“…Ashley.” She responded quietly, shaking her head.

“You know, I told you I didn’t want her staying in this house! I’m calling the police.” Paula spoke, beginning to dial the numbers into her cell.

“No! You can’t!” Spencer exclaimed, eyes watering at the edges, “Please.”

Her mother paused, phone still in hand, and gave her daughter a puzzled look, “And why not? She is a thief!”

“I… I can find her.” She spoke quickly, not really sure of how she intended to follow through on that.

“Spencer, I don’t want you getting mixed up with that girl. I’m sorry if this upsets you but I have to call the police.” With that the discussion was over and she had dialed the number. Spencer turned and walked hurriedly towards her bedroom. The note Ashley had left was still in her fist, the only sign of the girl’s regret for her actions. She dressed in a rush, and was back downstairs in minutes.

Paula was at the dining room table on the phone with an emergency operator. Spencer did not stop to say good bye, she simply slipped quietly out the front door. She had to find Ashley and warn her about what was happening. Logically she shouldn’t care. Logically she should be feeling betrayed, used, rejected. But logic had no place here, and her gut was telling her that something was wrong. That the brown haired girl she’d met 12 hours earlier needed her.

12 hours. The number clicked in her memory, and she recalled what Max had said before. 12 hours, that was how long Ashley had to get him something better. Sucking in a breath the blonde headed down the street, heading towards the only place she could think of. The alley where they had first met. For a moment she was relieved Ashley had her mother’s jewelry. If it meant that large man wouldn’t lay a finger on her, it was well worth it.

She approached the alley with trepidation, her footsteps quiet on the asphalt. But when she peeked around the corner there was no one. She stepped out further, her hair standing on end. But, there was no one there. Spencer was either too late or Ashley had some other meeting place. Either way, the likelihood of finding her now was slim. In a city with a population of several million, finding one particular girl was unlikely.

“Ashley…” She whispered the name to herself, her hopes sinking like a lead weight. She left the dark space and approached the sidewalk once more. The sun was rising over Los Angeles, casting its orange glow onto her pale skin. She scanned the street, not really expecting to see her but unable to help looking. She’d find her someday.