Inside the room Abby stands emotionless at the foot of the bed, watching Brandy as she sleeps. Abby cocks her head to the side looking at Brandy's eyes, watching as they move beneath her eyelids. She wants Brandy to open her eyes so she can see what's to come. This will be too easy for Abby. She enjoys a challenge just as her father does. Abby would prefer not to stab a sleeping victim...where's the fun in that? Abby looks toward the door. She hears the nurse's voice getting closer as she is calling for 'little girl' from the hallway.

Nurse Ames reaches Brandy's unlit room and peers into the darkness. She is hesitant to enter the lightless room, "Hello?"

No sounds return to her. She slowly creeps in toward the bed were Brandy lies. She doesn't see the figure of anybody, so she assumes she is alone. 'Humph'

Nurse Ames figures while she is in the room, she may as well check on the patient. She side steps through the tight space between the bed and the privacy curtain. She checks Brandy's I.V. and the monitors to be sure her vitals are normal.

From the corner of her eye she sees the curtain tremble behind her. She quickly turns but the curtain is still, unmoving. She wonders if it's just the darkness playing tricks on her eyes. She shrugs off her paranoia and continues to check on Brandy, often glancing back over her shoulder at the curtain. She turns the volume down on the monitors when she suddenly notices a teddy bear sitting in the chair next to the bed.

She stares at the bear for a moment then curiously, nurse Ames rounds the bed to the other side. She scoops up the bear and looks at it. 'Humph'. As she turns to exit the room she is startled by a small dark figure standing in her path. "Ohhh..." She drops the bear and it tumbles to a stop by Abby's feet. "...Y-you shouldn't be in here..." She walks toward Abby with a disappointed look. "...and this isn't your mother. You have some explaining to do."