Don't Get Angry

35- Dalta: Someone to Talk to

I sat at my dining table with Ethan. He took a cookie from the bowl between us. I waited for him to talk. He hummed as he chewed the cookie. "This is so good."

I sighed. "They're store bought- I'm usually patient. But today..."

He looked at me. "Sorry... It's a lot to unpack."

"I'm okay with hearing it. Since it might result in me going to jail, I think I wanna know."

He stopped chewing. "You don't know, do you?"

"Know what?"

"My dad's a cop... They're barely looking into the case."

My brows fell. "I don't...I don't understand."

"That gas station's been robbed so many times that they've stopped caring about it. That's why we chose it. It's between two towns in this secluded place. It was an easy target. It's a matter of time before it gets robbed again."

It still hadn't hit me.

"Besides, the owner deals drugs in his store...I think. People say that. So, if he really does, he wouldn't want the cops snooping around."

I let out a sigh and held my chest. "That's crazy."

"I know."

I giggled completely shocked. "Oh, my goodness."

"I know." Ethan chuckled.

I reached for my phone, about to call Otis and tell him. Then I remembered that we weren't close anymore. I let my smile fade, then looked at Ethan. "So...why are you here?"

His smile faded too. He bowed his head. "It's...about Betty."

I took a deep breath. "Okay... What about her?"

"Her dad's not the kind of person you think he is."

I squinted my eyes.

"He's a really bad guy... That's why she left."

My brows knotted. "Pastor Mike?" I snickered.

"Yes."

I stopped smiling.

"She didn't run away because of Chad."

I shook my head. "I don't understand what you're trying to tell me-"

"Betty's father is abusive."

I stopped breathing.

"He hits her...calls her names. She said he would kill her if he knew..." He paused.

My nails dug into the table.

"He hit her mother before she died and he cursed her out and called her names-"

"Where'd you hear all of this?"

He stared at me with low brows. "You don't believe me."

I sighed, finally breathing. "I don't know... He's a pastor."

"He's human...And humans do bad things when they're selfish."

I looked at him.

A frown spread across his face.

I shook my head. "No. He's a different kind of human-"

"How, Dalta?"

"He's...He..." I shut my mouth. "My parents look up to him. He's been in our church for years."

"I don't go to church, and even I get that some people are good at pretending."

I looked down and frowned.