Welcome to Gayberry

Welcome to Gayberry – 37

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37

When they walked in, Michael Churchill was having a come-apart in the lobby.

"Where is that bitch?' he was asking. "I told her to be here early to practice the `parade of flowers'! She wanted to expand and expand her own role like she's the star of the show! I could rip her hair-dyed-black-as-a-crow's-ass-in-blackberry-season hair out by the motherfucking roots!"

No one else was in the lobby except Michael and Frankie.

"Simmer down, baby boy" Frankie said calmly."We'll be all right. We'll just show the Colonel her blocking and he can lead her around and make sure she hits her marks."

"He shouldn't have to responsible for the worthless fucking cunt's blocking!" Michael said. "He has plenty to concern himself with without having to think about her stuff too."

"Let me guess who he's ranting about" Randy said to Frankie. "My guess would be Tara Bedford. "

"Your guess would be correct" Frankie said. "He always gets so hyper before a dress rehearsal. He'll be fine. I promise."

"I'd really like to have a brief word with him if you think it would be okay" William said.

"It will be fine" Frankie said. "Whatever you have to say will take his energy off the rant he is throwing about Sister Bedford" he chuckled.

"Charlie, William Walker would like a word" Frankie said.

Michael hurried over and, after greeting them, walked away toward his office with William. They went into the office and closed the door. Just as the door to the office closed, Tara Bedford marched in with her mouth running.

"Mrs. Bedford, you are late and Michael isn't happy" Frankie said. "Michael said he told you to be here early to get the blocking straight for the parade of flowers. You know, that's the part just before the crowning where all of the finalists present roses to the outgoing queen."

"Of course I know what that is!" she snapped. "It was my own creation and is unlike anything performed in any other pageant in the world. You may forget I was the first Miss Gayberry. The years after I was crowned I came back to crown my successor I created the parade of roses as a way for the finalists to offer a tribute to...well, to me" she giggled.

"Well, I think Michael has made a few changes but you better get on stage to go over the blocking for that before we can start the rehearsal."

Aunt Flea and Arney were loaded down with clothes bags and valises, all for Mrs. Bedford.

"Take those to my dressing room, Flea" Tara ordered. "I told Mr. Churchill it would just not acceptable for me to share a dressing room and I wanted and needed my own private dressing room. I assume he has made those arrangements."

"I'm not sure, Mrs. Bedford, Frankie said. "I know he was working on that but I don't think it's been quite worked out yet. Your things will need to go in the same place they have been."

"Come on Flea" she snapped. "Follow me, deputy. By the way I have no intention of stepping a foot into that nasty squad car again. It smelled like cigars and piss. Frankie, please make arrangements for me to have a car take me home this evening and arrange one for Saturday as well."

"I will do what I can, Mrs. Bedford" Frankie said, rolling his eyes.

They disappeared into the auditorium.

"Somebody should've snapped the neck on the original Miss Gayberry years ago" Frankie laughed. "Apparently even her own sons pretty much hate her. She had insisted we comp the best seats in the house for her three sons. When our house manager called to confirm the seats, as we always do, all three of them just laughed at her. Two of them said they hadn't been back here since the day they left for college and had no intention of ever setting foot again in North Carolina. One of them referred to our town as a manure-filled shithole and the other a redneck hellhole. Apparently one of them still speaks to her. He's the one who designed this gown she has been bragging about all week. I hear he does still talk to her because he's actually afraid she might put a hit out on him. Her boys are embarrassed about the way she brags about how their family home is the most historic home in Gayberry. Her husband built it in the forties so that ain't what I would call historic. I can't imagine the man who would have lived with that insufferable cunt."

"Is she here yet" Michael yelled as he and William returned to the group.

"Yes, baby boy" Frankie said calmly. "She's already on the stage going over her blocking. Everything is in control and it's going to be perfect."

"Will it be all right if we go into the auditorium?" the sheriff asked.

"Of course" Frankie said. "I'll show you later where your judges' table will be. For now you guys can join Gerome and Greg Bentley. Michael and I met them today and we both fell in love with both. They are so smart and both of them so fucking handsome! Good job getting them here, Principal Ben!"

Ben smiled as they walked into the auditorium and, once their eyes adjusted to the darkness, made their way back to where the brothers were sitting. Greetings were quietly exchanged and they watched what was going onstage as eight girls brought plastic flowers to Velma Sue as last year's winner was pregnant and, therefore, unavailable for the pageant.

"Okay, boys and girls, I'm making a change in this" Michael said, clapping his hands and joining them on the long runway which jutted out from the stage.

"I have decided the flowers will be presented to Mrs. Tara Bedford instead of to Velma Sue" he said. "I just think it will be more significant since she was the first and the original Miss Gayberry. Velma Sue, is that all right with you?"

"Of course it is, Mr. C." the girls said sweetly. "I think it is just a wonderful idea. I'm just beyond delighted that you want me to participate at all."

Michael then reblocked this section of the pageant with each of the finalists coming down the tall stairs, escorted by one of the older boys all the way down the runway to Mrs. Bedford who was smack dab in the center of the runway in a bright, bright spotlight. The girl would then leave her escort on the stage and take her flower to Mrs. Bedford, who would end up with an arm full of roses. Mrs. Bedford would then hand the flowers to Colonel Watkins, who would take them back to one of the escorts and offstage.

They then ran this part of the pageant several times, using various contestants and each time it went perfectly.

"All right" Michael shouted. "We will take seven minutes and then take it from the top. Places in five minutes, please."

"I can't believe this production" Gerome said. "This Churchill certainly has an eye for what looks good. What is the fucking budget for this thing?"

"I have no idea" Principal Ben said. "And I don't care. The theatre department raises more money for this school than all the sports combined. I would never question a thing Mr. Churchill does. And I know that he and his partner, Frankie Blount, often provide the necessary funding for projects they want to do. They've been wanting to do the pageant here for years but I'm told Mrs. Bedford and Will Barrow were unwilling to let them because she is such a control freak."

"Well this should be amazing" Greg said. "I did some theatre in college and this place has top of the line, start of the art everything. I'll be having a talk with Gerry when I get home and he will be signing up for theatre as an elective."

"I hear a couple of our boys, Mark and Jimmy, are dropping shop class and doing the same thing" Ben said. "I signed off on their change slips today. I know our little ones have taken a liking to Mr. Churchill and Mr. Blount. I have no doubt they'll all sign up for his classes at the first opportunity."

"By the way, Mr. Blount invited us to a reception at the Blount Plantation tomorrow afternoon" Gerome said. "May I assume you will be attending?

"Absolutely, he said. "We'll be attending with all our boys. "

"Great!" Greg said. "He also invited us to bring Gerry. We had thought he probably wouldn't want to go but if your boys are going, we couldn't keep him away."

"They're really forming fast friendships" Ben said. "None of us could be happier. You wouldn't believe the number of students I've had asking me all day why we didn't merge the schools earlier. Parents are asking too. I hope what was a terrible tragedy last night will turn into something good."

"I think it will" Gerome said. "As a matter of fact, I have no doubt that it will."

They watched the opening number, which was a patriotic number, then the swimsuit competition and the evening gown competition. They then had the Colonel announce a fake group of finalists with the colonel just pulling names out of a glass bowl. After the parade of flowers, they called two runners-up, also drawn out of a glass bowl and then Velma Sue played the part of the winner as they practiced the crowning.

The young boys looked so handsome as they were introduced during the opening number, then as escorts during swimsuit. Then the older boys were escorts during the more formal evening gown competition. The girls did not wear their evening gowns for rehearsal but they did wear the shoes they would be wearing for the pageant. Randy was told this was because many of the gowns were expensive and delicate and it was feared they might be damaged during a rehearsal. When the winner was crowned, Homer took to the stage with a stirring rendition of the Miss Gayberry song.

"I hear some of these girls have been competing since the time they were eligible. That means ten years or so for some. I just hope it wasn't a mistake to encourage Shakira" Gerome said. "She has no expectation of winning or even placing. She just doesn't want to embarrass all of us. From what I hear, the whole community is turning out to see the first black participant in the pageant. This may all be a silly charade, but it somehow feels important this year."

"I absolutely agree" Ben said.

"I think Michael is running the crowning one more time" Randy said. "At least that's what he told me earlier."

They did indeed run the last portion of the pageant again with Homer again singing the Miss Gayberry song beautifully and flawlessly. As he was finishing the song. Randy got up and headed up onto the stage from the stairs at the audience end of the runway. Mrs. Bedford was standing beside Velma Sue as Randy was handed the microphone from the Colonel.

"Mrs. Bedford, Tara Bedford, I need for you to come with me please" the sheriff said.

The room went absolutely silent as the sheriff handed the microphone back to the Colonel.

"Mrs. Tara Bedford, you are under arrest for arson in the burning of the Colony School and on suspicion of attempted murder for hire" the sheriff announce in his loudest voice. "Please turn around so I may cuff you."

"What in the holy hell is going on here?" Mrs. Bedford asked haughtily. "Just who the hell do you think you are to arrest me? I am one of the pillars of this town. I will sue you and I will get everything you own or even thought about owning! You will regret this, Randy Gaylor, you asshole! You won't be wearing that shiny bade much longer. The governor and I will see to that, dickhead!!"

She had increased her volume steadily until she was now screaming nasty words at the top of her voice. Everyone in the place got tickled and began to laugh except the sheriff, his deputy, and Aunt Flea, who had heard the commotion and had eased out onto the stage to see her nephew escorting her best friend away in handcuffs.

"Oh my goodness, sakes alive" she said softly to herself.

There was a reporter and a photographer from the Daily Gazette waiting in the lobby. Randy stopped to speak with them. Mrs. Bedford was now shrieking.

"We have arrested Mrs. Tara Bedford this evening conspiracy to commit the crime of arson in the burning of Colony School and on suspicion of murder for hire. There will also be a number of other charges announced at a later date.

"Mrs. Bedford, do you have any comment on this?" The reporter asked.

"I most certainly do! "the woman shrieked shrilly." I have never gotten so much as a parking ticket in this town. I am innocent and all of this is hogwashed bullshit to sully my reputation as a town leader. This will not stand and my sons will be securing legal representation immediately. Fuck you, sheriff Gaylor! Fuck you and limp-dicked homo deputy!"

Everyone in the crowd was shocked at the use of such foul language by a respected citizen, particularly a female. Arney had the squad car pulled up right to the front door. A crowd had gathered to watch the sheriff put his hand on the woman's head and lower it to assist her getting into the squad car.

"Take her to jail, deputy" the sheriff said loudly. "Allow her one phone call and call me if you need me.

"Ten four" the deputy said as he wheeled out with a very steamed passenger in the back seat.

Michael led the group to his office where they all immediately erupted into laughter.

"I was about to piss myself" William said

They were all laughing so hard it took a couple of minutes for them to talk.

"We've had some dram in that theatre, and we've done plenty of comedies, but that theatre has never seen anything like what happened in there in the last ten minutes!" Frankie said.

"We have a full house for Saturday evening, guys" Frankie said. "We even have a waiting list for any canceled tickets. That's a real rarity in our theatre. As a matter of fact I don't think it's happened since Michael's brilliant production of `Bell, Book and Candle!"

"There are some really beautiful young women on that stage" Gerome said. "I'm just glad I don't have to be a judge."

"So am I" Dr. Foster added.

"There are some pretty girls" Michael said. "I just wish all of them behaved as beautifully as they appear. I've seen some things that were pretty nasty. You all know what went on with Jenny in the men's room. One marine was fucking her from behind and she was sucking off another one. I think all the contestants have heard about it. And that Betty Jean Thomas had been there fucking a Marine earlier. And the word is that Ellie Walker is three months pregnant. They're whispering about how tummy is bulging. I haven't seen any sign of that, even in her swimsuit. You know how gossip travels around here. "

"True that" the sheriff said. "I don't know if Ellie is knocked up or not, but I can assure you that if she is, it ain't mine. She's been trying to feel of my pecker and William's too since she found out he was helping me judge. I quit keeping time with her after an incident where she was talkin' kind of nasty. Turns out she knows way more than she should about jockstraps and things women have no business knowin. That just ain't fittin' talk for women, especially if they're young, pretty and single. 'But there may be a lot less gossip with Mrs. Bedford in the jail."

"How long do you plan to hold her, sheriff?" Michael asked. "I can work around her in the show. The truth is I'd just as soon ditch her. She's clumsy and she can't ever get her blocking right. And anything she is doing can be covered easily by Velma Sue."

"I ain't really sure" Randy said. "I haven't had a chance to talk at length with William about this but her involvement was very serious. I suspect she may have been supplying money to the klan for a long time but I can't prove that yet. I am fairly confidant I can prove that she ordered a hit on young Kurt Smith. First thing in the morning I'll be at the Print home. If there's a new crisp hundred dollar bill under the boy's mattress, I'm sure we can make the case against her. If her fingerprints are on the bill, as I expect they will be, it's a slam dunk. I'm just having trouble on how to proceed with effective punishment."

"I'd love to have the chance to totally humiliate the bitch in front of the whole town" Michael said. "It needs to be something the entire town will never forget. Let me think on it."

"I plan to keep her in jail until a lawyer shows up to spring her, if one does" Randy said. "Apparently there ain't no love lost between her and two of her sons. Not so sure about the third one."

"We trust your decisions, sheriff," Michael said. "Just keep us in the loop and let us know how you want to play this. Sheriff, you and William will be here tomorrow at noon to do the interviews with the contestants. We have arranged to have the luncheon catered and then you will do interviews with each contestant individually. We can talk about things more at that point."

"Will do" the sheriff said.

They parted after everyone told Frankie and Michael how much they were looking forward to the reception at the plantation the following evening.

Randy. William, Ben, and the doctor decided to head to the dressing room to see if their boys were changed and ready to head for home.

"This is the part of the evening I always dread." Michael said. "The dressing rooms always look like a bomb went off. There will be clothes scattered everywhere. No one ever hangs anything up. I've found tuxedoes in showers and evening gowns hung in the showers. It's a nightmare. When they walked into the men's dressing room, Michael was speechless. Everything had been hung neatly on hangers and it was neat as a pin. Their little ones ran over for hugs.

"Who did this?' Michael asked.

"Did what" Jimmy asked, a concerned look on his face.

"Did this excellent job of cleaning up" Michael said. Ms. Stephens may have a stroke when she sees this."

"It was easy" Kurt said. "The boys needed a little bit of help hanging their pants on the hangers, keeping the creases straight, but they did most everything else. We just showed them where to put their things in the lockers and where to hang things. It was easy."

"But there are stickers with names on the lockers and on the hanging clothes cubicles." Michael said. "I've never seen a dressing room in this kind of order after a rehearsal or a performance."

"Shoot, Mr. C." Jimmy said. "You and Mr. Frankie gave us all these nice clothes. We all figured it was the least we could do to take care of them. It took us about five minutes to put our names on stickers and organize this."

"No problem" Mark said. "And by the way, Principal Ben got everything signed off for us to drop shop and pick up theatre. We were told we could take the whole week off school but if the sheriff is okay with it, we're planning to come back tomorrow."

"Yeah" Jimmy said. "We have theatre first period and we both can't wait to get started."

Michael hugged each of the boys, young and old. William, Ben and the sheriff were all beaming with pride at their boys.

"Good night, Michael" the sheriff said. "We'll get by here by about noon to decide what to do about Mrs. Bedford."

"Thanks, sheriff," he said. "Good night and thank you."

Jimmy loaded the boys into one car and the men loaded into the other with William at the wheel. Ben had switched cars to ride with the boys after offering to buy them all ice cream at the Dairy Dip to reward their goof behavior.

"William, would you mind driving by the Bedford home?" the sheriff asked. "I've had a nagging feeling in my gut about how that mean bitch might have treated Eliza after we pushed our way into her bedroom earlier."

"Sure thing, Randy" he said. "I've had the same thought myself but I just couldn't believe anyone would do anything nasty to that sweet lady."

The Bedford home was fully lit up when they pulled into the circular drive. They all went to the door and rang the bell. Again, they heard the first the chimes play the first twelve notes of Dixie.

"Who the fuck..." the doctor started but he was interrupted by Liza, who opened the door. It was clear the black woman had been crying.

"Miss Eliza, are you okay?" the sheriff asked.

"Please come in, gentlemen" she said graciously. Then the dam broke and she began sobbing pitifully. They guided her to a chair and the doctor gave her his handkerchief. Once she calmed a bit she spoke.

"I'm so sorry" she said quietly. "I didn't mean to break down like that. I really can't talk long as I have to finish packing my things."

"Where are you heading, Eliza?" William asked.

"I don't know where I'll go" the sobbing woman said. "Mrs. Bedford told me I better be packed and in my room when she gets home tonight and out of this house before she wakes up in the morning. I don't know where I'll go. Grover, the gardener, said I could come and stay with him and his son but they don't have room for me. I don't know what will happen to me now. I had planned on living out the rest of my years working for Mrs. Bedford. She pitched an awful fit after you gentlemen left. I've never seen the like and I've seen plenty of pretty terrible fits from that woman. Why her own sons won't even come into this house. It's not the story she tells but I've heard it from their own mouths."

"Eliza, don't worry" William said. "We can certainly use some help at my house if you would be interested. We have plenty of space and my wife hates house chores of any kind. So please don't worry."

"All this can be sorted out later" the sheriff said. "Why don't you just take your time and finish packing. We will be back for you in the morning and we'll have a place for you. Rest easy and take your time. Mrs. Bedford will be spending the night in the Gayberry jail, so take all the time you need."

Eliza's eyes grew wide at this news. Then she broke into a smile.

"In jail you say?"

"Yes ma'm" the sheriff said. "In the Gayberry jail. Locked up tight."

"Thank you sheriff" she said brightly as she saw them out the door.

Once in the car, Randy was again livid at Mrs. Bedford.

"That worthless fucking cunt!" he said. "I have a mind to go drag that bitch out of that cell and take her to that fucking dungeon with the rest of them men. She ain't no better. We can strip her ass naked and whip the hell out of her."

"That is tempting, buddy," William said quietly. "But I think she's a little smarter than the rest of those idiots with the possible exception of Will Barrow. You're right to give that situation a little more thought before taking any rash actions."

"You're right, William, as usual" the sheriff said, calming. "Let's go home to our boys. And, doctor, I hope you are planning to spend the rest of the weekend with us."

"I packed just in case an invitation was extended" the doctor chuckled.

When they got back to the house, William took the doctor up to a second floor bedroom. They ran into Mark, who was coming out of one of the bathrooms wearing only a pair of cotton pajama pants. Above the waist he was nude, his thick ginger hair exposed in his pits and his pink nipples looking delicious. He nonchalantly ran his fingers through his ginger fuzz that surrounded his navel. The boy seemed unaware of just how sexy he really was as he hugged the men, smelling of clean, fresh boy.

"Hey, guys!" the boy said. "Where are you guys headed?"

William explained that the doctor would be spending the weekend at the house and William was taking him to a bedroom.

"There's plenty of room up in my bedroom" the boy said. "I really wanted the attic room and Ben said that would be great. It may even be my permanent bedroom since dad is moving in here with Ben. It's a humongous room with three beds. I'd love to have the doctor bunk in with me. Jimmy may stay up there too but there's plenty of room."

"Your choice, doctor" William said.

"I've been living alone for a while now" the doctor said. "It does get old. I think I'd really enjoy bunking in with you guys if you're sure."

"I'm positive" Mark said. "I'll take your bag on up and you can go and tell the younger boys good night if you'd like. We thought they'd be hyper after the rehearsal but the ice cream seemed to calm them down. I think we have them about ready to sleep."

The men headed downstairs as Mark headed up to the attic bedroom. Randy was hanging up the phone as they came into the room.

"Just checked with the deputy" the sheriff said. "Mrs. Bedford is even more pissed than she was at the school. Arney said she raised holy hell all the way to the jail. He let her make her one call and she called Will Barrow. Apparently she had assumed that since he wasn't in one of the cells, he had been released after his arrest. She got his answering machine which counts as her one phone call. Arney said she pitched a hissy fit and even tried to bite him. I knew she was a bitch but I had no idea. I really considered her harmless and I was obviously wrong. So she's locked in with Betty Jean and Peggy Thomas."

"I bet she's loving that" William said. "Two of the biggest whores to ever hit Gayberry are bunking with the original Miss Gayberry."

"I bet old Otis gets no sleep at all tonight" Ben said.

"Otis could sleep through a tornado" the sheriff said as they grabbed their beers and headed downstairs to say good night to the boys.

The boys were already in the giant bed together and covered up to their waist and all three were shirtless. They were cuddled up very close together.

"I can't believe this" Ben said. "I figured they would be up all night."

"They really settled down quickly" Kurt said. "We told them they really should get some extra rest because they have school tomorrow then the reception at the Blount Plantation tomorrow night. They're really pumped about that. They heard Mr. Blount use the term `cocktail reception' and they are excited to be going to a grown-up party."

They gave the sleepy boys quiet kisses and headed upstairs, the three older boys behind them.

"Kurt, we'd really like to talk to you, if you wouldn't mind" the sheriff said, getting beers for themselves and sodas for the boys and motioning for them to sit around the large kitchen table."

"Sure, sheriff," the boys aid. "Have I done something bad?"

"Absolutely not, son" he said as he hugged the boy. "As a matter of fact you three have been exceptional with the younger ones. I don't think I've ever been as proud as I was when Mr. C. saw that dressing room tonight. I was proud of Dopie but it wasn't just that. I was proud of you three most of all. I hope you know how much we appreciate you guys. What we need to talk to you about may be tough for you, Kurt. We need to know some stuff about things your paw and your uncle did. You know they're in custody and we need information before we can decide how best to get justice for what they've done. Would you prefer Mark and Jimmy not be here? I know they wouldn't mind leaving and it would be understandable. Some of this could be embarrassing for you."

"No, sir, sheriff," the boy said. "I got no secrets from these guys. As a matter of fact they're the closest thing I've ever had to brothers. They know I'll never judge them and I know they won't judge me."

"Okay, son," the sheriff said. "Do you mind taking off your clothes except your underwear? William is going to take some pictures of those bruises. They're at their very worst right now and should start clearing up from here on, according to Doctor Foster."

"No, sir. I don't mind them seein' anything I got" the boy said. "I used to be ashamed of my little cut willy but I ain't any more. Shoot Mark's got a cut one too and I can't hardly wait to see it when he gets that contraption off."

They all laughed and Mark and Jimmy both blushed. The boy removed his shirt and then sat to remove his shoes and socks. He then removed his white wife beater. His body was slight but perfectly formed and lightly dusted with fine blonde hair. He had thick blonde hair in his pits and Randy could smell the soap he had showered with earlier. Then he unbuckled his belt and opened his pants, sliding them down his legs and folding them. He was now in nothing but bright white Jockey briefs. It was obvious his dick was partially hard as it stood out in front of him. He rubbed it self-consciously.

"Sorry about that" he said softly."It always gets kinda hard when I know people are looking at me."

"That's okay, son," Randy said. "We all do that if we're honest."

William then took a number of photographs of the bruises then Kurt took his seat at the table.

"If any of our questions embarrass you, just say so, son" Randy began.

"First, Kurt, can you tell us about the beating which resulted in all these bruises?" William asked.

"Yes, sir" the boy said. "I had been working at the sheriff's house with Mr. Lee that day but we took off early and Mr. Lee dropped me at my house. I went in and heard my paw talking to my Uncle Roy. I thought they'd heard me but I guess they didn't because I overheard stuff I wish I'd never heard. They thought I'd been eavesdropping and they got me and started beating me. They used their belts, some canes and some switches. They also used their fists. They were both pretty drunk I think. Both of them were kind of staggering and cussing a lot. I finally got out of there and made my way to the sheriff's house where he took care of me."

"So your dad and your uncle cause these injuries?" the doctor asked.

"Yes, sir," Kurt answered. It's hard to remember but I remember my uncle seemed madder at first. He was really yelling and accusing me of things and calling me a `meat beater' and other nasty things. That seemed to get my dad even madder and they both started just beating on me. I remember my uncle going outside and cutting switches to beat me with. There's a lot I don't remember, especially right after I got a fist to the face from my uncle."

"How did you get to the sheriff's house?" Ben asked. "I half walked and half crawled" the boy said. "I remember how bad I was hurtin' and I thought I was gonna pass out. I think I may have a couple of times but I knew I had to keep movin'. I was scared to death they might come after me and take me out and do worse things to me."

"What could be worse than the beating they gave you?" Ben asked.

Tears welled up in the boy's eyes. Randy saw that all the boys and men at the table had tears in their eyes as well. There was a pause.

"Mr. Ben," the boy said very softly, "I really thought they was gonna kill me. I remember thinkin' a couple of times they intended to kill me I never saw such hatred as I saw in their eyes. I've never been so scared in my life."

Ben brought a box of tissues and all at the table used them.

"Are you sure you're okay, son?" the sheriff asked. "I am" he said.

His tears had dried now.

"I'm good" the boy said. I'm ready to continue. I really am okay."

"Okay, son," Randy said. "Was this the first time they had ever beaten you?"

"No, sir" he answered. "My paw beat me a lot. I never seemed to be able to please him. He would try to find things to beat me for. He'd beat me in front of my maw and she'd sometimes beg him to stop. Later on she just gave up and said nothing. I think she was scared of him too. A few times he and Uncle Roy beat me. They seemed to enjoy it. They would beat me till I couldn't help crying as hard as I tried not to. They weren't happy unless I was cryin' and beggin' them to stop. My uncle liked to take my pants down and whip me. Paw did that till I started getting hairs down there. Then he told my uncle it wasn't proper for a paw to see his boy naked once he got hair. That didn't stop my uncle though. He'd come around sometimes when paw wasn't there and beat me. He'd make me take my pants off and he told me he'd kill me if I ever told my paw about it. I never did. He liked to make me beat my meat in front of him and he made me suck him off sometimes too."

"Did he beat your maw too?" the doctor asked.

"He did when I was younger" the boy said. "He used to beat us both and he seemed to enjoy makin' both of us cry. He would say we were both just a couple of pussies. That stopped after my momma got a knife after him one day. He'd been beating us both and she finally ran in the kitchen and got a big butcher knife. She put it right up against his crotch and said she'd cut the nuts and his pecker right off if he ever aid another hand on her. As far as I know he never did. But he didn't even slow down with me. As a matter of fact, after he stopped beatin' my maw, I got more of it. I don't remember him ever beatin' my sister either. After maw did that, I thought about takin' a knife to him. I probably should have but to be honest, I was afraid I wouldn't be able to stop and put the knife down."

"Son, I'm so sorry you went through all of this" the sheriff said. "I just have a couple more questions for you then we'll be done. "Was this beating the worst one your paw and your Uncle Roy ever gave you?"

"I can't say for sure" the boy said. "They beat me pretty bad the day they cut me" the boy said.

"They cut you?" Randy asked. "I thought you told me they took you to some doctor and the doctor circumcised you."

"I did tell you that but it wasn't true" the boy said. "After they did it, they threatened to kill me if I ever told that they did it themselves. They told me that if anybody ever asked, I was to say that a doctor had done it. They told me that I should explain that I had trouble getting' my skin to slide back over my cockhead so a doctor did it for medical reasons. I'm sorry I lied but they threatened to kill me if I ever told the truth. I'm tired of lies. I'm always tellin' the truth from here on."

"Son, I understand why you did that."

"Did your uncle have medical training? "the doctor asked. "Is the cut uneven?"

"I don't really know, sir. I ain't seen other boys who were cut. I don't mind showin' it to you if you'd like."

"Are you sure, son? The doctor asked.

"I don't mind" he said.

The boy stood and just took off his shorts, revealing his tumescent penis in a nest of soft blonde hair.

"It's already waking up" the boy said. "Like I told you earlier. Sorry."

They all laughed which considerably lightened the mood. The boy walked over to the doctor and stood naked beside his chair.

The doctor reached out and began to examine the boy's now fully erect penis which was now almost seven inches long and nice and thick.

"Son, I couldn't have done a better circumcision and I've done quite a few" Doc said. "What instrument did he use?"

"I don't remember what they're called." The boy said. "It was silver and really shiny. Shorter than a knife with a real sharp blade on it. I've seen them at the doctor's office."

"Was it a scalpel, son?"

"Yes, sir" Kurt answered. "It is called a scalpel. I asked the doctor once when he was removing a wart from my finger. I remember the doctor called it a scalpel."

The doctor looked puzzled.

"And you are sure your uncle had no medical training?" the doctor asked.

"Not that I ever knew about" the boy said." "It was never mentioned."

"Can you tell us what happened the day you were cut?" William asked. "If you'd rather not, we'll understand."

"I'm fine, Mr. William" the boy said. "I really am. As hard as this stuff is to talk about, it's already makin' me feel stronger. I don't understand that but that's how it feels to me. It actually happened at night. It's been a while ago and I may not remember everything but it ain't t he kind of thing a boy forgets. I had been at school and had got home and done my homework. My uncle was there and him and paw was both drinking hard liquor and seemed to be in a bad mood. My mama and sisters weren't at home. I don't know where they were. They may have gone to visit her mama. But I remember I was there alone with my paw and my uncle. I tried to stay out of their sight because it was when it was just them and me at home that they'd find a reason to whip me. So I went to bed early. It was about five years ago cause I'd just turned twelve. I'd started growing some hairs and I was real proud cause I knew that was a sign I was becoming a man. I had discovered when I was inspecting my new hairs how good it felt to touch myself. I had learned that if I pulled my skin back and forth over the head, it felt really good. I remembering asking my paw about it but he got furious. He told me I was never to touch myself down there or I'd be bound for hell. He gave me a bad whipping, but he stopped taking my underwear down. I didn't understand how something that felt so good as touching my cock could be bad so I had gone to bed and began to just pull my skin back and forth. I don't think I'd ever had a finish at that point, but I knew it just felt really good. My room was right next to where they were and I didn't realize I was making any noise, but apparently I was. The next thing I knew, they both came in my room and turned on the overhead light. My uncle pulled back the covers and I had my pajama bottoms down at my knees. My little cock was hard and my uncle and my paw went berserk. They jerked me out of bed and started beating me. I remember how my ass was bruised for days. They told me I'd burn in hellfire if I ever did that again. My uncle told my paw I was evil and it would be real important to get me married as soon as possible or I'd definitely go to hell. He said the only remedy for a masturbator was to get married and whenever I got a hard I was to stick it in my wife's puss. I remember being confused because I'd never heard the word pussy used about anything other than a baby cat. "

William went to the refrigerator and got fresh beers for the men and water bottles for the boys.

"I really didn't know anything about sex. My paw had stopped me from hangin' out with friends after school because he always said boys would get in trouble if they was together. So I really didn't even know what he meant talking about puttin' it in a wife. I think I kind of figured out he must be talking about my penis since that seemed to be what caused the problem. I remember trying to ask about these things but my paw refused to talk about it. They finally just left the room and I cried myself to sleep. Sometime later, my paw came back in the room and woke me up. I remember smelling liquor on his breath. He never drank when my momma was home cause she hated it. He said he'd talked to my uncle and I should plan on goin' to Uncle Roy's church the following night to be "purified'. I asked what it meant but he wouldn't talk anymore. I was scared and I remember crying myself to sleep in the dark. I couldn't imagine what I would be going through."

"I remember the next day was Saturday and my momma and sisters were still gone. I was nervous all day and my paw just wasn't saying much. He wouldn't tell me when Uncle Roy was comin' or anything. The about three in the afternoon, my uncle showed up. He had another man with him. I don't know who the man was and I can't remember his name. I just remember my uncle called him `Elder something or other'. I again smelled liquor on all three of them and my paw threatened me again that I wasn't never to say a word about any of them drinkin'. They sat around a while in the livin' room havin' a few more drinks. Paw made me go in and take a bath and he told me to make sure I was clean all over. So I did that. I remember I was so scared cause I didn't know what was gonna happen. I was afraid they was all three gonna beat me and I was still so sore and bruised from the night before, I didn't know how I could take it. After I got my bath I was in my bedroom by myself when my uncle came in with the elder. Paw wasn't with them. He told me to take all my clothes off. I remember telling him I didn't want to. I was shy about showin' my body since I started getting' pubes. My uncle told me I was gonna get a worse beating than the night before if I wasn't naked in one minute. So I took off my clothes. They told me to lay down on the bed naked and I did. Then my uncle asked me did I know how babies were made. I didn't know so I was honest with him. Then he explained to me how a man's penis will get hard and when he sticks it in a girl's vagina, it feels real good. Then he puts some stuff in her and it will create a baby inside her. I wasn't sure if he was tellin' the truth cause it sounded too weird to me. He told me it was a sin to waste the seed the Lord God puts in a man's balls and that the Lord only gives a man so much for his whole lifetime. He said something about it being a bad sin to spill seed on the ground but I really didn't understand I and I was embarrassed at being naked and scared to death. I remember a ringing in my ears while he was talking."

"Son, are you okay?" William asked. "This is a lot and we can finish later if you'd rather."

"Thank you but I'm okay, sir" Kurt said. "This is just the first I've ever in my whole life told this to a living soul and I find myself getting a little scared thinking about it."

Randy pushed his chair back from the table and motioned to Kurt to come and sit on his lap. The boy looked grateful as he went to the sheriff and sat in his lap. Randy put both arms around the beautiful naked boy and nuzzled his neck.

"We really don't have to do this, son" the sheriff said. "We can finish later."

"I really am all right, sheriff," the boy said, obviously calmed by the physical contact with the sheriff.

"So after he told me about what boys and girls did to make babies, he told me to get my penis hard" the boy said. "I thought I had misunderstood him and I asked what he had just told me to do. He slapped me right in the face. The mark didn't disappear for several hours. He told me to start playing with my peter. It was so embarrassing, being naked in front of two grown men and them watching me and telling me to get hard. I was so scared, I started to rub myself but I couldn't get hard. They were both laughing cause I couldn't get hard and I remember them takin' their peters out and stroking them. Both of them told me that was what a hard dick looked like and they called me names and made fun of me because I couldn't get hard. My uncle said if I couldn't get my dick hard I was useless. Then the other man said the only way I could be worth anything would be if I learned to suck the dicks of real men. He moved over and pulled me up to a sitting position and was about to put his dick in my mouth when there was a knock at my door. I heard my paw call his brother's name and he motioned for the other man to put his dick back in his pants. My uncle got his back in his too and they both zipped up fast. My paw knocked again and my uncle opened the door. He told paw they was just checkin' to make sure I was all clean. I remember how my paw looked at my uncle kind of funny but he didn't say anything. He just handed me a white robe and told me to put it on. They wouldn't let me put on any underwear or socks or shoes. I was totally naked except for that white robe. It looked a lot like a klan robe but it didn't have any writing or nothing on it. I was so glad to be able to cover my naked body I put it on real fast. The men took another drink of liquor when we all got in a car. I'd never seen the car before but I sat in the back with the Elder guy and paw sat up front with my uncle, who was driving. We drove out into the woods and I didn't know where we were going until we came up to a wooden building which I recognized as my uncle's church. I began to hope they were just going to baptize me again. I remember being relieved cause I didn't think anything bad could happen to me in a church. I thought everything was going to be okay because there were several other cars there. I thought this was just going to be another revival meeting. We went in and the first thing I noticed was that it was all men in the building. They were being really quiet. Some of them had klan robes on but not all of them. Then my uncle went in the back and came back with a white robe like the one I was wearing. It didn't have klan markings. It was just plain white like the one they gave me. All the men took seats on the benches and my uncle went up to the front of the church. He said he had called the men to purify his brother's son. Then he told the men to get the boys. I didn't understand until a bunch of the men left and brought their sons into the room. Then my uncle motioned me up to the front and told me to lay down on a table at the front of the church. I was getting scared again. He told me again but I was like frozen in place. He motioned to a couple of the men and they got me under my arms and took me up front. They laid me on my back on the table. I was too scared to fight but I started calling out my paw's name. He told me to shut my mouth so I tried to calm down and be still. I was really scared by then and it got worse when my uncle pulled the gown up and exposed me in front of all of them. He sat me up and pulled it over my head so I was completely naked in front of all them men and boys. I had never been so shamed. I knew some of the boys from school and I never felt so embarrassed. I tried to get off the table but my uncle had some of the men pin me down. He then started telling the group how he and my paw had caught me beatin' my meat. I didn't even know what that meant but I figured he was talking bout when I'd been touching myself. He ranted about how any boy or man touching theirselves in their privates is a sin and started in again about men spilin' their seed on the ground. I swear I didn't know what that meant. Then he told all the men and boys in the building that I had to pay for my sins. He said any member would get the same treatment if they sinned against the Lord God like I had. He had two men hold my legs down flat on the table and I felt them spread my legs apart. Then he had two more men hole my arms down. The he called my paw up. He told my paw it was his job to look me right in the face so he did. I couldn't see nothing but the ceiling then and I felt somebody playing with my penis. I just remember feeling scared when I felt a hand pull my skin down over my cockhead as far as it would go. It felt like my uncle was going to pull my willy plain off my body. I don't know whether I was screaming or crying or what. I just remember being so scared and I still didn't understand any of what was happening to me. Then I felt a sharp, terrible pain. It felt like a knife removing my penis. It was blinding, searing pain. Then I passed out, I guess from the pain. I woke up a little later and it was just my uncle and the elder. They was sewin up my pecker. I didn't know what had happened. I thought they might have cut it off and were sewin it back on. My uncle shushed me and told me he had cut some skin off and I'd be fine. He and the other man laughed when my uncle said I wouldn't be beatin' my meat again anytime soon. A few days later my uncle came back to the house one day to take the stitches out. But that was after my momma had come in on me cryin'. She asked what was the matter. I thought she knew. I told her my willy was hurtin'. She took a look and saw the bloody gauze and the stitches. I remember she went off on my paw but he threatened her and she calmed down again. She seemed mad at paw for awhile then she seemed like she forgot about it. Wasn't too long after that her tummy started swelling again and she had another baby on the way. I remember how I really hoped it would be another girl because I didn't want my paw and my uncle to do this to no other boys."

"Do you think your uncle and your paw enjoyed the pain you experienced, Kurt?" William asked.

Kurt seemed to think about the question before answering.

I know my uncle did. I couldn't count the times he's make some kind of lame joke about it. He kept tellin' me how I was lucky I could still put it in his daughter when we got married. He seemed proud that he had damaged me."

"Oh son" Dr. Foster said. "You are in no way damaged. You've got one of the prettiest cocks I've ever seen. Please don't feel like you're damaged. Mark and I are also circumcised and I think we're both proud of our cocks. I'm actually looking forward to seeing his pretty cock in action if he ever gets out of that contraption."

Everyone at the table enjoyed a laugh, which no one would have thought possible a few minutes earlier.

"Son, I really appreciate you giving us this information" William said. "The sheriff and I have a lot of thinking to do about how we deal with all of these men and Mrs. Bedford. There are some very serious misdeeds here. And I'd really like to ask you one other question, if I may. Do you know if any of the other boys in your uncle's church were cut by your uncle?"

No, sir" he said. "At least I can't say for sure. I saw several of the boys I recognized that day later at school. There were several of them who would look away rather than look me in the eye. I don't know what that meant. There were times I felt like they wanted to ask me something or tell me something but they never did and I didn't either. If I had to guess, I think my uncle enjoyed it and I think he's probably cut a whole bunch of boys."

"Kurt, you're a smart, handsome boy" William said. "I know this was tough. It was tough on us just hearing it. I can't imagine how a kid your age got through it. We've all shared your pain here tonight. I hope you know that and know that we want not only justice for what was done to you but protection for other boys to make sure it never happens to another boy."

They hugged warmly. Feeling William's strong arms around him made his dick start to rise again.

"Ah, glad to see I can still get a response from a handsome boy" William said as he patted the boy's bare ass.

"I guess I should put my underpants back on" the boy said. "I forgot I was even naked."

"That's not a bad thing at all, Kurt" the doctor said. "A handsome boy like you shouldn't ever be ashamed to show off what he's got. I meant what I said about you not being damaged. I think you're one of the sexiest boys I've ever met. Maybe you and Mark and I could do a little comparison session with our cut cocks when he gets out of that cage!"

"Sounds like fun to me" the boy said, blushing and covering his tumescent cock with his hand.

"You don't need to cover up, son" Ben said. "And I wouldn't mind joining that little club y'all are planning. Don't forget I'm eligible for membership too."

He embraced the boy and kissed his cheek.

"Thank you, Mr. Ben" the boy said quietly.

"For what?" Ben asked with a questioning look.

"For letting me stay here with all of you" he said. "I've never been this happy as I have in the past couple of days."

"Son, and I really mean this, you are welcome to stay here any time and for as long a time as you'd like" Ben said. "I think the sheriff feels the same way. But you need to know, I'd move you in with our boys in a heartbeat. You're smart, you're a hard worker and you have a sweet nature. You're exactly the kind of boy I want my boys exposed to. You'll always have a home here."

They hugged again. Then Mark walked up to him. They exchanged looks and it was clear Mark had tears in his eyes. Within seconds Jimmy was there too, all three of the boys hugging tightly and silently. There was no longer a dry eye in the room as they saw just how much empathy the boys had for their friend.

"I think we better head on up to bed" Jimmy said.

"Kurt, you need to come on up and see the attic room. I'm going to use it for a bedroom. You can come and sleep with us if you like. The doctor's sharing it too."

The boys all said good night and headed upstairs.

"I don't know about you men, but I need one more beer" William said.

"I'm going to leave it with you guys and check on my patient" Ben said. "I know he'll want to know what Kurt told us tonight."

Randy grabbed beers for himself and the doctor and they all sat down at the table.

"Goddamn motherfucking cocksucker!" the doctor exclaimed. "I really can't believe what that kid went through."

"There's no telling how many guys that asshole uncle has put through torture" William said. "Who has a scalpel just lying around in their pickup truck?"

"I want some more information about that fucking church he runs" Randy said. "Sounds more like a cult than a church. That's really all we need – some kind of cross between a cult and the klan."

"Sounds like one and the same to me" William said.

"I'd really like to be able to see these guys when we question them next time but I really don't want them to see who we are yet" the sheriff said.

"I believe I could modify swim goggles with some black paint if that would help" the doc said.

"It's worth a try" the sheriff said.

"I'll get to work on that in the morning" the doctor said. "I should be able to have them ready after you guys finish your pageant interviews."

"Guys," William said. "I had begun to doubt what we might be doing with these men. I wondered if we were being far. I wondered if we were being too harsh. I wondered if we were being downright cruel. I have no doubt that boy spoke nothing but the truth to us tonight and I believe the nastiest things we could possibly do to them would ever be equal to this boy's torment."

"And let's not forget that even after all his relatives did to him, the others put a bounty on his head went to hunt him down and kill him in cold blood" the doctor said.

"I think I was wanting revenge before I heard what this boy had to tell us" Randy said. "Now I want justice. And I know we cannot get it in North Carolina right now. Maybe one day we can but not right now. I know that these assholes will justify their cross-burning and their house burning and their hunting down a young boy and their torture of a child by using the uncle's phony fucking religious beliefs. I would find that intolerable."

"I want to hear those assholes squeal and beg when we start cutting off their cocks" the doctor said. "We all saw how that cowardly young Print cried and begged when he thought he was losing his nuts. That's too good for him."

I totally agree" Randy said. "Those assholes deserve the worse we can possibly give them. My question is how we handle that Bedford bitch. I think we need to think this through. I'm all for totally humiliating her as much as we can and discrediting her with the whole town."

"Yes" William said. "In a sense she's the most dangerous of them all. People don't expect this kind of thing from women. And she's been in this town forever. People will always give her the benefit of the doubt. I don't think there is a jury in this town that would convict the bitch of attempted murder, yet that's exactly what she is guilty of."

"I shouldn't have been surprised, I guess, but I was astounded she had just kicked Eliza to the curb after all the years of service the woman had given her and her family. That shows what a cold bitch she is!"

"We can all sleep on this one and talk again tomorrow. I'll be heading over to the Print house in the morning to check under the boy's mattress. I really have no doubt there will be a hundred dollar bill just where junior said it would be."

William went to his room and realized just how tired he was. It had been a busy day. He spent some time organizing his thoughts as he showered. He dried off and slid between the cool sheets naked. He realized it was the first time he'd gone to bed alone in a while and he was okay with that.

Doctor Foster climbed the stairs to the attic room with Mark and Jimmy. The boys had invited him to join them in the large room with a large bed and two smaller ones. The doctor told the boys he'd like to grab a quick shower. Both boys said they had showered after the rehearsal so the doctor proceeded to clean up. When he came back to the bedroom, Jimmy was in one of the smaller beds and Mark in the other. He slipped between the sheets naked after telling the boys good night and turning out the lights. It looked as if the boys had already begun to doze. It wasn't long before Doctor Foster joined the boys in dreamland.

Randy made his way to the second floor bedroom. He felt tired as he climbed the stairs, thinking Kurt had probably decided to stay in the attic bedroom with Mark and Jimmy. He was pleasantly surprised when he opened the bedroom door. The only light in the room was from a blue nightlight, but he could see Kurt already asleep on his side. The boy was resting peacefully. Randy crept into the bathroom, closing the door and taking a short, hot shower. He took care to be very quiet. He noticed his cock was about half hard although he had cum a couple of times earlier in the day. He then realized he really wanted to hold Handsome Kurt and do things with him. Then he felt a pang of guilt after hearing all the terrible things the kid had been through at the hands of his dad and his uncle. He was determined that he would help the boy turn a page and that Kurt would never be hurt again. He dried himself in the bathroom, turned out the light and very quietly went back to the bedroom. The boy's respirations were slow and even. He wanted to explore every inch of this boy's body. He pulled back the covers. Kurt was sleeping on his side, his back to the sheriff. The sheriff slipped in behind the boy. Kurt stirred slightly but he didn't wake up as Randy gently got his own body as close to the boy as possible. He could feel the boy's smooth butt cheeks against his own half hard dick and Kurt shifted slightly so that Randy's dick was between the globes and against his tiny hole. Randy put his arms around the boy and they both slept, the sheriff's right hand gently stroking the soft hair of the boy's bush.