CA 50.7 Little Girl Lost by Debra Webb Read Free Book Online

neighborhood." She hitched her head toward the Hancock home. "They're not going to get what they want for this place any more than they will." She nodded toward the house that was listed for sale. "I guess some people got so much money they forget there's a recession."
    Paul nodded. "I suppose they're both too rich for my blood." He eyed the Hancock home. "I didn't realize this one was for sale."
    The woman shrugged. "Heard 'em talking this morning. They're leaving soon." She yanked at an errant weed amid the begonias. "You'd think they could at least give their employees a little advance notice."
    "Yeah, that's too bad."
    She scoffed. "I guess I shouldn't be surprised. They let the cleaning ladies and the cook go two weeks ago. Fired all three of 'em. There's no one left but me and the guy who cuts the lawn. Gotta keep the lawn looking good if it's going on the market." She made a harrumphing sound. "I'd like to see his highfalutin wife clean this place by herself."
    The Hancocks were leaving. Funny, the administrator hadn't mentioned that to Jen. Seemed a bit of a coincidence that a sudden change would be happening just now.
    Paul pretended to admire the Hancock home. "I'll have to tell my real-estate agent to keep me posted about when this one goes on the market."
    The lady with the miniature shovel and dusty gloves eyed him for a moment then surveyed the street. "No one's home. I could show you around. Give you a sneak peek."
    Paul held up his hands. "I couldn't let you jeopardize your job like that."
    She made another of those frustrated sounds. "I'm pretty sure my job is gone anyway." She rose and dusted off her knees. "Where you from? I can tell you're not from around here."
    "California," he told her, which launched a whole tirade about west coasters.
    Paul let the lady lead the way, answered her barrage of questions and walked right into the Hancock mansion. The interior was as glamorous and sophisticated as the outside.
    The gardener paused in the entryway. "See, I told you they were leaving soon. Look at that."
    She pointed to what appeared to be a study or home office. A number of boxes were stacked around the room. One sat on the desk. Oh, yeah, these folks were out of here. From what he could see of the open boxes on the floor, papers, files and books had been tossed in with little care.
    Why the hasty departure?
    Paul's cell vibrated. "Excuse me just one moment."
    He stepped away and took the call. The gardener wandered around peering into rooms. He wondered how many times she'd done that today.
    "Paul, this is Jim."
    His boss. "You found something?" Another blast of anticipation tightened his gut.
    "According to my contact, who shall remain anonymous since he is employed by the feds, this Wallace Institute is under investigation. My contact couldn't divulge the reasons for the investigation but he indicated it had something to do with the testing being conducted there."
    Testing on the children? What else could it be? "Anything on Hancock?"
    "Nothing on him, but his wife has quite a colorful background—the possibility of fraud, tax evasion, unregulated experiments. She's the one the feds appear to be most concerned about."
    Strange. Jen hadn't mentioned a Mrs. Hancock. "Thanks, Jim. Let me know if you learn anything else."
    "I'm on it." He hesitated. "With your years in Homeland Security I'm certain I don't have to tell you that those guys who wear the white lab coats can sometimes be the most dangerous. Be careful, Paul. We don't know what's going down here, but you can always count on one thing. You corner a rat and it's going to make a move."
    Paul thanked him and ended the call. How the hell could he get this news to Jen? She was at the institute and, from the sound of things, the place was about to implode.
    What if he was too late already?
    ***
    Paul had stood in the doorway watching her go that morning and now, well after lunch, no matter how hard she tried she could not evict the image from her