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  Just how do you go about avoiding the subject that you know has to  be  addressed … Make a great dinner, pour a glass of wine, chat about world events, the latest  party.  Or are you the kind to hold it inside until you bust?  Not wanting to say it’s done I failed you…

Carla got up to clear the dishes and Craig grabbed her around the waist, pulling her into him. “Leave them be, I know you and I can tell you’re about to bust so let it out honey.”

Carla had her lips tightly closed to keep them from trembling, knowing that once she parted them the dam would burst open. “Craig your wife’s not always led a pure life,” she said between the tears.

Craig kissed her forehead and said. “Honey your husband hasn’t either. We survived in spite of ourselves and once we found each other nothing else mattered” he wiped away her tears along with the ones in his eyes and held her tight, scooping her up in his arms he walked to the sofa and sat down holding her on his lap as she cried.

“Craig your demon is Jack Daniels mine is Canadian Club, just remember that!” Carla said as she sat up to blow her nose. “I’m ashamed at what I did when I graduated college. I had no one to help me and I was Jake’s, we lived together for a year. The reason you recognized Jake is because he’s AC’s brother and part owner of the Grill.” Carla grabbed another tissue and went for the wine glasses and bottle.

“I was always at the Grill because I had a running tab for food and beverage. After I finally got a job, it didn’t pay a lot so I helped wait tables, especially on the weekends, when Jake was out of town.” Carla took a big sip of wine before she continued.

“The picture of me and Jake was after I had been on the job at Standard a couple years. He came into town and asked to get together, so naturally we went to the Grill. Craig, this is the honest to God truth, Jake will nail Mark’s ass to the floor in a heartbeat, he warned him several times to stay away from me.”

“Jake called me when AC told him I had finally found a great guy, one night after work. Reaffirmed that I never would have a worry if I needed anything just call.” Carla’s tears had finally stopped she felt as if a weight had lifted off her shoulders.

Carla leaned into Craig with a kiss and hug keeping her head on his shoulder she said, “I should have told you about this before we got married, but I never thought this would ever be revealed, it was so long ago.”

Now What Happens

     You’ve revealed your past to the cops… things coming out in front of your new husband, what could be racing through you mind?

   Knowing you have to start explaining the past. How would you feel, heart racing… embarrassed… sweaty palms… wanting to crawl under the covers and pretend it was all a bad dream!  Or would you …

“Carla you ok, you two we’re AWOL for a while” Craig held her close and kissed her “Craig I’m ok, just needed time to remember things. We have some talking to do.” “I know baby.” “Thanks Howard. Carla you were great and Craig, stay safe. I’d love some coffee but I gotta catch a criminal, cross your fingers I find a Coolpix. I’ll be in touch.”

Carla walked up to Blackie as he headed out to his car and whispered “Thanks Blackie, your Officer Samuels.” Blackie nodded his head. “Was he a patrolmen a few years ago, working around the Grill area?” Blackie looked up, “I think so why Carla, anything else about this case I need to know about?”

Carla smiled “He looks so familiar, that must be from where maybe, he was the officer that came to my rescue from my lost drunken neighbor, just curious. And thanks for being you.” Carla kissed his cheek. “Carla I’ll check that out for you ok.”

“What is that smell?” Craig turned up his nose. “Oh that’s evidence Craig Blackie poured it out in the glass so I could see if that’s the odor that woke me.” “And was it” Craig asked. “Yes that and this” she held up her camera and demonstrated to Howard and Craig what woke her that morning. “Carla your right that Jack Daniels is what I smelled when I walked onto the landing.”

“Howard care to stay for left over’s?” Carla asked, “Not tonight I had better get home to my son, besides you two have some talking to do, later.”

“Thanks Howard let me walk you out” Craig lead the way. Outside Howard got in the Hummer and turned to look at Craig, “Be gentle, and listen to her tonight, no getting mad, this happened before you two knew each other. Call me if you need to, we can always find a target to shoot at out here!” “I will!”

Memory

We all have those little memories imbedded in our brains, smells, noises, we just never know when they will help us solve a problem, jog our feelings or memories of experiences from days gone by…  see how Carla used them.

Carla took out her little Nikon Coolpix camera and turned to Detective Black, “Listen” she turned it on and off several times, moving a little farther away. Then she aimed the camera at herself taking pictures, the red light appeared as she held down the shutter button, causing the flash to continue, the motor whirling and pinging, the slight grinding of the zoom going in and out.

Carla asked, “See how this resembles a severe thunderstorm’s lighting.” The whole time Blackie had the recorder within inches of the camera. “So this is the noise you think you heard that night Mrs. Jones?” “Yes Detective Black it is.”

Blackie acknowledge with his head, “Go on Mrs. Jones.” “It was very quiet that morning before the storm hit and noise gets louder as the moisture sets in around you. Craig felt or smelled something and instinctively he knew it was wrong as we walked out of the bedroom, he stopped me here on the landing and went for his Glock.”

“Mrs. Jones, are you sure that’s the noise you heard?” “Yes.” Detective took Carla’s hand “Mrs. Jones is there any Jack Daniels in the house?” “I think so,” they walked down to the bar, a few ounces remained in the bottle, Detective Black took off the top and flipped on the recorder “Smell this please Mrs. Jones.” “Yuck,” she stepped back a few feet.  He poured it in a small glass and waved it by her, Carla exclaimed “Yes that’s what I smelled Detective Black, Jack Daniels!” He turned off the recorder, “You did real well Carla.”

“Got him, Craig Jones you’ve got some wife. I think we can get Mark Smith with stalking, breaking and entering. Where’s your picture from the security system, I want to see the whole footage Craig.” “In here Blackie, sorry I mean Detective Black.” Howard lead the way as everyone went into the library

“Howard please do the honors, I don’t know enough about this yet, Blackie.” “That’s ok Craig I think this lady may need a hug while we pull this up.” Craig replied “Yes sir, Detective!”

“Howard can you make a copy for our files?” “Sure this has only been up for five days, but you have plenty to see from what I’m seeing here.” “Thanks.”

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       How would you handle suddenly bringing that person from your past life into your present life …

“Blackie” Carla said as she came out of the bedroom and walked to the stairs, “Yes Carla” he walked up to greet her. “Please turn your recorder back on Detective. I just have his business card that was over 5 years ago, so I don’t know if it’s still his location, I do know the phone number is good” she motioned him to sit closer to her on the steps.

“He’s a lawyer in Chicago. This was at a big convention, at the Ramada over a weekend. Detective Black I was his . . . We lived together for about a year. I can call him, his name is Jacoby Covertry. He is AC’s brother and partner at the Grill. If you need more details, I’m sure he can help but please keep this quiet.”

Blackie and Carla sat there quiet for a few minutes, he switched off the recorder “Carla does Craig know about this time in your life?” “A little but not a lot, I know I have to tell him now, because these photos show a wild side of me. This was my do whatever it takes; I have to support myself side as well as the Canadian Club days.”

“Blackie, excuse me Detective Black the night.” Blackie placed his hand on hers “Carla should I turn the recorder on now?”

Carla nodded her head and waited to talk until Blackie nodded his head. “Detective Black the night of the break in I think Mark Smith took pictures of us in bed. There was a lot of lightening, thunder and then the loud crash; but a less intense noise for a while.”

“Was there a thunderstorm going on?” “Yes Detective Black but something else woke me up. An odor and noise before the storm and then right after the power went out. Did they find a small pocket camera in the car?” Carla asked. “No, Mrs. Jones, it may have stayed on his person till he was admitted to the hospital, why?”