Chapter Eleven

11.1 Simon visits Paul

‘Well, how did it go? What did the attorney say?’

‘Before I get into that how about you fix me a strong martini . . . a double vodka.’

‘Bad as that eh? (mixing the drink for Paul) Well (sigh) we knew it’s gonna be tough Do you want a lemon twist (Paul nodded) Here then, have a guzzle, and let’s hear the good news.’

Paul had just got home from visiting an attorney recommended by an old school friend. Now nearing dinner time on a Friday night, Jaimee waited anxiously to hear how the meeting went. Paul drained the martini and held his hand out for a refill.

‘Well, he confirmed what we thought. The cops will have to charge me as I had knowledge that a crime happened and is happening. I told him about my history and he agreed an element of coercion existed. I went over my evidence package and he became more positive. He thinks there’s a very good chance a judge will view my case favorably. He brought up my continuing at the church as General Manager. Initially, he suggested I resign immediately but then changed his mind, thinking the cops might want me to continue gathering more evidence. He’s got a contact in the Detective Bureau and will talk hypothetically to get a reaction. That’s all.’

‘That’s all? I reckon it sounds good. At least you and they know you’re trying to do the right thing. It’s good Paul . . . It’s starting to look positive for us. It’s the best . . . what’s wrong Paul, you’re looking at me weird like?’

‘Coming home I kept getting these mental flashes . . .’

‘What sort of mental flashes? Are you feeling sick? I’m concerned, you’re looking a bit creepy. What sort . . .’

‘Something to do with a bed . . . and flesh . . . yes naked flesh . . . pain, severe pain . . . needing relief . . . see . . .’

‘Oh my god . . . that thing looks hurt . . . and angry . . . it’s all red and hard and . . . yuk! What’s that stuff oozing out of it? Is it bleeding? What can I . . .’

‘I think if you put your mouth over the top the oozing will stop and perhaps it won’t be so . . .’

‘I can do that . . . certainly . . . but you said something about a bed . . .’

<<<>>>

Some days later, as Paul sat dictating letters, his secretary informed him a Mr. Simon Pearce asked to see him.

‘Who?’

‘Ahh, a Mr. Simon Pearce is outside asking to see you. He says it’s important. He hasn’t an appointment . . . err, do you know this person?’

Simon . . . Simon . . . is that Jaimee’s ex-lover? I never knew his family name but it’s too much of a coincidence. Too late to call Jaimee, I’ll just see what the man wants . . . it could be interesting.

‘Vaguely. Just send him in and I’ll see what’s so important.’

His secretary ushered in an extremely attractive young man about mid-twenties, around 180 cm tall with long blond hair, hazel eyes, and an obviously athletic build. He also had unusual cupid lips. He’d dressed this day in a blue pin-stripe suit with a red tie. For several moments the two men just stared at each other before Paul invited him to sit.

‘I take it, Mr. Hudson, you know who I am?’

‘Well, I’m guessing you’re Jaimee’s ex-lover; the lover of small boys.’

In response, Simon just stared at Paul with an enigmatic smile. He didn’t rise to the bait.

‘Yes, Jaimee and I were together for over three years. A very happy time for both of us until an unfortunate event – my bad – caused us to part. Now, I haven’t come here to indulge in any childish mud-slinging because I’ve moved on. Of course, I’ll always have fond memories of Jaimee . . .’

‘I doubt that sentiment will be reciprocated, Simon . . . err, may I call you Simon (Simon nodded graciously). I try not to sit in judgment of other people, but I can assure you Jaimee is deeply hurt by your . . . your proclivities, and will not indulge in fond memories . . . as you put it.’

‘Good, at least we can put that issue aside. Now I didn’t come here to discuss Jaimee . . . well, not directly . . .

Huh?

. . . but to talk to you . . . Paul, to talk to you about the problem you are creating with my principals . . .

‘Principals? What is he talking about?

. . . It seems you now could become a clear and present danger to their ongoing business understandings with you parents . . .

‘My adoptive parents!’

‘Whatever! . . . and they want some assurances that you won’t do anything to jeopardize the association which has proved to be so lucrative . . . for all!’

‘For Christ’s sake man, stop talking gibberish! Say what you need to say in plain English.

‘If you harbor any idea of going to the cops to negotiate a plea bargain, Jaimee will be hurt . . .and hurt bad . . . perhaps fatally! Is that clear enough?’

The statement shocked Paul. The temperature in the room dropped immediately and icy fingers of fear began to consume him. He dissolved into a somewhat catatonic state.

‘(Feebly) What! . . . What did you say?’

‘You heard, but just in case, . . . If you harbor any idea of going to the cops to negotiate a plea bargain, Jaimee will be hurt . . .and hurt bad . . . perhaps fatally!’

‘Jaimee? . . . you’d hurt Jaimee? . . . Why, why? He’s got nothing to do with my church activities. Why would you seek to hurt Jaimee . . . he’s innocent!’

‘Of course he is. But he’s also your lover . . . at least that’s what I’m told. We could threaten your life . . . miserable as it is . . . but being in love with him, you won’t want any harm to come to him . . . will you?’

For several moments the two men just stared at each other – one in shock, the other hardly concealing his glee. The silence dragged on, until . . .

‘I guess Paul, it’s up to you now. Any indication that you’re trying to make a deal with the authorities, be assured Jaimee will be immediately harmed, you know this isn’t an idle threat, you know the caliber of my principals. The degree of harm will depend on you, OK? Now . . . I’ve said my piece . . . have a nice day.’

And walked out . . . leaving a shattered Paul staring after Simon’s retreating back.

Stunned! Absolutely stunned. Paul just sat immobile, his mind a morass of fear, anger, uncertainty, and disbelief. Never . . . even in his worst nightmares could he consider putting Jaimee in harm’s way.

Oh, this is so cruel. Oh, they knew I’d never cause any harm to Jaimee. So . . . so . . . clever . . and cruel . . . and effective. My god, this is terrible. I can’t think straight . . . What am I gonna do? Should I warn Jaimee? . . . No, he’d panic! Shit! I’m panicking. Who . . . who can I turn to? I need help . . . advice . . . Where? . . .

Just then his secretary entered and one look at Paul caused her to exclaim,

‘Paul! Paul! What’s happened? you look terrible . . . you’ve gone grey, you look like you’re going to pass out . . . What’s happened? That man? Did he . . .’

‘(Croaking) Can I have a glass of water, please? I do feel a little unbalanced. (He waited whilst his secretary poured a glass of water) Thank you Maria, (gulping down the water) yes . . . that man gave me some very unwelcome news . . . I’ll be alright. Just had a shock . . . Look can you call the attorney I visited last week and make an appointment to see him as soon as possible? Tell him it’s urgent. And, I’m gonna go home . . . can you hold the fort for me?’

11.2 It gets worse.

. On the way home, Paul kept going over Simon’s threat . . .his blackmail threat. He felt dizzy trying to deal with all the ramifications. One thing for sure, he wasn’t going to involve Jaimee.

How can I? Best if he’s ignorant of the whole matter. My way is clear . . . I’ll just do what they say. I’ll continue as usual at the church and not go to the police. If that’s what’s required, If all they want is my silence to keep Jaimee safe, then that’s what I’m gonna do. To hell with me! My life’s over . . . sure I’ll be charged and jailed . . . and killed . . . in jail. I know how these cretins work. All loose ends are taken care of. I have it coming. No amount of self-pity is gonna change my guilt. Poor Jaimee . . . what a poor choice he’s made in lovers. NO! I’ll just take my punishment like a man. But if I can do anything to bring down my parents that’s gonna be reward in itself. In the short time left for me and Jaimee, I’m gonna make every second count . . I want to have as many good memories as possible.

Having made his decision and accepted his fate, Paul started to feel better. The thing about making a decision, albeit a not so pleasant one, is a relative calm descends. The mind no longer is a morass of conflicting choices and fears. In this frame of mind, Paul drove into their garage and entered the house.

An uncomfortable feeling gripped him as soon as he opened the front door. Something wasn’t right. He sensed an invisible presence . . . an invasion of privacy . . . and a smell.

Cautiously he made his way around the house checking the lounge area, the kitchen, the master bedroom, the spare bedroom . . . the bathroom . . .

Behavioral analysis has shown that when confronted with pure horror the human brain seizes and refuses to accept the reality it perceives. The brain, as a defense mechanism, tries to deny reality. This happened to Paul when he opened the bathroom door and saw the mangled, butchered body of Mickey the dog hanging up by a meat hook on the shower rail.

He just stared, and stared . . . silently screaming . . . until his vocal cords became active . . . and he collapsed in a heap . . . mumbling over and over . . . No! No! No! . . . please, no, no, no . . .

. . . because now Jaimee was involved.

11.3 Hard Choices.

An awful silence accompanied the two young men who sat huddled together in their lounge area clutching pathetically half-empty glasses of neat whisky. The crying, the screaming, the sobbing, the refusal to accept the unacceptable, had all passed. Now grim reality . . . the acceptance of defeat . . .the poisoned truth . . .prevailed. Finally,

‘How could Simon stoop to this, Paul? He never expressed any sadistic tendencies in the whole three years we were together. And poor little Mickey . . . I know he loved the dog, not as much as me, but he’d never do anything like this to an innocent little bloke like Mickey. Why?’

‘I suspect he doesn’t even know what’s happened. (drawing Jaimee closer) I don’t know how he’s got involved with my mother’s associates, but he has, and I reckon he doesn’t understand the danger he’s in. NO, we can’t blame Simon! In the short time I talked to him I didn’t detect any sadistic vibes. This is Lan Van Duong’s doing. He sent Simon to see me with a soft message whilst his goons butchered little Mickey to drive the message home.’

‘You seem to understand this awful situation. It’s completely beyond my ken . . . my comprehension. I honestly don’t know what to do, and I’m frightened . . . really frightened. If they can butcher little Mickey what will they do to me?’

Sadly Paul faced Jaimee and uttered the unthinkable. All the long day he’d wrestled with the only conclusion that made sense, and now he had to find the courage to tell Jaimee.

‘I’m thinking we should break up. Let them find out we’re not together anymore. That way they’ll back off using you as a target. After all, they’re only after me; if they cease to view you as prey, I’m sure . . .’

‘NO! NO! NO!. I love you, Paul, I love you with every fiber of my body and mind. I’m together with you Paul, you can’t push me away. I WON’T ALLOW IT! No, that’s not an option . . . unless you really want to?’

‘Of course not! I’m . . . I’m just looking for ways of dealing with this. It’s just an option . . . that’s all. I do love you Jaimee, you’re everything to me and I couldn’t live without you. If something happened to you I’d kill myself without hesitation. I couldn’t go on living I caused you harm . . .or . . . or.’

‘Paul stop! I don’t want to hear you talk like that. Let’s stop being negative and try and find, a solution to this horror, together. Thinking about you and I splitting up just to eliminate me as their target is negative. Now let’s sit down and look at the positives. There’s always a choice . . . there’s always an alternative.’

‘I know you’re right baby, and it just makes me love you more. I’m so confused, so guilty, so angry, so . . . so . . . I just want revenge and to protect you. God, I love you Jaimee . . .’

‘Noted! Now let’s consider the positives. I love you and you love me . . . that’s number one. Secondly, you’ve already taken steps and talked to an attorney. We must pursue that avenue as soon as possible. Can you . . .’

‘Yes, I had my secretary set up an urgent meeting with him tomorrow afternoon. That’s gonna happen.’

‘Good! Now thirdly, you’ve got proof of your early and continuing opposition to your adopted parents' schemes. That’s our biggest trump card, Paul. Let’s spend our time now going over what you have, and see if we can embellish the package. Fourth, and by no means least, you’ve demonstrated remorse about your involvement with money-laundering, and the fact that you’re handing over evidence is definitely in your favor. The way I see it, baby, you’ve got a lot going for you, so let’s look on the bright side.’

‘My god Jaimee you’re so strong. Just a few hours ago you not only found out your life is threatened but you lost your dog in horrific circumstances, yet here you are comforting me, whereas I should be comforting you. Do I deserve such a wonderful guy? I don’t believe I do, but I love you, baby, I love you so much sometimes I’m gonna burst. What can I do to make it up to you?’

Jaimee knelt in front of Paul and took both his hands in his own. For a long moment, he just looked with love into Paul’s eyes.

‘I need you now baby . . . I need you real bad. I want you to take me any way you want. I need to feel you deep inside . . . I need to feel your essence flowing into me. Take me, Paul, take me and use me. Go hard . . . as hard as you want, because tonight I’m yours . . . my body, my mind, and my soul are yours to use or abuse. I don’t care . . . I just need you to possess me . . . please.’

Choking back tears, Paul gently raised Jaimee up as he stood up and passionately kissed his lover.

‘My god Jaimee, what you said, that’s so . . . so . . . so incredible. Of course I’ll never abuse you, but I do need to be inside you. The love I feel for you now is agonizing. Come . . . come with me now . . . we mustn’t wait.’

<<<>>>

In the afterglow of the aftermath, both boys lay silent and naked side by side. Their lovemaking had been so intense and gratifying, words were completely superfluous. But eventually, Jaimee turned on his side and, using his elbow as a prop, looked down on Paul. For several moments he just gazed in wonder at Paul’s beauty. Then,

‘Baby, have you given any thought to your future; I mean your career. When the shit hits the fan, I doubt you’ll have a job running the church, you won’t be in jail . . . of that I’m certain, but you do need to think about the post-shitty-fan day. If you don’t want to talk about it now, that’s Ok but we do need to talk sooner than later.’

‘An Architect; I would like to be an Architect. I wanted to do this before they forced me into boring Accountancy . . .OUCH! THAT HURT!. Hey, I wasn’t putting you down, you’re obviously very good at bean-counting and it’s a noble profession . . . but not for me. I’m gonna look into the course curriculum at Melbourne Uni and see if I can get some credits for having completed my Accounting Degree. What do you think?’

‘Well ok, if that’s what you want to do. Perhaps it’s a good move to change professions because I’d say your career prospects in Finance aren’t good. How would you study . . full time or part-time?’

‘Maybe a bit of both; I’ll now more when I make some inquiries. Don’t worry princess, It’ll be OK.’

‘What about money? You’ll need an income whilst you study; can you survive financially?’

‘Good point! I’ve got some savings and there’ll be a payout from the church. I can access student loans and Government grants and I do have a small share portfolio. The car’s mine as is this house, so I won’t be destitute . . . as long as they don’t throw me in jail.’

‘Not gonna go there! Don’t forget me; I can support us on my salary until you get on your feet. I don’t . . .’

‘Absolutely Not! I’m not gonna leech money off you and don’t tell me it would be a loan because you know it wouldn’t. Just don’t worry . . . I’ll get by. Now onto a more difficult subject . . . little Mickey; what do you want to do . . .?’

‘Yeah, I’ve been thinking. Oh, the poor little mite, lying wrapped up in a blood saturated blanket makes me so sad. But we’ve gotta move on. I’d like to bury him somewhere quiet on the Peninsula and then I’d like to plant a pencil pine – a conifer – over his grave. Those trees are so elegant when they grow and would be a fitting tomb marker for him. I’d like to visit regularly. At the weekend we’ll go and get the tree and find a nice place to rest him. What do you think?’

‘Mate that’s so thoughtful and beautiful. I love the tree idea. When we visit in the future, his grave will be easy to find. You’re such a caring person my prince . . . how did I get to be so lucky. (pause) What about another dog? Would you like to have another pooch?’

‘Maybe . . . maybe in time. Let’s get over our current problems and, as a priority get you settled into Architecture. We’ve got a rocky road ahead baby. Now, what time are you seeing the Attorney tomorrow? Would you like me to come with you?’

‘No . . .I think not. I’ll explain what happened and I don’t want you involved any more than you are. Just you stay at home and be a good little wife.’

‘Fuck off shit-head!’