The Girl and the Unlucky 13 (Emma Griffin™ FBI Mystery) by A.J. Rivers (i have read the book .txt) 📕

“I sincerely apologize,” he says. “Is there anything I can do to assist you in finding out who did this?”

“No,” I say. “I will do my job. You figure out how to do yours.”

Stalking out of the office, I get on the phone with Eric.

“How’s everything going?” he asks.

I can hear Bebe in the background fussing. “I could ask you the same question. Everything okay over there?”

“Just time for a snack. She’s gotten very good at letting us know when she’s hungry,” he says.

“Sounds like her mama.”

“I’m not going to say anything to confirm that about the woman I love, and who has only just given me a beautiful child, but we both know I’m nodding right now,” he says.

“I miss you guys. Can’t wait to see all of you soon. I’m not going to keep you and I know you’re not working right now…”

“What do you need?” he asks.

“I don’t want to take up any of your time. You should be with B and the baby.”

“She has her mother here, and she’s been saying I should take a break. Let me help you,” I say.

“I’m not sure working counts as a break, but I’ll take the help.”

I explain what happened, and Eric says he will work on tracking the call and figuring out where it originated. From there, it should be easier to narrow down who actually made it. Thanking him, I end the call and tuck my phone away in my pocket just as I’m getting to Ashley’s room. I knock on the door and wait for Misty to open it.

“Did you talk to the administrator?” Misty asks.

“Yes,” I nod. “And he played the message for me. There definitely was a call. But obviously, it wasn’t me.”

“Then who was it?” Misty asks.

“I don’t know yet. But I have the best guy I know in the Bureau working on it,” I tell her.

“Do I have to go?” Ashley asks nervously. “Are they going to move me to that other hospital?”

“No,” I say adamantly.

“Thank goodness,” Misty sighs in relief.

“The important thing to remember is that we don’t know exactly why that call was made. It could very well be a hoax. Maybe someone found out the contact information for the administrator and put in the request to see if she could make something happen. It’s sick and ridiculous, but people do things like that. They like to feel powerful and manipulate situations.”

I perhaps know that better than anyone.

“What about the media out there?” Misty asks, flinging her hand up in the direction of the front of the hospital in her exasperation. “Could it have been one of them trying to get Ashley outside so they can take pictures of her and try to get some sort of statement?”

“It’s possible. Right now, we don’t know. But we’re going to find out. What matters is that everyone knows that call was not authentic. There was no legitimate request. Ashley isn’t going anywhere,” I say.

“But I want to,” Ashley says.

“What?” Misty asks, her voice almost powdery. “Honey, you don’t have to do anything just because someone said you need to. You’re safe here. You don’t have to go to another hospital.”

“I don’t want to go to another hospital,” she says. “I want to go home.”

Thirty-Nine

Misty’s eyes overflow with tears that slide down her cheeks and pool in the deep lines made by her wide smile. She walks up to the side of the bed and takes Ashley’s hand, leaning down to kiss it.

“Oh, baby. You have no idea how happy it makes me to hear you say that,” she says softly.

“Can I?” Ashley asks. “I’m fine. They’ve done the examinations. They’ve done tests. I’m fine.”

She emphasizes the statement the second time she says it.

“Has the doctor spoken to you about the possibility of leaving?” I ask.

Misty and Ashley both shake their heads.

“Not since you spoke with the head doctor on the team,” Misty says.

“Alright. Let me see if I can get some answers for you.”

This is a delicate situation. I notice Ashley isn’t hooked up to the IV for fluids anymore, and the few days in the hospital have left her looking stronger. Right now, she is safer because of the security team and the monitored building, but if there is no physical health reason for her to remain here under the doctor’s care, security isn’t enough justification to keep her in the hospital.

Being home with her family, away from the constant prodding of the medical team, would give her a better chance to rest, recover, and start trying to piece life back together. The family will need time to heal as much as she does; that can’t really start until they are back in the same space.

It takes another couple of hours to work out Ashley’s discharge. Now is the challenge of getting her out of the hospital without turning it into a media circus. The story of a missing person who returns after five years whips up the media and acts as fodder for stories for weeks, even in big cities. Make it a town on the smaller side, and the recovery of the person as dramatic as this one was, and it’s enough to create nothing short of a frenzy.

Media outlets from all over the country have camped out in front of the hospital, waiting for any sighting of Ashley or any chance to interview her family. The police have moved them a couple of times, and the hospital staff is constantly doing everything they can to shoo them along, but they haven’t relented. Freedom of the press is a battle cry among this type. They will push that to the very edge of decency and legality in hopes of getting that perfect picture or that juicy story.

I have no intention of Ashley’s being a part of either one. Which is going to take some coordination.

Or misdirection.

“Cover your face with this,” I say, handing Ava a pink sweatshirt that would