Chapter Three ****Cooper********

Cooper came into work absolutely exhausted. He tossed and turned all night thinking about Charlotte. She had been gone over twenty-four hours now and he was wondering if he would ever see her again. He couldn't help but think of the terrible things those men might be doing to her. His heart was broke. He wished he could save her.

"Cooper. You shouldn't be here today." Addison told him. "You look a wreck and aren't in any frame of mind to see patients. Sam and I decided to close early today. None of us are in the mood to work with Charlotte missing."

"I don't know what else to do." Cooper told Addison. "I need the distraction. I can't stop thinking about Charlotte."

A police officer came to the office and approached Cooper.

"Did you find her?" "Have they found Charlotte?" Cooper was hopeful.

"No. Not yet. We've got every available unit looking for her. The truth is they could be anywhere even out of state by now. We contacted her family in Alabama. They've been very helpful and were able to give us some leads." The officer told Cooper.

"What could they know?. They're in Alabama. How could they help?." Cooper asked.

"They were able to give us information about some people she has been involved with in the past. It may or may not have anything to do with this case. We're following up on it anyway."

"What people?" Cooper was curious.

"Sorry I can't give out that information but you could call her family and discuss it with them. I came to find out if you have any new information for us and to let you know you could pick up her cell phone and lap top at the precinct. We are done looking through them for evidence."

"Can you tell me if you found anything?" Cooper asked.

"Nothing that jumped out at us for now." The officer told him. "Our best leads came from her family which I already told you." The officer left.

"You should probably give her family a call." Addison encouraged Cooper.

"I don't even know their number." Cooper answered sadly.

"I bet it's in her cell phone or lap top. We should go down to the precinct and pick that stuff up."

"Thanks Addison. You'll come with me?"

"Of course Cooper. Charlotte can be a pain sometimes but deep down I really liked her. I even considered her a friend. Although I'm sorry I never let her know that."

"You're talking about her in past tense Addison. Don't do that. I'm not ready to give up yet." Cooper was trying to choke back his emotion at hearing Addison talk about her that way.

"I'm sorry Cooper. I don't know why I did that. I'm hopeful too." Addison felt terrible for what she had said.

******

Addison and Cooper picked up Charlotte's cell phone and lap top.

Addison was looking through the laptop while Cooper was searching her cell phone for the numbers of her family in Alabama. Charlotte's cell phone rang.

Cooper answered the phone. "Hello ."

"I'm looking for Charlotte King." The woman on the other end said.

"Charlotte's not available. Can I ask who's calling?"Cooper was curious.

"This is Dr. Jone's office. Charlotte didn't show up for her first prenatal visit this morning. We are calling to reschedule."

"Ughhm. We don't know where Charlotte is right now. Haven't you seen the news?" Cooper explained.

"Is she the missing woman on the news? That is so sad. I hope they find her." The secretary seemed upset.

"Do you know Charlotte?" Cooper asked

"No. I'm new here but I know she is friendly with Dr. Jones. I met her briefly two weeks ago when she came in to pick up some prenatal vitamins and scheduled this appointment with Dr. Jones."

"Can I please speak to Dr. Jones?" Cooper asked.

"Let me put you on hold one minute."

Cooper waited what seemed more like ten minutes on hold. He wondered about Charlotte being pregnant. He wondered if it was his baby. He needed to know.

"Hello this is Dr. Jones. Can I help you.?"

"This is Dr. Freedman. I believe I have met you at the hospital before."

"Oh yes. You're Charlotte's boyfriend she told me about you. Congratulations on the pregnancy." Dr. Jones sounded cheery.

"You do know Charlotte is missing right now. Don't you?" Cooper informed her.

"My secretary just mentioned it. I haven't had time to look at the news. So what's going on? Dr. Jones started showing concern in her voice.

"That's what we're all trying to figure out. By the way can you tell me how far along Charlotte was with her pregnancy?"

"Let's see. She was due to come in for her first prenatal visit today. She told me the pregnancy was conceived the day of Sam Bennet's daughter's wedding. That was a little over a month ago right? It was unexpected but she was excited about it. Am I to assume you are the father?"

"That would be correct." Cooper forgot about his grief for a moment and was happy to learn Charlotte was pregnant with his child.

"Please keep me informed of what's going on with Charlotte. Just tell her to give me a call and I'll fit her into my schedule when she returns."

"Will do." Cooper hung up the phone. He was happy Dr. Jones was so positive Charlotte would be returning.

Cooper looked at Addison. "Charlotte's pregnant. That was Dr. Jones office. She missed an appointment today."

"I found a number for a Landry King in her laptop and also a Duke King and a number that says Momma. Which one should we call first?" Addison asked Cooper not commenting about the pregnancy. She was worried things may not turn out okay and Cooper would be even more devastated if Charlotte was pregnant.

"Let's just call the first number." Cooper didn't know who would have the best information.

"That would be Landry. Do you want to call or would you rather I did?" Addison was trying to be supportive.

"I'll call. I met her brother's once before." Cooper dialed the phone.

" Landry King speaking." Landry had a deep voice with a hint of a southern accent not nearly as noticeable as Charlotte's.

"This is Cooper Freedman. Charlotte's boyfriend. I met you over a year ago at your family's home." Cooper didn't see the point in calling himself the ex boyfriend. He considered himself Charlotte's boyfriend again even if Charlotte didn't know it.

" Yes. I remember you. The police called earlier asking all kinds of questions. I told them everything I know. I hope it helps them to find her."

"They told me that. Thank you for cooperating. But can you tell me what you said to them?. They wouldn't give me any information." Cooper tried to talk calm. He didn't want Landry to hear how upset he really was.

"Well I just told them about her ex-husband and his family. The kind of stuff they were into. " Landry had no idea Charlotte never told Cooper about her ex.

"What were they into?" Cooper asked confused

"What weren't they into is more like it. Matthew is a good guy but his family is a whole other story." Landry laughed in a deep voice. "Didn't my sister tell you about them?"

"No actually she wouldn't talk about him to me at all." Cooper answered honestly.

"Probably too ashamed to talk about it. She's a big important Doctor there in Los Angeles. My other line is beeping . Can I call you right back?" Landry hung up.

Cooper waited there staring at the phone waiting for Landry to return the call.

"What did he say Cooper?" Addison was interested having listened to only Coopers side of the phone converstaion.

"I don't know yet, but I'm going to find out!"

I LOVE READING REVIEWS! : )