He stepped out of the taxi, and took a quick glance around him. He was standing in front of a building that said -Florida Department of Social Services. He smiled to himself as he shook his head. Then he walked up the steps and into the front door, adjusting his dress shirt as he went. He didn't want to seem too amused. After all, it was two down and one to go. Now that Lea's mother had been taken care of....he could finish off the rest and collect the insurance money.

"Mr.Holland?," a voice called. He turned,and the instant he saw her he thought that she was a nice piece of work. He extended a hand as she gave him a friendly smile,"Josephine Romez. I'm in charge of your case," she said.She led him down the hall and into her office, as he took a seat in the leather chair next to her desk.

"I really am sorry that you folks had to be involved.I know she's a little hellion, but Lea has never been so out of hand. And I'm just so upset with her behavior these days...I fear the worst when she learns of her mother's untimely death," he said. She looked as though she believed his every word.

"I'm very sorry to hear about your wife, Mr.Holland. How terrible that your house just caught fire like that....," she whispered. He nodded,and even mustered up a few tears for effect.She gave him a reassuring pat on the arm as she sat down and opened a folder in front of her.

"Now," she began," We've been hearing some disturbing things from the time we spent with your daughter last night. Is it true that you beat her?"

"Beat her?," he asked,faking shock. "Mrs.Romez, those are some pretty strong crimes you're accusing me of. I punish Lea,yes...but beat her? I think her imagination is getting the best of her," he said, sitting back in his chair as she nodded.

"Then there is no violence in the home? Because we will have to keep you under observation as soon as we send Lea home with you," she said. He nodded, and asked,"When will that be?"

Mrs.Romez sighed and explained,"As soon as Detective Bronson can find her. She was in our custody last night...she must have crawled out through the window in her room. We believe she's gone back to the people who were hiding her before."

"People?What people?," he snapped, angrily.
"Two young boys....nice ones, but they should have turned her over the minute they caught her shoplifting in that supermarket," she said quietly.

"You mean my little girl has been hiding with boys twice her age?! Why can't you people do ANYTHING around here?!? I want my daughter found NOW,so she and I can go home!," he shouted.Then he calmed himself down,and continued, "We buried my wife, my Sheryl, yesterday. I can't bear the thought of never seeing that little girl again.She's got to know-from me-that her mamma is gone to heaven. Can't you understand?She needs me right now,and I need her."

Mrs.Romez stood up, and put a hand on his arm as she said,"We'll find her, Mr.Holland.I promise."

AJ shot up out of bed. There was a loud banging down the hall,at the front door. "POLICE!," the voice boomed. He was terrified. What was he supposed to do? Walking down the hall he threw on a t-shirt and then unlocked the door. Without asking anything,the barged in and began searching the place. "Hey! You can't just march in here!," he cried. An older man in a suit shoved a badge and a documented paper in his face.

"Detective Bronson,Social Services for the state.We have a warrant to search for a runaway who might be hiding here," he snapped. AJ shoved the badge out of his face, as he replied,"She's not here! They took her yesterday!"

"Well, it just so happens that she disappeared last night. We're gonna make sure you didn't break any laws and not call us if she showed up here," he said.

Just as they went for Brian's room, AJ jumped in the way."Young man, if you don't move, I'm gonna take you downtown with me," one of the police officers barked."Yeah?So what...you've got some stupid warrant to search my home.Not if I don't feel like letting you. I'm not a criminal! This isn't right!," he cried,turning to the social services officer," Do you know that he beats her? Sure,send her home! He'll just do it again! Why don't you quit looking for some scared little girl,and put that sick jerk behind bars?!?"

AJ cried out when two of the officers grabbed him, pulling his hands behind his back. He felt them click on the cuffs and he groaned. NOW what was he gonna do? The social services officer flung open the door, only to find that it was empty. AJ was releived...but he panicked as they lead him out of the apartment to the squad car waiting out front.

Where are Brian and Lea? And now that AJ has been arrested, how will he get out? What will happen when Mrs.Romez leads Mr.Holland right to Lea? And what really happened to Mrs.Holland? Find out in Chapter seven!

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