“Please bring her to the main entrance.”

“Will do.”

“Thanks so much.”

Jeannie put her coat back on and stepped outside into frigid air to wait. She saw the flashing emergency lights before the car came into view. The officer killed the lights as he turned into the hospital driveway. She opened the back door and offered LaToya a hand getting out of the car.

The other woman fell into her arms, sobbing. “I just can’t believe you found her. Thank you, Detective. Thank you so much.”

“I have to warn you,” Jeannie said. “She’s in rough shape.”

“But she’s alive. That’s all I care about. Take me to my baby.”

Jeannie led her by the hand to the bank of elevators. As she passed Matt, sitting in the lobby, he gave her a thumbs-up.

“Be right back,” she said to him.

“Take your time.”

In the elevator, she pressed the button for the fourth floor.

“How bad is it?” LaToya asked.

“As bad as it gets.”

LaToya let out a whimper and began to weep again. “Why would she take her and then treat her like that?”

“I wish I knew.”

“And there were other children?”

“Nine others.”

“My God. Where did they come from?”

“We’re still trying to figure that out.”

“You saved their lives,” LaToya whispered.

“I wish it had happened a long time ago.”

“Let us give thanks that it happened now,” LaToya said. “It wasn’t your fault it didn’t happen sooner. I’ll always be grateful for what you did for me and my family, Detective.”

Jeannie had never felt hollower or more emotionally drained after successfully solving a case. She led LaToya to Carisma’s room, where a Richmond officer stood watch outside. “This is her mother,” Jeannie told the officer she’d met earlier.

He opened the door for them.

Jeannie followed LaToya into the room. Carisma, who’d been bathed and lightly sedated as her many wounds were cleaned, was asleep in the big hospital bed.

LaToya’s hand covered her mouth as she looked at her daughter for the first time in eleven years. Tears streamed down her face when she approached the bedside.

Carisma stirred, her eyes opening to blink her mother into focus. “Mama.”

“It’s me, baby.” LaToya leaned over to kiss her and caress her face. “It’s me.”

“Missed you,” Carisma whispered.

“Oh, baby, I missed you so, so much, and I’ve never been happier to see anyone.”

They hugged each other for the longest time.

Satisfied to see them reunited, Jeannie tiptoed from the room, wiping away tears as she stepped into the hallway.

“It’s unbelievable,” the Richmond officer said. “The way she kept those kids.”

“Horrifying.”

“I heard you were the one who led the marshals to that house. Great bust, Detective.”