Page 27 of Before the Storm
She swallowed.
Recently, she’d seen something in the news about her father’s church and how an investigation about child brides had been opened. But since then, she hadn’t seen anything and she was too afraid to go searching for it. She didn’t really understandthe internet or how it worked. All she knew was that was how people could find her if she wasn’t careful.
“Looks like Pam is going to put up a little bit of a fight,” Louis said.
Stacey took Pam by the arms and pushed her against the bar. It was rough, and Janelle thought it might have been unnecessary, but she had no idea what had been said.
Everyone around them had taken a few steps back, including Phoenix and his brothers.
Jack had cleared out what few customers had remained.
“Resisting an officer is never a good idea,” Louis said. “It won’t help her case when she goes in front of a judge.”
“I just want this to be over with.” Janelle jerked, taking a step back when Pam glanced toward the window, locking gazes.
Pam’s stare horrified Janelle. It was as if she were looking into one of her sister wives’ eyes after she’d been scolded by Brother Jim and about to be taken to task by them for something as little as not putting a dish in the proper place.
Nelson and Maverick followed Stacey and Pam out the door, while Phoenix turned and jogged up the stairs.
Janelle wiggled her fingers. A small part of her wished she could speak up about her past. About what she’d endured. What she’d run from and why. And she wanted to find the courage to finally go to the authorities and put an end to her father.
But at what cost?
And would it do any good?
“Well, that was exciting,” Louis said.
“A little too much.” Phoenix leaned against the doorjamb. “I can’t believe Pam tried to resist. She actually told Stacey to fuck off.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me.” Louis kept his arm around Janelle like a father would. “Why would she do that?”
“When Stacey asked her to go outside so as not to embarrass her, Pam lost it. She denied slashing the tire. Called me a liar and accused me of doctoring whatever proof I had.” Phoenix raked his fingers through his hair. “Stacey said she’ll still be out in an hour or two. She’ll let me know when Pam’s left the station so we can go file our restraining orders, but she’s going to tell Pam that it’s done. She can’t come near Blue Moon, our home, or either of us, or she’ll be arrested again.”
“Hopefully this is the end of it,” Louis said.
“People don’t change their stripes that easily.” Janelle had heard Jason use that quote a dozen times in reference to her father whenever she would try to defend him and his actions.
She’d tell Jason about all the good things her dad had done for the community. How he hadn’t always been about marrying off young girls to older men.
Jason would come back with proof that her father had always been that way.
Her retort would come in the form of how good plural marriage could be and that sometimes a few years age difference didn’t matter.
Jason didn’t disagree, except that no fifteen-year-old should be forced to marry anyone.
Janelle couldn’t argue that point.
And the church had been marrying young girls for a long time.
“She’s showing her true colors, which have always been there,” she said. Another Jason quote.
“You say that as though you’re speaking from experience.” Phoenix arched a brow.
Jason once told her that she could always speak her truth through someone else's eyes if she wanted. “I had a friend who lived through an abusive relationship. He didn’t start out being mean or hitting her, but that’s where it ended. And there weresigns, but she had to look back from a distance to see them.” It was strange to have this newfound sense of empowerment. Anne Marie told her it would come. That she’d find it at an odd time in her life. Well, she needed it now because she didn’t want to leave Lake George.
She’d driven out of the storm and into a little piece of heaven.
Pam wasn’t going to force her to leave it.
