Chapter 4 - Melissa Grant
Melissa agreed to speak only after Hannah called her personally.
They met by video that evening.
Melissa was twenty-nine.
Soft-spoken.
Dark circles beneath her eyes.
She refused to turn on the lights in the room behind her.
Jack sat several feet away from Hannah.
He had promised not to interrupt unless asked.
Melissa looked at Hannah's bruised face.
Then began crying.
"He did it to you too."
Hannah nodded.
"Yes."
Melissa covered her mouth.
"I'm sorry."
"You don't have to be."
"I should've reported everything."
"So should I."
Melissa shook her head.
"You didn't know."
"Neither did you."
For several seconds they simply looked at each other.
Then Hannah asked:
"What happened with Dustin?"
Melissa wiped her eyes.
"At first?"
"Everything."
Melissa leaned back.
"He was wonderful."
Jack had heard that pattern before.
"They usually are," he said quietly.
Both women looked toward him.
Jack raised a hand.
"Sorry."
Melissa continued.
"He was charming. Protective. Everybody liked him. Then he started deciding who I could talk to."
Hannah closed her eyes.
Same pattern.
"If I disagreed, he'd tell me I was embarrassing him."
"Did Coach Dalton know?"
Melissa laughed bitterly.
"Coach Dalton taught him."
Hannah looked confused.
"What?"
"Not the hitting."
Melissa's voice became harder.
"The thinking."
"What thinking?"
"That fighters deserved women who understood the lifestyle. That girlfriends shouldn't distract men before fights. That loyalty meant silence."
Jack leaned forward.
"Did Dalton ever threaten you?"
Melissa saw him.
"You're Hannah's father?"
"Yes."
"Former military?"
"Yes."
"Dustin used to talk about you."
Jack frowned.
"What did he say?"
"That Hannah's father was some old Marine who thought he was tough."
Hannah looked embarrassed.
Jack did not care.
Melissa continued.
"Coach told him never to worry about family members because most people back down once lawyers get involved."
Jack glanced at Laura, who was listening from another screen.
"Lawyers?"
Melissa nodded.
"Women signed waivers."
"What kind?"
"I signed one."
Hannah stared.
"For what?"
"A private sparring event."
Jack's expression changed.
Melissa continued.
"Dustin told me it was exhibition training."
"Against whom?"
"A female fighter."
"Was it sanctioned?"
"No."
"Were people betting?"
Melissa hesitated.
"Yes."
Laura spoke.
"Melissa, was Dalton collecting bets?"
"I don't know."
"Who was?"
"A man named Cole."
Jack and Laura exchanged glances.
Cole Mercer.
Melissa saw it.
"You know him."
"We know the name," Laura said.
"What happened during your fight?" Hannah asked.
Melissa looked down.
"I got hurt."
"How badly?"
"Concussion. Broken jaw."
Jack remembered the civil suit.
Training injury.
"That's why you sued Dalton."
Melissa nodded.
"His attorney said if I accused them of illegal fighting, they'd release video showing I agreed to participate."
"Did you?"
"Not to what actually happened."
"What happened?"
"They changed my opponent."
Melissa's voice shook.
"She was professional."
"Who?"
"I only knew her nickname. Raven."
"Did she hurt you intentionally?"
Melissa shook her head.
"She kept asking them to stop the fight."
Jack leaned closer.
"Who wouldn't stop it?"
"Dalton."
Hannah covered her mouth.
"Why?"
"People had bet on me lasting three rounds."
Silence.
Jack felt the whole operation become visible.
Women recruited through relationships.
Waivers.
Private fights.
Betting.
Injuries.
Threats.
Then Melissa said:
"There was another part."
"What?"
"If a fighter's girlfriend complained about him, Dalton would offer her a chance to prove she wasn't weak."
Hannah stared.
Jack's voice became dangerous.
"What does that mean?"
"Sometimes women were pressured to spar."
"Against men?"
"Sometimes."
Laura began writing.
Melissa continued.
"Dustin told me that if I wanted people to respect me, I had to stop acting fragile."
Hannah looked sick.
"Did he ever fight you inside the gym?"
Melissa nodded.
"Once."
"With gloves?"
"Yes."
"And Dalton allowed it?"
"He watched."
Jack stood.
He needed distance from the screen.
Melissa noticed.
"Mr. Miller."
He looked back.
"You can't go there angry."
He almost laughed.
"Everybody keeps telling me that."
"Because that's what they want."
"What?"
"For men like you to attack them."
Jack understood.
"So they become victims."
Melissa nodded.
"Dustin used to say the easiest man to control is an angry father."
Jack looked at Hannah.
She stared back.
A lesson.
He sat down.
"Then I won't give him what he wants."
Melissa seemed relieved.
Laura asked:
"Do you know anything about Hannah's name being on a list?"
Melissa's expression changed.
"What list?"
Hannah explained.
Melissa became pale.
"Hannah."
"What?"
"You need to leave the hospital."
Jack leaned closer.
"Why?"
Melissa whispered:
"Before I left Dustin, my name appeared on Dalton's red list."
"What is that?"
May you like
Melissa stared directly into the camera.
"Women they believe might talk."
