Because Mom Wasn't Enough

She was covered in blood last seen in San Francisco

Mike's POV

Vic and Jo have been gone for four days and I haven't heard much from them. Neither one had their phones with them because the police could track them.The only form of communication they had was a satellite phone. It couldn't be tracked, and I hoped the police would give up soon. I hadn't heard from them either and Tony, Jaime and I were all getting really stressed out. Even that Collin kid was on-edge and he barely even knew Jo. I started finding myself blankly staring at my phone waiting for a call; but it never came.

"Hear anything more from them?" Jaime asked as I was sitting on the couch, yet again blankly staring at my phone. I shook my head, sighing in disappointment.

"Do you think they're okay?" Tony asked.

"Yeah, they're fine." I insisted.

"How do you know?" Jaime pressed. "Jo's a tough girl, but she's in a completely different country. She's not used to it, she doesn't have 'connections.' And Vic, well--"

"They're fine!" I said. I couldn't accept the possibility that my brother and niece might be hurt or in trouble. Tony sighed.

"Mike..." Tony started.

"I know Tony! I just don't want to think about it." I stood up and paced around. I just wish they would call me. Vic called the night after they left and said that they had found the guy I told them about and were doing okay. They had food and shelter, and hadn't had any trouble with the police, but nothing else.

There was a knock in the door which startled me. I looked up at it but didn't move. Tony opened the door and there was a cop standing there holding a silver clipboard. I walked over and took Tony's place.

"Mister Fuentes, hello."

"Hi, Officer."

"May I come in and speak with you for a moment?" I nodded.

"Of course." He walked in and I shut the door behind him. "Did you find her yet?" The cop nodded.

"Yes, indeed we did." I swallowed hard.

"You did?" The cop turned to me.

"Michael, is it? My I speak with Victor, Jodie's father?"

"Uh...he's not home right now." The cop tapped his pen on the clipboard.

"That's a shame. Say, do you mind if I take a look around?" I was frozen.

"I-I'd rather you didn't..." I stuttered. The cop chuckled and held up the clipboard.

"I thought you'd say that. That's why I got a search and seizure warrant from the court regarding Jodie's cell phone." He grinned when he proved that he had won.

"O-Okay. Then go ahead." I said in defeat. There was nothing here anyway, but it was nerve-wracking knowing that the cops were on to us. The officer slowly scanned the room and looked around. He headed upstairs and I followed him. First he went into Vic's room, and found nothing. Then he walked into Jo's and stopped at the door. He sighed and walked to the bed.

"Next time you don't want us to find something..." He started, turning back towards me. "Find a better hiding place for it." He held Jo's phone and wrote something on the clipboard.

"Sh-She left it here when she ran away." I said. The cop sighed and slowly walked up to me.

"Michael--can I call you Mike? Mike, our records show that a different phone with the same number has been traced twice in the past couple of weeks. Both were found in San Francisco. Now, the more recent one was only a day before we came here looking for Jodie. We were told that she was still missing and that a search party had been sent out, or was supposed to have been sent out. Now, how do you explain Jodie's phone being is San Francisco one night, a search party being sent out the next morning, and now her phone being here, without her ever coming home?" I was in shock. How did they put all that together?

"...Uhh..." I tried. I was at a loss for words. The only way any of this had been working was through good lying and stealth. The cop sighed and ran his fingers through his hair.

"Sir, Jo is not under arrest." My jaw dropped.

"What!? Really!?" He shook his head.

"We had some witnesses to the murder of one, Daniel...with an unknown last name. Anyway, a gang leader. We were told that Jo had no other choice than to kill him and his, uh, posse. We also confiscated his cell phone and found a recorded call of him giving Jodie orders to surrender herself to protect her family. We have no reason to believe Jodie is a danger to the public, and therefore, will not be charged with murder. Assuming your brother is the one who escorted her over the border, I suggest you call him and tell him to bring her home." I sighed loudly in relief and chuckled.

"Oh my god. Really? Wow. Officer, how did you know she was over the border?" I asked as the cop started to walk out. He turned back.

"We can track the use of passports." I nodded and he handed me Jo's phone. I threw it back on her bed and followed him out. As soon as he left, the guys stood up.

"What happened? Did they find her?" I ignored their questions and immediately called Vic.

"Hello?"

"Vic, it's me."

"Mike, I thought we agreed you wouldn't call."

"Yeah but Vic! They aren't charging Jo, you two can come home!"

"What really!?"

"Yeah! They said it was in self-defense so she's off the hook!"

"Aww great! We'll be back in a few hours then."

"Okay see you then!"

"Bye!" I hung up and turned to Tony and Jaime with a huge grin on my face.

"They're on their way home." Tony and Jaime grinned and I started texting people.

"What are you doing Mike?" Jaime asked.

"We're throwing a party!"

Vic's POV

I hung up the phone and sighed in relief. We were safe. I turned back to Jo who was asleep on the dirt floor of the basement. Mike had given me the number of a friend, one of those "go to the smoothie shop and order a lemon blueberry to go, ask for Tom, say I sent you" kind of friends. I knelt next to Jo and brushed her hair out of her face. She looked so innocent asleep. Even in the dim light, I could see the dark circles under her eyes. I shook her shoulder to wake her up.

"Jo? Jo, babe wake up." She groaned and rolled over.

"Mm what?" She asked sleepily. Her eyes fluttered open and she looked around. "Cops here?" I shook my head.

"No, Jo, they're letting you go. We can go home." I couldn't stop smiling at the thought of having a real life with my daughter, finally.

"Really?" I nodded.

"Yeah, come on get up. We need to pack." I helped her up and she looked at me with tears in her eyes. She threw her arms around my neck and I held her. She cried softly into my shoulder.

"I love you, Daddy!"

"I love you too, Jo." I pulled away from her and kissed her forehead. "Let's go home."