Dabbling in Danger

Repercussions

I wouldn't have said or done what I did had I known it would turn out like this...

Adeen

The roads are dark and quiet as I speed down the mountain and for some reason it makes me nervous. Since leaving work I've been trying to call Tiana. Actually no, since I read the cryptic text she left, I've been blowing up her phone.

The words are engrained in my brain, it reads.

"I'm sorry we weren't enough for each other, I'll do what's best."

My heart drops and my stomach tightens every time I think of it.

I get to a stoplight, try calling again, when an unknown number starts calling me. Normally I ignore calls I'm not familiar with, but something tells me to switch over, I do.

"Hello," I say.

There's what sounds like fuzzy voices in the background then a clear voice replies to me.

"Hello, is this Mr. Hutchinson, uh... Adeen Hutchinson?"

I stammer, "I- I may I ask who is calling?"

"I am deputy Foster with the Lake Bloom County police department."

My foot slips off the brake and the car rolls forward. I slam my foot down again and jerk the gear shift into park.

"Yes I am Adeen, do you have my wife!? Is Tiana with you, Tiana Hutchinson!"

There's a pause, maybe the officers are communicating with one another. The wait to hear the man's voice again is unbearable.

"Hello!?" I nearly shout.

"Yes Mr. Hutchinson," he says. "We are with your wife... There has been an accident-"

"What!?" I burst.

"Sir, Tiana has a small bruise but that is as much as we can tell... She's being rather unruly, refusing medical attention, and being uncooperative. We have reason to believe she is intoxicated. We would like you to come-"

"Where are you, I'm in the car now."

"The intersection of 23rd and Roger's avenue."

"I'll be there."

"Thank you sir."

●●●

When I pull up to the flashing blue and red lights, nothing seems real, I'm on auto pilot as I hop out and rush over.

Her car's crushed into a streetlight that remains unmoved.

As I'm about to run up to the car, an officer steps in blocking my path.

"Mr. Hutchinson?" Asks the man I assume I just spoke to.

"Where's my wife?"

"We have her safe, seated in the back of my vehicle. It was a slight struggle to get her out, but we need to have her vehicle towed, it's blocking the street...  But before we allow you to speak with her, I'd like to ask a few questions."

A hand to my head I nod wanting to get this over with.

The chattering on Foster's radio picks up, he mumbles some code into it and returns his attention to me.