Disclaimer: This story contains very sensitive material as well as vulgar language and racial slurs. This isn’t your cup of tea, you know what to do.

Part Two

November 28, 1990

Jeremy’s five today. He’s a real handful too. I put him into head start at the age of three and he’s flourished. Now he’s in private school since that was the only way I could get him into kindergarten at the age of four and three quarters. Since he was born in November, the state of California says he has to wait another year, so I shopped around and found that the head start program he’d been in, which also doubled as day care, offered an accredited kindergarten, I jumped at the opportunity. I mean, what good’s head start if the kid has to stagnate until he’s of the ‘proper’ age as set by the state?

“Daddy, do we have anymore apples?” Jeremy was sitting on the stool at the breakfast bar playing with his cereal bowl.

“I’m sorry Jeremy, I’m going shopping later this morning and I’ll be sure to pick up some more apples. Now, do we need anything else from the store?” I loved this time with Jeremy. I’m constantly amazed that me, a forty-two-year-old bachelor was raising a young son, but here I am.

Jeremy smiled at me and jumped down from his stool to get the notebook we wrote our grocery lists in. He had received the left-handed gene from either his mother or my own mother; it was amazing watching him discover how his hands worked and which one he favored. He picked up his favorite pencil, it had snoopy as an eraser, and turned to the right page in the notebook. “We have milk, bread, eggs, peanut butter,” he wrote in his newly learned penmanship, “a-p-p-l-s”

“There’s an ‘e’ in there somewhere, squirt,” I gently guide him.

“Oh, yeah, ‘a-p-p-l-e-s,” he put the pencil down and looked at me, “What else do we need, Daddy?”

I went to the pantry and opened the door, “Better put down coffee, you remember how to spell that?”

“Yes, sir, cee oh eff eff eee eee,” He spoke as he wrote. “Is that right, Daddy?”

“Perfect squirt, now let’s see, salt, cereal. We’ll pick out what kinds at the store. Crackers, you love your crackers don’t you. You can just put part of the word if you can’t remember how to spell the whole one, okay?” I closed the pantry door and went to the refrigerator and peered into the freezer portion, “Let’s see, hamburger, ice cream, pork chops, a pot roast,” I paused and walked over to the breakfast bar and looked at the notebook, Jeremy was writing as best as he could the foods I’d called out. I smiled at him then took another pencil and pulled the notebook towards me, “You’re doing great there munchkin, but we want to get to the store while they still have all the stuff we need, don’t we?” I tweaked the boy’s nose to take the sting out of my words.

Damned if Jeremy didn’t laugh, “Yeah, guess you’d better finish the list. I’m kinda tired of writin’ today anyway.” He jumped down from his stool and headed for the stairs, “I’m gonna go get dressed now Daddy, don’t leave without me.”

“Don’t worry Jeremy, I won’t,” I felt my heart swell just a bit more with love for that boy. He looked so much like me now that he’d grown some. He was skinny like I was at that age, hell, like I still am today, and he’s all knees and elbows as my mom used to say about me.

Speaking of my parents, I bet you’re wondering where they are, well, they moved to Nebraska shortly after I graduated from high school to be closer to my mother’s family. I see them once a year usually in the summer, but since Jeremy’s come along; they’ve been out here for Christmas every year since his first Christmas a month after he was born. My mother loves my son very much and that makes me very happy. My father was disappointed that I had fathered this child out of wedlock, but when I explained to him what had happened and all, he was more forgiving. Now Jeremy and Pop are best buddies who hang out for hours on end during their visit here or our visit every summer there. We fly up to South Dakota and my cousin Billy usually picks us up from the airport and drives us out to Mom and Dad’s house. They live in town now, a small town near the Nebraska/South Dakota border called Broken Arrow near the much larger town of Valentine. It’s an okay place and Jeremy loves meeting all the Native Americans in the area. He’s totally fascinated by the elders from Mom’s tribe that live in the area. He’s so full of questions when we go. He has been since he learned to talk at the age of one. Yeah my son’s smart, so what? I’m proud and he’s well adjusted, that’s all that matters right now.

Jeremy comes downstairs dressed in his newest pair of jeans and a light blue tee shirt with a dark blue button down over the tee; his feet are tucked neatly inside a pair of moccasins that my mother had made for him last year. He will soon be getting a new pair as Mom has sent his birthday present and I have it hidden until his party tonight. “You ready to go kiddo?”

“Yup, Dad, let’s hit the road.” Jeremy headed for the side door, “Don’t forget your keys or your glasses.”

I had started wearing glasses two months ago due to failing vision, in fact, two months ago after celebrating my forty-second birthday I moved from a station to the training facility; I’m now training the newest batch of paramedics. Chris DeSoto is working out of my old station now as junior paramedic along side his best friend, Daniel Firestone. They grew up together and made plans to become paramedics at the ripe old age of five. I hope my Jeremy makes a friend like that some day.

Four months later

I’m sitting here at Rampart visiting Roy. The dolt went and had a heart attack on me. Nothing serious, thank God, but enough to put the fear into him. He’d been on a diet for six months and had lost over twenty pounds, but it just hadn’t been enough I guess. We had been doing some light yard work, getting ready for spring when it happened. I’m just glad I was there at the time. Anyway, I’m sitting here in the waiting room while Chet Kelly visits. With Roy still in CCU, there’s a limit as to how many people can be in the room at once.

So I’m waiting and I see this woman sitting in the corner of the waiting room. She looks to be about my age, brown hair, piercing blue eyes, and from the look she gave me, a killer smile. I smiled back and she walked over to me. “Hi, I’m Cheryl.”

Now, I’d dated my share of women, and I must say that aside from that crazy broad in San Francisco, I’d never been approached in such a strong manner before, “Hi Cheryl, I’m John Gage.”

“You here visiting family?” She asked softly. Her voice was as soft as her skin looked.

“No, my best friend,” I tried to keep smiling, “You?”

“My father had a stroke last weekend. He’s doing better now though. Mom’s in with him visiting.” Cheryl said.

So we began dating.

Believe it or not, I wasn’t the one to ask her out, no, she asked ME out. I’m thinking now that I should have thought about that before saying yes. But alas, we often spend our time thinking about what we should have done.

We started out dating one night a week. I’d whip out my day planner, (yes, I actually use one of those now, although it’s NOT to keep track of my dates, but to keep track of my LIFE) and told her when I would be available for our first date.

We went to a movie and dinner one Saturday night. I left young Jeremy home with his favorite baby-sitter, Jennifer. While we were out, I made a mental decision not to tell Cheryl about Jeremy. Why, I have no clue, but I made that decision none the less.

We dated for four months before she asked out of the blue to see my house. I thought long and hard and even talked to Jeremy about bringing Cheryl home. I really wanted her to meet my son, and since we seemed to be hitting it off so well and were talking about getting more serious, I thought it was time for them to meet.

I planned a picnic and trail ride one Saturday in early June 1991. Jeremy was all excited; he loves riding horses and is quite an accomplished rider for a child his age.

Cheryl arrived at ten in the morning and walked up the steps. She was dressed in a way I had never seen before. Usually she was in a dress or pant suit with make up on and fancy shoes. This day she was wearing a pair of jeans and a pale pink polo shirt and a pair of cowboy boots. She looked cute with her hair pulled back in a simple pony tail and no make-up.

Jeremy was standing behind me when I stepped out onto the front porch. This was unusual for the boy, but I didn’t think much of it at the time.

“Hi Cheryl,” I said as she walked up the steps. “I have someone I would like you to meet.” I stepped aside to give Cheryl a good look at my son.

Cheryl’s face fell slightly as she approached us. Jeremy stepped back behind me and hugged my legs with his little arms as tight as he could. He tugged on my hand and beckoned me to come closer.

“She’s mean, Daddy,” He whispered.

I just gave him a pat on the head and stood back up. “Cheryl, this is my son, Jeremy. Jeremy, this is Cheryl. You remember me telling you about her?”

“You told him about me, but you could not see it to tell me about… him?” Her voice was almost condescending.

“I’m sorry, Cheryl,” I led her into the house hoping that once she saw the house and the horses.

That Saturday was a special day for me. It was beautiful weather and the horses behaved themselves. My only worry was Jeremy. He hung back and didn’t participate in any of the conversations. I chalked it up to shyness at meeting someone who his Daddy wanted to spend time with.

After that Saturday, Cheryl and I did get serious to the point where she was staying over at least one night a week. I still had trepidations though about having her sit overnight with Jeremy though. I was still listening to my young son when he said he didn’t feel ‘right’ around her.

I’m only now able to write this next part as several years have passed, but it is still none the less hard to write. So, be patient as this is tough for me.

Several weeks after I introduced Cheryl to Jeremy, she had been asking me to let her watch Jeremy while I was at work. At first I kept saying no stating that Jeremy was set in a comfortable pattern where he either stayed with his Aunt Joanne or Aunt Stevie. He’d be picked up at school and brought home to change and pack his overnight bag after checking on the indoor animals, (Jeremy had a rabbit and two kittens by then), then he’d pack his pillow and teddy and head on out. Now Cheryl was offering to watch him in his own home on nights when I worked.

I thought I’d better get them to know each other better before I actually let her stay overnight. So I set about a plan. I’d have her watch him on afternoons when I had a training class to teach or a meeting to attend. Sometimes I even made up stuff so that they could spend time together. This proved to lighten Cheryl up some and loosen my son up as well. They were soon getting along like best friends.

Three months after Jeremy started first grade, I took Cheryl up on her offer. We were now spending most of my off nights together anyway, so what was one night when I wasn’t there. I set it up so that Jo and Stevie were available if there was any trouble and left them one morning. I felt a bit ‘off’ that first morning, but we all survived the first night. Jeremy made his after school and before bed-time phone calls and he seemed happy.

I got home at my usual time, seven-fifty, the next morning. Jeremy was sitting at the breakfast bar eating breakfast and reading his comic books. Cheryl was in the kitchen pouring a cup of coffee.

“Hey squirt,” I ruffled Jeremy’s hair and he flinched. I chalked it up to being with someone new overnight and dismissed it. “Good morning Cheryl.” I walked up to her and gave her a kiss.

“Good morning Johnny.” Cheryl handed me a cup of coffee, “Rough shift?”

“Nah, it was pretty quiet all shift. Baker over at 51s came by for a visit; he and I worked together a few times when Roy was on vacation. He’s captain there now of C shift and came by to pester me and my crew. You see, 51s has just one engine with an engineer and two fire fighters and a squad with two paramedics, I on the other hand have two engines with two engineers, five fire fighters and a squad with two paramedics.” I chatted away while I ate a bowl of cereal with my munchkin.

“Well, I have to leave for work,” Cheryl put her cup in the sink and walked over to me, “Good bye, Johnny. See you tonight?”

“Sure,” I kiss her hard, “Definitely.” Thinking back now, I again dismissed a look I got from my son.

Once Cheryl was gone, Jeremy seemed to relax. He jumped down from his stool and headed upstairs, “I’m going to get ready for school now, Dad.”

I thought about when my son had stopped calling me Daddy, I had hoped it would never happen. I still find myself referring to my father as Daddy sometimes when I talk to my son about my childhood.

“Okay, Jer,” I wiped my mouth and picked up the bowls. After setting them in the sink I go upstairs to change from my uniform and check on my son. I stopped in after pulling on pair of jeans and a tan LACoFD tee shirt, “Hey little man, you about ready?”

“Yes, Dad,” Jeremy was sitting on his bed trying to tie his shoes. I sat down next to him and took his foot in my hand. “Let me help you, Jeremy.”

“Thanks,” Jeremy sniffed and wiped his nose with his left hand. The sleeve of his shirt pulled up a bit to reveal a bruise. I dropped his foot and pushed the sleeve up more. Jeremy gave me a look that I’ll never forget. “Ouch!” He cried out.

“How did you get this Jer?” I asked maybe a little too harshly.

“I fell at school.” Jeremy said.

I released his arm and tied the other shoe before setting him on his feet. “Come on, let’s go to school. Get your bag.” I led my small boy down the stairs and to the garage door.

“I’m sorry, Daddy.” Jeremy said after he buckled himself into the back seat.

“What are you sorry for, Honey?” I looked at him through the rear view and my heart just about broke at the look on his face.

“I got hurt.” He almost whispered.

“That wasn’t your fault, Jeremy. I’m sure if you had been able to keep from falling, you would have. Remember what I told you after you jumped down the stairs and broke your arm last summer?”

“Yes, Sir, the only time I’m at fault for getting hurt is when I do something stupid like jumping off the hay mow or the stairs.” Jeremy looked at me with sad eyes. My heart ached so much.

“When you get home this afternoon, I’ll take you for ice cream, okay?” It was one of our rituals, I’d take him for ice cream after school when he seemed to be having a bad day, and boy was he having one.

As I sit here writing this, I wonder why I let it go as long as it did. I mean, why didn’t I see the signs? I guess I really shouldn’t be so hard on myself. A parent never thinks that what was happening under my own roof actually happens.

This next part came from Jeremy himself. He gave me permission to write this for him.

Jeremy:

I was just sitting in the bath tub playing with my toys when SHE came into the bathroom. Not even Aunt Jo or Aunt Stevie comes into the bathroom when I’m taking a bath anymore. Anyway, Cheryl came in and looked at me really funny. She then reached down and grabbed me by the upper arm, the same one she’d hurt the other day, and hauled me out of the tub.  She didn’t even let me dry off my body, she just dragged me by the arm into my bedroom where she threw me down on my bed and started yelling at me.

“Just what do you think you were doing, boy?” Cheryl yelled at me. She then reached down and pinched me real hard on my inner thigh. Up high near my private spot.

“OUCH!” I yelled real loud. I remember trying to squiggle away out of her reach, but she kept holding me down and pinching me on my legs and butt. She then turned me over onto my stomach and started spanking me. My dad NEVER hit me for any reason and here I was being hit by my dad’s girlfriend.

Once the beating was over she sat down next to me and spoke with a real cold voice. “If you EVER say anything to your father about what happened tonight I swear I will peel the skin off your backside the next time I sit with you. Do you understand me?”

I could only nod my head.

After that, it didn’t matter what I was doing, I was always doing it wrong when Cheryl sat with me. I was so afraid to tell Daddy or anybody for that matter.

One Sunday morning I was outside playing with the dogs when Cheryl showed up. I thought Aunt Stevie was going to be picking me up that day, but Cheryl had called Aunt Stevie and told her that she was going to sit with me. I found out later that Dad never even knew the truth about how Cheryl lied… but I’ll tell you about that later. Anyway, I was outside playing when she called me into the house.

“Jeremy Adam, you get your skinny little ass into this house right now!” Cheryl yelled at the boy.

I looked up at the sound of her yelling. I knew right then that Daddy had already left for the station. I wanted to run and hide. In fact, I did run, but I couldn’t get away from her. She caught me just as I started crawling under the deck on the back that was low to the ground and had a window into the crawl space under the house. I was kicking and yelling the whole time she was pulling me from the safety of the deck. I looked around for the ranch hand that Daddy hired to take care of the horses when he’s at work but Billy was no where around.

I struggled really hard but she picked me up and took me into the house. She was talking all sorts of stuff I just didn’t understand. Stuff about playing with myself (whatever that means) and how I was born in sin and it was her duty to cleanse me of that sin. That my mother died because of that sin and how Daddy was going to die too. I was really scared that day. She didn’t hit me or pinch me like usual, instead she locked me in a closet until it was real late and past my dinner time. I could hear the kitties scratching at the door wanting me to come out and feed them. I pounded on the door until my hands hurt, but she wouldn’t let me out. Finally, after midnight, she let me out. She told me to go take a quick bath and get to bed. I hadn’t had any lunch or dinner that day and was terribly hungry, but I wasn’t about to try anything. I walked slowly upstairs and into my bathroom. I used one what Daddy used to call the guest bathrooms. I took a shower and put on my jammies. I made sure never to be naked around Cheryl. I don’t know why, but she made me feel very uncomfortable about my body. I crawled into bed after blocking my bedroom door with a chair, and curled into a ball. I didn’t sleep at all that night. I listened for Cheryl to come into my room.

Rusty, one of my cats had been in my room waiting for me when I crawled into bed. He curled up with me and slept with me that night. I love my cats and rabbits. Daddy says I’m a natural nurturer. I hate it when they’re denied food and water. That night both of my cats went hungry because of Cheryl. The rabbits are kept in my room, and they had food, so they were okay. But, the kitties and I starved that night. Well, you know what I mean.

Anyway, after three months, I began to beg Daddy not to date Cheryl anymore. I couldn’t tell him why right out, but I tried, I really tried. I was so scared. I was afraid she was going to really hurt me. Daddy had been asking me about the bruises on my arms and legs. I kept telling him I’d fallen at school or outside while playing. I think Daddy didn’t believe me anymore.

So, after three months, Cheryl started really getting scary. She pulled me out of bed one night and started hitting me on the back and butt. She had pulled my pajamas off and made me lie on the bed naked while she used one of Daddy’s belts on me. It hurt so badly and I couldn’t get away. She had finally stopped hitting me and I tried to get off the bed but fell. I hit my head on the end table and everything went black. When I woke up I was dressed in my pajamas and tucked back into bed. The lights were off and the house was quiet.

I’ll take over from here for Jeremy.

Part of my duties as trainer was to do ride alongs with new paramedics and give my feedback. This particular day I was doing an overnight at a station half-way across the county. We had an early morning run that was pretty bad and I had been pressed into action as senior paramedic. Therefore I was almost a half hour late getting home.

I looked at my watch and cursed for the second time when I saw that it was almost eight-thirty. I knew that Stevie needed to be to work at nine and worked forty-minutes away so I was trying my damndest to get home. I finally pulled into my drive at eight twenty-nine. I jumped out of my truck not even bothering to pull into the garage. I looked around for Stevie’s car and didn’t see it. This made me feel real uneasy.

Once inside, I called out for Jeremy but he didn’t answer. Cheryl came out of the kitchen with an angry look on her face.

“Where the hell were you?” She all but hissed at me. It kinda of reminded me of Suzy, one of Jeremy’s cats.

“Uh, I was at work. What are you doing here, wasn’t Stevie supposed to sit with Jeremy?” I was baffled to say the least.

“She called me and told me she was having car trouble and asked if I would come and stay with the kid. I obviously said yes. Now, I’m late for an appointment, so I have to be going. Jeremy’s being a pain in the ass. I called him downstairs for breakfast almost an hour ago and he still hasn’t answered me.” Cheryl headed for the door and out of the house.

Something in what she’d said made me run up the stairs and into my son’s bedroom. I saw my boy curled up under the heavy covers. I thought it was odd since it hadn’t been very cold the past few weeks. It was now mid-March and spring was just around the corner. I reached out and placed a hand on his small hip and gave him a slight shake. It usually doesn’t take much to wake my boy up, but this morning he wasn’t responding. I walked quickly into my bedroom and picked up my cordless phone. I was so glad I’d been talked into getting not just one but three for my house. I began dialing as I walked back to Jeremy’s room.

“Hello?” A very familiar voice answered.

“I need help Roy. Jeremy’s not responding to me. I’m just about ready to take a look at him.” I had never been this scared in my whole life. What if something had happened to my boy and he was hurt, or worse…dead?

“Stay on the phone with me Johnny and check your boy out.” Roy spoke calmly like I knew he would. This in turn kept me clam enough to check my boy out.

“Okay, Roy.” I set the phone down on the night stand next to my boy’s bed. That’s when I noticed the blood. I almost panicked, but instead kept a cool head and uncovered my boy. His hair was all sweaty and his breathing was labored. I snatched up the phone and all but yelled into it. “I need to call for a squad. Meet me at the hospital.”  I didn’t even wait for Roy to acknowledge me and hung up. I quickly dialed 9-1-1 and waited for the operator.

“Come on, come on.” I kept saying as I assessed my little boy, my son. He was bleeding slightly from a cut on his forehead and his breathing was still labored. I gently pushed his hair off his forehead. I saw a bruise by his right eye. I slowly pulled the covers back as I gave the operator my information. I told her I was a paramedic with the county and that I needed the police as well as the paramedics. I threw the phone down and completely uncovered my son.

Lying beside him was Rusty. I found this to be strange as neither of the cats ever crawled under the covers with either of us. They would sleep on top or on the floor beside the bed. I started unbuttoning Jeremy’s pajama top. I didn’t see any bruising on his torso, so I breathed a sigh of relief. I was hoping that he’d just hit his head on the night stand and had suffered from a concussion.

The sound of sirens caused me to look from my son to the bedroom door. I debated for all of a tenth of a second before running out of the room and down the stairs. I let the paramedics in and led them up the stairs. Chris DeSoto was one of the paramedics.

“What’ch ya got, Johnny?” Chris knew the right approach to take.

“It’s my son. He’s unconscious and bleeding from a head wound. His breathing is labored and respirations are twenty-four. His pulse is weak. Please, Chris, help my son.” I said as I led them up the stairs.

Chris and his partner, Stanley Carmichael (poor kid), went to work on my boy. Chris had turned my boy onto his side when I heard the gasp from Stan. I turned and looked. My boy’s back was covered with bruises and welts. Chris pulled down Jeremy’s pajama bottoms and sighed. “I’m so sorry, Johnny.” He said as he gently examined Jeremy’s back, legs, and buttocks. The welts and bruises were new and old. “He’s been abused before Johnny.”

I started to cry as I sat down on the side of the bed and pulled Jeremy’s limp body into my arms. “I’m gonna kill that bitch.” I said softly.

Chris gently took Jeremy from my arms and began working on him while his partner got in touch with the hospital. I was vaguely away of Chris calling for a helicopter. Next thing I knew a police officer was pulling me out of the room and into the hall.

“Mr. Gage,” Officer Randall Johnson was speaking to me.

“Huh?” I finally turned my attention to the young officer.

“Can you tell me what happened here?” He asked.

“What happened here?!” I guess I kind of blew my stack then, “I’ll tell you what fuckin’ happened here. That so called GIRLFRIEND of mine beat the crap out of my boy! That’s what happened.” I raged.

The cop looked like he wanted to take me into custody.

“I didn’t do that to my son!” I looked at the cop. “I wasn’t even home last night! You can ask several people if you don’t believe me. Cheryl Chambers is the one responsible. She’s the one that beat my son.”

A man in a suit came up to me then, “Mr. Gage, I’m Detective John Mondall with the Los Angeles Sheriff’s department. I need to ask you a few questions.”

“Can’t it wait?” I was beyond exasperated now. “They’re getting ready to take my son to the hospital and I’d like to go with them.”

Mondall was confronted by his boss, “Oh, Captain Larson, sir.”

“What’s going on here?”

I looked at the older cop, “He’s keeping me from going with my son is what’s going on. Now, if you gentlemen want any more cooperation from me, you’ll meet me at the hospital.” I watched as my son was loaded onto a stretcher. I snagged Chris as he went by, “Where are you taking him?” I had a feeling I already knew.

“There’s a ‘copter out there to take him to Rampart. I’m so sorry, Johnny. He’s going to be all right though.” Chris gave me arm a squeeze. “I’ll get a call into Dad and let him know where to meet us.”

“Thanks Chris.” I turned to the officers. “Now, I’m going to my car to drive to the hospital. Like I said, you want anymore cooperation you’ll meet me at Rampart General.” I turned and left the house.

I was met on the lawn by several of my fellow firefighters. Chief Stanley, who had once been my captain, stepped up. “I’ll drive you to the hospital Johnny. The boys here will lock up and make sure the animals are taken care of.”

I sighed and followed Hank to his car. I was now on auto-pilot and had almost completely zoned out.

The ride to the hospital seemed to take forever, even though it had only taken twenty-five minutes. Once there, I was led to the waiting area by a hospital volunteer. I kept looking around the area for a familiar face. Hank had been real patient with me and had gone off to find a doctor or nurse who was working on my son. He came back and sat down next to me.

“He’s in trauma room two, John.” Hank sighed and sat back. “A doctor will be with us in a few minutes.”

I looked around the room and sighed. The two officers from my house were walking down the corridor. I stood and headed for the ‘off-limits’ area where only hospital staff and emergency medical personnel are allowed. I had just pushed through the door when Detective Mondall called out.

“Mr. Gage!”

I hustled down the hallway and turned toward the trauma rooms. I was standing outside two when the door opened and Dr. Kelly Brackett stepped out along with Dr. Nathan Shelly, on staff pediatrician. “Kel?” I looked at the doctor.

“John, come into my office, please?” He led us down the hallway to his office. It was in a different place than I remembered it. In fact, this whole section of the hospital had been changed since the HMO’s had taken over. We sat down in his office and I looked the two doctors over.

“What’s wrong with my son, Kel?” I sighed pretty much certain I knew the answer.

“Relax, Johnny, Jeremy’s just fine. He has a medium grade concussion, but is all right. There are no signs of bleeding in the brain area and he’s responsive. In fact he woke up a few minutes ago and was able to answer our questions pretty clearly.” Kel looked at me, “He said Cheryl’s been beating him, Johnny. He’s a pretty scared little boy right now. He thinks he’s going to get you hurt or killed if he tells on Cheryl. I tried to reassure him, but he’s still pretty out of it from the beating last night. He has severe bruising on his thighs and buttocks and the welts are pretty bad too. I want to keep him here at least two days.”

I sat in my chair numb from what I’d been told. I was right; Cheryl had been the one to abuse my boy. I looked at first Kel, then Nathan, “May I use your phone? I really need to call Roy.”

“Sure, Johnny,” Kel stood and nodded to Nathan, “We’ll leave you alone. Take all the time you need. Once you’re finished, come look for me and I’ll get you in to see Jeremy.” Kel and Nathan then left the room.

I moved over to Kel’s chair and picked up the receiver. I dialed Roy’s number and waited for someone, anyone, to answer.

“Johnny?” Joanne answered.

“Yeah, Jo,” I sighed. I was tired and wanted nothing more than to go see my son, but first… “He’s okay, Jo. He’s been beaten though.” My voice cracked and I could feel tears streaming down my face, “That bitch hurt my baby, Jo.”

“Roy’s right here, Johnny, why don’t you talk to him,” Jo handed the phone to her husband.

“Johnny?” Roy spoke in his quiet manner.

“Oh God, Roy, she hurt my baby.” I couldn’t hold back my emotions anymore. “Can you please come to Rampart?”

“Rampart? I thought you lived in St. Mary’s area.” Roy was baffled, the only time someone from another area would be sent to Rampart would be because of the trauma center. ‘Oh, my God!’ Roy thought, trauma. “Johnny?”

“Yes, Roy?” I sounded a bit calmer, even to me.

“Is Jeremy all right?” Roy’s voice had sounded upset.

“Oh, God, Roy, he’s fine. Well aside from a concussion and severe bruising and some welts, he’s fine.” I sighed, “He’s fine.”

“We’ll be there in twenty minutes, Johnny. Just hang tight.” Roy hung up after that and I sat there too numb to move.

I was in with Jeremy when Roy and Brackett came in. Jeremy had just drifted off to sleep. He looked so lost, so innocent in his sleep, but when he had been awake his brown eyes looked like he’d aged a lifetime. My heart was breaking ever so much when I heard the door open. “He’s so small.” I mumbled.

“Johnny?” Roy put his hand on my shoulder and squeezed. “I’m here now.”

I put my hand on my shoulder and gave Roy’s a pat, “Thanks.” I stood and turned. “He’s asleep, but he did say that he was so afraid of Cheryl. I just wouldn’t listen to him, Roy. He’s been tellin’ me for weeks now that he didn’t want her to sit for him anymore. I just didn’t know why.” I slumped back into the chair I had been sitting in.

Misty Braxton came into the room just as Roy had sat down. “Excuse me, but I need to speak to you, Dr. Brackett. Alone.”

Kel and the nurse left the room. I found out later what had happened.

Kel followed Miss Braxton out into the hall. “What can I do for you Miss Braxton?”

“Can I speak to you,” She looked around, “In private?”

“Sure, let’s go in here,” Kel led her into an unused office. “Now, what’s the problem?”

“It may be nothing, but I heard these two cops talking over by the triage area. They were talking about some kid that had been brought in that had been beaten.” She bowed her head, “I’m sorry Dr. Brackett, but I couldn’t help but get mad. I walked over to where I could hear better. Officer Johnson was saying something about 'picking up that red-skinned bastard who’d beaten his child and blamed it on the baby sitter'. I’m afraid he’s going to try to arrest Mr. Gage.”

Kel sighed as he stood, “Come with me Miss Braxton. I think we need to run interference.”

They walked down the hall back towards the trauma room. Jeremy was going to be moved up to pediatrics in another twenty minutes or so, he was still under observation by the ER staff while the room was being prepared. They had just reached the door when a voice called out.

“Excuse me Doctor.” Detective Mondall called out.

“Yes?” Kel turned to face the much shorter man. He took in the Detectives features. Short, slightly over weight, graying brown hair, piercing blue eyes. “What can I do for you?”

“You can tell me where the Gage kid is.” Mondall crossed his arms over his chest. He looked like he was asking for a fight.

‘Well, if it’s a fight he wants…’ Kel thought before speaking, “May I ask why you need to know this?”

“There’s no need to be obstinate, Doctor.” Mondall stood straighter. “Now, where’s the Gage kid?”

“He’s still being treated, uh, officer?”

“It’s Detective John Mondall.” Mondall sneered, “I’m sure your pretty nurse over there already told you.”

“Look, Detective, I am under no obligation to help you at this moment. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have other patients to tend to.” Kel pushed past the cop and headed toward the Nurses station and more patients.

Mondall huffed then started following. He stopped in front of the first exam room and pushed open the door. The room was occupied by a young couple, the woman obviously in the last stages of labor. “Sorry,” he closed the door and went to the next one. This room was empty, but showed signs that the last person there hadn’t faired very well. He continued walking down the hall and looking into rooms. He finally came to a door marked ‘Trauma Unit 2’ and pushed the door open. “There you are!” He walked over to me and placed his hand on his hip as if ready to go for his gun if I put up a fight. “I need you to come with me, Mr. Gage.”

“Uh-uh, I ain’t going anywhere with you. I didn’t hurt my son and if you don’t believe me, then you’d better get someone in here who’ll listen to me.” I stayed sitting next to my son. Roy was standing on the other side of the exam table watching what was going on.

“You’d better have a warrant officer.” Roy spoke up.

“I don’t need a warrant!” Mondall said.

Johnson walked into the room, “You get him yet?” He sneered at me. I could feel my blood go cold as I watched him walk towards me.

Kel Brackett stepped up then, “I’m afraid you do need a warrant, Detective.”

“Why do we need a warrant, John? You said it’s an open and shut case that all we need to do is arrest the red-skin and we’ll put the kid in protective custody and that’s that.” Johnson was confused.

“I’m afraid it’s not that easy, Officer,” Kel started, “First off, Jeremy Gage told us who did this to him and it was not his father. Also, you can’t just arrest someone for child abuse unless a doctor such as me recommends the removal of the minor from parents’ custody and that the parents are responsible for the abuse. In this case, since the minor child has identified his abuser, you can not by law just arrest Mr. Gage on charges that are not provable.”

Johnson and Mondall stood their ground though. I was getting nervous and worried that my son would be taken away from me. For good. I couldn’t lose my son.

Mrs. Meyers came into the room and took in all that was going on. “Mr. Gage?” She approached me. She hadn’t made any new visits the past year and a half so I assumed everything was all right.

“Hello, Mrs. Meyers. What brings you here?” As if I didn’t know.

“I received a call from the hospital when Jeremy was brought in. S.O.P. I’m sure you know.” She walked over to me with her hand held out. “Nothing for you to worry about, I’m sure.” She actually smiled at me.

“I hope not too.” I tried to smile back but having the cops breathing down my back and my young son sleeping on the exam bed was just about all my nerves could take at the moment.

“Well, I’ve talked to the nurses and the paramedics, I’ve also talked to Dr. Shelly and he assured me that Jeremy is going to be just fine physically.” Meyers smiled at me again, “I must say Mr. Gage your little boy loves you. According to Dr. Shelly Jeremy couldn’t stop talking about you while he was conscious. He kept telling the doctors that it wasn’t your fault and that you’d never hit him in any way.”

“He’s telling the truth, Mrs. Meyers. I’d NEVER lay a hand on my son in anger or,” I turned to the officers in the room, “in any way other than love.”

Mondall sneered, “I don’t know who called you ma’am, but this man’s the only suspect in this case.”

“Really?” Mrs. Meyers turned her attention to the police officers in the room. “And why is that?”

“He’s…” Mondall broke off, he looked at me then turned back, “Can I talk to you outside?”

“You may,” She said and walked out the door.

I found out later that day that the police officer tried his shit on Mrs. Meyers. Here’s what happened.

“What can I do for you Detective?” Mrs. Meyers started.

“What you can do is place that child in protective custody. He doesn’t belong with that piece of red trash in there.” Mondall hissed.

“Excuse me?” Marilyn crossed her arms and stared at the Detective.

“That Indian in there, oops, Native American is nothing more than a drunken, abusive man.” Mondall stated with total conviction.

“I’ll have you know that that man in there hasn’t had anything harder to drink than a beer in the last six-almost seven years. I’ll also have you know that he has NEVER laid a hand on that child in there. Now, if I were you, I’d stop the racial slurs and do your job. Check out a Miss Cheryl Chambers. If Jeremy said that she’s the one who hit him, then she’s the one.” Marilyn was steamed by this time.

“How can you say that?” Mondall was seething, “You know people like that can’t take care of kids. They shouldn’t even be allowed to have children.”

“Do you even know WHO John Gage is, Detective Mondall?”

“Yeah, he’s a drain on society. Some Indian who gets a check from the state every month because of some treaty signed some hundred and fifty years ago.”

“Well, sir, for that you are sadly mistaken. That man does NOT receive any money from any government agency that he DOES NOT work for. He’s a Captain and paramedic trainer with the Los Angeles County Fire Department. He is one of the FIRST paramedics this country has seen and is by far one of the best in this County. If it wasn’t for him and some of his students, my father and mother wouldn’t be here right now.” Marilyn looked back at the door to the room where my son and I were. “He injured himself that night trying to get my mother out of the wrecked car. His son was two and a half years old. I was assigned to him when he was born, and his father’s always been there for the boy. Now, you get your ass in gear and you go hunt up that Chambers woman.”

Mondall stood there huffing. No woman was gonna talk to him that way. “I’ll do whatever I damn well please, Meyers. And right now that is arresting that man in that room for child abuse.” He turned to head back into the room.

Captain Daniel Larson walked up to the two arguing people. “What’s going on here Mondall?”

“This woman’s trying to tell me how to do my job, sir.” Mondall’s stance was totally that of a bully.

“Is that so? And how in the hell is she doing that?” He turned to the woman, “Excuse my language ma’am.”

“Nothing I’ve never heard before, Captain.” Marilyn smiled. She had worked with the captain on some cases over the years.

“What exactly has Mrs. Meyers done that has you so torked, Mondall?”

“She’s trying to tell me that that man in there didn’t beat his son up. I personally think she has something for the man.”

“You’d better be prepared to back those words up, Mondall. I am prepared to have your badge if you so much as touch a hair on anyone’s head. Is that understood?” Larson stepped up and got into Mondall’s face.

“Yes, sir,” Mondall stepped back. “I believe that he hits the boy on a regular basis, Captain. The boy’s body has bruises that are old as well as new, and I’m sure if x-rays were taken, they’d show old breaks in his arms and/or legs.”

“Here’s what I have,” Marilyn stepped in, “In Nineteen-Eighty Nine, three-and-a-half-year-old Jeremy Adam Gage jumped off the fourth stair on the main staircase in his house. His landing was less than stellar and caused a break in the lower right arm. His father saw the whole thing but couldn’t get to the boy before he landed. He drove the boy to the hospital and had the arm set. He also followed procedures and called my office to let us know about the injury. Eight months later, Jeremy came home with the Chicken Pox. These he passed on to his Daddy, making both of them itchy and miserable for two and a half weeks. Other than those times, Captain Larson, Jeremy has not been admitted to a hospital or seen by his doctor for anything other than normal checkups. It’s just been in these past six or so months that things have been happening to the boy. On January twentieth I received a call from Jeremy’s first grade teacher. She reported that Jeremy had been favoring his left leg and was wearing his shirt sleeves rolled down and buttoned. Apparently this was unusual for the boy. I investigated at the time and found nothing out of the ordinary. I haven’t made any home visits for the past eighteen months, but then again, I hadn’t really had a reason to. After the phone call though, I have been checking out what Mr. Gage has been doing. I investigated his girlfriend as well.” She set her file down on a table in the hallway. “She was arrested April twenty-fourth Nineteen Eighty-two on two counts of misdemeanor child abuse in Arapahoe County Colorado. She was given thirteen months supervised probation and ordered to undergo anger management therapy and parenting classes. The children, her son and daughter, were removed from her custody and turned over to the state. She later gave up her rights to the minor children and the state put them up for adoption.”

Larson looked from Marilyn to Mondall. “I want this Chambers woman, and I want her NOW!”

Mondall slithered out of the room as if he’d be eaten if he wasn’t out fast.

“I’m so sorry about the actions of one of the men in my command, Marilyn. Please, forgive me.” Larson smiled, “I mean, if my wife found out I dissed her sister, well, you know what that would mean.”

“I’m just glad I had all this evidence before I said anything. I was really afraid that Mondall character was going to jump the gun and arrest Johnny.” Marilyn smiled at the Captain. “Just keep your boys away from Mr. Gage, okay, Danny.”

“Yeah, Mary, I got ya. Geesh, hope Louise doesn’t hear about this.” Captain Larson walked off shaking his head. He walked into the trauma room to deal with his men.

Cheryl went to jail for several years over that last beating. I wish I could say that Jeremy came through that experience without any scars, but I can’t. Jeremy has always been a strong person, but his experience at the hands of Cheryl Chambers had a lasting affect on my son.

Part Three