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- Story Listed as: Fiction For Adults
- Theme: Family & Friends
- Subject: Crime
- Published: 01/28/2025
Turning Point
Born 1945, M, from Farmersburg, United States.jpeg)
The first shot took off Denver’s hat, almost parting his hair. He hugged the ground. The next bullet whizzed overhead, crashing into the windshield. He hunkered down behind the patrol car. He pulled his Glock with his right hand and keyed his mic.
“Shots fired shots fired.” Denver hugged the ground as a cluster of bullets passed overhead. “Send backup. Taking fire.”
“10-4 85-1 taking fire. All units in the area respond.” Dispatch voice quivered. Carol was to be married next month. This was her first week as 911 operator.
“85-7 ETA 3 minutes.”
“Rodger 85-7 responding. Time. 9:03 AM.
It was an ordinary morning. The usual bantering before settling down for their daily assignments. Denver got four failures to appear. Leaving the briefing, he took the toughest one first. Victor Sanseis was a career criminal. His crimes escalated over the years. The latest one, armed robbery with a toy pistol. 21 times in jail, 19 convictions. Who was the thoughtless judge who turned this man loose on society? Forty-eight years old, Victor started on drugs at 17. It ruined his whole life.
Denver turned into the lane leading to the elderly house trailer. Three old junk cars set out front. A gathering of other debris around the cars. Giving his location to dispatch. Denver stepped out of his patrol car. He moved around the front of the SUV. Half way to the door, the shot surprised him. He turned and sprinted for the unit, expecting to be shot in the back. He slid behind the fender, thanking God. The next shots took out the light bar. He returned fire, hitting a dinner bell. An elderly woman appeared at the door. She looked at the bell. Threw down her pistol, laughed, and danced around.
Denver jumped from behind the SUV and charged at her. He grabbed her around the middle and lifted her off the ground. She was light as a feather. He cuffed her hands behind her back and helped her set down on the top step.
“Don’t hurt me. Don’t hurt me.” She cried. Big tears rolled down her cheeks, dripping off her chin. She looked at Denver with wet eyes. “Are you part of the invasion?”
“No ma’am, I’m from the sheriff’s department. You shot at me.”
“Did I hit ye?”
“No, but it wasn’t for trying. “A siren howled up the road. “I’m looking for your son.”
“Victor ain’t here. He be off gallivanting with them drug men again.”
For the next hour she set watching the sheriff’s department reconstruct what happened. They assigned a female officer to guard her. After about a half hour, she motioned for the girl to lean over. “I gotta pee.”
The girl smiled. “I’ll help you.”
“Don’t need no help. If’n you can unlock me at the door, let me do my business. You kin lock me up again when I come out.”
“Ok, but no funny business now.” The deputy said, helping her to her feet.
“I done outa funny business.”
At the bathroom door, she unlocked the elderly woman’s handcuffs.
“I be abit.” She said, rubbing her wrists.
“Take your time. We’ll be here a while.” The officer said, smiling.
After about five minutes, the deputy became concerned. She knocked on the door. “Mrs. Sanseis.” No answer. “Mrs. Sanseis”
She hammered on the door. Still no answer. She forced the door. The room was empty. The floor had a large hole, and the rug was thrown back. The deputy ran to the front door of the trailer. How could she have been so stupid?
“She’s gone.” Her words galvanized the entire crew. “I let her go to the bathroom and…”
“Show me.” The sheriff said. She did. He walked out of the trailer and raised his voice. “Ok boys, we got a runner. Ellen Sanseis is out here somewhere. Be careful, she already shot up one cop car. Make sure she don’t put holes in you.”
They found her a half mile away. She was watching the fish in the stream. She put her finger to her lips as they approached. Her face brightened when she saw the female deputy. She motioned her forward. The sheriff nodded to her. Cautiously, she came up to the stream. Ellen Sanseis giggled.
“Watch that little one over there. He’s running from his momma.”
“We need you back at the house.” The deputy said, taking her by the arm she helped her to her feet.
Two days later, Ellen Sanseis stood weeping before the judge. Her son stood by her side.
“It’ll be alright mom.” Victor Sanseis whispered to his mother.
“They gonna kill me. I done shot up that copy’s car.” She wept harder.
Tears came to Victor’s eyes. “I’ll take the blame for it, maw.”
Judge Frumps looked at the prisoners before him. “Victor, I see your back before me and this time you’ve brought your mother.”
“Please don’t kill me. I’ll be good.” Ellen Sanseis screamed. “I’ll be good.” Her voice went into a soft moan.
“Yes, I’m sure you will. Ok Mrs. Sanseis, I’ve asked the good folks to be here this morning from Ravenwood. Bailiff, would you unlock her please.”
The deputy did so. The two orderlies from Ravenwood led her away. She looked back over her shoulder.
“These clothes ain’t mine.” She shouted. The orderlies stopped her from stripping right there in the courtroom.
“We’ll send them back. We have new clothes for you. Never been worn by anyone else.” One orderly said.
She stopped and stared at him. “Brand spanking new? My own dress?”
“Yes, ma’am,” the other one said, smiling.
“Such a good boy. Ok boys, let’s go. See you round judgie puggie.” She took off the orderlies had to hurry to catch up. The courtroom erupted in laughter. Even the judge smiled.
When the assembly settled down, the judge directed his gaze at Victor.
“Victor, I’m tired of dealing with you. It is apparent to me you love drugs more than this elderly woman. This is the tenth time you have appeared before me. I’m going to give you a choice. The drug program at Adult and Teen Challenge or two years in prison. What’ll it be? You have 10 seconds to decide. This is a onetime offer.”
“Teen Challenge, sir,” Victor said, his eyes tearing up.
“Very good. Officer, take him away.” The judge picked up the gavel. He pointed the handle at Victor. “And Victor, if you leave there before the program is complete, I will personally hunt you down and deliver you to the state pen. Do you hear me?”
“Yes, sir,” Victor said with conviction.
Two years later
Denver held his wife’s hand. The notice had been in the newspaper. Ellen Sanseis went to sleep and didn’t wake up. The obituary listed only one son. No other relatives. He felt an obligation to go to the visitation. Denver didn’t recognize the man standing by the casket. The man wore a gray suit with a blue tie.
He stepped forward and extended his hand. “Thank you for coming. Mom had very few friends. Especially ones she took pot shots at.”
“Victor? I’m sorry I didn’t recognize you.” Denver said, shaking Victor’s hand. “This is my wife, Jenifer.”
Victor smiled. “I’m so glad to meet you.”
“I’m sorry for your loss. My mother died five years ago.” Jenifer said with a sad expression.
“Thank you. Mom received Christ on her deathbed. So, I know I’ll see her again.”
Turning Point(Darrell Case)
The first shot took off Denver’s hat, almost parting his hair. He hugged the ground. The next bullet whizzed overhead, crashing into the windshield. He hunkered down behind the patrol car. He pulled his Glock with his right hand and keyed his mic.
“Shots fired shots fired.” Denver hugged the ground as a cluster of bullets passed overhead. “Send backup. Taking fire.”
“10-4 85-1 taking fire. All units in the area respond.” Dispatch voice quivered. Carol was to be married next month. This was her first week as 911 operator.
“85-7 ETA 3 minutes.”
“Rodger 85-7 responding. Time. 9:03 AM.
It was an ordinary morning. The usual bantering before settling down for their daily assignments. Denver got four failures to appear. Leaving the briefing, he took the toughest one first. Victor Sanseis was a career criminal. His crimes escalated over the years. The latest one, armed robbery with a toy pistol. 21 times in jail, 19 convictions. Who was the thoughtless judge who turned this man loose on society? Forty-eight years old, Victor started on drugs at 17. It ruined his whole life.
Denver turned into the lane leading to the elderly house trailer. Three old junk cars set out front. A gathering of other debris around the cars. Giving his location to dispatch. Denver stepped out of his patrol car. He moved around the front of the SUV. Half way to the door, the shot surprised him. He turned and sprinted for the unit, expecting to be shot in the back. He slid behind the fender, thanking God. The next shots took out the light bar. He returned fire, hitting a dinner bell. An elderly woman appeared at the door. She looked at the bell. Threw down her pistol, laughed, and danced around.
Denver jumped from behind the SUV and charged at her. He grabbed her around the middle and lifted her off the ground. She was light as a feather. He cuffed her hands behind her back and helped her set down on the top step.
“Don’t hurt me. Don’t hurt me.” She cried. Big tears rolled down her cheeks, dripping off her chin. She looked at Denver with wet eyes. “Are you part of the invasion?”
“No ma’am, I’m from the sheriff’s department. You shot at me.”
“Did I hit ye?”
“No, but it wasn’t for trying. “A siren howled up the road. “I’m looking for your son.”
“Victor ain’t here. He be off gallivanting with them drug men again.”
For the next hour she set watching the sheriff’s department reconstruct what happened. They assigned a female officer to guard her. After about a half hour, she motioned for the girl to lean over. “I gotta pee.”
The girl smiled. “I’ll help you.”
“Don’t need no help. If’n you can unlock me at the door, let me do my business. You kin lock me up again when I come out.”
“Ok, but no funny business now.” The deputy said, helping her to her feet.
“I done outa funny business.”
At the bathroom door, she unlocked the elderly woman’s handcuffs.
“I be abit.” She said, rubbing her wrists.
“Take your time. We’ll be here a while.” The officer said, smiling.
After about five minutes, the deputy became concerned. She knocked on the door. “Mrs. Sanseis.” No answer. “Mrs. Sanseis”
She hammered on the door. Still no answer. She forced the door. The room was empty. The floor had a large hole, and the rug was thrown back. The deputy ran to the front door of the trailer. How could she have been so stupid?
“She’s gone.” Her words galvanized the entire crew. “I let her go to the bathroom and…”
“Show me.” The sheriff said. She did. He walked out of the trailer and raised his voice. “Ok boys, we got a runner. Ellen Sanseis is out here somewhere. Be careful, she already shot up one cop car. Make sure she don’t put holes in you.”
They found her a half mile away. She was watching the fish in the stream. She put her finger to her lips as they approached. Her face brightened when she saw the female deputy. She motioned her forward. The sheriff nodded to her. Cautiously, she came up to the stream. Ellen Sanseis giggled.
“Watch that little one over there. He’s running from his momma.”
“We need you back at the house.” The deputy said, taking her by the arm she helped her to her feet.
Two days later, Ellen Sanseis stood weeping before the judge. Her son stood by her side.
“It’ll be alright mom.” Victor Sanseis whispered to his mother.
“They gonna kill me. I done shot up that copy’s car.” She wept harder.
Tears came to Victor’s eyes. “I’ll take the blame for it, maw.”
Judge Frumps looked at the prisoners before him. “Victor, I see your back before me and this time you’ve brought your mother.”
“Please don’t kill me. I’ll be good.” Ellen Sanseis screamed. “I’ll be good.” Her voice went into a soft moan.
“Yes, I’m sure you will. Ok Mrs. Sanseis, I’ve asked the good folks to be here this morning from Ravenwood. Bailiff, would you unlock her please.”
The deputy did so. The two orderlies from Ravenwood led her away. She looked back over her shoulder.
“These clothes ain’t mine.” She shouted. The orderlies stopped her from stripping right there in the courtroom.
“We’ll send them back. We have new clothes for you. Never been worn by anyone else.” One orderly said.
She stopped and stared at him. “Brand spanking new? My own dress?”
“Yes, ma’am,” the other one said, smiling.
“Such a good boy. Ok boys, let’s go. See you round judgie puggie.” She took off the orderlies had to hurry to catch up. The courtroom erupted in laughter. Even the judge smiled.
When the assembly settled down, the judge directed his gaze at Victor.
“Victor, I’m tired of dealing with you. It is apparent to me you love drugs more than this elderly woman. This is the tenth time you have appeared before me. I’m going to give you a choice. The drug program at Adult and Teen Challenge or two years in prison. What’ll it be? You have 10 seconds to decide. This is a onetime offer.”
“Teen Challenge, sir,” Victor said, his eyes tearing up.
“Very good. Officer, take him away.” The judge picked up the gavel. He pointed the handle at Victor. “And Victor, if you leave there before the program is complete, I will personally hunt you down and deliver you to the state pen. Do you hear me?”
“Yes, sir,” Victor said with conviction.
Two years later
Denver held his wife’s hand. The notice had been in the newspaper. Ellen Sanseis went to sleep and didn’t wake up. The obituary listed only one son. No other relatives. He felt an obligation to go to the visitation. Denver didn’t recognize the man standing by the casket. The man wore a gray suit with a blue tie.
He stepped forward and extended his hand. “Thank you for coming. Mom had very few friends. Especially ones she took pot shots at.”
“Victor? I’m sorry I didn’t recognize you.” Denver said, shaking Victor’s hand. “This is my wife, Jenifer.”
Victor smiled. “I’m so glad to meet you.”
“I’m sorry for your loss. My mother died five years ago.” Jenifer said with a sad expression.
“Thank you. Mom received Christ on her deathbed. So, I know I’ll see her again.”
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