Disclaimer: The following is a work of fiction which will include t/t and m/m relationships, and probably some sex too. If it is illegal in your area to read this, or if you are not old enough to read this (you know who you are), stop here. Otherwise, please enjoy.
The Devil's Gambit, Chapter 8
"Beyond the Evil"
Back at the sheriff's office, the officers escorted him to the desk, where he announced he needed to see the sheriff. Carl, Aiden's friend, beckoned for them to let him in and introduced him to a silver-haired man as Aiden's "friend."
"Sheriff Sanders," Tom said, "I've got a bad feeling that there's more to this Dawson case.... I just took the boys to get their stuff, and.... Well, let me start elsewhere. Judge Tucker asked me as a friend to look into a cold case, the murder of a little boy, Joey Selkin, a few years back. I'm an expert in the occult, among other things...." The sheriff nodded for him to go on. Tom pulled out the photos and asked the sheriff for photos of the secret room. "See, these marks on the boy are consistent with these restraints, and you'll find that all of these symbols carved into the boy's flesh are painted on this room somewhere...."
"Christ Almighty!" the man exclaimed.
When Tom said, "I think it's worse than that," and the man looked at him with trepidation. "The earth has been disturbed all around a play set in the back yard and beneath the tool shed. I think you'll find bodies of children all over that back yard. I think they learned from this early mistake...."
"Shit," the man said. "Judges are going home for the weekend. I want a new warrant for this. I don't want anything to screw this up...." The man started shouting orders, and went to call a judge, at home, personally.
In the meantime, Tom called Judge Tucker and updated her. "You work fast," she said appreciatively.
"Too little, too late," Tom said sadly.
"Thank you, Tom.... We'll talk soon...."
"Sheriff," Tom called, and the man gave him latitude. After all, he was the reason the man was about to become a famous lawman. "I have an idea.... I'd like to talk to Jim Dawson ... in my capacity as a consultant, of course...." The sheriff narrowed his eyes at Tom, but grunted.
"Alright, we're taping everything.... And don't give him anything you don't have to...."
Tom, Carl and the sheriff, along with a couple of others stood behind two-way glass as Jim Dawson was brought into the interrogation room and shackled to the seat. Then Tom went in, smiling easily, as if he were talking with a student. "How does it feel to be on the receiving end of shackles, Jim?"
"You!" the man spat, trying to appear tough. But Tom new better, based on what David had said. "What do you want?"
"What I want to know is pretty simple, Jim.... Did you only abuse your own children, or did you hurt others too?"
Jim smiled and said, "That's a loaded question...."
"It would be.... But we all know you abused your kids; that's not actually in question.... So where are the others?" Jim fidgeted, looking to his left. "Jim, I don't know who you're looking for, but no one is coming to save you.... You're swinging in the wind.... Who are the others?"
"There are no others...."
Tom pulled out the thick envelop the judge had given him and tossed a picture of the boy's ligature marks and the symbols carved on his back. "Why did you kill this boy, Jim?"
"I ... I don't know what you're talking about...."
Outside, the sheriff turned to Carl and said, "He's getting to him...." Carl smiled and nodded. Then he slipped out to call Aiden and told him what was going on, and Aiden told him to tell Tom and the brothers he would be there shortly.
"Jim, you and I both know what kind of ... man ... we are dealing with.... He won't save you, you know that.... He doesn't need you anymore.... But I don't have the patience.... Jim, we know about the children you buried in your back yard...."
"What?" Jim asked, the blood leaving his face.
"The children ... buried beneath your shed, beneath the swing set...."
"I...."
"Jim, if you tell us what you did to this boy, the DA might be able to help you.... Keep you alive...."
"There's no death penalty here...."
"Who needs a death penalty? You're about to be a convicted child murderer...."
"You ... you think I can get a deal?" Jim stuttered.
"Maybe, if you tell them everything, and I mean everything ... even about your wife and son's involvement.... Maybe they can get you put into protective custody, you'll be sheltered from the other prisoners...."
"And if I don't...."
"You'll die a slow and painful death, probably.... Even if you get off," Tom added, letting his eyes flash fiery with his back to the mirror. No one knew what he saw, but they saw Jim push his seat back in horror.
"Get me the deal.... Just promise me that ... between you and me, it's over. Nothing more?" Tom nodded and got up and left the room.
Outside, the sheriff clapped him on the shoulder. "Shit, boy, you'd have made a fine cop...."
"Not at all.... I just know this depraved son of a bitch, from the inside out.... Hell, I've got his children...." Tom hung around and talked to the assistant DA, while Aiden, who soon arrived, talked with David and Peter. Judge Tucker, too, dropped by to talk to Tom, and it seemed everybody wanted his ear. At last, Aiden walked over and took his arm, dragging him into an empty room.
In private, he wrapped his arms around the man and asked, "Are you alright?"
"Yeah.... No! I've got to say...," Tom began breaking into tears and burying his face in Aiden's neck. "I wanted to kill him.... I could have done it so easily -- stopped his heart, an aneurism.... God, I wanted to...." When he collected himself, he whispered, "I was this close..."
"It's okay," Aiden said, squeezing him tight.
"They've found a couple of bodies already.... They're going to have to bring in professional anthropologists to excavate.... God knows how many there are...."
"I'm sorry, Tom.... Is there ... something else?" Aiden asked, hesitantly.
"Aiden, I just can't... Please?" Tom said, on the verge of tears again.
"It's okay, Tom... I'm here when you're ready..."
"When this is all over.... When the boys are settled and I can figure out a way to banish the demon.... We've got to get out of town...." Tom smiled then and laid his head on Aiden's shoulder.
Aiden laughed and kissed his neck softly. "It's a plan...."
Carl stepped in and blushed at catching them. "I, uh, sorry guys... Didn't mean to interrupt you..."
"Don't worry, buddy... It's not a secret," Aiden said with a laugh.
"Well, Tom, you treat this guy right," Carl said, patting him on the back. "My wife will just die," he added with a bright smile.
Aiden shook his head and led Tom out into the squad room, holding his hand, and they shook hands with a few of the officers and lawyers, then gathered their things and got ready to leave.
Judge Tucker again came over and said, "When all the details of David's custody are settled, I'd love to have you guys over for dinner, and to find a way to thank you, Tom...."
"I'll look forward to it on both counts," Tom smiled and they headed to the car. Aiden followed them back to Tom's, stopping to pick up some hamburgers on the way. They were all tired and just relaxed. Later, Billy called, and he took Peter to the movies, for which Tom gave Peter a little cash.
On Saturday, while Aiden was in class, Tom took the boys on a shopping trip. They had to go buy David's school uniforms -- three jackets and ties, five pairs of pants and five shirts. Then they went to Best Buy to pick up a wall mounting flat screen and a phone for Peter's room, as well as to buy the brothers cell phones. David was surprised and excited to have his own phone, though Tom did warn him to stay within his minutes.
Then, he surprised them both by driving to a car dealership's pre-owned lot. "David, Peter, I'd like you both to find a reasonable car to share," he said. "I'm buying.... And it'll be in my name, but it'll be for you guys to use to get around...." Both Peter and David looked like kids on Christmas as they ran off. Tom was interested to see what they would settle on and what they'd think was reasonable. The first car they suggested was kind of a clunker, and he figured they were trying to be modest. "Guys, this is a piece of crap.... Find a nice car.... One we won't have to spend a pile of money on just to keep it on the road...." At last they settled on a red Honda Accord that had been a program car and was still under warranty. "That's more like it...."
Tom haggled with the dealer a little, who dropped the price significantly when Tom agreed to pay cash. By the time they were finished with the paperwork and got home, Aiden was back. David was excited about being able to pick up Catherine in the Toyota, and Peter and Billy would be hanging out, maybe going to a party, so Aiden and Tom went to dinner and then walked around the nice little downtown, browsing a few stores, spending a little extra time in Tom's favorite, a little used bookstore frequented by faculty and students. Then, they got coffees and sat at a little table on the sidewalk, chatting.
"God, it's amazing ... everything that's happened in the last few weeks," Aiden mused, putting a hand on Tom's.
"I wish we could just slow down and enjoy the good parts a little, but somehow I think it'll be a while...."
"You know, Tom, no matter how terrible some things have been, it's still been some of the best weeks of my life...."
"Mine too," Tom smiled shyly. "I've been thinking ... and if I'm being stupid, tell me so and we'll forget I ever said it ... but it doesn't make a lot of sense, you living and keeping all your stuff in that little apartment...." Aiden put his coffee down and smiled amusedly at Tom.
"Are you offering me a closet?" Aiden asked, teasing.
"I'm offering you my home, my bed," Tom said, pretending to pout, and Aiden squeezed his hand, winking.
"Are you sure that's what you want?"
Tom looked at him as if he were crazy. "I've never wanted anything more.... I hate it that time we could be spending together gets wasted.... I guess we should wait, but I just don't know why...."
"Well, I don't either," Aiden said. "I fell in love with you the first day we met...."
"You just wanted me for my body," Tom said with a laugh.
"At first, yeah," Aiden laughed, but then seriously, "When I came to your house, I really did fall for you...."
"Me too," Tom said.
A little later, they walked to the car and drove back to the house, curling up in front of the television in the now-empty house to watch a movie. They were both far more tired than they realized, and fell asleep in the warmth of each other. David woke them as he closed the front door, returning from his date.
"Have a good time?" Aiden called sleepily, and David came into the living room and sat down at their feet.
"Awesome! We had a good time at the mall, and the movie was good.... I walked her to her door and she kissed me.... She wants to go out again!"
"That's great, buddy," Tom said. "Just take it slow and be safe...."
David rolled his eyes, "It's definitely not going there any time soon...."
"Just be ready, don't get caught up in the excitement and be without a plan B...." The boy nodded and Tom hoped he'd be keeping a condom with him on future dates. Not that he planned to do anything, but he was very cute and the girl really liked him.
"Have you ever been out with a girl on a date before?" Aiden asked, causing the boy to blush.
"No," he said, shaking his head. Then he changed the subject. "How bout you guys? Have fun without the kids in your hair?" he asked with a laugh.
"We did have fun," Aiden said, "but you know we love having you guys around?" David nodded and went to get changed for bed. Peter still wasn't home, but no one thought anything of it, as it was still around 11. Aiden and Tom went to bed. But around 2, Tom woke up thirsty and made his way to the kitchen to get a drink.
Seeing the light on under Peter's door, he went over and knocked. "Just a minute," he heard, and moments later, Peter opened the door. He had been crying, Tom could tell.
"What's wrong, Peter?"
"I ... don't worry about it.... I'll be fine...."
"Don't be silly.... Haven't we all been through enough together?"
Peter nodded and opened the door wide, sitting on the end of the bed and putting a pillow over his boxer-clad lap. Tom sat down next to him and waited for him to begin. "Billy and me went to a party, and we had a good time.... We got home and we were kind of making out in the car outside.... He put his hand on ... me, and I kinda lost it.... It freaked him out, and he left...."
Tom put his arm around Peter's shoulder. "Did you ... freak out ... because you wanted to stop and Billy wouldn't?" Tom asked protectively.
"NO!" Peter said instantly. "I ... I really wanted to do more, but I just kept thinking of ... those other times..."
Tom nodded and put a hand on his shoulder and squeezed gently. "So what happened? Why did Billy leave?"
"Well, one minute we were making out, and he put his hand on my thigh, you know, kinda high up... Anyway, all of a sudden I was crying, and I couldn't tell him why, and ... I just hopped out of the car and ran up to the house..."
"Billy is a sweet boy," Tom said softly. "He'll understand... But you need to talk to him.... Does he know what you've been through?"
"Vaguely, some of it.... No, not really...." Tom nodded and patted him on the shoulder, and stood to go. "Tom?"
"Yeah, buddy?"
"I hate to ask, after all you've done... I don't know how we'll ever pay you back for everything..."
"Hush, Peter!" Tom said, smiling but serious. "Now what do you need?"
"I'd ... do you think you could help me find someone to talk to? You know, like a professional?" Peter asked, averting his eyes.
Tom smiled and nodded. "I've got a friend who's a great guy downtown," Tom began, but Peter got a funny look.
"Do you know any women?" he asked. "I think I'd rather..."
Tom nodded again. "There's a great lady at the University. I'll see if she's taking new patients. You'll really like her..."
"Thanks, Tom," Peter said, flopping back on the bed.
"Now, try to get some sleep.... I'm beat...." Peter nodded, but his cell rang. Tom could hear a sweet manly voice on the other end sounding apologetic.
"No, I'm sorry," Peter answered, getting teary again. He looked at Tom and mouthed, 'Thanks,' and began what Tom figured would be a long conversation. Thank goodness for nights and weekends.
In the morning, Tom made breakfast for Aiden and David. As he figured, Peter was sleeping in.... "We've got dinner tonight at six, at Alasdair's," he reminded Aiden, who nodded.
"What are you up to today?" Aiden asked.
"I thought I'd go out to the state park and take a longish hike. You interested, David?"
The boy smiled. "Sounds fun...." Aiden had to rush, but Tom followed him to the door and gave him a kiss on his way out.
David asked, "Do you think Peter's going to want to come?"
"He was up late last night, even after he got home. You can ask, but I think he's going to sleep most of the morning and early afternoon...." That turned out to be the case. Tom got changed into jeans and a t-shirt and put on some hiking boots, and he and David rode out to a park recreation area and took a hike up into the forest, along some old trails.
Deep in the woods in a quiet circle of trees, Tom motioned for David to sit and he unpacked a little picnic lunch of sandwiches and vegetables for them to eat.
"Thanks for coming with me," Tom said as they sat back to eat.
"Sure," the boy smiled. "I always wished ... well, I would have liked to go camping and stuff, but never, you know...."
Tom smiled to himself and asked, "How would you like to go camping over Thanksgiving break?" The boy grinned and nodded vigorously. "Do you think Peter will want to come?"
David arched his eyebrows and smiled, "I don't know; I doubt it...."
"Well, he can look after the house and have a little privacy.... Unless Aiden can't get off, then it'll be you and me...." David nodded. "You know, I used to come out here as a teenager.... I learned to do magic in this little circle of trees, with a few books and a lot of practice...."
"Really?" David asked, looking a little uncomfortable at the thought of magic. Not surprising, given his father. Still, Tom forged on.
"Yeah, after my parents died, and I came to live with my grandparents, I'd come out here for the seclusion and just practice and meditate and commune with nature...."
"I've never known anyone who did magic without hurting people," David said, nervously.
"David, your father and his friends worked in black magick -- blood magick.... Blood is very powerful; it's the life force of all animals.... People like your father ... lack the discipline and focus to work with the energy that surrounds all nature, to call on the forces of good.... They need the blood because they can't touch the power...." Tom stood up and asked, "Can I show you?"
David sort of scooted back and got a scared look on his face. "What are you going to do?"
"I'm going to show you what healing magick feels like, if you'll let me," Tom said gently.
"How does it work?" David asked.
Tom smiled. "I'll call on nature and use her bountiful energy to help both of us ... fill some of that emptiness we have in our souls... You know what I mean?" Tom asked.
"You feel it too?" David asked, his eyes tearing up.
"Ever since I woke up and realized my mother was gone," Tom began, his own eyes misty with tears. "Can I tell you a secret?" David nodded somberly. "When I was thirteen... Mom was gone and dad was ... well, he threw himself into his work. I didn't have any friends... There was this teacher at school; he was young, handsome, and he did a really good job of seeming like he cared... He ... did things with me, to me... I really liked him too, but he took that innocent part away from me, and then he just ... threw me away. I got too old for him..." Tom looked up and saw David was crying too, and the boy threw his arms around Tom. "I never told anyone that, David... Please don't say anything to Aiden? I'll tell him when ... I can..."
David nodded. "Did you ever tell Jamie?"
"Jamie was the sweetest, most innocent person I ever met... I always felt like telling him would ... take something away from him that he could never get back... You're the only person I ever told..."
"And you think that ... this thing ... will help us?" David asked.
"I know it will... I've been doing it regularly for years... It doesn't make everything better, but, little by little, it fills in the cracks," Tom said, laughing at his lack of a better metaphor.
He held out a hand to David, who, at long last, reached out and took it, hoisting himself to his feet. Tom led him to the center of the circle. Standing face to face, he said to David, "Put your palms on mine.... Don't be afraid.... Close your eyes...." The boy did as he was asked. "Trust me?" Tom asked, and David nodded, trying to look brave. "I call upon the spirits of the wood, the spirits of the air and the sky, of water and of earth.... Look kindly upon the servants of the Most High.... We have felt the pain of loss, suffered greatly, and we seek your comforts...." Tom visualized a healing light descending upon the circle, and four winds circulated in a soft, warm vortex, too warm for late October. David gasped as he felt the warmth envelop them and a flow of soft energy flowing through his body, out of Tom's hands.... He was filled with feelings of warmth and love and fulfillment, and he collapsed into Tom, who supported him in a hug. Chest to chest, the energy continued to flow between them and envelop them in a cocoon. At last, Tom squeezed David and kissed his forehead, and the wind subsided and the cool returned.
David squeezed him back, and wiped a tear from his eyes. "That was ... different...."
"Different good?" Tom asked with a laugh.
"Yeah, real good...." Tom put his arm across David's shoulder and they moved on, after picking up their stuff. Tom told David more about how he had discovered magick and how he had learned it on his own as a child, gradually getting David to confide in him more and more. By the time they got back to the house, they felt like they'd known each other forever. Inside, they found Peter lying on the couch, watching television.
"Hey, guys! Have fun?" Peter called.
"Yeah," David said, taking a flying leap onto the couch, landing half on, half behind Peter and wrapping an arm around him. "We're going camping on the first part of Thanksgiving break.... You gonna come?"
"I dunno.... Maybe," he said, looking over his shoulder at his brother.
"Lover boy will keep for a few days, you know," David laughed, tickling his brother.
Tom walked by and reminded them, "Be ready to leave here at 5:30, guys! I'm going to grab a quick shower and shave, then lie down for a while?"
David looked up and asked, "Did I tire you out, old man?"
"Right!"
Tom lay down on the bed after he showered, planning on a short nap, but he woke up to the sound of Aiden slamming his car door. He rushed to straighten his hair and pull on a nice outfit. He was pulling on a nice sweater when Aiden walked into the bedroom, looking stunning in a pair of nice slacks and a cream shirt, carrying two suitcases.
"I grabbed a couple of bags of clothes ... for starters," he said with a dimpled grin. Tom hurried up to him and kissed him on the neck.
"Thank you, sweetheart...." Wrapping his arms around Tom, Aiden returned his kiss. Tom opened the second closet and suggested, "Why don't you hang your stuff in here?"
Aiden looked inside and paused before stating the obvious. "It's full!"
"Just push the stuff aside. I'll pack up the rest tomorrow..."
"I didn't realize you were such a clothes hound," Aiden joked.
Tom's eyes misted over, and he smiled to repress he tears which rose by reflex. "This isn't ... my closet," Tom said simply. He coughed to clear his throat. "I'll pack it up tomorrow... It's ... time..."
Aiden kissed him on the neck and whispered, "I'm sorry... If you're not ready, I can hang my stuff in one of the extra bedrooms..."
"I can't ... no... Please, just use this one?" Tom nodded, again coughing back tears. Then he abruptly changed the subject. "Were the boys ready when you got here?
"David was watching television when I came in, looking good, but I didn't see Peter...." They walked out of the bedroom, just as Peter finished getting ready. "Alright, guys, let's go...."
More to come soon. If you enjoyed this story, you might consider my other on-going stories at Nifty, Fantasy/SciFi, Things that Go Bump and A Light in the Darkness.
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