Blac & Tan Blues

This is a story that took place in the swinging 70's. The Vietnam War and the draft were coming to an end. Richard Nixon really was a crook. We were still safe from HIV and AIDS. The internet was only a gleam in Al Gore's eye. The first portable phones were just being developed by Motorola. And General Motors, Ford and Chrysler actually made cars that people wanted to buy. Life was good.

This is a work of fiction. But in every story there is a kernel of truth, an incident that really occurred or maybe a character or characters that really existed. With that said any similarities to persons living or dead is purely intentional.

*

I sat in the car for a couple more hours hardly moving, just listening to the radio, one sad country song after another. From a distance, I watched the police come and go, removing evidence from the room and from the cars. The small crowd from the two hotels quickly dissipated as the commotion ebbed. Eventually a couple of wreckers showed up and the two cars were towed away. I contemplated the events of the last couple of weeks and thought about how much my life had changed in that short period of time. Finally after the last of the police left I started the car and drove over to Gino's. I went inside and got a beer and collapsed into a booth. About ten minutes later Trev showed up from work and sat down.

He looked at me soberly and said finally, "Well you're here and not in jail so it must have gone down as planned. But you don't look happy about it."

I related everything that had happened that night and what I had seen. He shook his head and didn't say anything. Finally after a few minutes I said, "I'm trying to accept the fact that it's really over. In one respect I'm glad, on the other hand I just feel so incredibly lost. Two weeks ago I knew what I had and where my life was going. Now ... now I don't know anything."

Trev just patted my arm and didn't say a thing. We finished our beer and we got up to leave. Trev asked, "Are you ready for your acting job?"

I nodded, "I'm not looking forward to it, but I'm as ready as I'll ever be."

Trev smiled sadly and said, "Break a leg!"

We traded keys again and I got into my truck and drove home. I pulled into the driveway and parked behind Donna's car. As I walked toward the house I took a deep breath and went in. I was met at the door by a very worried babysitter.

"Mr. Colville! I thought you were Mrs. Colville."

"Hi Kristie, isn't Donna here?" I said acting surprised.

She shook her head no, "She left about seven and said she would be home by one or one thirty. It's not like her to be late."

"Donna and Josie must have gone somewhere after dinner and forgot the time. Or maybe she's at Josie's house." I suggested.

Now it was Kristie's turn to look surprised. "But, but Mrs. Colville wasn't picked up by Josie or Mary. It was a woman named Connie who came and got her."

"Are you sure? She told me she was having dinner with Josie tonight."

Kristie nodded, "I'm sure her name was Connie. She sometimes comes in after bringing Mrs. Colville home on Friday nights. And I recognized her car when she pulled up tonight."

"There's only one Connie I know of, and I can't believe she would be going anywhere with her." I said slowly.

Kristie looked uncomfortable, "I don't know anything about that, but she has been bringing Mrs. Colville home for the last several Fridays that I've babysat."

She looked at her watch, "But it's after two and I've got to be getting home."

"I'm sorry Kristie; I didn't mean to keep you. I'll call Josie and get to the bottom of this. How much do I owe you?"

We settled up and I walked her to the door and thanked her for watching Sam. As I watched her walk down the street I hoped I sounded convincing.

I went back into the kitchen and pulled down our address book and looked up Josie's number. I knew she would be pissed about being called this late but I needed to establish an alibi of concern.

After about six rings, a very sleepy voice said, "Hello?"

"Josie? It's Ken Colville."

"Ken? What, what time is it?"

"It's about two thirty Josie. I'm sorry to wake you but I thought Donna might be there. She isn't home yet."

"Ken, I haven't seen Donna since we got out of work."

"But, but she told be she was meeting you and Mary for dinner?"

"Ken, we haven't gone out to dinner on a Friday night for a couple of months now.

"What! That can't be!"

"Well it is. A couple of months ago she wanted to change our dinner night to earlier in the week. She said she ran into an old neighbor girlfriend that wanted to take her out. We haven't gone out on a Friday night since."

"Shit! Thanks Josie, I'm sorry to bother you this late." I hung up the phone and thought for a moment.

I picked up the phone book and dialed the city police department. I got a dispatcher on the phone and told them I was concerned about my wife not coming home. As I expected he told me that nothing could be done unless she had been missing twenty-four hours and then I could file a missing persons report. I mentioned her name a couple of times to be certain that he would remember it. After about fifteen minutes I let him convince me to hang up and if she was still missing after the twenty-four hours to call back.

I sat in the darkened kitchen holding onto the phone for a few minutes just thinking. Finally I decided I better get some sleep. I knew the crap would start flying in a few hours and I needed to be ready for it.

I got dressed for bed and went into Sam's room to check on her. She was sound asleep with a little smile on her face. Probably having pleasant dreams only the young and truly innocent can have. How I envied her. As I gazed down at my little girl, I got a lump in my throat and a burning sensation in my eyes. I realized I didn't want to be alone. I crawled into bed with her and as she turned to me and sleepily opened her eyes I said, "It's just daddy, sweetheart. Go back to sleep."

"Daddy?" She whispered. She closed her eyes and snuggled into my shoulder and was out again. I lay there staring into the dark until, like a door closing in my mind I was out.

I came out of a sound sleep to the sound of the telephone ringing in our bedroom down the hall. I looked at my watch and it was just after eight o'clock. I sat up and gently moved Sam off of my arm and swung my legs out of bed and nearly ran to the phone.

"Hello?"

"Ken, this is Jack, what's going on with Donna?" He practically yelled into the phone.

Jack was Donna's father. Jack and Brenda, Donna's mother, lived in a small town about twenty miles away. He had been retired for several years now. With his small pension, Social Security and their few savings they managed to squeak by. After retiring, they decided to move downstate from the Upper Peninsula to be closer to the medical care Brenda needed for her diabetes and blood pressure problems.

I had liked Jack and Brenda from the start and we always got along well. They always tried to see Sam as often as possible and spoiled her like only doting grandparents could. Their son still lived in the U.P with his wife and their other two grandchildren so Sam got the majority of their attention. I knew that this was going to be particularly hard on them.

"Jack! Donna wasn't here when I got home from work. The sitter said she was supposed to be home at least an hour before. I called the girlfriend she was supposed to be out with but she hadn't seen her. I even called the police."

"Ken, she just called here! She was almost hysterical and wouldn't stop crying. She just kept repeating, 'it's a mistake, it's a mistake', over and over again. I finally managed to get out of her that she's in the Eaton County jail. She couldn't or wouldn't tell me why. And she wouldn't answer me when I asked if she had called you."

"What the hell? Jack, she didn't call me. I'll get dressed and get over there. Can you and Brenda watch Sam for me?"

"Yeah, sure, anything you need Ken."

As I put down the phone I heard a noise at the door. I turned and Sam was standing there with her thumb in her mouth and her stuffed puppy clutched to her chest.

"Daddy, where's Mommy?" She said.

Thinking fast I said, "Mommy had to go to work early this morning, honey. How would you like to go see Grandpa Jack and Grandma Bren this morning?"

She thought about it for a moment and said "Okay, can I have some breakfast first?"

"You sure can sweetheart. We will both have breakfast, how about that?"

We ate and got dressed fairly quickly. I got Sam loaded into the car and we headed over to Jack and Brenda's house. Both of them met us at the door with a desperate hug for both of us. Brenda was pale and her eyes were red and swollen. She had obviously been crying.

"Ken, what's going on? Donna can't be, can't be where she said she was, can she?"

I just shook my head as Jack picked up Sam and gave her a squeeze. "I don't know what's going on Brenda. All I know is that she wasn't with who she said she was going out with last night. And apparently this wasn't the first time according to the babysitter."

Jack put Sam down and said to her, "Sam, I think there's a doughnut with sprinkles on it for you on the kitchen table. Why don't you go see?"

"Okay Grandpa" And Sam trotted out of the living room and into the kitchen.

Jack turned to me and said, "Ken, have you two been having problems?"

I kept a puzzled look on my face and shook my head again, "Not that I know of, Jack. Donna has been acting a little strange and out of sorts the last few weeks. But we talked about it and she said she was just tired of the schedule we've been keeping. Why? Has she said anything to you?"

Brenda and Jack looked at each other and then Jack said, "Ken, we haven't seen her or hardly even talked to her in almost a month. She hasn't called us and if we call her she puts us off and says she's too busy to talk. And it really hurts us that she hasn't brought Sam over in all that time. And that's not like her either."

I nodded slowly and said, "Let me get over there and find out what's happened. I'll call you or bring her back here."

I turned and walked out the door with Jack right behind me. He put his hand on my shoulder and said, "Thanks, Ken. I would go with you but I'm afraid to leave Brenda alone right now. I think her blood pressure is going crazy and I could hardly get her to stop crying after Donna called."

"I understand Jack. Just take care of both of them and I'll get back here as soon as I can."

I got into the car and headed out. The county jail was next to the county court house, about twenty miles away. I had driven past it many times over the years but never had the occasion to go in. Fortunately there were several signs directing me to the entrance for visitors. Inside was a waiting area that was mostly empty except for a reception counter with a couple of uniformed officers working at desks behind it. There was a sign of the counter directing visitors to sign in and a clipboard next to it. As I reached for the pen one of the officers looked up and said, "Can I help you?"

Even though I was expecting this, I was at a loss for words and couldn't think of what to say. Finally I said, "I, I think you are holding my wife here. She called my father-in-law this morning. I uh, we don't know why."

Brusquely she said, "Her name?"

"Donna. Donna Colville."

She opened a file in front of him and leafed through several papers. Without looking at me she said, "Yes, she's here." She turned to the other officer and said, "Who's assigned to the Red Roof Inn bust from last night?"

"Detective's Williams and Prescott," The other officer replied.

The first officer picked up a phone and dialed a number. She turned away as she said something into it. She hung up and turned to me. "Have a seat, Detective Williams will come get you."

I sat, staring at the floor for about ten minutes until a man in civilian clothes came out of a security door in the back and looked at me. He appeared to be in his forties, shorter than me but stockier. He had a competent look about him. He walked up to me and said, "I'm Detective Williams, are you the husband of Donna Colville?"

"Yes, yes I am. Is she alright? What's going on? Why is she here?"

"Come on back to my office." He said and motioned down the hallway.

I followed him down the hall and through a doorway marked 'Detectives'. We were the only people in a room with four desks with accompanying chairs and many file cabinets scattered against the walls. He closed the door behind me and pointed at a chair beside one of the desks and said, "Have a seat. Can I see your driver's license please?"

I handed it to him and he opened a file on his desk and compared it what looked like a photocopy of Donna's license.

He nodded and handed it back to me. "Mr. Colville, I'm sorry to have to tell you your wife was arrested last night during a drug bust at the Red Roof Inn on Forest Road."

I tried to act flustered and disbelieving. "What! No! There must be some mistake."

"No mistake, Mr. Colville. Acting on a tip that a drug buy was going to occur, the Tri-County Task Force on Drug Enforcement conducted a raid on a specific room at the Inn." A quantity of illegal drugs was seized within the room and also within two vehicles belonging to occupants of that room. In the course of our search two weapons were also found."

I sagged back into the chair and acted totally dumfounded. Detective Williams looked at me sympathetically for a moment and then said, "I've been reviewing the officers affidavits of the event and I can tell you in general what they observed and what they will testify to. Do you want to know? I have to warn you what you hear may be shocking."

I looked at him for a minute and I nodded my head yes without saying anything.

"Okay. Upon forcing entry into the room the officers observed two Black males and two Caucasian females, all unclothed and engaged in sexual activity. A quantity of drugs was openly present. One of the male suspects resisted arrest and assaulted one of the officers. He was subdued and all four individuals were placed under arrest and transported here."

As he finished I bent over in the chair and put my hands over my eyes and whispered repeatedly, "No, no, no. This can't be!"

"I'm sorry Mr. Colville, but I need to ask you a few questions."

I looked up at him over the tips of my fingers. To my surprise I actually had tears in my eyes and it wasn't an act. Hearing him say what he said brought back all the emotional shock and disorientation of discovering Donna's betrayal the first time.

"Mr. Colville, you cannot be forced to testify against your wife, but is there anything you would like to add to what we know?"

I shook my head from side to side, "I don't understand it. I just don't understand it. We have a four year old daughter. How, how could she do this? How could she?" I said as tears ran down my face.

"Did you have any idea your wife was involved with or had a problem with illegal drugs?"

I looked up at him and shook my head no, "We've never been involved with them. The only time we experimented with marijuana had to be over four years ago. And then she said she didn't like it. We never tried it again."

I hesitated for a few seconds, "But wait, I do remember something. There was a night about six, seven months ago I came home from work and my wife had been out that evening. She was in the bathroom, sick and throwing up. She had been out with an old neighbor of ours named Connie. She admitted to smoking a joint with her that night. We had a big fight over it and she said she would never go out with her again."

I saw the detective's eyes open wide when I mentioned Connie's name. Take that you bitch, I thought.

The detective hesitated a moment and finally said. "Mr. Colville, your wife is going to need an attorney. The arraignment will be Monday morning between ten and eleven. If she doesn't have one present one will be appointed to represent her. Bail will be set at the arraignment."

I got out a handkerchief and wiped my eyes. I nodded, "Can I, can I get a copy of the arrest report and what she is being charged with?"

He nodded, "Yeah, I will make you a copy."

"Can you tell me who she was arrested with?"

"Officially I can't but I have to warn you that a reporter was present at the scene of the arrests and it may end up in the newspaper in the next day or two. He may even have the names of those involved, though the names are not supposed to be released until arraignment."

He took the file and left the room. He returned in a couple of minutes and handed me a couple of copies. I started to read through the form until I got to the list of charges and I stopped. I looked up at him with a shocked expression, "Is this right? Can this be right?"

Soberly he nodded. "As far as we know, some charges may be dropped or added during the arraignment or during the pre-trial. It will be up to the prosecutor assigned to the case."

I looked back at the charges; Felony Drug Possession, Felony Drug Possession with Conspiracy to Deliver, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and Solicitation.

I took a deep breath, "Solicitation? You mean prostitution don't you! What the hell! Damn her. God damn her!" I said angrily. I stood up and headed toward the door.

I stopped and looked at him, "Are we done? I've got to get out of here."

He look at me soberly, "Do you want to see her? Visiting hours start at eleven."

I glared at him, "No! I don't want to see her. Not after what she has done to me and what she has done to our daughter!"

He nodded understandingly, "The arraignment will be held in Judge Brown's court. My partner and I may want to ask you some questions afterwards. Until then, try to stay calm, okay?

I just turned and walked out the door. As I drove back to my in-laws house I was feeling miserable about telling them about this and how they were going to react to it.

I walked in the door and saw Samantha, Jack and Brenda sitting on the couch watching television together. Sam saw me and said, "Hi daddy, we're watching 'toons!"

"I see that honey, I've got to talk to Grandpa for a minute then we've got to get on home, okay?"

Sam just nodded and turned back to what she was watching. I motioned to Jack with my head towards the kitchen. He got up and followed me.

"What is it Ken? Where's Donna? Why didn't you bring her home?"

I didn't say anything I simply handed him a copy of the arrest report. As he read down the sheet, he turned visibly pale and collapsed onto one of the kitchen chairs. He looked up at me pleadingly, "This, this has to be wrong. This isn't Donna."

I shook my head miserably, "It get's worse Jack. I can only tell you exactly what the Detective told me what the officers on scene will testify to."

I took a deep breath and repeated, "The officers forced entry into the room and observed two black males and two white females, all unclothed and engaged in sexual activity. A quantity of illegal drugs was openly present. One of the men resisted arrest and assaulted one of the officers. He was subdued and all four were placed under arrest."

Jack's mouth dropped open, tears sprang from his eyes and a groan like a wounded animal came from deep in his chest. He covered his face and cried. I waited silently until he recovered enough to wipe his eyes and was trying to catch his breath.

"Jack, Donna and the others will be arraigned Monday morning about ten o'clock. There's nothing to be done until then."

Jack looked up at me, "Did you see her? Did you see Donna?"

I shook my head and said bleakly, "Jack, I don't want to see her now and I certainly don't want to talk to her. I need to go home and think about all this. I need to think about what's best for Samantha."