I didn’t expect an answer. I tilted my head, trying to meet her sad eyes. She still refused to look at me, but a tear leaked out. I didn’t hesitate to bring her to me, wrapping my arms around her and laying my cheek against the top of herhead.
“What were you talking about that made her upset?” I asked, turning to Emily, ignoring the raised voices in the office and Dawn stiffened more than she alreadywas.
“I left the door open a crack, since having it closed all the way makes her panic, and we heard their voices. I tried to get her to stay, but she came down here, and I had to follow; I didn’t know what else to do,” Emily said, near tearsherself.
“It’s okay,” I smiled gently. “Can you call Kaleb for me,please?”
“Yeah, sure,” she said, taking a deep breath, and headed back upstairs. I knew Kaleb would want to know who was here, and if I could keep them longer, he could get someone here, along withhimself.
“Dawn?” I said, hoping I got her attention. Her breathing was faster than normal, but not quite panic-fast yet. “I’m sure you know who’s in my office right now. It’s completely up to you, but you can either come in and face the music, or go back upstairs where Emily is, where you won’t have to seethem.”
“Please,” she mumbled out in a whisper, turning her face in my shoulder and neck. She tried to crawl intome.
“Okay,” I said, taking a deep breath. “I won’t let either of them take you from me.Ever.”
“If it wasn’t for your stupid ass, I wouldn’t have had to sell my daughter!” Joan shouted, making Dawn jump and whimper intome.
“I wasn’t the one who made you decide to become a drug addict,” Morgan shot back. “And I didn’t make you sell her. I only gave you theoption!”
“Hey, enough,” I hollered at them as I walked back into the room. I guess we had our answer now whether Joan knew what hadhappened.
I held Dawn against me with her back to the two, and her head turned into my shoulder. I felt her shaking and only pulled her closer in response. “Now, what was so important that you had to come by today, of all days? I do have things todo.”
“It’s in the box,” Morgan said, motioning and glaring at the box that still sat on my desk. Joan huffed in response but stayed quiet as she slumped in thechair.
I slowly reached for the box. The lid had a few holes cut into the top. It was about the size of my shoe, which could be filled with just about anything. There was a weighted object inside ofit.
Glancing first at my girl, who was still hiding behind me while her hands were wrapped around my left arm, then looking up at the two, who were both looking my way, I slowly lifted the lid up. I wasn’t sure what I’d expected, but it sure wasn’t the little thing wrapped up tightly in a blanket. She was tiny but looked healthy at firstglance.
“A baby?” I asked, shocked, looking up at the two, and making Dawn glance up at me as she held herbreath.
“One of the girls gave birth, and Galvin wanted me to ‘take care of it’. I couldn’t kill it. I already had to watch one girl lose a baby,” Morgansaid.
“I can’t stand the crying of thatthing,” Joan said, crossing her arms over herchest.
“You can’t stand anyone, no matter who they are these days,” Morgan mumbled towardsJoan.
“How dare you,” Joan replied angrily. “I’m upset, you idiot. I want my daughter back. She was stolen fromme.”
“Joan, please,” Morgan said. “You know she wasn’t, now please knock itoff.”
“I will take her myself if I knew where she was,” Joanseethed.
“How old is the baby?” I asked, touching her warm cheek, mostly to make sure she was alive andreal.
“Less than a week,” Morgan said. “The girl was only about seven or so months along, I think. I had her taken out of the compound so Erick didn’t end it the same way as the last one, but she didn’t survive thebirth.”
“Okay,” I said, but then turned to Dawn. “Sweetie, I need my otherhand. “
Her eyes were wide, but clearer, as she moved slightly back, keeping her back to the two who had put her into the life she hadn’t wanted. Smiling down at her, I turned to the baby in the box. I gently picked it up, guessing it was less than five pounds. After laying it on the desk and unwrapping the blanket, I found no clothing, just a diaper that seemed full and in need of achange.
“Can you get me a diaper from the stash Kelly leaves here?” I asked, turning to Dawn, who was staring in frightened awe. She nodded and went to the livingroom.
“How old was the mother?” I asked, looking up at Morgan, who was now standing on the other side of thedesk.
“Eighteen, or so,” Morgan shrugged. “I really don’t know. She was homeless, and Erick was in charge while she was at the compound, but she was pregnant before him, I think. I snuck her out when there weren’t many guards, and took her to myplace.”
“Thanks,” I said, taking the diaper and wipes fromDawn.
