Chapter 54: I'm Anti-Stupidity

November 25, 2002, Chicago, Illinois

🎤 Steve

"What's up, Jesse?" I asked when I answered my mobile phone on Monday afternoon.

"The police have the house next door cordoned off and want to talk to me."

"Not Penny's, right?"

"Don't you think I'd have said it was her house if it was?" he asked, sounding perturbed.

"Sorry. Do you know what happened?"

"No. They haven't said, just that they want to talk to me. Missy is with me."

"How old is she?"

"Fifteen."

"Use your best judgment about what to do," I said. "But they cannot speak to Missy without her parents' approval. Make sure she knows. If you want to call Melanie, Grace, or Trish, that's fine with me."

"Well, I see six cop cars, they have the alley and the sidewalk blocked, and Tom's company's EMS ambulance is parked out front, along with their engine, so I think I'd better."

"I suspect so. Make the call, and I'll head home. Call me if you find out any details."

"Thanks, Pops."

We ended the call, and I slipped my phone back into my pocket.

"What about my house?" Penny asked.

"Jesse said 'the house next door', and I was confirming it was the Williams' house, not yours. He said they have the alley and sidewalk cordoned off and that Tom's CFD company is there with an EMS ambulance and the engine. I'm going to head home because the cops want to talk to Jesse and his friend Missy."

"Amber was going to hang out at your house today as she usually does, so I think I'll head home as well."

"I'll let Dave know and see you at home."

🎤 Jesse

"I'm going to call an attorney," I said to the police officer. "And my friend will need to ask her mom or dad because she's only fifteen."

"We just want to ask you some questions," the cop said. "You aren't suspected of anything."

"Even so," I replied.

He sighed and shook his head, and Missy and I went to sit on the porch swing so I could call Kassan, Spencer & Associates. It was afternoon, so I had a good chance of getting hold of Aunt Melanie, and I was happy when they put me through.

"I'm not sure you need an attorney," Melanie said. "But I understand your concern, given all the stuff that has gone on recently. I can't come now, and Grace is with Sam at a trial, but I can send Kelly Seavers, our newest associate. She just passed the Bar, but she'll be able to advise you about speaking to the police. I'll ask her to leave right now, so figure about forty minutes."

"Thanks! Tell Jonathan he needs to hang out with us more!"

"He's playing football, so you know how it is. When the season ends next month, he'll have more free time before baseball starts. Let me get Kelly on her way."

We ended the call, and then I let Missy use the phone to call her mom, who wanted to know what was going on. When Missy said we didn't know, her mom said she'd leave the hospital and come to the house. Mrs. Underhill, who was a nurse, arrived first and decided to wait for the attorney from Melanie's firm to arrive. Dad and Aunt Penny arrived next.

"Do you know anything more?" Dad asked.

"The Medical Examiner is here, so I think that's clear," I said.

"Crystal," Dad replied. "Now I'm glad you decided to call Melanie."

"She's sending a new associate, and I'm going to guess it's the hot blonde walking up the sidewalk carrying an expensive leather bag and wearing a nice dress."

"She's probably only about nine years older than you," Dad teased.

"Look, Penguin!" I threatened, but neither Dad nor I could say more because the young woman came up to us.

"I'm looking for Jesse Block," the pretty blonde said.

"That's me," I said, standing up. "This is my dad, Steve Adams. And this is Penny Penfield, who lives in the house next door but not the one the cops are at. This is Mrs. Underhill and my friend Missy."

"Kelly Seavers," she said. "Do you know what happened?"

"The Medical Examiner is here, so I'd say somebody is dead," I replied.

"Do you know anything?"

"Zilch," I replied.

"And you, Missy?"

"Nothing."

"OK. Let me go speak to the police officer and have him come talk to you."

She walked over to the two cops guarding the sidewalk, and after a brief conversation, a male and female detective followed her back to the porch. Ms. Seavers introduced everyone, then the detectives introduced themselves as Detectives León and Madison of the Major Crimes Unit.

"Mind telling us what happened?" Dad asked.

"Jackie Williams was murdered," Detective León replied.

"Whoa!" Missy gasped.

"What time?" I asked.

"We're estimating 1:00pm."

"None of us were home," I said. "Everyone was either in school or at work."

"That's correct," Dad confirmed.

"How well did you know the Williams?" Detective Madison asked.

"Not very," Dad replied. "They didn't socialize with us."

"Racial thing?" Detective Madison asked.

The Williams were African American, but that wasn't it. I decided it was best to let Dad answer that question because it was about them not approving of our 'lifestyle' at the Compound.

"Not from our perspective," Dad said. "You'd have to ask Mr. Williams or his sons about it."

"Do you know if there was any bad blood with anyone?"

"None of which I'm aware," Dad said. "Jesse?"

"I don't think so. Justus and Kordell are both on the football team at Kenwood Academy. I play hockey, so I don't hang with them."

"Were they affiliated?" Detective Madison asked.

"I don't think so, but I can't be sure. There are at least three gangs active at the school, but I do not hang with anyone affiliated with a gang. I know they didn't use drugs because everyone on a sports team is subject to random drug tests, and neither of them was ever suspended from the team. Justus is a starting wideout, and Kordell is the backup quarterback."

"Was there any suspicious activity?" Detective León asked.

"Not that I know of. Dad?"

"No," Dad replied. "Of course, we didn't interact with them very often. Do you have a suspect?"

"Nobody we'd talk about at this point," Detective Madison replied.

"The guys are at football practice," I said. "Someone should go over to Kenwood Academy."

"Do you know where Mr. Williams works?" Detective Madison asked Dad.

"He's an executive at Korn Ferry," Dad replied. "That's all I know."

"Do you know what they do?"

"Management consulting," Dad said.

"Miss," Detective Madison said to Missy, "Do you have anything to add?"

"No," Missy replied. "I live a few blocks away, and Jesse and I met at Starbucks after school, and when we started walking towards our houses, we saw the police cars."

I wondered what her mom would say after, and one thing seemed certain: Missy wasn't going to get to do what she'd planned for the afternoon.

"OK," the detective said. "I'll have a uniformed officer take down all your names and contact information. We'll call you if we need more information."

"Are you able to say how she was killed?" Mrs. Underhill asked.

"It appears to be blunt-force trauma."

"Robbery?" Dad asked.

"We don't know yet," the detective asked. "Crime scene techs are processing the house, and we need to speak to Mr. Williams and his sons."

They walked away, and we waited for a uniformed officer to come over and take down all of our information.

"Do you need anything else, Mr. Adams?" Ms. Seavers asked.

"No," Dad replied. "Have Melanie charge your time to our retainer."

She agreed, then left.

"I need to get back to the hospital and finish my shift," Mrs. Underhill said. "Missy, you should go right home."

"Can I hang out with Birgit?" Missy asked. "She should be home from Photography Club in fifteen minutes."

"Is that OK, Mr. Adams?" Mrs. Underhill asked.

"Absolutely," Dad agreed.

She left, and the rest of us went into the house, where Stephie, Ashley, Amber, Chadrima, and Kaley were doing homework in the sunroom. Albert wasn't home because he had some Scouting thing after school.

"Did you guys miss the police next door?" I asked Ashley.

"We saw them, but they didn't say anything to us. What happened?"

"Somebody murdered Mrs. Williams."

"NO WAY!" Ashley exclaimed. "Mr. Williams?"

"The police didn't say. Missy and I are going to hang out."

"Uh huh," Ashley smirked.

I ignored her, and Missy and I left the main house to go to the coach house.

🎤 Birgit

"What the heck?" I asked as Zaida, Fangsu, Zahra, and I crossed 50th Street.

"Cross over, Birgit," Fangsu suggested. "The sidewalk on the other side isn't blocked.

"I wonder what happened?" Zaida asked.

"No clue," I replied. "I see the Medical Examiner's van, so it can't be good."

"Why?" Zaida asked.

"He's the Chicago version of a coroner," I said.

"Oh! Someone died?!"

"That's the only reason the Medical Examiner would be here, not to mention I see the CFD paramedics standing by their ambulance, and they don't look as if they're in any hurry to do anything."

"Can we get to your house?" Fangsu asked.

"It looks like it," I said. "The police are on the sidewalk between our house and the Williams' house."

We did get to the house, and the cops didn't bother us. When we went inside, I saw Dad and Penny in the kitchen, so I went in to ask what happened.

"The police said Mrs. Williams was murdered," Dad said.

"WHOA!" I exclaimed. "Mr. Williams?"

"The police didn't say. Why would you say that?"

"Leslie is a major football fan and said she saw them having a huge argument at the game on Friday night."

"Is Leslie with you?"

"No, just Fangsu, Zaida, and Zahra. We're going to do homework."

"Call Leslie and say she should speak to her parents about speaking to the police, but keep what she told you to yourself because it might not be related."

"Right," I said, rolling my eyes. "They have a huge argument, and she ends up dead three days later?"

"Even so," Dad said. "Call Leslie and say nothing to anyone else."

I pulled my mobile phone from my pocket, scrolled through the address book because I didn't have Leslie on speed dial, and pressed the 'Call' button when I had her number displayed.

"Hi, it's Birgit," I said when she answered.

"Hi, Birgit! What's up?"

"You remember how you said the Williams had a huge argument on Friday night at the football game?"

"What about it?"

"The police are next door because she was murdered. You should tell your mom and dad and tell the police what you know."

"HOLY FUCK!" Leslie gasped.

"LESLIE!" I heard her mom reprimand her angrily.

"I gotta go, Birgit!"

She hung up right away, which didn't surprise me because her parents were super strict, especially about swearing. I put my phone back into my pocket and went to the sunroom to join my friends so we could work on our homework, though I was a bit creeped out by a murder happening next door.

🎤 Jesse

"Ready to see the most amazing boobs in the entire school?" Missy teased.

"First of all, I've seen them!" I said with a goofy smile. "Second, that's a bold claim!"

Missy giggled and pulled her sweater over her head.

"Tell me, who has bigger, firmer tits than me?"

"Nobody I know of our age," I replied, pulling my rugby shirt over my head.

"Who?"

"My dad's Consigliere, Liz!"

"But she's what? Like thirty?" Missy asked, pushing down her jeans and stepping out of them.

"Something like that. But she had hers pretty early in High School, too," I replied, taking off my jeans.

"What do you want to do?" Missy asked, taking off her bra.

"That's totally up to you," I replied, slipping off my briefs to free my erection.

"Will you lick me before?" she asked as she slipped off her panties.

"Before what?" I asked with a smirk.

"YOU KNOW WHAT!" Missy exclaimed.

"Before we get dressed and go play video games?" I teased.

"Jesse Block, if you don't lick me, then fuck my brains out, you'll be in big trouble!"

"Well, in that case..." I smirked.

We got into bed, and I feasted on her huge breasts, licked her to an orgasm, then proceeded to fuck her brains out as she'd requested. As soon as I recovered, we did the same thing again, but then, because she had to be home for dinner, we went to the shower.

"What did you think?" I asked as I soaped her fantastic breasts.

"OH! MY! GOD!" Missy exclaimed. "You made me feel SO good, both with your tongue and while we were fucking. We HAVE to do this again!"

"I could be persuaded," I teased.

Missy quickly turned and grabbed my sack and squeezed gently, then a bit harder.

"Very persuasive!" I chuckled.

"Thought so!"

"Just for that, next time, I'm going to teach you something special!" I declared.

"What's that?" Missy asked.

"Mammary intercourse," I smirked as I soaped her butt.

"Huh?"

"Baby oil or lube on your breasts, you push them together, and I tit fuck you and cum on your face!"

"NO WAY!" she gasped. "People do that?"

"I mean, what good is it to have 'the most amazing boobs in the whole school' if we don't put them to good use!"

"It just seems strange."

"You told me you read Smart Teens; Smart Choices, so that can't be too strange!"

"I, er, uhm, skipped the 'other activities' section. I figured that was like the advanced course."

"Go back and read it, and I think a tit fuck won't seem so strange anymore."

"Do you like blowjobs?"

"Is the Pope Polish?" I asked with a grin.

"I don't think the Pope would approve of me giving you a blowjob!"

"Then it's a good thing I don't care what he thinks about it! He doesn't approve of birth control, sex outside of marriage, gays and lesbians, or abortion. So he can shove his opinions on those ... in a drawer and close it!"

Missy laughed, "Up his butt?"

"That's about the right place for objecting to those things."

"Doesn't your church object to the same things?"

"Yes, though there are significant differences that I don't think you care too much about! The only reason I mentioned the Pope was to make the joke!"

"When can I see you again?"

"It'll have to be after Thanksgiving," I replied. "Tomorrow, Brooke and I do homework together, then on Wednesday, my friend is coming from Rochester."

"The Monday after Thanksgiving?"

"Sure."

We finished in the shower, dried off, then dressed. We went downstairs, and Missy said she was going to hang out with Birgit for a bit in case anyone said anything about where she was. She left just as my moms came home, and the three of us started making dinner.

November 26, 2002, Chicago, Illinois

🎤 Birgit

I ran with Dad and Suzanne on Tuesday morning and was jealous that she got to shower with him, though cuddling almost made up for it.

"What did the paper say about next door?" I asked.

"That they are holding Mr. Williams, but he hasn't been charged. They did say he and Mrs. Williams had a 'heated argument' on Friday night at the Kenwood Academy football game."

"What will happen to Justus and Kordell?" I asked. "I mean if Mr. Williams did murder his wife?"

"Justus is a Senior," Dad replied. "So if he's eighteen, he'd be allowed to decide for himself. Kordell is a Sophomore, so he'll likely go to live with relatives. If there is enough money, it might be possible for Justus to become Kordell's guardian."

"What about the house?"

"There is probably a fairly substantial mortgage. Property values have gone up tremendously since Grandpa A and I bought this house almost twenty years ago. It would take two professional incomes, in the upper brackets, to afford the mortgage."

"Or four!" I giggled. "You, my moms, and eventually Suzanne."

"Six, really, because Jennifer and Josie pay rent on the coach house, and they're building equity, so if we ever sell, they'll get a portion of the proceeds."

"You can't sell our house!" I protested. "No way!"

"Relax, Pumpkin! I didn't say I was going to sell it, only that if that were to happen, they'd receive some of the money. If we don't sell, then Jesse would inherit their part, just as you and your siblings would inherit your parts."

"I don't want you to die, Dad!" I said, snuggling close.

"That is the fate of every person who ever lived," I replied. "We just hope it's a long time, but you never know."

"The Swedish Birgit, Stephie, and Jorge, who all died young?"

"Yes, and Frank Spencer and Belinda, though not quite as young. Don Joseph and «Shihan Hiro» lived long lives, and you know Grandpa Adams is eighty-five."

"Let's talk about something else, please," I requested.

"What did you have in mind?"

"Oh, I think you know!" I giggled.

"You have a one-track mind, Pumpkin!"

"Right, because Mom doesn't like to fuck or anything! And because you're a monk!"

"No comment," Dad said with a silly smile.

"Oh, please!" I exclaimed, rolling my eyes. "As if anyone in this family who is fourteen or older hides the fact that they like sex and lots of it!"

"Perhaps," Dad allowed.

"You can give me a chance to show you!" I giggled.

"Pumpkin..."

"Sorry. It's fun to tease you."

"Breakfast in two minutes," Yuriko called out.

As usual, I got three.

[Oswego, Illinois]
🎤 Matthew

"Matt, can you come to Re-Thanksgiving at my house on Friday?" Arby asked as we walked to the cafeteria for lunch.

"Chelsea and I are leaving for Cincinnati immediately after Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday afternoon."

"Bummer."

"Sorry about that. I thought I'd mentioned it."

"You probably did, and I forgot. Are you around during Christmas break?"

"We're going to Cincinnati for three days — the 27th to the 30th."

"So you're here for New Year's?"

"Yes, though we usually go to my dad's house."

"Josh and I are planning a New Year's party. We wish you would come."

"If Chelsea is OK with it, we could. We don't have a commitment to be at my Dad's house the way we do for Christmas and Boxing Day."

"What do you guys do on Boxing Day?"

"All the grandparents visit, so it's a total madhouse with a dozen grandparents! This year, Eduardo's parents will visit, too, so it'll be crazier than usual."