It’s Tani’s Story



This is a true story about one of the happenings in the life of a shy, young, teenage girl, told from a spectator's view. She lives in a tiny, one bedroom house, alone, released from the home of her abusive parents by the courts. Names and places have been changed to protect her.

This is her story….



Tani Spice jumped as the knock she was expecting came at her door. Her best friend, Saffron Rose, was a full twenty minutes late. It was her eighteenth birthday today, and they were going to a party her boyfriend was throwing for her. Tani hadn't wanted to go, but Saffron had insisted. She wanted her best friend at her party.

Opening the door, Tani stood back and grinned as Saffron waltzed over the threshold. She was wearing bright rose-colored velvet hot pants, with a matching tank midi top. Her shoes and shoulder bag were black, and she looked like a million bucks. The exotic shade of rose made her Hawaiian skin glow. She had curled her shoulder length black hair, and dressed it with rose blossoms. The only jewelry she wore was a black choker at her throat. As Tani closed the door, Saffron's smile slipped a few notches as she saw what her friend was wearing.

Tani frowned as she looked down at herself. She had put on the best she had to work with. Being only fifteen, and a ward of the courts, her counselor picked her clothes, and at best they were correct, serviceable clothing. Jeans, blouses, dresses, shoes, socks, and underwear. Each outfit making two or three. She remembered how thrilled she had been to have the new clothes. They were a much better fit, and nearer to today's style then her mother's or sister's that she had had to wear. Looking over at Saffron, Tani could see herself through her friend's eyes. Saffron said nothing, but handed Tani some forest green silk from her shoulder bag.

Puzzled, Tani shook out the piece of silk, to reveal a very simple mini dress. Looking up, she saw that Saffron had placed a pair of matching shoes next to the couch. Waving aside any arguments Tani may have voiced, and pushing her gently towards her bedroom, she instructed her to change fast, as they were already late for the party.

Kicking off her sandals, she slipped out of her jeans and powder blue sweater. Running her hand softly over the green silk, she hesitated. She had never worn anything like this before. If her counselor even saw it on a hanger she would have a cow! Saffron pulled her out of her thoughts as she opened the bedroom door. Shaking her head, she helped Tani slide the dress over her head. Next she was sat on the side of her bed, while Saffron did her hair. Tani's hair was waist length, straight, and strawberry-blonde. After just a few minutes of twisting, tugging, and tucking, she stepped back to view her handiwork. Handing over her mascara, she stood by watching while Tani darkened her long lashes. Seeming pleased, she handed Tani her pantyhose, and told her to speed it up!

Finally ready, Tani emerged from her room, and went to the couch to put on the shoes. Ready to go, she grabbed her shoulder bag, and opened the door. Saffron rooted in her bag, handed a green choker to Tani, then preceded her out the door.

The party was to be at Saffron's boyfriend Jeff's home, or rather, the home of her boyfriend's uncle. A man others called "Mr. Bruce". Tani didn't like Jeff much, and didn't trust him. He was too good looking, twenty-two, and it was obvious he had been around, and in trouble before with the law. The local officers knew him by name, and had busted him twice for drugs, and once for assault. He had a mean temper, and liked to give orders. He considered himself a real ladies man. She hoped the uncle wasn't like his nephew.

It wasn't long before they pulled up in front of the house. Excitedly, Saffron jumped from the drivers seat, and rushed up the flower-lined walkway to the front door. Tani got out of the car, and followed at a slower pace, but her friend waited at the door for her to catch up before she rang the doorbell. As she pulled at the ornamental chain, strains of "Home Sweet Home" rang out.

When the door opened, Saffron took a couple steps back, and started wringing her hands together. Tani knew she only did this when she was nervous. Really Nervous! The man in the doorway smiled at Saffron, and wished her Happy Birthday with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. Then he turned his smile in Tani's direction.

The first thing she noticed was his shockingly blue eyes within his dark features. They were eyes that hypnotized and held you captive. Looking supremely pleased for some unknown reason, he stepped up to Tani, and introduced himself as Mr. Bruce, holding her hand far longer then was necessary. Tani didn't like physical contact with people because of her past. Now her skin started to crawl as she pulled her hand from his.

In the meantime, Saffron had abandoned her, and had escaped unnoticed into the house. Tearing her eyes away from Mr. Bruce's smile, Tani stepped through the doorway, and headed towards the sound of her friends laughter. Taking a left off the entranceway, Jeff and Saffron could be seen in each other's arms. As Mr. Bruce cleared his throat from too close behind her, she jumped, and the couple separated as if scalded.

There were only the four of them in the room, and Tani wondered if everyone was going to jump out of hiding places and yell surprise anytime soon. So far it didn't look like much of a party. There was so much tension in the room that you could sharply taste it. Mr. Bruce's voice pulled her attention back to him. He was offering them all a glass of champagne to celebrate Saffron's birthday. Tani mentioned waiting until the others arrived for the party, and was scared when she saw Mr. Bruce smiling as if he had a secret, and her friend looked everywhere but at her. Saffron was studying the carpet as if it were of the utmost fascination. As Mr. Bruce started pouring the champagne, Jeff sauntered over to the stereo and picked a CD to put into the player. Saffron still wouldn't meet Tani's eyes.

Turning her head, she met Mr. Bruce's eyes as he handed her a glass of champagne, and led her to the sofa, one hand at the small of her back. After seating her, he began to talk, telling her how lucky she was to have a friend like Saffron. He asked all the questions a proper host should, but his habit of touching her was continuing to unnerve her. Glancing over several times to where the two were dancing in each other's arms, Tani tried to catch her friends eyes, and failed miserably. She got the feeling that Saffron was ignoring her.

Startled, she glanced down to where Mr. Bruce had placed his hand, high up on her thigh. Never having been in such a situation before, Tani was very near panicking. Downing the entire glass of champagne, she requested he refill it for her. With an even greater smile, he agreed, took the glass out of her shaking hand, and rose from the sofa promising to be right back.

Eyes darting to where the dancers had last been, she found them now sitting together on the floor near the stereo. Jumping up, she went over to them. She had to get away from Mr. Bruce without spoiling her friend's birthday. As she lowered herself to the floor, Saffron offered her the joint she had just taken a hit off of. Tani had never tried pot, but she figured anything had to be better then spending time with hand happy Mr. Bruce.

Taking the joint from Saffron, Tani held it as she had seen her friend do many times over the last four months of knowing her. Saffron hadn't smoked pot until she had started dating Jeff. Her friend had changed a lot in those four months. Putting the joint to her lips, she took a long pull on it, and choked till tears formed in her eyes. Her second hit was easier, and she didn't cough as bad, and by her third hit, she began thinking pot wasn't so bad after all. She was feeling more relaxed, and altogether happier then she had been ten minutes ago.

Mr. Bruce had been standing nearby, watching Tani get high, with that smile again in evidence. Now he came over, handed Tani another full glass of champagne, and lowered himself onto the floor beside her. Reaching forward, he took the joint from Tani's fingers, and took a long pull on it. She watched as he held it in, and then exhaled it slowly through his nose.

After her second glass of champagne, and a few more hits off joints that Jeff had rolled, Tani was joining in the laughter and conversation. Mr. Bruce still kept touching her arm, or knee, but she said nothing. It now seemed to her that he meant no harm in it. Some people were just the "touchy" kind.

It was about thirty minutes later when the door chimes sounded insistently. Mr. Bruce went to the door, and put his eye to the peephole. He hurried back into the room, and asked Jeff to take the girls down to the playroom, and he would join them after he finished some business that had come up unexpectedly. The smile was gone from his face now, and he seemed flustered, and agitated. Jeff helped the girls to their feet, and, his smile and laughter also now gone, he ushered the girls down a steep flight of stairs to another room. It was indeed a playroom! There was a pool table, bar, and hot tub. Against the far wall was an entertainment center, complete with large screen TV.

The sounds of raised voices were coming through the door leading back upstairs. Jeff looked nervous, and so did Saffron. Tani shook her head, trying to clear it, but was unsuccessful. On shaky legs, she went over to the bar and sat on one of the high stools. Saffron went over to the stereo, and turned it on. The voices were so loud now that Tani could pick out several words being yelled. It seemed Mr. Bruce's company were upset. They hadn't received some kind of shipment they had been waiting for from him. And they were angry…VERY angry!

Jeff told the girls to stay downstairs, and that he would be right back with the champagne and his uncle. Racing back up the staircase, Jeff reached for the doorknob just as the door flew open, and a gunshot was heard.

As if in slow motion, Jeff's body rolled back down the steep staircase, landing at the bottom with a thud. In horror, both girls watched the red stain start spreading across Jeff's shirtfront, spilling onto the floor beside him. He didn't move. Suddenly, shrilly, Saffron started screaming. Tani, ashen faced and trembling like a leaf in a hurricane, pushed into the far corner of the big couch, hugging her knees tightly to her chest, face buried in the hollow between her knees and arms. Her terrified form rocking back and forth. And still, Saffron's screams went on and on, but Tani no longer heard them.

She saw and heard nothing else until her hands were roughly ripped from her face. Then she started to fight! Kicking out with her foot, she connected just under the man's knee. He let go of her to grab his leg, cursing loudly. Her freedom however was short lived. Two other men approached her after receiving a nod from one of the other men. This was the man in charge of the others.

Tani's eyes darted wildly around the room, encountering only stranger's unfriendly, and angry, faces. At first, she didn't notice her friend Saffron. All she saw through eyes wide with fear were the five large men, and Jeff's prone form lying motionless at the foot of the stairs in a pool of blood. Upon seeing Jeff, events flooded her mind. The knock at the front door, coming downstairs, and the loud, angry voices. She remembered Jeff heading up the stairs, the gunshot, and his falling to the bottom, dead. She remembered hearing Saffron screaming. SAFFRON! Where was she? Almost hungrily, her eyes once again searched the room.

An animal cry tore from her throat as her eyes fell upon her friend. She was half lying, half sitting, and her leg at an odd angle, against the far wall. Blood dripped from the hole in the back of her head, falling in rivulets down her neck, only to disappear behind her. Her left hand cradled one of her shoes.

Looking back around the room again, Tani gave up. The man she had kicked looked real mad, and had a decided limp as he crossed the room. The two men holding her were strong, and very large. The man they took their orders from was smaller in size, but he had the meanest, coldest look in his eyes that Tani had ever seen. The fifth man held himself separate from the others, as if he were only a spectator. He was about forty-five years old, and was graying about his temples. This man didn't look mean, or angry. He looked worried.

Their boss gave a nod to the two men holding Tani, and they started to grin as he turned his back and headed towards the staircase. That was when the fifth man stepped forward to talk with him. He spoke softly, and very briefly. Then the boss motioned to the two men holding Tani with a slight lift of his hand. Looking disappointed, and cheated, they roughly pushed Tani back onto the couch, and then preceded him up the steep staircase.

As soon as the bosses back was to the fifth man, Tani jumped to her feet. But the man put a single finger to his lips, and put one hand out in a stopping motion. Tani froze! As soon as the door shut at the top of the stairs, he came slowly over and stood in front of Tani's shivering form. Looking at her with eyes that were now all at once kind and caring, he spoke softly.

He told her she was safe now, and in a few minutes he would be taking her out of here. He explained in a quiet voice that he was an under cover officer. At her look of distrust and disbelief, he pulled a cell phone from his pocket. Handing it to her, he told her to call the police, and asked for Captain Henry Roberts. Tani stared at this man before her, then slowly reached for the phone, fully expecting him to not give it to her. As she hesitated, he dropped the phone on the couch, and went and stood on the far side of the room.

Tani slowly picked up the phone, her eyes never leaving his face. Moving so that the couch was between them, she dialed the phone quickly. She asked for Captain Henry Roberts, and in a moment, he was on the phone. It was then that Tani collapsed. Crying hard, she sank to her knees, the phone in her fist in her rocking lap.

The man came towards her slowly, and gently took the phone from her tight fist. Talking into it for only a moment, he then hung up, and lowered himself down beside Tani on the carpet. Slowly, and gently, he pulled the crying girl into his arms, and rocked her as she cried. His fellow officers found them that way when they arrived a short time later.

Tani was first taken to the hospital, then the police station. Her hero stayed by her side as she answered all the necessary questions. After she gave her statement as to what had happened, he told her the rest of the story.

He had joined the ranks of the drug cartel to get needed evidence to take them off the streets. Mr. Bruce and Jeff were really father and son, and they smuggled millions of dollars in drugs over borders. Saffron had been shot before he could help her because she fought the men as they first entered the playroom. She had rushed at them in her grief over Jeff, and had bitten, scratched, and used her shoe as a weapon. They would have killed them anyway, as they were witnesses to the murders. Mr. Bruce had also been shot in the head.

What were the words her hero used to save her?

"You owe me...I want her"

This Officer was murdered one week later in the line of duty...He was affectionately known as "Big Red" by friends and fellow officers.

God bless this fallen hero!!! © 2004 Linda Ritnour/RainbowQueen
(All rights reserved)