CHAPTER 38 - TIMES AND PEOPLE CHANGE...OR NOT

PITTSBURGH PREPARATORY MILITARY SCHOOL FOR GIRLS - SUNDAY MORNING

HEADMASTER ERNEST ‘ERNIE’ PULLMAN'S OFFICE

JENNY

“...and I also unequivocally, and without coercion, apologise for my behaviour towards you both within this establishment and in the Din...other place where we met sometimes.” My face is hotter than the sun and there is a stunned silence.

“What do you want?” Drill Sergeant Hawk asks, peering at me.

“You to accept my apology, all of you to accept my apology and my promise to do as I am told, when I am told. I want to make my mothers proud and not be...not be like him anymore.”

“Who’s him?” Drill Sergeant Willcox looks confused, but I’m not sure if I am supposed to say anything.

“A person who is currently incarcerated by the Pittsburgh police and that’s all you need know.” Headmaster Pullman says. “Now do you, Hawk, Willcox and McCaw accept her apology? I feel, knowing what I know of her and the situation, that it is truly heartfelt and sincere.”

“Qualified acceptance. This leopard can’t change her spots and even if she could, she couldn’t do it this quickly.” Drill Sergeant Hawk replies coldly, having conferred with the others.

“This one can, has and will. Sir.” I state firmly.

“Hmm. We will see. Will that be all, Headmaster?” Drill Sergeant Willcox asks, but is looking at me oddly.

“Yes, thank you all. Jenny, please sit down for a moment.”

“Headmaster, if I may make a suggestion?”

“Yes Willcox, what is it?”

“Counselling. I mean proper counselling for her. Maybe that will help.”

“I was going to suggest exactly that. Thank you, Willcox.”

“Headmaster.” She salutes him and leaves.

I fiddle with the cuffs of my uniform and wait for him to speak.

“Jesus, what a fucking mess! Have your seen your Uncle Brian at all or your Grandma?”

“Uncle Brian, no. But yes to Grandma, on the night he took me from here. H-have you known him long?”

“Yes. Since, he was um 11…” He smiles wryly and I sigh.

“Was he like what I was, then?”

“No. Well yes, but he matched. His outside and his inside matched. He was a sweet looking boy and…”

“I’m not really sweet looking, am I?”

“Not sweet looking. Well definitely not with your new hairstyle.” I scratch my head ruefully and blush again. “But you have an expressive face that shows your thoughts and intentions. He looks like butter wouldn’t melt and back then, well he had your Uncle Brian.”

“Grandma said he protected him in school…”

“And Michael and your Grandma provided him a shelter out of it. But while she stopped saying you owe me to Brian, he didn’t and he would make sure that Brian would continue paying with his own life, including his desires and needs. As far as Michael was concerned, letting Brian have the use of his mother’s home as a refuge should have earned him Brian’s eternal devotion. But then Kemi arrived. She was the turning point for Brian, she gave him a reason.”

“To do what?”

“Change. To care. To live…”

“But Momma was expecting Gus.”

“But he was to be their son, he was to have nothing with him. But like with Kemi and Justin, he fell in love at first sight. Now, what do you think about counselling?”

“Would that help, do you think?”

“It might, but you never know until you try, do you? A lot of students here have sessions. Either with or without their parents.”

“With. Definitely with...and w-with my brother, Gus. Him, I hurt most of all.”

“Yes, I know. Now go back to the dorm and I would watch the local news when it comes on.”

“Why?”

“Watch it and find out.” He smirks and I nod before saluting him and heading back to the dorm.

ERNIE

I rub my temple and then lean my head back. The soft knocking has me sighing and bidding them enter. “Have a seat?” I order Hawk and we lock gazes. “So did you hear about what happened to his store and apartment?”

“Yes sir, I did.”

“Pity.”

“Indeed, sir.”

“Well, do you believe her?” He gives a small crooked smile. “Thought you did.” I stand up and so does he. “Come on, let’s go adjust some attitudes.”

“Nicely done, sir. I would’ve done it for you gladly.” He whispers.

“I know, but this was personal.”

“Understood, sir.”

As we part at the apex of the corridor, I watch his stiff backed walk and feel oddly proud of him. I trained him in the army and he was there until I set up this school. He was my first recruit. And I know I can trust him to take my retribution on Michael Novotny to his grave.

BRITIN - AN HOUR LATER

MASTER BEDROOM

JUSTIN

We finally got some sleep. I mean, proper sleep. It was relief when Tobias came in and told us that it was shock and adrenaline that was keeping us going and we should rest properly. He checked with Dr Foster and he biked over something for us both immediately and once we took that, we just went straight to bed.

“How are you and Sunbeam? No ill effects?” He mumbles from under my chin.

“Fine, absolutely none. How about you?”

“Furious, fucking, so very fucking furious. If it wasn’t for you and the kids, I would kill him!”

“I know, Hotrod. But you have to be calm, okay? You have to be.”

“Not going to the trial.” He snuggles closer. “I can’t bear to be in the same room, too tempting.

“Good. Is Cyn still coming here? Hunter is setting up an office here for me and Nya. We’re not sure how hard it’s hit the media, so don’t want to go our other place. Or the place in Fox-Chapel. Oh actually, we could go there. We were incognito there.”

“I am not running away! I haven’t run away before and I’m sure as fuck…” He takes a deep breath. “Sorry Spitfire, Sunbeam but I can’t help it. I haven’t done anything wrong…”

“We know and we understand your reasoning, but at least, look at where we lived. You’ve never seen it, have you?” He shakes his head against my neck. “Okay, so you are going to have to let go of me in order for me to reach the tablet. I will be less than a second…”

“One…” He mumbles. “...and you haven’t even moved.”

“This would have something to do with a six foot two, olive skinned sexy as fuck man wrapped around me...Hotrod, come on you knucklehead.”

“Oh, alright. But let’s watch the news first, it must have hit by now.” He sighs and my heart aches for him. We both crawl back into bed at the same time and he rests his head on my chest and his hand on our Beam. With the TV in the background, I pull up pictures of the house.

“I see. Well that is very nice, Spitfire. Very nice indeed. I do believe we have found our summer house.” I poke my tongue out and get a smile. “But in all seriousness, can we stay...”

“Stay where?” I look up at him, but his eyes are fixed on the TV. Sighing, I take his hand. “How bad?”

“A total gut, nothing salvageable.” He whispers, transfixed. Frowning, I look at the screen and read about the fire but don’t understand his reaction to it. “Holy fuck…”

“Brian? Brian...please speak to me.” I nudge him firmly.

“That is Mi...or that was Michael’s store. It’s gone.”

“What do you mean it’s gone?” I look up as the door knocks and Ted, Nya and Cyn come in.

“Been watching the news, have we?” Ted is quirking a smile. “Kiki gave me a message for you and Debs. It is thus: the Avenue has spoken, spoken loud and clear. I wonder if he will hear that?”

“What’s happened to his store?” Brian turns back to the TV and turns up the volume. “Kids! Get up here!” He bellows and I clear the ringing in my ears with a mock-glare.

Ted waits for them to thunder in and then begins. “Well it seems there was an electrical fire according to sources…”

COUNTY JAIL - AN HOUR LATER

INTERVIEW ROOM 1

JEREMY CHAMBERLAIN

“So are you going to call Brian for me?” Novotny asks as if he was asking the time.

“No, so you will remain in prison. Most likely it will be out of the city for your own safety until the trial. And because of the flight risk and threat of persecution...”

“Why not and why for my own safety?!”

“Because he is the victim of your crime and…”

“He wasn’t a victim and there was no crime as nothing happened!”

“But the intent and attempt was there, which is what you are currently incarcerated for. The intent to harm; the intent to rape; the attempted deception in the case of the pregnancy of Melanie Marcus; attempted sexual health endangerment in the case of Melanie Marcus and finally filing a false report.”

“It was years ago! Besides isn’t there something about the statue of limitations.”

“Statute. And yes there is, but unlucky for you, the Statute of Limitations was amended in 2007 to include any cases that involve GHB. You could’ve killed him.”

“Rubbish! He’s taken more drugs than that in a night out; he’s still here.”

“How do you know what he had ingested before you put the drug in his drink?”

“I didn’t. I just met the guy there and he gave it to me. Then he went to get a smoke and then the Super...wait, what’s this about the sexual health? What does that mean?”

“It means you endangered her sexual health by attempting to provide an untested sample.”

“Untested?”

“To ensure there was no diseases, as the clinic would’ve done.”

“Hey! I am clean, I don’t have any diseases!”

“When was your last HIV test before you attempted to what you were going to do?”

“I don’t know! Like I said it was years ago!”

“So you could’ve had anything!” I snap at him. “And you would’ve given it to her!”

He doesn’t even look remotely concerned. “And another thing, what do you mean filing a false report? What false report?”

“The one that relates to the attack you allege was carried out on the orders of Justin Taylor.”

“He did order it!”

“No, he didn’t. You arranged with the brother of the man that was blackmailing you to have yourself beaten up and tried to blame it on Justin Taylor directly. But when he had an alibi, with him being pregnant and celebrating with his family including your mother, you then switched your story to say that Mason Reed did it on his orders.”

“Wait, wait, back up a bit?! The brother of the…”

“Yes, Mason Reed may have been blackmailing you in the first five years, but it was his brother, Hudson, who in collaboration with the authorities managed to…”

“Entrap me!”

“No, it is not entrapment. You tried to blame the blackmailer and then reported him for the injuries that you paid a professional sadist to inflict. Or do you not remember the waiver form you signed? Let me show you a copy of it to refresh your memory.” I slide it across to him, but he is just shoves it back with a sulky glare. “Hence, the false reporting part of your arrest portfolio or in layman’s terms, your charge sheet.”

He doesn’t say anything for a while before leaning forward. “So this bail... is it still a quarter mil?”

“Yes. But as I said, no bail because of flight or persecution risk. As…”

“What are you talking about? I have a substantial amount of collectibles, which are worth a lot more than that. A lot more!” He asserts, smugly.

“Oh I see and where are they so that I can have them appraised?”

“They are in two places. My apartment and my store. I own a comic book store just off Liberty Avenue…”

“Comic book store? Is that the only one there?”

“Yes. I cornered the market on Liberty Avenue.” He smirks.

“One moment…” I tap on my laptop and bring up the local news. “...ah, about that.” I signal the guard because I know he is not going to react well. “Is it called Red Cape Comics?”

“Yes, it’s doing very well indeed. Though it has been slacking off lately, it will rise from the ashes of this slump.”

“Funny you should say that…” It’s my turn to smirk as I turn the screen around. “...take a look at this and please confirm what that used to be.”

He stares at the screen and that smug look slithers off his face, much like a snake shedding, and is soon replaced by a fresh new one...horror!

“What happened?!” He screams and is pushed back in his seat by the guard. I pull my laptop out of his reach. “My store! My collectibles!”

“According to this, it was an electrical fire. Had you had any works done recently?”

“No. No, I hadn’t.” He sniffs...he is actually crying over this.

“Nobody was hurt in case you were wondering.” I snark. “Well, at least you can claim insurance on it, can’t you?” He starts to turn green before making a whimpering sound, wrapping his arms around himself. “Mr Novotny, you do have insurance on the store and the contents contained therein, don’t you?”

“NO! I missed a couple of payments and it lapsed. Brian was meant to give me the money, but he didn’t!” He sits back, looking thoughtful and chews on a fingernail. “Once again, this is his Baby Daddy’s fault. If he hadn’t come along for the second fucking time, none of this would be happening!”

“Mr Novotny!” I snap at him and he seems startled. “You do realise that [a] you are not alone and [b] even if you were, this has state of the art recording equipment. It could hear a ghost fart!” He glares at me, but doesn’t say anything else. “Right, the store and the contents they have been destroyed. You said you have some toys in…”

“Why do people say toys? If they were toys, I would play with them. Since I collect them, they are collectibles.” He arches an eyebrow as if expecting me to change what I said.

“Yes, those. You said there are some at your residence. Are they all of the same value?”

“No, they are only small collections. I live in an apartment, for god sake, so everything of value was in my store. But I can liquidate those as well, if I have to.”

“You will have to. Like I said, I need to be paid after all.”

“Paid? I thought you were free? I am allowed an attorney…”

“Which you waived and then insisted they provide for you. What you didn’t stipulate was that they had to be court appointed therefore making me free, in the sense of no charge, not in the sense of freedom. Sorry for the faux pas. So the address of your residence so that I can secure them?”

“Fine, here is my address and this is my landlord.” He scowls as he writes it down.

“Thank you. I won’t be but a moment.” I tap out the number and put it on speaker, so that it too can be recorded.

“Lance Goodrun, good afternoon.”

“Mr Goodrun, good afternoon. My name is Jeremy Chamberlain and I am currently the attorney for Michael Novotny. I believe he is a tenant of yours?”

“That creepy fucker? Well, no he isn’t any longer! I had him evicted the night he was charged!”

“You did what?!” Novotny screams, almost bursting my eardrum.

“Evicted you for breach of tenancy, due to inappropriate behaviour and have had your stuff removed and the locks changed. The fact that you had not paid your rent in almost three months, made my decision easier. You were 89 days behind and would have been receiving an eviction notice even if this hadn’t occurred.”

“Wait! Removed?! Where did you put it?! I want my stuff back!” He is almost frothing at the mouth and spitting.

“I had it put in the place you said it should be in the event of you ever having to move quickly. Now excuse me, I don’t want people to know I have been speaking to the likes of you, you ratshit fucking creep. Oh not you, Mr Chamberlain....good day to you, sir.”

“Good day Mr…” But he’s hung up, so I turn to Novotny, who is almost deadly white and looks like he’s going to faint. “So where is the stuff from your former residence, Mr Novotny?”

MICHAEL

In the event of me having to move. In the event of me having to move. The words reverberate round my skull.

“Mr Novotny, I do not have the time nor do you have the money to dawdle in answering my questions. Where would your landlord have put your things?!”

“In my store. In the apartment above my store.” I reply, hoping that I am going to wake up and this going to be a nightmare within a nightmare!

“That is most unfortunate. Is there anybody at all that can provide you with financial assistance to pay my bill thus far? And before you speak, think of someone who isn’t named Brian Kinney!” He adds sharply. “By the way, my bill is $12,000.”

“I could ask my Mother or my friend, Ted. They will help me, once they understand. They will help me.

“Well until such time as they do help you...goodbye, Mr Novotny.”

As the door clangs shut behind him, I think it sounds so final but it can’t be, it can’t!