asking for help; Susan wanted justice, even as she realized that might be all she would ever get. She had exhausted almost every avenue of help she considered. She had prayed, sought counseling, tried to go along with Josh’s rules, tried to be a good mother no matter what blockades he put up in her way, and then prayed again.
Even her own parents and sisters had no idea how bad things were for Susan. If they had, they would have stepped in and, somehow, done their best to get her and the boys safely away from Josh.
And then, in the late fall of 2009, it seemed that things were getting better in Susan’s situation. Josh had a new job—this time as a temp doing books and computer work for a trucking firm. He was called to work for them now and again, and he could do many of his computer tasks at home. His new employer apparently liked his performance, so much so that he was hired as a full-time employee.
“We were pleased and relieved,” Chuck recalls. “Christmas was coming, they both had jobs, and it looked as though it might be all right after all.”
Susan wasn’t so optimistic. Although she made preparations for Christmas, she still marked April 6, 2010, in her mental calendar. Her closest friends were forewarned of her anxiety. Josh had had myriad jobs before, jobs that gave her hope—but he always ended up being fired. And his behavior toward her hadn’t improved all that much. She would stay five more months. It seemed to her that it would be a miracle if her husband actually changed, and she hoped for that, but she was fully prepared to leave him in April if she had to.
* * *
December 6, 2009, was a Sunday, a bitterly cold day in the Salt Lake City area, with icy, windblown rain and half a foot of snow piling up on the ground. The minimum temperature was 10 degrees. It wouldn’t get any higher than 25 degrees. In the desert areas of Utah, the wind roared across the plains and whistled down the thousands of mine shafts there. It was not a day when anyone would choose to go out into the weather—not unless they had to.
When Susan’s friend JoVonna Owings dropped in, she invited her to stay for a late brunch, and Josh seemed okay with that. In fact, he seemed more convivial than usual. Although he never cooked, he announced that he would make pancakes for them. He made a big deal of how he served the hotcakes, designating each stack to a particular person. He carefully set Susan’s plate in front of her.
It turned out to be a pleasant meal, although Susan began to feel ill and very tired soon after. At about five, her stomach was upset and she vomited, apologizing to her friend as she explained that she had to lie down for a while. JoVonna told her not to worry about it and left. Josh said he was going to take the boys—Charlie, four, and Braden, two—out sledding for a while.
One of their neighbors saw Josh’s blue Chrysler minivan pull back into his driveway between eight and eight thirty. As most of those living on their street did in deference to the cold, Josh pulled his vehicle into the garage.
That night was uneventful as families went to bed; most of the parents had to start the workweek in the morning.
One neighbor, however, was awake into the early morning hours. She was sick with something like the flu and she was too uncomfortable to sleep.
At about 2 A.M., the woman heard someone arguing loudly outside. She listened because it sounded serious, but she didn’t know what to do. A man was yelling, “Get in the car! Get in the car!”
Then she heard a woman shouting, “No! No! You’re going to hurt me if I do!”
Apparently the woman had finally gotten into the car, but within a minute, the neighbor woman heard the vehicle come to a brake-screeching stop.
Then the argument and shouting began again.
“Get back in the car, right now,” the man ordered.
Evidently, the woman did what he said because the argument stopped. The witness peeked through her window and saw a
Even her own parents and sisters had no idea how bad things were for Susan. If they had, they would have stepped in and, somehow, done their best to get her and the boys safely away from Josh.
And then, in the late fall of 2009, it seemed that things were getting better in Susan’s situation. Josh had a new job—this time as a temp doing books and computer work for a trucking firm. He was called to work for them now and again, and he could do many of his computer tasks at home. His new employer apparently liked his performance, so much so that he was hired as a full-time employee.
“We were pleased and relieved,” Chuck recalls. “Christmas was coming, they both had jobs, and it looked as though it might be all right after all.”
Susan wasn’t so optimistic. Although she made preparations for Christmas, she still marked April 6, 2010, in her mental calendar. Her closest friends were forewarned of her anxiety. Josh had had myriad jobs before, jobs that gave her hope—but he always ended up being fired. And his behavior toward her hadn’t improved all that much. She would stay five more months. It seemed to her that it would be a miracle if her husband actually changed, and she hoped for that, but she was fully prepared to leave him in April if she had to.
* * *
December 6, 2009, was a Sunday, a bitterly cold day in the Salt Lake City area, with icy, windblown rain and half a foot of snow piling up on the ground. The minimum temperature was 10 degrees. It wouldn’t get any higher than 25 degrees. In the desert areas of Utah, the wind roared across the plains and whistled down the thousands of mine shafts there. It was not a day when anyone would choose to go out into the weather—not unless they had to.
When Susan’s friend JoVonna Owings dropped in, she invited her to stay for a late brunch, and Josh seemed okay with that. In fact, he seemed more convivial than usual. Although he never cooked, he announced that he would make pancakes for them. He made a big deal of how he served the hotcakes, designating each stack to a particular person. He carefully set Susan’s plate in front of her.
It turned out to be a pleasant meal, although Susan began to feel ill and very tired soon after. At about five, her stomach was upset and she vomited, apologizing to her friend as she explained that she had to lie down for a while. JoVonna told her not to worry about it and left. Josh said he was going to take the boys—Charlie, four, and Braden, two—out sledding for a while.
One of their neighbors saw Josh’s blue Chrysler minivan pull back into his driveway between eight and eight thirty. As most of those living on their street did in deference to the cold, Josh pulled his vehicle into the garage.
That night was uneventful as families went to bed; most of the parents had to start the workweek in the morning.
One neighbor, however, was awake into the early morning hours. She was sick with something like the flu and she was too uncomfortable to sleep.
At about 2 A.M., the woman heard someone arguing loudly outside. She listened because it sounded serious, but she didn’t know what to do. A man was yelling, “Get in the car! Get in the car!”
Then she heard a woman shouting, “No! No! You’re going to hurt me if I do!”
Apparently the woman had finally gotten into the car, but within a minute, the neighbor woman heard the vehicle come to a brake-screeching stop.
Then the argument and shouting began again.
“Get back in the car, right now,” the man ordered.
Evidently, the woman did what he said because the argument stopped. The witness peeked through her window and saw a
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