Part I-Chapter 12: THE SECRET DESIRES OF JARED BARTHOLOMEW

Chapter 12

The Secret Desires of Jared Bartholomew
(Ó 2007)

Early October 1995
Kenilworth, Illinois

Just miles north of the heart of Chicago, along the shore of Lake Michigan, is located the city of Kenilworth. If you drive through Kenilworth by means of Sheridan Road, you will see the estates of some of the wealthiest families in America. Many tourists, and out own visitors are astounded when they take the drive on Sheridan Road to see these beautiful mansions, and the magnificence of the rest of Kenilworth with its tree lined roads with vintage brick homes.

Along Sheridan Road, you will find the estate of Mitchell Bartholomew, an American icon, success story, and self-made multi millionaire.

Mitchell Bartholomew came from humble beginnings, growing up in his hometown of Waukegan Illinois. When Mitchell was ten years old, he saw some documentaries of other famous American families such as the Ford’s in Detroit, and how they built their vast empires. All of this infatuated Mitchell. Not because of the contributions, that these entrepreneurs gave to their fellow Americans, but of their affluence and all that came with it.

At the youthful age of ten, Mitchell Bartholomew decided that the one thing he wanted more than anything was to be stupendously wealthy. So he began to apply himself, to do well in school, to study and learn all that there was to economics and business.  

He also studied the history of all the famous American capitalists, and while he was still in high school, he made a discovery. That being that the old adage, “It’s not what you know, but WHO you know” is, unfortunately, so accurate. Young Mitchell then started to scrutinize the Society Columns in the two major newspapers. He made it one of his many priorities of knowing just who is who. Because Mitchell now, through the course of all his research, found that not only did he wanted to be extremely rich, he wanted everything that came with it. The contacts, recognition, prestige, authority, influence, and yes, above all, the power.

Mitchell’s knowledge from the Society Pages paid off greatly one evening early in his senior year of high school. He was attending the opening football game of his high school. His schools team was visiting a rival school in the affluent community of Lake Forest. Mitchell recognized Miss Laura Hathaway. Laura was not the material that cheerleaders and homecoming queens were made of. She was a plain looking girl, thin, with straight light brown hair to the middle of her back, eyeglasses and a slight overbite.

However, that was of no concern to Mitchell. What mattered to him was who Laura’s father is, Allan Hathaway.

Allan Hathaway owned twenty automobile dealerships in the Chicago and North Shore area. It was said that there was not a type of car made that Allan was not selling. You could get from any of his dealerships, cars ranging from Volkswagens, Toyotas, Fords and Chevrolets; to Mercedes Benz, BMW‘s, even Bentley’s and Rolls Royce. He even sold the Yugo during their short period of popularity.

Allan Hathaway was also extremely well connected, in not only business and finance, but politically as well. He was a high-ranking member of the Democratic Party in the state of Illinois.

That evening of the football game, Mitchell maneuvered his was to Laura and began a conversation with her. Laura, who was not use to having boys pay attention to her, especially boys as handsome and charming as Mitchell, was immediately infatuated with him. Before the “chance encounter” ended, Laura found herself saying “yes” to Mitchell, and was going to be experiencing her first date ever.

Soon afterwards, Mitchell was starting to frequent Laura’s home and becoming a fixture among the family. Allan Hathaway was skeptical of the young man at first, because Mr. Hathaway was a realist. He loved his daughter dearly; however, he knew that she was no Miss America. Over time though, Mr. Hathaway’s skepticism of young Mitchell subsided, and began to trust his intentions.

Laura had given Mitchell a few pet names such as “Mitchy”, “Mitchy-poo”, and “sweetums”. However, her friends also had their own pet name for Mitchell, “Eddie Haskell”. After the sly and deceiving young man from the old sitcom, “Leave It to Beaver” whose reruns they would watch on television.

Laura’s friends would always tell her of their suspicions about Mitchell, even telling her of the several occasions when he cheated on her. She though would not allow herself hear any of it. She would get angry with them and tell them, “I know what you’re all thinking, that a girl that looks like me just doesn’t have what it takes to have a guy that looks like Mitchy. Why are you so jealous? Why can’t you be happy for me?”

While at dinner one night at the Hathaway home, Mitchell met a close associate of Mr. Hathaway. Joel Berg was in charge of all the advertisement that had to do with the Hathaway dealerships, and Mitchell was giving him his undivided attention. It was this meeting that Mitchell decided what he wanted to do in life, advertising and the media. After all, Mitchell thought to himself, if those moronic car commercials can help Mr. Hathaway obtain his wealth, imagine how someone with a great creative streak could do with anything.

During the spring of his senior year, Mitchell discovered how well he had become at manipulation. While again at the Hathaway home, the discussion of his future came up between him and Laura’s parents. He told them of his straight “A” grades and of his 3.97 Grade Point Average. He could get into any college; however, he would have loved it if Northwestern University in nearby Evanston had scholarships. He considered Northwestern the equivalent of any of the Ivy League colleges. He also told them how it would be able to keep him close to Laura, who was going into the family business right after high school. He also feared that it might be too late to apply for entrance to Northwestern.

The following week, Mitchell found himself the recipient of a special “Hathaway Foundation Scholarship” to Northwestern University, and that Mr. Hathaway called in some favors and had Mitchell’s “application” accepted.

Mitchell used his time a Northwestern to get himself more connected, and his grades there were excellent. He also made time for many of his trysts that were completely unknown to Laura and her family. Mitchell learned the fine art of deception, concealment, and secrecy.

After his graduation, with honors, from Northwestern, Mitchell and Laura were married in a stylish ceremony, with a mammoth reception at the Four Seasons Hotel in Chicago. Almost six hundred guests, most of the high society of the Chicago area was there. Mitchell knew everyone of them from his years of research of the society pages. It all came in helpful when he made it his business to meet and converse with all of them.

Soon after his marriage, Mitchell then began to use all of his new contacts, and of course, the financial help from his father in law, to start his advertising and media company. He founded MB Media, and in a few years, he turned it into one of the prominent companies in America. He soon found himself on the pages of all the major business periodicals and newspapers. He expanded from not only advertising and media, but also entertainment by purchasing syndicated radio and television stations. He obtained the wealth and lifestyle that he had always dreamed.

However, to Mitchell, it just was not enough. Nothing ever seemed enough for him once he achieved whatever he set out to do. No, what Mitchell Bartholomew wanted now was to make his name synonymous with that of the other established families of America. He wanted to make his family part of what is referred to as “American Royalty”. He wanted the Bartholomew name to be on the same prestigious list as the Rockefeller’s, Vanderbilt’s, Roosevelt’s and Kennedy’s.

The one thing he needed to achieve that was children. Therefore, he, as he would explain to his mistresses, “did what he had to do” and got Laura pregnant. The result of that pregnancy was his son, Jared. However, there was another result that became a disappointment to Mitchell. It turned out that Laura was not strong enough for childbearing. She had to be in bed for the last four months of her pregnancy. During labor with Jared, she ruptured her uterus, and she could no longer bear children.

Yes, Mitchell was greatly disappointed, however as Jared grew he noticed something about him. Jared was not just a handsome boy; in fact, you could say he was a beautiful boy. Moreover, as he grew older, he grew more beautiful. His black hair and blue eyes stood out. With that, Mitchell now saw opportunity with tragedy, and began his greatest media campaign, the publicity of his son.

In adolescence Jared had been blessed with a perfect complexion, his face never knew a blemish. In addition, perfect straight white teeth. Soon Jared started being seen throughout America on television during interviews with his father. When he entered his teenage years, he started to appear on the magazines that are targeted for young girls.

Mitchell made sure that his son was always dressed in the best designer clothing. He made him take up tennis and golf which young Jared became quite good at.

Jared made the society pages always; he was being shown on entertainment news programs going to one event after another. When he started dating, it was always with some new young starlet or daughter of a powerful politician or business executive.

Jared followed his father’s footsteps and attended Northwestern University, majoring in Marketing and Finance. He was being groomed to take over the Bartholomew empire. After graduating from college, he indeed began working with his father at MB Media and was taking charge.

He was now being seen on all the famous celebrity publications. He was always on the “TOP TEN ELEGIBLE BACHELOR” lists in all the women’s magazines.

However, there was something about Jared Bartholomew that the public was completely unaware of. Yes, Jared Bartholomew could, at the snap of his fingers, have his choice of any movie starlet or super model around. However, Jared Bartholomew had a compulsion, a deep-seated and powerful obsession. Jared Bartholomew preferred to be in the company of young boys.

His secret was discovered though by one man, his father, when Jared was twenty. Apparently, Jared forgot to secure his “special footlocker” in his walk-in closet. There Mitchell discovered photos of naked boys from the ages of eight to twelve. There was also some child pornography in the forms of videotapes and magazines. In addition, to add to his discovery, there were books and news magazines from organizations dedicated to the practice and belief in “Man/Boy Love”.

Mitchell confronted his son privately, but in an angry tirade. He held in his hands some of the magazines and pictures that Jared kept locked away. He threatened his son with everything from expulsion and exile, to immediate poverty. However, to his astonishment, Jared observed his father’s tirade with some calm and even boredom. When Mitchell realized this, he immediately became composed. Mitchell soon made another discovery, and learned from another old proverb, “the apple does not fall far from the tree”.

Mitchell had discovered that his son had inherited his shrewdness. Jared calmly said to his father, “You’re not going to do a fucking thing to me dad, so you can forget threatening me with anymore of your shit. Don’t think that I have never known what your ambitions have always been. You use people like toilet paper and wipe your ass with them everyday.”

“Don’t you talk to me like that you - - -”

“Dad.” His son said with unusual calm while holding up his index finger, “Shut the fuck up, and listen.” Jared stared at his father and smiled sardonically, “You even used mom to get where you are, so don’t give me any of your moral bullshit. You’re even using me now to get to this certain plateau that you crave. And to surprise you, I want all that shit too. Therefore, I’m going to find me some bitch that wants all that too, all she has to do is have the fucking rug rats. I’ll find one easy, there thousands of them out there.”

“You think so huh?”

“You’re fucking ‘A’ right I think so. Hell, I KNOW so.” Jared said. “I’ll find some bitch that’s just like you and me, she gets this lifestyle and all the material bullshit that comes with it, and gives you the heirs you want. She gets what she wants, you get what you want, and I keep what I want.”

“Do you really believe that you can make me go along with this?” Mitchell asked.

The smile grew more sardonic, “You’re the one who’d better fucking believe it. When it comes to the ‘family plan’ that you have? You need me more than I need you. Hell, one thing that you taught me, with our money? I can get whatever I want, and get whatever I need done.”

Jared then stepped to his father and took his property out of his hands, “I believe those belong to me thank you.” He then replaced them neatly back in his footlocker. “I’d appreciate it if you stayed out of my things and respect my privacy.”

“I guess you have one over on me then.”

“I got more than one. I can’t help what I am dear old dad, meaning all of this.” Jared said as he locked the footlocker. “But, everything else I am? I got from you.”

From that day forward, Mitchell and his son had made a “business arrangement“, to keep his son’s secret. When he would be ready, they both would find a woman whose main ambition was to live their lifestyle and give it to her. All she would have to do is bear Mitchell the heirs for the dynasty he sought. He would even help in covering up when things went awry. Jared would take trips out of the country where he could satisfy his compulsion. He would travel to Bangkok, Amsterdam, South America, and even to the Ukraine where he could easily find the young boys, and the people who could supply them, to fulfill his desires.

Jared’s greed for his compulsion was also feeding into his growing arrogance, he believed that he deserved the freedom to do as he wished, and society is to be damned with their outdated morality. Nevertheless, until then, he kept all things secret.

He founded the “Bartholomew Youth Project”, which was supposed to assist the most underprivileged children in the northern Illinois area. It was designed to have a place for underprivileged youth to learn the fine arts, music, and free tutoring in their educations. He said in an interview that he wanted to help these youth find ways to get themselves out of poverty through their minds. That athletics was not their only way out of hardship.

However, Jared was also secretly using it scout out the most vulnerable of young boys. Those who have single parent home, preferably a single mother. The boys were to be the most destitute, the most powerless, but also, the most beautiful. He would seek them out and then personally “take them under his wing”.

This is how it continued. To help keep everything clandestine, Jared and his father would keep the façade going. Jared would always continue to be seen in the company of the most beautiful young starlets, the top super models, and even some older women once in awhile. He would be seen in the company of the most influential business people, and powerful politicians, even being invited to black tie events at the White House. 

Keeping Jared Bartholomew’s unheard of life secret was proving to be easy for him and his father considering the combination of their wealth, increasing power, and even further increasing influence. That is until, unbeknownst to them both, someone else had learned of Jared’s secret.

* * *

It was that time of the year where there always seemed to be this unseen battle between summer and autumn. October in Chicago can find you either wearing an overcoat one day, then short sleeves the next. Sometimes this could happen to you on the same day. Overcoat in the morning, needing short sleeves by afternoon, and vice versa.

This night, Jared Bartholomew, now twenty-five years of age, found himself enjoying what may turn out to be one of the last warm autumn evenings for the rest of the year. He was standing alone on the concrete and marble patio that overlooked his family spacious backyard. It was now just dark, and he was taking in the view of Lake Michigan, watching the boats on the water as they and their captains were taking advantage of the warm evening.

Jared was deep in his own narcissistic thoughts. He believed that he had the world, “by the balls”, how his celebrity status was power. The public saw him through his media manipulation, that he could do no wrong. To the “lemmings” as he referred to them, he had the status of sainthood. 

He would be alone tonight at the estate, just as he planned. His parents were at one of the many “social events of the year” where all of the who’s who in Chicago, simply had to attend and be seen. Jared informed his father to inform everyone there that he had the stomach flu, or any other excuse they would buy. 

To insure that he would be alone, he gave the entire staff the evening off on him, as he had done many times in the past. They were to be “rewarded for all their hard labor”, so he arranged transportation to one of the five star restaurants downtown, plus an evening at the Lancelot Night Club, all at his expense. They could even take their spouses or significant others. “Order what you want and all you want, damn the expense, don’t worry about it, and just have fun.” He told them all.

However, this was just a cunning ruse by Jared, to ensure that he had the estate all to himself for the next few hours. He would need the grounds as well as the guesthouse. Because the “Ice Cream Man” was coming tonight, with a “special treat” just for him.

The staff had all left a little over two hours ago at six o’clock. During that time, Jared had prepared himself with a nice hot bath, and a good clean shave. He dressed himself in his black silk trousers along with a cream-colored silk shirt. It was warm enough this evening to wear sandals, so he did. He fixed himself a snifter of brandy and walked out to the backyard patio. He took a sip from the snifter then looked at his wristwatch, it was 8:15 in the evening, and the “Ice Cream Man” would be there in about forty-five minutes.

He then stepped to the end of the patio. A five-step stairway led onto the perfectly manicured lawn. The backyard was surrounded by tall spruce trees that were almost thirty feet tall that helped to insure the family‘s privacy. They were just at the beginnings of the color changes for autumn. The eastern end of the backyard though was open for the view of the lake. Jared had now walked just over halfway the distance of the backyard, to enjoy the evening view even more. The half moon was just beginning to come over the horizon.

Jared stood there, deep in his thoughts, deep in his anticipation of his “treat” that evening. How powerful he felt, how untouchable. He loved this time he always had to himself, just contemplating himself, and his status in the world. There was only one thing wrong tonight.

Jared was not alone. - - -
 

- - - They were everything that that the elders had taught to him about these people.
 

These people.

He remembered the elders telling him, “Yes, part of you comes from ‘these people’, but your heart comes from ours. Our heart is your heart, and that is what will keep you as one of us.”

These people. 

The elders taught him that ‘these people’ only see as far as their hands can reach. They do not see what is beyond them, or around them. They never have learned how to watch. They never distinguish the slight changes around them, or even acknowledge what they may have set eyes on before. He saw how this was true during the whole time he watched this target, this man. He would pass him in the street, even in the hallways of some buildings, and he would never notice him. He even would even be in the same room with him sometimes, and he was never recognized.

‘These people’, he was taught, never learn to listen to what is around them, to what seemed different. If it was different, they made an excuse for it. Some of the creaking he caused while outside the targets large home, they would blame the age of the house, or the wind.

He remembered asking the elders, “Why don’t they learn to watch or listen?”

The elders told him, “Because, they hold on to tightly, all that makes them fat.”

He now watched the man, his target, standing on the lawn, the man he has watched, followed, and studied now for seven months. He stood and continued to watch him from the tree line behind the right of the target. He has seen him do this before, he was there the last time he “rewarded the staff”. He watched as the other man came, and left the boy there with him. 

He watched as he was with the boy, and saw for himself what he does with them. He watched what he did to other boys. Boys that he did not have specially delivered to him by the other man, the other target. Whom, if all goes as he anticipates, will finally be observed by him within the hour. He would now see what the next target looks like. He knew that the other target was on his way here at this very moment.

Tonight it will all come to an end. Tonight he must carry out his neutralization of this particular objective. He knew he now had less than one-half an hour, when the target had walked out to the middle of the back lawn, just as he expected he would. He now stepped out from the tree line. Stepping slowly, silently, and undetected, just as he was trained to do. 

He positioned himself now behind the target, staying in his blind spot, maneuvering himself to stay in the targets blind spot, as the target would move his head. The meticulously manicured lawn made it easier for him to remain silent. Within minutes, he was standing right behind him.

He now stood just eighteen inches behind the target, breathing shallowly through his mouth; he began to position his hands for the attack. His left hand up, palm out, level with the back of the targets head. His right hand, level with his left, palm facing left.

He would commence the attack at the count of three in his mind.

One ----- two ----- THREE - - -

 

- - - Jared was suddenly jolted out of his train of thoughts when he was seized by his head. He dropped the snifter of brandy to the lawn. One hand was clamped around his jaw, nose and mouth. The other was pushing the back of his head into this hand. He tried to move, but instantly discovered that any resistance put an extremely uncomfortable strain on his neck. He felt that any movement on his part would easily snap his neck. His breathing passages were totally blocked. Whomever it was who had a hold of him had great strength, and let him know it in subtle ways.

His attacker now positioned the hand that was over his mouth so that the middle finger was going into his left eye. He now felt his attacker draw his body close to his, and his face was now just behind his left ear.

As he struggled as best he could, Jared then heard the soft voice of his attacker whisper in his ear, “Do not resist me.” Jared continued to struggle, but the voice repeated coolly and serenely, “Do not resist.”

Jared ceased all movement, he felt as if his head were in a vice. The voice was more quiet than quiet, as if the man behind him had no vocal chords. Jared felt as if he was the only person who could hear this voice. The voice seemed as if it could only be heard a couple of inches away. It was the overall calm tone though in this voice that seemed the most frightening to Jared.

“I’m going to let you breath now,” the whisper said, “make any sound, show any resistance, and I’ll snap your neck like a pencil. Do you understand?”

Jared nodded ‘yes’ as best as he could, and the attackers fingers moved away from his nostrils. Jared drew his breath hard through them.

“Go to your knees,” the voiced whispered to him, “I’ll help you down.”

Jared slowly went to his knees then, his breathing was hitching through his nostrils due to his fright.

“Now, lie down on your stomach and chest,” the voice said, “again, I’ll help you.”

Jared then was slowly lowered to the lawn with his abdomen and chest flush to the ground. He felt the man now position himself to a sitting position on his lower back with his chest flush with his back and his knees to his sides. His face still behind his left ear.

“Now, move your arms out to your sides, like the wings on an airplane, place your palms upwards.” The voice calmly demanded. Jared obeyed the command and placed his arms exactly as he was instructed.

The attacker stayed silent for a few seconds, and then whispered into Jared’s ear, “I’m going to remove my hand from your mouth now. Do not make a sound. Do not turn your head. Keep your forehead to the ground. Do you understand?”

Jared nodded ‘yes’. With that, the attacker removed his hand, however, his other hand remained on the back of Jared’s head, and his face moved to his right ear. Jared could not see the man’s face, but could still feel his enormous strength.

Jared then asked quietly, “Do you want money man? I have plenty in the house.” The attacker remained silent. All Jared could hear was the calm rhythm of his breathing. “Really, let me go, I give you plenty, then you can leave. OK?”

Still, all Jared heard was the breathing, the attacker did not speak.

After a few more silent seconds, Jared asked in frustration, “C’mon man. What’s this all about?”

“You have no idea why I’m here, do you?” The man whispered.

“No. No I don’t.”

The man the drew his lips closer to Jared’s ear, and Jared listened in shock as his own words were repeated to him through the whispering voice, “My, how beautiful you are. My God. There’s not a hair on you.” It was the words Jared would say to the boys, he would say it to them, as he would remove their clothing. “My, my sweetheart, do you know how really beautiful you are? I’m going to show you honey.”

Jared froze, his bowels began to tighten up, but it was what was said to him next that truly frightened him. “Go ahead. Tell them anything you want. You little piece of shit. Who the hell do you think you are? Do you know who I am? You? You’re nothing, and your mama? She’s an illegal wetback.” He was hearing word for word what he told Tave Ramirez, a twelve year old Mexican boy, some three months ago, when he had threatened Jared that he would go to the police, because he didn’t want to do what he was doing with Jared anymore. Jared had seduced him three times. “You and your mama? I’ll have you sent back to Mexico fucking fast. I’ll have you both sent to Juarez, and I know some people there. What I do with you? There will be a hundred guys a night doing that to your mama. Besides, who are you? You think anyone would believe you? I’m Jared Bartholomew; people believe what I make them believe.”

Jared now sensed some anger in the man’s whispering voice, even though his tone remained so calm. He felt the hand that was on the back of head applying more pressure and his face was being pushed into the lawn. Jared now felt the mans’ other hand now between his shoulder blades, and it began to slowly go down his spine.

The attacker’s whisper continued. “And, really, even if they believe you and start an investigation? I can drag this whole thing out for years. Do you know what my lawyers are like? Do you know what I will do to you? Your picture will be mysteriously leaked to the tabloids. I can leave the country and live anywhere. You? I’ll make sure that every kid in your school, every kid in your life knows that you are the kid who let himself be butt fucked.” The attacker then placed his lips closer to Jared’s ear and whispered harder, “BUTT FUCKED.”

The attacker repeated Jared’s threat to Tave word for word. Jared realized that meant the man was there when he said those things to the boy. Jared’s fear now overcame him, it got the best of him, and he urinated in his slacks. Silence came once again, and Jared felt the man ease off on his grip and pull his face back from him. The man’s hand was now somewhat caressing Jared’s spine.

“OK man,” Jared said, “Really, c’mon now what’ll take? You want money to keep quiet right? We always keep a half million in cash in the house. It’s yours man. You looking to be paid more? We can arrange that. Please man, just let me go, and the cash is yours.”

Silence. Not a word spoken. The only sound was that of a delicate breeze through the trees, and the distant sound of the waves from the lake.

“What do you want man?” Jared asked quietly. “Just tell me. What do you want? How much? I’ll pay it.”

 

Still silence.

Then Jared felt his hand massaging his spine gently. “Oh, is that it? You want to fuck me or something? You want to fuck me then pay you? What the fuck do you want from me?”

Then the man whispered, “I want you to lie perfectly still. Don‘t move a muscle. Don‘t turn around.” Jared then felt the man release his grip and stand up. Jared began to shiver from fear. It was again completely silent, but he could sense the man standing beside him. A few seconds past, they seemed to drag into minutes, but Jared did as he was told. He stay perfectly still, he could smell the aroma from the grass and feel it as it slightly cut into his face. 

Jared then spoke, “Listen, there’ got to be - - -”

Jared then felt a striking blow to the middle of his back right on his spine and he heard a sickening cracking sound. He felt an enormous pain shoot through his extremities and he drew in a breath to scream from the pain. Before he could though, his attackers’ hands clamped down over his mouth and his scream was muffled in his powerful hands. Then, the pain subsided somewhat. The pain left his legs and arms, but remained in his back.

“Be quiet now,” the mans voice whispered the command into Jared’s ear calmly, “be quiet now and take the pain. Take the pain.”

Jared’s muffled screams subsided, and his attacker gently replaced his face to the lawn. When Jared calmed down somewhat, the attacker placed Jared’s forehead firmly to the ground and released the grip from his head. However, he straddled himself over Jared again, and placed his lips to Jared’s ear.

“Here’s what I want from you.” He said, now in the same calm, quiet, slow, but commanding whisper. “Always remember why this happened to you. Always tell the truth on everything that you have done. If you do not do this, I will return to you, and I will make this worse, I promise you. I’ll be watching you, always. Do you understand? I will be watching you always.”

Jared then felt as his attacker got off him. He sensed that he had moved directly behind him. He felt that he was standing behind him, just staring down at him. Jared was too frightened to move, and in too much pain to speak, he could not if he tried.

Silence came again … and remained.

 

PART I-Chapter 11: WORSE THAN DEAD

Chapter 11

Worse Than Dead
(Ó 2007)

July 1995

Cook County Hospital - Chicago Illinois

They could never go to the court, so the court had to come to them. At 10:00 AM in the morning, Judge Owen Bridges sat at his makeshift bench in the same room where the two defendants, Raul Ortega and William Freeman had in the past six weeks not only recovering from their injuries, but also confessed to their crimes and pled guilty to them.

 

Today, Judge Bridges was going to bring it all to an end for them, and their victims. Today he was going to hand down them their formal sentence. He was a serious, rugged looking middle-aged man. Silver haired and hazel eyes. If it were not for the black robe, you could swear he would be on the sidelines coaching a high school football game.   

In the room with him was, once again, Ms. Scarpelli, along with David and Noel. She told them both that she hardly recognized them in their suits and ties. There was also a bailiff present. David looked to the two broken men, still in their Halo braces and Roto beds. He told the prosecutor, the bailiff, and his partner that it all felt more like a wake than a sentencing.

Leon Robbins however was not present. He was out of town on a personal “sabbatical”. Instead, there was an attorney from the Cook County Public Defenders Office, who was now acting as counsel for the two defendants.   

Seven floors below, in the same large room where before Leon Robbins had his news conference to announce his then intentions as counsel for the two serial rapists, every victim of Raul and Billy, and their families were gathered. Therein the room was set up a large television screen for them to witness the sentencing of their attackers via closed circuit broadcast. Obviously, they all could not be upstairs to watch the proceedings in person. After all, this was only a temporary courtroom; it will be a hospital always.

 

The large television screen was showing split screen live images. The left side showed the two incapacitated men, the right showed the makeshift judicial bench where Judge Bridges sat. The known sixteen victims had their eyes riveted to the left side of the screen. They were joined in the room with all of the other new alleged victims from Joliet, Rockford, Michigan, Indiana, and Wisconsin. Their eyes also fixated to the screen, studying the men who brutally attacked them, humiliated them, and devastated their lives.

The trials for these other crimes committed were now pending, following the sentencing of this morning. 

The tables were turned now. Each woman, each girl, remembering the details of their attacks, remembering how both of the men that they were all now looking at, enjoyed themselves as the raped them. Remembering their smiling faces, their laughter, their sick jokes, and their pleasure. Each victim now, as they looked at the men in their halo braces and special beds, each victim now suppressing the pleasure they themselves now felt. Keeping secret the joy they had as they stared at the two men on the television screen.

Suddenly, the lights of the room were dimmed, so all present could witness the proceedings better. Silence fell over the room and soon the voice of the bailiff came over the speakers.

“All rise, Hear ye all. The off sight Circuit Court of Cook County is now in session, Judge Owen Bridges residing.”

“Let’s forget about any formalities here bailiff, and just proceed with the business at hand.” Judge Bridges said. “Please be seated. For all of you in the conference room downstairs. These proceeding are also being videotaped for the record. We are here under extraordinary circumstances, but this still is considered a court of law, and all respects as such will be shown. Upon the reading of my sentences, I must also ask all of you to remember that this is still a hospital, with patients who are ill. Please render all courtesies as such. Please, no outbursts of any type.”

There was a silence for a few minutes. Anticipation was thick in the air of the conference room. All that was heard now over the speakers was the rustling of documents and the whispers between the Judge and the others in the makeshift courtroom.

Then Judge Bridges began to speak, “I have gone over all aspects of this case. I have read all police reports. I have seen all the evidence, all the photographs of the victims, and have read their accounts if their attacks. I have also viewed all videotaped testimony from the two defendants. Council for the defense? Have you or your clients have anything to add before I pass sentence?”

The Public Defender stood and quietly answered, “No your honor.”

“Your clients then are not going to change their plea of guilty to the charges against them?”

“No your honor.”

“Then their plea shall remain guilty, on all counts of first degree sexual assault, first degree sexual assault against a minor, kidnapping, assault, and battery?”

“That is affirmative your honor.”

“Do your clients wish to address the court in any way?”

“No your honor, they do not.”

“Thank you then counselor, you may be seated.” Judge Bridges said and then turned to Ms. Scarpelli. “Does the Prosecution have anything it wishes to add before sentence is past?”

Ms. Scarpelli stood and said, “We have nothing to add your honor.”

“Thank you then, you too may be seated.”

There was a silence again, more sounds of whispers and rustling of documents. Everyone in the conference room still glared at the televised image two men in their beds. Raul had his eyes closed tight, and Billy just stared to the ceiling. A file folder then was placed in front of Judge Bridges. He opened it, looked over the contents, and then folded his hands on top of it. He then looked up to the two defendants and began to speak.

“Never, in my thirty years of practicing law, twelve of them here on this bench, never, have I seen two more despicable human beings such as I do right now. I have often thought over these years that I have seen and presided over the worst incidences that human beings can do to one another, then the both of you came along.

“I remember when I first went into the Marine Corps, my Drill Instructor during my basic training, Sergeant Hobbs. I thought he was the meanest most heartless man on earth. However, as I progressed he earned my respect. I back then thought afterwards that he was just one tough battle hardened gung-ho Marine, and that nothing could get to him.”

Judge Bridges paused for a few seconds, and then continued.

“If I had read any of your victims’ testimonies to Sergeant Hobbs today, it would make him break down and cry. What you both have confessed to doing over these past few years? Well, the only word I can think of that can truly describe it, - - - is evil.

“It is a shame that, and I’m not condoning the actions of the citizen who put you in the condition that you both are in now, nobody must take the law into their own hands. However, as I was saying, it is a shame that it took something like that, to make you both see how enormously evil you both are.

“And, after going over all aspects of your crimes, I find that I cannot muster from myself any sympathy for your circumstances right now. Your last victim? She is only fifteen years of age, her whole life really just at the beginning, and she is one of three of your victims that are minors, she just happens to be the youngest.

“The vile things that you have done to these women and girls. Not only have you violated them, but their families and loved ones as well. There will not be a day in their lives that will go by without the memory of the pure malevolent and sinful things that you both have done to all of them. I feel that no matter what sentence I hand down to you both today, that it will never be enough to erase the evil that you have done. Not only to your victims, but also the evil of the fear that you both have inflicted to the women and families of our community over the past three plus years.

“It has also come to the attention of this court, that other similar charges from not only other municipalities in the state of Illinois, but other states as well are at this moment pending against the both of you.

“Therefore, I shall now render my sentence to you both. For those of you in the conference room downstairs, I once again remind you and ask that you to render all courtesies to this hospital, no loud outbursts please.”

Judge Bridges then cleared his throat and began to read his sentence, “Raul Juan Ortega and William Robert Freeman. You have both pled guilty to thirteen counts of first-degree sexual assault, three counts of first-degree sexual assault to a minor, sixteen counts of kidnapping, sixteen counts of assault, and sixteen counts of battery. I hereby sentence you both to two hundred years imprisonment each, without the possibility of parole, at the Illinois State Penitentiary in Joliet Illinois. Upon your physicians’ approval, you will be transported from this hospital to the infirmary located at the State Penitentiary, where you will remain for the natural length of your lives. May God have mercy on you, and someday, however it may come, may your victims find it in themselves to forgive you also. This court is now adjourned.”

There was the sound of the Judges gavel striking, followed by a collective gasp from all in the conference room, then the sound of muffled cheers and crying. The television screen showed the judge standing from his makeshift bench and exiting the room. The screen then went black.

There was now a collective restrained joy among the crowd in the conference room, all of the victims where hugging their family members and loved ones. They then began hugging and congratulating each other. They all were careful to follow the judges’ request, and all remained calm in the hospital.

Meanwhile, back upstairs Judge Bridges stood out in the hallway with Ms. Scarpelli, the bailiff, David and Noel. They were shaking hands with the Judge, thanking him for his sentence, and congratulating each other on the outcome and the end to the ordeal. The Public Defender came out, shook hands with everyone also, and soon was on his way back to his office, and his huge stack of case files.

Judge Bridges offered him a ride back, and both men then left together. Ms. Scarpelli remained with David and Noel. She asked, “So, what do you guys do now?”

Noel answered, “We gotta look for the ‘Dark Man’ now.”

“And it’s gonna be harder finding him,” David added, “than them.” He said pointing his thumb back to the room where Raul and Billy were in.

“Got any leads on that?” She asked.

“Zip, nada, nothing, and zero.” David said.

“Well, all I can say to you then is good luck with your search.” She said. “Shall we all go now and face our friends in the media?”

“Yeah,” Noel said, “Let’s get that out of the way.”

“I’ll be down in a couple of minutes,” David said, “I have something I have to do real quick.”

“OK Bud,” Noel said, “but don’t be to long, I can’t be alone with those guys.”

“Just a couple minutes, I’ll be right down.”

 

Noel then left and escorted Ms. Scarpelli to the elevator. David watched as they waited for a few seconds, and then step into the elevator. The doors closed, and they were both then on their way downstairs.

David then stepped back into the room where Raul and Billy were. He stepped up right to the foot of their beds, and stood there between them. David could not help but think of how right he was in what he had told them before. They were now both going to be placed in a drab colored cement room, where they would do nothing but stare up at the ceiling, day in day out. Week in, week out. Year in, year out.

“So, - - - officer.” Raul said aided by the rhythm of his ventilator, “Have you - - - come back - - - to gloat?”

“No, no I haven’t come back to gloat Mr. Ortega,” David said.

“Then, - - - what did you - - - come back for - - - then?”

“Well, Mr. Ortega, I guess I really came back here to say good-bye.”

“Say good-bye?” Billy asked.

“Yes, I know it may sound strange,” David said, “ but, my wife you see, she listens to all that psycho babble they have on the Oprah Show, things like ‘self-esteem’ and such. So, she tells me that I need, what’s the new psychobabble fad now? Oh, yes, the word is ‘closure’.” David now stepped to the sides of their Roto beds, where he could be right up close to their faces, “And let’s face it, you two have been an active part of my life for a few years now, I guess I’m just here for my personal closure.”

There was a pause, David first looked at Billy. Billy turned his eyes then to look back to David. David then looked to Raul, he was already staring back to David, and there was an expression of contempt in his eyes. He looked as though he wanted to tear the ventilator tube from his throat, jump up, and attack David. However, David felt some humor in this.

“I just want you two to know,” David said, “that your, quote unquote capture? The way you both were finally stopped? Well, my partner and I had nothing to do with it.” He then stepped to the top of their beds where they could not see him. “You two had us completely baffled, we had no idea who you were or how to find you. You two were just all over the map. How this all ended? It was complete dumb luck, a total fluke, and that’s the problem I’m having with all.”

“What do you mean?” Billy asked.

“What I mean Mr. Freeman is that I’m like, stuck between two emotions. On the one hand, I am happy that this is all over, happy that you both been caught, happy you both been stopped.” David now stepped back to the center of both beds with his back to them. “On the other hand, I feel a great disappointment, because it wasn’t me that caught you both.” He then turned and faced them again. “Somebody else did that. Somebody else just handed the both of you to us. And what‘s ironic about the whole thing, is that my partner and I now have been given the task of looking for the guy who did this to you.” David then smiled and added, “You two both should have stuck with just selling drugs.”

He again remained silent for a moment, then stepped back to the foot of their beds, looked back and forth to them both, “I can say this though with a clear conscience, I’m like the judge there. What this guy did to the both of you? I too can’t find one fiber of my being that has any sympathy for you.”

There again was a brief pause of silence.

“So,” Raul then said, “I guess - - - you could say - - - that we both - - - are as good as dead - - - now - - - right?”

“No, - - - no Mr. Ortega,” David said and then made his way back to the doorway, “I wouldn’t say that you both are good as dead now.” He then stood right at the doorway turned back to them and said, “I would say that you both are worse than dead. Good bye and good riddance to you both.” He then stepped away swiftly from the doorway and made his way to the elevator.

Once in the elevator car, he felt a weight lift from him. It was over now, except for the media circus downstairs. However, he felt his own “dark side” come over him. What he had spoke of before, concerning the victims and their families. He thought of the two of them, lying in those beds, slowly going insane just from the boredom. It was a fate worse than a life sentence, also a fate worse than the death penalty. Lying there, their hours will seem like days, their minutes like hours. He thought of how it would be like for them, waking up sitting in their own urine and excrement, smelling it and waiting for someone to clean them up. Someone who will take their time getting there, just as he told them. 

A simple itch on the nose will be torture.

The opening of the elevator doors brought David out of his thoughts. It was a good thing, because he realized that he was starting to enjoy what he was thinking. He quickly poured some light onto his dark side, composed himself, then made his way to the outside of the hospital, where all the local media were conducting their interviews and broadcasts. There was a podium set up with the microphones from all the local news radio and television outlets. Each microphone had the logo from whichever radio or television station it was affiliated with.

At the moment, Ms. Scarpelli was answering questions being thrown to her. All affiliates were broadcasting live to the entire Chicagoland area, and there were other stations from the quad state area broadcasting and recording.

Soon both David and Noel stepped to the microphones. Noel spoke first, “I’m just very happy that this whole ordeal is now over. My heart goes out to the victims and their families. I hope that they all feel vindicated with the sentence, and that they now can put their lives back together, and move on.”

David then stepped to the microphones, “I too, have the same sentiments as my partner here. My thoughts are with the victims and their loved ones. From what I have seen and heard, they are happy with the sentence, and I would like to thank Judge Bridges for giving the victims and their families the justice that they deserve.”

Just then, one of the reporters yelled out, “Sergeant Todd! Any word on the citizen who attacked the two rapists? Any leads on him?”

“We have statements of two witnesses who may have seen something. Sergeant Jaworski and I have been assigned to that matter. Let me then take this opportunity to repeat the request from the Mayor to this, I guess vigilante as you have referred to him. If he is listening or watching right now, please think about your actions and turn yourself in. You will be treated with the utmost courtesy and fairness. As the Mayor stated, as well as Judge Bridges a short time ago, no one has the right to take the law into their own hands. Thanks guys, thanks ladies, but we all really have to go now.”

With that, David turned and briskly left the podium with Noel. In a few moments, they both were far enough away from the crowd for Noel to ask, “We have the statements from two witnesses?”

“Sure do.” David answered.

“What two witnesses?”

“Stephanie Morris and Raul Ortega.” - - -

 

- - - He then turned off the small radio that was on his desk. He listened to the live broadcast of the verdict on the Chicago News Radio Station. In front of him was this mornings Chicago Sun-Times and Chicago Tribune. Both papers showed the pictures of both Sergeants David Todd and Noel Jaworski. Now he knew the voices that went with the faces.

He knew they had no leads on him. In fact, from his own personal experience, he felt the utmost confidence that they had no idea where to start looking for him.

The two witnesses? He knew the tricks, he knew the code terms to the media. The only two witnesses were the girl, and the second man he neutralized.

This was all good. For now, he could go forward with his next mission. His strategy for that was still being thought out and put together. There was someone else now. Someone who must be neutralized. Someone extremely despicable doing extremely abominable things. Someone he had under surveillance. Moreover, during this surveillance, there was another discovery. 

He now felt at ease to continue, to continue to watch, to continue to plan. However, with this target, it would not be easy. However, there was never a mission from the past that was. 

Soon.

Soon he will carry out his strategy. Nevertheless, as he had been taught, there must be patience.

There must be patience. 

For it all to be successful there must be patience. His patience always was always his best asset; it saved his life many times, and the lives of others before.

Just some more time, that’s all. Then the mission will be executed.

Part I-Chapter 10: THE DARK SIDE OF GOOD PEOPLE

Chapter 10

The Dark Side of Good People
(Ó 2007)

Later that day in the early evening hours, David and Noel found themselves standing at the entryway door of the tri-level building where Stephanie Morris and her family resided. Accompanying them at their last minute request was Officer Emelda Rosario. She was dressed in her civilian clothing. She was at home at the time when Noel had phoned her earlier. He and David had to see Stephanie and thought it would be best if Emelda joined them to help make easier what may be a sensitive matter. When informed of the situation, she was more than happy to assist them.

Noel had pressed the buzzer for the Morris residence and within a few seconds, Mrs. Morris’s voice came on the speaker above the button. “Yes? Who is it?”

Noel answered, “Mrs. Morris? It’s Sergeant Jaworski, Chicago Police. I’m with my partner, Sergeant Todd, and Officer Rosario. Is your husband and daughter at home with you? We would like to discuss what happened today concerning your daughters case.”

“Why yes, yes Sergeant, please come right up.” She answered, immediately followed by the buzzing sound of the lock release for the front door. They all entered and made their way upstairs to the second floor. Mrs. Morris opened the door before any of them had the chance to knock. The first thing Noel noticed was how different she looked. The past few times that he saw her, first at the hospital, then afterwards with her husband and Stephanie when she identified Raul and Billy’s photographs. Also during last time when Stephanie came to the hospital and pointed out her attackers in person through special one-way glass that had been set up. For the first time Noel was seeing the more natural Mrs. Morris. She looked relaxed, even happy.

“Please come in and sit down,” she told them, Noel now noticed that even her whole demeanor was the complete opposite of what he had come to know. Just then, Mr. Morris came into the room.

“Hello Officers,” He said to them, Noel noticed the same changes in him also, “how have you all been?”

“Just fine thank you sir,” Noel answered, “is Stephanie here? We would like to tell you all about the interrogation today. Some things came up, and we just need to clear something up.”

“Yes,” Mr. Morris said, Noel couldn’t get over the good mood everyone seemed to be in, “Stepphy! We have company!”

In a moment, Stephanie came into the room. She as well was the complete opposite of what Noel and David had come to know. She was dressed in her jeans with a long sleeved Notre Dame t-shirt. Her face still had her make-up on from going to school; all of her bruises had healed. However, it was her smile. A smile as if she had not a care in the world. If you didn’t know it, you would never have known that she was a victim of a double rape just a month before.

“Hi!” She said cheerfully, when she saw Officer Rosario she became very happy, “Emelda!” she cried and ran to hug her.

“How’ve you been sweetie?” Emelda asked as she hugged back.

“As well as to be expected I guess,” She answered, “just taking it day to day.”

“Please,” Mr. Morris then said, “everyone sit down.”

Soon everyone settled; Stephanie sat on the sofa next to Emelda who kept her arm around the young girls shoulder. Noel began the conversation. “Well, we began interrogation of both suspects today, and we started with your daughters’ case. The good news is that there is not going to be a trial.”

There was a short silent moment as the Morris family looked at each other. “And just how is that good news Sergeant?” Mr. Morris asked in a skeptical tone.

“It’s good news sir because,” Noel said, “they have confessed to everything. Not only to Stephanie’s attack, but to all the others as well.”

There was a collective sigh from Stephanie and her parents.

Noel continued, “It’s good news also because it saves your daughter from the ordeal of testifying at the trial also.”

David then added, “It appears that as soon as we clear up our other cases with these suspects that they are going to plead guilty. All that Stephanie and you both will have to do is show up at the sentencing, and that’s voluntary.”

“Oh,” Mrs. Morris then said assuredly, “we will be there alright. We want to see that.” Then she looked back to Noel and said, “You said that this was the good news Sergeant. By chance is there any bad news?”

David then took over, “Well, I wouldn’t exactly call it bad news.” He said, he paused for a second then continued. “Let me start off by saying that I hope you will all understand that my partner and I? Well, we’ve been placed into a very unique situation.”

“That being?” Mrs. Morris asked, now crossing her arms.

“Being that, well, it’s like this,” David answered, “during the crime that was committed against your daughter, another crime had been committed.”

“And,” Noel intervened, “I don’t know if any of you have seen or heard about this, but, the mayor? Well, he isn’t really thrilled with the idea of vigilantism being done in his town.”

“This brings us to you sweetie.” Emelda said gently to Stephanie.

Stephanie seemed to freeze; she had her hands folded on her lap. She looked to all, she had the expression on her face as if she had just been caught doing something wrong. “M-me?” She answered somewhat quietly.

Noel then leaned to her and said in a gentle tone, “Yes, Stephanie. Do you remember when I interviewed you in the hospital? My last question to you was about which way the ‘Dark Man’ went when he left you. You told me he walked to the left.”

“Y-yes.” She answered timidly.

David then said to her parents, “While interrogating Raul Ortega, the Hispanic man, he informed us, and this took some time because he was speaking while on a ventilator, that after his spine was broken, he was lying down with his face looking to the back of the alley. He tells us that the ‘Dark Man’ walked away by going to the right. He could only see his feet.”

There was a silence that overcame to the room, and all eyes were on Stephanie. She sat there now with Emelda’s arm around her, looking down at her hands. “Am, am I in trouble?” She then asked whispering.

David saw that she was scared, so he decided to switch from the strategy he and Noel were going to use. “No.” He said. “No, Stephanie, you’re not in trouble.” He knew well that she had given false information during an investigation. “We’re just here to clear some things up. I figure that, well let’s face it, you had just gone through a horrific ordeal, and you were still traumatized, and I don’t think anyone could tell their right from their left at that time. Wouldn’t you all agree?”

Noel and Emelda nodded “yes”.

“We just came to advise you all what’s going on, and if we have to, to correct our report on this other investigation if need be.”

“Yes,” Noel then said, “You see, we got kind of volunteered to look into the ‘Dark Man’ part of all of this also. So, we just needed to clear that up.” He was going along with what David was doing.

“So,” David said, “Stephanie, I hate to do this to you, but I need for you to re-think about that night. See if you can remember, did he go to the left, or the right?”

Everyone could tell by the expression on her face, and by the way she was avoiding any eye contact, that she had been caught in her lie. She remained silent for some seconds, fidgeting with her fingers and looking around to everything else but the people in the room. Finally she looked down to her hands again and said, “He,- - - he walked to the right.”

There again was tense silence. Mr. And Mrs. Morris saw David glancing to Noel, and Noel returning his glance. They were expecting one of them to ask Stephanie why she had lied to them, or to start reprimanding her about the law or something of that nature. To their surprise David calmly said, “Well, then that should help us in starting our investigation into this matter. I hope you understand that we had to collaborate what the suspect said to what you witnessed also. Like I said, it’s a unique situation. We have to look for the attacker of your attackers you could say. I hope you can understand. We can now revise our report and take it from there.”

Stephanie then looked relieved as well as her parents did.

David then asked, “And, you still can not give us any description of the ‘Dark Man’ at all? I mean, you never saw his face, right?”

“No. No, I didn’t see his face at all.” She answered shyly. “Really, I swear.”

“Then I suppose this is going to be a short visit.” David said, and then stood up. Noel then stood as well as Emelda. “We will inform you when the two suspects give their plea and when the sentencing will be.”

“Thank you for coming in person.” Mrs. Morris said as she stood up along with her husband. Emelda then stood and Stephanie followed.

Emelda hugged Stephanie one more time and said to her, “Now you take care of yourself sweetie. Everything’s gonna turn out alright.”

“Bye Emelda.” She said, and then she whispered into Emelda’s ear as she hugged her, “I’m sorry for what I did.”

Emelda whispered back, “I know honey, don’t worry, I’ll let them know you are.”

“Thanks.”

Everyone then shook hands and said their goodbyes. Moments later David, Noel, and Emelda were walking down the stairs back to the main entry of the tri-level home. Soon they were back on the sidewalk returning to their car. They remained silent until they reached the car and all three got inside. Noel was going to drive; he put the keys in the ignition and brought the car to life. Emelda sat in the back seat.

Noel then asked, “Well, that was short and sweet. Why did you let it go so quick?”

David answered, “I wasn’t about to start up with her. Come on, she’s gone through enough. It’s not her fault they’re making us look for this guy. Besides, I believe that is about as much help as we are going to get from anyone concerning this.”

“What do you mean?”

David answered solemnly, “My friends, what you just witnessed was the dark side of good people.”

“I understand what you mean David.” Emelda said.

Noel then turned the car onto the street and began to make his way to Emelda’s home, and then back to their office.

“I’ve seen it since it happened to those two scumbags,” David said, “with each of their victims. Each one changed right in front of me when we told them what happened to those guys. And, especially when they came to the hospital. They weren’t there just to identify them; they were there mostly to see for themselves how they are suffering.”

Noel then said, “I seen it too. All of them, they are all like, to put it simply, back to normal.”

“And, I’m gonna tell you now,” David continued, “even if someone saw this guy, nobody is going to help us find him. These women and girls? Do you know why they changed for the better?”

“I know why.” Emelda said.

“I know you do,” David said to her, “because you’re a woman. These ladies are back to normal again, because they have been avenged.”

“Precisely.” Emelda answered in agreement.

“This is what I mean about the dark side of good people.” David said. “Good people have been taught suppress their primal feelings. These women and their families? They would never be satisfied with these guys just going to jail for life. No. Deep down they want more, they want these guys hurt, they want them gang raped in prison, they want them castrated and tortured. However, good people cannot ever show that. But, in this situation? They got what they really wanted, deep inside. They wanted revenge, and somebody gave it to them.” 

“Somebody right out of the blue.” Noel said.

“Yep, and somebody who will never be caught.” David said looking to the others. “Because all the good people around will never help us to find him. Look at Stephanie, she helped him right there that night. She lied right to your face buddy, to help the man that avenged her get away.”

“And she’s only fifteen.” Noel said.

“A fifteen year old girl.” Emelda said. “A fifteen year old girl who was just raped by to jag offs. From a woman’s point of view? I would have done the same thing. Any woman would of.”

“So, what now?” Noel asked.

“Now?” David answered. “Now, we get Emelda back to her home and kids. Then you and I go back to the office, make a small report on what we know about the ‘Dark Man’, which should take about less than an hour, slip it into a file folder, then put the aforementioned folder into the file cabinet.” He then looked right at Noel and finished with, “Then, we go home.”

 

Part I - Chapter 9: A PRIVATE CONVERSATION

Chapter 9

A Private Conversation

(Ó 2007)

 

Early the next morning, David Todd and Noel Jaworski were busy setting up all the video equipment needed for what would turn out to be three days of recording, and listening to, the detailed confessions of both Raul Ortega and William Freeman. However, at that same moment miles away in a diner on Ohio Street in downtown Chicago, two women were having what they at the time believed was a private conversation.

They sat across from one another in a booth, next to the window that looked out onto the street.

Romana Alexiev and Ellyian Krupskya, two women who had emigrated from the former Soviet Union. Both women had come to the United States some three years before seeking a better life after the fall of communism in their former homeland.
 

Both women worked at the same five star hotel located on Michigan Avenue. Ellyian, being from Moscow, adjusted better to the city life of Chicago. She was a beautiful woman, and being that she was fluent in the English language, she worked her way to a position at the reception desk quickly. She was also in line to be a concierge.
 

Romana was from a smaller town known as Grodno, which was near the border of Russia and Poland. She herself was an attractive woman; however, she still lacked the skills of the English language that her friend had mastered. Therefore, for the moment, she worked in the housekeeping department of the hotel.

Romana had a husband, but he was a dissident toward the communist regime and became a victim of the Soviet prison system. After the fall of communism, she tried frantically to locate him but to no avail. He was missing and presumed dead. She now had to face life alone and raise her young son by her presumed deceased husband alone. With that, she immigrated to the United States, with the determination to make a better life for her son, with the faith that if her husband by chance were still alive, he would find them both.

It was Romana’s now ten-year-old son, Nicholas, her only child, which was the topic of their discussion. Romana was very distraught, worried over the welfare and well-being of her son.3
 

The diner was very busy with the morning breakfast crowd. The air was filled with the mumbled sound of hundreds of different conversations from the patrons. However, to insure their privacy, Romana and Ellyian conversed in their native Russian tongue.
 

Tears began to well in Romana’s eyes as she said to her friend, “I do not know what to do, and I get more suspicious every moment. A mother feels these things when her child is being hurt. I am so frightened Ellyian, I am so scared for Nicholas.”
 

“How do you think he is hurting Nicholas?” Ellyian asked.
 

Romana looked to her friend with a frightened expression, her lips quivering, “I think that he is hurting him in the worst way a man can hurt a little boy.” She then looked down to her hands and they were shaking.
 

Ellyian quietly gasped, “Romana! Are you saying that, - - - you think he - - - is?”

“Forcing my son to perform sex with him, yes.”

“Romana that is a very serious accusation. His father owns MB Media, and he is in line to take it over.” 

“That is what makes this so difficult. He is a powerful man, and his father is even more powerful. Me? I am just a maid in a hotel. If I say anything, then the next thing I know, Nicolas and I will be back in Grodno within hours of my speaking out.”

“Do you have any proof Romana?” Ellyian asked, taking her friends hands in hers.

“Nicholas is the only proof I can get. But he doesn’t say anything.” She answered. “Like I told you, a mother, she knows when her child is being hurt. I know he was a happy, beautiful boy before he became involved with that man’s foundation. He now sits in his room, he does not want to go anywhere or play with his friends. He avoids talking to me. And, I know of these things from back in Russia, when the communists were in power, they believed they could get away with anything. And many of them did, the ones who are like this man, who crave little children. They got away with it there. I have seen it.”

Ellyian looked at the heartbreak on the face of her good friend, “What are you going to do Romana? What are you going to do?”

“I do not know. Right now the only thing I can do is to keep him away from that man, that monster.” Romana then began to weep, “You have seen my Nicholas. Ellyian, he is a beautiful boy. That is what everybody says to me when they first see him. They do not say he is handsome, they say he is beautiful. They say I should have photographs of him taken to show to the modeling agencies. I brought him here to have a good life. I did not bring him here to be used for the pleasure of some perverted animal.”

Ellyian stood up from her side of the booth to sit with her friend on the other. She put her arm around her and let her cry on to her shoulder, “It will be alright Romana. I do not know how, but something will come of this, I do not know what. But somehow, it will turn out alright.” She grabbed some of the paper napkins so that she could wipe her tears and clear her nose, “Here, put yourself together, it will turn out right somehow.” - - -

- - - He sat finishing his coffee with his copy of the morning Chicago Sun-Times. He was reading the main story with the headline, “SUSPECTS IN SERIAL RAPES TO CONFESS”. The small sub-heading followed, “Both suspects admit to rape spree, will stay hospitalized for ‘indefinite period’”. In the center of the page was a large photograph of detectives David Todd and Noel Jaworski. He studied the faces of both men for quite a while, and read the reports in the papers a few times.

There was another smaller story that also had his attention, “‘Dark Man’ Who Hospitalized Rape Suspects Still at Large”. There was a sub-heading that read, “Urged to turn self in”.

He was engrossed in the newspaper reports since he woke that morning, with that being the main story on the morning news on both his television and radio. He studied and listened to every word, noting that the only mention of him was of him being referred to as the “Dark Man” and the plea by the authorities to turn himself in that he had nothing to fear from them.

To him that meant that they had no idea who to look for, or any idea or clue to who the person was that had brought to a stop the terrorization of the two rapists.

However, something now distracted him from his newspaper. It was the conversation of the two women in the booth directly behind him. They were speaking in Russian. One woman, her tone worried and frightened, the other woman, trying to comfort and consol her. 

His briefcase was on the seat next to him. He picked it up, placed it in front of him and opened it. He closed his newspaper and placed it neatly inside the case. He then took from it a small pad of notepaper and removed the top sheet, and replaced it back in its proper place. He then closed and locked his briefcase and set in back down on the seat next to him.

His suit jacket was also neatly set on the seat next to the briefcase. He picked it up to retrieve his pen from the inside breast pocket. He then wrote on the piece of note pad paper:

 

 

Father -

MB MEDIA

Son- next in line

Foundation?

　

He folded the piece of paper twice and inserted it into the breast pocket of his shirt. He then reached over to get the check for his breakfast that his waitress had set there a few moments before. He stood, picked up his suit jacket and put it on. He then picked up his briefcase, left a five-dollar bill on the table for the waitress, then stepped over to the cashier to pay his bill.

He never looked over to the two women who sat behind him. He paid his bill then went to the entrance of the diner. Once outside he reached into the other breast pocket of his suit jacket to retrieve his sunglasses. He placed them on; the dark lenses concealed his eyes. He turned to the left and began to walk slowly up the street. He looked through the window of the diner as he passed by and looked briefly at the two women, one still consoling the other.

He walked up to the corner, which was La Salle Street. He stopped to turn right, but he couldn’t cross because of the red light. As he waited, the crowd of pedestrians around him began to grow. In a minute, the light turned green and all began to walk. He disappeared into the morning flow of all the other people on their way to their various jobs.

Part I-Chapter 8: THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER

 

Chapter 8

The Truth of the Matter

(Ó 2007)

Over the next three weeks and one day, both David and Noel labored rigorously building their case against Raul Juan Ortega and William Robert “Billy” Freeman. David and Noel personally visited all known sixteen victims of the two serial rapists, informing them that their assailants may well be in custody. Each victim, as well as their family members, naturally became emotional with the news. The Detectives managed to uncover some old photographs of the two assailants along with mug shots of each man from previous arrests for misdemeanor crimes. As each victim viewed the photographs they broke down uncontrollably and positively identified the men as their rapists.

The sixteen victims had heard from all sources of the news media of the capture of the suspected serial rapists and were curious on what had happened to them. Noel had told them the account of Stephanie Morris, (without revealing her name because she was a minor), and her “dark man” vigilante. David told them of their current medical condition, and then produced photographs of both men in their halo braces. David asked each victim to look at the faces of these photographs also for identification. Although the faces of both suspects were still somewhat bruised and swollen, positive identifications were still made by all.

David noticed a change in the demeanor of all the victims when they learned of the demise of their attackers. He made mental note of it. They changed right before him from the depressed and introverted women that they became after their rapes into, for lack of better a term, to those of being happier and more normal.

When the subject of testifying in court came up, all sixteen victims were willing to do so, all were willing to point out their attackers to a jury, all were willing to take on their attackers attorney, none were intimidated by the fact that Leon Robbins was going to be their rapists defense attorney. In fact, and David observed this also, all women along with their families seemed invigorated and couldn’t wait to take on Leon Robbins and his clients. They were looking forward to it.

So, for twenty two days, Sergeants Todd and Jaworski put together all evidence and testimonies of the sixteen victims. They made a separate file for each woman. Each file contained the particular woman’s description of their attackers along with the horrid details of the ordeal of their rape. Each file also contained the photographs of each victim from the initial physical exam from the emergency rooms. Pictures’ showing bruised faces, arms, legs, abdomens, backs, and thighs, along with the anguished expressions of the victims. 

Each file was placed into it’s own separate file box, which each contained the physical evidence from each attack mostly from the rape kits along with the torn and shredded clothing. David and Noel both had remained in constant communication with all laboratories that were testing the bodily fluids, blood, hairs, skin, and semen samples from all sixteen victims. Checking, double checking and triple checking to make sure that each was a fit to their suspects. With each positive identification, and with each laboratory test coming back with a positive match, the optimistic emotional level and confidence of both David and Noel had reached a new high just as the victims.    

They were also waiting for the new DNA tests for positive matches, those would take some extra time, however when the results of those tests would come back, David and Noel felt that it will just be the nail on the coffins of Raul Ortega and William Freeman.

During those twenty two days also, some startling revelations were discovered about the two low level drug dealer and serial rapists. It turned out that their “hunting ground” may well have expanded beyond the boundaries of the Chicagoland area. After the capture of the two suspected serial rapists, their pictures and old mug shots were of course released to the media. Captain Xiang then began receiving inquiries from other police departments, not only from other cities in the state of Illinois, but from cities and towns in Michigan, Indiana, and Wisconsin, all requesting for information on the two suspects now in custody at Cook County Hospital.

When David and Noel spoke with the inspectors and detectives in charge of those cases, they cooperated fully. All pictures of Raul and Billy were sent to the various police departments, and all victims in those cities also reported that the men in the pictures “looked exactly like them,” meaning their attackers.

The victims of these other towns heard of the fate of their attackers, all were willing to come to Chicago to identify them. It began to look as if Ortega and Freeman may have committed as many as twenty four rapes, and Noel added, “And, just think, there may be more, there could be a bunch out there that never even reported the crime.”

 

Both Raul Ortega and William “Billy” Freeman were now formally charged with sixteen counts of first degree sexual assault in the Chicago and Cook County area alone. However, ’sexual assault” was a term that David Todd detested. “It’s a vile crime that deserves a vile term. It’s rape! R-A-P-E! Are they trying to protect the victim? No! All that’s doing is sugarcoating it, making the violence seem not as bad as it really is, as if we all are not adult enough to take it.”

The other rapes would be handled by the other municipalities. The victims did indeed come to Chicago and positively identified both rapists.

After the charges had been filed, Captain Xiang arranged to have the first interrogation of Ortega and Freeman in the hospital in the room both men were now sharing. It would serve the purpose perfectly. The doctor had cleared them both as now fit for questioning, and there would be the medical staff right outside the door if needed.

Now for the past twenty two days everything seemed to be running like a fine tuned car. Things were falling into place, David and Noel both seemed more relaxed and upbeat. For now the anguish of the past three years was coming to an end. All they had to do now was question the two suspects, present the evidence, show them both how the odds were so stacked against them, and see if they could finally bring this whole thing to a close, maybe even save the taxpayers some money by getting confessions to avoid a costly trial.

They arrived in the room that helped to keep both suspects alive since their attack. With them they brought the sixteen boxes that held the file and evidence of each victim. They stacked them neatly against the wall on the right side of the room. 

Both suspects were in halo braces and were confined to the Roto-Rest bed that Dr. MacDonald had informed them of. As they entered the room they couldn’t help but stare at the two men. The two men, who had been terrorizing the women and girls of the Chicagoland area, and now possibly the quad-state area, for three years, were reduced to nothing but literal talking heads. Totally immobile, totally helpless, and now totally dependent on others for even the slightest basic need, even as minute as scratching an itch on their noses. They were now the absolute opposite of the monsters that they were twenty three days before.

It all started out quiet enough, the only sound being the rhythmic pulse and hissing noise coming from the artificial respirator that was assisting Raul to breath. A large rectangular table was placed at the foot of the Roto-Rest beds. The beds themselves were raised at an angle so that the two suspects could face their interrogators. One chair was placed on their side of the table between the beds. This chair was reserved for Leon Robbins. Four chairs were placed on the opposite side of the table. One each for David, Noel, Captain Xiang, and a representative for the Cook County Prosecutors Office, a petite woman named Loraine Scarpelli. Loraine was personally chosen by the Cook County Prosecutor himself because of her reputation for being a tough prosecutor on tough crimes.

“You always gotta watch out for the short ones,” David said, “they pack the biggest punch. I mean did you ever see those flyweight and bantamweights fight?”

On the center of the table was a large reel to reel tape recorder with two microphones, one pointed at Leon, the other pointed to the interrogators. Ms. Scarpelli turned on the recorder and said into her microphone, “This is Lorraine Scarpelli, Cook County Prosecutors office, with me are Captain Michael Xiang of the Chicago Police Department, Detective Noel Jaworski, Chicago Police Department, and Detective David Todd also of the Chicago Police Department. We are conducting the initial interrogation of Raul Juan Ortega and William Robert Freeman. Both are charged with sixteen counts first degree sexual assault,” David winced when she said that, “sixteen counts kidnapping, and sixteen counts first degree assault and battery. Also present is the suspects attorney, Mr. Leon Robbins.” She added in the place, date and time.

David made the mistake of believing that this first interrogation was going to be quick and easy. However, the first ten minutes of questioning in dealing with attorney Leon Robbins, felt like an eternity. With all the questions that were asked, Leon Robbins would answer with “As the council for my clients, I am advising them to invoke their right under the Fifth Amendment to protect them from incriminating themselves.”, or he would flat out tell his two clients “Don’t answer that!”

In that ten minutes time there were the beginnings of two heated arguments between Ms. Scarpelli and Leon Robbins. David was feeling the frustration also. He sat between Noel and Captain Xiang with him hands covering his face; all three men had legal note pads and pens in front of them with not one note written down. He massaged his face a couple of times. He would look to Captain Xiang and then to Noel, still with his hands on his face while observing Leon’s attempts to turn this whole interrogation into a circus.

Finally, David just could not take it any longer. He calmly stood up, set his pen down on his note pad neatly, then calmly reached over and gently shut off the tape recorder. When he did this, both Ms. Scarpelli and Leon immediately grew silent. “If you both don’t mind,” he said, “I would like to say something. Off the record. Is that OK with you Boss?”

“Fine with me,” Captain Xiang answered, “go right ahead.”

He looked to Ms. Scarpelli who said, “Sure Detective.”, and then sat back in her chair.

He then looked to Leon, “If you insist.” He said curtly.

 

“I do.” David said in a low deep tone, and then he stood up straight and backed away from his chair. He began to pace from left to right with his right hand now massaging the back of his neck. He then stopped where his chair was, placed both hands on the back of it and looked directly to Leon.

“Is this the best you got Leon?” David asked. “Is this the best defense that you have for these two guys? Because I tell ya, it’s pretty pathetic, even by your standards.”

Leon just sat looking up at David, with tight lips shut and his eyes piercing through his “Trotsky” eyeglasses.

“I mean,” David continued, “when you think about it, what are we even doing here?” He eyes went to everyone in the room. “I mean really, what are we doing here?”

No one said anything; they all sensed he was going to make a point.

“So. Leon, what’s it gonna be here, huh?” David said. “You gonna try and use the system to drag this whole thing on for as long as you can? You gonna go to trial, and if that one doesn’t go your way, then the long dragged out appeals process goes on? So that you can keep these guys here in the hospital at least?”

Captain Xiang then asked, “Where are you going with this Detective?”

“Where I’m going is this Boss,” David said in a more stronger tone, “it doesn’t matter what we do or what Leon can do, the truth of the matter is that no matter what, Leon’s two boys over there are screwed.”

Leon then tried to stop David by raising his voice with, “That will be enough Detective!”

David stepped up to the table directly across from Leon, placed his hand on top of it, leaned over and looked Leon straight in his eyes, and said very calmly yet sternly, “This is all off the record counselor, I’ll let you know when it’s enough.” He then stood back up to gather his thoughts. In a few seconds he began to speak again.

“As I was saying,” David started again, “it really doesn’t matter who wins or loses here, us, or Leon and his boys here. It doesn’t matter where they end up, free, or down in Joliet at the state pen. Because, as I said before,” David now began to emphasize his point, “the truth of the matter is that no matter WHAT! These two guys are FUCKED! Right straight UP their asses! For the REST, of their MISERABLE lives!”

Leon raised his voice right back, “Now that will be enough Detective!”

David looked then to Ms. Scarpelli and said calmly, “Sorry for my language.”

“Don’t worry about it,” she said, “please continue.”

David then turned his attention back to Leon. “What are ya gonna do for them Leon, huh? What are you gonna do? You gonna put on one of your court room three ring circuses for them? You hoping to drag this whole thing out hoping that the public will get sick of it? As long as it’s your face in front of that camera again right?”

Leon went back to sitting still with his eyes once again piercing and his lips so tight that they were beginning to turn white.

“Even if by some chance Leon, you were to work your magic on the jury,” David said, and while doing so he moved his hands around wiggling his fingers like a magician, “and you were to get them off, the truth of the matter is, they are fucked.” He looked at the two suspects and noticed tears coming to the eyes of Billy Freeman.

“Yeah Leon,” David began again, “you’ll be the great attorney, you’ll even may run for that public office spot that you covet, but these two guys, well, it doesn’t matter where they may end up, because every morning they both are gonna be waking up to find themselves sitting in their own shit and piss.” David then stepped around to the other side of the table to stand between the two Roto Rest beds, “And it doesn’t matter where you end up. Because once again, the truth of the matter is that someone is going to have to forced to take care of you two, and they’re gonna know who you two are, and they’re the ones who will have to clean you up every morning. That is, when THEY decide when THEY can get around to it.”

David now looked at Billy Freeman, his eyes were welling up with tears and his bottom lip was quivering. David then looked at Noel, and then looked back to Billy to signal Noel to notice the emotion of Billy. He then looked to Raul. Raul looked to the ceiling trying to avoid any eye contact with anyone, but his eyes also showed some signs of tearing.

Leon then spoke, “I’m going to defend them yes, and this little soliloquy that you’re doing will be brought up I assure you.”

“So? So what?” David said. “Didn’t you hear anything I said? It don’t matter Leon! And besides, what do you got, huh? What do you got? You want to see what I got?” He stepped around the table to the neatly stacked boxes, “I have this for beginners. You know what this is? Each box is a separate file, one on each woman or girl that your two boys there beat and raped!”

“Allegedly beat and sexually assaulted!” Leon snapped.

“Whatever you wanna say Leon,” David shot back, “whatever you want to say. Because I got sixteen women here. Sixteen women! And all of them are willing to stand up in court and point at your two buddies over there and tell the world what they did to them.” David then stepped back to the table and once again placed his hands on it to speak to Leon up close, “And ya know what? They’re all looking forward to it. As a matter of fact they’re pumped up for it, they’re psyched. And they don’t give a rat’s ass who the defense attorney is, or what he has to throw at them. They’re pissed, and they can’t wait to see you all.”

Noel then noticed the first sign that Leon was nervous, David sensed it too.

“Now, guess what boys?” David said, “It seems your boys have been quite busy over the years. Seems as if they explored their passions beyond our fair city.” David then looked up to Raul and Billy, “You boys ever been to Kalamazoo? How about St. Joe and Benton Harbor Michigan?”

“Don’t answer that!” Leon shouted to them.

“Gary and Hammond Indiana? Racine Wisconsin? Milwaukee?”

“Don’t answer that!”

“How about Rockford? Aurora? Joliet, all right here in Illinois?”

“DON’T ANSWER THAT!”

David then turned to the others and laughingly asked, “Wouldn’t that be ironic if it was them that Joliet PD is looking for? Right there where the state pen is?”

Leon then looked to Captain Xiang, “I think we should bring this all to a close Captain!”

Captain Xiang then spoke, “What the Detective is saying Mr. Robbins is that ever since your clients arrest we have been getting inquiries from these other police departments, and they are all interested in your clients. Being that we are all interested in catching criminals, we have offered our assistance to the aforementioned departments, and we are cooperating fully with their investigations. The victims in each of these cities have seen photographs of your clients and are now suspects there. You should be hearing from them soon.”

David then added, “And as you know, and I’m no lawyer, but it seems to me that if it turns out that your buddies over there are who everyone else is looking for? Well, they crossed state lines to commit some of those crimes, and I think that means that it’s a felony, on the feds may get involved with this.” David then stepped around to stand between the beds again, “And that means the FBI gets involved to look at those cases. I would want those guys after my ass that’s for sure.”

The room went quiet for a moment, David looking back and forth at Raul and Billy, and then around to Leon.

“Do you really think you can get them off Leon?” He asked. “I mean really, do ya?”

Leon remained silent.

“Because I’ll tell ya,” David said turning to the two suspects, “You two guys? You don’t have a friend in this town. Leon here could tell ya. The articles in the papers, and talk radio? DAMN! You should hear what the populous has to say about the both of you, and your esteemed attorney here.”

David the placed his hands on his sides, “Practically all of them believe that whoever it was that did this to you, is a hero.” David noticed Billy’s eyes bolt toward him, so David stepped over to him, but made sure that Raul could still hear him. “What he did to you two, jeez, it’s worse than prison. No matter where you go. Why hell, this guy? He gave you a life sentence of staring at the ceiling, daytime TV, and endless Cub games. Shit man, the guys on death row got it better than you.” 

David then stepped right between them at their eye level, pointed to their Halo Braces and said, “Those braces attached to your heads? Those are the closest things to a real halo you’re both ever gonna know.”

Leon then spoke calmly, wanting it to come to and end, “That will be enough now detective.”

“You’re right Leon, absolutely right.” David said now stepping back around to his side of the table, and he began to pick up his legal pad and pen, “This will be enough, because the second we turn that recorder back on you’re going to continue with your same bullshit. So I recommend that we just adjourn and go right to the trial.” He then pointed to the stacked boxes, “I’ll just make copies of all the testimonies and reports and send it over to your office Leon, and you can come by anytime to view the evidence. Hell, when all the other stuff comes in I let you come by and look. Nothing will be held back from you, we’ll cooperate fully. What say you Ms. Prosecutor?”

“I say that sounds fine to me,” Ms Scarpelli answered and she stood up to leave, “see you in court Mr. Robbins.”

David then looked again at Leon, “Hell Leon, you can’t even find someone you can sue for them over all of this.” Then he looked over to the men lying in the Roto Rest beds and said serenely, “If I had my way, I wouldn’t send you two to Joliet. No, I would sentence you both to an apartment over on Rush Street with a big bay window, so that the both of you could sit there and watch the good life pass you by all the time.”

Captain Xiang then also stood to leave, “Looks like a long drive over for nothing.”

David then said, “Oh, I wouldn’t say that Boss, in a few minutes we’ll be outside with that nice cool city air hitting us in the face. Maybe we’ll go over to the Billy Goat for a burger and brew. While were there Noel and I can discuss our arrangements for taking our wives to the Blackhawks game this Saturday night.” David then looked to the direction of Raul and Billy and asked out loud, “What are you guys gonna be doing?”

There was another quiet but intense interlude.

Then David said, “Well then, if nobody else has any other questions for these two, I say we leave and get back to some important work.”

Everyone, including Leon, was now all standing getting ready to leave, however Noel remained seated. He then announced, “Hey I have something I’d like to ask the two suspects.”

Everyone’s attention had turned to him. Ms. Scarpelli reached over to turn the tape recorder on, but Noel held his hand up, signaling to stop her.

“That won’t be necessary,” Noel said to her, “this has nothing to do with what they’re charged with. If Leon doesn’t mind that is.”

Leon looked at Noel with a little suspicion, “Your question has nothing to due with the alleged crimes or the charges against them?”

‘No, it doesn’t.”

Leon then raised his head with distrust.

“Really, Leon, it doesn’t. I swear.” Noel said assuring him.

“You’re not going to continue to berate my clients are you?”

“No, I swear it. I’m not. I’ve just been curious about something since all this happened.”

Leon thought it over for a second, then said, “OK, but if you begin insulting them I swear - - -”

Noel held up his hands, “Oh save it Leon. I just want ask you guys one thing that I have been really curious about for three weeks, and I said to myself that when you both are up to it I’m gonna find out.”

David watched his partner, he new he was up to something so he stepped behind him to get the view that he was seeing, the view of both Raul and Billy looking at Noel.

Noel then simply asked, “What did he say to you guys?”

There - - - right there, both Noel and David saw Billy’s facial expression. It was a combination of surprise and fright, his lip began quivering again, only more intense than before.

“What do you mean?” Leon asked.

Noel then informed him, “The fifteen year old girl whom your boys, and to just make you happy Leon, ‘allegedly sexually assaulted’, told me that after he attacked the boys here, he took time enough to kneel down to each one of them and say something to them. The girl didn’t hear what he said; she just said that his voice was soft, deep, and in her words, ‘eerie’.”

 

Tears were now beginning to stream down Billy’s face and his chest was beginning to hitch because he was trying to suppress his urge to cry. Raul had tears in his eyes also and he was trying to avoid any eye contact with anyone in the room.

“Hey Bill,” Noel said, “Can you answer that for me? I’m really curious to know.”

“His jaw is still wired shut.” Leon said.

“That’s OK Bill,” Noel said, “I’ll be able to understand you. If I can figure out my wife’s broken English, I can understand you.”

Billy’s breathing was now hitching more strongly, his breath was making a hissing sound from between his teeth of his open mouth. He then spoke for the first time, his words were obstructed because of his jaw being wired shut, “I can’t get him out of my head.”

All eyes were now on Billy, and Noel asked, “What do you mean by that?”

Billy’s eyes looked at him, they were wide as he said, “It’s like a record being played. Over and over and over again. I hear him. Saying the same thing. I still feel his breath. On my ear as he said it. It won’t stop. Please. Make it stop.”

David stepped back around the table and this time stood right next to Billy. David then asked calmly, with a stern and serious expression as if concerned for his plight, all the while looking at Billy Freeman, “What did he say to you Mr. Freeman? Go on, tell us. What did he say?”

Billy’s wide eyes looked right at David, and with tears now flowing down the sides of his face told David the instructions that came from his attacker. “He told me to always remember why this happened to me. To always admit to what I did. He said that he would always be watching me, and that, - - - that he could make this worse.” He then looked up to the ceiling, “I don’t know how he could make this worse.”

“Well, Mr. Freeman, I have a vivid imagination, I could suggest a hundred ways to make it worse.” David said. “So, what is it that you did that he told you to always admit to?”

“Don’t answer anything he asks!” Leon yelled.

Billy turned his glance once again to David, “Can you get him out of here?”

“Who, Leon? Your attorney?” 

“Yeshhh,” Billy said through his clenched teeth, “I can’t take him anymore either.”

“I’m afraid only you have that power Mr. Freeman.” David said to him. “Are there things that you would like to discuss to us?”

“Yeshhh,” Billy answered.

David turned to Leon, “I’m afraid you just got fired.”

Leon stood there speechless and looking dejected, “I’m going to protest this.”

“Of course you are,” David said, “I wouldn’t expect anything less from you.”

Leon then stepped up to the beds, “Are you sure you want to go in this direction?”

“Shhit man,” Billy said, “jussht go away will ya.” He then looked up to David with a pleading expression, “If I tell you everything, can you get him out of my head? I, - - - I can‘t take it anymore, he won‘t stop saying it over and over and over. Please, - - - make it stop, please.”

“I can’t guarantee you anything Mr. Freeman,” David told him solemnly, “but maybe after you tell us everything we need to know, you’ll be doing that yourself. You know that old saying about confession being good for the soul don‘t you?” He then turned to Raul, “How about you Mr. Ortega? You have things you want to discuss with us also? Blink once for no, twice for yes.”

Raul blinked twice.

“We did it,” Billy said, “we did all of them.”

Leon then stormed out of the room.

David watched as he left. He then raised his hand to Billy, “Hold on there Mr. Freeman, are you willing to confess to us everything on your own free will? Without the presence of an attorney?”

“Yeshh.”

David once again turned to Raul, “And you Mr. Ortega? How about you? Is he in your head too?”

Raul again blinked twice.

“You want to see if maybe we can help you get him out?”

Raul once more blinked twice, as he did, tears came streaming down his face.

“Well then here‘s what we‘re gonna do,” David said. “We’re gonna bring in some video equipment in here, say, early tomorrow morning, we’ll record everything. Are you willing to do that?”

“Yeshh.” Billy said. When David turned to Raul, he blinked twice.

“OK then,” David said, still in his calm, serious tone and looked to Ms. Scarpelli, “will you be able to come here tomorrow morning?”

“Sure thing, let’s say 8:00 AM?” She answered.

“It’s a date.” David said, “I say we let these two gentlemen rest up then. Noel and I will make the arrangements for the video equipment. We’ll bring it down here ourselves today if we have to. I think we all would like to finally bring this to an end.”

Captain Xiang said, “The press and TV people are downstairs. No doubt Leon is spewing his bile to them; we’ll go down together and announce we got our suspects.”

Noel nodded in agreement, “Sure. Jeez, I can’t believe it’s done.”

“Come on then Noelsky,” David said, “give me a hand with these files. We’ll go make the announcement with the Boss.” He then turn to Raul and Billy, “You two aren’t gonna back down are you?”

Billy was now crying, but managed to mutter, “N-n-no.” Raul crying also, blinked once, hard.

“We’ll see you early in the morning then.” David said. He went outside their room and retrieved a cart that he used to bring the file boxes to the room. He and Noel loaded the file boxes quickly onto the cart. After which David, Noel, Captain Xiang and Ms. Scarpelli left the room together.

They walked down the hallway together to the elevator. They all said nothing during the stroll to the elevator, or while they waited for it after Captain Xiang pressed the button for it. They all were feeling the same thing, quiet elation, suppressed joy, and victory. Yes, the whole ordeal was finally over. The women and girls of the Chicagoland area could feel relieved and somewhat safe again. There will be no trial, there will be detailed confessions for every rape, and everyone will be spared from the tirades that are cover for the secret political ambitions of one Mr. Leon Robbins.

The elevator doors opened, David entered first, walking backwards, pulling the cart until his back was against the back wall. Noel came in and stood next to him. Captain Xiang let Ms. Scarpelli enter, and then he followed. Once inside, he pressed the button for the ground floor. The elevator doors shut, and then a second later they all felt the elevator begin to make its decent. 

Once two floors had passed, Noel broke the silence. He turned to David and said, “You just had to give a shot to my Cubbies in there didn’t ya?”

  Ms. Scarpelli let out a laugh.