The Truth (Mommy's House 2)

Part Nineteen

Steven was not at the Blanchard Motel.

The officers that went to check it out knocked on almost every door to the neon-lit motel, with no luck. We had a nationwide search going for this guy, which was difficult with hardly any information about him. We had his appearance: dark hair, light eyes, in his 60's. However, we had no clue of his possible whereabouts.

So at around eleven that night, I knocked on the door to Bella's house frantically with Liv beside me. It was important that we got her into safety, before something bad happened.

Bella's father answered, in a t-shirt and pajama pants. I could immediately see the resemblance between him and Bella - the wide, hazel eyes, the wavy, dark hair. He looked scared as he stared between me and Liv, before looking past us at the police cars in his driveway.

"What's wrong?" he asked, his voice shaking.

"We don't mean to alarm you, but we need to take Bella into custody," I said, my voice catching in my throat as I watched the panic form in her father's eyes.

"Why? What's going on?" he looked behind us again, clearly flustered. He appeared to have just woken up.

"Dad? What...?" Bella paused upon noticing us, appearing suddenly from the stairs behind her father. She was dressed in a nightgown, her arms wrapped around her torso as she stared at me and Liv.

Liv and I stepped into the warm house, and Bella wrapped her arms around her father, pure fear radiating off her gaze.

"Will you tell me what's going on, please?" Bella's father asked, wrapping his arm around Bella.

"Bella is in danger," I explained to her father, who inhaled sharply. "There is somebody involved in the abduction that is still out there, and we need to keep her safe until he is found."

"Who is it?" Bella asked, her fingers shaking as she latched onto her father. "I'm not leaving you, daddy," she said, tears forming in her eyes.

"Why is this still happening? I thought you guys were supposed to make sure that this was over with," Bella's father said angrily, tears beginning to well up in his eyes at the sound of Bella pleading beside him.

"We are finding out more. Bella is not safe where she is," I told him, before I turned to Bella.

"I'm not going to the mental hospital again," Bella said, her voice small as she watched me.

I took a deep breath. "You're actually going to stay with Liv for a little while. Don't worry, we're going to find-"

"No!" Bella cried out suddenly, "I'm not leaving him!" Tears were streaming down her flushed cheeks as she hugged her father tightly. "Daddy, please, tell them to go away," she whispered.

"Well, we can keep you here and have a close eye on the house, but that is risky," I started, looking towards her father. "We have other options too, you guys could both stay in a hotel."

"Let's do that!" Bella exclaimed. "Please, daddy."

"Honey, I-" her father paused and shook his head, "I'm going to stay here. You will be fine with the officers, I promise you."

Bella practically flew into his arms, her head on his chest as she wept.

My heart was breaking. Liv was trying to keep her composure as she looked at me, sorrow filling her stare. I swallowed the lump in my throat and stood straight, watching them.

"Bella, why don't you go upstairs and pack with Liv? This is only temporary," I said quietly, but Bella was latched onto her father.

"How are you so sure?" Bella cried out, "what if you never find them? I have to be away from my dad forever?"