Read CA 50.7 Little Girl Lost for Free Online

feared she would do, she gave him the directions. The home wasn't far from the diner. A few short minutes into the downtown area's historic district and the lavish Franklin Street address came into view.
    "The lights are on." Paul eased the SUV to the curb on the opposite side of the street. He shut off the headlights and the engine.
    "I didn't say no one would be here," she said, her voice weighted with frustration and all the other emotions no doubt eating at her. "I said he wouldn't be here. He's gone."
    "So you've talked to whoever is here now?" She was going to make every step a challenge. He understood the battle. This wasn't about reason or rational thinking. This was about desperation. She didn't want to see what he saw so clearly.
    Someone had chosen her for a painful game or maybe even a deadly one. Jen spent a lot of time on the internet surfing for missing children and unsavory crime patterns. With the websites she visited, she was an easy victim of cyber stalkers with more than emptying her bank account in mind.
    Granted, this current business seemed a bit bizarre even for some of the whack jobs who scanned the net looking for trouble.
    "Yes," she relented. "I spoke to a Mr. and Mrs. Lanier, they own the house. They've lived here for thirty years. They were away in Australia all last month. They don't know any Reginald Waters and his description matched none of their friends or associates."
    The silence thickened around them. Paul didn't have to point out that if that aspect of the man's story had been a scam then the rest could be, as well.
    "If he lied about his identity," she said softly, breaking the awkward silence, "then how does Dr. Hancock know him? Why would the administrator of the Wallace Institute offer me a job based on the recommendation of a man who doesn't exist?"
    Anger lit in Paul's gut. How could anyone take advantage of another's grief? The idea made him want to tear this bastard Waters apart. But he had to find him first, and finding him had to wait until Paul was certain Jen was safe.
    The dark-haired image of a ten-year-old girl flashed through his head. Yeah, and he wanted to know about those kids. Maybe that little girl wasn't his and Jen's, but she belonged to someone. All of them did. Maybe Jen wasn't the only one who needed his help.
    ***
    Jenna unlocked the door, but before she could cross the threshold into her run-down duplex, Paul was ushering her aside. He was doing that protector thing again. The thing that had failed their daughter. Neither of them had been able to protect Sophie.
    After he'd flipped on the lights and searched all eight hundred square feet of her place, he turned and gave her the okay. Just a single firm nod that assured all was as it should be. And why wouldn't it be? She had nothing here worth stealing. The only personal
    belongings she'd brought with her were clothes and one framed photo of her baby. Her gaze instantly sought the five-by-seven resting on the bedside table.
    Mommy will bring you home, baby.
    Clearing her mind, Jenna closed the door and locked it. She was exhausted and needed to mentally prepare for tomorrow morning. Dealing with any more of Paul's doubts and questions was not on her agenda.
    Might as well get this part over with. She squared her shoulders. "Thank you for coming to check on me." His gaze searched hers, disappointment already flickering in his. "But, as you can see, I'm fine. I have a lead and I'm following it. I'm unarmed and sober. You can go back to Chicago now. I've got this under control."
    He planted his hands on his hips in that stance that warned he intended to argue the point.
    "We've been through this," she said before he could launch that campaign. "We don't see this the same way. I have to do what I have to do and so do you."
    He gave a vague nod of acknowledgment. "If you're determined to do this, at least let me do some checking up on this Wallace Institute, Hancock and this Waters guy."
    "I've done my research."