Thanks you to all the people who reviewed on the last chapter, really appreciated thanks!
Here you are chapter 15!
Chapter 15
Zoe.
I was taken back to the station reception and after signing some forms to say that it was Lou and that I would have temporary custody of Jess whilst they tracked down Pete, Lous ex husband I was good to go. I hadn't seen Pete for ages he had left Lou a while ago with no reason just a simple note saying 'bye' and a couple of twenty pound notes that lasted for a few days, he was on the verge of becoming an alcoholic and Lou only stayed with him for the sake of Jess and the fact that he earned all the money they had. It was horrid to have to see Lou go through all the things that happened when he came back late from the pub or didn't come home at all. It was even worse when he left because it meant that Lou had no job and had to pay for everything. It was much worse when I saw Lou's body with all the life knocked out of it.
I had no time to think about anything.
By the time that I had finished everything I needed to do it was 7 and sun was streaming through the blinds. As I waited for someone to take me home a female uniformed officer came up to me.
"Miss Hanna?" she asked.
"Yes," I replied.
"Would you like to come with me, we have child protection in now and they would like a word with you if that is ok."
"Now?" I confirmed and she nodded.
"Ok," I replied and followed her through another maze of corridors into a huge office space with four or five separate workstations.
"Miss Hanna, this is Mr Philips. He is now Jess' care worker." The officer in uniform said as she pointed towards a young man with glasses in a suit.
"Hello Miss Hanna, its nice to meet you. Please take a seat." The man who was Mr Philips said, he had a soft caring voice that made him sound trustworthy.
I sat on a seat opposite him and the uniformed officer walked off.
"Now, Miss Hanna. Do you have any idea where Peter Kings could be?" he asked leaning on a desk next to him.
"No, he left my sister a while ago with nothing but a note saying 'bye'" I replied wondering why they were asking me. I had already told them.
"O.k. well at the moment we unfortunately haven't been able to track him down yet so we need to find out what guardianship arrangements Lou had in place for Jess if something happened to herself. Do you know what they were?" he explained.
"No, but she wouldn't have wanted Pete looking after her." I said.
"Why not?" he asked.
"Pete was on the verge of being an alcoholic, he left with no trace and hasn't bothered to contact her or Jess in months. When he was around he was either at work, in the pub or not caring about Jess a tiny bit."
"Alright, that's a fair comment Miss Hanna. We still need to find somewhere for Jess to stay for a bit until we can either track down Pete or find out what Lous guardianship arrangements were. Could she stay at your parents?"
"She could but she would be better off at mine, she has her own room, playroom, bathroom there. She is also very happy there." I said.
"If you're sure you don't mind I see no reason she cant stay with you for now." He said. "Do our parents know or do you need someone to call them?"
"I need to tell them. I just can't." I said wiping my eyes to get rid of the tears that were welling up there.
"I can get someone to call them if you want." He said.
"Please. Then can I go home?" I asked.
"Of course. I'll get someone to make a call to them now and then I will arrange for someone to take you home. I will see you soon Miss Hanna." He said standing up and shaking my hand before walking out of the room.
Julienne walked in as he left, after a warming and encouraging smile she showed me the way back to reception and waited with me whilst another uniformed officer came to take me home.