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“No. She didn’t leave her number. I told her to at the desk. When I went back in, they said all Holly did was leave her first name and address she is staying at. I looked into it, it’s some guy.”
Someone with a history of arrests and drug use.
“That’s it?” Zander asked. “She pops in like that, gives a sob story that she wants to see her daughter.”
“Oh, that came later. It was money first,” he reminded them. “Then she threatened me with Bella.”
“If she has no money, she isn’t going to get to see Bella. Not enough for a legal fight.”
“Nope. So nothing else?” he asked.
“She’s had a few arrests for prostitution and drugs,” Zander said. “In a few different states, all down south. About eight or nine years ago, until the last one in Florida.” Zander picked up the file and handed it over. “Nothing, I’m sure, that is surprising to you.”
He opened the folder and sifted through the pages in front of him.
The mug shots, the charges, the time spent in jail because she didn’t have bail.
Zander was right, nothing that surprised him.
This right here was enough to keep Holly away from Bella, but he wanted more than this.
If Holly really was clean. If she could convince some judge of it, then there might be a shot at supervised visitations.
He didn’t even want to go that far.
“No. I’m sure in Mexico she was doing much of the same,” he said.
“That’s my guess and probably not as easy to follow. She’s got shitty credit,” Zander said. “Lots of credit cards opened in her name and never paid.”
“Again, nothing I didn’t expect.”
“Did she say what she wanted the money for?” Dave asked.
“I didn’t bother to ask. Seems she’s staying with some guy right now. I’ve driven by the house a few times. It’s the only way I can reach her, going there. Unless she comes back to find me.”
“She can find out where you live,” Zander said. “It’s public record.”
“If she’s smart enough to look into it,” he said.
“Depends on how desperate she is,” Zander said.
He blew out a breath. “I’m sure I’ll find out soon enough.”
“Is there anything we can do to help?” Dave asked.
“I’m good. I appreciate it. I guess right now, I just need to let Bella know what is going on. I need to figure out if she has a choice or not.”
“She’s thirteen,” Zander said. “She’s still a kid.”
“I know. I feel the same way. But she’s smart and it’s not an easy situation. Maybe she wants to see her mother. Maybe she wants to ask why Holly left or where she has been.”
He hoped to hell it wasn’t to learn more about Holly. To build some mother-daughter bond.
“And you’re worried she’s going to resent or blame you if you don’t give her that chance?” Dave asked. “Because as a father who once had a teenage daughter, you never know what is going through their mind.”
“That’s it right there. I want to think I know how she’ll react, but the truth is, I have no clue.”
He leaned forward, the folder still open in his hands. Holly’s mug shot stared up at him from the page. Messy bleached hair. Dead eyes. That same stubborn mouth Bella had.
