“What has Yvette done?” Jennifer asked, the dread coating her voice.
“We’re not sure yet,” Judson replied, obviously not spilling any details, “but it’s imperative that I get in touch with her. If she contacts you, don’t mention I’m looking for her. Just try to find out her location and then call me or the Renegade Canyon Sheriff’s Office.”
“Has Yvette done something bad?” Jennifer pressed. “Something to do with that foster ranch where Shane and I stayed before we were adopted?”
Everything inside Addie went still, and she waited for Judson’s response. “Yvette’s car was spotted near the HorseshoeRanch,” he finally said after a long pause. “Do you have any idea what she would have been doing there?”
Jennifer paused, too. “I’m not sure, but considering her state of mind last night, she might try to confront the woman who ran the place when Shane and I were living there.”
Yvette couldn’t have spoken to Jennifer’s former foster mom, since Mellie was dead, but Addie was certain that Yvette, or anyone else for that matter, hadn’t come to the door to ask about Mellie. They’d had no visitors all morning at the ranch.
Well, no visitor who’d rung the doorbell or paid a normal visit.
Obviously, someone had gotten in. Probably Yvette. And the fact that the car had been hidden on a trail meant the person hadn’t had good intentions.
“Call me if you hear from Yvette,” Judson repeated, and he ended the call with Jennifer. “I’m going to try to call Shane now,” he let them know.
They didn’t get lucky this time, because the call to Jennifer’s twin brother went straight to voicemail, but Judson did leave a message asking the man to call him back immediately.
Livvy finished her call with Grace and continued the drive toward the interstate. With nothing else she could do, Addie kept looking for the black car. And tried not to give in to the panic that was building, building, building. She was fighting the tears again, too, when her phone rang.
The sound was so unexpected that she gasped, and because her hands were still trembling, it took her several moments to yank her phone from the pocket of her jeans. She didn’t recognize the number on the phone, but she answered it right away on speaker, praying this was Yvette.
“Addie Jansen?” the caller—a woman—immediately asked.
“Yes,” Addie verified, and she held her breath.
“I’m Courtney Mora, a social worker from San Antonio.”
Addie’s hopes vanished as quickly as they’d come. It wasn’t unusual for her to get calls from social workers, and San Antonio was less than an hour from Renegade Canyon. Those calls were usually inquiries about possible placements for babies and kids that CPS had taken into custody.
“I’m sorry, but this isn’t a good time,” Addie muttered.
“I understand,” Courtney replied. “I just saw the Amber Alert on the missing babies, and I might have some information.”
Addie practically snapped to attention, and from the corner of her eye, she saw Judson have a similar reaction. “What information?” Addie couldn’t get out fast enough.
“Yvette O’Dell,” the woman said, and just hearing the name gave Addie another slam of those raw nerves. “I was the social worker who removed her kids over two decades ago. Needless to say, I made an enemy of Yvette when I did that. She’s tried her best to destroy me and my career.”
This recap might be necessary, but Addie was anxious to get to the reason why Courtney had called. “Did Yvette come after the twins that I’m fostering now?” Addie demanded.
“Yes, I believe she did,” Courtney replied. “Just yesterday, she showed up at my office to rant about how I ruined her life. I had security escort her out, but she had a wild look in her eyes, and I was worried she would try to do something reckless to get back at me. Perhaps she turned that recklessness on those babies.”
Maybe, but again, motive wasn’t as big a concern right now as finding Lily and Rose. “Do you have any idea where Yvette might have taken the twins?”
“I might. All those years ago when I took her children into custody, Yvette had them in an old fishing cabin. It used to belong to one of her father’s friends. Anyway, if the cabin is still there, that’s where she might have taken them.”
“What’s the address?” Addie pressed.
“I thought you’d ask for it so I looked it up before I called you. It’s number three West Betterton Road, just outside of Bulverde.”
From the back seat, Addie heard Judson phoning in the address so that someone could respond to the location. Since Bulverde wasn’t that far away, only about ten miles, it was possible that Yvette could soon be there with the babies.
Livvy stopped, put the address in the GPS and started in that direction. They weren’t far away, either, and would be there in under ten minutes. Sooner, Addie amended, considering the speed Livvy was driving.
“Thank you,” Addie told Courtney.
“Glad I can help. I believe Yvette could be a very dangerous woman, and she needs to be stopped. I hope you can stop her. But be careful. There’s no telling what she’s capable of,” she tacked on before ending the call.
