Untitled #16
Yeah, I know. No one expects another part so quickly after the first. But here we go.
I guess I shouldn't have been surprised with what I found when Odelia and I got to Carter's room. A mini-mob had formed outside as an officer stood guard outside the door, fending them off. The door was wide open-odd, I thought. Officer Doogle-Ass, as I would mentally call him after our introduction, smiled wearily at Odelia the closer we got. I could only guess she returned the gesture; I couldn't see, being behind her. Five feet away from the door, Shelia bounded out the door, cellphone glued to her ear. She probably didn't see us; if it weren't for my quick reflexes in grabbing Odelia's shirt and pulling her to the side of the hall, we would have both been run over. Not even an acknowledgement. Figures. Bitches like her never did care about anyone or anything other than themselves. My boss clenched her jaw, looking at me with anger in her eyes. It was good for someone else to be mad at the broad besides me.
Odelia and I stepped into Carter's AD office. He was sitting behind his desk, eyes bloodshot and body shaking. Another officer sat in one of the chairs opposite Carter. He looked up and saw us...me, specifically. A look of relief spread on his face. I reminded myself to remain detached, keep work separate from my personal life, not to think of Dan. Part of me felt good Carter had gone through this. It was wrong and vile and disgusting and immoral to feel joy over another person's pain. But dammit, this may just stop him from hurting anyone in the future. Not that it would help Dan now...just everyone else this fucker...Carter...would come into contact with.
"I've already told you. The lights went out, the door was locked and then I was jumped!" he shouted at the cop. Even I was taken aback. Evidently they had gone through this before. Odelia bristled in front of me. This wasn't the way to give a police report. Fuck, I knew that.
"Mr. Johnson, I will ask you again to calm down. You won't help your case, son, by battling me." I think those two sentences had the exact opposite effect on Carter. Instead of calming him down, the condescension made him even angrier. Not that I could blame him. My gut told me this was more than just a "simple" assault. More like a sexual assault and a hate crime. Something was going on here...or else it was my imagination.
We wedged ourselves into the office. I would have been content to just listen and then talk to Carter when we were alone. But no. Odelia had to interject herself-and me, by extension-into this whole thing.
"Lieutenant Zeary, has Carter been examined by a doctor yet?" she asked, a cool, calm voice projecting through the room. He barely looked at her before answering.
"No. Shelia said he didn't want anyone..."
"That's not true!" Carter shouted, cutting the officer off.
"One more word out of you and you'll be under arrest. Got it?" That wasn't a bluff. Carter hadn't done anything to warrant a threat like that. Maybe he was a little emotional, but that's it. And even that was understandable based on what he had been through.
"We ran into Shelia on the way out. Do you know where she went?" Another perfectly valid question, considering she was Carter's boss and the manager, so to speak, of the building. She should have been here.
"Her phone rang. That's all I know." Zeary wasn't into cooperation, was he? I had to ask Odelia about past history with him...
"Aaron, go and see if you can find Shelia. She needs to be here." Odelia didn't even look at me when issuing her order. I nodded, leaving the room.
What the fuck was I going to say to a woman I barely talked to the entire year she was my boss? Um, hi. A resident and employee of yours was assualted. What the hell is more important than that? I was lost in that train of thought as I rounded the bend of the corridor and then jumped down the three steps to the main level of the building. With my attention focused on her office-across the lobby from Charlie's post-I barely caught a glimpse of a red shirt going out the back door toward the main building in the complex. My brain put two and two together, came up with a number around four and I quickly turned away from the lobby, darting outside.
"Shelia!" I shouted as my legs quickened the pace to my objective. She was talking to three other women, laughing and yucking it up. This was getting strange, I told myself. But my entire life had been strange, hadn't it? Why should it stop now?
Out of habit, I spied a quick look toward the window into Carter's office. He saw me, as did Odelia and Zeary. I didn't have time to stare; I was right behind Shelia.
"Shelia! Can I have a minute?" I asked, trying to be as positive and professional as I could.
Her entire group stopped as Shelia spun on her heel to look at me.
"Oh, Aaron, it's you! Isn't our meeting tomorrow?" I couldn't believe this. Was she that fucking dense?
"Yeah, it is. I actually wanted to talk to you about what happened today."
"I'm sorry, I had a standing dinner engagement with the girls I couldn't miss."
I guess I had a look of disbelief on my face because she continued to talk after ten seconds or so of silence.
"I'll tell you what: after dinner and our other plans, I'll give you a call and we can chat, alright?"
Fuck no, you dumb cunt! Your little twat girlfriends could wait. Goddamn dinner could wait. Get your ass back inside and be a fucking adult, not to mention boss.
"Actually, Odelia asked me to bring you back. You need to be around..."
"Odelia doesn't need my help. I'll read the report in the morning."
Incredible! I told myself to calm down, keep a level head. Not to pick her up and carry her back into the building.
"Shelia, with all due respect, your AD was attacked in your building." My temper began to rise.
"Your job description says you are the manager of the building charged with keeping residents safe..."
"And there are two police officers with Carter right now. How much safer can he be with me around?"
"That's not the point and you know it. You have a responsibility..."
"Don't lecture me, Mr. Dunlap. I told Carter to repent or transfer out. He refused on both those counts. Whatever happens to him is on his head. Now, IF you'll excuse me."
She walked away from me without saying another word. I stood there in stunned silence. Without batting an eye, Shelia had just told me she couldn't care less what happened to people who didn't believe what she believed. How the hell was she qualified for this position? Who did she have incriminating pictures of?
Stunned, I walked back into the building, slowly, trying to organize my thoughts. I needed to do something besides just be Odelia's lapdog. I had to start digging, to see who would know what. Get information, put the picture together. It was apparent to me the cops weren't going to do much of anything.
Before the door shut behind me completely, Charlie walked out of it, lost in himself...Carter had said he was a friend. He had heard about me, let alone someone Carter trusted with the information about what happened. Was it at all possible he had anything useful to tell me?
"Hey Charlie, hang on a minute," I said as he passed me. The guy couldn't have been any more than 20-years-old and sported a light beard and nearly shaved head. In another time and place, I would have called him hot. Maybe even tried to hook up with him. But not now.
"Are they taking care of Carter?" he asked me, trying to keep his voice down.
"Yeah, Odelia's in with him and the cops right now. Can we talk for a minute?" There was no way he was going to tell me no. I knew that much for sure.
A pained look came across his face.
"Aaron, I'm a TA for Math 304. I have to get going to make it in time. But I have all day tomorrow off and I promise to come by your office, alright?"
This would have to do.
"Yeah, alright. I'll see you tomorrow."
Charlie left without another word as I finished my trek back inside. I was dreading this.
*****
An even bigger group of gawkers stood in front of the door this time, giggling and watching whatever was going on in the office. This had to stop. As if it weren't bad enough someone had been attacked, Carter was a freak show now? Dude, I was't his biggest fan, but this was quickly becoming unacceptable. With every step I took, the more murmurs and whispers I heard. Nothing I could make out, obviously, but I knew there was talking going on. Odelia's voice was the loudest, followed closely by Zeary's. The kids mumbled amongst themselves as Doogle-Ass just stood there.
I re-enetered the room only to see Carter standing behind the desk with his shirt off, large bruises and welts on his sides and back. My eyes darted from one end of the office to another. The windows were wide open, the door inviting onlookers. Why hadn't anyone given Carter a modicum of privacy? Why hadn't Odelia said anything...
"This is highly irregular, Hank! We both know that! Do I have to call Tamara to get you to do your job right?" Odelia hissed as the cop. Her head turned toward me for a brief second and then back to her target. She saw Shelia wasn't with me. An older man dressed in a shirt and tie was examining Carter, gently touching his body. He winced with every prod. Despite everything I told myself about being detached, I couldn't help but feel bad for the guy.
"It hurts there," he mumbled as doc moved his gloved hand over a particularly nasty welt half obscured by Carter's pants. Carter's head turned to me, his eyes full of tears. He was trying to not to let them out, not to let the people trying to humiliate him actually succeed. His eyes pleaded with me to do something-anything-to save him from this.
"Are you threatening me, Odelia?" Zeary countered, going toe to toe with her. There couldn't have been more than five inches separating them at this point. Was I the only one noticing just how out of control this entire situation was? Surely someone was going to come through and take control...
"I need to examine you. Is there some place private we can go?" doc asked Carter. Fucking finally! Why this wasn't done before Carter took his shirt off is anyone's guess. At least common sense was slowly returning to the room.
"No. You examine him here. He's not to leave this room." My heart skipped five or six beats. Seriously? Zeary expected Carter to parade around naked as a doc examined him with a veritable gaggle of onlookers presents?
"That's highly unorthodox, lieutenant..." He didn't get anything else out.
"Doctor Cootle, you are here at my pleasure. Either examine him here or don't do it at all." My eyes grew in size, staring at Odelia, trying to get her attention. Was this entire campus anti-gay or was it just anyone in a position of power? A thought struck me: Dan said he never reported what Carter did to him. This fact struck me as odd the other night, thought it began to make sense today. If he didn't know where to turn or who to trust it would be natural to internalize the problem. Larry surely knew someone who could help, didn't he?
Odelia! Do something! I shouted in my head, hoping she could hear me. I watched in abject disbelief as Carter slowly reached for the button on his shorts. He was actually going to do it. Mother fucker. My mind raced with things I could do, something to say. All my mind kept coming back to was Zeary's threats of arrest.
"I will be filing a formal protest with the union and Captain Drake, Lieutenat Zeary. You are breaching privacy rules as well as..."
"That won't be necessary Odelia." A voice boomed through the room. I swiveled to see a large black man, easily 6 and a half feet tall, looming in the doorway. His eyes were trained on Carter. Was he registering the same disbelief I had?
"Young man, put your shirt back on for the time being. Ms. Wagancourt, Lieutenany Zeary, may I have a word with you and Doc Cootle?" How I longed to be a fly on the wall in that room. Zeary immediately stiffened up. This must have been his superior officer, or, at the very least, someone who had more control and say than he did. Finally.
Drake-the imposing man-extended a hand to me.
"You must be Aaron. I wish we could have met under different circumstances." I shook the hand, half expecting my arm to fall off when he took a hold of it. Unexpectedly, his touch was gentle, almost like a teddy bear. A teddy bear who could tear my head off with two fingers if he wanted to.
"Pleasure, I'm sure." What else was I going to say?
"Would you mind going with Mr. Johnson into the other room? We'll be with you shortly." My eyes again darted to Carter. He was supporting himself against the desk, slightly hunched over. Cootle steadied him with a hand on his arm. It looked like he could collapse at any time.
"No, not at all." I nodded to Odelia, who returned the gesture. Looking at Zeary, I had nothing but contempt for the man.
I took over supporting Carter, leading him into the adjacent apartment.
I guess I shouldn't have been surprised with what I found when Odelia and I got to Carter's room. A mini-mob had formed outside as an officer stood guard outside the door, fending them off. The door was wide open-odd, I thought. Officer Doogle-Ass, as I would mentally call him after our introduction, smiled wearily at Odelia the closer we got. I could only guess she returned the gesture; I couldn't see, being behind her. Five feet away from the door, Shelia bounded out the door, cellphone glued to her ear. She probably didn't see us; if it weren't for my quick reflexes in grabbing Odelia's shirt and pulling her to the side of the hall, we would have both been run over. Not even an acknowledgement. Figures. Bitches like her never did care about anyone or anything other than themselves. My boss clenched her jaw, looking at me with anger in her eyes. It was good for someone else to be mad at the broad besides me.
Odelia and I stepped into Carter's AD office. He was sitting behind his desk, eyes bloodshot and body shaking. Another officer sat in one of the chairs opposite Carter. He looked up and saw us...me, specifically. A look of relief spread on his face. I reminded myself to remain detached, keep work separate from my personal life, not to think of Dan. Part of me felt good Carter had gone through this. It was wrong and vile and disgusting and immoral to feel joy over another person's pain. But dammit, this may just stop him from hurting anyone in the future. Not that it would help Dan now...just everyone else this fucker...Carter...would come into contact with.
"I've already told you. The lights went out, the door was locked and then I was jumped!" he shouted at the cop. Even I was taken aback. Evidently they had gone through this before. Odelia bristled in front of me. This wasn't the way to give a police report. Fuck, I knew that.
"Mr. Johnson, I will ask you again to calm down. You won't help your case, son, by battling me." I think those two sentences had the exact opposite effect on Carter. Instead of calming him down, the condescension made him even angrier. Not that I could blame him. My gut told me this was more than just a "simple" assault. More like a sexual assault and a hate crime. Something was going on here...or else it was my imagination.
We wedged ourselves into the office. I would have been content to just listen and then talk to Carter when we were alone. But no. Odelia had to interject herself-and me, by extension-into this whole thing.
"Lieutenant Zeary, has Carter been examined by a doctor yet?" she asked, a cool, calm voice projecting through the room. He barely looked at her before answering.
"No. Shelia said he didn't want anyone..."
"That's not true!" Carter shouted, cutting the officer off.
"One more word out of you and you'll be under arrest. Got it?" That wasn't a bluff. Carter hadn't done anything to warrant a threat like that. Maybe he was a little emotional, but that's it. And even that was understandable based on what he had been through.
"We ran into Shelia on the way out. Do you know where she went?" Another perfectly valid question, considering she was Carter's boss and the manager, so to speak, of the building. She should have been here.
"Her phone rang. That's all I know." Zeary wasn't into cooperation, was he? I had to ask Odelia about past history with him...
"Aaron, go and see if you can find Shelia. She needs to be here." Odelia didn't even look at me when issuing her order. I nodded, leaving the room.
What the fuck was I going to say to a woman I barely talked to the entire year she was my boss? Um, hi. A resident and employee of yours was assualted. What the hell is more important than that? I was lost in that train of thought as I rounded the bend of the corridor and then jumped down the three steps to the main level of the building. With my attention focused on her office-across the lobby from Charlie's post-I barely caught a glimpse of a red shirt going out the back door toward the main building in the complex. My brain put two and two together, came up with a number around four and I quickly turned away from the lobby, darting outside.
"Shelia!" I shouted as my legs quickened the pace to my objective. She was talking to three other women, laughing and yucking it up. This was getting strange, I told myself. But my entire life had been strange, hadn't it? Why should it stop now?
Out of habit, I spied a quick look toward the window into Carter's office. He saw me, as did Odelia and Zeary. I didn't have time to stare; I was right behind Shelia.
"Shelia! Can I have a minute?" I asked, trying to be as positive and professional as I could.
Her entire group stopped as Shelia spun on her heel to look at me.
"Oh, Aaron, it's you! Isn't our meeting tomorrow?" I couldn't believe this. Was she that fucking dense?
"Yeah, it is. I actually wanted to talk to you about what happened today."
"I'm sorry, I had a standing dinner engagement with the girls I couldn't miss."
I guess I had a look of disbelief on my face because she continued to talk after ten seconds or so of silence.
"I'll tell you what: after dinner and our other plans, I'll give you a call and we can chat, alright?"
Fuck no, you dumb cunt! Your little twat girlfriends could wait. Goddamn dinner could wait. Get your ass back inside and be a fucking adult, not to mention boss.
"Actually, Odelia asked me to bring you back. You need to be around..."
"Odelia doesn't need my help. I'll read the report in the morning."
Incredible! I told myself to calm down, keep a level head. Not to pick her up and carry her back into the building.
"Shelia, with all due respect, your AD was attacked in your building." My temper began to rise.
"Your job description says you are the manager of the building charged with keeping residents safe..."
"And there are two police officers with Carter right now. How much safer can he be with me around?"
"That's not the point and you know it. You have a responsibility..."
"Don't lecture me, Mr. Dunlap. I told Carter to repent or transfer out. He refused on both those counts. Whatever happens to him is on his head. Now, IF you'll excuse me."
She walked away from me without saying another word. I stood there in stunned silence. Without batting an eye, Shelia had just told me she couldn't care less what happened to people who didn't believe what she believed. How the hell was she qualified for this position? Who did she have incriminating pictures of?
Stunned, I walked back into the building, slowly, trying to organize my thoughts. I needed to do something besides just be Odelia's lapdog. I had to start digging, to see who would know what. Get information, put the picture together. It was apparent to me the cops weren't going to do much of anything.
Before the door shut behind me completely, Charlie walked out of it, lost in himself...Carter had said he was a friend. He had heard about me, let alone someone Carter trusted with the information about what happened. Was it at all possible he had anything useful to tell me?
"Hey Charlie, hang on a minute," I said as he passed me. The guy couldn't have been any more than 20-years-old and sported a light beard and nearly shaved head. In another time and place, I would have called him hot. Maybe even tried to hook up with him. But not now.
"Are they taking care of Carter?" he asked me, trying to keep his voice down.
"Yeah, Odelia's in with him and the cops right now. Can we talk for a minute?" There was no way he was going to tell me no. I knew that much for sure.
A pained look came across his face.
"Aaron, I'm a TA for Math 304. I have to get going to make it in time. But I have all day tomorrow off and I promise to come by your office, alright?"
This would have to do.
"Yeah, alright. I'll see you tomorrow."
Charlie left without another word as I finished my trek back inside. I was dreading this.
*****
An even bigger group of gawkers stood in front of the door this time, giggling and watching whatever was going on in the office. This had to stop. As if it weren't bad enough someone had been attacked, Carter was a freak show now? Dude, I was't his biggest fan, but this was quickly becoming unacceptable. With every step I took, the more murmurs and whispers I heard. Nothing I could make out, obviously, but I knew there was talking going on. Odelia's voice was the loudest, followed closely by Zeary's. The kids mumbled amongst themselves as Doogle-Ass just stood there.
I re-enetered the room only to see Carter standing behind the desk with his shirt off, large bruises and welts on his sides and back. My eyes darted from one end of the office to another. The windows were wide open, the door inviting onlookers. Why hadn't anyone given Carter a modicum of privacy? Why hadn't Odelia said anything...
"This is highly irregular, Hank! We both know that! Do I have to call Tamara to get you to do your job right?" Odelia hissed as the cop. Her head turned toward me for a brief second and then back to her target. She saw Shelia wasn't with me. An older man dressed in a shirt and tie was examining Carter, gently touching his body. He winced with every prod. Despite everything I told myself about being detached, I couldn't help but feel bad for the guy.
"It hurts there," he mumbled as doc moved his gloved hand over a particularly nasty welt half obscured by Carter's pants. Carter's head turned to me, his eyes full of tears. He was trying to not to let them out, not to let the people trying to humiliate him actually succeed. His eyes pleaded with me to do something-anything-to save him from this.
"Are you threatening me, Odelia?" Zeary countered, going toe to toe with her. There couldn't have been more than five inches separating them at this point. Was I the only one noticing just how out of control this entire situation was? Surely someone was going to come through and take control...
"I need to examine you. Is there some place private we can go?" doc asked Carter. Fucking finally! Why this wasn't done before Carter took his shirt off is anyone's guess. At least common sense was slowly returning to the room.
"No. You examine him here. He's not to leave this room." My heart skipped five or six beats. Seriously? Zeary expected Carter to parade around naked as a doc examined him with a veritable gaggle of onlookers presents?
"That's highly unorthodox, lieutenant..." He didn't get anything else out.
"Doctor Cootle, you are here at my pleasure. Either examine him here or don't do it at all." My eyes grew in size, staring at Odelia, trying to get her attention. Was this entire campus anti-gay or was it just anyone in a position of power? A thought struck me: Dan said he never reported what Carter did to him. This fact struck me as odd the other night, thought it began to make sense today. If he didn't know where to turn or who to trust it would be natural to internalize the problem. Larry surely knew someone who could help, didn't he?
Odelia! Do something! I shouted in my head, hoping she could hear me. I watched in abject disbelief as Carter slowly reached for the button on his shorts. He was actually going to do it. Mother fucker. My mind raced with things I could do, something to say. All my mind kept coming back to was Zeary's threats of arrest.
"I will be filing a formal protest with the union and Captain Drake, Lieutenat Zeary. You are breaching privacy rules as well as..."
"That won't be necessary Odelia." A voice boomed through the room. I swiveled to see a large black man, easily 6 and a half feet tall, looming in the doorway. His eyes were trained on Carter. Was he registering the same disbelief I had?
"Young man, put your shirt back on for the time being. Ms. Wagancourt, Lieutenany Zeary, may I have a word with you and Doc Cootle?" How I longed to be a fly on the wall in that room. Zeary immediately stiffened up. This must have been his superior officer, or, at the very least, someone who had more control and say than he did. Finally.
Drake-the imposing man-extended a hand to me.
"You must be Aaron. I wish we could have met under different circumstances." I shook the hand, half expecting my arm to fall off when he took a hold of it. Unexpectedly, his touch was gentle, almost like a teddy bear. A teddy bear who could tear my head off with two fingers if he wanted to.
"Pleasure, I'm sure." What else was I going to say?
"Would you mind going with Mr. Johnson into the other room? We'll be with you shortly." My eyes again darted to Carter. He was supporting himself against the desk, slightly hunched over. Cootle steadied him with a hand on his arm. It looked like he could collapse at any time.
"No, not at all." I nodded to Odelia, who returned the gesture. Looking at Zeary, I had nothing but contempt for the man.
I took over supporting Carter, leading him into the adjacent apartment.