Chapter Seven

Steve and Oscar proceeded with great urgency but even greater caution and gentleness in speaking with Jenna. Meanwhile, Rudy had his hands full in trying to keep Jaime resting quietly on the gurney.

"Can't you just do a quick patch-up on my legs for now?" she pleaded. "Please, Rudy? Adam needs me!"

"You're right," Rudy seemed to agree. "He needs you to be healthy - and alive - when Steve and Oscar find him."

"I'll take it easy, Jaime bargained. "I'll be careful and not try to do too much. Please..." Rudy's only answer was a raised eyebrow, and Jaime closed her eyes to fight back tears of frustration. Suddenly, she sat bolt upright; one brilliant flash of memory had penetrated the fog she'd felt for most of the day. "Rudy, I need a pen and paper!" Jaime scribbled a series of letters and numbers on the notepad and triumphantly handed it back to Rudy.

"It's the plate number of the van I jumped from," she told the doctor.

"I'll give it to Russ," Rudy called over his shoulder as he ran to the car. "Stay there!" This time, for now, Jaime did as she was told. Rudy came back seconds later - with Steve.

"Russ is calling in the plate," Steve told her as Rudy began working on her legs. "And we've got another great lead - from our daughter."

"Is Jenna ok?"

"She's pretty scared, but they didn't hurt her. And she wants to help find Adam."

"She's a brave kid," Jaime said softly.

"She's her mother's daughter."

"What did she say?" Jaime asked.

"She said she heard a baby crying...and it wasn't Adam."

"Another baby?"

Steve nodded. "Possibly other kids, too."

"A kidnapping ring?" Jaime guessed.

"Maybe; we're looking into it."

"Well, I'm gonna help," Jaime announced.

"Now, just a minute, Young Lady," Rudy corrected in his best paternal voice.

"My legs don't hurt," Jaime protested, "and we're talking about my baby." She pushed herself off the gurney, grasped Steve's arm for temporary support and then was stubbornly and firmly on her own two feet. "You can tinker with the wires after Steve and I find our son," she told the doctor.

"I'll keep an eye on her," Steve promised. "Both eyes." He hugged Jaime close and gazed deeply into her eyes. "Let's go find Adam."

Rudy finished bandaging Jaime's arm while she looked over the case files. "I was fourth, she murmured. Tears welled in her eyes as she read about the children and her mind did the necessary math. Including Adam, seven children were missing.

"Seven..." Jaime said, very softly. "Do you think they're..." she couldn't finish, refusing to give voice to her very worst fear.

Steve shook his head. "They're alive, Jaime; we have to believe that."

"What'd Jenna hear? Did she see anything?"

"She's positive the baby she heard wasn't Adam, but she was kept alone and didn't see any other children - or any babies," Steve explained. "According to the files, none of the other missing kids would still be infants - the youngest would be almost two now - but Jenna seems really sure."

Just then, Russ re-joined them with a new stack of papers and some urgent information. "Peter Nando from the FBI went missing this morning...along with his daughter."

Jaime shivered and then nodded knowingly. "His baby daughter?"

"Three months old."

Jenna hadn't seen the other children, but she did remember seeing men - at least 4 or 5 of them. Steve and Jaime had to assume they were armed and take the appropriate precautions. Jenna also told them about a woman who had brought her a snack and tried to calm her down.

"I wanted you and Mommy," the child told Steve. "She gave me a teddy bear. And she had cookies. But..." Jenna sniffled, "I didn't like her."

"What'd she say to you, Bug?" Jaime probed gently. "Do you remember?"

"She said..." Jenna buried her face against Jaime and broke out in fresh, gulping sobs. Her parents didn't want her traumatized any further, but they needed something - anything - more to go on.

"What'd she say, Bug?"

"She...she said..."

Jaime embraced her daughter tightly. "Big breath, Sweetie; you're safe now." She rubbed the small of Jenna's back and felt her tiny body finally begin to relax. Jenna sniffled once more and looked up at her mother.

"She said...they were taking me to my new Mommy."

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