Abducted Read Online Free PDF

rack of blood vials. The doctor motioned for Joe to go in while Carly stayed back in the doorway. She wanted to be there if they needed her but didn’t want to intrude.
    Christy was pale, and she smiled weakly at the sight of Joe. He bent down and kissed her on the forehead. Carly could hear Christy protest that she was fine, but her voice and appearance were anything but fine. She seemed weak and sounded weaker when she asked about A.J. Joe answered, but Christy appeared not to hear or understand what he was saying to her.
    “Officer King?” Another doctor walked in as Joe was stroking Christy’s hair.
    “Yes?” he answered but didn’t take his attention from his wife.
    “We’re going to admit your wife, so she’ll be moved upstairs. Would you like to go see your son while we get her settled?”
    Joe looked up from his wife’s face to the doctor’s, and Carly could see the indecision in his expression. “I hate to leave her, but I do want to see A.J.” He leaned down to explain to Christy what was going to happen. He kissed her one more time, then left her in the hands of the medical personnel.
    “Do you want me to stay with her while you check on A.J.?” Carly asked.
    As Joe considered the question, the doctor spoke up. “You might be in the way. It’s best if you stay with Officer King until we get her upstairs.”
    Carly nodded and followed Joe out of the emergency room and up to pediatrics. Christy’s pale face floated in her mind and increased the knot of worry in her stomach.
    Upstairs, A.J. looked normal. A nurse was feeding him, or rather trying to feed him, from a bottle. His cry sounded healthy and frustrated. Joe quickly stripped off his uniform shirt and Kevlar vest and took his son. It was a strange, warm sight, the large man in uniform pants, gun belt, and white T-shirt holding the small, squirming baby. She noticed the dots on the little blue sleeper A.J. wore were actually tiny badges. Christy must have made it for him—it looked so unique. Carly brushed back tears, overwhelmed by a flood of emotion and worry. The baby settled down and took the nourishment offered by his father and was soon asleep.
    Joe rocked the baby gently. “He doesn’t like the bottle, so you have to work to make him take it,” he explained to the nurse. “I need to go check on my wife. She should be upstairs by now. What will happen to A.J.?”
    “He’s only here for observation. So far, he’s in perfect health. We won’t keep him longer than twenty-four hours.” She smiled and took the baby from Joe, laying him gently in a crib.
    He thanked her, and Carly could see some tension leave his body. She stayed quiet and walked with Joe to the elevator. He didn’t bother to put his uniform shirt or vest back on but rode up holding them in his hand. Christy was up one floor.
    “You okay, partner?” Carly asked the pensive, anxious man.
    “I don’t know. They’re being awfully vague, don’t you think?”
    “Yeah, but they really don’t seem to know.” Carly was at a loss for words. Her own instincts about the whole situation filled her with dread. The feeling was punctuated when they reached Christy’s room. She’d lost consciousness.
    Carly and Joe watched as she was hooked up to all manner of machinery. Carly closed her eyes and prayed for her partner’s wife and her friend, prayed that a reason would be found for the sickness and, most of all, for a solution.
    The doctor danced around Joe’s inquiries and said a specialist was on the way. He advised Joe to go home and get some sleep, but Joe refused. With the heart monitor beeping slowly but regularly in the background, Joe handed Carly his gun belt, vest, and uniform shirt and asked her to take them to the station.
    “Just ask one of the guys to put them in my locker. Can you bring me my street clothes?”
    “Sure. I’ll be back quick.” She accepted the items and left her worried partner holding his wife’s hand.
    It was just beginning to get