Uncaged

By Wes Leigh featuring the contributions of Rob the Scribe

 

This is a work of fiction intended solely for the entertainment of our readers; any resemblance to any real people or places is purely coincidental. Readers who would like to chat are encouraged to contact us at weston.leigh@protonmail.com and robthescribe@protonmail.com.

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Chapter Eleven

 

`This can't be fucking happening,' Roderyk thought to himself as he was escorted into a small room by the sheriff's deputies. They urged him to have a seat at a small table, then stood behind him with their arms crossed over their chests.

Assistant DA Susan Daniels walked around the table and took a seat across from him. She stared at Roderyk, unblinking.

A balding, overweight man came in and sat down next to her. He placed a pad of paper on the table and began scribbling on it. Then he took out a small tape recorder, punched a button on the side, and set it on the table. "It is 8:35 a.m., Saturday, May fifteenth, twenty twenty-one. I am Detective Isaac Serna. With me is ADA Susan Daniels. We are interviewing Mr. Roderyk Meyer. Mr. Meyer, before we begin, I would like your approval to record this interview. Do I have your permission?"

Roderyk jumped, startled by the question. "Oh, ummm, sure. Yes, that's fine."

Serna began reading from a card, "Then before we begin, Mr. Meyer, let me inform you that you have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can be used against you ..."

Roderyk heard the words but couldn't believe they were being spoken to him. His stomach clinched and his hands became cold and clammy. This is really fucking happening, he realized.

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Rachel McMahon sat next to a very confused RJ at a table in the next room. RJ didn't know why they were here, why his mother had dragged him out of the church and brought him to the Sheriff's station. What had he done wrong? Why was he here? And why was his teacher, Ms. Masters, sitting here next to his mother, holding her hand as if she was suddenly his mom's best friend, comforting her in some kind of tragedy?

RJ heard the door open and turned to see a thin woman in a dark business suit come in the room. The woman gave a half-hearted smile. RJ supposed she thought it was a friendly smile, but it reminded him of a vampire trying to be nice to someone about to be bitten. That was when he noticed the red and purple lights dancing around the woman's head. They weren't friendly lights. They seemed angry and hateful.

The woman sat down at the table next to them. She smiled her vampire smile again and said, "Hello, RJ. What a brave, little boy you are, agreeing to come here and talk to us today. I'm so happy to meet you at last."

RJ frowned, thinking, `I'm not a boy. I'm not little. And I didn't agree to anything.' Instead, he said, "I don't know you, so I don't know why you would be happy to meet me."

Rachel squeezed RJ's hand. "Don't be rude, sweetie. This lady is here to help you."

"That's right," the vampire woman said. "My name is Dr. Patrice Montgomery. I'm a psychiatrist with the White Oak Counseling Center. My job is to help brave boys like you."

RJ looked at the red and purple sparks flashing around the woman's head and decided that help was the last thing this woman was here to give.

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Serna checked his notes. "Mr. Meyer, you are the youth pastor for Riverview Community Church? Is that correct?"

Roderyk shook his head in confusion. "No. I'm just helping my Auntie lead the youth group."

"So you work with teenagers in the church? You lead their activities?"

"I, ummm, well, yes. I just started. What's this all about?"

"When did you start working with the church youth, Mr. Meyer?"

"A few weeks ago. Why are you asking me all these questions?"

Detective Serna leaned forward. "Mr. Meyer, it will go a lot faster if you let me ask the questions and you give me simple answers."

"I still don't understand why I'm here. You're acting like I've done something wrong, but you haven't accused me of a crime. What is this all about?"

Serna glanced at Susan Daniels. She frowned and said, "You aren't accused of any crime, Mr. Meyer. This is simply an investigation that we are required by law to make. Some information has been presented to us that worries us, so we're obligated to look into it. If you'll simply tell us what we want to know, I'm sure it will clear up everything, and then you'll be free to go."

Roderyk couldn't put his finger on the reason why, but he didn't believe Susan Daniels. There was something she wasn't saying. Something she was hiding from him. If he wasn't being accused of a crime, why had they read off that legal statement at the beginning, warning him that he could refuse to answer questions or have an attorney present. It sounded much more serious than simply telling them what they wanted to know.

͠ ͠ ͠

Patrice Montgomery scooted her chair closer to RJ. She gave him a venomous smile and asked, "RJ, do you enjoy going to church with your mother?"

The question surprised RJ. He glanced at his mother sitting next to him.

Rachel nodded nervously. "Go ahead, baby. Answer Dr. Montgomery's questions."

RJ turned back to the woman and said, "Yeah. It's fun."

Montgomery smiled again, to show RJ how happy she was that he was now talking to her. "Do you enjoy being a part of their youth group?"

"Sure. I suppose."

"What do you enjoy about it?"

RJ shrugged. "The kids are nice to me. They don't bully me like the kids at school. And Auntie and Roderyk are a lot of fun."

Vampire lady's mouth twitched. "Roderyk? He's the man who just started helping with the youth there, right?"

RJ nodded.

"Do you like Roderyk?"

RJ nodded again. "He's very nice to me. I like him a lot."

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"How long have you known Robin McMahon?" Detective Serna asked.

Roderyk shook his head in confusion. "Who?"

"Robin Jackson McMahon."

"I don't know anyone by that name."

Susan Daniels put her hand on top of Serna's, interrupting him. "He goes by the name of RJ. His mother is Rachel McMahon. They attend your church, and RJ is in the youth group."

Roderyk nodded his head. "Yes, I know RJ and Rachel. I met them a few weeks ago when I arrived here in the United States."

Serna made a note on his pad. "You came here from Germany, I believe?"

"Yes. I lived in Bamberg."

"Were you in some kind of trouble in Germany? Is that why you came to the U.S.?"

Roderyk frowned, shaking his head. "No. I've never been in trouble in my life."

"Then why did you come here?"

"My Auntie asked me to come. To help her with her farm."

Serna scribbled more notes, then asked, "Are you aware of any sexual abuse that RJ McMahon may have suffered?"

͠ ͠ ͠

Dr. Montgomery leaned closer to RJ, her face oozing with sympathy. "RJ, I understand you told the other children at school that you are gay."

RJ looked up, alarmed.

Rachel rapidly turned her head and stared at RJ. "You did?" she asked. "Why did you say that?"

RJ's eyes immediately filled with tears and he dropped his head onto his arms, refusing to look at anyone.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Dr. Montgomery said. "I thought you knew, Ms. McMahon." She turned to Erin Masters with an accusatory look.

Erin grimaced and said, "It's my fault, Rachel. I should have told you when I showed you the essays."

RJ sat up and stared at his mother and teacher, with tears pouring down his cheeks. "No. You shouldn't have. It was none of your business. And if I wanted my mom to know, I would have told her myself!"

Rachel tried to take RJ's hand, but he yanked it away. "RJ! Sweetie! I'm your mother. I need to know these things."

"It wouldn't have mattered if I did tell you, Mom. It's my problem. I'm handling it, okay?"

"But, sweetie, why would you lie about something like that?" Rachel asked.

RJ stared at his mother, stunned. "Lie? Mom, I didn't lie. I AM gay!"

He jumped up and ran out of the room. Erin Masters stood up and said, "Let me go talk to him. I'll calm him down and bring him back."

Rachel shook her head and sighed. Turning to Dr. Montgomery, she asked, "Why wouldn't he tell me first?"

Dr. Montgomery reached over and patted Rachel's hand. "There could be many reasons. I'll work with both of you later, if you wish. For now, the important thing is to get RJ to admit that Roderyk Meyer molested him. Please don't be shocked when you hear that. It isn't RJ's fault, but he will blame himself. Your role in this is to support him. My role is to heal him. Together, we'll see that he successfully overcomes this brutal mistreatment." She nodded her head, silently urging Rachel to agree.

͠ ͠ ͠

"So you have no knowledge of RJ McMahon being sexually abused?" Serna asked.

Roderyk snapped, "I said that twice. Why do you keep asking me the same questions over and over?"

Serna looked back at his pad. "Have you witnessed RJ suffering any form of abuse?"

Roderyk shook his head. "No. I haven't ... wait, I did see some boys at his school bullying him."

Serna looked up. "When was this?"

Roderyk stared up at the ceiling, thinking back. "About a week ago."

"What were you doing at RJ's school?"

"Taking him a permission slip to attend the church lock-in. He and his mom had to leave early, so they forgot to pick one up."

As Serna scribbled on his pad, he asked, "Do you have any children at this school?"

"No. I'm not married."

Serna squinted at Roderyk. "Do you often go to schools, even though you have no children attending there?"

͠ ͠ ͠

RJ had his arms crossed and was staring at his feet.

Dr. Montgomery tilted her head down and studied RJ. "RJ, I need to ask you some questions, and it's very important that you answer them honestly."

RJ nodded his head slightly.

Dr. Montgomery pulled out a notebook and opened it to an empty page. "Now RJ, you said Roderyk is nice to you. What kind of nice things does he do for you?"

RJ mumbled, "Stuff."

"What kind of stuff, RJ?"

"Games and swimming and stuff like that."

"Do you like playing games with him?"

"Yes."

"What games do you play?"

RJ shrugged. "Different kinds."

Dr. Montgomery sighed. "RJ, it will be very helpful if you provide more detailed answers to my questions."

He looked up and said, "We pretended we were competing in the Olympics. He divided us up into teams. We had to put a pillow in a pillow case and make card houses. And we wrapped Roderyk and Anthony in toilet paper. It was fun. I had a good time. All of us did." RJ stared at the psychiatrist defiantly.

The three women exchanged concerned looks.

Dr. Montgomery turned to RJ and asked, "While you played these games, did Roderyk ever touch you in a private place? Either by accident or deliberately?"

RJ blushed, remembering how he had squeezed Roderyk's cock during the mummy game. He looked down at his feet and mumbled, "No."

The psychiatrist frowned and scribbled something in her notebook.

͠ ͠ ͠

Detective Serna stared hard at Roderyk for a moment, then said, "Mr. Meyer, I'm going to ask you point blank ... have you ever touched RJ McMahon's groin?"

"WHAT? NO!" Roderyk exclaimed.

"Have you ever touched his penis?"

"NO!"

"Have you touched his bottom in a sexual way?"

"Absolutely not! Why would even suggest such a thing?"

"Mr. Meyer, please let me ask the questions."

Roderyk's face was bright red. "I don't like the questions you're asking. And I especially don't like what you're implying! What gives you the right to ask me such ridiculous questions?"

Serna shrugged. "You were advised of your rights at the beginning of this interview, Mr. Meyer. You can refuse to answer my questions if you want, but I recommend you tell us the truth. We're on your side, believe it or not, and it will be best if you are honest with us."

"I AM being honest with you!" Roderyk shouted.

One of the deputies standing behind Roderyk stepped forward and clamped his hand on Roderyk's shoulder. "You need to calm down, sir."

Roderyk pulled away and turned to look up at the deputy. "YOU try sitting here and having someone ask YOU questions like these and stay calm about it."

The deputy snapped back, "I'm not the one who molested a little boy."

"NEITHER DID I!" Roderyk shouted, standing to his feet.

The deputies sprang into action, grabbing Roderyk and slamming him into the floor. They struggled briefly as one deputy pressed Roderyk's face into the carpet with a knee across his neck. The other twisted Roderyk's arms behind his back and handcuffed him. Then they picked him up and shoved him down in the chair. "SIT THERE and ANSWER THE QUESTIONS!" one shouted. "Don't get up again."

Serna, shaking his head, asked, "Has RJ McMahon ever touched your penis?"

Roderyk licked the blood from his cracked lip and clinched his teeth. "I choose to exercise my right to remain silent."

Serna looked at Susan Daniels. She shrugged. Serna looked at the deputies. "Put him in a holding cell."

͠ ͠ ͠

"RJ, I cannot tell you how very, very important it is for you to tell us the truth. You did nothing wrong, and we aren't upset at you. But we need to know everything that Roderyk did with you."

RJ finally looked up from his feet and stared at Dr. Montgomery. The red and purple flashes of lightning around her head were at war now, dancing around her and striking each other. RJ knew she couldn't be trusted. He glared at her and said, "Nothing. Happened. With. Roderyk! We haven't had sex. We haven't done anything. I know what you're getting at, and you're wrong. NOTHING HAPPENED!" RJ turned to his mother and said, "I want to go now, Mom. I don't want to talk to her anymore."

Rachel was torn with indecision.

RJ stood up and grabbed his mother's hand, tugging her toward the door. "I'm not staying here any longer, Mom. Let's go."

Rachel looked back over her shoulder at Erin Masters and Dr. Montgomery. They seemed as frustrated and disappointed as Rachel.

͠ ͠ ͠

Roderyk stared at the walls of the small holding cell. He was in a small cage—there was no other way to describe it—in a windowless room holding three other cages just like his. For some reason, the bars of the holding cell reminded him of the birdcage in his apartment in Bamberg. That would make him the songbird, sitting powerless upon his perch, wondering if he would ever be set free.

Was it just last night that Auntie was reading about the Apostle Paul sitting in a Roman prison, writing to his friends, telling them that it was possible to be victorious no matter what your situation might be?

More than conquerors? Wasn't that what Paul had written? Funny, but Roderyk didn't feel like he was able to conquer anything at the moment. He couldn't even control his own feelings for RJ, and now those feelings might ruin his life.

The door to the room opened and Detective Serna stepped inside. "Are you sure you don't want to tell me what happened with the boy? This is your last chance."

Roderyk sighed. "I told you, Detective. Nothing happened. Nothing at all."

The detective nodded and took out a set of keys. He unlocked the door to the holding cell and said, "You're free to go, Mr. Meyer. But stay in town. We may have more questions for you later."

The end of UNCAGED, Chapter Eleven