Chapter 93
NINETY-THREE
Ellie called her captain, explained the circumstances and her suspicions about Mabel Putnam then asked him to issue a BOLO for the counselor and an APB for her car. “The ERT is on its way.”
“I’m on it,” Captain Hale said.
Ellie hung up and finished snapping pictures of the living room and kitchen. She captured a close-up of the blood and then took a sample, wondering if it was Mabel’s blood or if she’d been attacked and she might have grabbed the knife from the knife block to defend herself.
If so, the blood might belong to the unsub.
Footsteps hammered on the staircase, then Derrick called, “Ellie, you need to come up and see what’s in that locked room.”
Ellie froze, fear bolting through her at his grim tone. Dear God, please don’t let it be one of the children. Or Mabel.
She stuck her phone in her pocket, then walked to the foyer and climbed the steps, anxiety riddling her body.
He led her to the room where the door stood wide open, and Ellie inhaled sharply then stared inside.
“I don’t know what it means,” Derrick said. “But it raises suspicions.”
Ellie’s pulse raced as she realized what she was looking at.
A baby’s nursery. Pale yellow walls, a crib and changing table, baby toys, a stroller and bouncy seat.
Tiny newborn-girl clothes were laid out on top of a white wooden dresser.
Stuffed animals and children’s books filled a bookcase, a comfy-looking rocking chair sat in the corner, and a picture of a butterfly hung over the crib.
“Was Mabel pregnant?” Ellie said out loud.
“I’ll get Bennett to check into her background,” Derrick replied.
Ellie’s mind raced to the facts she knew about Mabel’s job and her influence over the teens she worked with. Then the fact that she’d run from her office and now seemed to have disappeared.
She scanned the nursery again. Some of the items still had price tags on them. “Either she was pregnant or was expecting to have a child soon,” Ellie said.
“Which means she could have been involved with the adoption agency for her own personal reasons,” Derrick suggested.
Ellie nodded, her brain firing on all guns. She’d seen Clara at Bright Horizons talking to Mabel. Clara was due any day now. “What if Mabel was trying to convince Clara to allow her to adopt Clara’s child?”
“That’s possible,” Derrick agreed, his tone grim.
Ellie’s lungs strained for air. “Minnie kept her baby and so did Dana Jo and look what happened to them. But Nina was only six months along and he killed her. Why not wait until her baby was born?” Ellie said, thinking out loud.
“If her pregnancy was a result of assault from our unsub, perhaps she decided to go to the police so he killed her to keep her quiet.”
“That could explain it,” Ellie agreed. Her mind raced back to Clara. “Clara could deliver any day,” Ellie said. “What if she didn’t agree to the adoption? She could be in danger.”
The unsub might be planning to kill Clara once the baby is born and then take the baby and Clara was helping?
Ellie felt sick to her stomach.
A siren wailed outside, indicating ERT had arrived, then the lights flickered off, drenching them in total darkness.
She gripped her phone and punched her captain’s number, then quickly relayed her concerns. “Get Deputy Eastwood or Landrum over to Sanctuary House ASAP,” Ellie said. “Hazel and Clara may both be in danger.”
“Sorry, Detective,” Captain Hale said. “The blackout is causing major trouble in the whole area. Deputy Landrum and Eastwood are out on calls now. A domestic disturbance, pile-up with a multiple-vehicle accident, a break-in at the hardware store, where people are fighting over batteries and generators. It’s taking all our manpower. ”
Damn. “All right, I’ll go. Meanwhile check on that warrant for Mabel Putnam’s clients. We’re especially looking for young mothers who may have recently given birth.”
“I’ll try, but this storm has also knocked out a cell tower. I’m not sure I can reach the judge to request a warrant.”
Ellie dug her nails into her palms. She wanted to scream in frustration.
“Fine, just see what you can do. Mabel is in the wind. Found blood at her house, which suggests she was attacked and perhaps abducted. There’s also a nursery set up, so it’s possible she’s on the run, that she was planning to take Clara’s baby or one of her other clients’ newborns. We have to cover all bases.”
“I’ll do my best.”
They hung up and she hurried to meet the ERT at the door. She gave quick instructions, handed over the samples she’d collected then called out to Derrick who’d been looking around outside.
“Did you find anything?”
“No. Just those tire tracks. Not sure if they belong to Mabel’s vehicle or another.”
Ellie’s breath heaved out. “Let’s get over to Sanctuary House in case Mabel goes there. Clara and her baby may be in danger.” Ellie pulled her keys. “I’ll drive. I have four-wheel drive and snow tires.”
Derrick didn’t argue. They ran outside, and in spite of the whiteout conditions, Ellie started the engine and barreled onto the road leading to Sanctuary House.