The Girl Most Likely To … - Part 53
By Barbara Lynn Terry

Chapter 1 - Carl goes home.

”I don’t understand, dad,” Daniel Richards inquired. “If you were hurt, why are they sending you home?”

“Because, son, the x-rays showed I didn’t have any broken bones. All I have are some scrapes and bruises. I was on the side of the car, when the jack fell. The car brushed my right side. The doctor gave me a prescription for pain medicine. He said that, while I am taking this pain medicine, I shouldn’t be working on any cars.”

“Why don’t you get a job in a garage? It is a lot safer and they have insurance?” Inquired Naomi.

“Then I would have to answer to a boss, be to work on time, work eight hours and then go home and start all over the next day. This way, I am my own boss, and I can work my own hours. The people who bring me their cars, know I do a good job. But, I think I am going to get jack stands for the car, while I am working under it. The jack stands are a lot safer than just a jack.”

“Well, I guess that will have to do, since nobody can talk any sense in to you,” Gloria Richards said, sarcastically.

“Honey,” Carl Richards and answered his wife. “The jack stands aren’t on the same mechanics as the jack. The jack I used is a hydraulic one. The jack stands actually are mechanical, and have a metal arm or peg, if you will, that holds the jack stand up at a certain height. That’s why I need six of the them to put under the frame. One jack stand helps take the weight off of the other five. I can work a lot safer with the jack stands that just a jack. If you ever go by a house where they are repaving the basement and putting on a new foundation, you will see the house is supported by a lot of mechanical jack stands. If they can hold a house up with house jack stands, then I can use auto jack stands to keep the car up, so I can work underneath it.”
“I suppose. But, I still say you should be working in a garage, where they know their car lifts are a lot safer.”

“Yes, dear,” answered Carl. But, I still love you.” Everybody giggled while Carl and Daniel just smiled. “Now, I am still going to work on cars in our garage, and I will make sure that the jack stands are rated for our car.”

“Well, all right then, but, I still say … “ Gloria Richards was interrupted by a on the spur moment kiss from Carl Richards.

Naomi made her apologies, and left for her bedroom. She had to work the morning shift again.

“Anyway,” began Gloria Richards, “I think it is time we all turned in.
Renée has school in the morning, Carl, you have to finish work on that car. Oh! I forgot to ask. Was the damaged?”

“Well, when it fell it busted the radiator. I can replace that. Besides, this radiator looks like it needed to be replaced anyway. Don is the guy that owns the car, and must not take very good care of it. After I am finished with it, he will bring it back shortly for something else to be worked on. But, you are right, dear, it is bedtime. People in this house do have to go to work in the morning.”

Everybody gave hugs all around, and then retired to their bedrooms.

Carl Richards was an A-1 mechanic, but he detested any kind of formal employment. He wanted to be his own boss, and have the freedom to choose his own hours. Besides, there have been accidents at garages that are licensed to do mechanical auto repair.

Now, I don’t why it is, but, you no sooner close your eyes, than it seems the alarm goes off. Yet, you have slept a full night. Anyway, Renée was the first one in the bathroom, and did what she needed to do before taking her shower. She cleaned herself all over, then patted herself dry. She went to her bedroom to get dressed.

She went to her closet and took out her pink jeans, a pink turtle-neck sweater, and from her dresser, she took out a clean pair of pink underthings, and a pair of double-knit, knee high socks. She also took out a gaff to wear under her panties. Rachel has started the first phase of her transition, but Renée’s transition will be a little longer. That is only because Renée doesn’t have the state backing that Rachel has. This is why Renée needs a gaff.

When she was completely dressed, Renée went down to the kitchen. She poured herself a glass of orange juice, took out two eggs, and two strips of bacon. She put two slices of bread in the toaster, and prepared to make her breakfast. That was when Naomi came in to the kitchen for a cup of coffee, only to find out that a pot needed to be made. Naomi got out the coffee and made a pot. In the meantime, she looked at Renée.

“Sit down, and I will finish breakfast. Just get out the milk. Do you want your eggs scrambled?”

“Yes.”

“Then I will need the milk. It helps fluff up the eggs a bit. So, I will finish the breakfast, and make my own while I am at it.”

“No,” Gloria Richards said. “You both sit down, and I will make the coffee, or at least pour you a cup when it is finished brewing. I will make the eggs, the bacon, and the toast. So, the both of you sit down.”

“Listen here, lady, may I see your identification?” Gloria Richards feigned searching for her ID and then she said.

“Oh gee, officer, I must have left it at home.” All three ladies giggled.

It is nice to have this kind of levity in the morning, because it starts the day in a positive way. Naomi spoke to Renée.

“It is my turn to drive you to school, today, that way even I don’t have far to get to work. So, let’s have our breakfast, and then we can go. There is no need to rush. As long as we take our time, our breakfast will digest normally.”

It is amazing the knowledge that Naomi has. But, then again, she reads a lot, does research on the computer, and listens to her suspects when they talk. Naomi Petersen has never told a suspect to stop talking when she was taking them to jail. She had respect for everybody, even the ones who called her names.

When they were finished with their breakfast, they sat and talked a little while longer. Then Naomi said it was time they were leaving. Naomi got Renée to the school three minutes before first bell rang. They gave each other hugs, and Renée got out. Naomi then headed for the Sheriff’s parking lot.

Renée loved school, because she could not only learn things, but, it gave her a chance to be with her friends. But since today was Friday, she had a whole weekend to hang out in town. Lots of girls from the Pine Meadows Home For Adolescent Girls spent a lot of weekends in town. Some weekends they would go horse back riding in to the countryside around the home. There was a lot to do at this RTC (residential treatment center, for the uninitiated).

State trooper, James O’Donnell, was busy filing a report, when Naomi walked in behind him very silently. She put her hands around eyes from behind and said, “guess who”. Jim O’Donnell feigned ignorance and said, “gee, I haven’t the faintest idea”. Naomi said that the first name began with a “N”.

“Let mess, now. Uhm, Nancy? Noreen? Nanette? Gee, I don’t know.”

“It’s me, silly,” Naomi said, standing in front of him.”

“Oh, only you, and here I thought it was my girlfriend.”

She kissed him on the lips, in a spur of the moment action.

“Oh! Wait a minute, I kow who you are. You’re my … uhm … Oh! Yeah! You’re…uhm…let me see now …” All the while trooper James O’Donnell could help but smile. “Hey, Naomi.”

“It’s a about time. Noreen, indeed! Let me tell you something state trooper James O’Donnell, I am thee cat’s meow. If you don’t believe me, just ask me.”

They both hugged and kissed before going on patrol.

“I get to be your partner, again, today. So, sweetheart, what say we take a romantic patrol around our section of the county?”

“Sounds good to me, let’s go.”

They went out to trooper O’Donnell’s squad car, and, after buckling their seat belts, they left for their patrol. Naomi still had the title of “Dragon Lady of Pine Meadows County” and most of the criminal element kind of feared her because of her Tai Chi martial arts. Most of the so-called crime in Pine Meadows county was disorderly conduct or maybe a domestic row, now and then. They did give out a lot speeding tickets, on and off duty. A law enforcement officer has that authority.

Tonight, was just like any other night, except, tonight would be romantic banter between the two officers, who were engaged to be married. As they were going down state highway 53, they saw a semi tractor-trailer going at about eighty miles an hour, and the speed limit on this highway was sixty miles per hour. Naomi turned on the siren and flashing lights, as trooper O’Donnell too pursuit.

About three miles further up the road, the semi pulled over. The two officers got out and started walking toward the driver’s side, when Naomi stopped just behind the trailer, where she could see both the driver’s and passenger sides. With her hand on her pistol, she watched to make sure Jim O’Donnell was safe, when he approached the driver. Trooper O’Donnell addressed the driver.

When Naomi saw that there was only the driver in the truck, she approached the driver’s side.

“Step out of the truck, with your driver’s license, registration and log book, please.”The driver got out of the truck and handed trooper O’Donnell his driver’s license, truck registration and his log book. Jim O’Donnell took the license and went by the back of the trailer.
“Squad 356.”

“Squad 356, go.”

“Squad 356, wants and warrants for David, Cranston, no middle, brown and blue, five foot ten, dob 7-16-1983, 33 years.”

“Stand by, 356.”

A few minutes went by before the dispatcher came back on the air.

“Squad 356.”

“Squad 356.”

“Squad 356, your subject has no wants or warrants, local or extended.”

“Squad 356, 10-4.”

“Sir,” stated trooper O’Donnell. “This license is almost expired. Please take care of that before it does. Your registration is in order. Is this your truck, sir?”

”No, officer, it belongs to Yellow Transfer.”

“Very well. Let me take a look at your log book. You know, sir, that you’re required by federal law to log eight hours of sleep in every twenty-four hour period. I don’t see that here. So, I am giving you a ticket for speeding twenty miles over the limit, and another for an improperly kept log book. You can pay these tickets at the state patrol headquarters, here in Pine Meadows county. The address is on the back of the ticket. Please sign each ticket. Signing is not an admission of guilt, but rather, shows you received the tickets.” James O’Donnell took the tickets out of his ticket book and handed them to the driver. “Have a good day, sir, and remember to drive safely.”

The two officers went backby their squad car and resumed their patrol. They passed car after and truck after truck, but none of them were speeding, or even swerving. The then they got another call.

“Squad 356.”

“Squad 356, go.”

“Squad 356, a DV at box 764, highway 49, cross road, eight mile road. Proceed with caution, we are told the man has guns in the house. We are sending backup.”

“Squad 356, 10-4. Well, it looks like we get a little excitement today. Let’s go and see what the problem is.”

They left for the farm house at the box number they were given. Jim stopped just before the cover of the trees ended. Jim and Naomi saw other squads arriving and stopping short of being seen from the house. The troopers motioned that they were turning their radios down so they could not be heard from the house. Holding the radios to their ears, Jim O’Donnell told thei backup what positions to take so the house was surrounded. Then they moved through the trees, unseen, as they approached the farm house.

Once the troopers were in place, but not seen from any windows, Jim O’Donnell called to the house that it was surrounded by state troopers. Trooper O’Donnell told that whoever was in the house, to come out quietly and without any weapons. Jim O’Donnell further said that if they saw a weapon, they would open fire.

A man opened the door to theouse, and put both hands out of the door so that the troopers could see he had no weapon. Once he was out of the house, Naomi had the man in handcuffs quickly. A few seconds later, a woman came out of the house and told Jim and Naomi what her husband had done. Her face was swollen, and her left eyes was all but closed.

“Do you wish to press charges ma’am.”

“Yes, this bastard said he was going to kill me, and the started hitting me. When one of you called to the house for him to come out, that is when he put the butcher knife back in the knife block.”

“Are you saying that he was going to stab you with that knife?”
“Yes. I want this out of control bastard to spend years in prison. Look what he did to my face. He his me several times with his right hand clenched in to a fist.”

“Sir, what is your name?” Inquired trooper O’Donnell. The man just stood there and didn’t answer. “Sir, just because you don’t give us your name, does not mean we can’t arrest you for attempted murder. Now, what is your name?” The man still didn’t answer. His wife spoke up, at that time.

“His name is Roger Whittaker, he is 45 years old. His birth date is August 7, 1971.”

“Thank you, Miss. I take it then that you are Misses Whittaker.”

“Yes, I am 40 years old, and my birth date is December 4, 1976. I live here with Mister ‘I’m going to kill you’. My first name is Wanda.”

“Thank you. Let me see you are about 5’5” tall and weigh about 156?”

“Yes. You hit it right on the head of the nail. He weighs 210 pounds, and lifts weights.

“Thank you. Now, are you sure you want to press charges for attempted murder?”

“Yes.”

“Good,” said trooper O’Donnell. “Here is a show order to be at the district attorney’s office at 1:00 pm, tomorrow. Then we can get the charges filed, and get him an arraignment. That is just to set bail and have him appointed an attorney,”

“Officer, he has money, and can afford his own attorney.”

“Will you call one for him?” Inquired Naomi Petersen.

“I wouldn’t call an attorney for him, if he was the last man on earth. He is a violently dangerous man, and needs to be locked up. You bet I will press charges.”
“All right, we will take him and book for attempted murder. Do you mind if Deputy Petersen goes in the house with you, and takes pictures of your injuries? The rest of us will wait out here.”

“Okay.”

Naomi and Wanda Whittaker went inside the farm house, after Naomi got the camera out of the trunk of the squad. Naomi took pictures of Wanda’s face, and then asked her to get undressed so she could take pictures of her entire bodily injuries.

”These pictures will be introduced in to evidence against him.”

When Naomi was finished taking pictures of Wanda Whittaker’s injuries, she asked to see the knife her husband was going to use to stab her with. They both went down to the kitchen. Wanda pointed to the knife and started to go over to it.

“Don’t touch it. We will want that for evidence also.” Namoni took an evidence bag out of her utility belt, and with a paper towel, picked up the knife and placed it in the bag. Then they both went back outside.

“Jim, she has lumps and bruises from head to toe.”

“That’s all I needed to hear. This man is going down.” Naomi handed Jim O’Donnell the knife in the evidence bag.

“Mrs. Whittaker says that is the knife he was going to stab her with.” Jim O’Donnell looked at the knife and whistled.

“Now, that’s a knife!” Jim O’Donnell exclaimed.

There was an evidence box in the trunk of the squad. They took the knife and placed it in the box. This box was so the troopers and deputies didn’t have to worry about losing the evidence. After placing Roger Whittaker in the back seat of their squad, Jim and Naomi headed for town to book Roger Whittaker for attempted murder against his wife. When the deputies had the suspect in custody, they all left.

After Jim and Naomi had booked Roger Whittaker for attempted murder, they resumed their patrol.

“Well, Naomi, we seemed to have had a little excitement today. You know, though, it is going on lunch time. Let’s go over to the truck stop. I think Eve is working today. You know she filled out an application for deputy sheriff here in Pine Meadows.”

“She will make a good deputy, too. She knows leadership, how to follow orders, and has respect for authority. I know she will get the position, because her background check will show only a juvenile misdemeanor. Eve asked me when she helped move up, if the sheriff’s department was hiring. I told her I didn’t know, but she would be free to fill out an application. I also told her that I would be her training officer, if I wasn’t on patrol.”

“Like today,” Jim O’Donnell stated facetiously.

“I love you, too, Mr. James O’Donnell,” Naomi quipped.

“I hope so,” Jim shot back at her. Naomi proceeded to lightly punch Jim in the his right arm. “Well, the mosquitoes are out late this year.” Naomi punched him again, this time a little harder. “OUCH! That definitely hurt.”

“Good!” Naomi exclaimed, folding her arms across her chest.

They arrived at the truck stop, and kissed before going in to the restaurant. Eve Reinhardt was working, and saw them come in.
“I have a seat for the both of you right here,” Eve said, pointing to an empty booth.

The two officers sat down in the booth and ordered beef on rye, coffee and a garden salad. Eve put the order on the wheel and went to wait on someone else. When she got back to the order wheel, she found Jim and Naomi’s orders were up. She served the orders and told them she would be right back.

When had served her last order for a while, she went over by Jim and Naomi. “So, anything new happen today?”

“Yes, Eve, we had to arrest a guy who was going to kill his wife with a butcher knife.”

“That would definitely hurt. Can you tell me who it was?

“I’m sorry, Eve, but we can’t discuss an ongoing investigation. Besides, if the guy is found not guilty, it would him a great injustice to tell somebody about what he allegedly did.”

“I suppose you’re right, Naomi. But, you can’t blame me for asking."
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Next time: Dr. Arthur Reginald Poole, MD returns from his psychiatric observation.
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