The Father
He thought things over as he and Jeb walked along the path. The Father wasn’t sure what to make of the detective and officer who had come to the compound. Were they on the up and up, merely looking for the teenaged girl in the photo? Could be. More than once someone had come unbidden to their gate, seeking to join them. Then again, the alleged missing girl could be nothing more than a ruse, a veiled attempt to gain access to the compound to get information about the baby.
He was probably being paranoid. Dropping a baby at a fire station wasn’t illegal. In fact, there was a state statute allowing for babies to be left in such places, no questions asked. Any attempt by law enforcement to follow up on a safe drop would be totally at odds with the purpose of the law.
Even so, paranoid or not, it couldn’t hurt to take some precautions. Today’s visit had caught him totally unawares. If law enforcement returned, he’d like to have some warning, some time to prepare.
He turned to Jeb. “Round up one of the men. I need you to make a run to Tractor Supply. Take the Chevy.” Until he determined whether there was something going on, it was best to keep the Ford out of sight.