Chapter 48

Today was the day. He finally had a lead on Alice's whereabouts, thanks to his sister Mia. He couldn't believe his luck when Mia called last night with the news.

"I found her old address in the staff records," Mia had said, her voice crackling over the phone. "It's from when she worked as a maid for us. 42 Willow Lane, Manchester."

Now, as Carson stood in front of the mirror, trying to tame his bedhead, he repeated the address like a mantra. "42 Willow Lane. 42 Willow Lane."

He threw on some clothes, not caring if they matched. Who cared about fashion when he was this close to finding Alice and Charlie?

The hotel lobby was quiet this early in the morning. Only a sleepy-eyed receptionist and a cleaner pushing a mop bucket were around. Carson nodded to them as he rushed out, the cool morning air hitting his face.

He hailed a taxi, an old black cab with a dent in the front fender. The driver, a burly man with a thick gray mustache, turned to Carson with a friendly smile.

"Where to, guy?"