Chapter 87
EIGHTY-SEVEN
Bright Horizons
Ellie decided not to call the counseling center to warn Mabel she needed to talk again. She didn’t want to give her a heads-up that she’d discovered the adoption agency might be a front for illegal adoptions.
She needed the element of surprise on her side in order to get an honest reaction. Had Mabel known? Was she involved in the abductions?
She phoned Derrick on the drive back. “Anything happening up there?”
“No sign of the little girl or killer. Course it would help if we knew what he looked like.”
“I know,” Ellie agreed.
“The Believers are holding another vigil, this time for both children,” Derrick said.
Derrick’s grim voice resurrected the dread in her stomach that they were running out of time.
“Hopefully their prayers will be answered. Listen, I talked to Mabel, a therapist who does prenatal and parenting counseling. She’s associated with Sanctuary House, where Minnie was living, and she counseled Dana Jo Glasser, Nina Gillis and Jordan Orwell.
There they discussed single parenting and whether to choose adoption. ”
“But Dana Jo didn’t commit to adoption. She kept her daughter.”
“Yes, and if she remembers her attacker’s face, she could ID him.” Ellie pulled into the parking lot for Bright Horizons and parked. “Mabel gave me the address for the adoption agency where she refers clients. I just stopped there but the building was abandoned.”
Derrick made a low sound in his throat. “Was there a forwarding address?”
“No, in fact I don’t think the agency was ever housed there. The place hasn’t been used in probably a decade. You suggested we might be dealing with an illegal adoption ring and this could be their front.”
“True. Do you think Mabel knew or did the agency give Mabel a fake address?”
Ellie climbed from her Jeep, pulling her hood up as snowflakes fell in a white haze. “That’s what I’m about to find out. I’m going to question her now.”
“What’s the name of the agency?”
“New Beginnings.”
Derrick cleared his throat. “I’ll look into it.”
“Thanks.” Ellie headed up the cobblestone path to the house. “I’ll keep you posted.”
“Be careful,” Derrick warned. “If Mabel was involved, she might be dangerous, too.”