To Protect and To Serve

Chapter 17

Meanwhile Detective Jellal Fernandes had done background checks on both Giles and Mary Hughes. Apparently Giles had been arrested several times for assault but he couldn't find anything on Mary. Wanting further information, he looked up Mary's sister Coco who worked as a nurse.

"So what is my sister under investigation for?" Coco asked. "Is it drugs?"

"Why would you say that?"

"My sister has had a history of getting involved in drug selling schemes. She's an addict and I've tried to get her into rehab but she never stays long. It's all the fault of that husband of hers Giles."

"According to records Giles has had various assault charges but they all ended up getting dropped."

"That's because he frightened his victims in shutting up."

"Has your sister ever been violent?"

"Not that I can remember."

"Do you think either she or Giles would harm their son?"

"Son?" Coco said in surprise. "They have a son?"

"Yes. He's about eight years old now. You didn't know?"

"We haven't spoken to each other in ten years." She shook her head. "I can't believe this. She actually became a mother."

"You don't seem too happy about it."

She gave a sigh in frustration before speaking again.

"Don't get me wrong detective I love my sister but that woman was never meant to be a mother. She's too selfish to be one and her husband is a total pyscho. Good God, what idiotic agency would place a child in my sister's care?"

"Well how do you know that he's adopted?"

"Because twelve years ago my sister was driving while she was high and crashed into a lamp post. It ruptured her ovaries and she had to have an emergency hysterectomy. So there's no way that boy could be hers biologically."

"I see. Is there any evidence of this surgery taking place?"

"I have some of her old medical records stashed away. I'll give them to you."

"Thank you very much."

"What's this all about anyway? Why do you need her medical records?"

"I don't mean to alarm you but I have reason to believe that the boy your sister claims is her son is a baby who was kidnapped from his parents seven years ago."

"What? No. I mean Mary is twisted but she wouldn't do that."

"Are you sure? You said so yourself, you haven't been in contact in ten years."

"Yes but she's not that crazy. I mean drugs are her issues not child abduction and- Wait a second you said this kid went missing seven years ago?"

"Yes."

"And what hospital was this kid born in?"

"According to the parents The Seven Bell hospital that's up the road from here. Where you work."

"Oh my God." Coco said as realization hit her. She then whispered to herself. "Oh Mary what did you do?"

"What is it? Do you know something?"

"I think I might."

"If you know anything you better tell me."

"I hadn't spoken to my sister in ten years but we did have one phone call seven years ago."

"What did you talk about?"

"She asked me to name a couple who's baby was born at the hospital a year earlier. I was getting drunk with my boyfriend when she called and I don't know for sure but I think I named one couple."

"Who were they?"

"I didn't meet them I just heard a maternity nurse talking about them a year earlier."

"What did she say? What do you remember?"

"I...I think she said that they were young, late teens and apparently newlyweds."

"I need a name."

"I don't remember."

"Well think! This is very important!"

"I don't know...Full something...Fuller?...Uh... Fullbuster? Yeah I think that's it. Fullbuster."

"That's their name?"

"Yes. Oh my God I...I I didn't think...I was drunk when I told her this! I swear I didn't know what she was going to do with that information! And if I was sober I wouldn't have told her anything! Please don't tell my bosses!"

"Now calm down, I just have one more question. Do you know if your sister would have any motive for taking a child?"

"No. In fact she hates children. I remember how she would always scream at the kids who played in our neighborhood and she showed no sign of sadness when she had the hysterectomy. If she really did do this then I don't understand why. I mean I guess she might do it to sell the kid for drug money but to keep it and raise it? That's not like her at all."

"Uh-huh. Thank you for your time."

Jellal left Coco's house and went to talk with Erza about getting a warrant for a D.N.A test.

"According to her medical records Mary Hughes is incapable of having a biological child and nearly every adoption agency she went to rejected her request to adopt." He told her. "She realizes that she can't have a baby a legal way so she calls up her sister to find out about couples nearby who have a baby. Shortly after this a kid is taken, you can't tell me this is just a coincidence."

"Say that she did do it, why steal a one year old? Why not a newborn?"

"My theory is that she knew if she had taken a newborn all hospital staff would be questioned including her sister which would bring up the phone call implicating her. This along with the photo and the birthmark are probable cause for a D.N.A test for Ciel Hughes and Mr. and Mrs. Fullbuster."

"Fullbuster?" Erza said. "Would that be a Gray and Juvia Fullbuster?"

"Yes."

"Small world. The guy I'm representing in court happens to be a friend of theirs."

"Wow that is interesting. What's the case?"

"My client and his wife got into a dispute which led to a violent confrontation. My client's wife is claiming that he's been beating her but according to him it's the other way around."

"A husband beater? Well that's rare but not unheard of."

"You think so?"

"I know so. I once looked into a case where a woman verbally and physically abused her paralyzed husband. Apparently she resented him for 'forcing'." He made quotation marks with his fingers. "Her to look after him like a slave after the accident. One of her beatings caused him to fall out of his wheel chair and crash into a wall which snapped his neck. He died."

"Did she serve time?"

"She's currently serving fifty to life. So while it is very rare for women to abuse their husbands it's not impossible."

"Can you get me a file on that case? It might prove useful."

"Can you get me a D.N.A test?"

"I'll have to pull a few strings but yes."

"Okay I'll get the file. Good luck on your case honey."

"Same to you dear."

They kissed and went their separate ways.