Chapter 10

I wrote a long letter to my attorney when I returned to my room. I found Edward and gave him instructions for delivering it tonight. I also told him to wait and bring back what he was given. My plans for Friday and Tuesday of the following week had been fairly specific. The real problem was getting the constabulary here and in place without Mr. Matts knowing about it. All of this was covered in the letter. As soon as the staff were dismissed and gone on Tuesday afternoon, I would signal for them to enter from the kitchen door. The kitchen was the one place that Mr. Matts would not lower himself to go.

Edward woke me in the middle of the night and handed me a package from my attorney. I read the note and gave the package of fresh okra to him with the instructions for having it cooked by Friday for lunch. I would personally dose the okra based on the instructions from the apothecary.

By early afternoon on Friday, all of us and three of the kitchen staff were very ill. Mr. Matts had refused to eat the ocra as predicted and was not sick. But he was pissed off because neither Marian nor his daughter were in any condition to go to the party. He went alone.

I had the runs and was throwing up right along with everyone else. As soon as I was able I went up to see Marian in her room.

"Well, I'll say one thing for you, Danny, you know how to put the skids on a party. I'm sure it was worth it to me to get out of it. I hope you have come up with something else besides this to solve the basic problem."

"If everything works out, your husband and his friends will spend quite a few years in jail. I hope Cella made that clear to you."

"Yes, she did. I'll do anything to keep him from corrupting Cella any more than he already has. Will I have to be involved in Tuesday night's debauchery? I want to avoid it if at all possible."

"I'm sorry but it may not be avoidable. Let me explain what the plan is for Tuesday..."

On Tuesday afternoon, while Mr. Matts was assuring that all of the household staff were leaving by the front door, I was welcoming a Sargent and three constables in through the kitchen. When the way was clear, we quietly moved into the library and through the inner secret door.

"Sargent, you and your men will have to remain quiet in here. I have no idea how many will be at the party."

"The chief and Mr. Shear briefed us on the plan. We'll be watching out both of the peek holes and carefully recording what each of the people do so we can testify to it. Once all of these people have committed a serious crime, we will arrest them."

"Please keep in mind that some of that crowd will be innocent victims. They should be treated with dignity and not detained with the rest. I'll identify whoever it is. Right now I don't know who it will be. I will be locked in my room but I'll come down the inside way later."

I went up to my room through the inside stair, then checked the hallway to be sure it was empty before going out.

I tapped on the second door on the right and was let in by Marian. I explained what had been done to this minute.

"You may want to explain it to the girls since there is no way of telling who your husband will take. The emphasis for the constables is assuring that every one of them has committed a crime before they make a raid. There may be some embarrassment, but they'll try to keep it to a minimum. I will be there with them to point out the innocent people."

"My daughter and I thank you for what you are trying to do for us."

I left and went downstairs. At 7:30, Mr. Matts found me and told me to turn in. I did so and heard the door lock behind me. I locked the inside of the door and went down to the hidden space. I alerted them that guests could start arriving at any time.

By eight it appeared that all the invited quests had arrived and were assembled in the Parlor awaiting Mr. Matts trainee. With a big florish, Mr. Matts stepped out into the hallway and pulled in Marian, Cella, and Janine, all chained together. I called the Sargent over and told him what was going on. He looked, along with the other constables.

There were other children there; those brought by the other guests. As there was last time I watched, there were both boys and girls. And, they were way below the age of consent. Mr. Matts' three captives were chained at the ankles with Marian in the middle. Their wrists were then connected to straps hanging from the overhead beam. Then they were hoisted by pull ropes leaving their legs stretched far apart. All of their crotches were at about the three foot level, well within reach of all the guests. Mr. Matts, with a lot of fanfaire, snipped the crotches out of the suspended guest's panties. Each had blindfolds and rubber ball gags.