He had one billion euros. He didn’t personally need all of it. He just needed a tenth of it.
But he believed it would be money very well spent.
CHAPTER
32
THE NEXT MORNING MICHELLE DROPPED Tyler off at school.
She said, “If anything seems weird or if strange people show up looking for you, lock yourself in the principal’s office and call me.”
Tyler promised that he would, and Michelle watched him all the way into the school. She had never been a mother and had never really even imagined herself in that role. But she felt like an overprotective momma right now. In fact, the weight of responsibility she felt was even greater to her than when she’d protected VIPs at the Secret Service. Go figure.
She drove off and phoned Sean on her Bluetooth.
“Baby bird is dropped off,” she said. “Where do we go from here?”
“You think McKinney will meet with us again?”
“I don’t know. He left his card. I can call him.”
“Do that.”
“Why McKinney?”
“We need official access, Michelle. He provides it. Otherwise we are cut out of the loop and have no leads to follow up.”
“He’s not going to just invite us to the investigation.”
“You might be surprised.”
“What do you know that I don’t?”
“Just call him. Noon at our office.”
“What are you doing in the meantime?”
“Checking on Dana.”
“But you said you weren’t family.”
“There are always ways.”
“What do you want me to do besides call McKinney?”
“Play detective and try to get a line on Jean Wingo.”
“Okay. I’d say be careful but I know you will be.”
He clicked off.
Michelle drove to Tyler’s neighborhood. It looked just like thousands of neighborhoods that dotted the country. Working-class homes filled with working-class folks. Only this neighborhood was different. Certain people who lived here were definitely not who they appeared to be.
Michelle knocked on the door of Alice Dobbers, the neighbor who had seen Jean leave the previous day. Dobbers came to the door. She was well into her eighties, short, and about sixty pounds overweight. Her legs and arms were swollen and she looked to be in pain. She wore glasses; a hearing aid poked out of her right ear. Michelle explained who she was and what she wanted.
She added, “We’re trying to help Tyler.”
Dobbers nodded. “I know. Tyler told me about you and your partner. I can tell you what I told him. Saw her leave around noon, my soap was just about to come on. Aren’t many of them left, soaps I mean, so I’m sure of the time. Just happened to look out the window, commercial was on. Coffee. Don’t drink coffee anymore. Makes me hyper and pee at night. I don’t like hyper, don’t like peeing at night. Too much effort getting outta bed. Tried Depends. Didn’t like ’em. Felt like I was being born again. Not in a good way, diaper, you see.” She slid her glasses halfway down her nose and stared knowingly at Michelle.