Midnight

t was after midnight on a cold winter's night. Vergil was late arriving home from work. The house was dark with the exception of the moonlight that showed through the dining room window. Evelyn, his wife of eighteen years, had fallen asleep on the sofa while waiting for him. On the floor beside her lay the family's single barrel shotgun. Evelyn never explained why the weapon was there, it just was.

She awoke from her cat nap to see the silhouette of a man walking in her dining room. Evelyn watched as the man she had not identified hung his coat on the back of a kitchen chair. This silhouette walked into her kitchen and took food from her refrigerator. As the silhouette opened the entryway door to leave a shot rang out.

Vergil screamed " Evelyn, you shot me ."

Immediately, Evelyn responded, " No ! I didn't ."

Yes, you shot me. Why ! Never mind why ? Call an ambulance or at least drive me to the Emergency room.

Vergil, stay where you are while I get dressed. I'm in my slip. I can't, I just won't leave the house like this.

Well hurry ! Please !

Before she had turned the light on Evelyn had her story. She had mistaken Vergil for a burglar . if Virgil had turned the lights on, she would have identified him , she would not have shot him. if he hadn't been slipping around in the dark trying to slip out of the house to meet another woman ,she would never have shot him. Evelyn had to make the incident someone's fault other than her.

When she was dressed with her heels and makeup perfect she told Vergil to get in the car. She was ready to take him to the Emergency room. First, they stopped at a neighbor's house and asked them to call the sheriff. When asked what happened, Vergil said, " Evelyn shot me." When asked, Evelyn said " I shot my husband."

She and Vergil continued to the Emergency room. They did not go to the closest ER for reasons known only to them.They traveled to the next town where Vergil was left at the emergency room entrance. Her excuse for not staying with her husband was, she had to hurry home. The sheriff would have some questions. She said, in the chaos, she had forgotten the children. They were still at home asleep.

Evelyn called Vergil's mother and coldly said, "Virgil has been shot. I shot him in the gut. If you want to see him alive, come as fast as you can to the community medical center. Having said what she wanted Evelyn dropped the pay phone. She got in her car and left.

Evelyn returned to the scene. She stopped at her brother's house to tell him what she had done. She told her mother, " I shot my husband, aren't you proud of me ? The mother gave her answer with an aluminum walking stick across Evelyn's mouth. " Sit down and shut up. We have to minimize the damage you've done.

Evelyn started crying " please don't let them take me to jail." No one in

The. The family wanted her in jail. But,Evelyn had committed a serious crime.if the family failed to convince the sheriff or the deputies that Evelyn fired in self defense. The odds were that Evelyn was going to jail.

The sheriff and deputies had heard Evelyn's story of mistaken identity and how she accidentally shot Vergil. From the facial expressions it was doubtful that they believed Evelyn. The family had to close ranks around her; Evelyn was one of their own.

Her. Brother's spoke in whispers as he told the sheriff of physical abuse Evelyn had endured for eighteen years. He spoke of eighteen years of emotional abuse and Vergil's frequent infidelity. Then he said, Evelyn wasn't responsible for her actions. " Evelyn has a problem with self medication.

Evelyn was goose stepping, and still cackling " I shot my husband." The sheriff placed her in the back seat of his patrol car. He closed the door and continued talking to the family. As the interviews ended a deputy came around the car. Sheriff, I found a child, possibly two years old hiding in the closet. My sister was released into the custody of our grandmother.

The sheriff promised my uncle and the family that he would do everything, legally, in his power to avoid placing Evelyn in jail but his options were limited. With every twist and turn, this incident gets nastier and nastier. Frankly, it depends on whether Vergil dies or not.

With a few late night, early morning calls Evelyn was placed in the county hospital under guard. The following morning she was transported to the state psychiatric hospital. The uncertainty looming over her. Would she face a murder charge ?

Vergil's family were united and pressing for murder or attempted murder. By Vergil's bedside was the " cousin " he was sneaking out to be with. Vergil said Evelyn accidentally shot him. He should have turned a light on.