“Now, what’s this?” Someone picked Marcia up from behind. “Sweetie, what are you doing walking on the street alone at this hour?”
“Go home,” Marcia squeaked. The person holding her turned her around so she could see. It was a middle-aged man in a police uniform. The officer frowned at her.
“Where’s your home?” Before Marcia could answer, he shook his head. “Never mind. You’re too little to tell me.” He cradled Marcia and tickled her stomach. To her embarrassment, she squirmed and giggled in response. “Aw, so adorable. What’s your name?”
“Martha.”
“Martha?”
“No.” Marcia furrowed her brow, trying to figure out how to tell him her name with her lisp. “Marcha.”
“Oh, Marcia?” the officer asked. Marcia nodded. “Do you know your last name?”
“Atwew.”
“Do you mean Atwell?”
“Yeth!”
“Atwell…like that mansion at the edge of town,” the officer muttered. “I don’t think the lady there has a kid, but maybe she has family visiting or something.” He smiled at Marcia. “All right, little lady, you’re gonna come to the station with me while I try to track down your family, okay?” Marcia nodded. She wasn’t thrilled about going to a police station, but hopefully the police would be able to get her back to the mansion.
Still carrying Marcia, the police officer walked back to the station. He handed her off to someone who brought her to a daycare area. Presumably, it was where lost children and the children of employees stayed. Marcia had heard the officer say he was going to call Christine Atwell, so all she had to do now was wait for someone to come rescue her.