The Dreams of Ada (16 page)

Discouraged, he replaced the manhole cover. He returned to the car and drove back toward the station. As he did, he had another thought. More than seven months had passed. The body would have decomposed long ago. Perhaps, hidden in the manhole, the body could have lain there till it decomposed, then been flushed through the sewers.

Back at his desk, his excitement rising, he telephoned the sewer department. He explained his theory. He wanted to know where the decomposed remains would have emerged if that had happened.

That could not have happened, he was told. If a body had been shoved down a manhole, it would have blocked the lines, clogged up the system. The water and other effluents would have backed up. The blockage would have shown on the gauges at the sewer department. An inspector would have been sent out to see what the problem was. None of that had occurred.

Disappointed, Smith hung up the phone. He was back to square one yet again with regard to the body. And the preliminary hearing was only weeks away.

Still in solitary confinement at the county jail, Tommy Ward began taking comfort in religion. As a boy he had gone to church often with Tricia and the others; sometimes he had even gone alone. As a young teenager he was still a churchgoer. Then he had fallen away from religion. Now, allowed nothing to read but a Bible, he began to read it regularly, to find in it the strength with which to endure his imprisonment.

He also spent time drawing and writing. Don Wyatt had asked him to set down his account of everything that had happened with regard to the case. The attorney did not know how trustworthy, how useful, the account would be. But he thought it might help. So Tommy wrote. He wrote his account of the questioning by Dennis Smith and Gary Rogers the day he made the taped confession. He continued with his account of what happened next.

I bet the guys that did do it is setting back laughing saying, Look At These Idiots Taking The Blame for something we did. Then they will probly go out and do it again to see if they cant get some more innosent people to take their blame. This is the most stupidst thing that ever happened to me. Wouldnt they rather put away the people that did do it instead of an innosent man. What are they tired of the publick getting down their throughts about it so they get a innicent man and put him away so they can show the public that they are bad or something. What are they tired of looking for who did it so they pick up a innicent man and put him away so they can close the books about it and get the publick off their backs about it.

So getting back to what has happend. The next day the judge came over and ask me if I had anything to say. And I told him that, cant they see that this was a dream and I lied about this. They are getting a uproar over nothing. God knows I didn’t do it and this was just a dream after people comeing up to me saying I look like one of the guys and Mr. Smith questioning me caused me to have a dream about it. So then I came back to my cell. Then Mr. Smith and another officer came over. And I said, Now cant you see that this was a dream. And that I didnt do it. Then Mr. Smith said, if you think this was so much a dream, why is Carol telling the same story. I knew then Mr. Smith told him about my dream. I said, you probly got in his face and told him about my dream. His face turnd red as a beat. Then I said, you probly told him you did this and you did this until you told him about my dream. Cause I know Carol dont know nothing about my dream until you told him. I couldn’t beleve that Carol didnt tell him were he was that night. Then he asked me what kind of guy I thought Carol was. I said, he is prity stupid, to listen to you and you tell him about my dream. Then I said, what did you do. Scair him and said you was going to do something to him if he didnt tell everything you told him to say. Then his face turned red again. Then he ask me if I ever told enyone about my dream. I told him, no. I never told no one about my dream cause it was a dream. I dont go around telling people about my dreams. Unless they are a prity neet dream then I tell someone about it.

Then he ask me how Carol acted when he got drunk or high. I told him Carol always gose to bed. Then he said, he acts like he dont know what’s going on. Then I said, I bet he is a prity crazy guy to tell you everything you told him to say. Then I said I know you scaird him with something or you told him you would do something to him. Then I told him I know that you got in his face and told him about my dream. Cause he didnt know nothing about my dream. Then Mr. Smith’s face got red again. Then he grabbed me and all my buttens came unsnapped then he grabbed my collers and jerked me up and I fell against the wall. Then he said get him back in his sell.

So then Mr. Baskens came over. Mr. Baskens said, Dont you think this girls husbend would like to have a decent berrel. I said, yes but I didn’t do it. Than he said, will you show us were shes at so we can see you innicent and put away Carol and Odell. I said, no I dont now were she is at cause we didnt do it. I also said, for anybody knows she might still be alive somewere. Then the OBI agent said come on now show us were she is at so then I thought that I could show them a place and they would see that it was a dream. So I lied and said she is in this ditch down by Sandy Creek. So then we went over to the police station and got some more officers and we started out their. So then when we got their I started thinking what if I show them the ditch and they see shes not their and shoot me and say I tryed to run from them….

But the OBI agent said now you are going to take us right to were shes at arnt you. I said, no cause she not their cause it was a dream cant you see. Then the OBI agent got mad and brought me back to jail. Then when we got back the OBI agent ask me to come on now show us were she is at and we started going up past the jail then I said, she might be out by the store somewhere or she might be out near Konowa or she might be still alive. Then I said cant you see that this was a dream. I also said I am as innicent as you are cant you see I didnt do it. Then he got mad and Mr Baskens said, Im going to come up to the prison and make dam shure you die. Then I said, if I do go to prison and they do put me to deth they would be putting away a innicent man just for a dream and telling a lie. Then the OBI agent backed up to the jail. And then Mr. Baskens grabed me out. And said get this SOB back were he belongs. Then I said, the people that did this is probly siting back saying look at this stupid eidiout, taking the blame for something we did. Then I said, they will probly go do it again to see if they could put some more innicent people away. So then I went back to my sell.

So then the next day they had lineup and the day I found out that Mr. Smith lied to me about what day it was when I had my dream. Then after line up my lowyer came and talked to me. He ask me if I did it and I told him no. Then he ask me were I was that day I was so confused that I didnt know. Then he said, if I did do it let him now and we would start working on a temperany insanity case. I told him no that I didn’t do it. God knows I didnt do it then he ask me why did I say I did it on film. That was the stupidest thing I ever did say. So then he said you and Robert fixed the pipes. I was still confused. And that is why I was confused cause Mr. Smith lieing to me about what day I had my dream so then I came back to my sell.

Before I came back my lower said he would come back tomarow to see me. So I came back to my sell and when I got back it hit me. It seemed like the lord told my what I did that day as soon as one of the trusties said it was Saturday April the 28 when she came up missing. I was trying to think back what I did that Wensday. Then I rememberd what all I did that day. And I was excited and I ask to see my lawyer. But the jailer said that he had already left. So then the next day I was excited to see my lawyer so I could tell him what I did but he didnt come. So then I went to quart and that night Mr Smith and a nother officer came over and said, if you still think this is so much of a dream how come we found a peice of her jawbon down their in the birnt down house. Then I said, I didn’t do it. Then he said, you and Odell and Carol cut her up and we found your gass kan down their were you pored gass on her and birnt her. Then I thought Carol must have told him that. Then I said no that I didn’t have nothing to do with it. Then he said, you stood their and watched Odell cut her up and put her in a hole in the flor. So I lied and said, yes that Odell cut her up and I pored gass on her and we ran. Then I said I dont know what Im saying this was just a dream and it wasnt in my dream. So then I came back to my sell. Then when I came back I heard word that they found peice of her jawbone down in the birnt down house, I about died. I ask the lord is this some kind of a sign for them to find out where she was at so they could find out who did it. I ask the lord did he have me to dream this dream and this lie so they could find out who did it. Then something hit me and I knew it wasnt a jawbone. And I was right it was a jawbone of a animel.

So then the next day I went back to quart and the judge told me what I was charged with then he ask me if I had anything to say and I told hem I cant see how come they cant see that this was only a dream. So then I came back and Mr Smith came and got me and took me over to the station for finger printing. Then when I got over there Mr Baskens was takeing my prients and he said, we looked prety funny out their digging around that birnt down house when a man and a dog come walking up and said that the house had been birnt down for a long time. I about laught. But I said, now cant you see that this was a dream. Then he told me to shut up that to talk about something else if I had anything to say….

Then he took me back to a sell and I heard a voice say what are you in here for. I told him that I was in here for a dream. Then he said, that when they take you to prison and hook up that hose to your arm and then they shoot a neddle in the hose and it tubes down the hose and it gose in your blood streem and you die slow. Then I told him that it wasnt going to happen to me. Cause I am going to prove my innicence. Then I told him if it dose happen that they would be killing a innicent man for having a dream. Then he ask me what Odell looked like I told him that the guy in my dream had long black hair with black framed glases and a earring in his ear. Then he said did he have any tatoos. I told him no not in my dream he didnt. I new it was Odell but I didnt tell him that I knew who it was. Then I said, I get down on my nees every night and ask the lord to forgive me for bearing false witnesses. Then I told him that the reason why I told them about my dream they said I flunked the test and that I knew something. And I told then that I didn’t have nothing to do with it. But they cep on at me so I remembered about my dream. Then I said lord please forgive me and get me out of this mess so they can find out who did this. Then Mr Smith came back and got me and then he had a cuple offesers to bring me back.

Then I came back and sit around and I was just getting ready to eat when the jaler came and got me and said, someone’s hear to see you. Every time they come back to get me I would think they seen that it was a dream and let me out. Then I went up and it was Mr. Smith he told me that some of my finger prients was messed up. So then he took me back over to the station and he told me Carol was getting priented. And then he took me back to a sell then after a little bit a officer came back with Carol and put him in a sell next to me. When he was coming back he cept on telling the officer that I told you I was lying to you. So then he put him in the sell and left.

I ask Carol what he said. He said, I lied to them. I said about what. He said, I lied to them about Me Odell and Tommy doing it. Then I ask him why he lied for. He said, I lied to them cause they cept on at me about Me Odell and Tommy doing it. So I told them everything Mr. Smith told me to say. I ask him why did he tell them that in the first place for. He said, I was afraid that if I didnt tell them what thall wanted me to say that they would beat me up. Cause every time I would say something Mr. Smith was telling me And if I started to say something different that he would jump onto me and say no that you didnt do that you did this. Then he said I was afraid that they was going to beet me up or something. I ask him why didnt he tell them what he did that day. He said, I couldnt remember. Then he said, my God it’s been a long time since she come up missing….

Then I told him…don’t talk to them anymore. If you got something to say tell it to your lawyer. He said, OK. Then he laughted and said, Tommy said that I was screwing a dead corps. I laughted and said, the reason why I said it was for them to see my statement was a lie. So Carol said, Tommy. I said, what. He said, I thought you was Odell. I said, no it’s me. Then I said do you want to die for somebody elses doings. He said, no. Then I said, well then keep your mouth shut. And I don’t know why you didnt denigh it in the first place then this wouldnt be happening. Cause they would have seen that it was just a dream I had…Then Carol said, I made that D.A. mad when I told him I didnt care if they put me to death over something I didnt do. He said, he got mad and stamped out of the room. I said why did you say that for he said to piss them off. I said I get down on my nees that the lord sees me you and Odell though and forgive me for bearing false witnesses. Then he said, I couldn’t pick out Odell’s picture and it was making them mad. I told him the reazen why you couldnt pick out Odell’s picture cause you dont know him…

I ask Mr. Smith whitch one of the guys am I supose to look like. Then he said both. Then they brought me and Carol over here. I ask Carol if he was saved. He said, he was wanting to be. So then I ask the jailer if he would give Carol a Bible. He said he would. Then I wrote some scriptures for him to look up. And on it I put May the lord be with you. And tell the Gods truth. Then I put Stand tall and remember what happened that day. Then I gave them to the jailer. Then is when they found out Odell’s inicence. The jailer Mr Scott told me. I told him that we were all innicent. See they found Odell innicent and they should see Carol’s innicent and I am innicent. So cant they see that this is a uprore over nothing. Then the jailer said well see. But I cant let you out till they tell me to. I just knew that they was going to let us out. And seen that it was a dream and a lie I told them. So then the jailer came back and got me. I just knew that they was going to let me out. Then when I was walking up the hall, I could see Mr. Baskens and another officer and Mr Baskins had a sack in his hand smilling from ear to ear. And I knew that they seen I was innicent and he had my close in the sack and was going to let me out. Then we walked into the side room. Then I new something was going on. Then Mr Baskens said, suposen what I got here in this sack. I told him I don’t know. Then he opend it and pulled out part of a scull…