Summer break had ended and a new school year began, my web of contacts strengthening slowly as I gained a new ally in my search. They were mostly an unknown person but so far their information had proven correct and I was willing to ignore my instinctual caution for now if it meant I could find Mom that much sooner. Until this person gave me an actual reason to distrust them, their information would be accepted and checked on, just like with everyone else's information they gave me.
Thankfully, mother had set me up with an emergency account that would have monthly deposits from her own private account, one that father couldn't close down since his name was not on it and he couldn't legally touch it. Although I had suspicions that Anthony hadn't let him know it was in existence, one of the few reasons I hadn't lost all respect for him yet.
It was this money that I had been using to help fund my search, in addition to money I gained through various other means, from short-term investments to dealings bordering on illegal. It was amazing what people would put on their computers if they thought their security was good enough. Wasn't my fault if they were wrong but I was more than happy to take advantage of it, especially if it helped pay my contacts their high prices for information.
I could only hope the holidays this year were a little more bearable than last year, Mom's absence weighing on me heavily as father and Emily seemed oblivious as they happily played at being a family. For me, it would never be a family until Mom was back among us. She was the backbone of this family, so what can you call it when that support has been removed? Only one word comes to my mind, broken. Our family is broken.
Turning back to my laptop, I clicked the button to complete the transfer of money to my newest contact, satisfied with the information they had given me in exchange. By next summer, I would be closer than ever to finding Mom, this new information enough to help me make the selection for which school I would be attending.
Mother always did want to go to Paris someday, the least I could do is take pictures for her when I go there.
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My Darling Shina - Book Three
RomanceBook 3 in the Shina series. If you haven't read them yet, please start with My Sweet Shina and then My Precious Shina before reading this book. This book will receive monthly updates (sometimes more than once a month). Thank you to the few who voted...
