Chapter 9

13:00, The Attack And Consequences

I raced across the field as quickly and quietly as I could. None of the four had seen me yet. Even though I knew it wouldn’t help I prayed that Amaryllis would make it to the front of the Circle K before Kent and his goons caught up with her. I was almost on the track when I saw them surround her. She tried to go around them but Todd and Aaron stepped in front of her blocking her path. I saw her turn to Kent and even as I got near I could see the fear on her face. She was shaking her head no. Kent reached out for her and she tried to move away. That’s when Aaron and Todd both grabbed her by her arms. One on each side.

Kent reached toward her, his body blocking my view but I knew what he was doing. He was pawing at my girl’s perfect breasts. I was close enough now that I could hear them. “Stop it! Stop touching me! I said NO!”

Kent laughed “Oh don’t be like that. I promise you’ll enjoy yourself.”

The three of them were laughing while Amaryllis was trying to get away. She opened her mouth to scream and Todd clamped his hand over her mouth muffling her. Now I was close enough and slowed down. “HEY KENT! Let her go. I heard her tell you to let her go and not to touch her. If you keep it up you’re going to end up arrested.”

Kent turned and looked right at me and started to laugh. “Well if it isn’t Puny Parker. This isn’t any of your business Parker so walk away before you get hurt.”

I walked up close, keeping myself on the balls of my feet ready to react at a moment’s notice, shaking my head as I came up close to them. “It is my business Kent. That girl that Todd and Aaron are holding against her will while you sexually harass her is my girlfriend. So let her go and you walk away before you and your friends get hurt.”

Kent laughed. “You’re threatening to hurt us? Punny Pathetic Parker? You think you can hurt me?”

I just looked at him and shook my head no again. “I never said I would hurt you. I only said if you don’t let her go and walk away you’d get hurt.”

Todd spoke up. “That’s the same thing, dumbass.”

I looked between the three of them. “No, it’s not DUMBASS. Attacking a girl you don’t know and pawing her tits like they belong to you. Especially when you know nothing about her is the biggest Dumbass move anyone could make.”

I could see Kent was getting upset and bored. Todd was going to make his point and Aaron was doing his best to please his buddy while not getting in trouble.

“Todd, do you know the name of the girl you’re holding captive against her will?”

My question threw him. He didn’t understand why I was asking him about the girl’s name. “No, but that doesn’t matter.”

I chuckled like he was an idiot which, since he was following Kent and doing what Kent told him to, wasn’t far from the truth. “Her name is Amaryllis Snodgrass. Her father is the new managing editor of the Daily News, but more important to you three is that he is Retired Marine Colonel Snodgrass. His last job in the Marines was training men in hand-to-hand combat and martial arts. When I say you will get hurt, I mean when her dad finds out what you did to his daughter he’ll kill you, probably with his bare hands.”

Kent dismissed my whole argument. “Only way he’d know is if you told him. So Parker you’ve got two choices here. First one, you walk away and forget you ever saw any of us today. The second one, you keep up and we kick your ass until you can’t move and lay there and watch as we teach your girl here what it’s like to be with a real man, over and over until she’s begging us to use her again.”

I moved a step forward and stumbled over a stick on the ground. Moving it so that it rested on top of my right foot. I looked Kent in the eye and let some of the rage and training from my first-time shine. “You forgot option three.”

“There is no option three.”

I said, “There’s always an option three. That’s the one where I don’t walk away. Instead, I send all three of you to the hospital and essentially make it so you never play football again or even get a hard-on ever again.”

Kent laughed. “YOU? Put us in the hospital? Well, now that’s funny. Now there’s only option two, you get beat senseless and watch us fuck your girl until she wants no one but us.”

He swung at me and I moved, blocking his attack and grabbing his arm just above the wrist. Spinning him with his own momentum until I have his arm behind his back. I crank upward on the arm with both my hands until I hear and feel the ‘pop’ as his shoulder comes out of joint. Kent screams and I crank even harder until I’m sure I’ve torn a few tendons too. Then I shove him forward. I am still weaker than I would like, so he only moves a step or two. He turns and swings with his other hand as I see Todd let go of Rhyll and shove her at Aaron. I kick my right foot up, launching the staff up into my hand where I spin it right upside Kent’s side, listening as it cracks under his swinging arm and connects with his ribs on the right side. Then I step back and swing the staff around and down on top of his arm about an inch above his wrist watching as it snaps both the Radius and Ulna. I spin to face Todd and drive the end of the staff straight into his face connecting with his nose and crushing it. Then I spin the staff into a low strike and contact the outside of his right knee causing it to bend sideways. There’s another scream as Todd’s knee breaks and he falls to the ground.

By now I’m not thinking, instead I’m acting on instinct and driving the end of the staff twice between his legs as he lies on the ground screaming and holding his knee. That’s when Todd passes out. The pain of his crushed testicles is more than his body can handle. I see Aaron moving toward me and I don’t even wait for him to attack first. I swing for the fence with my staff and connect with his temple like connecting with a baseball. Then I spin and connect with the other side of his face. He drops out cold and again I drive the end of the staff into his groin crushing his balls as well.

The only one still standing but looking very green is Kent and I don’t stop. I drive the end of the staff into his stomach and he doubles up, lowering his head. I once again spin the staff coming down on the back of his head. Not hard enough to break his neck, but enough to render him unconscious, and I shove him over with my foot and like the other two, drive my staff down as hard as I can on his crotch, feeling that satisfying flattening of his balls too.

Then I drop into a guard stance as a police car comes screaming to a stop, siren wailing. It’s the first awareness outside my opponents since Kent took that first swing at me. The driver’s side door opens and the officer comes out of the car with his service revolver in his hand. “Drop the stick and put your hands on the back of your head.”

Again, this is the eighties and not twenty-twenty-three, but all I could see was the muzzle of that revolver pointed at me. So I did what he asked. The policeman comes up to me as he holsters his weapon and places a set of handcuffs on me with my arms behind my back.

“Why are you handcuffing me?”

“You’re under arrest.”

“You’re arresting me? For protecting my girlfriend and myself?”

“What girlfriend?”

That’s when I realized Amaryllis wasn’t there anymore, but a crowd sure had started to gather after the police car arrived on the scene. Then I heard a soft voice say. “Me officer, I’m his girlfriend.”

That’s when I saw Amaryllis, her father’s suit coat around her and the tattered remnant of her blouse hanging below it. “Those guys were hurting me and threatened to beat up Harrison and repeatedly rape me while he watched after they beat him.”

The cop looked at the three guys on the ground. “Jesus Christ is that Kent Buckley?”

I opened my mouth. “Officer...” I looked at his name tag and almost laughed. “Mahoney, you told me I’m under arrest, yet I haven’t been told my Miranda rights. Also, I’m a fifteen-year-old minor. You can’t question me without the presence of a parent. Even though they haven’t been told to me, I exercise my right to an attorney and my right to remain silent. My name is Harrison Parker and I live at 1215 Hickory Lane. My mother is Roseland Parker. She is a housewife and should be home. I would suggest someone let her know I’ve been arrested.”

Then I ignored the cop and looked at Mr. Snodgrass. “I need an attorney Sir, a good one since one of those guys on the ground is the mayor’s son. Also, if someone would look after my stuff. I looked down at the dirty staff on the ground. “My bike is at the school, just cut the chain. I’ll get another one.”

He nodded just as both of the city ambulances arrived. I was placed in the back of the cop car and transported down to the precinct and placed in a cinderblock room. There was a table bolted to the floor, as were the chairs. A large mirror was opposite where I was seated, one-way glass, I’m sure. The officer who carted me in, left, locking the steel door behind him. I still hadn’t been Mirandized or had my fingerprints taken. I’m pretty sure my self-assured handling of both the situation and he himself, left the policeman rattled.

******

15:00, August 25, 1983

I sat in that room alone with nothing to do for what felt like hours, but the cheap watch I’d been given for a birthday gift said it had only been an hour. There was a knock on the door and it opened to let my Mom, a guy in a cheap sports jacket with a gold badge on his belt that said ‘detective’, and a guy in a very sharp, charcoal, pinstripe suit. This wasn’t a cop. That suit alone was of fine quality wool and had to cost more than some people made in a year.

The suit guy looked at the detective. “Thank you, Detective. I need to speak with my client and his mother. When we are done I’ll contact you.”

I spoke up. “I would like to talk to my lawyer in a room without a one-way glass observation room on the other side. Client confidentiality, you know?”

The detective opened his mouth, no doubt to deny that the mirror was a one-way window. I held up my hand. “Before you try to lie to me, I’ve seen enough tv to know that’s one-way glass. If you walk up and press your face against it you can see the other room. I was handcuffed and told I was under arrest. I wasn’t read my rights, still haven’t been read my rights.

I’m a fifteen-year-old juvenile and have been dumped into an interrogation room for over an hour. I wasn’t processed into the system. I haven’t been fingerprinted, photographed, offered a bathroom, or even told what charges I’m being held on. I don’t know you or anyone else in this room besides my mother. So I don’t trust that my conversation with this man, whom I’m assuming is the lawyer I asked for, will be private and inadmissible.”

My Mom’s mouth dropped open in shock, the guy in the expensive suit started chuckling and the police detective turned beet red. “Look kid, you attacked three guys and put them in the hospital. I’m not letting you out of this room to have a private conversation.”

I looked at the lawyer. “If you are my lawyer, then inform the detective that I will refuse to cooperate any further with this investigation until my rights have been observed. The ones I still, after an hour of incarceration, have not been advised of. And that I am quickly gaining a civil case against this department for my uncivil treatment and violation of my rights under the law.”

The lawyer looked at the detective. “Is my client telling the truth? He was handcuffed and incarcerated without being read his rights? That would certainly give him a lawsuit against the Angel Falls Police Department, his arresting officer, and anyone who is trying to interfere with those rights by refusing him a private conversation with his lawyer, as is laid out in those rights.”

The detective looked like he might stroke out any moment. “I don’t know if the arresting officer read him his rights. I wasn’t there. I was given this case by the chief just a few minutes ago.”

The lawyer nodded. “Better show us to an office or something where we can have a conversation. I’ll have his mother let you know when we are ready to answer your questions and make our statement. However, you should read my client his rights first.”

“How do I get stuck with all the crazy cases?” The detective mumbled under his breath as he pulled a card out of his pocket. “You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say, can and will be used against you in a court of law.

You have the right to speak to an attorney before questioning. You further have the right to have an attorney present during questioning. If you can’t afford a lawyer then one will be appointed to you before any questioning.

If you decide to speak to us without a lawyer, you may stop answering questions at any time and request a lawyer.

Do you understand these rights as I’ve read them to you?”

“Yes Sir, I do.”

“Do you, at this time, wish to answer my questions or make a statement?”

I smiled. “Just one. I wish to speak to my lawyer before questioning and to have him present during questioning, Detective.”

The detective sighed. “Fine, follow me.”

He opened the door to the observation room next door. “Will this work as a secure room to speak to your client, Counselor?”

The man in the suit nodded. “This will be satisfactory, Detective. Is it necessary for my client to remain handcuffed at this time?”

“Your client just put three other people in the hospital. I’d say it is perfectly necessary.”

I opened my mouth but saw my lawyer slightly shake his head so I closed it again. “Can you at least cuff him in front of his body so he can sit more comfortably? I will need him and his mother to sign some papers before we can allow his questioning.”

The detective again sighed like we were asking him something exasperating. He looked at me. “Turn around.”

I faced away from him and he undid the handcuff manacle on my left hand and told me to turn and place my hands out in front of me. When I did he reattached the manacle and locked it in place. He looked at my lawyer. “Happy now?”

The guy smiled. “Yes, thank you. I’ll send his mother to let you know when we are ready to proceed.”

The detective mumbled something about lawyers under his breath and left, locking the door from the outside behind himself.

The guy in the suit chuckled once the door was closed. “Damn Harrison. My brother told me you were not a typical teen, but I think he understated your qualities.”

I shrugged. “I’m sorry, and I’m assuming you’re a lawyer, but I don’t know you. Who are you?”

He nodded. “Sorry about that. I’m Joseph Snodgrass. Attorney at law. My brother asked me to represent you. I believe you and your family are familiar with my brother and his family?”

“The Colonel is your brother?”

“Yes, my big brother. He told me that my niece’s boyfriend was in some trouble and asked me to represent you. You wouldn’t happen to have a dollar on you would you?”

I nodded.”I do, it’s in my wallet.”

I looked at my Mom who looked upset. “Mom, could you get my wallet out and open it for me?”

Mom looked at me like I was an alien or something. “What is going on Harrison? A policeman came to the house and said you were under arrest and that I needed to come to the station. Then that detective said you put three people in the hospital. What did you do?”

Now she looked both scared and upset. I could see unshed tears in her eyes. “I promise Mom, all your questions will be answered. But first I need to give Mr. Snodgrass a dollar so he can officially represent me as my lawyer. Will you please get my wallet out of my back pocket and open it for me?”

“Your Dad is going to have a fit.”

She pulled my wallet out of my pocket and held it open in front of me. I pulled a dollar out and handed it to Mr. Snodgrass. The lawyer took the dollar and indicated the chairs at the small desk in the room. “Let’s sit and sign some paperwork.”

“I have one question first. Are you my lawyer or my parents’ lawyer?”

He looked at me. “You are fifteen right? I believe that’s what my brother told me.”

“Yes, I’m fifteen.”

“Then technically I will be your mother’s lawyer if she signs the papers for me to represent you.”

I thought about that for a minute. “What if her desires and mine differ on how to handle this case?”

The guy looked confused. “Why would that happen? The goal here is to keep you out of prison.”

“Actually, I prefer to not spend a single night incarcerated, not have any charges filed against me, and to see the three guys in the hospital charged with assault, sexual assault, and attempted rape, along with charging this precinct with unlawful incarceration of a minor. However, I know that when my father finds out about this, he will want to drop the whole thing and will put pressure on Mom and me to do so.”

The lawyer nodded. “Okay, I see what you’re thinking. I cannot tell you that your desires come before the person I’m officially hired by, and because of your age that has to be your mother or some other adult.”

My mom spoke up then. “Harrison, your father won’t tell us to drop whatever this is.”

I looked her in the eye. “He will, Mom. The three guys in the hospital, the three guys I put there, are Kent Buckley, Aaron James, and Todd Carlton.”

“WHAT??”

“Perhaps I should find someone else to sign for my services?”

“Will you still represent me without a signed contract?”

“You gave me a retainer and that’s good enough for now. Maybe since he asked me to represent you, my brother would sign.”

“Since I’m here for protecting his daughter, I’m sure he would.”

Mom gasped as I said that. I smiled, “Maybe I should tell you what happened.”

“Yes, I think that would be a good idea.”

So I started with going to the school and meeting with Ms. Polly and didn’t stop until I got to where I was put into the interrogation room next door.

When I was done Joseph Snodgrass looked impressed while my mom looked proud and yet appalled at the same time.

The lawyer then asked some questions. “Where did the staff you fought with come from?”

“Well, technically I almost tripped over it there on the ground. But in reality, I had put it there earlier in the morning.”

The lawyer looked at me. “What do you mean you’d put it there earlier? Were you expecting to need it?”

I nodded and looked at my mom. “Look, some of what I’m telling you I won’t repeat for the police. This is for you and my mom alone. I had a nightmare last night about Amaryllis getting raped behind the Circle K today. In the dream, I was there and got beaten half to death and was made to watch as the three guys raped her repeatedly.”

“Now, I know it was a dream, and this is not for public knowledge at all, but there are people in my family history known as seers. Seers are known to see visions in dreams of things that come to pass. The assumed reason for this is to warn others or do something to change the outcome. I told your brother this morning that I’d had this vision of Amaryllis getting raped and me beaten up. I had the dream, so I felt it was my responsibility to do whatever was necessary to keep it from happening.”

I looked at my mom whose mouth was opened wide. “My father denies this part of our family history. I would have too if this hadn’t happened to me. So I took the Ash walking stick my Pap-pap gave me to defend myself against dogs on my paper route, and left it where I would have it if I needed it. But for the police, I found it there when I almost tripped over it. I can tell you that they don’t have it. I will also say I don’t know where it is right now.”

“Is that true? You don’t know where it is?”

I nodded my head. “At this moment I have no idea where that stick is. I know who does know but I personally don’t.”

“Who does know?”

I looked Joseph Snodgrass in the eye. “Someone we both trust.”

“Okay, well the question is going to come up. How did a scrawny fifteen-year-old beat three older, and I assume bigger, boys so bad that they are in the hospital?”

“My answer is I beat them with a stick until they stopped trying to beat me.”

“And I know my brother is teaching you hand-to-hand fighting. Has he trained you in staff fighting?”

I shook my head. “No, I’ve only had one lesson with your brother so far. He showed me a basic form of moves to practice. That’s all.”

Joseph sighed. “To me, this appears to be a simple case of self-defense, so what is it that I’m missing that makes you think it will be more complicated?”

My mother spoke up. “One of the other boys is the Mayor’s son.”

I nodded. “All three of them are star football players too. Kent’s the starting quarterback and an eighteen-year-old senior. The other two are his wide receivers, also eighteen-year-old seniors. The guys who threatened to beat me and rape your niece are all adults.”

My lawyer sat there staring at me. “Jesus ... I’ll say this for you kid, when you stir up a shit storm you really stir it good.”

“I’d say I’m sorry but I’m not. I’m not sorry, I won’t apologize and I won’t let this go. If those three aren’t arrested and prosecuted, then down the line, later this year we will all be right here again. Actually, if it comes to it again, I won’t stop until I know I’m safe and that means I’ll kill them.”