CRYSTALLINE - 9. Shall I Put the Kettle On?

After lunch, Cook asked Carol to stay behind and help with the dishes while she started dinner preparations.

Head in the dishwasher and bum in the air, Carol asked “Cook?’

“Yes Carol”

Then as she stood, continued “You don’t need help with the dishes, I’ve seen you wash dishes cook a three course meal and talk on the phone all at the same time. So, might this sudden need for help have something to do with your accusations at breakfast, that we are hiding something?”

“Told you there were no secrets around here. You’ve got me, so are you going to spill the beans?”

“If I do tell you, you must promise me that you won’t let the boys know I told you. Just between us girls, hey?”

“Fair enough”

“It seems that the brothers were a bit naughty when they were teenagers”

“Most boys are, as far as I can remember about my brothers and their mates”

“Probably, but you didn’t have the internet in your day, did you?”

“No, what’s that got to do with it?”

“As you say, all boys get up to mischief with their mates, but now they can do it online for everyone to see”

“Do what?”

“Sex”

Cook’s mouth dropped open in shock, she took a deep breath then said “I think I’m going to need a cuppa to listen to this”

“Shall I put the kettle on?” asked Carol

“If you think it goes with your outfit”

“What?”

“Never mind, just an old joke”

“Ok, but what I’m going to tell you is no joke”

“Good...I mean...really...of course, go ahead, while I make the tea”

<>

After Carol told Cook the story of the twins on a porn site, Cook said “Well, I’ll be buttered on both sides. I told you twins are sneaky, but I didn’t see that coming. What a hoot and they reckon their mother never knew?”

“No, not a hint”

“You know, I should be shocked and telling you things like, be careful about Patrick, but somehow I now feel differently about the boys and their honesty in telling you and Thomas. I’m not so sure about their father, but I suppose no harm came from it”

“Yeah, I don’t know why Patrick made such a big deal of keeping it a secret”

“Bugger me, I wonder how Thomas took it, he can be a bit straight-laced at times”

“Patrick didn’t say...and don’t you dare ask him. We have an agreement, Cook”

“Don’t get your pretty little knickers in a knot. I can keep mum, when I need to. But not sure I’ll be able to keep a straight face at dinner tonight. Those naughty little buggers” concluded Cook

***

That evening was raining, so Patrick took Carol to his room instead of their nightly walk in the garden after dinner.

“Carol, do you mind if we lay on the bed, side by side?”

“Sounds like a good start”

“No I don’t mean for sex. I want to tell you the rest of my story and I’ll manage better if we are not facing each other”

“I don’t understand”

“I just don’t want to look you in the eye or see your reactions; at least not till I finish”

“Ok” she replied as she lay on the bed “Are you going to tell me about your parents tonight?”

“Yes, that is why this is difficult for me, and could you just listen and not ask questions as we go along”

“Ok, I’m all ears and won’t interrupt”

o0o

The brothers went on live webcam most nights and built up a strong following of viewers from around the world. Then one day Tony suggested they go away camping for a weekend of father and son bonding. “Just men’s stuff” he said and winked.

They didn’t fully understand the wink and assumed he just meant without their mother.

He picked them up from school at 3.00pm, the car already loaded with camping gear and headed north to a bush camp site.

They arrived just before dark and Patrick asked “Is this it, pretty isolated here and there’s no one else camping”

“Oh they’ll show up soon and more tomorrow”

“Who’s they”

“Other campers of course”

“Oh it sounded like you were expecting some people in particular”

“There may be a few acquaintances show up”

“Have you been here before Dad, with other men?”

“A couple of times, but not recently. Now let’s get this tent up and a fire started before it’s too dark to find anything”

“Ok” Patrick agreed, but wasn’t sure his father was telling him everything.

***

Tony went to fetch water while the brothers erected the tent.

Patrick asked his brother “Do you think Dad’s acting weirdly?”

“No, why”

“Firstly, this is the first time he has taken us camping without Mum”

“Well he said it was to be a father and son weekend”

“Sure, but when I said there was no one else here, he replied they’ll be here soon, as if he was expecting people he knows”

“Probably some other fathers and their sons”

“I suppose that makes sense”

“Now hold up the other end of the tent while I get this pole in place”

Just as their father got back, another car arrived with two men, but no children. He greeted them briefly then walked over to his sons, put down the bucket of water and said “Tent looks great boys, let’s get a meal started”

While they were cooking two more cars arrived, but they did not unload tents. The group of now six men lit a fire and gathered around it drinking and laughing. Dante noticed this and drew his father’s attention to it. “Oh don’t worry about them, there just here for a good time they won’t be staying late. So won’t be here overnight”

“But why are they here?”

“Come closer boys...I’ve arranged a little something for you to earn some good money tonight”

“No fuckin’ way Dad, that’s not on, I’m not letting anyone of them touch me” replied Patrick

“No, of course not, they are just here to watch; just like your webcam performances, but they pay much better for a live performance. All you two have to do is your usual act and they will each pay $100 cash. That’s $600 for a thirty minute performance”

“Are you sure they don’t expect more?”

“Would I let them do that to you?”

“I’m not sure Dad. It was fun at first to do a few videos and then you introduced us to webcam and now a live performance in front of strangers and you didn’t think to tell us about this before we came here”

“I wanted to keep it a surprise for you and I’ll let you have all the cash this time”

“This time? You mean you expect this to be happen again?” asked Dante

“It’s easy money, why not?”

“Leave us alone for a few minutes. Patrick and I need to talk about this”

“Sure, go to the tent and I’ll tell the boys you’re getting ready”

“Didn’t you hear me, we haven’t agreed yet”

“Ok, go and talk and I’ll have a beer with the boys”

***

“What the fuck has Dad gotten us into?” asked Patrick

“I don’t believe this, our own father wants to pimp us out to his mates”

“Well I’m not going to do it”

“And if we refuse, what do you think those paedos out there will do, just go home. It sounds like they’ll already drunk enough to cause trouble”

“So how do we get out of this?”

“I don’t think we can. I’m prepared to do our usual act, as long as Dad remains between us and them. We have to make it clear that this is a watch and don’t touch show”

“I’ll call Dad in and make that clear. Are the car keys in the tent?” asked Dante

“Why?”

“We need to have them with us, so if this looks like going pear shaped, we run to the car and lock ourselves in”

“And where will you stash the keys if we’re naked, up ya arse?”

“Not a bad idea”

“I’m not doing that” stated Patrick

“Then it’s either keys up your arse or me up your arse”

“If you put it that way, I’d rather have you up there than some foreign object”

“Ok then, find the keys, I’ll stash them and fuck you for the paedos”

The boys found the car key, hid it in an inconvenient place and then called their father in to lay down their terms. He agreed, assured them that was all they were expecting and went out to tell the audience to prepare for the performance.

***

Their father and the assembled audience were true to their word and made no attempt to approach the brothers, other than to congratulate them on their performance.

These live performance became a regular event, being held in different places, usually the home of one of the group of voyeurs. Each time the boys performed they increased their performance fee by ten dollars per person. There were a few grumbles about the constantly increasing fee but they willingly paid after being assured by the brother’s father that as long as they didn’t touch the boys they were safe from prosecution. Nobody bothered to check the validity of this assurance.

***

The lead detective of the task force running operation Sting was Michael Chris-John; a man who had seen it all in his thirty five years on the NSW police force. But mostly what he saw in life he did not like. He had been instrumental in sending to prison, fraudsters, thieves, violent criminals, even murderers, but what he enjoyed most was catching child abusers and paedophiles. The prospect of catching yet another got him up in the morning and kept him running all day.

He, his team and a worldwide network of investigators were hot on the heels of breaking up an international paedophile ring operating via the internet, including the dark web. On the appointed day raids were conducted simultaneously in five nations, including the home of Patrick and Dante Ricardi.

***

“But why was Dad arrested?” Dante asked his mother.

“It seems he was part of a group of paedophiles that shared images on the internet and even met personally to abuse children”

“Fuck! Oh sorry Mum, that just slipped out”

“I understand your shock. I’m just pleased you were not involved. But while it seems your father was sharing these images, they found stuff on his computer, I know he wouldn’t involve his own sons. He’s basically a good man”

“Y y yes Mum of course”

“So what will happen to him now?” asked Patrick.

“I don’t know, that’s up to the police, but I suppose I should get him a solicitor, I guess he’ll need one to get out of this mess”

Ricardi was charged, went before a magistrate and was granted bail. When his wife asked where she should get the money for bail, he directed her to a bank account she was previously not aware of. Together with that, some savings and cash advances on all their credit cards, his wife managed to raise the necessary amount.

Upon his return home, the matter was not discussed with the brothers. Their mother was pleased about this as she did not want them involved anymore than necessary. What she didn’t know was that the police had been working on identifying the victims portrayed in the images seized and employed social workers to counsel the victims once identified and located.

***

“But why do the police want to interview us?” Dante asked his mother.

“They seem to think you may be involved because they found some images of you, but I’m sure it’s a misidentification so our solicitor should be able clear it up quickly.

***

“I’m sorry Mrs Ricardi, I am acting for your husband’s defence, so if your sons are deemed to be victims then acting for you or them would be a conflict of interest”

“Oh that’s disappointing, what should I do?”

“I’ll have my secretary contact you with a list of solicitors I recommend”

“Thank you”

***

Patricia accompanied the boys to the police interview and was speechless when shown a small clip of her sons in a compromising video. Once their identity was confirmed the counsellor took over from the police, to mitigate any ongoing trauma. The police never questioned the brothers’ involvement. The images were enough evidence of their father’s involvement. Priority was given to their welfare and any trauma caused. The police then made application for an order to prevent him from having any contact with his sons. The order was granted and he moved in with his sister.

As it turned out their mother was more in need of counselling than the brothers. She was so distraught she never discussed it with her sons. At home it was as if it had never happened, except for her withdrawn behaviour.

The brothers did not raise the issue either, as they did not want to have to explain to their mother how they became involved and that for the most part they were willing participants.

Because of the number of underage victims involved the identity of the accused were not released to the media. This meant the brothers were not harassed at school.

While they were displeased that their father was charged with a serious offence, they held no ill feelings towards him.

o0o

“Shit that’s pretty heavy stuff” commented Thomas “Was your father found guilty and is he still in prison?”

“No he is not in prison”

“How did he get away with it, a really good solicitor, right?”

“He didn’t get his day in court”

“Was the case dropped on a technicality?”

“Something like that” Dante replied, then continued his story.

*****

Next Chapter - Oh what a tangled web we weave when....