When The Chips Are Down

by Aiden Vaughan

  “These along with other quotes became so upsetting to Gaither and Thomason’s lawyers, that they eventually were able to get them to accept 30 year prison sentences, which was the best deal the district attorney would offer them at the time. They are starting their sentences by the end of the month. The two guards Alfredo and Darius received lesser sentences of eight and fifteen years respectively. It seems that Darius had been taking pictures of the boys in captivity, and was planning to sell them on the Internet once they had reached age eighteen! He had saved dozens of photos on his computer. Can you imagine the gall of that!

  “The camp was taken over by Child Protective Services. They began holding hearings to determine what should be done with the different inmates. At the hearings, the camp inmates and their parents or guardians had to testify about what should happen. In many of the cases, the inmate elected to live with other relatives, and most of those custody changes were okayed. A nearly equal number decided to return home where they came from. In those cases each inmate was assigned a case worker who was charged with visiting the home periodically, and to be available if the teenager ever had any complaints. And a few even elected to go into the foster care system rather than return to a dysfunctional family life that they hated.

  “All of the camp counselors were interrogated and their backgrounds were investigated. Many had questionable backgrounds and little or no training in counseling or working with at risk teenagers. In almost every case, the counselor was told to stop working in this field entirely or to get at least two years of training in the field. Their licenses to work as counselors or with kids in any capacity were revoked in the meantime.”

  “Captain, there is one teenager from that camp who I have promised to help out, and I think that you could be of assistance here. His name is Arthur Vincenzo.” Jason went on to tell Garcia all about Arthur’s background, how he helped them to discover what had happened to Tim, and how he now wanted to have a career helping other troubled kids like himself. “I have committed Whatever Foundation funding to help Arthur go for his dream. His family situation was so bad that he elected to go into the foster care system rather than return home! I told Arthur that if he was serious about his goal, he should spend time as an intern in a youth camp to see what it was like, and what kind of job he should pursue. The foundation will pay for Arthur’s room and board, and other living expenses while he is an intern. Can you recommend a camp where he could go? It needs to be one where there is a good staff, so he sees what a well run camp should be like.”

  “Okay, Jason, that sounds like a good plan for that kid. Let me check into that for you.”

  Not only did Captain Garcia find a good camp for Arthur to work in as an intern, but since the camp didn’t start up until June, he agreed to put Arthur up at his house for the time being, rather than temporarily stick him in a foster home. Later Jason heard in an email from Arthur that the Captain and his wife Marisol really connected with him during his stay at their house. They had a great time together. The Garcias took pride in showing Arthur around the Silicon Valley and doing family type activities with each other. “I’m keeping my fingers crossed, Jason, but maybe they will even consider taking me in permanently. Thank you for setting up the camp internship and connecting me up with the Garcias. Oh, by the way, could you put in a good word for me with them when the camp is over?”

  Jason laughed out loud when he read the email. He printed it out and showed it to Daniel. “Can you imagine Captain Garcia as a family man with a teenaged son named Arthur?”

  “You know, Jason, actually I can,” Daniel replied in a serious voice. “I think that would be very cool! Let’s send Captain Garcia that picture we promised him, and write a note describing how great it is that he has taken on Arthur. Maybe we can push him over the edge to adopt!”

  The boot camp story continued to be a media sensation throughout the spring. Jaime Orlando’s reports and interviews were often replayed in excerpts on the news when a new development in the story would break. Jaime and television station KHHT received several journalism and broadcast awards for their coverage. Jaime called Jason up when he got word of some of the awards. “Thank you for sending that Camp Chinquapin story my way. It’s turned into one of the biggest stories of the year! I owe you a lunch, big time! Please let me know if you ever need information or better yet have another Hunter & Holmes case!”

  Chapter 32

  Family Matters

  (Memorial Day Weekend)

  It was now the end of May. The Memorial Day weekend had arrived, but neither the Hunter or Holmes families had plans to leave town or travel. Gary Holmes was adamant about not going on trips that weekend. “I don’t like to get on the freeways on these holiday weekends. It seems that all of the crazies are out on the road!” Gary and Melinda Holmes usually met clients at their home on Saturday, and he had a couple of appointments scheduled for Saturday morning.

  Bill Hunter also was involved with his art and antiquities import business. Usually the holiday weekend brought in a lot of customers so he decided to keep the showroom open all weekend.

  The Hunter and the Holmes families decided to have a get together on Sunday. They were going to have a potluck and barbeque at the Holmes’ house. Gary had a great barbeque and smoker in his back yard, and was making baby back ribs for this occasion, which he was going to smoke all day. Edith Hunter and Melinda Holmes were preparing salads and side dishes, and even Bill contributed by going to a farmer’s market and picking up fresh fruit for their meal.

  The get together was great for Jason and Daniel. They were planning to hang out together for part of the weekend anyway, and now they were going to get a great meal along with it. Their parents had a few things they wanted to discuss with their sons, and the get together was nice informal way to do that. The Hunter family arrived around 5:30. Soon the adults were busy in the kitchen and back yard. Jason and Daniel decided to go to Daniel’s room where they could talk by themselves for a while.

  “Boy am I looking forward to the summer,” Jason began. “Cody Johnson is going to come and visit us the first weekend after we are out, but after that, my slate is clean and I can’t wait!”

  “You know for me, the summer is when Eric and I want to seriously launch our band,” Daniel told Jason. “We have been checking out new equipment ever since we got those checks from DCC, and now we are ready to start buying stuff. I am also going to spend some of that money on a car or van. I want to buy something that I can get around in but also haul band equipment. Dad is going to help me look for a vehicle once school is out. I’m really excited about that!”

  “Have you come up with a decision about other players in the band yet?”

  “Tim has been asking us about becoming the drummer in the band. That would be ideal, because of the rehearsal and recording studio his dad his building for him. We saw what Jeff Wilkinson has been doing, and it looks awesome so far!”

  “So what’s the hitch? Is Tim not up to the musical standards you guys want? From what I remember he was very talented. He also is very intelligent. He never really showed that side of himself in school, because he wanted to protest the system. But every now and then he would say something that was so perceptive that it made you realize that he must have a very high IQ.”

  “We don’t know. I think that he could sense our hesitation, so Tim said that he wanted to audition for us. He said it would take him a little time to recover from all of his injuries and get his strength back. He was very up front about things. He told us, ‘I know I don’t have a very good reputation from what happened in the past, but my whole attitude has changed now. This is something I really want! I have been practicing and taking private lessons, thanks to Jason’s foundation, and I will be ready to audition for you around the first of June. Please don’t make a decision until then!’ So Eric and I agreed to wait until then. I think that we want Tim to succeed but he has to be willing to work hard and take our rehearsals and agenda seriously. How prepared he is a
t the audition will tell us a lot about that!”

  “What about Diana? Is she going to join the band?”

  “You know, Jason, that is an even more difficult situation. When I asked her if she was interested in joining, she was thrilled! When I told her about our plans for rehearsals and developing a lot of original material, she seemed a little less thrilled. At the same time, I feel we are getting closer as a couple, you know romantically. She is someone I really love, and I don’t want the band to come between us, if you know what I mean. And if for some reason Diana doesn’t work out as a band member, will that mean the end of our relationship?”

  “Wow, that is a dilemma, Daniel. It sounds like you are going to have to become a diplomat when it comes to the band and Diana!”

  “For now, she is in. At least that is what she told me the last time we talked about it. I also know that her mom wants her to work more hours in her catering business this summer, so I hope it doesn’t become a conflict.”

  “Is it possible to be accommodating in the scheduling of your rehearsals so that she can do both?” Jason asked.

  “I think so for now. After all we are just starting out, and a lot of the rehearsal time has to be devoted to working out the instrumental arrangements. But obviously the vocal arrangements are important, so that has to be dealt with. And I want to be able to spend just fun time with her, going on bike rides or to the movies, like a normal boy friend girl friend scene.”

  “I think you two are going to eventually have to have a very serious talk about things, Daniel. But I wouldn’t force the issue until there is a real conflict. Let things flow for a while, and see how she feels.”

  “Good advice, Jason. How did you become such an expert on women?”

  Jason burst out laughing after hearing that. “I don’t think any guy ever becomes an expert on women! I would be super happy if I could understand even half of what goes through Laura’s mind!”

  “How are you two getting along these days?” Daniel asked his friend.

  “Things are great as far as I know. I love being with her, and there is a real physical attraction between us that keeps building every time we see each other.”

  “That sounds awesome, Jason. So what’s the down side? You know, the ‘as far as I know’ part.”

  “I think Laura wants me to give up doing any detective work. I think she is deathly afraid that something horrible is going to happen to me! And I suppose she has a point. I know that I deliberately tried to keep things lukewarm between us last summer, when she first started making a play for me, because you and I were working on solving my kidnapping, then dealing with Eric’s rescue from that bastard Rogelio Fernandes, and your case with Ethan Savage. I didn’t want her to somehow be in danger because she was my girl friend.”

  “Did that work?” Daniel followed up.

  “No, not at all,” Jason confessed. “As the summer went on, we became closer to each other. I guess hormones outdo the mind every time!”

  “We have done enough of the Hunter & Holmes cases to realize that there is a lot of danger involved,” Daniel said. “I don’t have a problem giving that part up, but I guess it comes with the territory. Sometimes the danger is unexpected, like what happened to me after I met and jammed with Ethan Savage or last month when I walked into the DCC plant and for a while was a hostage!”

  “I don’t know what will happen to us in the future,” Jason replied. “It’s not like we have an office and a sign hanging in front saying ‘Hunter & Holmes, Detectives for Hire’. These things keep landing in our laps. And when they do, if the cause is just enough, we have to act! Can you imagine how guilty we would feel if we hadn’t intervened at Camp Chinquapin, and later the bruised and beaten up bodies of Cody or Tim were found somewhere?”

  “That’s why I was willing to drop everything and join you, Jason. If you are given the chance to do something good and righteous, you have to take the risks that go with the territory. I must say you did a hell of job with the escape plan!” The two boys tapped knuckles.

  “That brings up the whole issue of the Whatever Foundation,” Jason continued. “I was given the keys to a very important resource to do good in the world. As long as that foundation is there with a ton of money, I am going to use its resources when I think it is called for. Look what we have been able to do for Eric, Tim, and Cody already because of that resource!”

  “You certainly are able to put your money where your mouth is, Jason! It must be the greatest feeling in the world to be able to do that.”

  “And I have to thank you for that, Daniel. It was your advice to give up the money to a foundation rather than allow it to consume my life that convinced me to go in that direction. It’s funny how liberating that feeling is. The money is there to do good, and all I have to do is make a phone call to access it! So I plan to keep on using the money to help others and intervene personally if I have to. I just hope that our parents and girl friends will understand that it is more than just a responsibility. It’s an honor and a solemn commitment!”

  “Wow, Jason, you really get out there at times. Have I ever told you what an amazing person you are?” Daniel then started laughing.

  “All right, Daniel. I guess it was getting time to pop my bubble. I know I get too intense at times. That’s why I keep you around, so you can calm me down.”

  “That’s what best friends are for, Jason!”

  Melinda Holmes called out to the boys. “Jason! Daniel! Come join us! There are appetizers and it is almost time to eat.” The call of food suddenly seemed very appealing. Jason and Daniel hurried to join their parents.

  Melinda Holmes poured the boys large glasses of lemonade and encouraged them to try out the appetizers which included seafood dip and vegetables, and crackers and cheese. About twenty minutes later, all of the rest of the food was laid out in a buffet. In addition to the barbequed ribs, there was potato salad, chili, a green tossed salad, garlic bread, and black olives. There was also a fruit salad for dessert. Everyone helped themselves and then went to sit down in the Holmes’ dining area. They had decided to eat inside because the wind had come up.

  The dinner was great and everyone ate enthusiastically. Daniel and Jason both went for second helpings. “This food is fantastic!” Jason said. “Daniel and I have decided to keep you as parents!” Everyone laughed at the joke.

  “We are planning to keep you as our sons, also, but the insurance company keeps raising the price!” Bill Hunter joked back but there was an edge to his voice.

  “Is that because we are now worth more or because we take too many risks?” Jason replied. He decided to take things on directly.

  “Probably both, Jason,” Bill Hunter replied. “As your parents we do get concerned about you, especially when you impulsively put yourself in harm’s way!”

  “Daniel and I were just talking about that upstairs, believe it or not,” Jason replied. “Sometimes you have to take a risk to save a life!”

  “We were just talking about how horrible we would have felt if we hadn’t done anything at that camp and later Cody or Tim’s bruised bodies were found somewhere!” Daniel said.

  “And we were talking about how horrible we would feel if those bodies were yours or Jason’s,” Melinda Holmes retorted.

  “There are times in life when you have to take a risk, especially if it means saving a life!” Jason responded. “I wish I had a Jason clone I could leave at home, so there would always be a safe Jason! The last thing that Daniel or I would ever want to do is hurt you! You are the best parents in the world! But we have to live out our lives as best we can! More than ever I feel that I have obligations because of the Whatever Foundation.”

  “We have really tried to be careful on our operations,” Daniel added. “Jason in particular has heeded your advice about risk taking and now always has backup and a contingency plan to escape. He did that at Camp Chinquapin with the Navy SEALs and at the DCC plant. Plus Captain Garcia was there with a Silicon Valley Police strike
team!”

  “We just worry that because of the successes you have had, that you are more willing than ever to take risks, and sometimes risks that you don’t need to take!” Edith Hunter said. “And now everything you do is getting huge media coverage! I dread coming home and seeing that security car in front of our house. That means another media story is going to be on the news!” (Edith was referring to the security service that Bill Hunter would hire to make sure that their house was guarded from intrusive media coverage or reporters trying to wangle an interview.)

  “We also feel that we should be informed when you are taking these risks!” Gary Holmes said. “We should be hearing about these plans from you directly, not on the news! As your legal guardians we have a right to know and an obligation to advise you not to do something if we think it is too risky!”

  “Dad,” Daniel replied. “I think you know that we have tried to keep you informed about what we are doing. But life doesn’t always follow the rules!”

  “What Daniel is saying, Mr. Holmes,” Jason answered, “is that you don’t always have that chance to do things by the book. If I see someone drowning, and I have a chance to save that person, I am risking my life to do so. If I have the ability to swim out there and help, then I believe I should. I don’t have time to call Mom or Dad and ask permission. Otherwise, that person will drown! And yes, something horrible could happen to me trying to save that person! So I ask you, which way do you want us to live our lives, helping people or always being safe? I think you know how I feel about it!”

  “But is that situation the same as calling in soldiers and planning an assault on a camp?” Gary countered.