Janelle had a bit of a sinking sensation as the police vehicle pulled out of the hospital parking lot in Amarillo. She tried yet again to tell herself that she really was being taken to a safe house and was just being paranoid. She turned to face Officer Cole next to her.
"So, the safe house isn’t literally a house but a building with apartments or rooms or something?" she asked.
He nodded. “Yes, ma’am.”
"Are there others there that were at the compound?"
"I’m sure there will be."
Janelle wasn’t sure what to make of the vague answers. She thought about how she’d been forbidden from seeing anyone else in the hospital who had also been held hostage, and how she hadn’t been allowed access to TV or newspapers. They claimed they didn’t want to upset her, but what would be reported that she didn’t already know? After all, she’d been there.
"So, where do you think you’re heading after the safe house and the trial?" asked Officer Byers.
"I’m still thinking Florida," Janelle said with a smile. "I’d really like to be closer to my parents and experience that climate."
"Do you think your parents will help you? I thought you once wrote in your journal that they didn't help you as much as you'd like."
Janelle's eyes darkened, clearly uncomfortable with having her journal brought up and reminded that her personal, private thoughts had been violated and exposed despite pretending she was okay with it and also despite suing one of the companies responsible for a few hundred bucks.
"I don’t see why they wouldn’t, given these circumstances. But first, I’m going to have to return to New Mexico and go through the divorce proceedings if Steven doesn’t want to get back together."
"Got any children?"
Janelle’s eyes darkened again and she took several seconds to speak. "You know the answer to that."
"Wasn’t the child taken by the state?"
"No, he was abducted, and I don’t want to discuss it," Janelle said firmly. “Instead, I would prefer it if you kept in mind that I recently went through a traumatic ordeal and showed a little compassion and professionalism.”
"Oh, okay. So, what are you going to do for work in Florida?"
Janelle shrugged. "Whatever I can. It’s now or never."
"What do you mean it’s now or never?" asked Officer Gilbert.
"If I don’t learn to become independent now, it’ll only get harder to do so in the future."
"Good for you," someone said. "I think it’s never too late for a fresh start. And remember, it’s important to stay away from these people."
"These people?" asked Janelle. "They’re going to be locked up in prison."
"No, people you knew in Albuquerque like the old neighbors and anyone else you may have had run-ins with."
Janelle eyed Officer Byers with a mix of anger and confusion. "The people there have nothing to do with what’s going on now or in the future."
"Well, that’s good to hear, Miss Stone."
"Is there a reason you can’t call me Janelle like I asked you to? I don’t appreciate or like being called by my last name."
"Force of habit," Officer Cole cut in, coming to the policewoman’s defense and hoping to ward off an argument. "Goes with the job. Hell, I even find myself calling my wife Cole at times."
The others chuckled, but Byers wasn’t letting up. "Where do you think your son is now?"
Again, Janelle’s eyes darkened, and her voice raised even louder. "I told you I didn’t want to discuss it, so drop it and don’t bring it up again."
The fact that Janelle could speak in such a stern and disrespectful fashion to someone in law enforcement and order them around wasn’t lost on the others. Officer Walker had remained quiet the whole time, head down, focused on what he was reading, but even he glanced up momentarily with an are you serious expression on his face.
"Calm down now," Cole said to Janelle, then with a conspiratorial wink to Byers that Janelle couldn’t see, he said, "Let’s give the lady a break. She’s been through a lot."
Still sensing resentment from Boris, they pulled up to an out-of-the-way gas station, and the others began to exit the vehicle.
"Can I leave my medicine bag here since I don’t need anything right now?" asked Janelle.
"Sure," said Cole, escorting her along with Byers to a windowless bathroom.
After she peed, she was then walked back to the truck where Officer Walker stood by its open doors. The others had gone inside to get snacks and drinks. Janelle noticed the quiet officer’s light blue eyes and wondered if he ever spoke much—and why he’d gotten into law enforcement if he was so reserved. He motioned her back into the truck. She climbed in and waited for the others to return with their goodies.
Janelle tried not to notice as the others ate and drank without offering her anything. Officer Cole eventually felt bad enough that he shared a few of his chips with her.
"Thank you," she said.
"So, how do you guys know we haven’t been followed?" Janelle eventually broke the silence to ask, not missing the way Boris sort of rolled his eyes, his head tilting in a way that suggested her question was ridiculous as if she really was in custody and being brought to jail rather than a safe house.
There would be one more bathroom break, and Janelle knew this would likely be her only chance in a while to get away if she had the opportunity. She had only an hour to think about it and decide if that’s what she really wanted to do.
Should she listen to her gut feeling or just hope for the best?
The women officers asked her a few more questions about Florida and life in general.
"I can’t wait till this is over, and I can’t wait to get back out in the real world," Janelle said, her mood brightening.
Then she locked eyes with Boris and was horrified by what she saw. The sly smile he gave her was barely noticeable, but just enough to show that he was thinking, Oh yeah? You really think you’re going to be free anytime soon?
Something was definitely wrong. She couldn’t shake the feeling and could no longer tell herself otherwise—that she was just being paranoid. She was being bullshitted, just like every other time she’d dealt with the police. Why should she have thought it would be different this time, just because she’d been victimized and had seen her friend killed? These people had no sympathy, compassion, or mercy for her whatsoever.
But what could she do?!
But then Boris switched gears on her, talking as if she would be free soon, based on some of the things he said, which confused her.
Had she misread that sly smile? Or had he noticed her alarm and was now trying to cover his ass in the form of damage control?
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