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He tenses, his eyes narrowing. “I’m not trying to take your case away, detective,” I add, watching as he relaxes. “I’m just saying you may have some avenger seeking justice where the cops haven’t. You may want to look into—”
The door opens, and Craig steps in. “We have a little girl here. She’s bruised and malnourished, and the woman who brought her in claims that she was left on her doorstep during the night. The little girl is a victim of Ferguson’s.”
My eyes dart to Duke’s as his widen, and we both launch ourselves toward the door, moving briskly.
The little girl is whispering something in Hadley’s ear as we walk into the room where they’re seated, and Hadley frowns, studying the little girl.
“What?” Duke asks.
The little girl shudders when she hears his voice, harsh and demanding. Duke tenses, realizing his error.
“Sorry,” he says softly as the woman puts her arm around the little girl.
She was just found last night? Yet the traumatized kid is clinging to this woman?
“Sorry,” Duke says again, his voice barely above a whisper as he takes a seat.
“I’m going to head home,” Hadley says as she nears me, clutching my arm on her way toward the door. “Let that girl stay with Lindy. Do not let them take her away. I need…I need a moment.”
I follow her out, letting Duke speak with who I assume is Lindy. Craig joins him, sitting down with his iPad as he listens intently.
“I don’t know. The doorbell rang, and Laurel was there when I answered it. I brought her in, fed her, gave her water, and then let her shower for as long as she wanted. That’s when I saw the news, and Laurel gave me her story, along with information you need. I’ll tell you everything she told me, but only if you promise she can stay with me. No taking her away.”
“Yes,” Laurel agrees adamantly.
A bond that deep can’t be forged so quickly unless Laurel and Lindy know more than I think they do.
I’m distracted by Hadley as I shut the door on the room, focusing my attention on my friend.
“Are you okay?”
Hadley turns to me with tears in her eyes. No one is around right now, everywhere scrambling around to find Plemmons.
“No, I’m not okay. I let them convince me it was all in my head. I thought I was sick and crazy, Logan. Now…that little girl is in there. Those kids...all of this is my fault.”
She swallows harshly as she sobs, wiping her eyes.
“This isn’t your fault, Hadley.”
“I should have tried harder. I should have looked into it better when I started working here. No other reports were ever filed…I had it set to ping me. I honestly believed it was all in my head. Now…I just need to go home. I’ll call you later.”
She walks away, never turning back around, and I blow out a long breath. She needs space, and I get that. I just hope this doesn’t break her.
I see her pause, eyeing the breakroom where Lana is. I tilt my head, confused as the emotion flees her eyes, turning into something more concentrated, but I can’t see Lana.
Finally, Hadley walks away, and I make
a mental note to question that more later.
Just as I start to step back into the room, Craig steps out, his face flushed and his eyes wide.
“Your office. Now,” he says, heading straight by me.
Confused, I follow, and I see him gesture for Donny and Leonard to follow. Elise and Lisa are taking a sleep break, like I was supposed to be doing.
As soon as we’re all in my office, Craig shuts the door and he lays out his iPad.
“Lindy May Wheeler is the woman Ferguson’s killer decided to leave the child with.”
