Devil’s Claw

If Joa

The next article was a short one that recounted the plea-bargain hearing. In it Sandra admitted that some of the injuries she suffered that night had been self-inflicted. That, although she claimed her husband had beaten her on other unreported occasions, on the night in question he had not. She had shot him as he sat in his chair in front of the television news and then had staged the ransacking of the house and her own injuries in order to be able to establish a claim of self-defense.

In making his decision, the judge said that based on Sandra Ridder’s account of self-inflicted injuries, he agreed with the prosecutor in disallowing any claim of self-defense. However, in view of Tom Ridder’s known violent tendencies, the judge did find some mitigating circumstances. As a consequence, his judgment of voluntary manslaughter was one full step down from the prosecutor’s previously arranged plea bargain of second-degree murder.

Studying that article, Joa

Joa

The whole while Joa

As Joa

“Who is it, Mom?” Je

Peering out between the window blinds, Joa

“Joey?” Butch asked. “Do you want me to go out and check?”

Before Joa

Almost sick with relief, Joa

As Je

“Kristin!” Joa

Without a word, Kristin propelled herself across the porch. Sobbing, she fell against Joa

“Kristin,” Joa

“My parents threw me out,” Kristin wailed. “My father told me to get out, that he didn’t want a daughter like me living in his house. He said that I had fifteen minutes to gather up what I needed and then he wanted me to clear out.”

Joa

“Nothing. She sat there the whole time and listened to Dad yell at me, and she never said a word. Not a single word. I didn’t know where to go, Sheriff Brady. I couldn’t go see Terry, not like this. He already feels bad enough. So I came here. What am I going to do? What’s going to happen to me? Where am I going to stay?”

Joa

“Joa

Kristin had taken a step toward the door. Now, hearing another voice, she broke away from Joa

Joa

“But I don’t want him to know,” Kristin pleaded. “I don’t want anyone to know. But now everybody will. Who knows what they’ll think. And say.” Once again she burst into incoherent sobs.

“Please, Kristin. It doesn’t matter what anyone says or thinks,” Joa

Still sobbing, Kristin nodded. “It’s in the car.”

“Butch,” Joa

“Oh, not Je

“Nonsense,” Joa

“Right here.”

“Go to your room and gather up whatever you’ll need for tonight, and for tomorrow morning as well. Kristin’s going to need to use your room tonight. You can sleep here on the couch. And as soon as Butch finishes bringing in the luggage, I’d like both of you to go to the kitchen and make some cocoa. I think Kristin needs some privacy.”

Joa

“I never thought they’d throw me out,” she choked miserably. “I always thought my parents loved me.”

“They do love you,” Joa

“It’s not like I’m a seventeen-year-old kid,” Kristin continued. “I’m an adult. Even if I live at home. I have a job. Ever since I graduated from high school, my dad’s made me pay room and board. You should have heard some of the awful things he said to me, some of the terrible names he called me.” Kristin stopped and shook her head as another deluge of tears threatened to fall.