31
Ruth Anne
Edmonds, Washington – 2018
Frustrated,I sat at my kitchen table, trying to honor Brandy’s request that I write a statement exonerating her father. With each attempt, however, my frustration grew.
The unexpected arrival of my ex-husband didn’t help. “I thought I’d stop by and bring you dinner.” Standing on my front porch, he held up a takeout container from the restaurant.
“I’m not hungry but thank you.”
“You can put it in the refrigerator and save it for later.”
“Okay.” I took the container from him and invited him back to the kitchen where I showed him my failed attempts to write the letter for Eddie. As much as I wanted to honor Brandy’s request, I just couldn’t find the words to exonerate her father.
“Maybe just stick to the facts,” Salvador suggested.
“What do you mean?”
He picked up my pen and gestured to the notebook. “May I?”
“Sure.”
As though it were the easiest thing in the world, he made list of the facts surrounding the case, starting with me walking into the kitchen that horrible night.
He bluntly stated that I was raped and became pregnant. Then he explained that DNA tests showed the biological father of my baby was not Eddie Landis as I’d testified earlier, but Wayne Montgomery. Even though I initially identified Wayne as the perpetrator, Sheriff Enquist told me that Wayne was in jail at the time of the crime.
“I don’t know.” My stomach churned. “That last part makes it sound like I’m putting all the blame on Sheriff Enquist when I was the one who testified against Eddie.”
“You know that Sheriff Enquist is under investigation for police misconduct, not just in Eddie’s case but in several others as well. Also, remember how he was always donating money to various booster clubs when we were in high school?”
“Yes.”
“Apparently, he stole that money from the evidence room.”
“The evidence room?”
“It’s where they kept evidence from various crimes. Apparently, they often collected huge amounts of cash during drug busts. The sheriff took that money from the evidence room and gave it to the booster clubs.”
“That doesn’t seem so bad. It wasn’t like he was using it for his own personal gain.”
Salvador raised his brow. “It’s against the law, Ruthie. But I understand what you’re saying. His heart might’ve been in the right place, but what he did was wrong and caused serious damage.”
“You’re right, but it’s still hard for me to hear. Sheriff Enquist played such an important role in my life. I viewed him as a father figure. His wife was like a mother to me.”
“I know. I think a lot of people in Mayford felt the same way.”
I pressed a hand to my gut. “I’m devastated, Salvador. Not just by Sheriff Enquist but by everything.”
“I know you are. The whole situation is devastating, but like everything, it will work out in the end.”
“Will it? It didn’t work out for us.”
He studied me carefully. “You and I have been through a lot. We’ve survived a lot. But look at what we did. We raised two kind and smart girls together. For years, we ran a successful restaurant together. A restaurant that is still standing to this day. And despite the divorce, we still get along pretty well.”
Fresh tears threatened to overflow. All that was true. Salvador had been both a good husband and a good ex-husband to me.
Pulling his gaze from mine, Salvador reread the letter. “Should we send it?”