Page 25 of Before the Storm
She glanced at the screen, scrolling through the texts with wide eyes. “How long has this been going on?”
“A couple of weeks,” Phoenix admitted. “It got worse after I hired Janelle.”
“Not that’s it’s any of my business, but it will add a little color to the case. Is there something between you and Janelle?”
“Other than chemistry, not at this time.” Phoenix squeezed Janelle’s hand when she tried to tug it away. “Pam has been extremely jealous of Janelle since she walked through the door. I’ve made it perfectly clear what my boundaries are and Pam has broken them. Personally, I’d like a restraining order based on those texts and the fact that she slashed one of my employee’s tires.”
“I can file that for you, no problem. And one for Janelle too. Actually, I recommend it,” Stacey said. “I’ve known Pam a long time. She’s always been a jealous woman with attachment issues but has never carried it this far before.”
“Wait, what?” Phoenix blinked. “She’s done shit like this before?” That would change everything.
“No. Not really.”
“Come on, Stacey. I need to know exactly what I’m dealing with,” Phoenix said.
“About four years ago, her ex-boyfriend had to file a restraining order because she would constantly show up at his home. We were called a handful of times. It was benign. Nothing violent, but she did key his car.”
“Shit,” Phoenix mumbled. “That didn’t come up in my search.”
“Jesus, Phoenix. You’ve got to stop using your contacts to poke around in shit. Just because you’re ex-military doesn’t mean…” Stacey shook her head. “Regardless, you wouldn’t find something like that because it’s not active anymore. She backed off when shit got real. Arresting her will be enough.”
“We hope.” Phoenix turned his attention to Janelle. “You need to tell Stacey that you want to go ahead with the arrest.”
“You mean I could let this go if I wanted to?” Janelle yanked her hand away. She inched closer to the window, peering down into the bar area. “I just want it all to go away.”
“Honestly, I don’t recommend doing that.” Stacey turned, standing next to Janelle. She placed her hand on Janelle’s biceps. “We’re not dealing with a teenager who made a dumb mistake. She’s a grown woman acting like a toddler. Let me do my job. It’s not going to ruin her life, but it will teach her a lesson.”
“All right,” Janelle whispered.
“Where’s Pam?” Stacey glanced over her shoulder.
“In the kitchen.”
“I’ll ask her to come outside so we don’t make a scene in Blue Moon.” Stacey didn’t say another word. She left the office and made her way downstairs.
Phoenix took Janelle by the forearms. “I’m going to send my dad up here to stay with you.”
“You’re going to leave me?”
“No. But I’m the owner of this bar. I need to be downstairs and outside when this happens.” He kissed her temple. “My father will take good care of you.” He raced out the door and took the steps two at a time. Putting an end to this might give him a fighting chance at starting something with Janelle.
Something he wanted more than he realized.
“How ya holding up, kid?”
Janelle didn’t turn her head away from the scene down below. “Scared,” she managed.
“Don’t be,” Louis Snow said. “Stacey’s one of the best cops out there. And she lives on our street. No matter what, you’re safe.”
For three years, Janelle had been looking over her shoulder, wondering if her father or Brother Jim had been searching for her. People didn’t leave the church. She had watched a few try, but they always came back. Or they were found and brought back.
And punished for their betrayal.
Jason and Anne Marie had told her the real world could be cruel. But if she kept her head down and stayed out of trouble, she’d find good people along the way.
That’s what she’d done, but she avoided close ties.
Until now.
