“Today is like Christmas!” Robbie replied. “You are so organized and thoughtful. Does my mom know about any of this?”
“Not yet, but you will be able to tell her everything in just a few minutes.”
Ten minutes later, Jason’s cell phone rang. It was time for the boys to go inside. Jason and Daniel grabbed Robbie’s new backpack and duffle bag from the back of the Explorer. When they got to the front door of the store, the manager’s assistant was waiting for them, and brought them to the conference room. When the assistant knocked on the door, Captain Garcia opened it. “Bring Robbie in first.”
When Robbie came in, his mother got up and he ran to her. They hugged and simultaneously burst into tears. It was a very emotional reunion for the two of them. Jason and Daniel set Robbie’s new things on the floor. Captain Garcia had them quietly leave the room and he closed the door from the outside. “They need their privacy for a while,” he explained. “I told Mrs. Nelson to come to the door when they are ready to proceed. Plus we need to talk. The manager said we could use his office for a few minutes. He went out to lunch about ten minutes ago.”
“Seeing their reunion reminds me of that special moment almost two years ago when I was able to find you in that park maintenance building, release you, and bring you outside into the sunlight,” Daniel said to Jason. “When your parents drove up, rushed over to you, and the three of you were reunited, that was one of the most happy and emotional moments of my life!”
“Mine too, my friend!” Jason replied knocking his knuckles with Daniel’s. “Thinking of that moment still brings tears to my eyes.”
Jason, Daniel, and Captain Garcia moved into the manager’s office and sat down. Captain Garcia said, “The silver lining in this poor kid’s ordeal is that he got good looks at the two perps who abused him. I’m hoping that we can get a couple of accurate sketches of them when Robbie meets with the police artist. Plus kidnapping and child molestation are serious felonies. Now I have some real ammunition to go after those two traffickers. I still feel bad that our SWAT team didn’t discover the boy earlier when we were searching the place.”
“The last thing you would figure was that another crime was going on in the basement after the place was abandoned,” Jason said. “The only reason we stumbled on it was because Daniel noticed a pair of boys sneakers and socks on the floor. Plus he figured out that Robbie was most likely left there to be picked up by the man they sold him to. That explains why he was left there in that basement utility closet and not brought along when those men abandoned the house.”
“Good detective work, boys! Now we can devote resources to identifying those two men and I will put a two-man surveillance team back at the house to watch for whoever was supposed to pick up Robbie. We will trace the property records of that house and any vehicles registered to that address. We will put out an APB as soon as we can get the artwork done, and begin to investigate probable IDs for the perps. Now at this point, I think it is best that you let us take over the investigation.”
“No problem, Captain,” Daniel said. “Monday we start back at school, and right now we are busy helping the Nelsons get back on their feet.”
“What you are doing for that family is super, Jason,” Garcia continued. “Your foundation performs such a valuable service in our community.”
“That’s what the foundation money is intended for,” Jason replied. “The best part about these interventions is taking at-risk teens and their families out of danger and giving them a new start in life. It gives me such great satisfaction every time that happens!”
The three talked more about the case and Jason updated Captain Garcia on Jian-heng’s progress. About ten minutes later, there was a knock on the door. Outside was Robbie. “We are ready to talk to you now. Mom really wants to meet Jason and Daniel.” The four of them returned to the conference room. Jason and Daniel introduced themselves to Mrs. Nelson.
“Robbie has been telling me about all the wonderful things you are doing for us,” Camille Nelson began. “But first, and most important, I want to thank both of you for rescuing him this morning from those evil men. Robbie is the only family I have left in the world, and I don’t know what I would have done if he was taken away from me! I was worried sick last night when he didn’t return, but I thought that maybe he was spending the night with one of his friends, which he is able to do sometimes. I feel really frustrated that I can’t provide for him better, and that I didn’t have any way to get in touch with him by telephone.”
“You are more than welcome, Mrs. Nelson,” Jason replied. “What those men did to your son was unforgivable! Even worse is that Robbie is not the first kid we know about that those traffickers have harmed and tried to sell into slavery! We are so happy that we were able to find Robbie before that could happen. Give Daniel the credit for finding the clues that led us to that utility closet where they left him!”
“Again I want you to know how grateful I am for all you did to help him!” Mrs. Nelson said in a very emotional voice. “Now he tells me that you are providing us with an apartment, new furniture, car repairs, medical care and food supplies. If you add that all up it sounds like it would cost around twenty-five or thirty thousand dollars. When Robbie walked in that door, I hardly recognized him at first, all cleaned up, his hair cut, and wearing new clothes! I don’t know I can ever repay you, but I know I will certainly try!”
“Don’t worry about the money, Mrs. Nelson. The main mission of my Whatever Foundation is to help teenaged victims of crime and their families, and because of what happened to Robbie, you certainly qualify. You both have been through some very rough times, and now you deserve a break! Plus I am very concerned about some of the things he told me — how he has had to neglect schoolwork to act as a watchdog for the two of you, and take whatever menial jobs he could pick up to help support you. After Robbie told us the story of how he was lured to that house, it was clear to me that he had been stalked by those men. Most likely they were looking for a certain type of boy for one of their sleazy clients!
“Now you will have a proper apartment to live in a nice neighborhood. We are providing that and all of the other things so you can concentrate on getting back on your feet. I want you to save the money you earn, so you can have deposit money for when you decide to get your own place, or to keep the apartment if you like living there. I want you to have a nest egg for emergencies, and I want you to have plenty of food to put on the table. Robbie needs to concentrate on his schoolwork and will have to deal with the traumatic experience he just went through. The foundation will cover the cost of his counseling and any tutoring he might need. These things are an important part of our services. And most of all, I want the two of you to regain a normal family life and be able to invite friends over to visit or for a meal.”
“I remember that song about teen angels,” Mrs. Nelson said in reply. “Now I think I have actually met a couple of them!”
“And I talked to the store manager about your situation, Mrs. Nelson,” Captain Garcia added. “He was quite touched by your loyalty to the store, coming here to put in your shift even though Robbie might be missing. I explained in a very general manner that you had been experiencing some hard times, and really could use more hours of work, if he could provide that. He told me that at least one full time position at the store will be available shortly, and that he will give you the first chance at it.”
“And speaking of money, shouldn’t Robbie be receiving child support from his father?” Jason asked. “If you would like me to, I will put our foundation attorney on this. He is real good at collecting child support from parents who have abandoned their children!
“Now you folks need to go with Captain Garcia so Robbie can give a formal statement, and then Robbie has a medical appointment with Dr. Cartwright at 3:30,” Jason continued. “After that I’m sure that Captain Garcia will want Robbie to work with their police artist to make sketches of the two men who kidnapped him.”
Jason go
t up and handed Mrs. Nelson two business cards and a page of notes. “Here are Dr. Cartwright’s and Dr. Agoura’s business cards with their office addresses. On the paper is the address of the motel you two will stay in tonight. The furniture store address is there too. They will deliver whatever you pick out tomorrow before two PM later that afternoon. You are set up with a service appointment for your car on Wednesday at the car repair place listed on the paper.
“Tomorrow, my parents and I will pick you up at your motel, go with you to your new apartment, help you figure out what you need, and take you to the furniture place. After that we will help you start the process of filling the refrigerator and cupboards with food and utensils. Daniel and I both have SUVs to help you bring in any other personal belongings if you have things in storage, and our friend Eric has a van if that is needed.
“Now I think that Daniel and I are exhausted from the day’s activities and are going to head on home. We’ll see you tomorrow!”
As Daniel and Jason got up to leave, both Robbie and Camille Nelson came over to them and gave them hugs. Robbie told them, “I’ll never forget what you did for me today, and what you are doing for me and Mom. Thank you again!”
Mrs. Nelson tried to say goodbye but was overcome with emotion. “Things are just starting to get better for you and Robbie, Mrs. Nelson,” Daniel said smiling at her. “As another good song goes, the best is yet to come!”
Chapter 19
A Fantastic Season
(March 2)
Monday morning Jason, Daniel, and all the other students returned to Merriam High School for the resumption of classes after their week long winter break. A lot of the buzz on campus focused on the Merriam basketball team, which was headed toward the league playoffs. As their season progressed, the team was playing better and better, often defeating their division opponents by lopsided scores of ten or more points.
As was to be expected, a lot of the team’s success was based on the performance of their star forward, Chauncey Jackson, who was leading the league in scoring, averaging 25 points a game. More important than just great athletic skills, Chauncey had a very good understanding of the game’s strategy, something he had spent a lot of time studying on his own. Chauncey’s whole concept behind what he called his A-list players was to implement those strategies. All of the summer league games he played were ways to test out his ideas and surround himself with players who could execute those ideas. So it was no accident that the same A-list players Chauncey worked with off-season would end up becoming starters on the Merriam High School team.
The Merriam High School basketball team was coached by Arvid Johanson, a history teacher at the school who had played college basketball for several seasons. Chauncey was very good at working with the coach. He didn’t act demanding, which he probably could get away with, given his skills. Instead from time to time, he would suggest little adjustments to the coach, either in the game plans or during practice drills. Most of the time Coach Johanson was happy to try these suggestions out. Usually they ended up making the team better, and more cohesive as a unit.
The rest of the starting team, including Jason, were playing significant roles in the team’s success as well. Reggie Adams, who was Chauncey’s best friend on the team, was the point guard and the team’s second leading scorer. Reggie was a very disciplined player, who practiced the game as much as Chauncey did. The two of them often worked out together. Mariano Rodrigo was the power forward and a very accurate shooter from three point range. Kololo Asasopu was their six foot, six inch tall center, and a force to be reckoned with on defense. He was developing great skill at rejecting shots to the basket from opposing teams without getting called for a foul. Jason was the shooting guard, primarily due to the accurate medium jumpers he could place from the middle of the key. Jason had been practicing that shot since he was a little boy, on his driveway and during pickup games with his friends. He was a great outlet for Reggie and Chauncey, especially when they were double-teamed.
During the regular season, the Merriam team had earned an 18 – 2 record. Both losses were in very closely contested games. With a little bit of luck, the team could have gone undefeated for the season. In one game, the loss was due to mental errors in the second half that allowed their opponent to take a lead on them and hold them off at the end of the game. In the other game, the loss was due to the team’s over-emotional reaction when they got behind, and two of their key starters fouling out just when the game went to crunch time at the end. In that game, their opponents iced the game with free throw shots, which they were sinking at a 95% rate. Coach Johanson knew that those two losses were minor blips on his team’s run toward the playoffs, but still were constant reminders to his players that even very good teams could lose.
Coach Johanson knew that he could use those losses as a motivating factor in the playoffs. Over and over in team meetings, he stressed how important it was to remain cool and objective during the game, even if they felt that fouls called were incorrect, or the other team was trash talking a lot to them. “Don’t express your feelings in a way that will hurt the team,” he constantly lectured. “Instead channel that emotion into better play. In the long run you will defeat any opponent by your skills on the court, and your ability to overcome adversity. The officials are human, and will make mistakes, at least from our point of view. That’s just part of the game! Don’t let trash talk get to your emotions. A team that constantly has to trash talk is probably less skilled than you are, and trying to psyche you out! Don’t play into their hands, or fall for their low rent game plan!”
Coach had also told the team, just before the President’s week break to expect that practices would be a lot more intense this week when they came back to school. “Every team you will face from now on will be a quality team! If you are not ready both physically and mentally, you will go down to defeat! These teams didn’t get to the playoffs by committing mental and physical errors. They got there by good teamwork, training, and application of the fundamentals of the game. To defeat them, you boys will have to be at your peak of readiness. I fully intend to make sure you are there! So don’t expect an easy time of it when you come back!”
Monday, after school, Coach Johanson showed the team exactly what he meant by a more intense practice. He ran them through their routine warm up drills at nearly double speed. If he didn’t like one thing about the way the team handled the drill they had to do it over again until it was done perfectly. He was particularly hard on the backup and reserve players. “What if one of our starters gets injured or is in immediate foul trouble?” he demanded to know. “You had all better be ready to step in!”
After a very rigorous half hour of warm up drills, the scrimmages started. The coach had a list of thirty plays that he wanted to use, and he wanted to be able to use them with every possible player combination on the team. On the first day of practice, he was only able to complete practice on five of those plays, making the team go over and over each play until he was satisfied about the way the team was executing it.
By the end of their practice time, the players on the team were exhausted. Coach sat them down on the first row of the bleachers and talked to them about their effort. “That wasn’t too bad for the first day, maybe average in my estimation! You can expect this type of intensity every day from now on. You are really going to have to step up a notch to be ready for your first opponent on Thursday. We only have a couple more practices to get you ready. If you think you gave 100% today, tomorrow I will expect 110%! Get my drift, team?”
“Yes, coach,” the team responded in normal voices.
“I said, GET MY DRIFT, TEAM!” Coach Johanson shouted back at them.
“YES, COACH!” the team shouted back this time.
“Good,” Coach replied in a normal voice. “I expect you all dressed and ready to practice at exactly 3:00 PM tomorrow. Now get in a circle and put your hands out for a team yell!”
The players got up, circled around and put their hand
s out on top of each other. “Team Merriam!” they yelled together.
Practice was now over. The players headed to the locker room. “Wow, that was really hard work,” Mariano remarked.
“From the way Coach was acting today, I don’t think tomorrow will be any easier!” Reggie said in reply.
“Get used to it, guys,” Chauncey said with a weary smile. “It’s only going to get worse!”
Chapter 20
The Pressures of the Playoffs
(March 3-8)
Practice was even more intense on Tuesday for the Merriam High basketball team. Everything was being run at a faster pace than usual. Coach Johanson was putting all the pressure he could on his young athletes to excel at fundamentals and do every drill and play to perfection. Coach didn’t try to demean his team in any way; after all they had won their division and were now in the playoffs. But whenever there was a mistake, he would yell out exactly what went wrong, and make the offending player repeat the exercise or play until he got it right. To avoid being singled out in that manner, every member of the team was trying harder to execute during drills and scrimmages.
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