The Baby Between Them

Chapter Twenty-Three

"Where are they?" Abi asked as soon as she saw Hunter standing on the other side of her front door a week later.

Mitch walked out of the kitchen with Carter in his arms. Saturday morning was always Daddy son time.

Hunter had gone home, but he hadn't told anyone that he was there. He was too caught up in his own head over Rae telling him they were never going to be together, to be able to be around anyone. Mitch calling him the night before, saying that they had a problem and to get his ass to their place as soon as possible had finally made him leave his house though.

"I caught up to them in Byron a few hours after they left."

"What the hell are they doing over the border?!" Mitch growled as Abi stepped aside, so that Hunter could come inside.

"I made it known they'd stuffed up by crossing into New South Wales. We stayed there overnight and they're now staying somewhere in Tweed."

"What do you mean somewhere? Do you not know where they are?" Mitch asked.

"No sir. I seem to have this incredible knack for pissing your daughter off and she refused to let Nash tell me the address."

"Don't we all." Mitch grumbled as he motioned for Hunter to follow him into his office. Abi took Carter and disappeared somewhere inside the huge house.

"I will get it out of him eventually, but not today. I did make sure to follow them back over the border though, so I saw with my own eyes that they're back in Queensland. They know we can't keep them out of jail otherwise."

"Yeah about that..." Mitch sighed and Hunter looked across at the tired man on the other side of the desk.

"What's happened?" He asked and watched as Mitch pulled a piece of paper out of one of his drawers and handed it to Hunter.

It was an official Queensland Police Service witness report. The details at the top all belonged to one Marie Schultz. Hunter growled and frowned as he read the name. The frown only deepened as he read the report.

Statement:

My full and correct name is Marie Jane Schultz.

I am a social services officer at Rose County Hospital.

On Saturday 25th March 2023, I was working my shift at the hospital when I noticed that a very sick, addict baby, Amelia Beckett, who was due to enter the foster system, had gone missing.

I immediately went to the security office and watched through the camera footage and found that one Raegan Beckett, the sister of the infant, had taken her from her room in the NICU and left the hospital with her, ultimately kidnapping her.

I witnessed Deputy Sheriff Hunter Hughes stand by and watch her leave.

I witnessed Nash Hughes, brother of Deputy Sheriff Hunter Hughes, as the driver of the getaway car, a teal green GWM Ora, that Raegan and the infant got into. I could not see the licence plate number.

I immediately notified hospital officials, but was shut down by Abigail Beckett, the stepmother of Raegan, who refused to acknowledge the kidnapping had taken place.

I then went to the local sheriff office, where Sheriff Thomas Hughes, father to Hunter and Nash, also claimed there was no kidnapping and was advised that I go home, but instead I attended another station to lodge this report.