Chapter 44

"She's lying chief, -- Damn, I've listened to her speak your name so many times I'm beginning to copy her. She didn't authorize it Dawson because she didn't know of it until I informed her last evening," I said in her defense.

Dawson looked from Carlette, to me, and back to Carlette asking boldly, "Would either of you tell me why either would provide evidence of an ongoing investigation..."

"Dawson, I'm sorry to interrupt but he's not included in the investigation. His name is not on any list you provided to me. Furthermore, I don't work for you as you indicated moments ago. I am an independent agent and as it is all footage I film is mine. My copyright. Some of the subjects I've filmed may feel I've infringed on their rights but I don't honestly believe they'll take me to court for the footage. You haven't paid me a fee, or made any reimbursement, at this time, on any film, equipment, expenses on travel, lodging, or food."

"Are you branching out into law, by any chance?" Dawson asked in an obnoxious tone.

"Naw," I replied facetiously, "I just happened to pick up on this eight or nine years ago when I started making portraits of families and individuals, -- and was earning money while doing it, " I added forcefully.

Carlette snickered and Dawson looked in her direction with a scowl.

"Sorry chief," she muttered and cutting her eyes in my direction smiled openly.

"You set a precedent by sending evidence to the state and you have me wondering if and when you'll do it again. However, I would like to know if you realize exactly what you did, I mean the possible consequence of your Mr. Good Citizen display?"

"Truthfully?" I asked.

"I believe you're among friends, we can handle the truth," Dawson said in a solemn voice.

"Yes and no. As Carlette has pointed out several times, -- my ass is grass."

Carlette looked surprised until I explained.

"How many times have I asked what would happen if I took a fifteen second segment of a film and sent it to a husband, wife, police chief, and in one case, the Governor. Each time your answer has been..."

"Your ass would be grass," we said in unison.

"Exactly, so why did you pick one of the richest men in the state to cut your grASS?" Dawson asked.

"Because I felt he was one of the sickest men I, we," I said pointing to myself and then Carlette, "have come across in six months."

"Do you agree Hernandez, was he that sick?" Dawson asked Carlette.

"Chief, if he wasn't he was a good runner-up. What he planned for those girls on Sunday afternoon was -- well I can't imagine it in a nightmare even. He was/is a sicko. To be honest, I didn't know Hal sent the tape to the Arizona AG. I can tell you this, there is a possibility I would have sent the tape if I had knowledge of what was to happen to that poor girl. Chief she is the most naïve twelve-year-old I believe I have ever met. Her sister over-protected her and had her over whelmed. The other girls are -- street smart, but not her. The girl will do anything an adult asks of her, I mean anything. She is starved for adult companionship and if there is a girl needing a mentor, she is it. She definitely needs counseling, plus she fits the profile for teenage suicide," Carlette said boldly.

"These reports... , " Dawson said lifting the papers on his desk.

"I have addendums," Carlette and I said simultaneously and I thought I heard a precision snap in our necks as we quickly looked one to the other.

"I presume they will be filled with substance found in a usual report, something resembling factual information," Dawson said in a coarse tone although he was trying to make the comment facetious.

"Why were you there and who asked you to go there. That's not a part of your report and it's usually included. Speaking of that, I read your reports and I haven't questioned your methods, they work. The analysis's questions are the same each time and they are not convinced in your reports, in respect to your visits. They have indicated, not in a written summary, but they hint you're withholding a name. They believe if they have that name -- well, I'll be straight with you, they've gone to the assistant director. I'll tell you this as well, they believe it could be your father."

"You're kidding me, -- it can't be, -- they're out of their minds. I haven't spoken to my father in -- months. Why, why would they think that," I asked and I can't say my language or disposition was tame, I included several explicative words referring to their intelligence, potential, and their parentage.

I exploded. I spoke of the agency, methods, and personnel. In the midst of my anger spurt I apologized to those present, although it was as I walked out the door. I sat in the van contemplating my next move. I was through with the agency. As far as I could see, they wasted six months of my life. When Carlette knocked on the passenger door, I had rolled over a thought in my mind, if you can't lick'em join'em, and the most logical way would be to contact Archer. However, I knew I should think on it after I had a few hours to cool down.

I opened her door, and then stepped out of the van as she slipped in. I walked around the van, stopping at the rear door. I opened it and began setting her suitcases and two other bags of personal items on the ground.

"What are you doing with my clothes?" Carletta asked, actually close to a scream.

"Simple, I'm taking your clothes and setting them on the ground. I'm leaving, I'm fed up. Dawson can take his job and..."

"HAL, stop and consider what you're doing," she didn't yell but there was strength in her speech. "What are you going to do?"

"Well, truthfully, I'm in a tizzy. I tried working with you and it didn't work. I've thought briefly of an alternative solution to finding my father and come up with only one, join them. I'll call Archer tomorrow," I snapped at her.

"Hal, look at me," she said only her voice was calm but firm.

I held the door ready to close. I had her bags and suitcases setting on the ground. She twisted in her seat and walked thru to the back of the van. She looked down at me a moment before she knelt to face me at eye level.

Our eyes were locked and level when she waved handcuffs in my face and said calmly, "Hal, you're wrong and you're upset, but I promise you I will personally be the one to place these on your wrists if you decide to go that way. That's a promise and you know I have never broken my word to you. I won't start now."

Admittedly, her calm voice helped me. I knew she was right; she would be the one to cuff me if it became necessary. She had been through a lot and from numerous conversations; she felt I owed her, although I looked at it just the opposite.

We stared at one another half a minute before she said, "Set my suitcases up here and don't crush those bags."

I stared at her thirty seconds before I leaned and picked up the closest suitcase. I returned her cases to the van and secured them, passing the bags to her. She looked in each bag and nodded as to say they were okay. I closed and secured the door and seconds later, she joined me at the back of the van.

"Let's go next door, I'll buy you a cola," she said taking my arm and locking the van as we passed the door.

I didn't say anything. Actually, I was afraid to speak. I was calm at the moment, externally, but on the inside I continued to boil. I let Carlette lead me to the coffee shop on the street level and accepted the cola. I didn't say a dozen words in the hour she attempted at calming me. I had the feeling she was speaking for two, half the time as an agent and the remainder as a father. We were the last customers and they were closing when I followed her upstairs. Dawson was sitting at his desk still reading what appeared to be agent's reports.

Dawson stopped reading, sat upright, and stared at Carlette several moments.

"Well," he said, his eyes shifted several times, Carlette, to me, back to Carlette, finally resting on her.

"I have to agree with Hal's opinion on the analysts," she said seeming to come to her full height as she spoke.

"Oh," he said slowly and then began rocking back and forth a few moments. "Just what do I tell them?"

She glanced in my direction a moment and spoke boldly when she was looking directly at Dawson, "I'd suggest you tell them in plain English, something they understand, they're full of shit."

Her sudden direct reply surprised him somewhat because he coughed and sat upright quickly pounding his chest.

"Okay, I'll repeat you reply verbatim. -- I'm behind you," he said but his voice trailed off and his eyes bore into her a moment.

"Okay, let's get back to your pervert," Dawson said with frown. "Instinct or facts," he said looking at me.

"We, Carlette and I," I said pointing my finger from my chest to her shoulder, "believe he is a distributor for Jelks.

"What reason do you have for thinking that?" Dawson asked direction his attention to Carlette.

"We overheard parts of several conversations four weeks earlier while at Jelks' mansion. Hal and I discussed parts we heard and we agreed." Carlette said in a firm commanding voice.

"Oh, so now we have two new analysts," Dawson said and the go to hell look Carlette gave him settled him quick.

"Sorry," he said.

"There were several complainers and they were asked, forcefully I add, to do more. Regretfully we couldn't identify those individuals and we're assuming when we use the word "more". We were aware we could have been hanging ourselves out to dry, but we went with it. Baldwin was also a guest and I caught part of his conversation. Baldwin was complaining because he thought Jelks was intentionally letting him have but a fraction of what he could "handle". They seemed to argue over anything and everything imaginable but that small comment stuck in my head," Carlette stated.

"That same evening, not more than three hours later, Baldwin was still making a lot of noise and talking to others. I heard Jelks tell Pansy, his wife, to give him, Baldwin, something to pacify him. He stressed the point she should keep him quiet a while. Pansy's reply was he wasn't into big tits. That's when I heard Jelks tell his wife to send Brooke to him. Brooke is their daughter," I added.

"Sometimes I believe we deal with the lowest form of life created. It makes me sick. They have no sympathy or concern for wife or family and as simple as tossing an empty bottle in the trash, they do family the same. I need to get drunk today because when I wake tomorrow I can say I feel better. What about it, want one because Uncle Sam has his twelve hours today. I need a drink," Dawson said walking around his desk and opening the bottom drawer then cursing.

Holding up a bottle once containing bourbon, I could see there was less than a shot remaining.

"Damn, I brought this in yesterday morning for days like today and the cleaning crew beat me to it."

I stood and Carlette said in a loud voice, "I'll get it. I need a drink myself and something from my suitcase also."

Dawson looked stunned when we stood but he appeared frustrated holding the empty liquor bottle extended as Carlette walked from the room.

"What was that about?" he asked.

"We have a bottle in the van," I commented adding, "I'll get a chaser. Carlette doesn't like hers straight.

Dawson was sitting behind his desk when I returned with three cups of ice and two colas. He refused the cola, offered his thank you, and pointed to the chair. He looked in my direction and as his head lowered, his brow lifted. I saw him swallow, inhale, and his fingers began a light drum roll on his desk.

"She's out of the room now so we can talk. I have the impression you didn't want to talk about this girl Karen in front of Hernandez. Are you withholding something from her, and if you are I hope I don't consider it important," Dawson stated glaring at me.

"You're observant, and I appreciate your not asking earlier. I thought you were going to ask one time but Carlette asked a question, thankfully."

I took a deep breath and released some of my pent up frustration.

"The day Carlette informed me she was with the DEA I almost shit my pants when her partner pulled those cuffs and I thought they were going on me. I guess I felt the surge of fear because I knew I did a few things not on the straight and narrow, not kosher, but then not actually illegal. But, like I said, those cuffs scared the living hell out of me. I could picture myself going away for a long time. I didn't think about how long was long, I just knew it was something I didn't want."

"I'm sitting here with you tonight and I've done many things, worse things than I ever imagined. Some I never thought possible, some I never imagined possible to be done to anyone, and I've done them. They were done, maybe not with your blessing, although with your approval."

"What's your point?" Dawson asked with a staunch expression.

"Why you came to me in the first place when I was nothing. You turned me into a criminal, exposed me to urchins that make me want to puke. I can't imagine..."

"Are you speaking of any one person in particular, or en masse? Which is it?"

"Well, now I'm only thinking of one, but there are more I can name."

"First, tell me why he is the worst, why you think he is the worst," Dawson inquired.

"Do you want to know everything of him?"

"Everything that makes you believe he's badder than all the other baddies," Dorsey said spreading his arms wide.

"It's what he planned to do," I said and my voice wavered.

"To Karen?"

I nodded, "To the others too."

Tell me about him, what I haven't heard," Dawson said leaning back and relaxing.

"I'll tell you what I didn't put in the report. That's easier."

Dawson nodded and rocked in his chair but he didn't seem to be listening, I actually felt he was indifferent. What the hell I said to myself, I'll just rattle it off and get it out of my system.

"Every night he walked into the showers as the girls bathed. He walked around them and mingled as though he was one of them. The first time he walked in on them some tried to cover their bodies, but not after that. Nightly, while standing amongst the girls showering, he asked one to come to his room. All but one volunteered. I filmed him making love at times, but the norm was pure hard fucking. He sent me from his room, or called me to his room, at a whim, three, sometimes four times in one night. He gave the girls money to stay the night except for two that he gave jewelry, necklaces. The girls stayed in his room all night without exception. Carlette spoke to all of them so she has some stories she can tell."

"Each night, after he fucked the older girl, he would blindfold her. He would then blindfold Karen and put the two together. The first two nights the older girl performed oral sex on Karen, the remaining nights Karen performed oral sex on the older girls. The girls didn't know they were engaging in sex with their companions. While Karen was performing oral sex on the older girls Baldwin would repeatedly tell her she was drinking horse cum from the girl's pussy."

"When he tired of them performing for him, he would send Karen to her room and instruct her to remain blindfolded. He never let me go into the room when she was blindfolded. He went with Karen to the room twice but each time he sent me packing."

"Horse cum?" Dawson asked.

"That's what he told her but it was his cum. I watched and filmed him dumping his load in the other girl each night."

"The third day he began telling Karen he was going to let her suck the cum from a horse's prick. He told her this several times a day. She reacted the first time he told her but she didn't appear to be upset. After the first time he said it she didn't as much as blink, just as though she didn't hear it."