章 87: Hazel

The worst happened two weeks later. Charlie came home again covered in blood and had the audacity to wink at Billy.

"As promised, your girl is alive."

He was relieved that she was okay. Now all he had to do was find her so he could try and make up for his father's crime. But when he showed up at the address in that manila folder the house was roped off with crime scene tape. Nobody was there.

Stupid! Of course she wouldn't have stayed at that house all alone. Kids that little needed adults to take care of them. But which adult had she ended up with? They might not even be in the same city anymore.

Billy's heart sunk. Now he might never find her again. He didn't even know the girl's name. The file only had pictures and habits in it. It was as if Charlie didn't even see them as human. Maybe it was easier to kill them that way.

Unfathomable as the mind of a killer might be, it didn't help him at all. His one lead was a dud.