Date: Sat, 27 Mar 2004 02:51:19 EST
From: Bwstories8@aol.com
Subject: The Castaway Hotel - Book 7, chapter 6

Legal Notice:
The following story contains descriptions of graphic sexual acts.
The story is a work of fiction and has no basis in reality.

Don't read this story if:
**You're not 18 or over,
**If it is illegal to read this type of material where you live,
**Or if you don't want to read about gay/bi people in love or having sex.

The author retains copyright to this story.  Placing this story on a
website or reproducing this story for distribution without the author's
permission is a violation of that copyright.  Legal action will be taken
against violators.

I wish to extend my thank you to Emoe57 for his editorial assistance with
this chapter, and Art, the real Vinnie and John for their additional input
on each chapter.

E-mail responses to the stories, story suggestions, or other 'constructive'
comments or advice may be sent to: bwstories8@aol.com.

               *    *     *     *     *     *     *     *

Although the boys in these stories have unprotected sex, I strongly urge
all of you out there to be smart and protect yourselves from various
sexually transmitted diseases by using condoms when having intercourse.

               *    *     *     *     *     *     *     *

The Castaway Hotel-Book 7-by BW (Young-Friends).  Copyright 2003 by billwstories
Chapter 6 - Legal woes.                           September 2003

The flight back was pretty routine, and seeing it was a smaller plane, we
comprised a good percentage of the passenger list.  As usual, we attracted
some attention boarding, and we were all chatting excitedly about our
vacation and going home, but by now we were all clean and well dressed.
The flight didn't last very long, and when we touched down, Mark and
Frankie were there to pick us up.  Frankie seemed pretty excited about
something, so I thought he might have landed a job, but he took me aside to
speak in private.

"Dad, there's been a Detective James calling the house ever since I got
back.  He keeps asking about when you'd be home, what boys were with you,
and where you went.  He wouldn't tell me what he wanted, but he told me to
make sure you called him as soon as you returned.  I don't like the sound
of this."

"Calm down, Frank.  It probably has something to do with the school
district.  There was most likely a break in or some vandalism done while we
were gone, and he probably just needs me to clear it up or see if I want to
press charges against those responsible."

"Nice try, Dad, but remember I have a criminal justice degree.  The
detective wouldn't be asking who was with you and where you went, if it was
only related to a school issue."  I just nodded at him.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to insult your intelligence, but I didn't want you to
worry either.  I had the same suspicion, but I don't want you to tell any
of the others about this.  I'll call the guy when we get back and see what
I can do to sort this out.  I might even need your help with this, whatever
it is."  He smiled at me.

"Sure, Dad.  I'd love to help.  You know you can count on me for anything.
I owe you and the others a great deal.  You really saved my life when you
took me in, and the others did too, because I know you wouldn't have taken
me back a second time, if any of them had objected.  If that had happened,
I'm sure I would have been on the other side of the law now, instead of
trying to get a job in law enforcement."

"Frank, that's all water over the dam now, and you've more than proved your
worth since then.  You don't owe any of us anything, but I'm glad you came
back when you did and gave us a second chance too.  I really felt guilty
about having you removed the first time."

"No, don't.  It was all my fault and I deserved it.  In fact, that was
probably the wake-up call I needed to get my shit together."  I looked at
him and raised my eyebrows.

"Colorfully put, but I get the point.  We all made mistakes back then, but
I'm glad none of them ever came back to haunt us.  Now, do you have any
idea what this might be about?"

"None.  I even tried to get the guy to tell me something, but he wouldn't.
I even asked some of my friends if they might have an idea about what might
be up, but no one could come up with anything."

"Then it probably isn't anything we need to worry about, but we should know
soon enough."

"True, but I'm still very concerned.  He sounded as if he was on a
mission."

"Well, let's just wait and see what's up, before we start to panic."
Frankie agreed, and now we got in the vehicles and headed home.

The drive there seemed to last forever, as my mind raced over the
possibilities of what the detective might want with me.  I let Mark drive
the van, so I could sit in the passenger seat and think, and soon he was
questioning me about my mood.

"Something up, Pop?  You seem to be very deep in thought."  Now, I knew I'd
have to come up with something to put him off the track.

"Nah, just thinking about everything I have to do once I get back, as
school will be starting soon."

"Oh, I thought it might have something to do with all those calls Frankie
got from the detective."  I must have looked shocked when he said that, and
I looked around to see if anyone else had picked up on what he had just
mentioned.  Once I was reassured no one had, I leaned closer to him to
respond.

"I'd prefer the others not know about that yet, at least not until I
discover what it is all about."  He nodded in reply, and said nothing more
about it for the rest of the trip home.

We hadn't been home more than a few minutes, and were still in the middle
of unloading all our things, when the phone rang.  One of the boys picked
it up, and soon I was being informed it was for me.  I took the receiver
and spoke.  "Josh Currie here."

"Mr. Currie, this is Detective James.  I've been trying to reach you."

"So I've been told, but we just got back a few minutes ago and are still
unloading our luggage.  What can I do to help you?"

"Well, I have some questions I'd like you to answer for me, if you don't
mind?"  The way he worded this concerned me a little.  He wasn't calling to
give me information or inform me of a problem, and he wanted me to answer
questions.  Something wasn't adding up here.

"Certainly, but what is all this about?"

"I'll fill you in about that later, but first I need for you to tell me a
few things."  He had avoided my question, and now I understood why Frankie
was suspicious and worried.  "First of all, when did you leave for your
vacation?"

"Four weeks ago, yesterday.  Why?"

"And your entire family went with you?"

"Yes, although Frankie and Mark came back after the first two weeks,
because they had other things to do.  Would you please tell me what this is
all about?"

"Let's just say that some of your boys were implicated in a crime."

"Well, we've been away, so it couldn't have been them."

"I'm sorry, but this crime happened before you left, so it is still a
possibility your boys were involved."

"What type of crime are we talking about here?"  I was starting to get more
than a little concerned, but I was also becoming pissed off with how he was
handling this.  What the hell was going on here, and what was he trying to
say about my boys?

"It's an assault case," he replied, as if he weren't trying to give out too
much information.  However, I wasn't about to be put off that easily.

"Okay, so who was assaulted and what happened to him?"  The detective did
not respond immediately, and I figured he was considering how much he
wanted to tell me about this case.  Finally, he answered.

"Do you remember a David Hubbard?"  I had to stop and think for a second,
because the name didn't immediately ring a bell.

"Wait, isn't that the scout master's son, the one who was harassing Shannon
McCarthy?"

"Yes, he's the one, and I heard some of your boys have a grudge against him
because of that."  This statement sounded more like an accusation.

"Maybe a couple of years ago they might have, when that all happened, but
no one has had anything to do with him since."  I thought maybe that would
settle the matter for now.

"Well, it appears as if some of your boys still feel they have a score to
settle."  He seemed smug in his response.

"What do you mean?  My boys aren't the kind to hold a grudge or seek
revenge."

"Then maybe you don't know your sons as well as you think you do," he
countered, with an air of arrogance in his tone.

"I don't believe that, and I know my boys better than most parents know
their children.  If they'd been involved in something like that, then I'd
have heard about it by now."

"So you think they would have come running to you to tell you what they
did?"

"I didn't say that, but if they had been involved, I'm sure they would have
taken one or more of their brothers into their confidence or someone would
have overheard them talking about it, and then that person would have said
something to me.  We just spent a month on vacation, spending all our time
together, so I'm sure if something like that happened before we left, I
would have known about it by now."

"Unless your other sons are covering for them."  Again, that smugness of
his was coming through.

"Trust me.  There's no way you can get that many boys to agree on anything
or keep a secret that long without someone slipping up, having doubts, or a
change of heart.  If something like that had happened, then I would have
heard something by this time."

"That's a nice thought, but not a criminal defense," he shot back.  "I
think I'll need you to bring some of the boys down to the station, so I can
speak to them."  It sounded as if he was about ready to charge them for
this crime.

"Should I have my lawyer join us then?" I asked, making sure I protected my
boys first and foremost.  He didn't respond immediately this time, and it
took him a few seconds before he did answer me.

"Of course, that would be your prerogative, but if you involve your lawyer
now, we may be forced to charge the boys immediately, rather than just
questioning them."  I knew immediately that he was trying to intimidate me
with this statement, and I wasn't going to let him win that edge.

"Well, thank you for your concern, but I think it may be in my sons' best
interest if we had someone there to protect their rights."  I wanted to let
him know I didn't entirely trust his motives.

"I thought only guilty people needed their rights protected," he replied,
thinking he could shake me with his comment.

"No, guilty people and those trying to protect themselves from overzealous
individuals trying to make a name for themselves or clear their caseload,"
I countered instinctively, though I later wished I hadn't slipped to his
level and accused him of something in return.  There was a pause before he
said anything else.

"So you think I'm making this all up?" he asked me.

"I didn't say that, but it sounds as if you might be grasping at straws to
clear up one of your cases."

"And would you consider a eye-witness as grasping at straws?"  I believe he
told me this to shake my confidence, but I was smarter than to take what he
said at face value.

"It would depend on what that eyewitness had seen and had to say," I
answered coolly.  "Did your star witness actually see me boys do anything?"
Now it was his turn to be put on the defensive.

"This person can put your sons in the area at the time of the crime," he
responded, but not so smugly this time.

"In the area, but not at the scene or not actually committing the crime," I
emphasized.

"I didn't say that," he countered.

"Maybe not, but I can read between the lines.  If you want to speak to any
of my sons, then you just have to tell me where and when, but we will meet
you in the presence of our lawyer."  I think that completely deflated his
balloon.

"Fine," he nearly shouted back.  "I want you to have Danny, Brandon, and
Pat here as soon as you can then."

"I shall call my lawyer to see what would be convenient for him, and then
I'll call you back and give you a time.  Would that meet with your
approval?"

"Fine, but it better be today.  I've waited long enough to get this done."
Now he sounded angry, and I thought maybe I had done the boys a disservice
here, with the way I had handled the situation.  I certainly didn't want to
piss him off and give him even more of an incentive to go after my boys.

"I will have them there today, so don't worry about that.  It will just
depend on our lawyers schedule."  I hoped that would diffuse the tension
some, but I just heard sort of a growl, before he spoke again.

"I understand that Shannon McCarthy and his father live with you too?"

"Yes, they do."

"Would you please make sure they come with you then, or would you like me
to speak to them myself?"

"No.  I will inform them and make sure they come with us," I advised him,
but he didn't reply again, before he hung up, which I thought was just
plain rude.

Now I got on the phone and called another lawyer friend of mine, one who
dealt with criminal law, and I explained the situation to him.  Seeing it
was the weekend, he wasn't working, but he did agree to meet us at the
police station and represent the boys while they were being questioned.  He
assured me things would be fine, and I knew I had to trust his judgment.  I
thanked him for giving up some of his free time, and then I said good-bye,
preparing to call Steve Shay next.

After explaining the situation to my best friend, he tried to assure me it
was probably just a case of mistaken identity and that it would most likely
be cleared up quickly.  He also told me it was a good move to have a lawyer
present during that time too, and he told me to keep him advised, as a
friend, about what happened.  I promised him I would, and then I called the
detective back, and informed him when we would be there.  He didn't sound
happy about it, because it wouldn't be for a couple more hours, and that
would probably take him past the end of his shift, however, that was the
best my lawyer could do, on such short notice.  Once I hung up from
speaking with him, I called Jake and the four boys he had implicated
together.

"What's up, Dad?" Danny asked me.

"I've got some bad news for the four of you," I began, which elicited
shocked and concerned looks from all of them.  I then went on to explain to
them about the phone call and everything that had happened since, having to
cut off their objections and protests of innocence along the way.  After I
had finished filling them in, I took some time to allow them a chance to
respond.

"Pop, this is bullshit," Brandon told me, quite pointedly.  "Even though we
have no love for that guy, we haven't seen him in ages."

"Yeah," Pat added, "and I don't remember when the four of us were out
together at the same time either, Dad.  I mean it's not that we don't all
hang out at times together, but the four of us don't usually hang around at
the same time.  I'm not sure why, but we just don't."

"Well, that may work to your advantage then," I advised them.

"Pop, who is this witness and why did he think it was us who did this?"
Shannon wanted to know.

"I'm not sure, but we will probably find that out soon.  We have to go down
to the police station and meet with this detective.  You boys go get ready,
and I'll call you when it's time to go."

Jake and I discussed a few items, but then I just sat and worried about
what might be going on here.  I tried to remember every phrase the
detective had told me and attempted to piece together every tidbit of
information I had heard, as I tried to come up with some way to get my sons
out of this mess.  It was a rough period for me, as I tried to pass the
time until we had to leave.  When we got to the police station, I announced
our arrival to the desk sergeant and soon Detective James came out to greet
us.  He wanted to start talking to the boys immediately, but our lawyer
wasn't there yet, so I told him we'd have to wait until he arrived.  He
wasn't happy about that, but he reluctantly agreed.  After my lawyer got
there, we were all led into an interrogation room and the detective began
asking his questions.

He had wanted to question each boy individually, but our lawyer insisted
that seeing no one was being charged with anything, the initial questioning
could be done as a group, as it would save us all time.  Our attorney also
insisted Jake and I be allowed to sit in on this too, although we had to
promise to be quiet and not interrupt the proceedings.  We did so, and now
we sat and listened to everything that went on.

The detective posed his first question to Danny.  "I understand you boys
have had a problem with David Hubbard in the past," he began.  "Would you
mind telling me what it was all about?"

"Hey, we didn't have a problem with him," Danny shot back, "he had a
problem with one of us.  It all started because he was spreading rumors
about Shannon, and then he and some of his buddies decided to push Shannon
around in the parking lot."

"So you went to your brother's aid?"

"He wasn't our brother then," Danny told him.  "We only knew him from
playing soccer.  He and his dad came to live with us after this all
happened."  The detective looked at us all, studying our expressions and
sizing us up.

"So you guys wanted revenge for what he did?" he asked, looking at Brandon.

"No," Brandon responded.  "After that fight we went to a school board
meeting and got cleared.  He and his friends got suspended, and we've
really had nothing to do with him since."

"Are you trying to tell me none of you were looking to get even with him
for what had happened?" the detective asked Pat.

"No," Pat replied, "that was all settled in the fight and when we got some
funding cut off to their Boy Scout troop afterward, for their stand on
gays."

"So you're all gay?" he asked, looking at Shannon.

"I am, and a few of the others are," Shannon responded, "but some of the
boys are straight and a few others are bi.  The thing is, none of us care
and we protect those who are getting targeted for abuse."

"Ah, so someone was targeting you boys?" he asked, still looking at
Shannon.

"I didn't say that," Shannon continued.  "No one was getting picked on now,
but in the past when they did, we all stuck together."

"So you're trying to tell me that none of you had any lingering grudge
against this kid?"  It was Danny who spoke up now.

"He's not our on 'invite' list for parties or anything, but none of us were
out to get him.  What happened between us was all in the past."

"In the past, like a month in the past?"

"No, like in a couple of years past," Brandon announced.  "We haven't had
any contact with him since."  He looked confident his response would end
this, once and for all.

The detective eyed the boys suspiciously, weighing their words carefully as
he did so.  Now he decided to get directly to the point.  "If that's the
case, why do I have an eyewitness telling me he saw the four of you in the
area where this kid was nearly beaten to death?"

The boys all reacted in horror when he said this, mainly because none of us
had heard the boy was so badly beaten.  We thought it was just a simple
assault case, but this information just upped the ante.  "Well, your
witness must be mistaken," Pat told him.  "We've been thinking back over
the past few months and the four of us can't even remember one time we've
all been together like that."

"Except for this time?" the detective wondered.

"Not any time," Pat told him.  "We have hung around at various times, but
not the four of us together, except if it was with the rest of the family
at the same time."

"Never?  Come on, you boys must go places together at times?"

"We do," Brandon added, "but just not in this combination.  I don't know
why, but we just never have."

"I find that hard to believe," he countered, almost under his breath.

"It's the truth," Shannon advised him.  "Danny, Brandon, and I hang
together sometimes, but I can't remember anytime when Pat was with us too,
especially if it was just the four of us."

"Then maybe it was one of your other brothers."

"I thought you said your witness positively identified these four boys,"
our attorney interrupted, "so why is it now you're saying it might have
been another family member?"

"I was just speculating he could have been mistaken about one of the boys,
if what they claim is true."

"Or it might be he is mistaken about seeing any of the boys," our lawyer
said smugly.  "Now I'd like some information from you.  I want to know who
your witness is, I want to see his statement, and I want to know whether
you plan on charging these boys with anything."

The detective was visibly upset by this turn of events, but he quickly
regained his composure.  "I shouldn't be giving this information out in
front of these boys," he told my lawyer.

"And why not?  As soon as you give it to me, I will advise them of it
anyway.  They have a right to know who their accuser is and what he is
accusing them of."  The detective was starting to get red-faced now.

"Give me a second, I'll have to clear this with my superiors," he
announced, and left the room.  We all looked at each other as he hurriedly
closed the door behind him.

"He's stalling," our lawyer announced.  "He doesn't have to check with
anyone, but he doesn't want to give us that information either.  He wants
to keep it as his ace in the hole, but I'm not going to allow that.  He's
going to have to give us this information or I'm calling an end to his
questioning.  When he comes back, if he doesn't tell me what I want to
know, then we're all getting up and leaving."

We all nodded our heads in understanding and then waited patiently until
the detective returned.  He came back carrying a folder and looking more
than a little pissed off.  He slid the folder across the table toward our
attorney and then took his seat, while our lawyer examined the contents.

"Who is this Tim Wood?" our lawyer asked to no one in particular.

"He's a friend of David Hubbard," Danny snapped back.  "Is he the one who
tried to say we did this?  If he is, he's a fucking liar."

"Danny, watch you language, please," I interrupted.

"Sorry, Dad.  I think he's just trying to get even with us for being
suspended back then.  He was part of the group with Hubbard, when they were
pushing Shannon around.  He'd say anything to protect one of his buddies."

"Well," my lawyer began, "I think that finishes everything here.  The
witness is not reliable, a friend of the victim, and has animosity toward
my clients, so I think we can get his statement thrown out quite easily."

"I don't believe so," the detective countered, as all of us were getting up
and preparing to leave.  "The District Attorney's Office has gone over this
statement and believes it is sufficient to proceed with."

"Proceed with what?  Harassing a group of innocent boys?" my lawyer spewed
out, visibly upset this hadn't ended.

"No, with pursuing the facts of the case and trying to get to the truth,"
the detective shot back.  "Now, can we continue?"

My lawyer nodded, and we all sat back down.  However, I spoke up at this
point.  "Maybe I can offer something here," I said, looking at the
detective.  He just glared at me, but didn't stop me from speaking.  "We
were preparing for our vacation all that week, and hardly anyone left the
house or went any place."

"Are you telling me no one went out, ran errands, or anything like that?"

"Yeah, but not in groups of four.  If someone needed something, one or two
people would go and get the items, but they never left in groups larger
than that.  I also know that none of the boys were going out for any other
reasons during this time, because we had too much to do to prepare for four
weeks away.  I will swear to that in court, if I have to."

"Big deal!  Parents have lied to protect their children before, so why
should you be any different?"  I was shocked by his response.

"Although you may have come into contact with parents who would have done
anything to protect their children, I have tried to teach my sons to be
moral and responsible citizens.  If they had done this, and I even
suspected they had, I wouldn't be coming to their defense right now.  I
would expect them to take the appropriate punishment for their act, but in
this case there is no way my sons could have been involved."

"Well, that's very noble for you to say, though I can't say I'm putting
much stock into your words.  I've had other parents swear they weren't
protecting their children, only to discover later they were and that they'd
been lying to us the whole time.  Nothing you say will change my opinion
here."

I was a bit incensed by having seemingly been told that I was a liar, but I
knew the guy was only doing his job.  I let it slide and said no more, but
our lawyer wasn't done yet.  "I think this discussion is over now.  Come on
boys, we're leaving," he advised us.

The detective looked shocked, but quickly regained his composure.  "I'm
sorry, but this isn't over yet," he told us.  Daniel Currie, Patrick
Currie, Brandon O'Hara, and Shannon McCarthy you are all under arrest for
second-degree simple assault.  You have the right to remain silent and
refuse to answer questions.  Anything you do say may be used against you in
a court of law.  You have the right to consult an attorney before being
questioned and to have an attorney present during questioning, now or in
the future.  If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed for
you before any questioning, if you wish.  If you decide to answer questions
now or in the future, without an attorney present, you will have the right
to stop answering at any time until you talk to an attorney.  Do you
understand these rights as I have told them to you?"

The boys were in a complete state of shock, never expecting anything like
this to happen, and they did not immediately respond.  "Do you understand
these rights as I have told them to you?" the detective repeated.

Hesitantly each boy responded in the affirmative.  "These boys are all
represented by counsel," my lawyer advised the detective, "and you may not
speak to them unless I am present.  Boys, you are to speak to no one unless
I am with you at the time.  Do all of you understand?"  They all nodded.

Now other police officers came into the room, put handcuffs on each boy and
led them down the hallway.

"What the hell is happening here?" I asked my attorney.

"They are taking the boys down to be booked.  A bail hearing will be held,
and then later a preliminary hearing will be scheduled, so we'll proceed
from there.  I'll move for the boys to be released on their own
recognizance or given bail, and hopefully they'll be back home in a few
hours."

I couldn't respond at this point, I was just too numb from all that had
happened, but slowly the lawyer guided me out of the police station and
back toward my van.

                 *    *     *     *     *     *     *     *

If you have enjoyed reading this story, you will find other stories by me
at 'BW's Rainbow Youth Connection,' at http://bwsryc.gayauthors.org/

You can also locate my stories by clicking on the Nifty author link and
scrolling down to "BW".  This will give you the links for everything I have
posted there.

I also love to hear from my readers and get their reaction to my stories.
If you don't mind, please share whatever information you feel comfortable
with, because it helps knowing my readers better when I decide what to
write or how to gear it.  Please email me at bwstories8@aol.com and let me
know what you thought, so I can do even better in the future.  Thanks,
Bill.