Next, Dr. Cartwright advised Jason to go slowly in resuming his regular eating habits so his body would have a chance to readjust from the inadequate food that he had received from the kidnappers. “I am sure you must be having some hunger pangs right now, so I have ordered up a simple meal for you to eat right away.”
Then the doctor asked Jason, “Were you ever drugged or given drugs at all during your captivity?”
Jason answered, “I was initially captured by being struck with a dart that basically immobilized me. I remember going in and out of consciousness during the first couple of days, while I was tightly tied up.”
Dr. Cartwright explained, “I think you might have had a bad reaction to that tranquillizer. If they gave you more while you were unconscious, you could have had an even more severe reaction. Normally, the drug dose from a regular tranquillizer dart like that would only last a few hours at the most. It sounds as if you were under its influence for nearly two days. I would like to have some blood work done on you to make sure it is out of your system completely. Right now, you show no physical symptoms of the tranquillizer, but to be safe I would like you to spend tonight at the hospital for observation.”
“After the initial two days of captivity, they began treating me a lot more humanely. Maybe my reaction to the drug was why,” Jason replied.
“Jason, sorry to be blunt, but I have to ask if you were ever sexually abused or molested in any way while captive?”
“No, to my great relief. I was really worried about that when I first regained consciousness, but nothing of that nature ever happened, other than getting slapped in the face once, when I asked why I was kidnapped.”
“You are fortunate your kidnappers were not predators also. You will have enough other things to deal with in the next few days without that burden to deal with. I want you to know that your physical healing will be a simple process. Your body absorbed a lot of physical abuse, but you are strong, young and resilient, which should make your recovery time for any injuries very short. You may not think so, but you acted very bravely throughout your ordeal. Although your mind will create doubts about your actions while in captivity, you did what you had to do, which was to survive. Never forget that. However, the mind is a very complicated thing and you will experience a whole different set of emotions over the next few days. Right now, you are feeling pretty good because you are suddenly free from a cruel captivity. Later, you will probably feel other emotions, such as embarrassment, humiliation, sorrow, and anger. These mood swings are part of the mental healing process that you will need to go through.
“There is a very good counselor that I want you to have at least one session with. Dr. Eileen Socorro is really good to work with and I hope I can persuade her to see you right away. There is nothing wrong with you physically, but you have been through a terrifying experience that has repercussions for which you may not be ready. She can help you understand that phase of your recovery process.
“Now, let’s get started on your recovery. I’m sure you haven’t eaten for a while. I’ll have your food brought in here now and have the nurse administer your IV. Later, they will take a small blood sample to do a toxic scan. A secure, private room will be set up for you to stay overnight. I will explain what is going on to your family and the police. If there is any change in your physical condition, have the nurse page me immediately. I will check on you periodically during your stay here. See you later, Jason.”
“Thank you, doctor.”
There was a tray of food that had been left outside during the examination and Dr. Cartwright personally brought it into the room and gave it to Jason. “Eat up, Jason. I’m going to update your parents on your condition.”
Dr. Cartwright left the examination room and went to talk with Edith Hunter. She was upset at first when he told her he was going to keep Jason at the hospital overnight. When he explained to her the medical reasons why this was important, she calmed right down. “You can stay with Jason as long as you want and there will be security and police here overnight as well. After what he has been through, we don’t want to skimp on his medical care when he needs it the most.”
Dr. Cartwright also told her, “I’m going to contact Dr. Eileen Socorro, the best psychologist I know for this type of situation. I want Jason to have at least one counseling session with her. I’ll see if she can meet with him tomorrow morning while he is still here at the hospital. Then you will be able to take Jason home for the rest of the weekend, with all the basic debriefing requirements met and a medical discharge. If you will excuse me, I am going to call her office right now.”
Just then Bill Hunter, Sgt. Malone, and Daniel arrived from the police station. Edith went over to them and gave them the report on Jason’s condition that she had just heard from Dr. Cartwright. “It looks like we will be delayed another day before Jason can actually come home. Apparently there was more physical damage than we first thought.”
CHAPTER 19
THE AUTHORITIES DEBRIEF JASON
(Friday Afternoon)
Once the doctor left the examination room, Bill, Edith and Daniel went in to see Jason, and continue their reunion. “Jason, honey,” Edith said, “I’m sorry that we can’t just jump up and take you back home, so you can be in your own room and bed tonight.”
“I know, Mom, the doctor told me that he wants to monitor everything for twenty-four hours and run some tests. Also, he wants to give me an IV to replace liquids I might have lost.”
Just as if on cue, a nurse came in, wheeling a tray with a portable IV setup. “I have an IV for Jason Hunter. Is that you?” she asked, pointing to Jason. “It will just take a few moments to set this up and then you can continue with your lunch.”
She took Jason’s left hand, rubbed part of his inner arm with a cotton swab dipped in alcohol, found a vein, and quickly inserted the IV needle, which she then taped to his arm. “There, I hope that wasn’t too painful for you. The doctor has requested a four-hour IV for your symptoms of dehydration, although your situation is not severe.”
The nurse then left the room and the Hunters and Daniel continued with their reunion. About fifteen minutes later, Lt. Garcia and Sgts. Nuñez and Malone entered the small room. “Sorry to interrupt, but I would like to get Jason’s statement now,” Garcia said with a smile. Then he introduced his fellow officers to Jason. “I know you have been through quite a lot already today, so I have arranged that we can take it right here in this room. Mr. and Mrs. Hunter, since Jason is a minor, you have the right to be present. The only one who doesn’t have a right is Daniel. However, since he has had a part in your rescue, and is your best friend, I don’t have a problem with him staying, unless it would make you uncomfortable, Jason.”
“No, I guess not. Best friends don’t usually hide many things from each other, and knowing Daniel, he would figure out a way to get the information out of me anyway,” Jason said with a grin.
“Jason, I don’t want things to be awkward for you,” Daniel interjected.
“Daniel, it’s okay. I’m just putting you on. You’ve already seen me at my worst today, and you risked your life to come find me. Please stay.”
“Then we are agreed to proceed with everyone present. Sgt. Malone, I want you to run the video camera, and Sgt. Nuñez, take notes and assist me, please.” After a few minutes of setting things up, the police officers were ready to begin.
Looking into the camera they began. “This is Lt. Antonio Garcia. We are at Silicon Valley Medical Center where recently rescued kidnap victim, Jason Hunter, is recovering from his ordeal. His parents are present, as he is a minor, and also his friend, Daniel Holmes, who found Jason at the drop-off point in City Park. It is 3:15 p.m. Jason, please take us through the entire sequence of events as best you can remember of your kidnapping. Give us every detail you can. You never know what may become important in the investigation. Occasionally Sgt. Nuñez or myself may need to interrupt with additional questions, or to clarify specific points. You may begin when
you are ready.”
Jason began his account by describing how he had gone to the park with the Encinos and then his decision to leave when he discovered that his cousin, Vic Encino, had Little League practice and had expected him to sit around and do nothing until Janet Encino returned. Then he described how he had quickly been taken prisoner after the sharp dart hit his neck, followed by the subsequent blackout. Upon awakening, he had then found himself a helpless, tied-up prisoner.
Next, he described the second day, which at best could be called torture, until finally a masked man had come in and untied him. After giving him some recovery time, the man had had him remove his soiled clothing, gave him a pair of gym shorts to wear and then attached his right leg to a chain. Jason described the better treatment he had received after that on Wednesday and Thursday, where he had had freedom to roam around his cell and was given the comic books and CD player. He talked about how he had used an exercise regimen to keep himself fit and ready to resist or escape if possible
Jason described how the man with the ski mask had treated him—taking away everything he owned except for his chucks, coming in sometimes and gagging him for no apparent reason, and requiring him to blindfold himself whenever the man had come into his cell. He described his elation this morning when he had been allowed to take a shower and was given his own clothes to wear again. At that time, the man had told him the ransom was going to be paid and asked Jason who among his friends should they contact.
Jason finished his account by explaining how he had been tied up, gagged and blindfolded by the man and his partner, just like he had been on the first day. “After that I was placed on the floor of a van, covered with something and driven for a long time before they dropped me off at the maintenance building where Daniel found me.”
Lt. Garcia asked Jason, “Please describe the ski-masked man as best you can.”
Sgt. Nuñez then asked, “Could you describe the cell in more detail?”
After Jason responded to those questions, Lt. Garcia asked, “Were you ever able to figure out where you were being held prisoner?”
“I’m pretty sure it was the basement of an older house. There was no bathroom down there and I had to climb rickety stairs when I was taken for my shower on Friday.”
During Jason’s statement, you could see the impact it was having on his parents. Bill became very grim-faced and held his head in his hands, while Edith got teary-eyed, followed by flashes of anger over the treatment of her son. Daniel listened mostly with a frown on his face that alternated with angry determination.
Jason’s statement ended with: “I was so happy today when my blindfold was finally pulled off and I could see that it was Daniel and not the man with the ski mask.”
Lt. Garcia concluded the debriefing by asking, “Jason, is there was anything else you saw or heard that would help identify your kidnappers?”
“They always seemed to be one step ahead of me in the way that they controlled my actions and prevented me from learning much about them. As much as I wanted to resist, I never really got an opportunity.”
“Thank you, Jason, for your account. What you went through was not pleasant and you handled yourself with courage and determination to survive. You are a very brave young man. I know that my fellow police officers feel as angry as I do about the way you were treated. We would like nothing better than to find the criminals who kidnapped you and put them away for very long jail sentences. This concludes the interview.”
The camera was turned off and the two sergeants gathered up their notes and equipment to leave. Sgt. Malone came up to Jason and said, “Hang in there, Jason. You’re awesome!”
Sgt. Nuñez put her arm around Jason’s shoulder and gave him a little hug. “Usted es la persona más valiente. You’re the bravest kid I’ve seen in a long time. You deserve a medal for what you have been through!”
Lt. Garcia was next. “Jason, you’ve been a real trouper today. Good luck to you and I hope your recovery is rapid. Mr. and Mrs. Hunter, I would like to talk to you outside about the media coverage of this. Maybe Daniel could stay here with Jason while we talk.”
* * *
Out in the hallway, Lt. Garcia told the Hunters, “The media is aware of this crime and I was able to hold them off today with the promise of a more complete statement tomorrow. Since a lot of people were aware of Jason’s disappearance, and there is no sex crime involved, thank God, I think eventually Jason’s name will be leaked to one of the stations or newspapers. My question to you is: Should we release his name tomorrow and have some control of the consequences, by agreeing to a basic story of what happened? We’ll keep it simple and stress the fact that he is now safe and ask the press to help with his recovery by saying that interviews are off-limits due to his age. With everybody having the same information right away, you will avoid competition among the stations to find out Jason’s name and try to interview him on the sly.”
“And our other option is?” Edith Hunter asked.
“To not release his name and hope that no one in the media finds it out. That is highly unlikely to be successful, since some of the press was already at the rescue site and probably already have photos of Jason. To be truthful, it probably is just a matter of time before the information gets out,” Lt. Garcia said.
“Sounds like we’re damned if we do and damned if we don’t,” Bill Hunter said.
“We live in a media-oriented world now,” said Garcia, “and a kidnapping is always a big story. Personally, I think it is better to present your version to the public than rely on theirs.”
“I would like to see the statement before it is released,” Bill replied.
“Fair enough. We will need to meet sometime in the early morning to go over it. Say my office at 9:00 o’clock tomorrow morning?”
“Okay,” Bill agreed.
* * *
Inside Jason’s room, the two boys talked about their circle of friends. Daniel said, “When I get home, I am going to call all the people I called when you first went missing. They all have been concerned about you and need to hear that you are safe. This is something you don’t want to do, because it will force you to relive what you just described over and over again. When I think about what was done to you, I get filled with anger to think that someone out there targeted you and then treated you so harshly.”
“Daniel, this was the most horrible experience I have ever had to endure. One of the things that kept me going was thinking about how I had to survive and somehow get back to my friends and family. I want you to tell everyone how much their friendship means to me. I always took it for granted until it was taken away. Now I know how important their thoughts and prayers were to my very survival.”
“Jason, this has been a very emotionally draining week. I’m sure that the same thing is true for some of your other friends. I was sinking fast into a deep depression until my dad took me to a ball game on Thursday, to get me away from it all. On the way home, I finally got up the courage to ask him what I should do. He told me to let my emotions out instead of bottling them up and becoming more depressed. He told me to celebrate our friendship. To remember the good times we have had because nobody could ever take them away no matter what happens in the future. All I know is that really helped. Today, I had focus again, and luckily for you, that was when the kidnappers called.”
“Wow, Daniel, you are a true friend!”
“Our friendship is strong and I hope it will remain strong, but I sure would like to get back to the more carefree life we had before, where the biggest deal of the day was who got the top score in whatever game we were playing. This whole week has been way too intense,” Daniel said.
At that point, Mr. Hunter walked back in the room and said, “Come on, Daniel, I’m going to take you home. I think Jason needs some rest and I understand they want to move him to a more secure room.”
“Take care, Jason, I’ll see you soon.”
Jason put out his hand for Daniel to shake. “I’m sorry I
can’t give you a hug with this IV in my arm. Thanks again for all of your help today. I knew you were the friend I could trust the most.”
CHAPTER 20
THE MEDIA IS INFORMED
(Saturday)
It was just after 9:00 the next morning when Bill Hunter arrived at the main police station. After parking in the lot across the street, he went in the main doors and soon was directed to Lt. Garcia’s office. “Good morning, Mr. Hunter. Please have a seat and I will be right with you. Would you like some of our fabulous police department coffee?”
“No thanks, I had plenty at home.”
“How is Jason doing?” the lieutenant kindly asked.
“He had a rather restless night. I think some of the demons and emotional shifts you described to him yesterday have started to arrive. I am glad he will be having a session with Dr. Socorro this morning.”
“Your son has been through hell, that’s for sure. It’s almost unbelievable to me that his kidnappers would put a fourteen-year-old kid through what he endured. Are you sure there are no secrets in the Hunter closet that this relates to?”
“Lt. Garcia, I have been wracking my brain ever since I heard the entire story of his ordeal, trying to think who I could have possibly offended or crossed in a business deal. I can’t think of anything or anyone! And who could hate Jason so much that they would target him for that kind of torture? You’ve seen what a nice and pleasant kid he is even under stress and adversity.”
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