Page 103 of The Kidnapped

“Heidi?” her father said.

“Dad?”

“Finally,” he said. “How are you?”

“How am I?” she asked. “I’m just trying to put the life you stole from me back together piece by piece. So, I’m perfect. How are you?”

“Heidi, I–”

“Hollis,” she stated, interrupting him. “I’ve told you. My name is Hollis. I’m not Heidi anymore.”

Raleigh closed her computer and took Hollis’s hand on her thigh.

“Fine. Hollis. If that’s what you want me to call you, fine.”

“Dad, I haven’t decided what I’m doing yet. I don’t really want–”

“I’m taking a plea,” he interrupted.

“What?” she asked.

“I get it, Hollis. I’ve been delaying this whole thing because I thought you’d come visit me. I thought if it went to trial, you’d at least have to be there, and I’d get to see you and try to make things right.”

“How can you make anything right when you’ve yet to admit that you did something wrong?”

“Because it wasn’t wrong to me then,” he said. “You were my daughter, and all I could see was people trying to take you away from me.”

“You were angry with Mom.”

“Yes, but that wasn’t– I love you, Hollis. I’m sorry I’ve been making things worse with this whole trial. But I’m taking the plea deal, and I’ll have to confess, so maybe you’ll show up for that, and it’ll give you what you want.”

“What I want is a normal father who didn’t have to kidnap me to show me he loved me,” she replied.

“Well, I can’t turn back time, can I?”

Hollis sighed and asked, “How long?”

“Seven years. Out in three and a half with good behavior.”

“Three and a half years for taking me away from my mother?!”

“Hollis, I want to be able to see you when I get out.”

“Honestly, I don’t really care what you want right now, Dad.”

“Can we at least talk about it?”

“Not now,” she said.

“Fine.” He sighed loudly. “I can accept that. And I hope that you visit me, but I won’t pressure you.”

“Good,” she said. “I’ve got enough going on. Also, I’m going to block your lawyer’s number. This isn’t okay, Dad. You can’t just call me from his phone because you think I’ll answer.”

“You wouldn’t answer my calls from the jail.”

“And you wouldn’t take the hint,” she argued.

“I have to go. They’re taking me back to my cell. I just wanted to give you the news myself.”

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