by JR Thompson
“I don’t think there’s any fires burnin’ right now. So the fires ain’t in front of nobody. Nobody can be behind ‘em if they ain’t burnin’, miss.”
I could scream, Victoria thought. No. No. You can do this. Pretend he’s three, Victoria. You got this. “Some houses have burned down before. Who started those fires?”
With yet another creepy chuckle, Herbert said, “Prolly somebody who feels like he’s all alone. Like nobody likes him. You know? Like a guy who feels like he don’t belong?”
Oh, no, Victoria thought. “Herbert, do you have very many friends?”
“Of course.”
“Tell me about them.”
“Well, there’s Billy and Tyler… and Hunter.”
“Wonderful,” Victoria said. “What can you tell me about your buddies?”
“They’re my friends. They’re fun to hang out with.”
Somehow I think I’m being lied to, Victoria thought. “So what kind of things do you do with Billy?”
“Lots.”
“Lots? Like what?”
“Like… swimming in the clouds.”
Victoria giggled. “Swimming in the clouds, huh? Do you mean flying in an airplane?”
“No. I mean… we go up to the top of the mountains and jump off into the clouds and go swimming.”
“Is Billy a friend you can see? Or is he an imaginary friend.”
“Got me there,” Herbert chuckled.
“What about Tyler and Hunter? Are they imaginary friends too?”
“Yep. But they’re good friends. They’re never mean to me.”
Victoria was beginning to feel sorry for the guy, but at the same time she realized there was a real possibility he was the man she was looking for. “Herbert, I’m going to ask you a very direct question. Do you promise to tell me the truth?”
“I didn’t do it,” he told her.
“You didn’t do what?”
“I don’t know. Whenever people start asking me to tell them the truth, they always blame me for doing something wrong. I didn’t do nothin’. I promise.”
“Listen, Herbert. I’m not here to try to get you in trouble. I just want to know who keeps starting those fires. Have you or any of your imaginary friends had anything to do with them?”
“I’d rather not say,” Herbert replied.
“Why not?”
“Cause… I’m not my brother’s keeper.”
“So you’re telling me you don’t know what your imaginary friends do?”
“Right.”
Victoria was beginning to understand why private detectives got paid the big bucks. After solving this mystery, she had no intentions of ever taking on another case as long as she lived.
16: Training Session
Scottie was about as uncomfortable as a soldier sporting a malfunctioning rifle when the Russells pulled into the driveway Friday evening. Collin’s gonna try his best to get Dad to bust my behind. I just know it, he told himself.
After lugging their belongings to the guest room, Collin asked the three boys if they could play a board game or to do something quietly while the adults had a private discussion on the porch.
As soon as the door closed, Remington sneaked over to the window and peeked at them through the wooden mini-blinds. Within seconds, Titus and Scottie joined him.
“He did not just say that!” Scottie whispered.
How dare his own father call him a spoiled brat! Dad was supposed to be taking up for him, not putting him down. He wasn’t spoiled, and he most certainly was not a brat.
In their eavesdropping, the boys heard the entire plan for the weekend. Collin nor Alayna had any intentions of disciplining Titus or Scottie. However, they were going to coach the Pearsons on how to handle unruly behaviors. If they felt the discipline could wait, they would try not to say anything in front of the boys but would later discuss it in private. If, however, it was something that couldn’t wait, they would deal with it immediately.
Without warning, Scottie lost his balance and nearly fell. He would have if he didn’t catch himself with the mini-blinds. Unfortunately, the blinds came tumbling down on top of him and the commotion brought the focus of all of the adults to the boys.
“Okay,” Collin spoke. “That didn’t take long. So now we have a situation. The boys were told to play a board game or do something quietly. Instead, they intentionally eavesdropped on our conversation. Brock, you’re in charge. To make things fair, while we’re here you will be disciplining Remmy as well as your boys. How are you gonna handle the situation?”
Without answering, Brock trudged inside. “Scottie… fellas… what enticed your intrusion of our conversing?”
To no one’s surprise, Scottie was first to speak up. “Remmy started it. Titus and I… we just followed his lead.”
“Remington, is that a valid assessment?” Brock asked, crossing his arms.
“Yes, sir.”
“Do you comprehend the importance of confidentiality?”
“Yes, sir.”
“I intend to deliver you a sheet of paper and it is my expectation that you compose, ‘I will comply with the confidential interests of others,’ fifteen times. Comprehend?”
Sounding pleasantly surprised, Remmy agreed, “Sure.”
With a smug countenance, Brock returned to the porch. “What impression did that leave you?”
“Too soft,” Collin replied. “Fifteen sentences will be completed in short order. Punishment has to outweigh the pleasure of sin. Knowing my boy as I do, a light punishment like that won’t deter him. If you’re certain the punishment should be a writing assignment, it should be somewhere between one hundred and five hundred sentences. But it’s too late now. You’ve already assigned his consequence. But… how do you plan to deal with Scottie and Titus?”
Brock seemed perplexed, “Remington instigated it. They were just succeeding his lead.”
Scottie continued listening through the window. He could tell Collin was not backing down. “If I see several cars speeding down the highway, is it okay for me to speed because I’m simply following the lead of other vehicles?”
Collin hates me, Scottie thought. He wants me to get punished.
“I comprehend your meaning,” Brock said.
“Titus and Scottie each deserve a consequence for eavesdropping. Had Remmy received a severe consequence, I would’ve suggested the other two receive a less stiff penalty. However, you can’t get much less severe than fifteen sentences. At this point, I would suggest giving them the same consequence as Remmy but making it acutely clear this will only serve as a warning. Tell all three of the guys that any further misbehavior will result in much harsher discipline.”
Brock took his advice and was surprised when both Scottie and Titus cooperated with the sentences. Even more surprising was the fact that Victoria didn’t interfere.
✽ ✽ ✽
The little episode with the mini-blinds was a good warm-up for the remainder of the weekend.
What is that? Victoria questioned about an hour later, lifting her bare foot from the sticky mess on the floor beneath her. “Okay guys, who made a mess and didn’t wipe it up?”
No one answered.
“Guys, I asked a question — someone made a mess in this kitchen and I want to know who it was RIGHT NOW!”
Everyone in the house scurried into the kitchen to see what mess Victoria was talking about. Apparently someone had spilled an entire two-liter of soda right in front of the refrigerator. “Scottie, to be honest, it looks like something you would do,” Victoria accused.
“Constantly blaming me!” Scottie yelled. “I get blamed for everything!”
Sounds like what Herbert told me on the bus the other day, Victoria thought. She didn’t have to say a word though as Brock jumped right in. “That’s due to your historical record of escaping from your disarray.”
“I’m not the only kid here. It could’ve been Titus or Remington. Why does everybody always point their fingers at me
? Cause I’m the youngest?”
Titus grinned, “No, it’s cause you’re the clumsiest and laziest.”
Scottie lowered his head, squinted his eyes, and charged into Titus like his entire body was a battering ram. Titus was thrown several steps backward and hit the wall behind him. With his reflexes kicking in, he put Scottie in a headlock with his left arm and punched him in the mouth with his right fist. Brock and Collin broke them up before any further damage could occur.
“Send your boys to their rooms,” Collin instructed, glaring at Brock and Victoria.
“You heard the man,” Victoria snapped. “Go to your rooms and close your doors. Don’t come out until I say so.”
“Okay,” Collin stated. “Now we have a more serious situation. The easy thing to do is to react. That’s when our emotions take over and we automatically kick into gear. Instead, we have to respond. In other words, we have to reflect on what actually transpired and deal with it accordingly.”
“Makes sense to me,” Victoria agreed. “Titus deserves to be punished since he insulted Scottie and caused the entire altercation.”
Brock was in complete agreement, “Not exclusively that, but he’s considerably older and should be more knowledgeable than to bash someone in the chops — especially one so much smaller than he is.”
“Wait a minute,” Alayna chimed in. “We need to throw this train in reverse. First of all, someone left a mess on the floor, right? Who do you believe to be responsible?”
In unison both Brock and Victoria answered, “Scottie.”
“Did Scottie admit to making the mess?” Alayna asked.
“No.”
“Then he should be disciplined for not cleaning up after himself and for fibbing about it.”
“We can’t do that,” Victoria replied. “He didn’t confess and nobody saw him spill the soda. You can’t punish a kid without evidence.”
Collin chuckled. “This isn’t the court of law; it’s your house. If Scottie has a history of spilling things and not cleaning them up and he never admits his wrongs, you can’t let him get away with it. You both know he’s guilty so you have to punish him regardless of proof.”
“And that’s not all,” Alayna added. “Not only did Scottie deny making the mess, but he was backtalking. That cannot be permitted. He needs to understand that one hateful word toward either of his parents results in discipline — every single time!”
After much debate, it was agreed that Scottie should have to write Victoria a one-page letter of apology for backtalking, scrub the kitchen floor by hand for being a slob, and have to go to bed one hour early for lying. In addition, for attacking Titus he would have to do all of Titus’s chores on Saturday.
Titus, for making fun of Scottie, would be required to compose a one-page apology letter to Scottie. For the fight, Brock would give him a stern verbal warning. He had the right to defend himself, but in the future he needed to learn how to do so in a more controlled manner as to not intentionally inflict injury.
✽ ✽ ✽
Titus was sitting on his bed, hugging his knees when Brock ambled in and sat down next to him. “You understand physical battling is inappropriate, right?”
Titus peered directly into his eyes and mumbled, “Yeah.”
In a calm, yet firm voice, Brock continued. “You comprehend it was unbecoming of you to reference Scottie as being clumsy and lazy?”
“Yeah.”
Even though his answers were short, Titus appeared to recognize he had been at fault. His eyes and even the tone of his voice seemed to fill with remorse.
“You are knowledgeable I am required to deliver a penalty to you, right?”
The remorseful expression on Titus’s face disappeared. His eyes narrowed sharply and his posture stiffened. “Why? Because you think I deserve it or because Collin thinks I do?”
Brock grinned, “You should be compelled to appreciate Collin’s presence, man. Had he been absent, you would be in receipt of far less favorable consequences. Collin brought my attention to some things that verifiably enhanced your cause. Don’t be so hasty to judge.” Brock went on to explain the right and wrong ways to defend himself and told him he had to write Scottie a full-page apology. He had to write legibly, in regular size print, and could not double space the lines.
Exiting the room, he crossed the hall to find Scottie’s bedroom empty. His window was open and a note was laying on his pillow, “I’m outta here. Nice knowing you. Your unwanted son, Scottie.”
Exceptional, Brock thought, storming into the hallway. That was the last thing he wanted to deal with — especially with the Russells present. Then again, that’s what they were there for. “Guys, Scottie sneakily departed. He left a note,” Brock announced.
The entire household split up and searched the neighborhood for hours. They checked out the local stores, spoke with neighbors, strolled through the park, and drove up and down narrow alleyways. Eventually they decided to return to the house in hopes that Scottie had returned on his own.
Sure enough, they found the boy sitting on the couch, oinking out on a bowl of ice cream that had been drizzled with caramel syrup, and watching TV as if nothing had happened.
“I’m so glad you’re okay!” Victoria cried, running to Scottie’s side.
“Me too,” Brock agreed. “I’m apologetic for forcing you to feel undesirable.”
Scottie grinned and shot Collin a look that said, “I outsmarted you, didn’t I?”
“Guys,” Collin retorted. “Do you realize what you’re doing? Scottie spilled something on the floor and didn’t wipe it up. He mouthed off, lied, assaulted Titus, and ran away from home. Now you’re hugging him and telling him you’re sorry when the boy hasn’t apologized to anyone for anything. You have to learn how to stand up to him.”
Before Brock or Victoria could say a word, Scottie went on the defensive, “I’m not the only one who’s lying. Who do you suppose you are accusing me of running away when I did no such thing?”
“Your window was ajar and you left a note,” Brock reminded him.
“Yeah, but I did that to trick you. I hid in my closet until you all left just to show you how it feels to have somebody be mean to you for a change.”
Brock and Victoria looked at each other and then at Collin and Alayna. “What proceedings should we follow?” Brock asked.
Collin didn’t need any time whatsoever to ponder that one. “This is when you need to administer that spanking he believes he’s too old for.”
Victoria shook her head. “I don’t see that as an effective approach. I’m not sure either of us is in agreement with the idea of hitting a child to correct him. It only serves to teach violence.”
“Violence?” Alayna asked in disbelief. “The kind of violence Scottie just exhibited toward Titus? Did spankings teach him that violence?”
“No, we don’t—”
“Exactly, Victoria. You don’t spank your son, but he is violent. Spankings don’t teach violence. Lackadaisical parenting does.”
“Alayna,” Collin shook his head. “Remember what I told you before we took on this parenting class?”
“I’m sorry,” Alayna agreed. “I don’t know what came over me.”
Victoria rolled her eyes, obviously angry.
Brock didn’t help matters any. “Victoria, I presume the Russells are correct. Perhaps it’s time for some old-fashioned discipline to be instituted in our dwelling.”
“NO, BROCK!” Victoria shouted. “I’m not having that in my house. Absolutely not!”
“Victoria,” Alayna interjected calmly. “You admitted you’ve tried everything with Scottie. You asked us how we get Remington to behave as well as he does. You know your way isn’t working. Why won’t you try things our way?”
Collin butted in. “Actually, it’s not our way. It’s God’s way. Why won’t you try it His way?”
There was a brief pause. Then Titus jumped in, “If you keep on doing what you’ve always done, you’ll keep on gett
ing what you’ve always got. That’s what my folks quoted all of the time.”
“I don’t agree with this!” Victoria snapped. “You are all crazy.” She stormed out of the room.
Brock sighed, but let her go. “How do we perform this necessity?” he asked. “The boy’s never had a hand applied to him in his life.”
“Take him into a private room and tell him to bend over. Take your belt off, double it over, and give him three hard licks,” Collin instructed.
Scottie jumped up and made a mad dash for the door. “I’m too old for that!” he yelled. The boy didn’t get far before Titus grabbed him and held him in place with a cocky expression on his face that said, nice try, kid.
“At this point Brock, I would forget all about taking him into a private room. Now he needs three licks for making you believe he ran away and three more for trying to escape his consequence. He’s already made it clear he’s not going to bend over voluntarily. If I were you, I would take him over my knee right here in front of everybody, hold him in place, and spank the foolishness out of him.”
Nervously, Brock took his belt off and laid it on the couch before motioning for Titus to escort Scottie over to him. As they got closer, he grabbed Scottie’s arm and forced him across his lap.
Remington grinned nervously as Brock raised the belt and lightly smacked his son’s backside with it.
“No!” Collin insisted. “Harder!”
How much harder? Brock questioned internally before tapping him again, slightly harder than he had the first time.
“May I?” Collin asked, standing to his feet.
Titus and Remmy exchanged smiles of approval; it was about time Scottie got what he had coming to him.
With Brock’s permission, Collin pulled Scottie up and bent him over his own lap. “Hand me the belt.”
Collin issued an extremely hard lick.
“STOP! THAT’S CHILD ABUSE!” Scottie yelled, kicking his legs and trying to free one hand to protect his behind, while Remington snickered and Titus attempted to hide his own amusement.
Collin raised the belt and gave him five more licks, equally as hard, resulting in Scottie crying like a two-year-old.