Chapter Seven
Russell continues to investigate by checking the reports of the missing person in the area. Only a small number were reported. Dolly while working at the Second Change House finds a phone directory that lists other Second Chance Homes in Mississippi. She calls Russell and provides him with a copy. There were about twenty-five houses listed. Russell, with the help of a computer technician at the Crime Lab, developed a computer with the voice of a teenager. Using the program, Russell called five of the phone numbers pretending to be a pregnant teenage girl without going anywhere. The home said that she was welcome and offered the program in the house. The key is to somehow connect the house to the adoption agency and human trafficking.
Russell contacted the Federal Bureau of Investigation and asked for aid with the case. The case had become bigger than he could manage on its own. The Federal Bureau contacted Russell and scheduled an appointment to meet with him. Then he was able to share the evidence with the FBI. After reviewing the information that Russell and Joe uncovered, FBI agent Johnson, Russell and Joe refused to be separated from the investigation. Russell was a little detective in a small town. Joe had no law enforcement training at all. The FBI was unwilling to accept the risk. Russell and Joe could be killed.
Russell and Joe had to find Tommy. Joe vowed not to give up on Tommy, even if it cost him his life. Joe was determined to find Tommy and be reunited as a family with Dolly. Joe didn't tell Dolly what was going on. He knew the situation was dangerous and wanted to protect Dolly. He didn't even think about anything happening to Dolly. He had already lost Tommy. Russell had agreed at the beginning of the trip to help Joe find Tommy. Joe was happy with Russell not to give up the search. Russell had told Joe that the FBI had taken over the case and that he was no longer allowed to work on it. Joe became angry and told Russell that he was still looking for Tommy with or without his help.
Russell agreed to continue searching for Tommy, but the FBI would take care of human trafficking. Russell used the computer program and named one of the Second Chance Home in the middle of Mississippi. He pretended to dismiss a teenage unusable mother and asked if they would recommend an adoption agency. She had a little girl Tina two months old and realized that she couldn't take care of her. Tina's father had left her and left her with the responsibility of taking care of Tina alone. The Second Chance Home provided her with a number to a local angel with Halo's adoption agency.
Russell used the computer program to call the Adoption Agency. The recorder replied, "Thank you for calling, leave your name and number and someone will return your call." The phone rang, it was the adoption agency. Russell replied on the phone, "Christy." Mandy was on the other end of the phone. Joe recognized her voice. Christy was informed. Christy was instructed to take the baby to an address she provided. Tina would be given to a family would love her and take care of her. Christy should meet Mandy at the address. It was to the Hospital Gift Shop in Cathedral Haven Mississippi.
Russell and Joe traveled for hours to meet Mandy at the Gift Shop. They came to Russell's address disguised as teenagers while a doll wrapped in a blanket in his arms. Mandy called and instructed Russell to meet her in the storage shed behind the Gift Shop. Russell went to the storage shed with the doll and arrested Mandy. Mandy was part of the Black-Market Baby Adoption Agency. Mandy was taken to the Local Sheriff's Office for questioning. Russell informed the sheriff that she had been kidnapped, and Russell must be arrested. Mandy and Russell were both placed in a detention cell in the county jail. Joe went to jail and demanded Russell's release.
Russell was allowed to make phone calls. The call went to FBI agent Johnson. Russell told Johnson that they had been able to connect the Second Chance Home with the Black-Market Adoption Agency. Johnson asked to talk to the prison guard. Johnson ordered Russell's release because he was an FBI agent. Johnson then instructed him not to talk to Mandy until he arrived. Russell was discouraged that he wanted to break the case, find Tommy and get an outstanding detective with his colleagues. His colleagues had called him a Shade Tree Detective.
Johnson arrived at Madison County Jail and began questioning Mandy. Mandy was arrogant and thought she was above the law. Mandy felt that she was doing the world a favor. Nobody wanted a teenage tramp in the neighborhood. Even her family didn't want her. They would end up being just prostitutes, house burglars, drug addicts, and they were not welcome in society. They grew up as trailer park trash and would never change. You don't deserve to have a baby. There were so many people who couldn't have children and were willing to pay for them. The adoptive parents were able to care for the babies and give them a loving home Johnson couldn't believe anyone could do something like that and thought it was okay. They kidnapped children and gave them to the highest bidder. They were treated like cattle instead of a human. A dog is treated better than the teenage girls.
Russell came in and talked to Mandy. He asked her about Tommy. She said I remember that poor sick child. The mother did not take care of him. It broke my heart to see a childlike Tommy suffer. Mandy told him Tommy is fine. He was adopted by a doctor, and he was able to give Tommy everything he needed. He was so sick when he was born. They didn't know if he would live. They couldn't sell a child who could die. Dolly was hired as a house parent at the Second Chance Home. As soon as Tommy was better, he was adopted. Russell asked, "What's going to happen to Dolly?"
Mandy Stated, "Just like the rest of the tramps. She would also be taken." Russell knew she was talking about human trafficking. Russell said, "So she wanted to be killed?" Mandy replied, "It is not worth the price of a bullet." It took everything Russell could do to stick together. Russell was full of anger and doesn't know how much he could hear from him. Russell wanted to know who was adopting Tommy and where he was. He wanted to give detailed information to Joe. Joe could find the baby and be reunited. But Mandy was just one person involved in Operation Russell and Johnson wanted to get to the top and bring them all down. They wanted to do more than just pay Mandy.
Johnson, Russell and Joe met at the Captain's Office in prison. They spent hours discussing the information they received. To put the pieces together, they listed everything on a chalkboard. They asked Captain Wallace to join them. The second chance at home is having for pregnant teenage girls. They have no family or friend who would provide them with accommodation. The girls were provided with all medical care needs. This results in a healthy baby that could be sold. The girls would be the only ones who take care of the baby. The girls are sold to the Human Traffickers, and no one would report them missing. It was a profitable business. Thousands of dollars for the babies and the girls. With the Gift Shop as a front for the business.
The police would never be involved. The babies would be cared for. The mothers would be slaves in another country. They would have no way to return to the United States. The babies would be detected by the adoptive parents. This is a money-making operation and there is no way for them to get caught. No one would ever complain that the adoptive parents are having a baby. No one cared about the girls. All questions had been answered, except where is Tommy?
Joe arranged with Mandy to exchange Tommy for a million dollars. Mandy agreed. She was only allowed to trade if she was released in prison. Joe told Russell about the agreement. Russell told her that when Joe had custody of Tommy, they would release her. Russell wanted to trade Mandy for Tommy. The FBI had arrested all those involved in the Black-Market Baby operation. It was limited to the state of Mississippi. It would take months to arrest the human trafficking member because it was an international business.
Johnson had arranged for Mandy's release so that the exchange could take place. Mandy planned the exchange. Russell, Joe and Mandy went to an old warehouse on the other side of town. Russell, Joe and Mandy were standing on the side of the car and Tommy went to the door of the building. Joe, run towards Tommy. Tommy had never seen him before and didn't know it was his father. Russell pulled out his gun and shot Mandy in the head. Russell was killed in the crossfire. Joe must find Dolly to reunite the family.