Whirlwind

29

Duncanville, Texas

“Let’s go over everything one more time.”

FBI Agent Nicole Quinn reread the files from NCIC, the Duncanville PD and the Missing Person Search System on Caleb Cooper’s case.

Grogan was at the wheel as they rolled from the FBI’s Dallas Division on Justice Way, southbound to the shelter in Duncanville.

Both agents were focused on their assignment, but it was a challenge. The bureau had lost people in the tornadoes. Grogan and Quinn had lost friends and some FBI staff had their homes destroyed. The bureau’s resources were stretched. But despite the storm, the FBI’s work had to continue. Reinforcement agents were coming in from the division’s jurisdictional territory and surrounding states.

“What do you think, Phil?” Quinn asked when she’d finished reading.

Grogan, who’d worked in the fugitive and violent crimes programs, was analyzing matters.

“The fact that evidence shows up over twenty miles from where the mother last saw the baby raises questions,” he said.

Quinn checked her phone for messages. She was also the division coordinator for the National Center for Analysis of Violent Crime and was trying to keep tabs on her other files.

“What’s your take on it, Nicole?”

“The mother’s initial encounter with the two strangers is a factor. The whole thing could’ve been a planned abduction.”

“Or an unusual set of circumstances and coincidences. I’ve seen it before-a case we swore was a homicide that turned out to be a suicide. Another one was a child abduction that turned out to be a runaway who got trapped in a discarded fridge.”

“We’re talking about a five-month-old baby, here, Phil. We’re duty-bound to exhaust all avenues of investigation.”

“I know. I’m just saying we have to keep an open mind. I mean our baby case happened just when we’re hit with force-five tornadoes, so anything’s possible.”

Upon arriving at the recreation center they held up their IDs to the Duncanville officers, who debriefed them at the sealed area next to the table of donations.

“We’re sorry about the baby’s clothing,” Officer Soria said. “A lot of people handled it, but we needed the mother to identify it. We’ve sealed the area and put it in a paper bag.”

“Can you give us a list of people who’ve handled it?” Quinn asked.

“Sure,” Soria said.

The investigators then went to the corner of the station for the Missing Person Emergency Search System. They made the appropriate cursory introductions. Frank Rivera then took them to Jenna Cooper, who was with her husband, sister and brother-in-law. Jenna was sitting on a chair, twisting a tissue in her fists. After the agents identified themselves, Grogan said, “Jenna, Blake, we’re going to do all we can to locate your baby.”

Jenna’s hair was messy. She looked at Grogan with reddened eyes. “Thank you.”

Grogan and Quinn then separated everyone and took initial statements from the key principals in the case: Jenna, Dr. Butler, other staff and volunteers at the shelter.

The agents asked a lot of questions. Some were obvious, others weren’t.

Why did Jenna think the stranger was infatuated with Caleb? Had she received any strange phone calls or emails prior to the event? Did she know anyone who’d recently lost a baby? Had she received a ransom call, or any hint of demand? Did Jenna ever notice seeing the strangers before the event at the flea market, say at a mall, or some other public venue? Did Jenna or Blake owe anyone any money? Did they have gambling or drug debts?

After assessing what was emerging, the FBI agents made calls to initiate an expedited procedure to secure warrants to seize key items, including any recorded images from the center’s security cameras.

Then Grogan requested the Dallas Division’s Evidence Response Team be dispatched to the shelter to process the romper, the medical form the couple had completed and other items for any trace evidence.

When they were alone, Grogan and Quinn compared notes.

“I think our strangers, the people who brought in the baby here to be examined, are our persons of interest,” Quinn said.

Grogan nodded and started making another call. “We’ll get a forensic artist down here to get descriptions from Jenna on the strangers she saw, and from Dr. Butler on the couple she saw. Then we’ll blast them out with details about the baby.”

The case had taken a dramatic twist. Of that there was no doubt, as far as Kate was concerned. Throughout much of the investigation she’d kept a respectful distance, watching and waiting patiently for a chance to get a few questions into the FBI agents.

Now, seeing Quinn and Grogan standing off in a quiet area, Kate decided to approach them.

“Excuse me, you’re both with the FBI?”

Poker-faced Quinn and Grogan acknowledged her.

“I’m Kate Page, a reporter with Newslead. I’ve covered this story since the beginning. Have you got time for a few questions?”

“Not really,” Grogan said.

“I’ll make it fast.”

“You really should go through our press office,” Quinn said. “The number’s online.”

“Please don’t brush me off. I’m the reason you’re here. I know how these things go. Sooner or later you’re going to need the press for a public appeal, so how about a little courtesy so we can help each other?”

Quinn and Grogan exchanged a quick glance, didn’t move or change their expressions, their way of inviting Kate to continue.

“After talking to people how would you characterize the case?” Kate asked.

Grogan dragged his fingers over his mouth. “The circumstances in this case are disturbing. We’re uncertain what happened, but we’re not ruling anything out.”

Kate nodded and wrote his comments in her notebook.

“What do you think happened?”

“I’m not going to speculate.”

“Do you have any suspects?”

“We’re not going to comment further.”

Kate didn’t push it, except to get the spelling of Grogan’s name.

“You’re with Newslead-that’s the wire service?” he asked, exchanging business cards with Kate.

“Yes. Our stories go everywhere-in print, radio, TV and online.”

“If you hold tight, say for a couple of hours, we may have something for you to go with your story,” he said.

“Like what, so I can tell my desk?”

“Sketches of the people we may be looking for.”