A/N- Annie is OVER! YAY! I'll miss everybody on the cast, but I am so happy to have free time again! O, and I have a REAL picture of me in my little author profile, so, if you want to see what I really look like instead of AJ Cook, just visit my little profile. (I warn you that I look like a desert monkey in the picture tho!!)

Woah, ok, I drew a blank about where I left off, let me go read the last chapter.....

Ok, I know what I'm doing now!!

The Absence of Fear

Chapter 6

"When did you talk to her last?" the cop said, leaning forward in his char, over a desk. Scott was slouched in his chair.

"I don't know. Maybe an hour and a half...two hours ago...I don't know! What does it matter?"

"Mr. Barringer, we have to know how much of a head start he has on us."

"Why? Can't we just go find my wife?!" Scott yelled sitting forward

"Not if we don't know where they're going." He said making Scott feel just a little stupid. Scott leaned back in his chair again. "Do you know of anywhere Brad might have taken her? Where's he from?"

"I don't know. Up north somewhere. Shelby doesn't like to talk about him much. He's part of her past as far as we're concerned, and we don't live in the past at our house."

"Well, I've got people patrolling, but I wouldn't expect results immediately."

"No." Scott confirmed.

"Would you like to stay here for a while? In case anything comes up?" the officer asked.

" I'd kinda like to go see my daughter. I had a friend come pick her up. I think I'll go home and call my dad, maybe I'll try to get a hold of Shelby's dad, too. We need to find her."

"Just take it easy and lay low for a while. She couldn't be far."

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Brad pulled over to get gas. After he had filled up the tank, he leaned into the car.

"Dont even try to pull anything." He growled at her, and then left. She sat in the car for a moment before realizing that Brad's cell was sitting on the dash. She leaned forward quickly and grabbed it. She dialed the numbers frantically. It was busy. She hung up and dialed again. Still busy.

"Dammit, Scott, get off the phone!" she tried again, still busy. She saw Brad about to leave and tossed the phone back on the dash. When he reached the car and got in, he glared at her for a minute before starting the car up.

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After Scott had talked to his dad, he went into Shelby's dresser and pulled out her address and phone number book. He opened it to the M's and found her father's name. The page was clean white, and looked like it had never been used before. He dialed the number and let it ring. Finally a man picked up.

"Hello?"

"Um, hi, are you Mr. Merrick?" he asked.

"Yes, who is this?" he asked gruffly.

"This is Scott Barringer. I'm your daughter's husband."

"Which one? What do you want?"

"Shelby." Scott said

"Shelby..." he said rather dreamily. "What about her. I haven't talked to her in years. Last I heard she was a street rat and a druggie. Did you find her dead in some alley somewhere? How much do you want, because I don't have any money."

"No, sir. Your daughter's been....well....kidnapped by her ex-husband. The police are looking for her and so am I. We were thinking you could help."

"No. No, I can't."

"Why?" Scott asked. I'll pay for your plane ticket her, it wont cost you a dime.

"No. I don't want to." He said

"Sir, this is your daughter. She's in danger. Her and the twins she's got inside her. My daughter and I are here alone and we n-"

"You two....have a daughter?"

"Yes. Her name's Chelsea. And there's two more on the way."

"I would, son, but I'm so tied down with work."

"You mean to tell me that work is more important than your daughter. With all due respect sir, that is a horrible thing to say. What did she EVER ask of you. EVER."

"Nothing." He admitted. "But there was that school that they sent her to. Wanted me to help pay tuition."

"That's where Shelby and I met. Do you know why she was there?"

"Because she was a junkie and a whore."

"Because her stepfather abused her and she ran away. You weren't there to protect her." Scott said. Quiet. "All I'm asking is for you to give up your time to help me find your daughter."

"I can't" he said.

"Yeah, I didn't think so." Scott said and hung up.

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