“That’s not what I saw,” Logan said. “He was trying to hold your arms down to keep you from hitting him and you were kicking him. By the look of his face, you connected at least a couple of times. That’s assault.” He turned to Scott. “You should call the police.”
“He’s not going to call the police,” Cat said. “We’re getting out of here. You just mind your own business.” And with that, she got into the car they were standing beside. She got in the passenger side.
“Scott, you should listen to Logan,” Justine said. “He’s a former police officer. He knows what he’s talking about.”
“It isn’t safe to go home with her,” Logan said. “Get over the idea that just because she’s a female, you shouldn’t fear her. She’s violent. She has a temper. If you want a ride somewhere, I’d be happy to give you a lift.”
Scott laughed uncomfortably. “I can work this out. You’re right, she has a bit of a temper but she burns out fast. I should know better than to irritate her, get her riled up. She’s really not like this. She’s really a sweet, kind girl.”
“No, she’s not,” Logan said. “She’s an abuser. You’re at risk. The police department can assist you. All you have to do is—”
“I appreciate your concern but it isn’t how it looks. This sort of thing never happens. I mean she can get mad and yell, but she gets over it and—”
“And apologizes,” Logan said. “And makes up. And promises to never do it again. Man, you’re a statistic waiting to happen.”
“You see the size of her?” Scott said with a laugh, absently rubbing his biceps. “She’s no bigger than a ladybug. I’m going to take her home. We’ll have a conversation, and it’ll never happen again. Thanks for your concern but we’re fine.”
Scott moved quickly to the car, got in and started it. Justine was frozen. She could see Cat sitting in the passenger seat, her arms crossed over her chest, a scowl on her face. She looked out the passenger window and didn’t make eye contact with either of them. Scott pulled out of his parking spot and off they went.
Justine looked up at Logan. “Well now, that’s very bad,” she said.
“She was slugging him with all her might. Don’t let the fact that she’s small fool you. There’s nothing preventing her from picking up a bat or a boulder. Or a gun.”
“Oh Logan, surely Scott wouldn’t let it get that out of control!”
“I don’t know Scott. But I do know that some of these abusers have an amazing power over their victims. It boggles the mind.”
“He left me for this?” she asked. “For a woman who would hit him hard enough to leave a bruise, make him bleed?”
“Here’s something I took for granted. There were a couple of domestic calls that police answered in her last relationship. Maybe there were similar problems before that. I assumed it was the man in the relationship beating on the woman. I didn’t go in and read the reports. I’ll do that now. Maybe she’s been the violent one all along.”
“Would that be in the report?”
“No telling,” Logan said. “Male victims are often reluctant to admit they are having trouble defending themselves. They hate admitting they’re being physically abused by a woman. Most of them won’t hit back. They’re captives. Prisoners. The situation is just as bad as any typical domestic violence where the man is the aggressor. Just as dangerous.”
“Will you check, please?”
“Sure,” he said. “Of course. But Justine, don’t get involved in this. You’re too close to the situation.”
“Maybe I’m too close to stay uninvolved,” she said.
* * *
Logan called Justine first thing in the morning. “It was probably her, creating the domestic disturbance in the earlier relationship.”
“Probably?” she asked.
“When the police arrived, they blamed each other. They were both charged with misdemeanor assault. I ask myself, how often has this happened with her other relationships?”
Justine was quiet for a moment. “What has he gotten himself into?”