by Nina Bruhns
“What’s that bitch doing here?”
Dameon stepped in front of Jesse and glared at the obnoxious man. His voice was low, ominous.
“I’m going to give you the benefit of the doubt, doc, once. I’m assuming that you are under stress and for the moment, I’ll let that that remark pass. As you well know, Jesse is Trey’s mother.”
Sapphire chipped in with a haughty sniff. “If you can call her that.”
Dameon stepped in her direction, drilling her in turn with a hard stare.
“Excuse me. And you are again? Not related in any way to Trey?”
Apparently too caught up in self-importance, the young woman didn’t see the danger lurking in the tall man’s flashing blue eyes.
“Well, I’m going to be his mother very soon when the doctor and I get married.”
Dameon turned away with a disgusted look as if she were too insignificant to take up any more of his valuable time.
“Jesse, do you have a problem with Ms. Somers being here?”
Jesse gave a weary sigh. “No, not with her or any of the others. I just haven’t met this particular ‘fiancé.’ ”
When Chambers hissed “bitch” under his breath, Dameon fastened him with a long hard look. When the doctor flushed and looked away, Dameon turned to Jesse.
“I’m going to talk with Trey and the arresting officers. I’ll send word back if I’m going to be longer than thirty minutes. Okay?”
Jesse nodded. “Thank you.”
After he left, Garrett turned on her.
“What the hell are you doing here? How dare you show up and act as if you belong here?”
Jesse ignored him and walked over to the window. Staring unseeing into the darkening night Jesse wondered, as she always did, how she ever could have married this loathsome man. And how this abhorrent man could have such a beautiful son. She was surprised that she’d once thought Garrett was handsome. But now, like Dorian Gray’s painting, his personality had thoroughly infected his looks. Pinched lines around his mouth and eyes confirmed that the scowl on his face was there often. He was thin, with a bit of a paunch. Guess golf four times a week wasn’t enough to combat a daily cocktail hour that started as early as 5 p.m. Jesse hoped, for the sake of his plastic surgery patients, that their operations were scheduled early in the day.
She didn’t know how much time had passed when the door opened. Jesse breathed a sigh of relief when she heard Dameon’s voice. In seconds he was at her side.
“Everything okay here?”
Jesse nodded, avoiding looking at her former husband. She moved toward the table when Dameon motioned to her to sit down.
Assuming the command post at the head of the table, Dameon settled into his chair.
Jesse shook her head in disgust seeing Garret’s latest fiancé smile at Dameon and hitch her risqué skirt several inches higher. If he saw the eager young woman’s flirtatious gesture, and Jesse was sure that he did, Dameon ignored her.
“Okay, folks, here’s what we have. I spoke with the arresting officers and with Trey. I’ll bring him in here in a moment to talk with you but I wanted to give you a recap. It appears that your son met up with some unsavory characters. From what I can tell, Trey and three other 10th graders went to a Circle K. When the clerk refused to sell them cigarettes, one of our miscreants pulled a gun and shot him.”
Jesse cried out, “Oh my god!”
Garrett hissed and shot her a hate-filled glance; condemnation oozing from every pore.
Dameon ignored the silent attack and continued.
“Three of the boys ran. But Trey called 911 and stayed with the clerk. While he was waiting for help Trey tried to stop the injured man’s bleeding. Luckily for Trey, the clerk and the arresting officer verified his version of the story. Trust me, Trey would be in a world of hurt if they hadn’t.”
Garrett’s anger spilled over. He leapt to his feet, turning his rage on Jesse.
“What can you expect? You act shocked, you fucking bitch! Whose fault do you think this is? You have a house full of guns and run around the world playing soldier and you act surprised that my son has guns?” A spray of spittle spewed from his mouth punctuating every word. “He does fine and then you come back and suddenly he’s hanging out with scum and is involved in an attempted murder? And you fucking act surprised?” His voice rose to a shriek.
“EXCUSE ME!” Dameon’s warning crackled across the room, halting Garrett’s tirade.
“I’m warning you for the last time, doc. Trust me. You can ask anyone in the precinct or in this town. You do not want to mess with me. This is your son’s mother. I want you to treat her with the respect she deserves. Do you hear me?”
Garrett’s face was purple with rage. His eyes bulged and his body was shaking. He clung to the table edge to steady himself. He turned his anger from Jesse and focused it on the police chief.
Dameon’s voice dropped lower becoming more menacing. “I asked you a question, Dr. Chambers. Answer me.”
His threat was all the more powerful in that he remained in his chair in contrast to the infuriated man who’d reared up like an impotent snake seeing a crouching lion preparing to strike.
After a long moment, the angry man attempted to speak then gave a curt nod.
Dameon slowly shook his head.
“Not good enough, doctor. I asked you a question. I expect an answer. Now.”
After clearing his throat several times, the red-faced man muttered, “Yes.”
“Apologize to Major O’Donnell. Then sit down.”
Garrett’s eyes flared in angry disbelief.
“You… you… expect me to apologize to--”
Dameon cut him off.
“Apologize to Major O’Donnell and sit down. Now.”
The doctor flushed a deeper, more dangerous reddish purple then muttered, “I’m sorry.” He sunk into his chair ignoring the shocked look on his paramour’s face.
Jesse didn’t blame the clueless twit. The girl was clearly stunned at the way the cool, dark-haired man brought the self-righteous doctor to his knees. But then so was Jesse.
Dameon continued his overview as though the three people in front of him weren’t staring at him with various levels of disbelief and in one case, hatred.
“I’m going to bring your son in and question him in front of you both and then we’ll decide what we’re going to do.”
Dameon clicked the speaker on the table.
“Officer Michaels, please bring in the Chambers boy.
Jesse jumped to her feet when Trey came in. He was flushed, shaken, and tear tracks stained his face. Jesse started to go to him but Dameon warned her back with her an almost imperceptible shake of his head. Jesse sunk down in her chair, her heart pounding against her chest.
Dameon motioned to the chair next to him at the corner of the table.
“Trey, sit here please.”
With that one gesture, Jesse saw that Dameon had separated Trey from both her and Garrett and clearly established that he was the person Trey needed to answer to.
Apparently Garrett wasn’t that savvy. He choked out, “Trey, goddamn it. Explain yourself. I can’t believe this. That a son of mine could do this. I knew this was going to happen if they let you be with her….”
Dameon threw him a deceptively casual glance.
“Thin ice, doc. Verrry, verrry thin ice.”
Garrett sunk back in his chair, dark red splotches blooming on his cheeks.
Dameon captured the young boy’s gaze. “Okay Trey. I’ve gone over the basics with your parents. First, do you object to Ms. Somers being in the room?”
Sapphire gushed, “Why would he object to me? We’re best friends, aren’t we, Trey, sweetie?”
When Trey flushed, Dameon repeated, “Any objection, Trey?”
Trey’s muttered response was disparaging. “I don’t care.”
Dameon shot a glance at the eager young woman who was gazing adoringly at Trey.
“You may stay for now
.”
Dameon turned his attention to Trey.
“I told your parents what the arresting officers told me. Will you please tell us in your words what happened tonight?”
Trey swallowed several times before he could speak.
“I… I went with Peter, Joey, and Clark--”
Dameon interrupted. “They are classmates of yours?”
“Yes.”
“Friends?”
“Not really. I… I....” Trey shook his head. “I don’t know a lot of kids. I don’t really have any friends. I’m new here. We moved here last spring right before school let out.”
Garrett burst out. “You’d have friends if you’d go to the Club as I insisted instead of locking yourself, like a fucking hermit, in your room with that insidious computer.”
Jesse saw Dameon inch his chair closer to Trey, strengthening their connection. She remembered with a start that Dameon had done that with her the other day when she was upset.
“Hmm. You’re the new kid in school? Not easy being the new kid, is it?”
Trey looked down at the floor.
“I… I liked where we lived before better. But my dad wanted to get away from my mother. Make it harder for her to see me.”
Garrett’s outraged retort erupted. “That’s not true, Trey. Your mother was never where we were. Why would it matter if we moved where there was no Army base? She’d be gone, no matter….”
Garrett trailed off in mid-sentence at Dameon’s narrowed gaze.
“Go ahead, Trey. Then what happened?”
“I was with the guys--Peter, Joey and Clark.”
“You hang with them a lot?”
“No. This was the first time.”
“And you did tonight, because?”
Trey shrugged. “I dunno. Just something to do.”
“Okay. Then what?”
“I thought we were just going to Circle K to get a soda. But when we got to the counter, Peter told the guy we wanted cigarettes. The guy said, “Show me your ID!”
Trey looked up at Dameon, his eyes wide, beseeching.
“I… I got scared. I wanted to go. I… I don’t smoke.” At Dameon’s encouraging nod, Trey continued with a rush. “Then Peter said, ‘I left my ID at home. Give me four packs now.’" The clerk said, "No ID, no cigs!”
Trey’s voice broke. “He… the man… kinda reached under counter….And then… Peter….” Trey looked to Jesse, his expression agonized. “I swear to God, Mom, I didn’t know he had a gun… but he did and he pulled it and… shot the man!”
Trey buried his head in his hands crying deep, tortured sobs.
Jesse couldn’t hold back. “It’s okay, honey, just tell us what happened.”
Dameon waited a moment then moved an inch closer to Trey but didn’t touch him.
“Okay, Trey. Then what did you do?”
“I… I took out my phone. Peter and those guys yelled at me to come--fast. They ran. But the man was bleeding.” He looked up imploringly at Jesse. “God, Mom, the guy was bleeding! I called 911 and I tried… I pressed some newspapers against his chest trying to get the bleeding to stop.” He put his arms on the table and put his head on top of them, his shoulders shaking.
Jesse could barely breathe. She was relieved to see Dameon press his knee against Trey’s.
His voice was crisp. “Alright Trey, that’s enough. I’ve talked with the arresting officers. The clerk is in the hospital. He has a shattered shoulder but he’ll live. He corroborated your story as did the first responders. As for your three buddies, they’re in lock- up now.”
Dameon paused to let the enormity of the situation sink in.
“I checked into your record, Trey. Found out that you were a star basketball player and a straight A student in your old school. You’re not doing so well here. Any reason why?”
Trey looked startled and embarrassed, “No… I’m just not studying as much….”
At the low growl from the other end of the table, Dameon shot Garrett a cautionary glance before the angry father could interject.
He continued to press Trey.
“How about basketball, Son? Why didn’t you try out for the varsity high school team?”
Trey shook his head, “I just… I didn’t think I wanted to….”
“Hmm, that’s too bad. From what I saw in your stats, you would have been a cinch to make the team.”
When Trey wouldn’t meet his eyes, Dameon continued.
“I play basketball. I coach a couple of teams. The game is addictive when you’re good.”
Garrett broke in sharply from the other end of the table.
“Can we cut the crap? Can my son come home or not?”
Dameon’s eyes narrowed. “I beg your pardon?”
“You heard me! Are you done bullshitting with him? About basketball, the ghetto sport?”
Dameon frowned. “Hmm, that’s an interesting way to put it.”
Trey explained. “My dad didn’t want me to play. He wanted me to go out for lacrosse. He said there are not as many black people in lacrosse. He said he didn’t want me hanging out with niggers.”
Jesse gasped. “Trey?! Garrett!”
Garrett flushed and glared at her. “Of course YOU wouldn’t care what kind of people he hangs out with! Tonight is a good example.”
Dameon’s lips twitched. “Interestingly enough, doc, all four boys tonight including your son were white. As an aside, Dwayne Stockton is the star player on the high school lacrosse team. Dwayne’s black. I tried to get him to try out for my basketball team, but he preferred lacrosse.”
Garrett puffed up like an angry toad. “Who gives a fuck? Trey won’t be playing any games for the next several years! The question is can he come home or not. Although maybe spending the night in jail is what he needs to shake some sense into him.”
Dameon encircled the people at the table with a hard gaze commanding their attention.
“I’m going to leave that up to Trey.”
Trey hunched forward in his chair moving several inches closer to Dameon.
“Your parents have divided custody, correct?”
Trey nodded.
Garrett huffed, “At this point we do. But not for very goddamned much longer.”
Dameon focused on Trey.
“Who were you with tonight?”
“Who the fuck do you think he was with?!” Garrett sputtered. “Do you think this would’ve happened if he’d been with me?”
Ignoring him, Dameon asked, “Trey, you are with your mother now?”
“Yes.”
“If you agree, I’m going to let you go home with your mother. How do you feel about that?”
Trey gave a relieved sigh, “I want to go home with my mom.”
“Okay, that’s what we’ll do. I want you both to come here tomorrow after school to meet with the juvenile probation team. They will work with you to develop a probationary plan. This is a serious issue, Trey. You know that, don’t you, Son?”
Looking from Garrett then to Jesse, he addressed them both. “Just so you understand, this is what we refer to as a ‘gateway crime.’ Kids involved in dangerous activities like this usually go steadily downhill from here. And--”
“Wait a minute. Wait one goddamned fucking minute!” Garrett rose from his chair, a volcano spewing molten ash with every angry word. “You think I’m going to let that bitch take him after what she did tonight? Let my son go home with her? You know what will happen. For god’s sake didn’t you arrest her the other night? Put her in jail? When her kid was home alone. You think I’m going to send my son home with that slut?!”
Dameon rose to his full height, looming ominously over the table. “Okay. I did warn you. Correct?”
He nodded to the officer who’d brought Trey into the room and been standing to the side for the entirety of the conversation.
“Officer Michaels, will you please cuff the doctor to his chair and wait here with him. Ask Sgt. Johnston to call psych services and have the
m send an anger management consultant here to talk to him.”
“WHAT the fuck?!”
Garrett’s outraged screams filled the air as the young officer expertly cuffed the doctor to the chair.
Dameon threw the frothing doctor an impassive glance. “The counselor will decide if you need to be kept overnight.” He added over his shoulder to the three officers who were now surrounding the irate man. “Gag him if he keeps that up. Better yet, arrest him.”
He motioned to a wide-eyed Sapphire. “As for you, Ma’am, you can wait in the hallway. But I recommend that you find another way home. It’s unlikely the doc will be going anywhere anytime soon.”
“You son of a bitch! I’m gonna to sue your ass!”
Garrett’s ranting threats echoed as Dameon led Jesse and Trey out of the room.
Red Rock Rises: Chapter Twelve
“Trey, I want you to know that I’m a reasonably tolerant man. I give people room when I know they’re under stress. I consider the circumstances and overlook a lot of questionable behavior. One thing I won’t tolerate and neither should you is talking to your mother OR to your father disrespectfully. It’s important to show respect. Men, real men, respect women. All women. But, especially their mothers and wives. And, I might add, the mothers of their children. Apparently your father never learned that. But we’ll see what we can do to help him.”
Walking down the hallway next to Jesse, Dameon reached for her hand.
“If you don’t mind I’m going to follow you two to make sure you get home okay. You both look a little shaky.”
Jesse glanced over at Trey and said without enthusiasm, “You don’t have to. We’ll be all right.”
“I know you will. But I’d like to. My truck is in the back. I’ll meet you out in front of the precinct.”
Jesse gave him a grateful nod.
* * *
Dameon sat on the front porch glider waiting for Jesse. She’d gone upstairs with Trey. The boy had looked shattered. It was one of the reasons Dameon insisted he escort them to their home. He wanted to be sure that the kid didn’t do anything crazy. He comforted himself with the fact that Trey had a good head. Hell, in a way, he’d been a goddamn hero tonight. His actions were the only reason he was home sleeping in his own bed. Dameon grimaced. It was a miracle that Trey was who he was, given the father he had. Jesse may have been MIA a lot of the time but it was obvious that she’d had a positive effect on Trey and that they had a close relationship. It was also clear that Trey adored his mother.