The Stand-In by Evelyn Piper

his nostrils but he overplayed to remind Coral she had agreed he better handle this.
    Millie pushed past her brother-in-law and ran to her sister. “Coral, what are they doing to find my baby?” She tried to read the beautiful eyes and the weak propitiating smile. “I’m not blaming you, Coral, I’m just asking. After all, a trained nurse with one of those caps—I’ll cap her! I suppose she could take out Kitten’s appendix by herself, but to sit with a child, that’s too much to ask!”
    Bran perched on the arm of Coral’s chair and pressed his hand on her shoulder, signaling her to remember her promise to let him handle Millie. “Tell us more about that trained nurse, Millie.”
    â€œWhat for? I’m not telling , I’m asking! Have you called Missing Persons?”
    Bran pressed his wife’s shoulder. “Of course we called. Now tell us more about that nurse, describe her.”
    â€œWhy? Didn’t you see her? She was a bean pole, tall, light-brown hair—Wait a sec, wait a sec, what difference her description? She’s not missing, my baby is missing.” She stared at her brother-in-law. “You mean the nurse is missing, too? She didn’t get to Lady Whatsit? She didn’t take Kitten there like Mr. Ossian wanted? I don’t get it! Coral!”
    â€œCoral, I’m handling this.”
    Millie suddenly grabbed her elbows, hands crossed. It was the way she always waited for blows to fall.
    â€œMillie, dear, look—there wasn’t any trained nurse.”
    She didn’t want to hear him, gabbled to stop him. “The nurse said Mr. Ossian wanted Kitten at this party for publicity.”
    Bran shook his head. “No. Mr. Ossian did not want Kitten there.”
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œThey found out about the party. They used it. They took advantage of the party, do you see, Millie?”
    â€œThey? They?”
    â€œWell, a man and a woman,” Bran said. “Coral spoke to a man and a woman. No, Coral, shut up! They kidnapped Kitten.”
    â€œAnd I was in bed with a man! I was sinning. God punished me.”
    â€œMillie, Coral’ll tell you exactly what was said to her, and while I’m calling I want you to try to remember every possible detail about the nurse. Height, weight, age, any distinguishing marks. The uniform was a disguise to give you confidence. They know their stuff.” He got off the arm of Coral’s chair to reach the telephone, but Millie was there before him. He said gently, “Millie, we shouldn’t waste another minute before calling Scotland Yard.”
    â€œNo.”
    â€œWe’re amateurs, Millie. Scotland Yard knows how to handle these things.”
    â€œCoral, they said no cops, didn’t they? They said if you called the cops I’d never see Kitten again?”
    Bran said gently, “That’s straight out of a grade B movie, Millie.”
    â€œI don’t care what it’s from. That’s what they said.” She put both her hands over her ears and because she was deafened spoke very loudly, “Coral, remember in the hospital today when you’re sitting on the bench and Kitten comes and sits on your lap, how she pats your face, how her hand feels?” Millie held her right palm out to her sister. “She must have climbed on your lap and touched you twenty times. When Mr. Ossian said, ‘Once more’—a baby to have such patience! ‘Once more—once more—’”
    â€œMillie, you’re only making things worse.”
    â€œShe looks like you, Coral. She’s beautiful like you.”
    â€œMillie, these kidnappers are counting on your reaction because they know only the cops can catch them.”
    â€œI want my baby back! I want my baby back! No cops!”
    â€œOkay. Okay, Millie. They want money. They want fifty thousand pounds.”
    â€œHow much is that?”
    â€œSay, one hundred