“Your elder daughter’s a doll,” Marge answered. “But I’m worried she’s going to get carried away. You can’t very well say to her, don’t get involved. She is involved. It’s how to turn her off.”

“I’ll talk to her.”

“Let me handle her, Pete. You and I could say the same thing. Coming from me, it’ll be different.”

“You’re right about that,” Decker said. “How’d it go with the Rodriguez brothers?”

“They were angry—angry at me, the hospital, authority in general. Real anger. Bottom line is, I don’t think they were involved. Back to the obvious—Marie Bellson.”

“Search warrant on Bellson’s place finally came through,” Decker said. “Do you want to come?”

“I’ll meet you there in about an hour,” Marge said. “I want to stick around here for a while. See what I can pick up.” She lifted up Marie’s personnel file. “Have you had a chance to go through this?”

“Just had time to skim it. I’m having a copy made for my files.” Decker ran his hands through his hair. “From what I’ve seen, there’s nothing much to write home about. Woman worked here for eleven years, had several complaints registered against her. A few noncompliances filed against her by two different doctors; once a patient mentioned she was rude to her. Another patient thought she was cold and uncaring.”

“Any complaint dealing with Marie stuffing God down the throat?”

“Cindy told you about Marie praying with the patients.”

“That’s weird, Pete.”

“Yes, it is. I wish to hell I had followed up on it. Maybe she heard Jesus tell her to grab a baby.” He slammed his right fist into the waiting left palm. “Damn it, I shouldn’t have brushed it aside.”

Marge looked at her partner. He was so genuine in his self-flagellation. “Pete, religious people—even fanatics—don’t generally go around snatching babies.”

Decker knew a lot of religious fanatics—his mother, his wife. And what Marge said was true. Believing wholeheartedly in God—any God—had nothing to do with snatching babies. But lots of troubled people used God to excuse their impulsive or inappropriate behavior.

“If Marie had complaints about her excess religiosity,” Decker continued, “they were probably handled off the record. What exactly did you learn from Cindy?”

Marge filled him in, then asked, “What do you think about Marie counseling Lourdes?”

“Lourdes didn’t mention that to you?”

“No. And she didn’t mention Marie praying with her. But that doesn’t mean anything. She was hysterical when I spoke to her. I’ll press her on it, find out exactly what Marie told her.”

There was a pause.

“What are you thinking?” Decker asked.

Marge said, “If Marie felt Lourdes wasn’t able to handle her child, maybe she snatched the baby out of concern for the kid’s safety.”