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ROGUES: TALES FROM THE VALLEY Episode 23: Family secret solves exploding house mystery Comment By Lyda Woods DailyTidings.com By Lyda Woods Posted Feb. 23, 2015 at 4:22 PM Updated Feb 23, 2015 at 6:39 PM By Lyda Woods Posted Feb. 23, 2015 at 4:22 PM Updated Feb 23, 2015 at 6:39 PM » RELATED CONTENT • Barely bearing a brother's poetry • Yoga class ends with a bang, not a whimper • Sibling rivalry spices lunch, but affection sweetens it » Social News Episode 23 of the fictionalized adventures of two sisters, Dawn and Sherry, one Ashland-loving, the other Medford-bred, and their adventures across the Rogue Valley. Find prior episodes at www.dailytidings.com. On Valentine’s Day, I took a stroll down Bear Creek, with my true love and best girl, Babycakes, my French bulldog. I sang little made-up songs to her as we walked along the trail, enjoying the rain-washed air, the vivid green grass, thorny blackberry bushes and skeletal oak trees. Blue insisted I take pepper spray, so I had a small canister wedged in my sports bra. Who knows, she warned me; maybe Raymond was squatting in a homeless encampment hidden in the brambles. After I’d escaped Spinner’s cottage, I’d staggered to a coffee shop and called the police. I was dehydrated, disoriented and had a bloody gash on my head, so while the paramedics treated me, an officer took my statement, such as it was. I told them that Raymond and Spinner assaulted me. They found Spinner, barely conscious and blinded by pesticide, in his basement, but Raymond was nowhere to be found. Later, in the hospital, Blue arrived with Josh and Sherry, who seemed almost catatonic. “Where were you? I called and left messages,” I asked Blue. “Dawn, I’m so sorry. My phone got smashed in a stupid accident, and I didn’t know you called. My god, I’m devastated,” Blue had tears in her eyes as she took my hand. “I’m gonna start calling you ‘Tenacious D,’ because you pull yourself out of every nasty situation, Dawn,” Josh kissed my cheek and sat on the bed. “Even so, you’re starting self-defense classes and pepper spray certification if you continue working for me. Do you hear me, Dawn? No more crazy stakeouts.” Blue glared at me. “What did Raymond do to you?” Sherry asked. She stood at the end of the bed, mascara staining her cheeks. “I’m more curious about what you know, Sherry,” said Josh, his cutting tone sharpening the air. “Oh my God, I’m so sorry. He told me that we were dead broke. That he had to do something,” Sherry said. “Do something? What kind of something?” Blue asked. “He didn’t tell me until a few days ago. I threatened to leave him. It was like he was becoming this different person. He’d been letting these guys cook drugs in abandoned houses for a fee. He gave them keys. I can’t believe it,” Sherry wiped her eyes. “You need to talk to the police. Now!” said Blue. “I know.” Sherry blew her nose and started sobbing. “I’ll take you to the station, Sherry, OK?” Josh got up and held out his hand to her. “What’s going to happen to me?” Sherry asked Blue. “I don’t know. They may treat you as an accomplice,” said Blue. “Dawn, I’m so sorry. I tried to warn you.” Sherry got up to leave with Josh. “You didn’t try very hard, though, did you?” I said, a lump of emotion rising in my throat. Do we ever really know each other? Even our longest relationships, like the ones with our parents, reveal only facets. It wasn’t until my father died, when I heard stories from his colleagues and friends, that I discovered other sides of him. I wish I’d known the man who invited medical residents over for dinner to listen to heartbeats. I would have liked that man very much. And now my brother-in-law, whom I’d completely misread, had peeled off his skin and revealed the calculating criminal underneath. I couldn’t help feeling heartbroken and confused about who Sherry was demonstrating herself to be too. I had risked my life for her, but she wouldn’t or couldn’t do the same for me. At least this adventure was pretty much over. I wondered what mystery would knock on my door next, challenging me to sink my bulldog teeth into its tasty secrets. Next week: Launch of Rogues 2.1. By Lyda Woods DailyTidings.com By Lyda Woods Posted Feb. 23, 2015 at 4:22 PM Updated Feb 23, 2015 at 6:39 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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