The Thoughtful Detective

Chapter 10 - All-Natural Baby

7 Months Later

COLTON'S POV

"Well, what would you recommend? Huggies or Pampers?" I asked the sales rep.

"Honestly, they're both good. It's just a matter of preference, although Pampers has a slightly higher rating for absorbency."

"Okay, I'll go with Pampers then. Thank you." I picked up the largest-sized box of Pampers diapers and placed it into my cart. "Do I need wipes?"

The sales rep smiled. "Yes, definitely." I followed her into the next aisle. She grabbed several different branded containers and placed them into my cart. "For wipes, you really have to try all the different brands to determine what works best for your baby. I prefer the all-natural, unscented ones myself."

"Okay," I replied, as I grabbed another pack of the all-natural brand.

"I think we've covered the essentials," she said, as she glanced at my cart full of baby items. "Now, let's move on to the fun stuff!" She rubbed her hands together excitedly. Her gleaming grey eyes danced delightedly, as she grabbed the handle of my shopping cart, and started towards the section full of strollers and car seats. I followed behind her. For a moment, I wondered if she was a genuine parenthood enthusiast, or if she was just happy to be making a commission bonus.

*Maybe I can convince him to buy our most expensive stroller.*

Well, there's my answer. "Actually, I only need the basics for today. I'm just going to grab a couple of bibs and baby clothes, and then I should be all set."

"Oh, okay," the sales rep replied. She looked disappointed for a split second before her eyes lit up again. "We actually have a fabulous selection of baby clothing. Most of our brands are fully organic; no artificial dyes, metals, or solvents. We also have a hemp collection, which has natural thermoregulating properties. The fabric will keep your baby cool in the summer, and warm in the winter," she said with a confident nod. "Follow me."

As we crossed the store, we passed the motorized bouncers and toy sections. We stopped in front of a large display of sage-green onesies. I picked up one of the newborn onesies and glanced at the price tag: $42.99. Wouldn't the baby grow out of the onesie in 2 weeks?

"Are you having a boy or a girl?" asked the sales rep. She was already rummaging through the racks.

"It's a surprise," I replied. The purchases weren't for me, but the sales rep didn't need to know the details.

Gianna Callisto had found out about her pregnancy shortly after Fred had passed away. Naturally, her initial reaction had been of shock and hysteria, considering the circumstances. Additionally, Fred's old group of "friends" would be coming after her, since she was the sole witness to Fred's murder.

We worked as quickly as possible with the US Marshal Services to expedite Gia's entry into the Witness Protection Program. For her own safety, only the US Marshal assigned to her case would be privy to her new location and contact information. However, I wanted to offer support to Gia as well. In addition to the program's subsistence payments that Gia received for living expenses and medical care, I had also sent an additional cheque to the US Marshal to deliver to Gia.

Contrary to what is depicted in movies, over 90% of people who have been placed in witness protection programs are actually criminals themselves, who have agreed to testify against other criminals. But Gia was an innocent person who happened to be in the wrong place, at the wrong time. She deserved better.

The good news was that we finally caught Rocco last month. He had been hiding out in a small town just outside of Charleston, South Carolina. Thankfully, he held no loyalty to his old gang, and sang like a canary to obtain a lesser charge. Rocco's lawyer knew that he was screwed, and urged Rocco to cooperate with us. His prints and DNA had been all over the crime scene, and Gia would be testifying against him in court. He provided us with information that led to the arrest of three other gang members who worked for Johnny...but the big boss himself was still nowhere to be found, and we currently didn't have any information on his whereabouts.

I had been working around the clock on the case, and every arrest brought me a step closer to Johnny.

I knew that my cheque would never make up for what happened to Fred, but maybe the extra funds would give Gia's baby a better start in life. She would also rest easier if Johnny was behind bars.

I didn't find anything special amongst the rack of plain hemp-coloured onesies. I crossed over to the more colourful section, and my eye caught sight of a red onesie with an embroidered heart-shaped pizza. The caption beneath it said, "Where there is pizza, there is love."

It was perfect.

***

I picked up the final baby item from my shopping cart and placed it into the trunk of my vehicle. As I closed it shut, my phone started to ring in my pocket. I checked the call display. It was Eva.

"Hey," I answered.

"Are you at home?" she asked.

"I'm, umm – I'm at the grocery store," I lied.

"Will you be home soon? I'll be at your house in ten minutes."

When I didn't respond for three seconds, she sighed audibly into the phone. "You forgot again? It's poker night at Lopez's. We'll be late if we don't leave soon."

"Oh shoot, sorry. I'll be home in about twenty-five minutes."

"Twenty-five minutes? You're not at Publix?"

"No...uh, I was looking for a specific s-sauce, and they didn't have it there. I had to drive across town."

She was silent for an awkward moment before she spoke again. "Fine, see you soon." She hung up before I could say goodbye.

I hated lying to Eva, but I couldn't tell her about the baby items I was sending to Gia. Eva was very cognizant of boundaries. Giving food to a hungry little girl on Christmas Eve was acceptable, but Eva would've considered a trunk full of baby gifts completely out of bounds.

If she found out, she would scold me for getting too involved. I didn't need her judgment. 

At the same time, I wouldn't be able to blame her for not understanding the situation. She didn't know the extent of my guilt as I hadn't yet told her about my mindreading ability. I had planned on telling her before New Year's, but the proposal never ended up happening because of Fred's tragic death on Christmas Eve.

I came very close to telling her last month but backed out at the last minute. We've been dating for two years, and at this point, I fear that the window to tell her (without prompting extreme anger for harboring such a huge secret) has long passed. I've dragged this on for far too long, and now I am dreadful of the repercussions.

I knew I had to tell her soon, but things had been weird between us lately. I've been so focused on Fred's case, that Eva's been angry with me for neglecting her. I just needed to find Johnny. Once I've found and arrested him, I can finally rest. I'd be able to dedicate my time to Eva again, and I would finally disclose my secret to her. We could go on a nice trip together, and I would move forward with my plans to propose.

I was still very excited for our future together. Eva was still the love of my life, but for now, I had to make sure that Gia's baby would be properly taken care of, and Johnny would be going to jail for his crimes.

It's what Fred would have wanted. He deserved that much, at least.