House on Highway 49: Revised Edition

By Anie O'Brien

In the middle of an ugly divorce, preschool teacher, Ms. Elisabeth finds herselfand her two kidskidnapped and held hostage by someone she thought she could trust. With EricElisabeths alcoholic, womanizing and drug dealing husbandbehind bars, it is all too easy to point the finger to him as the kidnapper. Quickly eliminating Eric as a culprit, Elisabeths sisterCelestepulls together anyone willing to help find her sister and her niece and nephew.
Searching everywhere up and down the hills of Northern California, Celeste rallies Erics bossCaland local Sheriff in search of her baby sister before it is too late.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Apr 8, 2013
• ISBN: 9781481727471

Anie O'Brien

Anie O’Brien is a Business Major and has dedicated the past decade working in the Education field. She has worked with Special Education and is bi-lingual. Language and communication has been her life for two decades. She was born in the Biggest Little City—Reno, Nevada and now lives in Sacramento, California with her teenage son and husband.

Book preview

Chapter 1

9-1-1 emergency, what is your emergency?

Child crying, Please help me. My mommy is being hit.

Who’s hitting your mommy?

My daddy.

Is anyone else there with you sweetie?

Yes. My brother.

How old are you and your brother?

I am six. My brother is three.

What’s your and your brother’s name sweetie?

I’m Maddy and my brother is Jordon.

Where are you and your brother at?

In our bedroom.

Were is your mommy at?

In the living room.

In the background, a door is heard being slammed. A woman screams. Her screaming comments are un-audible to the 9-1-1 dispatch.

Was that your mommy?

Yeah. My daddy just slammed my mommy into a door, the child starts sobbing harder.

Can you see her from your room?

Yes. She’s bleeding from her nose. Please send help fast.

The line goes dead.

*     *     *

He hated going to calls like this. Not knowing if the child or children involved in the situation is physically hurt or not. Being on the El Dorado County Sheriff’s force three years now made Officer Thomas O’Hare one of the newest add ons to the local police force. He had been and officer for two years before that through Clark’s County Nevada. Being part of the Vegas P.D., he saw just about everything. Every time he got calls to domestic calls, his first thought was if there were children involved. When the children were the ones calling in themselves, it made his heart twinge knowing that they were so innocent and having to be the bad guy in that situation.

It helped him understand why there were so many women working the streets at a young age. Chances were they had experienced a bad home life. They were raped, molested, physically abused or sometimes a mix of the combination. They were desperately looking for a daddy figure to save them or love them the way they never had before. With each call, like tonight’s, his heart was hurting for the children before he was even to the house.

Dispatch, this is O’Hare, in route to domestic disturbance, copy.

Copy. Mother has been beaten by father. Six year old daughter called in the report. One other child known in the house as well. It should be the brother of the girl who called in the report. Officer Martinez is also in route to the house too. Possible time of arrival for Officer Martinez is 11:34. Copy.

Looking down at his watch, it is 11:29. He is closer to the home than Officer Martinez, but by only a minute or two.

Copy dispatch. I should be arriving at the home just before Martinez.

Copy.

Two children involved, mother beaten, possibly DOA, and a father more than likely intoxicated. Adrenaline rushing through his veins, he accelerated on the gas as he turns on his over head lights and siren. Precious time is wasting and he prays he makes it there in time to keep the children from losing their mother.

*     *     *

You little shit! Why are you out of your bed? You should have been asleep hours ago!

I couldn’t sleep daddy. It was too loud, Maddy cried as she tried to hide that she was on the phone.

Previous fights in the home had lead to the sheriff department being called out before. Most of the 9-1-1 calls, Maddy had to dial herself. Eric, her father had never struck her, yet. Tonight Maddy didn’t want to make it her first time being struck.

The alcohol aroma that came off Eric’s breath in Maddy’s face caused her to hold her breathe. Her whole body shaking in almost seizure like convulsions as she sat there sobbing.

It’s not my fault your mother made me hit her. She was asking for it. Every time she doesn’t come to bed at her bed time, she is asking for a beating.

Maddy couldn’t look up to meet his eyes. Gasping in breaths in between her sobs.

Why aren’t you in bed? You asking for a beating too?

No daddy.

Then why you out of bed?

There was a long pause. Maddy didn’t want to get up with the phone tucked behind her back. She didn’t know if tonight was going to be the first time her father would beat her.

Get up! yanking her by the arm as he threw her towards her ladder. Jordon was asleep on the bottom bunk of the bunk beds sound asleep. Even with lights on and the commotion in the room, he was able to sleep through just about anything.

Ouch, ouch, it hurts! You’re hurting me!

Maybe next time you won’t be out of bed when I come and check on you. Teach you a lesson, won’t it! he snarled as he walked closer to the bed. Now get in bed and stay there, he said irritated that he even had to deal with her in his state of rage.

Chapter 2

As Officer O’Hare took the South Shingle Springs exit off the freeway, he turned off his siren. Keeping his lights on so people would give him the right of way. Approaching the mobile home park, he didn’t need to attract any more unwanted attention to the home. His heart was pounding. He didn’t want to walk in to a crime scene investigation.

As he got closer, he wondered how many sleepless nights these small children honestly had had in their life time. Tonight wasn’t the first of many, he was sure of that.

He pulled in front of the trailer that dispatch had given him on his way over. He saw that there were lights on inside. No neighbors were outside of their trailers checking anything out. That could be a good thing. Usually with gun shots, people come flocking to see blood and see who’s been shot.

He parked his squad car behind the old white Dodge, late 1960’s truck. For the truck’s age, it looked like it was in good shape. No doubt, Eric probably took care of his truck better than he took care of his wife and children.

Thomas got out of his squad car and walked up to the front door, held his breath and knocked hard on the door.

Sheriff’s Department!

There was silence.

Three more repetitive knocks louder than the previous one on the door. Hello, Sheriff’s Department.

On the inside of the house, he heard a couple voices and someone coming towards the door. What Thomas saw next made him sick with rage. A woman in her mid to late 20’s answered the door with several bruises covering her body. It looked like there was dried blood on her shirt. No doubt this was the six year old caller’s mother. She had a black eye and blood freshly crusted on the corner of her mouth as well. The lip wasn’t fat yet. No doubt it would be shortly.

Good evening ma’am. We’ve received a phone call about a disturbance. Would you mind stepping out to the front yard for a moment so I can ask you a few questions?

I’m sorry, but there hasn’t been a disturbance here Officer, the woman replied quietly.

Could you please just step out here into the driveway so we could talk for a moment.

The woman was tense and didn’t seem willing to leave the safety of her doorway. She finally stepped out onto the porch barefoot and in what looked like her after work outfit. She weighed maybe one hundred pounds soaking wet and barely five feet two inches. She had short curly brown hair that barely touched her shoulders. Her dark brown eyes were warm even with the bruise hiding part of the view.

What Thomas was thinking was whoever had happened to her should have his ass beat within an inch of his life by the biggest badass Hell’s Angels and then left for dead himself.

Thank you Ma’am. I would like to ask you a few questions about what happened here tonight if that is alright with you.

Nothing happened here tonight Officer.

Yes. You already told me that. I’m not buying that. Would you like to start again? What happened here tonight?

Right about that same moment Thomas lost his look at the woman to notice another squad car turn right onto the same street he and the woman were standing on. Thomas knew it was Officer Martinez for his back up.

Did your husband do this to you tonight… . ma’am? Thomas looked back at the lady.

If I say no, will you let me be so I can be off to bed? I have to be up early tomorrow to go to work.

Is it part of your work’s policy to allow their employees come to work looking like you do? Where do you work?

I didn’t know where I worked had to do with you coming out to check on someone in the middle of the night Officer.

It doesn’t. But your children do.

Both Thomas and the woman looked up at Officer Martinez as he stepped out of his cruiser and walked towards them. He was totting around a new hire with him. The Rookie, McGuire, was barely twenty-one. He had graduated from the Police Academy not more than three months earlier. Newly hired on, he was antsy to get started on his first real career. Is there anyone else still in the home O’Hare?

I haven’t had a chance to look inside or look around. I’m assuming the husband is somewhere around here. Do you fellas mind checking out for me?

Sure, Martinez stated as they both headed off to the inside of the residency.

I’m sorry Officer, the lady said directing her comment back to Officer O’Hare. But tonight nothing important happened. I don’t understand why my daughter called you out here.

Well you see, when she called and dispatch answered, she told them your husband was beating you. Is that true?

No

Then what happened? Mrs.? . . . .

Elisabeth. And what happened is I fell.

Fell? Into what?

The cupboard when I was getting a water glass down. I’m pretty clumsy.

I didn’t know cupboards were violent and abusive. I’ll make sure I don’t buy any of those kinds when I do my home improvements next time. The cut up lips, bruises on your cheek and eye are all from the cupboard?

Yes.

So this was a high cupboard you were getting the cup from and you fell into the same cupboard?

No. It was the cupboard under the kitchen sink that I fell into.

How many cupboards do you keep open at one time?

I was putting away some groceries earlier and I must have forgotten to close it all the way. When I fell, I landed on it and took a nasty beating.

Officer O’Hare wasn’t buying any of the story she was trying to sell. He had seen enough domestic violent cases to know that she was covering for him. Sadly the children weren’t the only ones paying for her mistakes. At some point, she could be paying the ultimate price for her mistakes.

Chapter 3

Officer Martinez and Rookie Officer McGuire had come out of the house with somber looks on their faces. Thomas was afraid of the worse. His first thought was that the children were hurt or dead.

Elisabeth, could you sit here behind my squad car for a minute? I’m going to talk with the other officers for a minute.

Sure.

Walking towards the other officers, he was expecting the worse. What did the husband have to say about the situation?

He told us he was in the bedroom sleeping when he heard his wife slipped in the kitchen and hit her head on the freezer door. And you are going to love this, the bed is still made. No one has been to bed unless he made up the bed before he went to check on his wife’s injuries after the sudden, loud fall, Officer Martinez stated as O’Hare approached them.

I think I’m a little tipsy off of his breath as we were talking to him too, McGuire added in.

Thank goodness you’re over twenty-one in that case. Otherwise we’d have to take him in for contributing to a minor, Martinez added with a grin.

Was there any blood on or near the freezer? O’Hare inquired.

Yeah, but it looks like she was drug across the door not feel into it, Martinez added.

Ok. Well, I’m not believing either one of their stories at this rate. The wife is saying she feel into a cupboard. Did you guys find the children?

Yeah, I talk to the daughter, McGuire said. The brother was still asleep. I don’t get how a kid can sleep through this kind of nightmare and not wake up at all.

Is the daughter still stating that dad beat on the mom tonight?

Said it is an every night event. Some nights it’s not as bad as tonight. Last night, the fight was over dinner not being hot enough.

What a life to live as a child. Good God. Ok. Well I’m going to book the dad tonight and take him in for domestic battery. Does he have a weapon on him? O’Hare asked worried that his question was answered with a yes.

Well there isn’t much to search, Martinez started to laugh out loud and then concealed his laugh to a slight chuckle. He had to keep his voice low. Elisabeth wasn’t too far away. He was lying on the couch wearing a pair of boxers showing off his family jewels with no T-Shirt on.

"Beautiful mental image. I could have gone all night without have that image in my head. Martinez, could you take care of her and I’ll go inside and take care of Big Daddy? McGuire, you come with me. I might need your young muscles to help me out."

Chapter 4

Elisabeth was given a booklet on domestic violence as she watched her husband carted out of the house in cuffs. The cops must have just grabbed the closest clothes they could find to put on Eric. His work shirt and a holy pair of jean shorts.

She didn’t think that the police found the gun that Eric normally carries on himself. It’s probably still stuck under the couch cushion. Thank God the kids have never been shot by it. It is always loaded and either on Eric himself or stuffed under the first cushion on his own personal couch.

When Jordon was born, Elisabeth felt the need to buy a second couch for their already cramped for space living room. She wouldn’t be able to live with herself if one of her babies was killed by a gun in her own home. But she couldn’t live with the thought of her children growing up with no father. One in prison is better than no father at all, right?

With Eric on his way to jail for the night, Elisabeth and the kids will have a good night sleep. Tomorrow when she was at work, she would ask her sister and ask her if she could stay at her place in Placerville for the rest of the week. She hated depending on her family the way she did. Not only is her sister her boss, but now she’ll be staying with her.

The most embarrassing part of working for her sister was the fact that at the day care other parents had to see her in the shape she was in. The bruises were ones she couldn’t hide. They were already ugly and blue. She needed this job in order to be with her kids and not have some stranger taking care of her kids. She could always have her sister take care of her kids. It happened to work out in Elisabeth’s benefit that her sister needed another staff member to help teach the students she had.

Elisabeth went in to the trailer and didn’t immediately go straight to cleaning up the kitchen mess. There was a much bigger mess in the back bedroom that needed cleaning up more than the kitchen. As she walked into the children’s bedroom, she could hear Maddy still crying. She had heard not only the entire fight, but she had heard the cops take away her father.

Maddy? You ok baby? Are you hurt?

I’m ok mommy. I’m scared. They took daddy away. How long is he gone for?

Just for tonight. You’ll see him tomorrow.

I don’t want to see him tomorrow mommy.

What do you mean baby?

He hurt you. I don’t want him to hurt you anymore. Can we move?

Where would we move sweetie?

I dunno. Far away.

Maybe some other time we can move. Not tonight.

Are we going to stay with Auntie Celeste?

Probably. I’ll ask her tomorrow after I drop you off at school.

Maybe we can live with her. Maybe we can move in with her mommy.

We can’t do that sweetie.

She doesn’t have any kids. She doesn’t have a daddy too.

She has a daddy. Her daddy is my daddy. You know that baby.

She doesn’t have a daddy she’s lives with.

You mean a husband?

Yeah! One of those!

Well we can’t move in with her for too long. Just for a few days, Elisabeth laughed. It’s late. Get some sleep. We’ll talk about it some more tomorrow after school. Ok?

Ok mommy.

Good night. I love you.

Love you too.

*     *     *

It was already after midnight and Elisabeth didn’t want to clean up the aftermath of tonight’s events. She knew that if she left tomorrow morning to stay with her sister for a few days, the mess would never get cleaned. The blood stains would be near impossible for her to clean up in a few days. She got a mop out and did a half ass job on cleaning up the majority of the mess.

Chapter 5

Oh my God Elisabeth! Is this the handy work of Eric again? Celeste asked as Elisabeth came in the front door of the daycare with Jordon still sound asleep in her arms.

I don’t need another lecture Celeste. I need one of those like I need another hole in my head.

I’m not going to lecture you on something you should already know. So it’s my house with the kids again tonight?

If it’s not inconvenient?

No, it’s alright. Besides, I can always spend time with my favorite niece and nephew.

Your only niece and nephew.

Yeah. So it makes it my favorite niece and nephew. Like I said.

So what started this heated lover’s spat? Let me guess… . you didn’t keep his food hot like the other night. Then you followed up by feeding it to the neighbor’s dog? she asked as she started laughing.

Celeste never understood why her baby sister always picked the worst of men. Back in high school, she lost count of how many wrong fits she picked before she settled down with Eric.

Eric was a high school dropout. He barely got his GED the year after Elisabeth graduated from high school. Elisabeth was a year younger than Eric. They never had any classes together. Nor did they even socialize in the same groups together.

The fact that they knew some of the same people didn’t surprise her. They, after all, lived in a small enough town that a lot of people around town had gone to high school together with some of the kids where their parents had gone to school together. It wasn’t at all uncommon for people’s grandparents knowing each other and being classmates as well.

It was hard for Celeste knowing that her only sister had settled down with one of the most red necked hick guys in town. She had him to thank for her beautiful niece and nephew. That was it!

Right before high school ended for Eric, he got a job as a mechanic for the town’s small shop. It wasn’t too far of a drive for him to drive from Shingle Springs into Diamond Springs. He had dreamed of owning his own shop back when he was in high school.

Due to the fact that he had always been an alcoholic and a druggie, Eric never was able to save up enough cash to put a down payment for a lease on his own shop. His extra money went for beer every night. And when he wasn’t buying beer, he would keep it hidden in a coffee can under the 10 ft wide by 30 ft long trailer of a home.

All of the savings he had been saving up for a rainy day to get away from his dead beat wife was what he was hoping for. And that was a rumor Celeste had heard over the years. At one point in time, Celeste and Elisabeth had gone under the house searching for the coffee can. With no success, they hadn’t found it. They were both convinced that it was somewhere on the property. They just hadn’t found it yet.

"No. The fight started before he even got home. I asked Eric yesterday before he went to work what time he was coming home. They didn’t have anything big scheduled at the shop. So Calvin told him he could go home early. I figured I would go home and make a nice dinner. Nothing to fancy. You know, something other than the kid’s favorites, Mac and Cheese, or hot dogs or hamburgers.

"After I picked up Maddy from school, we all went to the grocery store. I called Eric to see if he needed anything from the store. He didn’t answer his cell phone. It went straight to voice mail. So I called his work hoping to catch him at the shop. He never answers the office line. Bob normally does.

So, when Eric answered the phone and said ‘Barb, I told you I can’t talk right now. I have to get back to work,’ I said, ‘Thank goodness I’m not Barb. Otherwise I’d be getting you in trouble,’ and then I laughed. He didn’t think I was too funny.

So he is cheating on you and you called him on it?

"No I