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Jenkins frowned, planted her hands on her hips and looked around the room. Her gaze landed on a group of men, some in uniform, some in plain clothes, and she marched across the floor.
Cliff followed, stopping far enough away not to interfere but close enough to hear what Jenkins was saying.
“Chief Bryant.” She glanced from him to the other men standing around. “Who’s in charge?”
“Special Agent Jenkins,” the man with gray hair and a Bozeman City Police uniform nodded toward her. “I didn’t know the FBI had been notified. Unless the child was airlifted from the hospital grounds, it couldn’t possibly have crossed state lines. Until that happens, this case isn’t in your jurisdiction. It’s not your business.”
The Special Agent nodded. “I understand it’s not in my jurisdiction. However, it’s very much my business. That baby is my niece. I want to know everything about this case. I want my sister’s baby back. ASAP.”
“We all want that baby back, but you have to let us handle it. In the meantime, I have a detective talking with your sister. If you have anything to add to her report, I suggest you go to her. No one’s leaving the hospital until it’s been searched top to bottom, and everyone has been screened and questioned—including you.”
“But he might already be off hospital grounds,” she said, looking past him to the guarded doors. “I need to be out there, looking for him and the baby.”
“We have a BOLO out and roadblocks on every major road leading out of Bozeman.”
“And if he’s on foot?” she demanded.
The chief shook his head, his stern gaze softening. “You’re one person. We have many out there looking.”
Jenkins glanced to the corners of the room. “What about video surveillance cameras?”
“I have a detective reviewing footage as we speak. You’re welcome to join him…” the stern look returned, “as long as you don’t interfere.”
The agent’s jaw hardened. “That’s where I’ll be.”
“Your sister might need a relative to be with her at a time like this,” the chief suggested.
“I’m the only relative she has…besides her baby. I’m sure she’d rather I found my niece than hold her hand.” She looked around. “Where do they keep the videos?”
The chief crooked a finger at one of the uniformed officers standing nearby. “Show Special Agent Jenkins to the security office.”
Jenkins turned, noticed Cliff standing there and frowned. “You don’t have to follow me. I’m not going to faint or anything.”
“I know,” he said.
She followed the uniformed officer.
With nothing better to do, Cliff followed her.
At the doorway to the security office, the uniformed officer left Jenkins and returned to the front lobby.
Several men crowded around an array of monitors replaying footage from all over the hospital, concentrating on labor and delivery.
With no additional room for Jenkins to join them, she watched from the doorway.
“You’re still following me,” she said softly.
“I feel bad for knocking you down in the stairwell.”
“You should. You slowed me down. I could’ve been out of the hospital before the security guard blocked the exit.”
“I’m sorry,” Cliff said.
Her eyes narrowed. “Why did you run into the stairwell?” Her back stiffened. “Where were you coming from?” Eyes widening, she poked a finger at his chest. “Was it you? Did you take my sister’s baby and hide it somewhere on the second floor?”
He held up his hands, backing away from her and the room full of police detectives. “I didn’t take the baby. I was here for a friend who had emergency gallbladder surgery.”
She advanced on him, poking her finger into his chest again. “Then what were you running from if not the police?”
