Cause of Death (Det. Annie Avants Book 1) (6 page)

Friday, 10 August 2012, 9:00 PM

Jesse picked up his phone and dialed Annie's home number.  What he was about to do went against the grain.  The ladies called Jesse, not the other way around.  At least that's how it was before Annie entered his life.

His marriage to a District Attorney's Office Investigator several years ago ended in a mutual divorce.  He admitted that his career was more important to him than SueEllen, his wife, but he came in a poor second to her career aspirations also.

They were both shallow, self-centered individuals, and why they married in the first place still puzzled him.  After the divorce, she moved on to bigger and better career opportunities in San Diego.

Nevertheless, the trophy women he surrounded himself with after his divorce weren't much in the way of improvement.  He just couldn't seem to break the habit.

He hadn't paid much attention to Annie when she worked in the Rural Crime Unit, but when she was promoted to detective in the Robbery/Homicide Unit in January 2010, he found her 'down home' accent and view of life amusing.  At first.  After he worked a few cases with her, however, he came to respect her intelligence and her abilities as a Robbery/Homicide detective.  Her values pulled him back to his roots and the way his parents and grandparents raised him on the reservation in Cherokee, North Carolina.

When did I drift away from my roots?  When did making points with the powers that be become more important than being true to myself?
  he wondered.

Even though he recognized this flaw in his character, he didn't make a 180-degree turnaround.  His less-than-sterling character attributes reared their ugly heads when he least expected them.  Usually when he and Annie were together.

They went to dinner from time to time, but he always seemed to let his ego get in the way.  Instead of relaxing and being himself - someone she would respect and admire based on his Native American values - he acted like the kind of self-centered smuck guaranteed not to impress her.  As soon as he dropped her off at her home, he wanted to kick himself for being such an ass.  He just didn't know what to do about it.

Now, he was calling her to apologize for his behavior at the FoxFire Inn yesterday evening after Court.  He decided, after giving it a lot of thought, that he would make an effort to change his behavior.  He was ready for a relationship with someone 'real', someone with the values he held dear, but had let slip away.  He just wasn't sure she would give him another chance.  She was really pissed when she stormed out of the FoxFire Inn last night.

The phone rang several times and she answered just as he started to hang up.

"Hello," she said.  He could hear the hesitation in her voice.

"Hi, Annie, it's Jesse.  Did I catch you at a bad time?"

"No, Jesse, I didn't answer at first because I wasn't sure if I wanted to take your call."

"I guess I deserve that, Annie.  I acted like a real jerk last night, didn't I?"

"You're asking my opinion?  You don't know what a jerk you were?"

"Yes, I do, and I'm calling to apologize.  I don't like it when I act like that, I really don't."

"Then, why do you?  I've thought about the whole scene in Court and I can now understand why you were so curt with me.  Nothing would be served by dragging our error out for all the jurors to hear about one more time.  I really do understand that.  Why didn't you discuss it with me beforehand so I wasn't blind-sided?  Then my reaction would have been different.  But, no, you just sprang it on me as if it was your God-given right to act so high-handed and make me look like a dumb 'arkie'.  I didn't appreciate it one bit."

"Yep, you're right.  I have a problem sometimes looking at what I'm doing from someone else's perspective and I was certainly guilty of that in Court.

"But, the main reason I'm calling is to apologize for my behavior at the FoxFire Inn. That was uncalled for.  I don't know what got into me.  I guess I was just ticked off because you were questioning the way I handled myself in Court, even though I knew I could have done a better job of it.  So, I wanted to bring you down a peg.  I'm being honest here, Annie.  I care about you and I don't want you to stay mad at me forever."

"Well, I don't know what to say, Jesse," Annie said.  "It's easy sometimes to see through your facade and see the man underneath, with a good upbringing.  I just worry about your goals now, and what you want out of life.  They don't seem to fit with who you really are anymore."

"I admit I got distracted with the Indian-from-the-res-makes-good mindset.  But, that's not all.  I feel like I have to live up to my Dad's reputation and I always think I'll fall short of his expectations for me."

"Jesse, I have the same problem with my family.  They want me to settle down in Arkansas with a local farmer, or whatever, have a passel of babies and be a stay-at-home-mom.  Like my sister.  That's not me, and I have to be true to myself.  Until you can reach that point and not try to impress everyone else - especially your father - there's not much of a chance for a true relationship between you and anyone."

"You're right, Annie, and I'm consciously working on reaching inside and pulling out the real essence of who I am.  I just don't want you to give up on me in the meantime.  Maybe I need to take a break and visit my sister, Chianna in Calistoga.  She has a way of centering me."

"That's a good idea, Jesse.  My problem when I go home to visit is that I end up reverting to 'their little girl' and behaving exactly like they want me to.  Then I could kick myself in the morning."  She laughed.  "After I get back to Bakersfield, I have to reassert myself and let my family know nothing has changed.  It just seems to make my relationship with them worse."

"Well, if I visit Chianna it will be because I want to get in touch with my roots again, not leave them behind."

"Then I think you should go, Jesse.  It can't hurt if you are going with the right frame of mind."

"You're right.  I think I'll drive up there in the morning and come back Sunday night.  Maybe we can talk then."

"Bon voyage
, Jesse, and give your sister a hug for me.  I'd like to meet her one day."

Jesse left the next morning at 3:00 AM, hoping to beat the Bay Area traffic en route to Calistoga, where his sister, Chianna, and her husband Dion Gueye lived.  He loved the area and even considered moving there at one point, but he didn't want to live that close to his parents, who lived in San Francisco.  Therefore, he ended up in California's Central Valley instead.

Chianna made a name for herself with her gallery where she showcased Native American arts and crafts from all around the country.  She also featured handcrafted pottery and the baskets that their mother produced in San Francisco for her own gallery.  Their dad was an attorney for the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

Her husband, Dion, whom she met when they were both students at the University of California Davis, had a PhD in Viticulture and Enology, and worked for one of the many vineyard/wineries famous in the area.

Jesse called Chianna the night before to alert her of his arrival, and headed straight for her gallery when he pulled into town in his red Mustang.  He knew she went into the gallery bright and early, so there was no point going to their lovely home until later in the day.

"Hey, Sis," he hollered, as he entered the gallery.  He looked around at all the objects on display.  It always made him homesick for his grandmother's home in North Carolina.

"Ahh, finally," Chianna said as she rushed forward to give her big brother a hug and kiss.  "It's so good to see you, Jesse.  It's been too long.  Are you still dancing the grass dance at your local pow wows?  I wish you would come here when there are pow wows nearby so I could show you off to all my unmarried girlfriends," she laughed as he cringed.

"That's probably the reason I don't dance here, Chianna.  You're always trying to match-make me to someone."

"Well, someone has to do something.  You sure didn't pick well when you married SueEllen, now did you?"

"Point taken.  We weren't a match made in heaven, that's for sure.  At least we were both intelligent enough to realize it and part ways before we became enemies.  She's doing quite well in the District Attorney's Office in San Diego County now.  I hear from her from time to time."

"Oh, the follies of youth," Chianna said with a laugh.  "So, what do I owe the pleasure of this unexpected visit?" she said, as she led him into the back room to a small kitchen area where the delicious aroma of freshly brewed coffee filled the room.

"Actually, to be honest, coming here wasn't only my idea," Jesse said.  "I've been bombing out with a woman I work with, a Homicide Detective, and she said I'd lost touch with my roots.  When I thought about it, I realized she's right.  She said maybe I needed to visit my family to center myself and find the 'real me' - her words, not mine - so, I decided to come here.  You always keep me on track and make me remember the values our family instilled in us."

"Uh oh," Chianna said.   "I think I screwed up.  When you called that you were coming, I invited a good friend of mine, Rebecca Grady, over to join us for dinner.  She's from the California Band of Miwok Indians in Calaveras County.  She's an attorney and is working to get recognition for their tribe.  It's been slow going.  There aren't many Miwok left in the Sierra Tribe of which she's a member."

She stopped and sipped her coffee, avoiding Jesse's exasperated look.

"I thought maybe you could give her some pointers.  Well, I hope you'll just be polite and not make her feel foolish.  She doesn't know how my ulterior motives work."  Chianna laughed at herself and her little
faux pas
.

"OK, Sis, I'll be nice.  Now, what can I do about Annie?  And, how's grandmother doing.  I really would like to go visit her and immerse myself in our culture, but I can't get away right now."

"She's doing fine.  She asks about you whenever I talk to her and wonders when you will visit," Chianna said.  "Oh, here's an idea.  I know a shaman who lives nearby.  Sometimes, when I need grounded, I invite him over and we meditate together.  Nothing fancy, we just concentrate on our roots and the old ways and just talk.  Would you like me to call him and see if he can join us for dinner?"

"That would be good, Chianna.  Just what I need.  What about your friend, Rebecca?  What will she think?"

"Rebecca meditates with us sometimes.  She's determined to keep true to the old ways.  I'll give her a call and tell her that's what we plan to do tonight.

"Now, why don't you go out into the gallery and learn to appreciate Native American arts and crafts again.  There are many nice pieces there.  If you want anything I can give you a good family discount."

Jesse spent the next hour roaming around the gallery.  He found a lovely Navajo necklace for Annie and bought it, even knowing he may never find the right moment to give it to her.

When Chianna came out of her office, she said, "OK, everything is set up for tonight.  Rebecca's thrilled and the shaman will come over at 8:00 PM.  We'll have a light snack, meditate, and then have dinner afterward.  For now, I've called my assistant to come in and I think you and I should go have some fun.  Let's go to a wine tasting at one of the wineries.  I've found some good wines lately.  What do you think?"

"I'm ready.  However, before I drink a lot of wine, I need to eat something.  I've been on the road since 3:00 AM and I'm starving.  Let's grab an early lunch first and then go vineyard hopping."

They passed a pleasant day and that evening when everyone gathered at Chianna's home, the shaman arrived.  The serene group meditated, chanted, and just shared each other's stories and company.  Jesse felt his inner calm returning.  Jesse found Rebecca charming and friendly.  They discussed her efforts to get her tribe recognized, but he didn't have any specific information to help her.

The next day, Dion, Chianna, and Jesse lounged around their lovely hillside home and Jesse and Chianna entertained Dion with their childhood adventures in the Cherokee, NC.  It was a pleasant interlude for Jesse, and exactly what he needed.  He watched the interaction between Dion and Chianna and realized that this was the type of relationship he wanted.  Now, if only he could get Annie to agree.  Maybe, if he could convince her to come, he would bring her here for a weekend.

At 6:00 PM he reluctantly bid Chianna and Dion good-bye and headed back to Kern County.  He recognized that he needed to take a different approach with Annie and made a vow that he wouldn't do anything to screw up this time.

Monday, 13 August 2012, Noon

Annie liked to eat at Wool Growers Restaurant.  There were several Basque Restaurants in Bakersfield, but in her opinion Wool Growers was the best.   She didn't think she could get food that was more authentic, even if she traveled to the South of France or Northern Spain.

She especially loved to come on Monday when the daily special was spare ribs served with the "set up" which included soup, salad, French fries, beans, salsa, and French bread and butter. 
You could never go hungry eating here
, she thought. She also liked the family-style service and atmosphere.  The restaurant served everything on big platters or in communal bowls and each person dished up what they wanted.

Another reason she chose Wool Growers on this particular day was because of the noise level, and eating at the communal tables would thwart any chance of a private conversation with Jesse.  It would keep their relationship problem to the minimum, at least for the moment.

I am attracted to him, and I know he's interested in me.  I'm just not in the market for a romantic relationship at the moment
, she thought.

Her short marriage during her college years didn't do much to endear the institution of marriage to her.  In addition, both of their jobs were work intensive.  As a Deputy District Attorney, his workload was extreme.  They could possibly go several days and not have any contact with each other.