Chapter 19
It was fifteen before eight that Sunday night.
Darin grabbed his pack of Marlboros off the dresser and headed out of his motor court room.
He walked over to the Bel-Air, got inside, and started up the engine. He turned on the radio, and the Bridge over Troubled Water song by Simon and Garfunkel played on the radio.
Darin whistled along with the song while he drove the Bel-Air out of the motor court parking lot and headed west on Marshall Avenue.
Once he got to the end of Marshall, he headed south on Primrose Avenue.
He headed south on Primrose and turned onto the dirt road that led to Lake Willow.
Darin parked his Bel-Air in the dirt area. He turned off the radio and shut off the engine.
He got out of the car and walked over to one of the benches.
He sat down on the bench that he and Sheryl used. He lit up a Marlboro and waited while he smoked. His heart started to race, thinking that Sheryl would arrive any second. He couldn’t wait.
Three minutes had passed, and Darin heard car tires driving over the dirt.
He turned around and smiled when he saw Sheryl behind the wheel of her Malibu. Her door window was down, and he heard the song Riders on the Storm song by The Doors play from her radio. His heart raced, and he got butterflies in his stomach.
Darin smiled and flicked his half-smoked Marlboro into the dirt while she turned off her radio and shut off her engine. He turned around again and saw Sheryl walking over to the bench.
“Fancy meeting you here at the lake, Mister Thomas,” she said when she walked up to the bench.
“It’s a lovely place to watch the sunset,” he said while he looked at the sun that started to touch the hilly horizon.
“I know, my boyfriend Darin and I would come here as often when we can,” she said while she sat down next to Darin.
This was so strange for Darin to be sitting on this exact bench with Sheryl once again. But it felt so good that Darin had to turn his head, as his eyes started to well up.
“So, how are you enjoying our town so far?” said Sheryl while she sat down on the bench to Darin’s right.
“It’s charming,” said Darin and gave her a warm smile and felt confident he wouldn’t start crying. “I made a right choice by coming back here,” he added then cringed the second he realized he said something he shouldn’t have.
Sheryl looked over at Darin a little confused. “You said, coming back here. I thought this was your first time in Burkeville?”
Darin looked at Sheryl with an opened mouth. He fought hard to come up with a viable response. “I actually drove through this town two years ago while heading down to Florida. I was up in upper New York,” he said and silently prayed she would believe him.
“Ah, I see,” said Sheryl.
It got quiet while the two gazed at the sinking sun.
Sheryl would glance at Darin then she would glance back at the lake numerous times. She couldn’t get over this feeling on how much this old guy reminded her of her Darin.
“Maybe if you get a teaching job at the university, Darin would be one of your students. He loves history,” said Sheryl.
Darin looked at her and gave a little smile. “Yeah, that would be nice,” he said.
“You know, I really need to get you to meet with Darin. I know you two will get along great. When he gets back from Ocean City, I’ll have us get together,” she said.
“Yeah, that would be nice,” said Darin, and he removed a Marlboro from his pocket. He put it in his mouth and removed his lighter from his pocket.
Sheryl saw him and frowned. “Please don’t smoke around me. It’s a nasty and unhealthy habit,” she said.
Darin looked at Sheryl’s eyes and smiled. He put his cigarette back in the pack.
“You should quit. It indeed causes lung cancer,” she said in a motherly tone that Darin knew all too well. She often talked about smoking and lung cancer when she saw their fellow classmates smoking.
“I know, I do need to quit,” he said, and this was the first time he actually felt like he should quit smoking.
Darin and Sheryl had their eyes on the sun while it was halfway gone over the horizon. What they didn’t see was two eyes peering at them from the woods.
“So, do you have a girlfriend or wife?”
“I do have a wife. But we have an unhappy marriage,” he said.
“That’s so sad. Nobody should have an unhappy marriage,” she said.
Darin looked at her and hesitated. “I had a girlfriend a long time ago. We were going to get married. She was my soul mate.”
“What happened to her?”
Darin hesitated while she looked at Sheryl’s soft brown eyes. “She was murdered right after we graduated from high school,” he said, and his eyes started to well up.
Sheryl felt so sorry for Darin that she hugged him. “I’m so sorry to hear that,” she said during the hug.
Darin placed his arms around Sheryl, and he fought hard from crying, as she felt so good in his arms.
Sheryl pulled away from Darin and saw tears running down his cheek. Then for some unexplained reason, she leaned over and kissed Darin on his lips.
Darin couldn’t believe he was kissing his soul mate again.
Sheryl suddenly pulled away as his kiss felt so familiar to her. “I’m so sorry. I don’t know why I did that,” she said, and for some reason, she didn’t feel guilty like she was cheating on Darin. Kissing that old hippy felt just like she was kissing her Darin.
It was quiet between Darin and Sheryl while they watched the sun sink below the horizon.
“Well, I better get home,” said Sheryl, and she got off the bench.
Darin looked at her and knew that tomorrow night would be her last night alive. “Can I meet you here tomorrow night? I promise no kissing. I just want to talk to you. You remind me so much of my girlfriend,” he said.
“I do?”
“You do.”
“What was her name?”
Darin looked at Sheryl and had to come up with another name. “Her name, ah, her name was,” he said, and his mind drew a blank. “Her name was Cheri,” he said.
“Cheri,” said Sheryl. “I would love to watch the sunset tomorrow night with you,” she said.
“Great, I’ll meet you here around the same time,” said Darin.
“Okay, well, goodnight,” said Sheryl, and she gave him a warm smile then turned around.
Darin watched her walk back to her Malibu, get inside, and started up the engine.
She tooted the horn to say goodnight to Darin while she drove away. Darin smiled, knowing that tomorrow night would be a success.
The lake was quiet while her Malibu drove down the dirt road and left the area.
Darin removed that Marlboro from his cigarette and lit it up. He was in dire need of a nicotine fix.
So while he smoked, he thought about his little time chatting with Sheryl. And of course, that kiss brought another smile on his face.
Three minutes had passed.
Darin heard footsteps walking up behind him. He smiled, thinking that Sheryl came back to the lake. He turned around and saw Robbie Hanson strutting, with a hint of a sway, up to him with a Budweiser beer can in his right hand. “What the fuck does he want?” Darin quietly said and felt intimidated again by Robbie’s presence.
“Hello there,” said Robbie while he walked up to the bench.
“Ah, hello,” said Darin and wished Robbie would leave.
Robbie sat down next to Darin’s left, and he could sense Robbie was drunk.
“I’ve seen you here at the lake before,” said Robbie with a strange, friendly grin.
“You have? When?” said Darin, and he started to get nervous.
“I did. I saw you here on Thursday night. Sitting all alone,” said Robbie, and this time, his voice was different. It was friendlier, a little too friendly for the same guy that bullied Darin for years.
Darin’s eyes widened when he felt Robbie’s right hand on top of Darin’s left thigh. He looked down and saw Robbie’s hand while he started to rub the top of Darin’s thigh. “What do you want?” said Darin in a little disbelief and moved his leg away.
“You know what I want,” said Robbie in a soft voice while his hand went after Darin’s thigh.
“No, I don’t,” said Darin then his eyes widened in shock when Robbie’s right hand rubbed its way to Darin’s crotch.
“Why don’t we go into the woods where we can have some privacy?” said Robbie while he fondled Darin’s crotch.
It took a few seconds, but it dawned on Darin that Robbie really liked men. “I don’t think so,” said Darin, and he removed Robbie’s hand off his crotch.
“Ah come on, I know you hippies like sex with guys,” said Robbie and he grabbed Darin’s crotch. “I want to blow you,” said Robbie while he squeezed Darin’s crotch.
“You got me all wrong,” said Darin and he grabbed Robbie’s hand and removed it off his crotch.
“Come on, nobody will ever find out,” said Robbie, and he grabbed Darin’s crotch again. “I enjoy giving blow jobs,” he said and squeezed Darin’s crotch.
“NO!” yelled out, Darin while he shooed Robbie’s hand away.
“Come on, man, I know you want it. All you fucking hippies want a blow job,” said Robbie and he grabbed and squeezed Darin’s crotch.
Without thinking, Darin pushed Robbie off the bench then he stood up. “Robbie Hanson’s a queer, Robbie Hanson’s a queer,” Darin called out in a taunting tone that mimicked the way Robbie taunted Darin and the other kids during school.
Robbie got furious, as he hated that word. He jumped up to his feet. “Never call me that,” he said while he inched over to Darin with fists clinched. Robbie took a swing at Darin, but it was a clumsy swing, as he had too much beer in his belly. Robbie fell flat on his face dropping his Budweiser beer can. Beer started to pour out into the dirt.
Darin stared down at Robbie, and he recalled Friday night here at the lake when Robbie tried to force himself on Sheryl. His blood started to boil. He clenched his fists.
Robbie stood up, and Darin swung his right arm, and his fist contacted Robbie’s jaw.
Robbie flew backward and landed on his back with a hard thud that almost took the wind out of him. It took a few seconds for him to realize that he was punched in the face. He sat up and spit out a broken tooth. “You broke my tooth,” he cried out when he saw his tooth in the dirt.
Robbie got up pissed and saw that Darin was gone.
He looked and saw Darin rush inside that 52 Bel-Air, start up the engine, then sped off down the dirt road. He was furious and raced off into the woods.
Darin raced the Bel-Air north on Primrose Avenue.
“Why the fuck did I do that? That was stupid!” he cried out and suddenly got fearful of Robbie telling someone he hit him. “What the fuck did I do?” he said. He smiled. “I punched Robbie Hanson. I finally punched that asshole,” he cried out and banged on the steering wheel for joy.
But what he didn’t notice in his rearview mirror was the headlights of a car that suddenly drove off the north shoulder and onto Primrose Avenue. Robbie’s Camaro tailed Darin’s Bel-Air.
A little while later down Primrose Avenue, Darin slowed the Bel-Air down and made a right turn onto Marshall Avenue.
“Maybe he won’t tell since he tried to lure me into the woods for sex,” Darin said while he thought about what just happened. He started chuckling. “Robbie Hanson’s gay,” cried out while laughing. “He’s queer,” he said between laughs. Darin’s eyes widened when he figured something out. “No wonder he was such a bully. He was hiding the fact that he was gay,” said Darin and for a split second, he actually felt sorry for the bully.
Darin chuckled while he drove all the way down Marshall Avenue.
But what he still didn’t notice in his rearview mirror was that Robbie’s Camaro that was tailing him down Marshall.
A little while later, Darin pulled the Bel-Air into the lot of the Burkeville Motor Court.
He parked the Bel-Air by Room 30, got out and went inside his room.
Robbie’s Camaro continued to drive down Marshall Avenue.
Robbie made a U-turn on Marshall and headed back east.
He drove past the motor court and eventually turned south on Thorndale. He was steaming mad for getting punched in the face. Plus he was nervous about his father finding out. So he concocted a cover story to save his butt.
Thirty minutes had passed.
Back at the Burkeville Motor Court, Darin lay in bed and watched The Glenn Campbell Goodtime Hour while he smoked a Marlboro. He knew that his father was watching this show at this moment, as it was Henry’s favorite.
A loud banging on Darin’s motor court door that startled him out of his bed.
Darin wondered who would be visiting him at this hour. It dawned on him, and he got nervous. He peeked outside from the room curtains and saw Chief Hanson with Officer White standing outside. Chief Hanson looked pissed.
“Open up,” yelled out Chief Hanson while he pounded on the door with his right fist.
Darin knew he couldn’t run, so he walked over and opened up his room door.
Chief Hanson busted inside the room with fire in his eyes, knocking Darin down to the floor.
“Get up!” he yelled at Darin.
Darin’s legs shook while he stood up. “He started it,” he said.
“Bullshit,” said Chief Hanson and he punched Darin in his stomach.
Darin gasped for air while he buckled over in pain.
“You’re under arrest for assault and battery on my son,” said Chief Hanson.
“He tried to have sex with me. He forced himself on me,” said Darin while he cradled his stomach with his hands.
“Bullshit!” said Chief Hanson and he punched Darin in his face sending him flying on his back.
Officer White glanced down at Darin while he squirmed in pain. He found Darin’s story to be interesting.
“Read this asshole his rights, then place the turd in the back of the squad car,” said Chief Hanson then he turned around and stormed out of the room.
Officer White reached down and brought Darin up to his feet. “You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed for you,” said Officer White while he escorted Darin out of the motor court room and escorted him and put him in the rear of the Plymouth Fury squad car.
It was a quiet ride in the squad car to the police station.
The Burkeville Police Station had jail cells that were located a hallway from the bathrooms. The station only had four, and Chief Hanson jokingly called it Cell Way.
At the end of Cell Way was a desk that one of the officers would occupy when they had prisoners in one or all of the cells.
After Darin was booked and gave the name of David Thomas from Orlando, Florida, he was placed in a jail cell number two. The same cell Tiffany used so many years in the future.
Darin stood in his cell. He was depressed while he paced back and forth in his eight by ten temporary residence.
He stopped pacing and sat on his bunk in his cell, shaking with fear of his destiny.
It was later that night, and Officer White walked up to Darin’s cell to check upon him.
“Thomas,” he said when he walked up to the cell door.
Darin got up from the bunk and walked over to the cell door.
“Why would you use a story that the Chief’s son wanted to have sex with you?”
“Because it’s true. I was there at the lake to watch the sunset as I’ve done before. I was there with Sheryl,” said Darin then he cringed wondering if he should bring her into this mess.
“Sheryl, Sheryl who?” said Officer White.
“Sheryl Watson,” said Darin knowing he better not lie about that part.
“Sheryl Watson? The Mayor’s daughter?” said Officer White, and that piqued his interest.
“Yes.”
“So tell me what happened.”
“After Sheryl left, Robbie walked out of the woods. He was drinking beer. Budweiser,” said Darin taking mental notes. “Go on.”
“He sat down on the bench next to me and started to rub my thigh then he rubbed my crotch. I moved his hand away.”
“And then what?”
“He said he liked giving guys blow jobs and said that hippies liked having sex with men.”
“Then, you punched him?”
“No, I got up off the bench, he swung at me, missed and fell flat on his face,” said Darin. “Then I called him a queer after I recalled him trying to force himself on Sheryl Watson on Friday night.”
Officer Eastwood found that last piece interesting. “He tried to force himself on Sheryl Watson on Friday? Where?”
“At the graduation party at the lake.”
“Why were you down there? That’s only for the kids that graduated.”
“I know, but, I, ah,” said Darin and couldn’t come up with a viable excuse.
“Well, maybe that’s why he thought you liked having sex with younger men?” said Officer Eastwood.
“No. I’m not that way,” said Darin and he fought hard to come up with an excuse. “I was down there to only watch the sunset. Some kids showed up, gave me a beer, as they were so happy about graduating. So, I just stayed,” he said and silently prayed Officer White would believe his story.
“Okay, anyway. So what happened after you called Robbie a queer?”
“After he got up on his feet, I punched him in his face and left the lake. And now I’m here,” said Darin.
Officer Eastwood looked at Darin’s eyes. “Okay, thanks,” said Officer White, and he walked away.
Officer White sat back down at his desk in the office area. For some strange reason, he believed Darin’s story, as he always had a hunch there was something queer about Robbie.
He got up and walked over to the coffee table near the Chief’s office. He poured a cup of coffee and walked back to his desk.
He sat at his desk and ran Darin’s story over and over again through his head.
An idea popped in his head. “I’ll talk with Sheryl Watson,” he said, then picked up the phone. He was halfway with dialing the Mayor’s home phone when he stopped. He got nervous with trying to question the Mayor’s daughter. He could hear the Chief’s cursing at him for his ass chewing for doing that.
He put the phone down and decided to drop it.
He opened up a drawer on his desk and removed the latest Penthouse magazine. He opened it up and started to check out the naked women while he drank his coffee.