Frost Heaves

CHAPTER 2

CHAPTER 2

Ben seemed to take a lifetime to decide where and how to sit.

“Are you comfortable?” he asked once they were finally situated.

Jade didn’t answer. As far as she saw it, she’d never be comfortable. Not held up by some white cop ten minutes before she was supposed to stand up and share her testimony in front of her whole church.

And for what? That letter was just some stupid ploy. It didn’t mean anything. Jade had lived her life in fear. She was an expert on the subject and had eventually learned that fear can’t kill you.

And that you don’t go to the police when you’ve got a problem. It was bad enough the daycare where she worked invited the troopers in once a month to read stories to the kids. It was just as well the men who came couldn’t read her mind, or they’d never come back.

Jade still had her arms crossed, but Ben didn’t seem to know what to do with his. “I saw the announcement in the newspaper,” he finally explained. “Thought I’d come hear you.”

Is that all he had to say to her? She stared at Pastor Reggie’s stack of Alaska Fishing magazines and waited.

He cleared his throat. “I’m new to the area and heard a lot of good things about the church.”

“Mm-hmm. I’m sure you did.”

Ben glanced at her questioningly. She held his gaze until he looked away.

Finally, she decided it was time to put this conversation out of its misery. “Listen, if Aisha told you about that letter, I want you to know it’s all under control. It’s totally fine.”

“Your friend seemed pretty worried about it.”

Jade shrugged. “She gets like that, but trust me. It’s nothing. Is there anything else I can do for you?”

Ben leaned forward earnestly, his eyes nearly as large as Pastor Reggie’s mounted moose head behind him. “I want you to know this is the kind of thing we take seriously down at the trooper station.”

“I bet you do.” Jade stood up. “Well, if there’s nothing else, officer, I need to get ready.”

Ben nodded. “Will you let me know if there’s anything I can do to help?”

Help? There was a new one. As far as Jade could tell, policemen like him had helped her family far too much already.

She opened the door of the office, mumbling, “I’m sure I’ll be all right,” as she let herself out.