Sam's dog, Duchess

Frank and Sandy's cats:

Wolf

Tiger

 
Panther
 

 
Meet the residents of Venice, Maine who live their lives in the pages of Page Erwin's "Bloodsport at Hiram Bog":

SHERIFF SAM BARROWS - Formerly a detective with the Portland, Maine, PD, Sam (age 40) moved to Galway, a small town on the Maine coast, and married Darla McClellan less than two years ago. He grew up with his mom in Portland, but spent every summer with his aunt in Galway. When Sam was ten, his dad was killed by a drunk driver, an event that led to his interest in law enforcement. He's previously married, no children. Ex-partner and girlfriend is Lieutenant Belle Whittaker, now with the Maine State Police.

DARLA McCLELLAN BARROWS - A good-looking blonde, twenty-five year old woman, born and raised in Galway, who captured Sam's heart when he met her on her dad's fishing boat. A graduate of Bates College, Darla is a counselor at the local high school. She wants children, but hasn't convinced Sam. Because of her training, Darla attempts to understand people and learn why they do things. She often sees motive as a justification of behavior while Sam sees motive as an essential ingredient for prosecution of a criminal.

LT. BELLE WHITTAKER - Tall, dark and intriguing ex partner and former lover of Sam Barrows. Born and raised on Indian Island, Old Town, Maine, now lives in Augusta. Father is a Scot, mother is a Malaseet Native American. Belle likes to control the situation, both on and off the job and is driven both by ambition to succeed in her career and live life to the fullest. When Sam broke up with her prior to marrying Darla, Belle gave him a German Shepherd pup named Duchess, a constant companion and reminder to Sam of what might have been.

FRANK ZUCCHETTI - Moved to Venice, Maine, after retiring from the Air Force where he spent time as an investigator with the Office of Special Investigations (OSI). When the series opens, he and wife Sandy spend their days working their wood lot, tending their animals and organic gardens, and making stoneware pottery. Eventually, however, Frank becomes a deputy sheriff and close friend of Sam Barrows. Frank is originally from California and has lived all over the world.

SANDY ZUCCHETTI - Native of New Hampshire. She and Frank married each other in their late forties and are both previously married. The couple moved to Maine for a peaceful life, living close to nature. Sandy enjoys the changing seasons. In contrast to Sam and Darla, Sandy and Frank live life in a close partnership, but not without an occasional flare-up. She has a strong need to feel that she belongs in the town of Venice, but is seen by the locals as a person "from away." Sandy quilts, hates being falsely accused, and wants to know everything. She and Frank have three cats who are an integral part of their lives. 

CHARACTER INTERVIEWS

Sheila Andrews (SA), a reporter for the Thoreau County Crier, has been asked to do a series about some of the people who make up Bloodsport at Hiram Bog. Here are some excerpts, taken from the tape-recorded interviews:

Interview of Sheriff’s wife, Darla Barrows (DB)

SA: First thanks for your time. Could you tell the readers briefly a little about yourself as wife of the Sheriff.
DB: Well, I graduated from Bates, Masters in Counseling. I’ve only been married about a year. I knew going in that it would be difficult being married to a cop, especially a dedicated one. The hours are so unpredictable. Sam often gets called out in the middle of the night. But I’m a high school guidance counselor, and I have to attend lots of school functions, so sometimes it’s like ships passing in the night. We don’t see enough of each other. (She laughs. She is a very pretty blonde in her mid-twenties.)
SA: Do you have any children?
DB: No, but we’re hoping to start a family.
SA: You mentioned ships. Your dad’s a lobsterfisherman, right?
DB: Captain Jack McClellan, yes.
SA: Do you ever go out with him in his boat?
DB: Sure. I have my pilot’s license and I’m a qualified navigator. I love the sea.
SA: Does your husband share your enthusiasm?
DB: Well, he would if he had time.
SA: Where were you born? Are you a Galway native?
DB: I’ll say. My great grandfather was a sea captain. His house has been turned into a huge B & B on Hill Street.
SA: But your husband is from away, isn’t he?
DB: (A bit of a strain in her voice) If Portland is “from away.” But his favorite aunt lived her whole life in Galway, and we live in her house.
SA: A hypothetical question, if I may. Teen problems plague any small town, including Galway: drugs, teen pregnancy, you name it. Do you and Sam ever discuss any of these issues since you both deal with the teen population?
DB: (Pausing) Well, I try to keep my young clients’ problems at work. Sam’s good about not bringing his department business home. So the answer is, for the most part, no.
SA: That’s a neat trick if you can pull it off. One more question, if you don’t mind. Do you think your husband has done a good job as sheriff and will he run for re-election?
DB: He’s the best sheriff this county has ever had, and running again? You’ll have to ask him.
SA: Thank you so much, Darla.

Sarah Andrews interviews Sandy Zuchetti (SZ), wife of Detective Frank Zuchetti.

SA: Hi, do you mind if I tape this interview?
SZ: Not at all. What is this series about anyway?
SA: I’m interviewing wives of law enforcement as part of a special series my paper’s running.
SZ: OK. Shoot! (She smiles at the significance of her word choice.)
SA: How are you enjoying life in rural Maine?
SZ: Loving it! The winters are a little hard, what with a wood burning stove and all, but the beauty of nature makes up for it.
SA: I read where you two moved here to retire. You’re a former teacher, correct? Is that true?
SZ: We did plan to retire, but this acreage allows us to do organic farming big-time, and we love animals. Guess we got carried away because we have all manner of them. About Frank, well, he planned just to be a potter in retirement, and….
SA: (interrupting) Really! And is he doing any? Potting, I mean?
SZ: Not much. No time. We’ll get back to it though.
SA: You said “we”. Do you work in clay as well?
SZ: Some, especially porcelain. I decorate pots mostly. Frank throws. And I quilt, too. (Points to a quilt.)
SA: Sounds like a very active life. So tell me more about your husband. He was with the OSI in the Army?
SZ: No, the Air Force. And he never planned to be involved with law enforcement in Maine. It just sort of happened. At first, he was just a consultant, but then…well….
SA: How do you like being a detective’s wife?
SZ: I’m not keen on finding a bullet in the truck upholstery, that kind of thing. (She laughs.) There’s a certain amount of danger in being involved with crime fighting. It’s especially true when there are drugs involved. But Frank’s very good at whatever he does, and he’s helping the community, so I try to be supportive.
SA: When the next election rolls around, do you think he’ll consider running against his boss?
SZ: No way! He and Sam are very close.
SA: Your husband is from California, right? Has he experienced any prejudice in this regard? I mean being from away?
SZ: No more that I have, being from New Hampshire. Let’s face it, we’re both from away. Where were you born?
SA: Newburyport, Massachusetts. (They both laugh.)

Sheila interviews Lt. Belle Whittaker (BW), Case Detective, Maine State Police

SA: Hi, may I call you Belle?
BW: As long as I can call you Sheila. What kind of series are you writing, Sheila?
SA: It’s a series about law enforcement officers and their mates, their day-to-day lives, you know.
BW: But I’m not “mated.”
SA: But you must have a significant other.
BW: Why?
SA: I mean, it would be very lonely in your difficult field if you were alone, I would think.
BW: Why?
SA: Have you ever been married?
BW: Why is that relevant?
SA: (shutting off the tape recorder.) Look, Belle. We’re not getting off on the right footing, are we? I apologize. Could we start all over again?
BW: I suppose. Sure! Just don’t ask me about my love life. Okay?
SA: Okay. (Turns recorder back on.) Do you live here in Augusta?
BW: Yes, I have a very short commute to work.
SA: But doesn’t your work take you all over the state?
BW: Sure, sometimes. I’ve even been called to Quebec City and to Montreal.
SA: How did you become interested in law enforcement?
BW: I took criminal justice courses at UMO, and they really captured my imagination.
SA: Your parents are language experts, especially Native American languages. Your mom’s a Malaseet, right? Have you any interest in that field?
BW: I’m very interested in Native American arts, crafts and languages. Actually, they spend their lives investigating, and I spend mine investigating.
SA: Did you grow up on Indian Island?
BW: Yes, mostly, and I loved it. I go back whenever I can.
SA: Do you plan to remain in law enforcement? It’s a dangerous occupation.
BW: I’m well trained and don’t take unnecessary chances.
SA: You sure have a lot of hardware hanging from that belt you’re wearing.
BW: Twenty pounds or so.
SA: Wow! That’s a lot for a woman to lug around.
BW: Not for this woman. Hey, listen, my cell phone’s doin’ a dance here. Excuse me, would you, please?


Sheila Andrews (SA) interviews Sam Barrows (SB).

SA: So, Sheriff Barrows, you’ve been in office as Thoreau County Sheriff now for what, six months?
SB: Seven actually, and you can call me Sam if you like.
SA: Great. How’s it going? I mean as far as crime in the county?
SB: About normal, I’d say, according to past records, if you correct for the increase in population. Of course Lester Moulton’s murder was a set back, along with some of the events surrounding the crime, but otherwise the rates are about the same. Number one crime problem is domestic abuse.
SA: How so?
SB: That’s what we get the most calls on and what consumes most of our man-hours. Then DUIs and DWIs; alcohol and drug-related incidents come after that.
SA: You mention a population increase.
SB: Sure, about a fifteen percent increase over the past few years resulting from the Atlantis National Bank relocating here.
SA: And you’re part of the population increase, too, right?
SB: Guess you could say that. Moved up here permanently from Portland when I got married to Darla McClellan.
SA: That’s when you decided to run for sheriff? Or did you move up here because you knew the sheriff’s position was opening up?
SB: Just all happened at the same time; coincidence if you want to call it that. Darla and I got married just the month before Sheriff Belcher died. I was a lead detective on the Portland PD. We were going to have a weekend commuter type marriage, then the sheriff’s job came open, and I decided to run, and here I am.
SA: Some folks say that you can’t possibly succeed at this job because you’re from away, don’t know the territory. Care to comment?
SB: Love to. Spent nearly every summer up here at my aunt’s house on Church Street all those years I was growing up. Holidays, too, so it’s not exactly the same as being “from away,” although I’m familiar with that mindset. It’s okay. I understand it.
SA: That’s not a problem?
SB: Not a problem.
SA: Just a couple of personal questions. Any kids?
SB: No. Not yet anyway. Got a dog though, a fine German Shepherd named Duchess.
SA: Oh, yes. I understand you bring her to work?
SB: Sure do. You want to meet her? She’s over in the room with Barb Downing, my secretary.
SA: Sure, soon as we finish. We’re nearly done. So, did you get the dog here?
SB: Well, uh…not exactly. She was a gift…from a friend…on the Portland PD.
SA: That wouldn’t be your old partner, would it? The one who’s working for the State Police now. Uh, Lieutenant Whittaker?
SB: Belle Whittaker. Sure. My old partner.
SA: So what are your plans?
SB: Plans? Well, my plan is to be the sheriff of Thoreau County for as long as the people want me.

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