Chapter 30

“THIS INQUEST will now convene on this sixteenth day of February. Judge Pro Tem Jason White presiding. Iowa State law dictates that whenever there is a death involving a law enforcement officer, an inquest must be held as quickly as possible to investigate and determine if there is just cause or if the actions leading to the death are questionable. I need to emphasize that charges have not been filed against either the officers or others involved in the deaths. This will determine what cases should be turned over to county prosecutors. Am I clear?” Judge White looked at the panel of experts and at the tables where defendants and the medical examiner were seated. All nodded. The medical examiner stood. “The bench recognizes State Medical Examiner Leon Reisner.”

“Your honor, I have been requested to present the case by Bartley County Medical Examiner Richard Davis. As originally presented, this case involved the DEA raid of a convenience store in Bartley, Iowa where a supposed drug transaction was taking place and involved the deaths of Harrison Conway and Manuel Herrera, and the shooting of Jeremy Unger. The medical examiner’s office requests, however, that the inquiry be expanded to include a third death in the county that occurred at approximately the same time and was closely related to the drug raid. That is the death of Lee Smith of Bartley, Iowa and the accompanying coma of the supposed shooter, William Enders of Bartley, Iowa.”

“And you believe this case is closely enough related to the other incident that it needs to be considered at the same time? Why?” the judge asked.

“Based on information gathered from three arrests that were made that night, we believe Smith’s death was all that prevented him from being at the scene of the drug transaction and he was delayed by an illegal alcohol drop that also resulted in the arrest of alleged bootlegger Solomon Smith, Lee Smith’s father.”

“Objections from the defense?”

“No objections, your honor. We believe Mr. Enders should be released from suspicion just as these officers should be,” the attorney for the DEA officers said.

Agent Brisco sat back in his seat at the table. It was not the first time he had been involved in a shooting while busting a drug operation. During the fire fight, he hadn’t even realized that he’d been hit in the side of his protective vest by Harry’s spray of fire toward him. It had been a glancing blow and he only had a bruise on his side, but the Medical Examiner had collected his vest and taken photos of the bruise.

Still, this would take some time as they outlined the evidence they had that a drug exchange would be made and the sequence of events that took place that night. He and his two partners in the apprehension would take most of the heat, but he hoped Will Enders would be released from suspicion. No matter why Will was parked out there in that cornfield, it was obvious to Brisco and to State Trooper Moran that Smith was forcing him to drink a deadly concoction of alcohol and fentanyl and Enders fired in self-defense. Getting suspicion eased away from Enders was the least they could do for that poor family.

The inquest was underway.

Unfortunately, rumor and speculation had not died down in the halls of Bartley High. A freshman girl and a junior girl had both approached Dennis to ask to become a member of his cult. The principal had called him into his office to question him and suggest that he could be suspended for raising unrest at the school. It wasn’t until Friday, though that Leslie Steinman, the geeky looking freshman who wanted to manage the girls’ team, cornered Dennis in the hall.

“My dad’s got an AR-15. It’s the Colt model LE 6920. It’s really cool. Of course, he keeps it in the gun safe, but I know where the key is. He showed me in case I needed to protect the family when he wasn’t around,” Les said.

“Um ... Why are you telling me this?” Dennis asked. This was too freaky.

“I just want you to know that if you tell me when you’re going to do the rest of them, I can cover your back for you.”

“What the fuck are you talking about?”

“Well, you got rid of the Gang of Three. Everybody knows you’ll come back for the rest of the guys that were on that team. They’re all scared shitless. I’m good with taking ‘em out. I just want you to know I’m there for you.”

“I don’t...”

“If you could toss a little pussy my way, that would be cool.”

Dennis had no idea what to do with the information he’d just been given. He knew his dad owned a handgun. That was obvious from his having shot Lee Smith. But Dennis was sure he didn’t have any other guns in the house. And what would he need them for? He wasn’t a hunter. Rifles were too big and awkward and hard to get to in case of a home invasion. Why the hell did Les’s father own one? He decided he needed to tell Coach about it. What else could he do?

“Okay, team. Two more games in regular season. These are both class 3A teams. They may have more players on their teams than you have, but they are no better than you. Tomorrow night we’re away at Fort Dodge. Temple is a private girls’ school. You may need to protect Dennis from all the horny girls who haven’t seen a boy all year,” Ardith laughed. The girls responded with a growl.

“Ours,” Natalie said putting an arm around Dennis protectively.

“I’m pretty sure he could defend himself,” Ardith said. “With you girls, I don’t think he really wanted to. Right, Dennis?”

“I love my Angelines!” Dennis responded. He got hugged from every direction.

“All right, you heard it here first. Or maybe second or third, I don’t know. We’ll be leaving school right at the final bell for the drive up to Fort Dodge. It’s a little over an hour and a half up there by bus. You’re going to get stiff. So, Temple has graciously allowed us a half hour of court time to loosen up before our official warmups. Use it wisely. This afternoon is our last practice before we hit the road tomorrow. What are we going to do?”

“Run, run, run!” the girls shouted.

“And when we get on the court to face Temple, what are we going to do?”

“Run, run, run!”

“Okay. Let’s get well warmed up so you can start running.”

“Angelines!” they shouted and followed Dennis onto the gym floor to start warming up. The warmups were so well-practiced now that the girls were beginning to look like a drill team with their precision. While Dennis worked with them on the floor, Ardith had a different conversation going. Four girls with Ms. Sanders were there to talk to her.

“Coach, the cheerleaders want to ask you a question,” Ms. Sanders started.

“Sure. What is it, girls?” Ardith asked. Susan Clarke spoke for the cheer squad.

“The girls’ team—the Angelines—has more fans attending their games than the varsity boys. We’d like to lead cheers for them, starting tomorrow. We cheerleaders all think the team is going to go all the way to state finals, so we want to get started letting them know we support them.”

“I’m sure they’ll appreciate your support,” Ardith responded.

“Well, um ... tomorrow’s game is a long way away. We were wondering if we could ride the team bus with you,” Susan finished.

“Oh. I see. You know our girls are pretty tight. You can ride with us if you don’t interrupt their focus. That includes Dennis, by the way.”

“Yes, ma’am. We ... Well, we aren’t trying to become part of his harem. We won’t interfere,” Linda Graham said. Ardith laughed.

“The girls all love Dennis, but I don’t think it’s quite at the point of being a harem. Just understand he does come into the locker room to tape ankles and distribute water and towels. The girls are pretty casual about it. He’d never make a pass at you, but if you decide to change with the team, you might be looked at. Either by Dennis or by other members of the team.”

“Oh, wow! Um ... We’ll be careful.”

Ardith wasn’t sure if the girl meant she’d be careful to stay out of sight or that she’d be careful to be in his line of vision. The rumors had died down some this week but it wouldn’t take much to spark them again. She’d need to warn the team about the consequences of being too casual around other people. Especially with the reputation a couple of the cheerleaders had.

“You get the sisters tonight,” Natalie said as they left practice.

“Judith and Diane?” The pair had slept over twice now and the last time, he’d fingered each of them to orgasm before sleep, just so they didn’t have to do it on their own.

“Nope. The twins,” Natalie said. Dennis was shocked. In the two weeks the girls had been taking turns sleeping with him at night, Roberta and Daniella had not taken a turn and Dennis assumed the older girls weren’t interested. “Oh, and me,” Natalie concluded. “Those two might be a little much for you to handle by yourself.”

Natalie had stayed with him three times with different girls. Each time had included a blowjob and cunnilingus. They also included having Natalie nearly wrapped around him as they slept. Leanne and Rosie had both been less reserved under Natalie’s influence. They’d both touched and been touched by Dennis. And Natalie. Nat made no secret of her willingness to engage with both Dennis and the other girls. Brenda and Amy had been with him three times as well, once with Natalie. Those were the episodes that went the furthest. All three stayed completely naked with him and often rubbed him with parts of their bodies other than their hands. Having his erection trapped between Brenda’s butt cheeks as he stroked up against her anus had left both of them nearly unconscious.

Natalie got in the front passenger seat of the car with Daniella driving while Roberta slipped into the back with Dennis. She wiggled up close to him.

“Will you hold my hand, boyfriend?” she asked sweetly as she leaned over and kissed his ear. Dennis shivered and took her offered hand.

“Why are you and Daniella doing this?” he whispered. “I mean, I know you like me and are great friends, but you don’t have to sleep with me.”

“Hmm. Maybe we’re just a cover so you can be alone with Nat,” Roberta teased.

“You mean...?”

“No. We intend to be in bed with you naked, just like all your other girlfriends. The only reason we haven’t been with you before is because we’re so much bigger than you, we were afraid you wouldn’t want us.”

“You’ve got to be kidding,” Dennis said. “You’re beautiful. I’d be some kind of idiot not to want you around. Roberta, you mean as much to me as any of the other girls. I’m sorry I haven’t shown it, but I was trying to be respectful.”

“Oh, you’ve shown it. Last week when you pulled Daniella aside and calmed her down, she said she knew at that moment that you cared for her as much as all the others. The past week has been full of her trying to convince herself and me that she’s really completely a lesbian. She failed.”