Chapter 7: Hero to the Rescue

When we had left the room, Janny grabbed me and pulled me into a hug. She said, "I'm proud of you. I don't believe in violence because I've seen what it can do to people. But you were willing to stand up for people you cared for. George is the same way, and I love him for it. I love you too, and I'm proud that you are my little sister."

I hugged her back. I didn't say anything because I couldn't think of the words to say, except "Uncle Dar and George are special. What that woman said was wrong and I couldn't let her get away with it. I just couldn't."

"I understand, Sally. When she started talking about them like that I got so mad I wanted to hit her. I don't think I've ever been so angry in my entire life. George is my life and Uncle Dar is special in his own way. He fills a hole that's been there since mom and dad died and I don't think I could stand to loose either of them."

I said, "I couldn't either."

With that and another hug, we went into the kitchen and made coffee. While we were doing that and putting together a lunch for the others, I asked Janny, "What do you think will happen?"

Janny said, "I don't know, but knowing Uncle Dar I'd say it'll be spectacular. That's one man I would never want mad at me, and I think he's angry at that woman. I bet that whatever happens next, she won't like it at all."

I agreed. Uncle Dar wasn't someone to take lightly, as his old wheelchair could attest to. The vinyl back was almost destroyed by him when he forced his way out of it in the pool. I don't know exactly how tough that stuff is, but it wasn't tough enough to stop Uncle Dar.

By the time we'd finished making sandwiches, the coffee was done. I poured a big travel mug for Uncle Dar, and Janny poured the rest into a carafe and put a bunch of cups onto a tray. She took that and I took the sandwiches and Uncle Dar's coffee into the family room.

We set every thing onto the coffee table and I gave Uncle Dar his cup. Ellen and Nancy were standing behind him looking at the CPS woman like they wanted to do what I almost did. They weren't crying now, they looked mad. I was sure glad that Coach Coulter was in Uncle Dar's room. I didn't want to think about what would happen if she'd heard what that woman had said.

I went back to the kitchen and got 3 glasses of lemonade and went back. I gave 2 of the glasses to Ellen and Nancy and kept the third for myself.

I led them over to the sofa, and sat down. They sat down too, one on each side of me. I grabbed a couple of sandwiches and gave one to each of them and took one for myself.

They started eating them and I ate mine. The whole time, the 3 of us glared at the CPS woman. I don't think we even blinked much.

As we sat and waited, George and Uncle Dar talked quietly. I don't know what they said. Janny had moved over to us and sat down on the sofa too. She had a sandwich and a cup of coffee.

Nobody but George and Uncle Dar were talking. Finally, the doorbell rang and Janny went and answered it. When she got back, there were 2 men and a woman with her. All 3 took out I.D. wallets with fancy I.D. cards and badges pinned into them and the older said, "I'm Senior Investigator Reach. I'll be handling this investigation."

The CPS woman said, "Under what authority are you here? I'm here to pick up 2 children and place them in foster care. These people are interfering with a State official and now you're here."

"Mam, we received orders from the Secretary of the Navy's office to investigate the harassment of a civilian employee assigned to his office," said Mr. Reach. "The charge is against you and it will be investigated."

"You don't have that authority," said the woman. "I'm here on official business, and you are interfering with that business. I demand that the 2 children I'm here for be given over to my custody immediately and that I be allowed to leave."

"I can't do that until after my investigation, Mam. Now, who is Senior Warrant Officer Eldarin DeShade?"

Uncle Dar answered, "Me."

"Good," said Mr. Reach. "I understand that you have some evidence to give me about this incident."

Uncle Dar said, "Yes. There's a recording of the conversation involving the harassment charges that these 2 officers can attest hasn't been tampered with. It's in the intercom device on the table there."

The woman who had come in with Mr. Reach said, "I'd like to talk to the children involved in this. Is there someplace private where we can talk?"

I said, "Yes. We can go down to the basement and talk there."

The woman said, "Are you one of the orphans in this case?

I said, "No. These 2 are."

She said, "They're the ones I want to talk to right now, but if you could show me the way I'd be grateful, Mam."

Mam? That was a surprise. I'd never been called that until today, and both people were cops.

"Ok, I said. "Come on girls, lets go downstairs."

Ellen said, "Only with Uncle Dar. I'm not talking to anybody unless he's there too."

"Me neither," said Nancy.

"Is mister DeShade your Uncle?" asked the woman.

"No," said Ellen. "But since he saved Sally's life in the pool, we've been calling him that. All of us cheerleaders do now. Sally's our friend and he saved her from drowning. He's always been nice to us too."

"I see," said the woman. "Well that answers some of my questions right there. If you really want him there, I'll wait till he's done here then we can all go down stairs to talk."

"Can Sally come too?" asked Nancy. "I don't want to go anywhere without her."

"Sorry, but no. I'll allow Mr. DeShade to witness my questioning, but nobody else for right now. I don't want her there anyway because I have to question her next."

"I think you'd be better off with Janny being there than me," said Uncle Dar. "She and George are the ones who will be your foster parents when this is all taken care of, so take her with you."

"But I want you there, Uncle Dar," Ellen said. "I won't talk to anyone unless you are there, and I don't care who they are."

"I agree," said Nancy. "Since Sally can't come, I won't go unless you come to."

The woman looked at Uncle Dar and said, "Since the children don't have a legal guardian at present, and since this is an investigation, I can get a children's advocate here. But I have no problem with you being present if that's what the girls want. I understand that they've just lost their parents, and I don't want to upset them if it isn't necessary."

"Ok, then, I'll come down with you when your boss is done with me."

"Mr. Reach said, "I'll listen to the tape right now, so go ahead. I don't have any questions for you yet."

"Ok," said Uncle Dar. "Lets go now and get this finished."

Ellen and Nancy jumped up and grabbed the handles to his chair and started pushing him to the door. The woman noticed this and said, "I see you 2 are fond of Mr. DeShade."

They both said, "Yes. He's our friend."

"Ok," said the woman. "Lets go and get this done with. It shouldn't take long though."

They walked out of the room and headed to the basement.

Mr. Reach started playing the tape and sat there listening. I got mad all over again listening to what that woman was saying about Uncle Dar and George. She not only said that Dar was dangerous, she accused George and Janny of being criminally negligent by letting him stay here, and that they were unfit to raise a child.

I was so mad, I wanted to throw her out of the house all over again.

When the tape was finished, the Inspector stood up and said, "I think I have enough right there." He turned to the man that came with him and said, "Cuff her and read her rights to her. Make sure she understands that this is a criminal investigation so she has the right to an attorney."

He took the tape out of the intercom and put it into a bag and sealed it and put that into a case he'd brought in with him. The other man was handcuffing the CPS woman, and telling her the 'You have the right... ' thing they say on cop shows when they arrest someone.

The inspector turned to me and said, "I understand that you were just recently released from the hospital after a head injury. Is that true?"

"Yes," I answered. "I fell on the diving board of our pool and hit my head which knocked me out."

"Well, I guess that clears you for threatening a State official. Normally I'd have to do something about that, but considering the injury and the provocation, I don't think it'll matter. I would recommend, however, that you not repeat such a thing again."

"Only if that woman never comes here again. I may be under age, but this house is 1/3rd mine and I don't ever want her here again."

"Oh, I don't think that will be a problem. She's being charged with 2 felonies for this. Using her position to knowingly harass 2 disabled Veterans is a criminal offense, and I think we have sufficient evidence on that tape to convict her of it."

The older policeman said, "If you need more, I'm a witness and I'd be happy to testify. I've know Janny for years, and I knew her and Sally's parents too."

"I don't think that will be necessary, but I would like written statements from the both of you as to why you were here and what happened. You don't have to do them now, but I'd like them sent to the FBI office in Seattle tomorrow sometime. I'll make sure you have the fax number before we finish here, and I'll get any other information I need from you.

"Now, Mr. DeShade, what's your involvement other than the complaint you filed?" he asked Uncle Dar.

Uncle Dar said, "I'm thinking about adopting the 2 girls as soon as I'm cleared by my doctors. That way, they won't ever be separated again by people like that." He pointed at the CPS woman.

"Aren't they sisters? They can't separate sisters here can they?" asked Mr. Reach.

"No, they're cousins." I said. "Their mothers were twin sisters and their fathers were brothers. They got married in a double wedding. They were killed in a traffic accident this morning on the freeway coming back from Redmond."

"I think I heard about that. An SUV got hit by a Semi and was crushed. No survivors."

I said, "I don't know. All I know about it is that they got phone calls at the same time and started crying and saying that both their parents were dead. They also told me that they don't have any other family that they know about."

"Hmm," Said Mr. Reach. "I'll have that looked into. For now though, since this is an on going investigation, they can stay here. The state won't be able to take them until after I'm finished. If they annoy me about that, I'll call the man that Mr. DeShade did and let him deal with it. I'm a nice person, but he isn't."

"You mean it," I squealed. "They can stay here?" I ran up and hugged him, saying, "Oh thank you. They don't have anywhere else to go, and I love them like sisters."

He said, "Well that makes my day. I don't often get hugs from pretty girls on my job, so it's my pleasure."

The other man looked at him and said, "You have all the luck, don't you boss?"

I ran over and hugged him too and said, "Well maybe not all. Thank you."

He smiled, and said "Like the boss said, we don't always get to do something nice for someone. It's worth it when we can, and the hug is a perfect payback." With that, he took the now crying CPS woman outside.

"Ok, we're almost done. When my other assistant is finished questioning your friends and questions you we'll be going." He pulled out a card and handed it to Uncle Dar and said, "And if you need anything else, just call me. It's easier on me and the rest of the office if we don't get called by the Secretary of the Navy too often."

I asked," Who are you anyway? I never thought to ask."

Mr. Reach said, "I'm the senior investigator for the local branch of the Navy Crime Scene Investigation unit. Mr. DeShade is still listed as an employee of the Department of the Navy pending a final analysis of his ability to resume his work for the Navy. He's currently assigned to the Office of the Secretary of the Navy. That means that this case falls under our jurisdiction so we came. Besides, the Boss said to fix it."

"Since I'm a smart man," he said, "I fixed it."

We chatted a bit more, and then his other assistant came in. Ellen and Nancy were pushing Uncle Dar behind her.

She looked at me and said, "Your turn. If you want either of or both of your guardians there, they can come. But since you do have legal guardians, only they can be present unless they require a lawyer."

I said, "I don't think that's necessary. If I was in trouble I'd know it by now." I smiled at Mr. Reach.

We went downstairs and over to Georges desk and sat down.

The woman said, "I'm investigator Harrison. I'm recording this interview. Since this is an investigation, I need to tell you your rights under the law." She proceeded to tell me the same rights as the other investigator told the CPS woman.

When she finished, she asked me, "Do you understand these rights?

I said "Yes."

"Since you are still a minor, you have the right to have a parent or guardian present. Do you wish this?"

I said, "No, I don't think they need to be here."

"Ok, if at any time you want them here just say so. We'll stop and I'll send for them. If you feel uncomfortable about answering any questions, we' stop and send for them."

"OK, I understand," I said

She said, "Fine. If you have any questions, feel free to ask."

"Now then, what's your relationship to Mr. DeShade? I notice that all 3 of you girls called him Uncle Dar."

I said, "He saved Georges life in Iraq, and when he was released from the hospital we brought him here to finish his recovery. About 2 weeks ago, I had an accident in our pool and he saved my life. He almost died doing it too."

"I'm familiar with the incident. So, you're saying that in fact, he's not related to you?"

"No," I said. "We call him that, but he isn't related to us. It's just that we love him."

"Ok," she said. "Do you feel afraid of him in any way?"

"No."

"Has he ever scared you in any way?"

"No."

"Do you trust him?"

"With my life."

"Ok, we're done," She said. I had to ask those questions as part of the investigation because of the allegations made by the CPS worker. I didn't believe they were necessary, but I'm required to ask in a case like this."

"I have one question if I may," I said.

"What's that?" she asked.

"What happens with Nancy and Ellen now? I'm afraid for them because of all this."

"Well, that's difficult to answer," she said. "The Navy doesn't normally get involved in civil matters like that but I think that they'll be staying here for now."

"That's what your boss said upstairs," I said.

"Well if he said that, then that's what will happen."

"I just wanted to make sure," I said. "They've lost so much today that I don't want them to loose any more."

"Well I guess that makes you a good friend then," she said.

I said, "I had a good teacher. He almost died giving me that lesson. Friends help each other and don't worry about the price. Ellen and Nancy are my friends."

"I think they are lucky to have you as a friend. I hope we can talk again under better circumstances some day."

"I'd like that too," I said. "Are we done now?"

She said, "Yes. I don't need to ask you anything else. I'll be filing a report with CPS about this, and I'll tell them that the 2 girls upstairs couldn't find a better home than here with people like you and Mr. DeShade to look after them."

I smiled and then I got up and hugged her too. "Thank you," I said. That really means a lot to me right now. I know how they feel after loosing my parents 3 years ago, and I had someone to help me. They don't have anyone left."