Page 52 of Girl Violence

“That bag wasn’t mine or Vince’s,” she tells the officers after explaining why they took it upon themselves to break into a place they shouldn’t. “It’s not breaking and entering if the door was open.”

“It’s still somebody’s property that you entered without permission. Do you just walk into anybody’s house when there’s an open door?”

“Squatters do,” Josette mumbles, and she receives a glare from her father beside her.

“We found ten thousand pounds worth of drugs in a bag. If it’s not yours, who does it belong to?”

How can she answer that? Josette doesn’t know Carson, but she knows snitches get stitches. Who the hell knows what Carson is mixed up in?

“I don’t know,” she lies, glancing down.

“I think you do.”

She shakes her head, knowing they can’t prove she knows anything. “I really don’t.”

“Are you charging her with anything, officer?” her dad says, causing her heart to beat harder. The man sighs, flicking through a file.

“No. I won’t be charging her with anything today, but I won’t be lenient if I see her face again. We haven’t forgotten about what you did last summer.”

“I assure you this won’t happen again,” her dad says. “Willit, Josette?”

“No.” Josette shakes her head, knowing she’s in for it. When the cop leaves, they sit silently until they’re finally allowed out.

Her dad walks ahead, making his way to the parking lot. Josette eyes his nice clothes, remembering he was on a date, something she ruined. With a sigh, she’s about to get in her dad’s car when she hears something that sounds like a slap—

“I can’t believe you!” She turns her head, surprised to see Diane standing at the side of the police station with Vince. She looks livid and has tears streaming down her face. Did she hit him? “You promised me.”

“I know…” he says, eyes focused on the ground.

“You have a funny way of showing it. This was our new start away from all the damage you caused. I can’t do it this time, Vince. Not here. I can’t keep bailing you out. And Josette? What the hell were you thinking dragging her into this?”

“I wouldn’t have if I knew—”

“Don’t,” she cuts him off. “I told you to stay away from that life. Sometimes, I think...I think you want me to suffer.”

“Yousuffer?” Vince snaps, making Diane wince. “I did all that in London because your fucking husband mademesuffer for things you still blame me for. Every birthday it was time to ‘man up’. You did nothing whenever he made me miserable with his pressure. He said—”

A car horn blares, making Josette jump and turn away. Her dad angrily waves at her to get in the car. She starts walking quickly, not looking back at Vince and Diane but sensing they know she heard their conversation.

Once Josette gets to the car, she gets into the back seat, not wanting saliva on her face when her dad finally explodes. Oddly, he doesn’t. He doesn’t shout at her. He doesn’t even look at her, and his silent treatment bothers her. Why prolong it?

After the longest journey of her life, they pull up outside the house. Her dad gets out of the car first, slamming the door behind him. Pushing her lips together and letting out a heavy breath, Josette watches him go inside, leaving the door open for her.

What is this? A new parenting technique he learned at the single daddy club?

It’s working.

Josette gets out of the car just as Vince and Diane pull up in a taxi. She doesn’t let her eyes linger, yet she can’t help but think back to what Diane said about the trouble Vince caused in London.

You don’t know the things I’ve done. The things I’ve done to people.

Josette’s dying to know more about his past. She wants to know why Diane is terrified of him slipping back into whoever he used to be.

For now, though, Josette has her own battle to face. Heading into the house, she scans the place. All is suspiciously quiet, and she assumes her dad is back in his study. The silence beckons her to face it. Her steps are slow, purposefully prolonging. When she finally enters the room, her dad’s back behind his desk and looking through paperwork.

“Dad?” He looks at her, his face blank. Is he broken?

“What?” he finally says, and her eyebrow rises with confusion.

---