Apparently, Alex Jackson still lived in Denver. Which was a plus, but not at the same address. However, Don managed to track him down to a run down apartment complex not far from mine. Jack, seemed particularly on edge as the two of us walked inside. Don, had decided to stay back, and told us to get as much info as possible. l. As we climbed the flights of stairs Jack said nothing.

"Do you think she's here?" I asked him. He shrugged.

"No idea really. She could be anywhere" then he fell back into silence. When we got to the apartment, the paint in the door was peeling and the numbers on it were chipped. 325 they read.

"This is it?" I asked Jack. He checked a slip of paper Don gave him. Then nodded

Jack, knocked on the door rather forcefully. The sound of footsteps came from inside, and the door opened, revealing a thin, blonde haired man with blue eyes. He raised an eyebrow.

"Shit, Jack?" he said, and they embraced, Jack clapped a hand on his back. When they pulled away, the man's gaze drifted to me.

"What's good man." Jack said, flatly. He didn't seem all that excited to be with

"Hey, who's this?" He asked, gesturing to me.

"My daughter, Evie." Jack said, still flatly.

"Nice to meet you Evie." Alex said, very formally. Then he gestured us inside. inside, was trashed. Wrappers and take-out boxes littered the floor. We all sat on the couch, Alex grinned.

"Been a minute, how's it been?" Alex asked Jack. Jack shrugged.

"Seeing as I've been in prison the last sixteen years, you could say it hasn't been swell." He said. I looked at him, reminding him why we were here. He nodded.

"Well what's up, you straight now?" Alex asked. Jack nodded. He gestured to me then.

"Yeah man, but look I was wondering if you'd seen Kaitlyn at all, know where she is?" He asked. Alex raised an eyebrow. Then shook his head.

"Nah man, I saw her last a few years ago." He said. I caught onto this, a few years ago? Not sixteen? Which meant she had come back to Denver, or maybe never left.

"When?"

"About five years ago, she showed up at two-am with Jayden, looking for money. Needing a place to crash." He said. Jack nodded, sighing. I didn't know who Jayden was, and from the looks of it, Jack didn't either.

"Who's Jayden?" Jack asked. Alex shrugged.

"A friend of mine, she showed up at my house fucking sixteen years ago or so, he was staying the night. She wanted to crash here, said her baby died. When I got up in the morning, they were both gone." I haven't seen her in five years though, I saw him though. He work's at Mcdonalds. He's clean now, never heard much about her though." He told us, running his hands through his hair.

"Is she still using?" Jack asked. Alex nodded.

"She was five years ago, horse and and crank I think." He said. Then he looked at Jack a little sadly.

"She looked pretty rough when I saw her last, skinny, really skinny. But she was pregnant. She was scared, needed help. I couldn't help her though. I was still using you know." He said. Jack's eyes flickered with sadness, and maybe regret. I watched him, carefully.

"I didn't know." Jack said, and he straightened on the couch.

"She talked about you though." Alex, said smiling at me. My heartbeat quickened, she hadn't forgotten about me.

"What did she say?" I asked him. He shrugged.

"Said she missed you, hoped you were okay. Said she wanted to find you, but didn't know how. Said you were better off without her." He said. Jack nodded.

"If she was still using, maybe you were."

I felt anger rise in my chest. I didn't understand who would be better of without their mother. Unless their mother was a drug addict.

"You think she still hangs out with Jayden?" Jack asked, trying to change the subject. Alex nodded, surprisingly.

"Yeah, he's mentioned her a few times, said they're friends. Though, knowing her maybe more than friends." He chuckled. Jack looked upset about this, maybe I would be too. If someone suggested the girl I loved was a slut. But, even from what Jack said, she was.

"Mhm, what has he said about her? I wanna hear everything." Jack asked, looking at Alex like he was trying to figure out whether he should throw him out a window or not. Alex looked back at him.

"You're not gonna like this."

"I already don't." Jack snapped.

"She's a prostitute, living with some guy. I don't know his name. He's her pimp. Or boyfriend, or husband or whatever. I think she has a few kids by now, from what Jayden said she's not doing well. Said she's so deep in this shit she can't see a way out. Said he's tried to help her, but she won't accept it. She's think's she's a piece of shit and not worth anything. Says there's nothing out there for her." He said, making dead eye contact with Jack. Jack, nodded. Alex had been right, Jack wasn't a fan of this, but he didn't seem all that surprised. Maybe this was one of the things he had imagined when thinking about her.

"Thank's man. When does Jayden work?" He said, rising to his feet and gesturing me to the door. I followed my father. Alex nodded.

"He's there now." Alex said.

"Imma find him. He's at the one on Colfax yea?"

"Nah, crestline ave." Alex said, shrugging. Jack sighed. We would have to get there by the metro, which is what I assumed we were taking.

"Come by sometime, chill." He said as he shut the door.

"Bye Alex." Jack replied. Seeming like he had no intention of coming bye, or chilling.

This to me. Was a plus, if we found Jayden we might find her, or we found Jayden, then this pimp, then maybe her. Provided, what Alex said was true.

"Are we going to Mcdonald's?" I asked Jack as we descended the stairs, he looked at me suprised.

"WHere else would we be going?" He asked. I nodded, feeling stupid, and a little scared. Now that we were getting close to finding her, I didn't feel excited, I felt scared. Because whatever we saw, I doubted would good.