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STOOD TOGETHER

Five days later, Colson walked into Zander’s office after work.

Having Marly on his side was wonderful.

Fighting in his corner, making a fist and sending out a right jab when he got in his head, knocking it out of him until he got all the facts.

He needed that reminder.

Like he’d needed her presence around Bella this weekend.

Doing something fun. Going bowling, then the two girls getting their nails done while he ran to the store and got food for the week.

Boring mundane things that had to get done.

Things that took his mind off what was happening without Bella’s knowledge.

Letting her know the world was still moving even if he was bracing for his to crash.

“You found something?” he asked when he opened the door.

Zander’s assistant was gone, it was just Zander standing at the front desk talking to his father.

Dave Conway was braced the same as Zander. The same as Marly had been.

Proving to him once again that this family stuck when the times were tough.

And maybe he needed to know that they took him in as one of them also.

“Not much,” Zander said. “Let’s go into my office.”

His heart sank. He wanted to hear they had a ton of shit on Holly. Maybe an outstanding warrant somewhere?

Though he could have checked that himself.

Except he didn’t have cause and he did everything by the book.

He wasn’t going to use city resources for his personal fight.

He’d never do something like that. Never risk his job.

He took a seat in the chairs off to the side by Zander and Dave. “What did you find out?”

“She’s been off the grid for years,” Zander said. “I could try to get someone to look around in Mexico if you want. I just didn’t know how far you wanted to go.”

Meaning the cost behind it. The resources.

Not something Zander could do himself.

“If I have to I will,” he said.

“She was in rehab. A state run one in Florida last year. It was part of her plea deal from an earlier arrest.”

“She said she is clean, but part of me doesn’t believe it.”

He knew the signs of an addict. He’d lived with one.

“Have you talked to her again since she showed up last Friday?” Dave asked.