Chapter 1

Bull---It was a typical morning. Red and I had just arrived at the office and I was settling in with my first cup of coffee. The night shift commander came in to report what had happened the night before.

“Would you like a cup of coffee?” I offered.

“No thanks. I have had too much already.”

“Busy night?”

“Not really. Couple of speeding tickets out on the highway and one domestic disturbance call. Slow night really.”

“Who was the domestic? The Elder boys again?” Katie Elder’s sons get to drinking then fight. She calls us before they tear up the house. Nobody ever presses charges.

“No this time it was Dion Jones. The guy who works over at the Co-op. You know him?”

“Yeah, I know Dion.” (The Murder of Carmen Stern)

“What happened?”

“He and his girlfriend got into a fight and the neighbors called 911. By the time we got there he was slapping her around. We put her in an ambulance and locked him up.”

“Is she going to press charges?”

“Oh yeah! She was adamant about it. She just graduated law school and she is big on domestic violence towards women.”

“Is she hurt badly?”

“Not really. Oh she’ll have a couple of black eyes but he didn’t break any bones. When the hospital released her she came by here and filled out the papers. Dion is in a cell. He will go before Jude Parker this afternoon.”

I looked over the complaint after he left then had Dion brought to my office.

“Have a seat Dion. What the hell happened? I’m betting she found out about you and Carmen Stern!”

“Oh hell no! I would appreciate if you let that be. When I got off work last night she wanted to talk. I kind a figured something was wrong. She’s out of school now and studying for her bar exam. She never wants to talk about setting a date for our marriage. I mean I been waiting for her for 4 years. I want to start a family. But she is always too busy to talk about ‘us’.

Ever since she got out of school she’s been driving over to Corinth three or four days a week to ‘study’ for the bar with a group of friends. Well last night I found out that this ‘group’ is just one guy. A boyfriend who was in her graduating class! Then she tells me they are in love! She says they have not done ‘anything’ yet. But I don’t believe her. She told me how it would be better if we split up! We are different people. I drive a truck for the Co-op and she is going to be a big time lawyer fighting for the rights of abused women. Well I exploded!”

He is now crying his eyes out. His hands are cuffed but made into fists. I think he is more mad than hurt.

“Dion she filed charges against you.”

“Yeah the Deputy told me.”

“You’ll go before Judge Parker this afternoon. You get yourself together and act civil in his courtroom. Parker don’t put up with any outbursts. Understand?”

“Okay. But how could that bitch do this to me after all I did for her!”

“Dion, did you pay her tuition or send her money while she was in school?”

“Fuck no!”

“Well what did you do for her?”

“I spent money on driving down as often as I could! That’s what! All the money Mr. Billy paid me for fucking Carmen I spent on that bitch!”

“Dion you were partying with her at college, right? I mean fucking her?”

“Of course! That’s why I drove down there!”

“But you were fucking Carmen behind her back, cheating on her. Understand?”

“Fucking Carmen wasn’t cheating! That was business!”

I called for the jailer to take him back to his cell.

That afternoon he did go before Judge Parker and he took my advice and stayed calm. The judge set a trial date and advised him to get an attorney. Dion was released with no bail (ROR). The judge also put a restraining order on him to stay away from his ex-fiancé. He violated that order and Parker gave him 6 months. At his trial the girl had pictures of her face blown up to poster size. She looked terrible with two black eyes, no make-up and crying in those photos. Her friends protested outside the court house carrying signs about violence towards women. Dion got one year added to the six months.