Page 77 of The Advocate’s Ultimatum

“Could it have been her brother?”

“Maybe.”

“Did she say anything else about it?”

“No,” Alana said. “Just that.” She drew in a slow breath. “I should’ve waited for Hannah. She didn’t like being by herself on that walk.”

“Why do you say that?”

“There was a house,” she said. “On the corner before ours. She didn’t like passing it alone. None of us did, but it scared her more. She always stayed closer to us when we passed it.”

“I thought she’d catch up,” Alana said. “That’s what I told myself. That’s what we all did.”

“You can’t blame yourself. You were just a child.” JP stood. “I appreciate you talking to me.”

JP walked back toward his truck, thinking about what he’d heard. Hannah didn’t want to go home. She shut down when Hayes’ name came up. She was obviously afraid of him. Maybe with good reason. But somewhere in all of that, there was someone she trusted enough to feel safe. Had that been Sabre? Her brother? Or was it someone who had another plan for her?

Chapter 28

Saturday morning

The substitute teacher, Ellen Adams, took a little more digging than the others. Substitutes didn’t leave much of a trail. They had no office, no consistent workplace, and nothing current to point to. Just a name in an old report and a line that said she’d been there that day.

JP worked the name through older records, got a few address hits, and finally landed on a small house in a quiet neighborhood a few miles from the school. He parked at the curb and sat for a moment before getting out.

The front yard was neat but not rigid, with toys off to one side and a small plastic slide near the porch.

JP walked up and knocked.

It took a few seconds, but the door opened just enough for a woman to look out. “Yes?”

JP kept his tone casual. “Ellen Adams?”

“Yes. Why?”

He handed her his card. “I’m JP Torn. I’m looking into something from a number of years ago. You were subbing at Jackson Elementary.”

“What is this about?”

“Hannah Caldwell.”

The door opened a little wider. “I could never forget that day.”

“Do you have a few minutes?”

“Tell me they found her.”

“I’m afraid not.”

She looked past him toward the street, then back inside the house. “All right,” she said. “But I can’t be long.”

They sat at a small table just inside the door. From where JP sat, he could see into the living room. A child’s voice drifted from somewhere deeper in the house. A cartoon played softly in the background.

Ellen kept glancing in that direction.

“You don’t teach anymore?” JP asked.

She shook her head. “No.”