Black Box: Book Three

21 ~ Copper Canyon

SATURDAY

07-23-2011
Transcript of call from witness R.L.
1:20 p.m.

Dispatcher: 911, what's your emergency?

Caller R.L.: I need to report an accident. Somebody- a car just went over the barrier on the I-17. Northbound.

Dispatcher: Sir, do you see a mile marker?

Caller R.L.: Yeah, we're, ah, we're outside of Camp Verde in Copper Canyon. I'm walking towards the mile marker. There's- it looks like 282.

Dispatcher: How many vehicles are involved?

Caller R.L. I think it's- oh fuck, did you hear that? Whatever ran off the cliff just exploded. There's smoke coming up over the side of the mountain.

Dispatcher: We've got someone on the way.

07-23-2011
Transcript of call from witness D.W.
1:22 p.m.

Dispatcher: Yavapai County 911, what's the emergency?

Caller D.W.: Yeah, an SUV just went over the cliff. The car is on fire and there are people screaming. It's...it's fucking chaos out here.

Dispatcher: Is this Northbound 17 just south of...Camp Verde?

Caller D.W.: Yes. People are trying to get down the cliff.

Dispatcher: Can you see any injuries, ma'am?

Caller D.W.: Yes, there's people, there's [inaudible] in the ravine outside the car. There's, oh my god, there's kids. There's kids and an adult. A woman, I think.

Dispatcher: Is anyone injured?

Caller D.W.: No, they're all dead.

FRIDAY

I leaned back against my truck and took a few deep drags of my cigarette before snubbing it out on the tire and flicking it under the car next to me. Stella should be pulling up with the kids any minute and she'd flip her shit if she saw me smoking.

As I watched for headlights coming around the corner of the hotel parking lot I popped a breath mint and took a swig of water. Phoenix was hot in July - oppressively hot. And even though the sun was almost down I couldn't last out here much longer.

While it was a nice escape from my frigid hometown of Flagstaff in the winter, Phoenix left much to be desired in the summertime. I tried to come down as infrequently as possible during the during the summer months but sometimes work made that impossible. I always hated leaving the mountains. Even though the valley was only two and a half hours away from Flag, it may as well have been a thousand miles. My small, mountain town and the sprawling, desert city might as well be different countries all together.

I saw the headlights of Stella's silver Mazda peek around the corner of the building and I pushed myself off the truck.

She pulled into a nearby space and I smiled as I went to greet her. I could tell by the look on her face when she got out that she was worn down.

"How was the drive?" I asked her as I opened the back door to let Aiden and Wyatt out.

"Long. You know I hate that drive, I don't know how you do it so often."

I laughed. "Well that's what I get paid for. A necessary evil to keep my family living in luxury."

"Dad, do I have to go tonight?" Aiden yelled from the trunk of the car where he was trying, in vain, to pull his overnight bag out of the jostled mess of luggage.