The Perfect Solution-A Suspense of Choices Read online

  "Mrs. Wall do you ever review these tapes?" Detective Serge pushed pause on the tape player and massaged his left temple and sighed tiredly. "Do you ever check to see what your staff does during the day? Do you realize that if a parent sees these tapes, they could file charges on you? As it is, it will be my duty to turn this tape in to the proper authorities."

  "No," she answered. "Not usually. Only if there is an incident or if a parent complains about something. I have a set of those monitors in my office. The staff knows that I keep the monitors on and take note of all potential problems. And I am severe with taking corrective measures. When I am here, I see none of these activities. They are a model staff. I can't be here all of the time. There are things I have to do as the director and a person of business. I have changed staff often because I don't want things like that to happen. If you knew the center, you would understand that the three women that were doing the abuse are new to the staff. I will immediately terminate their employ." She looked at the three offending women to make sure they knew she was talking to them. "You can review the tapes acquired throughout the past few months. None of this monstrosity will be on them," Bertha promised. "I have truly been working hard to weed out the bad seed and I have put a lot of money into this center because I want this to be a model facility.

  I know I started off with making money as my priority, but things have changed. I will do anything to make it the model facility it needs deserves to be. That's why I pay these people almost double minimum wage. I know the toddler room had too many children for one person and I have been working to remedy the situation. It is hard to find good staff, but I did call for two people to come in this morning. I had three very important appointments today and had to leave. I didn't know that only one had come in until I returned. I had no idea that Mrs. Julioux hadn't called anyone else in. If I would have been here, some of the older children could have been combined for a while and one of those teachers would have been sent to help Stephanie. Doing that would have been perfectly legal." She threw a disbelieving look at Mrs. Julioux.

  "I'm sorry. I didn't think about it. It was so hectic in the office. My thoughts were scattered. I know that it was mentioned earlier that there is never an aid in that room, but sometimes I help out in there, or the van drivers may hang over, or a staff member from the other center is called in to help. It just depends on how many children are in the room on a particular day. That many toddlers don't always come, especially not on a daily basis. Mothers can be very possessive of their children at that age and tend to keep them home. I know nothing can excuse what went on today, but one incident can have a snowball effect on a predestined situation. I just have the feeling that Brhin's abduction was a preplanned thing."

  "Why don't we finishing viewing the tape and then discuss the wherefores of the care that is taken at the center." Detective Serge pushed the button and the tape resumed. Silent anticipation reigned as the group observed the entrance of Mona Boots into the building.

  The camera panned in on her face as she rested her back against the glass of the front doors and watched Brhin walking down the hall. The smile on her face was gentle as she looked at him. Taking a step forward, she abruptly stopped smiling when she noticed the camera posted in the corner and facing the front door. Walking closer to the camera, she sarcastically voiced her thanks to 'the little red head' for giving her Brhin and blatantly brandished her tongue to the screen. Leaving her post at the door, she walked towards the receptionist's office. No one was in there and so she turned around and went back into the reception room. Walking up to the monitors, she casually turned them off. The next thing seen on the screen was the back of Bertha's torso. She had obviously just turned the machines back on.

  “How far down the hall is the room you were in?" Detective Serge looked towards Stephanie Franklin as they walked back to the reception area and resumed the positions they had taken earlier.

  "It's the fourth one down. You have to turn right when you get under the clock."

  "That's a short walk from here. Did you happen to notice what kind of car she was driving?"

  "No, I'm sorry." She directed her statement to Catrine.

  “I bet you are." Catrine snapped. "I would hate to have the fact that I put a child's life in danger, on my mind."

  "I don't know if this will make any difference," Bertha wall cleared her throat. "But I saw a car sitting outside of the building, across the street."

  Everyone's attention swung to Mrs. Wall.

  "When did you see this car?" Detective Williams asked. Jotting notes in her notebook.

  "As a matter of fact, now that I come to remember, it was there the past three days. This morning I really made a mental note of it and said if it was still there after a certain time that I would call the police, but I became involved in things going on around here and when I looked out of my office window again, it had gone and it wasn't there this afternoon."

  "Three days this week? Did you notice who was driving? Could it have been a parent?"

  "I couldn't tell whether the driver was male or female. It wore a dark cap on the head and was leaning over the steering wheel. As I said, I really paid attention this morning because I was sitting at the desk. I don't usually have time to do such a thing, but I was trying to figure out what I was going to do about getting someone to substitute and just staring out of the window. For the past three days I just noticed the car in passing. It would be there about 7:30 and gone by 9. In the afternoon it would be there until 3 or 3:30."

  "Those are around the times I would bring Brhin to the center and pick him up." Catrine whispered.

  "Are you sure?" Detective Serge again placed his pen to this note pad. The scribbling sounds became the loudest noise in the room." Ladies, I think we can safely say that Brhin was being stalked. This is definitely a case of kidnapping."

  Catrine covered her eyes. "I can't believe this is happening."

  "I saw the car, also." A voice volunteered from the back of the group.

  The first woman that had spoken to Catrine and Phae outside of The P. S. Center stepped forward.

  “What in hell is wrong with you people? Why don’t you just volunteer the information you now? Why do you stand there and wait for a specific question to be asked? Just blurt it out for Christ’s sake.”

  “Excuse me. Who are you and why are you in my center?” Bertha wrinkled her nose with the attitude she saved for what she deemed as ‘recalcitrant’ parents.

  “I’m that child’s father. The one who is so pissed off at the moment I can’t even think straight. You idiots just need to throw in whatever you know so the police can go and find him.”

  "I’m just remembering things as I listen. I’m sorry. I'm guessing that the person driving the car was the same woman that took Brhin." The woman informed them. "I had my class outside in the play yard and we were by the fence on the far left, near the street when this car stopped at the intersection. I wouldn't have noticed the car because there was nothing spectacular about it. It was dark, hunter green I think the color is. It's a new model car, uh a Honda or something like that. It had a Garfield doll stuck to its back window and the only reason I noticed that was because one of the kids in my class pointed out the fact the Brhin-Kristoffer was in the back seat crying."Tears started to run down the woman's face and she hurriedly brushed them away.

  "I looked up and sure enough, Brhin was beating his little fist against the glass and crying. I thought it was strange because I had never see him cry before and I am so accustomed to you, Ms. Teddi or your sister picking Brhin-Kristoffer up and so I took mental note of the license number in order to tell someone when I got in the building. But then I was called into the building because of an accident." She looked towards Stephanie. "And with the getting my class in, dealing with the children from the toddler's room and helping monitor all of the other children, I forgot the number, but I do remember it had an Arizona plate. As soon as I could, I called Mrs. Wall into the TV room and told her w
hat I saw. She told me not to worry about it. I thought she would have called you to make sure that the child was all right. I am so sorry."

  She turned to get a Kleenex from the table and sat in on of the chairs and cried softly. Mrs. Krull moved near the chair and patted her on the shoulder as she too fought with her tears. For a few moments everyone stood silent and misty-eyed, each person dealing with his or her own emotions.

  Catrine quietly blew her nose and rubbed her fingers under her eyes to remove any remaining tears. Without warning, she jumped from her chair and stumped across the room to stand in front of Mrs. Wall. Startled, the woman stepped back.

  "How in the world could you let someone walk away with my baby? You didn't even have the common sense to call my home and let me know that my child was gone. I know you knew. How could you not when not one but two people told you they thought that something was wrong? Do you realize that you helped someone kidnap a child? Do you?"

  "I'm sorry. I don't know what I was thinking. I...”

  "Do you think I care that you're sorry? What in God's name does that do for me? What does it do for my baby? I'm standing here, not knowing whether to kill you or just cry in frustration. I wish I could just…" Catrine reached out to grab Mrs. Wall but Detective Serge stepped in between.

  "Calm down." He placed his hand on Catrine's shoulder and she irritably shrugged it off. "This will not help anything."

  "It won't help me get my child back, but it would sure make me feel better to kill her right, now."

  "I understand that, but I need you to stay calm." Detective Serge, pat her on the shoulder.

  "I know. I'm sorry." Catrine stepped back and looked around the room. Lifting her face towards the ceiling, she blinked to hold back the tears. "I'm sorry," she repeated. "I'm just… I don't know lost, hurt …and profoundly disappointed." Her hand fluttered in the air in frustration. "I think I have cried more here than I have ever done in my entire life. I just can't take it in." Catrine shook her head in confusion. "I have never been so disillusioned. I put my trust in you." She glared angrily. "I placed the most precious thing I had in the world in your hands and you people did not take your job seriously. Do you understand how important your presence is here? This is not just a baby-sitting thing. You are responsible for lives, lives that depend totally on you when they are here." Catrine quickly bypassed the detective and stood in front of Mrs. Wall. "You have absolutely no business," she angrily jabbed a finger into the woman's chest with every word she spoke. "No business at all having any control over the lives of so many children. None of you do." Her voice broke with the bluntness of her words as she turned and waved her hand to include the entire staff of the day care center. "All of you should be held responsible for neglect, and abuse and I will make sure that you are." Getting control of herself, she continued.

  This incident will be reported to the licensing bureau and whomever else that I think need to know. I will not sit back and let this center get away with another incident of abuse and neglect. How you have continued to remain open, I have no idea. After the things that I have heard about this center in the last two hours, I am lead to believe I should not have even allowed a dead dog to come here. I thought that childcare workers were supposed to attend workshops to learn something on kidnapping, molestation, child abuse, something. I don't know why I ever left Brhin here. The Perfect Solution, be damned. This just goes to show what's in a name. Sure the place is beautiful with its glorious colors, small-scale furnishings, large windows, and ample supplies. This nursery is terribly understaffed and horribly managed. I just let the convenience of location stifle my better judgment. Your director is absent whenever she has the urge and leaves behind innocent children to suffer at the hands of incompetent, uncaring idiots.

  Every one of you had better pray that my son is returned unharmed or you all will suffer much more than I am suffering at this moment. As it is," she pointed to the television camera stationed on the cameraman's shoulder, "I hope that everyone in the city knows that you gave a crying, protesting child to a total stranger. And I hope that the person who does have my baby is watching this telecast and realizes that I will be getting my son back, and soon."

  Rushing to the glass door, Catrine pushed it open with such force that it locked in the open position. Ignoring the cold, she rushed across the parking lot towards Phalene's car. "Ms. Teddi." Detective Williams caught Catrine by the arm. "I know that you are upset and I can understand that. I just want to remind you about getting a picture of your son to us as soon as possible."

  "Oh, yes. I have one right here." She sniffed and coughed simultaneously. "I have always had a fear that something like this would happen and I have told myself that it was crazy to think so constantly about losing my child." Opening the catch to her purse, she rummaged through its contents. "Abduction is such a great possibility for everyone these days and I have always taken every precaution to ensure that no one would ever take Brhin away from me. I made certain that he was always buckled in to his stroller. I used a harness when he was a toddler, and never left him alone in the basket at the supermarket. As he became older, we talked a lot about strangers. I tried to give Brhin examples of every possible situation in which someone may try to take advantage of him. Not to give him fear, but to empower him. Once I realized he was such a smart little guy I saw no reason to not teach him how to take care of himself. I never thought to tell him that his teacher might force him to go with someone he did not know."

  Finding what she was searching for, Catrine raised her head, pulling out a medium sized square envelope, a cigarette lighter and a crumpled packet of cigarettes from the purse, she handed the envelope to the detective. She watched as the dampness of the falling mist sprinkled its moisture on the envelope and a burning need to cry rose to her chest.

  "Looks like it is gonna rain." Detective Williams spoke softly and brushed the drops from the envelope before slowly pulled out its contents.

  "Yes. I've always thought of it as our kind of snow. I just hope my baby is not out in this." Catrine looked at the desolate sky and shivered at the coldness surrounding her. "The poor little guy looked as if he was about to come down with a cold, this morning. I had promised myself that I would give him something for his sniffles when he would have gotten home and now…" Shaking herself from her morose reverie Catrine turned the conversation to the envelope.

  "This is a picture of Brhin, a copy of his fingerprints and vital statistics."

  Putting the package of cigarettes and the lighter between her teeth, she stuck her hand in her pocket and pulled out her hat, carefully positioning it on her head; she successfully protected herself from the damp mist. Holding the pack and lighter in her hands she waited for the smile that would appear on the detective's face when she looked at the picture and did not wait in vain. Brhin had such an infectious grin, whether photographed or in person. His chubby, dimpled little face invited everyone to give it a kiss.

  "He is such a beautiful little boy, I can see why she would have wanted him." observed the detective.

  "Yes. Thank you."

  “I can also see where he got his looks from. Not saying you’re not cute and all, but…” She pointed her finger to where Austin was coming to join them.

  “Yep, they do look a lot alike.” Catrine raised her face to the sky and sighed deeply before looking back down, making small circles with the toes of her shoes instead of looking Austin in the eyes.

  “Is this is one of the kits that we pass out at schools and at the malls."

  "Yes. That one comes from a safety seminar that was held at Parkdale Mall a couple of weeks ago. I never took it out of my purse." Putting the cigarette to her mouth and lighting it, she took a long hard drag and coughed hoarsely. "Brhin has just made three and a half but he is very intelligent." She choked out. "He knows his colors, shapes, and recognizes written numbers to thirty. He may not be able to recognize every number by sight, but he does know how to dial our phone number and 911. The only reason t
hat woman was able to get him was because his 'teacher' told him to go. I can't get over that. I should have never taught him to obey his teachers."

  "You did the right things, Ms. Teddi. This is not your fault." Detective Williams put the envelope under the clip of the board she was carrying. "Stay near the telephone when you return home. A unit will be there before the night is over to put a tracer on the line. All of your calls will be monitored until your son is returned or the tap is no longer necessary."

  "What do you mean 'no longer necessary'? What are you saying? You think Brhin will be killed, don't you?"

  "Cat, stop that." Phae ran to Catrine and yanked her hands from the lapels of the officer's jacket. "Calm down. And take that nasty thing out of your mouth." She slapped the curved, barely smoked cigarette from between Catrine's lips. You gave up smoking, remember? Retrieving bad habits will not make things better. Let's go to your house. You left the answering machine on didn't you? Good." Phalene smiled at the affirmative nod of Catrine's head. "Someone may have called." She climbed into the car and started the motor.

  Catrine and Austin followed Phae's actions a little slower.

  "Yes. You're right." Catrine turned to the detective. "I am sorry, Detective Williams. I didn't mean to grab you like that."

  "I understand." Detective Williams brushed aside the apology. "Detective Serge and I will be to your home as soon as we finish up here. Try and get some rest. It won't do your son any good to come home and find out you've broken down."

  "That still doesn't make the idea of resting a foreseen possibility." Catrine pulled the hat off of her head before climbing into her sister's car. She let her head fall to the headrest of the car as Phae sped out of the parking lot. "God, Phae what will I ever do without Brhin? I won't be able to go on."

  "I have no answers, Catrine. I think about how I would feel right now if one of my girls were missing and all I can think of is 'stunned'. I cannot imagine what I would be doing at this very moment. I would probably be crying or searching the streets like a mad woman, and most likely I would have grabbed that stupid, skinny little teacher by the throat and killed her, in front of everyone in the room."