Hits Close To home: Chapter One

Here is the first chapter of a book I am working on and this is the first draft with many more to come along with tweaks before I really have my first chapter done:

Chapter One:

Janie Bains parked in front of the B & B Firm it was her first day there. The sun was shining and as she got out of the car and walked into the building she was greeted by some really nice people one lady even took her to her office and ask her if she would like a cup of coffee, I would love a cup of coffee how would you like it? Cream and Sugar. As Janie dressed up in her Tan dress out fit which she looked good in looked around she pictured how she wanted her office to look sitting into her nice fine chair she turned on the computer and noticed a file sitting on the right side of her desk and of course she opened it just then the lady came in with here cup of coffee and said her you go and just so you know oh I see you have already seen the file you are to get to working on and with that she left Janie's offices and just on exiting said do you want the door open or closed? Open is fine.

Janie a prosecutor who passed within the top 5 in her class was now looking at her very first case, and is about a woman who kills her husband very neatly typed up and some details Janie was curious to know and of course would have to find out. Oh great children are involved! Madison 10 and Alison 12. As Janie drank her coffee she was shooting holes in this report and was beginning to have even more questions.

So being gun ho and all she as she finishes her cup of coffee she ask the lady whose name is Becky where she could find the number for the corner's office and Becky brought to her and said if there is anything else you need just let me know and I will do my best to help you. Just then Barney Maxwell and David Boyd came in the office they are the two owners of B & B they said good morning to everyone there.

Barney was tall and built, stocky, brown hair brown eyes. David was tall and built, stocky, dark hair brown eyes both very nice older men and when they reached Janie's office they told her good morning and she said good morning one of them ask if they could come in and she said yes of course. As they entered David said I see you got your folder this case is good first case. The wife killed the husband, two children from the married and they are at there Aunt's house not in the report. The address is and with out even batting an or even looking at a piece of paper said. 2539 Blinker Road, do you know where that is? Yes sir, I do. Good cause I would start with the children and then go to the woman. Her name is Betsy Miller.

Barney will go with you and asst you in any way that he can the reports will only be written by you Barney can help though throwing ideals at you and I am sure you will do a fine job so the two of you need to get going it is now 10:15 am and I would like some kind of progress to the file already started by 3:30. Barney looked at Janie and said can I drive? Sure and with that Janie grab her brief case full of pads pens and other things and they were off.

Pulling up to the Aunt's house Barney said do you want me to do all the talking no I think I can ask some questions, as they reached the door and Barney knocked a mid aged woman came to the door and Barney introduced them and ask how the children were and if they could come in. The woman looked at Barney for a few moments before speaking as if she was not really there and had to think about what she had just heard with in a few moments she replied sure and opened her screen door.

The girls were sitting on the couch and another guy was already there. Barney said Hey Nathan and when he looked over Janie took a deep breath. He was so handsome those big brown eyes, full lips, dark brown hair a wonderful smile. Nathan said hey Barney and they shook hands Barney then introduced Janie to Nathan and he stretch his hand to her and she shook his hand and they were both looking into each others eyes.

The Aunt was standing there and ask if they would like something to drink, water, ice tea, coffee or a soda pop. They all said no. The girls just sat on the couch looking out the big window in the front room, Barney introduced him self and Janie to the girls but they did not even so much as look Barney's way. Barney looked over at Janie and she just smiled.

Janie sat down on the couch next to the oldest girl and put her arm up over the back of the couch and said you know I really do know how you feel, there really isn't any words to describe what it is you feel. So did you both see anything? Yes said the older one but and she looked at Janie and tears filled the girls eyes and Janie said we all want to help you. You are safe and nothing leaves this room okay nothing guys put your pads and pens away and no tape recording the guys looked at Janie as if she had just slap them across the face but they did it just the same.

It was just like any other day said the younger girl, just like any other day. Then they both just sat there Janie ask if they were hungry or thirsty and they shook there head no but Janie looked at the Aunt and said do you know a good pizza place? Sure do she said. Well why don't you order us about 3 of them, do you have any soda pop? Soda pop? Yes um pop you know coke, mount dew, pepsi, dr. pepper? Oh sure I do Coke and mount dew good then just order 3 pizzas. And how does everyone like there pizzas? The girls just sat there and the guys of course wanted everything. So Janie said get one with everything, one with just pep. and one with just cheese.

The older girl looked at her sister and said let me do the talking okay, no way I want to tell, No I will and they kind of bickered back and forth Janie just sat there as she listened she looked at there faces tears were in there eyes. Janie said how about you both tell what ever it is you want to tell. Madison the younger one said okay but Alison did not say one word. Janie said okay as she looked at the youngest tell me what you saw. She said well it started just like any other day, Mom and Dad got in to a shouting match something about it not being true. Dad slap Mom in the kitchen, you saw this, well it was hard not to me and Alison was right there at the kitchen table.

Madison they were arguing because Dad was accusing Mom of having an affair which is totally totally not true. Mom is a good Mom the guys were suppose that Janie got them talking so easily Nathan had been there and hour and half and never even got a hello. Okay they argued during breakfast, yes and what did you have for breakfast? We had a hugh breakfast as always Mom always made a big deal about breakfast well you know girls breakfast is the most important meal of the day? Yeah that is what Mom says to.

So what happened after he slap her? He said he was sorry that he didn't mean to and Mom as always hug him back. As always? Yeah said the older one they always fought always. Do you remember a day when they didn't fight. Sure sometimes a week would go by sometimes even a month but they always ended up in a fight. Finally the pizza was there and The aunt brought the pizza in the dining room and had paper plates and napkins already on the table with canned soda pop and she called for all of them and the girls went first Janie followed and then the guys. They all sat down to eat the pizza.

As they ate Janie ask small questions like what were they always fighting about? My dad had a temper the older one said if he did not like what my Mom had on it was fight, if the food did not meet his expectations there was fight if I got a d there was fight if Mom used a sharp tone with Dad there was a fight if, oh be quiet Alison I think she has it said the younger one. Janie smiled at both the girls and they all ate their pizza and drank soda pop.

Finally they are back in the front room the view is so beautiful looking out the hugh window a tree full of life the sun shining birds flying and butterflies passing by the window it was almost like a picture out of a movie. Janie looked over a the guys who were still eating and then she looked at the girls and said I want you to know you are gonna be alright, I want to know if you can tell us what happened the older one took a deep breath and then said it started in there bedroom some words I could hear some I could not. Do you know what it was about? Something about cheating.

The younger one said yup he was accusing Mom of cheating which everyone knows that is not true. Okay what else happened. The older one began Mom went down to fix breakfast just like she always did and as she was on her way she knocked on our door and said come on girls and so we followed her down, okay then what, Dad came down he was shouting and waving his hands all around and then he slap her and continued to holler at Mom. How many times did he slap her about 4 or 5 times.

What happened next? He looked at us for just a moment and there was something different in his eyes. It was not it wasn't him yet it was him. I understand that Janie assured her and she said he grab Mom and slammed her against the wall and she sworn it was not true a least a dozen of times but he would not listen. He began to punch her, what did you girls do? We ran to. Where to? Our neighbors to call the police. Why not call them from home, I dunno we just ran is all as fast we we could. On the way back we heard the shoots. How many? Three and then what we thought was that Dad had shot Mom but when we got in the house there she stood her mouth was busted and bleeding her face was all red and she was on the phone and he laid on the kitchen floor gasping for air.

Janie wanted so bad to write all this down but she knew she could remember this for months so she sat there listening to everyone word as she memorized the whole thing as she pictured it. Suddenly and without warning Janie's mind went back to a time when she had came home from School and found her Mom laying on the floor noone was there the living room was a complete mess and her Mom was hurt pretty bad, even with broken ribs a broken legg, a broken arm, 39 stab wounds her face had been beaten to where her lips were puffy and swollen her eyes were black and she even had a cut from up under her left eye clear down to her chin. Her heart really went out to these girls for she knew all to well and the kicker is Janie's Dad is in prison for murdering her Mom.

The youngest one said something that jotted Janie as she said I don't miss him, I don't miss him! Nathan decided it was time for him to leave. He was a good looking defense attorney and one of the best in the State. He told the girls he was going to go see there Mom and not to worry cause he was gonna take care of everything and that everything would be alright. Nathan shook Barney's hand then Janie's and even shock the girls hands and the Aunt and went his way. But Janie and Barney sat with the girls and the Aunt for a while even the Aunt had stories to tell and listened earnestly memorize everyone word. Barney excused himself to call David to let him know that they were still at the Aunts house and still needed to go talk to Betsy Miller. David said okay I want a report by noon tomorrow. Fair enough, fair enough and they hung up.

Two more hours past before Barney and Janie would leave it was shortly past 4 pm when they said good bye and Janie hug all of them her heart was breaking those girls were wonderful and yet Janie hoped that Nathan would not use them and although her heart was broken that didn't mean she thought people should take the law into there own hands as they reached the car Barney said you did real good in there Janie can't believe you wouldn't let me write anything or at least tape but you did good. Janie smiled and said thank you Barney but you know we would not have gotten much had we been writing or taping and don't worry I am sure between the two of us we can write a good report. Oh Janie I called David and seeings how we haven't even talked to Betsy yet our report is not due till 12 noon tomorrow. Great!