Chapter 23
TWENTY-THREE
Hazel and Clara clutched each other’s hands as they entered the police station. After that news story about Minnie, they’d both sat shaken and shocked. Then the tears had come, flowing like a flooded river spilling onto the ground during a bad rainstorm.
It had taken everything Hazel possessed to pull herself together and drive here.
But she’d promised to do everything possible to support Minnie.
Right now that meant helping find Iris if possible, and getting justice for Minnie.
Lord help her up, she didn’t know exactly how she could help but she had to try.
She had to. She’d promised to make amends for her own wrongs but her own secrets had to remain hidden.
“I can’t believe this is happening,” Clara said in a voice laced with tears. “Minnie never hurt anyone.”
Hazel patted her hand. “I know, sugar. I know.”
On weak legs, Hazel and Clara held on to each other as they crossed the room.
A male deputy with a nameplate on the desk that read Deputy Heath Landrum looked up from his computer.
He seemed to sense something was wrong and circled around his desk and approached them with a kind smile. “I’m Deputy Landrum. Can I help you?”
It took Hazel two attempts to make her voice work. “We need to talk to Detective Reeves about Minnie Benton.”
The deputy’s brows rose. “Yes, ma’am. Follow me.”
They did and seconds later, the deputy knocked on an office door then cracked it open. “Detective Reeves, these ladies want to talk to you about the Benton case.”
Detective Reeves nodded, then gestured for them to come in and indicated the loveseat and chairs in the corner of her office. “Please have a seat and let me grab y’all a bottled water.”
Hazel clutched the chair and lowered her bulk into it, and Clara claimed the loveseat, her right hand stroking her belly. The detective grabbed two waters from a mini fridge by her desk and handed the bottles to them.
Then she sank into the chair facing them, her eyes gentle. “What can I do for you, ladies?”
Hazel cleared her throat. “My name is Hazel and this is Clara.” Hazel hugged her purse to her in a white-knuckled grip. “We saw the news report about Minnie.”
The detective folded her hands, her voice calm. “Did you know Minnie?” she asked.
Hazel nodded. “She was staying with me at Sanctuary House.”
“She was my best friend,” Clara said in a quivering voice. “Is she really dead?”
“I’m sorry, sweetie, but I’m afraid so,” the detective said softly. “Now, please tell me about Sanctuary House.”
Hazel took a sip of water, screwed the cap back on, then relaxed slightly.
“It’s a non- profit I run to provide homes for teens in trouble, usually from addiction, and some like Clara who are pregnant and alone and Minnie who was when she came to me.
Although most of the girls deliver at the hospital, I’m also a midwife, so I can handle the birth if need be. ”
Sympathy filled the detective’s eyes and Hazel realized Detective Reeves’ interest was piqued about Clara. But that was a story for another day. This conversation was about Minnie.
“How did Minnie wind up living at Sanctuary House?” the detective asked.
Hazel fidgeted. “After she left home, she ended up staying in a hostel for a while. A social worker who visits there to check on kids brought her to me. She was hungry and dirty and she was six months pregnant.”
“Kudos to you for running that non-profit,” the detective said with a smile. “It sounds like you’re providing a great service and are a mentor for young people in need.”
Hazel’s cheeks flamed but worry clogged her throat. “It’s my calling,” she said. “I was in that position once myself and lost my baby because I was living on the streets and had no one to help me.”
Clara squeezed Hazel’s hand. “Have you found little Iris?”
“I’m afraid not,” Detective Reeves said gently.
“I spoke with Minnie’s parents and sister but none of them had heard from Minnie in a while.
The sister was unaware Minnie had a baby.
” She inhaled sharply. “We have search teams combing the mountains for Iris. I was hoping Minnie left Iris with a family member or friend.”
Hazel chewed her bottom lip. “I don’t think she kept in touch with anyone she knew before. And as far as friends, well, she didn’t mention anyone. She was friends with Clara and Rayna, one of my other residents.”
“When did you last see Minnie?”
“Yesterday afternoon. When she left, she said she was taking Iris to the little park around the corner. We drove by there on the way here, but her car wasn’t there.”
The detective gripped a pen in her hand. “I need the make and model of the vehicle so we can locate it.”
“It was a 2010 black Toyota sedan that someone donated to the center,” Hazel said. “I let the girls use it for transportation to school or work and for Minnie to take Iris places.” She pulled her phone and retrieved her notes. “This is the license number.”
“Thank you. This is very helpful.” The detective jotted down the license plate. “One more question. Did Minnie tell you the name of Iris’s father?”
Hazel and Clara exchanged nervous looks. “No. In fact, she refused to talk about him,” Hazel replied.
“She said the same to me,” Clara said. “But I got the impression she hated him. That…”
The detective leaned forward. “That what, sweetie?”
Clara’s look turned pained. “That… she was afraid of him.”