Rock and a Hard Place (16 page)

“
Why are you walking? Get
in.” Miss Orman reached across to open the door.

“
It’s been a bad morning.”
Libby climbed into the car and set her pack on the floor. Her left
hand still gripped her phone.

# # #

Julie took in Libby’s disheveled appearance.
Her face, blotchy and pale with streaks from fallen tears. Her coat
and threadbare pants bore dirt stains. Worst of all was the
desolate look in Libby’s red eyes.

“
Are you okay?”

Libby nodded, but her blank expression
remained.

“
Do you want to tell me
what happened?”

Libby shook her head and stared straight
ahead seeming fragile as a porcelain dish. Julie checked for
traffic and pulled back onto the road.

After a minute Libby spoke. “My aunt is
growing and selling pot.”

Julie’s head snapped to Libby. “What did you
say?”

“
She keeps it in the barn,
I saw it this morning. I always wondered why she spent so much time
out there.”

Julie knew Marge Swanson was odd, but she
never suspected her to be a drug dealer.

“
Peter broke up with me.”
Libby spoke without emotion, and held her phone up as
confirmation.

“
Oh Libby, I’m so sorry.”
She reached across and patted Libby’s arm, wishing she could wrap
the girl in her arms and protect her from the painful realities of
life. She didn’t know which was harder for Libby; the confession
about her aunt’s illegal dealings or the break up with a boy who no
one had ever seen.

“
It’s okay, I’m used to
people leaving.”

Julie fought back tears. Libby’s honesty
broke her heart. “This is going to be okay. I promise. Someday
you’ll look back and this will be a small blip in your life. You’ll
be happy and successful and no one will hold you back from great
things.”

Libby didn’t respond.

“
Listen, I’m going to help
you through this. I’m leaving town for Thanksgiving weekend, but as
soon as I get back, we’re going to make all this ugliness go away.
I promise. Okay?” She watched Libby for a reaction, needing the
girl to know someone cared.

“
Okay,” she said, her voice
dull.

Julie knew one thing for sure. Marge Swanson
was going down. Her treatment of Libby was appalling and it was
time things changed. Libby needed to live with a loving family
again. Julie would make damned sure it happened. She pulled into
the school parking lot and parked in the staff section.

“
Why don’t you come to my
office and we can talk for a while, or have a little something to
eat.” Libby always looked like she needed a good meal.

“
I’d rather just go to
drawing class.” Already out the door, her pack hung heavy on her
small shoulders.

“
All right, but I’m here
for you, whatever you need.” She watched Libby disappear into the
mass of students.

Julie grabbed her bag filled with papers and
picked up her purse. She swung the car door closed and entered the
building. Once in the main office, she knocked on the principal’s
door.

“
Mr. Harried, I need the
number for Rockville Child Welfare. We need a meeting as soon as
possible.”

# # #

“
Garrett, what the hell is
this?” Peter stood in the hotel suite exhausted from a long day
packed with interviews. In his palm lay the pieces of his broken
phone.

“
What are you doing messing
with my stuff?” Garrett’s face turned red and pinched.

“
I was looking for your
phone so I could call Libby, but found mine instead. What
gives?”

“
Oh yeah, that. Well, ya
see, your phone had a little accident. I didn’t want to tell you,
cause I know how you over react whenever your little hottie is
involved.”

Peter straightened. Garrett was too cocky,
even for him. Something was up. Whenever Garrett got like this it
was because he’d screwed with other people’s business. Guarded,
Peter asked, “What happened?”

“
Nothing really.” Garrett’s
beady eyes stared him down.

Peter knew he lied. A bad feeling sat in the
pit of his stomach. “You son of a bitch, what the hell did you
do?”

“
Actually, I did you a
favor. In fact, you should thank me for cleaning up your mess. You
won’t have to deal with your Midwest farm girl anymore.”

Peter dropped the broken pieces of the phone
on the side table. He stalked across the room and grabbed Garrett
by the front of his expensive shirt and shook him, tearing the
shirt in the process. “Listen here, smart ass, you better start
talking and fast.” He tightened his grip and lifted Garrett off his
feet. Fabric ripped beneath his hands.

“
Chill man, will ya? You’re
ruining my new shirt. See what I mean? One mention of your little
girlfriend and you go postal.”

Peter was about to respond when Adam walked
in, futzing with his camera. He took one look at Peter and Garrett.
“Dude, what are you doing? Mom and Dad are like ten feet away.”

Peter shoved Garrett away, disgusted, but
his piercing glare remained. Garrett shrugged and fixed his collar
back in place.

“
Geez, what’d you do to
piss off Peter? Hit on his girlfriend or something?” Adam plopped
onto the couch between the two.

“
Adam, shut it,” Peter said
through clenched teeth.

“
More like something.”
Garrett puffed up his chest.

“
Oh shit, I gotta hear
this.” Adam put his feet up on the couch and grinned ear to ear,
camera at the ready.

“
Peter’s little stalker
friend won’t be bothering him anymore. Turns out she got dumped
today.” Garrett crossed his arms looking satisfied with
himself.

“
Peter, you dumped Libby?”
Adam lowered his camera, confusion on his face.

Peter spoke slowly, his words measured and
jaw clenched. “No, I haven’t talked to Libby today. Garrett, you
better tell me what you did right now or so help me I’ll break your
frickin’ neck.” He forced his fisted hands to his sides, not
trusting himself.

“
This morning, while you
were on your run, I gave your little friend a call.” Garrett loved
an audience, even if it was only Adam. “I told her how bored you
are with her and that you want her to go away. Forever.” Garrett
raised an eyebrow, an open challenge to Peter.

Adam’s eyes grew wide with shock. “Garrett,
you’re a dead man.”

“
Peter doesn’t have the
cajones. Plus, he’d rather go write a song about it than risk
breaking a fingernail on his playing hand.”

“
You’re lying. You wouldn’t
dare call Libby.” Hot rage overcame Peter at the thought of
Garrett’s interference.

“
I did more than dare, I
was quite convincing. I even had the phone company cancel her
service!”

Peter dove across the coffee table and sent
a flower arrangement crashing to the floor. He slammed into Garrett
and knocked the breath out of him as they hit the floor. They
rolled around on the hardwood floor as Peter struck out and tried
to pin his brother down. Garrett plowed into a teak side table
knocking it over along with a decorative lamp that shattered on
impact. Deaf to everything other than his malicious brother, Peter
heaved each breath. He grabbed Garrett by the shoulders and slammed
him against the floor. A loud thud sounded at the impact of his
head to hardwood. Garrett was unable to avoid Peter’s powerful
blows any longer. Peter pinned him and blind with rage delivered
direct hits. His body hummed with an unseen drive. He noticed the
taste of blood in his mouth from one lucky shot Garrett snuck
through. But nothing mattered other than the fact Garrett had gone
after Libby and hurt her. It was unforgiveable. She’d suffered too
much, and this time it was by the hand of his egotistical, power
hungry brother. He went for another hit when he felt himself yanked
off the struggling Garrett. His dad and Roger did all they could to
restrain Peter. His mom watched in horror.

“
Peter, what the hell is
going on in here? Are you out of your mind?” his father
roared.

“
Jett, calm down. It’s not
good for your heart,” Peter’s mom pleaded, taking his father by the
arm.

Peter’s breath came in quick heavy bursts,
as adrenaline coursed through his body. He resisted the urge to
pummel Garrett into oblivion. The last thing he wanted was more
heart problems for his dad. He shrugged away their grip.

“
Karen, I’m fine.” His
father looked from Peter to Garrett, waiting for an answer.
“Garrett, you want to explain why Peter felt the need to fight with
you just minutes after a camera crew left the room?”

The sound of Adam’s camera clicking filled
the void. He lounged on the couch, not a care in the world. A
carefree grin on his face, he snapped shots of the action, enjoying
the drama.

“
Adam, put that damned
camera down! The last thing we need is evidence of this debacle,”
his father said.

Garrett lay on the floor, his carefully
styled hair a mess, and the beginnings of a fat lip growing. “He’s
just a little bent out of shape that I called Libby and broke it
off for him.”

“
You didn’t!” His mom
turned on Garrett in disbelief. “What is wrong with
you!”

Why it surprised any of them, Peter couldn’t
say. Garrett did whatever served Garrett best.

“
Someone had to do it. It’s
not like we haven’t talked about how messed up Peter’s been ever
since he started going out with her.” Garrett stood up, his torn
shirt untucked and wrinkled, a bruise beginning to form on his
face. “I’m just the one with the guts to follow through.” He
touched his swollen lip and flinched.

Peter couldn’t believe what he heard. His
family talked about his relationship with Libby? He pushed his hair
back in frustration.

“
Heck, Dad even agreed. He
said the band would be better off if you lost the dead
weight.”

“
Garrett, that’s enough.”
His father’s voice was stern, but Peter noticed his guilty
eyes.

Peter realized it was true, they were
talking behind his back. He turned to his dad. “How could you do
this to us, to me?”

“
Peter, calm down.” His dad
ordered as if Peter were still a small child who didn’t get his
way, yet he wouldn’t look him in the eye.

“
No, I’m not going to calm
down!” Peter yelled. “You let Garrett do this! You cut us off!” Of
all the manipulative things Garrett had done over the years this
was by far the worst. His family was interfering in his life. He
couldn’t believe they would turn against him. They’d crossed the
line.

“
This little thing with you
two has gone on long enough. It’s time to get serious with your
music. We have a lot coming up,” his father said.

“
What do you mean it’s gone
on long enough? You’re putting a time table on my
relationships?”

“
It was hardly a
relationship, son. You’re young, you’ll date lots of
girls.”

“
I don’t want lots of
girls, I want Libby, and YES, it IS a relationship. She gets me.
She doesn’t care about all this.” He waved his hands around at the
fancy trappings of the room. “And since when am I not serious about
my music? Don’t you dare use that as an excuse! We’ve never been as
good or successful as we are now.”

“
That’s right, and now you
boys have the chance to take this thing to the next level. You
don’t need any distractions.”

“
Oh, and Garrett’s booty
calls after every show aren’t a distraction?” Peter
accused.

His mother shot a surprised and disappointed
look at Garrett. She shook her head. “We’ll deal with you
later.”

“
What? The ladies love me.”
Garrett bragged.

“
My God, Dad! Libby’s not a
distraction, she’s my sanity.” He’d been happier these past couple
months than ever before.

“
You have your family for
sanity. That’s going to have to be good enough,” his dad said,
pointing a finger at him.

“
Are you kidding me? This
family is pushing me over the edge! I’m surrounded by you day and
night.” Peter paced in the small area. “If we’re not holed up in a
recording studio, we’re on that damned bus. I never get a moment to
myself, a private phone conversation or chance to write without
someone interrupting or sticking in their two cents!”

“
Peter, that’s enough.” His
mother stepped in trying to soothe his anger.

He let out a deep sigh. “I love her, Mom.”
He looked from his dad, who stepped away and rolled his eyes, and
then to his mom who offered a look of compassion.

“
Honey, she isn’t what she
seems.” She placed a hand on his shoulder.

“
What are you talking
about?” He shrugged her hand away.

“
Libby’s mother has a
police record,” she said.

“
What?” He shook his head.
“No, no! She doesn’t.” He couldn’t believe what he was hearing.
Where was this coming from and why would his mother repeat such a
horrible lie?

“
Peter, Roger has a copy of
the police record to prove it.”

“
What? You had her
investigated?”

“
Well, you were spending
all your free time talking to her or going to see her. We’ve never
met the girl. Even your brother thought the situation was a bit
odd,” she confessed.