Mortal Danger

fireworks, and then appalled when he broke into her home and told her he intended to have sex with her.
    She could never have imagined such a thing. And that, perhaps, was the death of her.
     
    Because Luis Berrios was so close to his eighteenth birthday, the Snohomish County Juvenile Court declined jurisdiction over him, and he was tried instead as an adult on charges of first-degree murder, first-degree rape, first-degree kidnapping, first-degree theft, and taking and riding in a motor vehicle without the owner’s permission. The Snohomish County Prosecutor’s Office wanted to be sure that even if he were found innocent on one charge, he would face a legal obstacle course with no easy exits.
    That turned out to be unnecessary: He was found guilty of all five charges. If he ever gets out of prison, he will undoubtedly be older than Traia was when he killed her.
    Tragically, Traia Carr—who would be close to ninety years old now—no longer had to worry about how shewould earn a living if her income from the tavern sale ended, or about the arthritis that caused her pain. But she could have dealt with that. When she died so horribly, the saddest thing of all was that she wouldn’t have the happy years ahead that she visualized. She’d been given a second chance when her lover came back to her, and they should have had several decades to enjoy a “September Song” kind of romance. Very few people are lucky enough to find that. Traia Carr was one of those lucky people.
    But it was all taken away from her when she unlocked her door for someone she trusted.
     
    We all forget to be cautious now and then. But it’s wise to remember that strangers aren’t the only people who might do us harm. I think most of us are smart enough to refuse to open our doors and our lives to them. If a stranger comes knocking on your door asking to come in to use the phone because there’s been an accident, it’s easy enough to tell him you will call—and let the police sort it out when they arrive.
    But if it’s someone you don’t know all that well, and if the visit comes unexpectedly, late at night, or if your sixth sense gives you a silent alarm signal, don’t open the door. Sometimes those you think you know turn out to be more treacherous than you ever imagined.
    Women living alone should be doubly cautious.

Photographic Insert
    MORTAL DANGER

    Dr. John Branden’s intelligence, education, and charisma impressed Mannatech executives, and they quickly hired him as a spokesman. But problems with his overweening ego soon surfaced.

Dr. John Branden and his daughters, Heather ( left ) and Tamara ( right ). He adored his girls and worried about what would happen to them if the world became too dangerous—either from natural disaster or invasion.
He asked Kate—and then Turi—to provide a safe place for them.

Kate Jewell was thrilled to graduate from American Airlines’ Stewardess Training classes at the age of twenty-one. She longed for travel and adventure, but she found more of both than she had bargained for, and she lived with a bleak terror she could never have foreseen.

Dr. John Branden and Kate Jewell celebrate her birthday by going to Disneyland. She was thrilled when he declared his love for her, believing that she had found the perfect man.

Kate Jewell and John Branden, attending an American Airlines party. Kate was a longtime flight attendant for AA. She soon learned that John watched her constantly at parties, jealous and furious if she talked to any other men.

John and Kate, ready for a costume party. John enjoyed being in disguise, but the gun in his holster was real. He could be charming and witty, and they made new friends in Oregon. Kate, however, dreaded the violent scenes that often followed parties.

When Dr. John Branden was sued by a patient, he closed his office and disguised himself as a “hippie.” With his long hair and a beard, his own brother-in-law failed to recognize him. He was pleased.

The charming cottage Kate and John rented in Gold Beach, Oregon. They had a view of the Pacific Ocean, almost-tame wildlife in their yard, and, at first, a sense of serenity. They’d left John’s troubles behind in San Diego.

Kate and John in coastal Oregon, caught in fierce winds. They hiked often and climbed Cape Sebastian with the ocean roaring far below. On one ascent, Kate fell ill and found herself all alone. She wondered why John had left her there.

Doris and Bill Turner, and John Branden