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I look over at Craig. “You said Lindy May moved nine and a half years ago?”
He nods. “Look around that time frame. See what you come up with.”
He immediately starts pulling something up on his iPad, and I glance over at Leonard.
“Call Hadley. Tell her what we’ve learned. It’s better to err on the side of caution.”
“The cautious seldom err,” he quips, quoting Confucius as he exits the room.
“We’ll revisit the entire profile, examine the evidence from a whole new perspective after we deal with Plemmons,” I tell him, following him out.
“This changes everything,” he agrees.
I walk into the small conference room where Duke is still speaking to Lindy. Donny shakes his head, letting me know he hasn’t asked anything yet.
“She already told you she never saw the person who took her there,” Lindy says, glaring at Duke as Laurel rests against her, not seeming the least bit timid.
She knows something. She knows Ferguson is dead, but not even that would put a scared child so at ease. She’s already bonded with Lindy May. Something like that has a reason, and more to it than simply feeling safe. And why does she feel so safe?
“She was too exhausted to even open her eyes,” Lindy goes on.
She has a protective arm around the child, showing instant maternal instincts. She’s bonded with Laurel as fiercely as Laurel has bonded with her. In less than twenty-four hours.
“So she has no idea how she ended up on your porch? And you never saw anything?”
Her eyes narrow to slits. “I came in freely, willing to give you information. You still haven’t agreed to my terms, yet I’ve told you all I could except for what you really want to know. Yet you’re interrogating me. I should have stayed home.”
Duke opens his mouth to speak, but I put a hand on his shoulder, drawing his attention.
“You said you wanted to know where the other kids were, so why are you grilling her about who brought the kid?”
His lips clap shut, and I cock my head to the side. Finally, he blows out a long breath.
“It doesn’t add up. Even you know this sounds wrong.”
“What information do you have?” I ask Lindy.
She glares at me now. “I’m not telling you anything until you promise me that Laurel can remain in my house with me. You have to promise no one will take her away.”
Laurel clutches Lindy’s hand, still leaning on her.
“Donny, make some calls,” I say, titling my head. “Make sure Laurel doesn’t get removed from Ms. Wheeler’s home.”
“May,” Lindy immediately corrects. “My last name is now May. I don’t use Wheeler anymore.”
“Why is that, Ms. May?” I ask, acting as though this is news to me.
“Sometimes you just need a fresh start. Same as I’m trying to offer Laurel. Why are we being treated like criminals when we just came to help?”
Duke slumps in his seat, a look of regret crossing his face. He’s trained to ask about the suspicious answers. She’s definitely hiding something, but I’m not sure what.
Donny walks out, his phone to his ear, making the calls we need.
“Why’d you leave Delaney Grove?” I ask her.
No surprise flickers in her eyes, but her back stiffens. Laurel’s hand clutches hers tighter.
