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“I’m going to prepare the papers, but hold off filing until after my investigator talks to Annie’s father, on the chance that she is there. When we file, it’ll be a few weeks before we get a hearing, and that gives us time to have a private investigator track her down.”
Private investigator. Like Margo Angelhart. The bitch who took his wife.
“Okay,” he said.
“We don’t know where Annie is, and you have no proof that Annie is a danger to the kids, so I suggest you file for a divorce. Since she has left your home and is unreachable, the divorce would likely be granted. The court would then appoint an investigator to find her.”
“I don’t want a divorce.”
“This might be the best way to get your children back. Once you’re divorced, then you have the right to custody of your children, and she can’t withhold the right without violating a court order.”
He didn’t want a divorce, but he wanted his kids. Was this the only way to get them?
“Okay,” he said, “and we can do it right away?”
“It’ll take a few months. Six to nine months, but—”
“Months? Months? My baby will be walking! My son might not even remember me! I can’t wait months!”
Bollinger stared at him. “There’s no quick fix here. Even if we bring in the FBI, it’ll take them time to find her, and that’s after they determine she’s left the state. If she’s keeping a low profile—changed her name, keeps moving—finding Annie will take time. My recommendation is that you work this both ways—file for divorce and while it’s pending I can work to get custody rights, which will put her immediately in violation. But like I said—it’ll take a few months.”
Months. Peter couldn’t believe Annie was doing this to him.
“Once we contact the FBI, they’ll interview you, look at your bank records, credit cards, computers. They have more resources than Phoenix PD. She may be arrested, depending on the circumstances.”
“Hold off on the FBI for now.” That was too much, and he couldn’t focus on what he needed to do if he was worried about some asshole federal agent getting into his business. “I just want my family back. Let’s just give it a little time first, then we can talk about it.”
Bollinger nodded.
“I don’t want a divorce, but I want my kids, and if that’s the only way...”
“It may be. Just because you start the paperwork, doesn’t mean you have to sign. We should get the process started as soon as possible. If you think of anything else—a friend from high school, a cousin, anyone—let me know and I’ll find them. If she accesses your bank account, credit cards, or you get a call verifying anything like her identity or employment—let me know.”
“I will. Thank you.”
He wouldn’t, of course. He would find out where she was and bring his wife and children home.
Bollinger prattled on about nothing Peter cared about as he walked him to the door. Then the lawyer said, “My experience tells me that in situations like this, the wife comes home within a week. If you haven’t heard from her by Monday, we might want to rethink calling in the FBI.”
“Okay,” he said, though he didn’t want the FBI involved at all.
Not when he finally had a plan.
Fifty
Margo Angelhart
I didn’t make it to my mom’s Thursday morning. Instead, I sat through morning mass at St. Dominic’s with the elementary kids and a handful of people from the community who came every morning—mostly older women who wore veils.
If Peter Carillo showed up, I didn’t want trouble. Not with the kids here. But he didn’t show, and I doubted he would return during school hours. I touched base with Rafe and as I was leaving, Jack called.
“Sorry I didn’t make it to Mom’s,” I said. “I decided to stay at the church for a bit and make sure Carillo didn’t show. How’d Jennifer do with the police?”
“Great. I’m taking her now to Desert West to turn over her information to Tucker. Luisa is meeting us there. Jennifer said she can’t prove it was Parsons, but she has a compelling case based on process of elimination. Wendy is heading over to talk to him again, considering they found what Lu and I found—his car was in the garage right before the fire started. He has a lot of explaining to do, though there’s no physical evidence tying him to the arson. CSI is still processing.”
“I’m going to check in with Logan. He stayed at his resort last night. Which is pretty damn cool. You own an elite resort with a private condo, wife cheats on you, head over for a little R and R.”
“Go easy with him, Margo.”
