Trouble Finds Me. Part 1

Chapter 147

Trouble Finds Me.

Part 1

With the party winding down, I thought I would feel cheated for losing that hour and a half and not being able to have sex with Fran. Yet I had no regrets just more worries about how I was going to juggle one more thing onto my already full plate. The other worries I had was once more I was angry because of Shawn and once more I was cleaning up his mess. Once again I questioned how many boys have they raped before they were stopped? I doubted I would ever get the answer out of him, even if I beat it out him. But the idea did intrigue me as I thought about breaking every bone in his body and hearing his bones snap like a twig and his screams echoing as rammed that hot poker up his butt, for payment due what he and his friends had done.

The other question I had was is Jeff still helping me, if so why hasn’t he told me in person. It has been over two years since I had a face to face conversation with the guy or ghost. Yet I had the feeling that something bad was coming, and had, had it for a very long time. I questioned if it was Jeff contacting me by putting these boys in my path to see if I could help them when I could barely help myself. Or keep my head above the water as if I was slowly drowning.

Again just for a quick moment, I felt like the world was spinning out of control. I took a seat to catch my breath when I realized my mother still hasn’t come back. I grew angry at my self for not even to think for a single moment that my mother could be in danger and angered me because I didn’t think to ask.

I searched the crowd finding no hint of my mother. I began to panic even more finding she hadn’t even come back and it had been over three hours. Not even the Cranny’s were here, knowing they had left about the same time Mom and Dad had. Jody saw the panic in my eyes as she saw how white and scared I was watching me searching for someone. She knew something was wrong by the way I was shaking as I quickly dressed with the phone in one hand dressing myself with the other.

The only thing I didn’t have access too was my shoes and socks being locked inside Greg’s room and there was no time in hunting down the key so I could get them. It’s not the first time I had run around town barefoot and most likely would never be my last.

The phone kept ringing and my panic grew even more.  I cursed and said. “Jody take me home, something’s wrong. My mother hasn’t returned and no one is picking up the phone.” She gave me a worried look and nodded and dressed quickly. I found Stringum and Bishop Earl and told them where I was going. I saw them cringe and realizing like me they hadn’t noticed my mother missing.

How could they when they had million other things to attend too. Bishop Earl wasted no time and neither did Mr. Stringum they didn’t bother with clothing as they each grabbed a robe from the closet as Bishop Earl grabbed the car keys telling his wife that my mother was missing had been for more than three hours. She said Aaron too wasn’t here that the Cranny’s had taken him with them when they left with all their kids.

My panic grew even more. Now finding Aaron too was missing. Bishop Earl peeled out of the driveway as we headed for my mother's house. When we arrived the front door was wide open and the lights were out and only my mother’s car sat in the driveway. Not even a police car was in sight, which said something bad had happened. True I wasn’t home I was at the party and they knew no harm would come to me there. Bishop Earl and Mr. Stringum told me to stay in the car.

Jody stated the obvious asking me if the Cranny’s were spending the weekend here with my mother. I shrugged my shoulder said. “Far as I knew they were, but I had thought that Paul and his boys were staying overnight and his wife and two children were going home. And he was planning to bring my mother with him on Monday.” She asked me if I knew where they lived. I shook my head as I watched Mr. Stringum run back out of the house, he looked scared, he grabbed my wrist where my watch was and hit the panic button. Telling me, my mother wasn’t inside only Paul was. He’d been tranquilized and tied up and his two boys and my brother were locked inside my room.

I breathed a sigh of relief finding my brother safe, watching Bishop Earl walking out completely naked as the three boys were only dressed in pair of boxers and a shirt, bring the boys out had them sit in the car as we waited for help. First thing I noticed was the blindfolds around their eyes that Bishop Earl had ripped strips of his robe to create them, and Paul wasn’t among them. As I watched Bishop Earl removed their blindfolds, I could hear the sirens making their way into the neighborhood.

Bishop Earl was shaking as I watched his hands tremble to make a quick waist robe out what was left of his robe. Then I noticed the blood on his arms and hands as well as his knees. Even the boys had blood on their clothes. I was about to get out when Stringum told me not to get out of the car for any reason. Asking me the same questions Jody did regarding the Cranny’s stay.

The Cranny boys filled in the missing piece that they had been here maybe 30 minutes after their mother dropped them off when all hell broke loose. Just long enough to find out that my sisters weren’t home and my mother went to find out why watching someone pick her up and drive off. That in itself brought up a question. Why would my mother call for a ride rather than take her car? Aaron's said when they asked that the car had broken down and Paul was fixing it but was waiting on parts that wouldn’t be in until sometime next week.

Robert and Michael continued on to what else had happened and said there was a loud banging on the door as men wearing black ski masks kicked in the front door. Their Dad told them to run to my room and lock the door, knowing it was the safest place in the house. They heard fighting as their Dad yelled telling them not to open the door for any reason. Then he slumped against the door.  The other question I had but didn’t ask was how they unlocked my bedroom door when I was the only one in the house that had a key. I knew Stringum, and Bishop Earl had a key and so the police officers as well as Officer Kenly. Stringum and Bishop Earl were at the party and Officer Kenly and family was out of town and wouldn’t be back until Monday night.

Soon after there were noises everywhere in the house, they opened the bedroom to see what was going on after not hearing anything from their Dad, but when they opened the door he fell in the doorway. He was out cold and tied up and naked covered with blood, not his. It took all three of them to bring him inside the room. As the men in black ski mask yelled to their friends to help them open my door, demanding them to open the door or they would break it open and also wanting to know were I was and Jake, as well as his brother Billy and Adam that they, if they came out no harm, would come to them they, just wanted them. So they could deal with our demon souls and send us back to hell where we belonged.

Aaron told them they weren’t here and far as he knew they were at the party, and that there was no way they could break into my room once the door was locked. They tried everything to get in, but just in case they moved the dresser and the bed against the door; before they could break down the door, unsure if it would really hold them out. The window was shatterproof as they watched men trying to break it unsuccessful. They left quickly hearing police sirens soon after Aaron had picked up the phone dialed for help.

It was soon after when we came and Mr. Stringum unlocked the door telling them the coast was clear. Their Dad was still out cold and they couldn’t untie the knots in the dark because the power was out and they had nothing in the room to cut them with. It wasn’t long before the police started to line up in front of the house as Mr. Stringum and Bishop Earl repeated everything the boys said.

I watched as Officer Walter Kane, pulled up with his partner Officer Knox, both officer I knew, well I knew Officer Knox more than Officer Kane who I had met briefly the last time I was home. He quickly got the jest what had happened. I did too as the headlights shown against the house. I cringed seeing the graffiti spray painted with satanic makers. Just like the ones that had been painted on my Rothwell’s home, and throughout my little neighborhood.

Bishop Earl tossed Jody the keys to the car and told her to take us back to his house and tie me down if she had too. Yeah like that was going to happen, as I quickly got out of the car only too be shoved inside a police car by three policemen one of them being officer Knox. Warning me if I even thought about going inside the house they would make damn sure that wasn’t going to happen as Officer Knox and his partner spun the handcuffs around their fingers. Telling me I don’t want to see the mess inside the house that would give me more nightmares than I already had, and besides my mother wasn’t home and neither were my sisters.

Which was true, as I slumped down into my seat and listened to the police scanner as Officer Knox put an all-points bulletin (APB) out on my mother. And sending someone to contact Mrs. Cranny regarding her where bouts and inform her that they had their husband and her boys and both were safe at the moment, as they waited for the paramedics too attended to their Dad. Who was still out cold, but on a stretcher untied and covered with a blood-soaked sheet?

I really didn’t need to know more than that. I knew without a doubt that Crawford was behind it. I knew they had all the information to where I lived, after all, it was no secret. Anyone could have figured that out without much digging. Hell, it was on my church records and on my school records, besides the phone book. It seemed it didn’t matter where I went trouble would always find me.

After the boys had given their statements and Bishop Earl rode in the ambulance with Paul, telling Officer Knox and Kane to take me back to his house for safe keeping. Stringum climbed in beside me smiling as if it was just a joy ride in a police car. The fact that my watch was still blink said that they didn’t really care if my adoptive parent’s phone was ringing off the hook or that my caseworker had been alerted and also my grandmother.

All I could do was watch Jody follow us from behind, I suggested several spots where my mother might be, but nothing would get them to refrain from their destination. Telling me they’ll send others to go look for my mother the second I was secured where no one could get to me or my bother as well as my friends.

It still didn’t make me feel any better because of not knowing where my mother was. I could have cared less about my father or my sisters. Mostly it was Susan and my father I didn’t care about, providing that Becky wasn’t putting on a show stating she was on the verge of turning over a new leaf. Yet I still questioned my mother regarding that as well; trust is earned and so far my mother has earned some. Becky hadn’t, not yet anyway.

The first thing I noticed was the police cars blocking off the street, the moment we had arrived they opened the barricaded and letting us through and re-closed it. All I heard was that so far there was no trouble and they were only letting people out not in. Why would there be providing if they were stupid to show up here in the first place? When there are lots of people here that could most likely stop them.

Besides the fact by the time, they would have gotten here the place would have been surrounded by police in a matter of minutes. It wasn’t long before we pulled into the Bishop Earls driveway. I could hear the music still echoing in the backyard as I was quickly ushered in and told to sit on the coach having Jody and Cindy babysit me as well as Mr. Stringum. He smiled as he patted me on the knee pretending to be unconcern other than to make sure I didn’t move.

I had been informed that my caseworker was on her way and so were my adoptive parents as well as each of the boy’s parents. As Officer Knox removed my watch with his pocket knife and took it off me. I cringed when he took his baton and beat the living hell out of it. Complaining that it was a worthless piece of crap, the fact that it was new meant nothing, the fact that anti tranquilizer was running through my veins made the watch unless anyway. True the anti tranquilizer could be replaced easy enough and Dad had extra just in case this happened.

The only thing I knew it worked and I cringed as he smashed into a million pieces, just because they didn’t have the key or the code to reset it. If only we had cell phones where all they had to do was call my Dad and get the code, but no. All they could do is get the satisfaction that it worked; instead pounding on the neighbor’s door in the middle of the night to call for help.

They pushed the panic button to bring in the Calvary to my unneeded rescue as I sat there safe and secure inside Bishop Earls car. While those same neighbors were wakened up anyway. True who’s not to say if they weren’t the ones that called the police in the first places and they were already in route to save me?

Not that I am complaining other than the fact I liked my new watch and now it would be a least a week if not longer before I got a new one. They aren’t cheap, and I knew money didn’t grow on trees. Dad always made sure I had one whenever I visited my mother. Now once again we were counting on that my father wouldn’t take advantage of it and tries too do something stupid, well that might be a little too late considering no one has found him or my sisters or my mother for that matter, At least no one is saying anything other than the fact I am told to sit on the couch until further notices as my brother Aaron and the Cranny boys are being cleaned up and re-questioned.

It wasn’t long before my caseworker arrived, seeing me sitting like a prisoner; she didn’t ask if I was harmed, she only asked if they found my mother and to pleases let me call my grandmother before she goes out of her mind with worry. I had to admit that was the least they could have done the moment I walked into the house, but no, here I sat and told not to move a single inch from the coach. Personally, they could have let me join my friends out on the patio, but they didn’t want me to frighten them with the news that our troubles had followed us here. Again I had to admit that was the best idea as of yet.

I quickly picked up the phone and called my grandmother who had picked up on the first ring regardless if it was one in the morning. She breathed a sigh of relief hearing my voice before she laid into me for not calling her the very moment my watch notified her letting her know that panic button had been pushed. Several times I had to pull the phone away from my ear before she caused me to go deaf.

I waited for her to get out of her system as I watched our guest leave out the side gate the moment they were handed back their clothes and dressed; while someone took over handing them a flyer of the next party on the list. The party was officially over, and I didn’t really get the opportunity too dance with anyone on my list or use my tent. If my father was standing in front of me I would deck him for ruining everything.

I had learned from my grandmother that mother had called her to inform her that he and my sisters were missing and had been since 9 am when she dropped them both off at the church house. Knowing he had come home because he had searched my room and the house while his daughters packed a suitcase, finding them missing out of their closets when she came home to find out why Becky didn’t show up to the party, with Evan or Jim Bob and their sisters that Bishop Earl was throwing.

That when she talked to them they had found the church house locked and as well as nobody home. So they came to the party without her. By that time it was nearly 8 pm and now it was past one in the morning. We all questioned if this was all connected or if this was something entirely different.

Grandma said to call her when we knew more, giving a list of relatives that my father has contacted in the past that lived out of state. Stating if she finds them before she does she’ll call us. Then when we bring them home he was going to get a hell of a butt kicking. That he’d be lucky if he sat down for a year. Like I said before Grandma seldom leaves the house anymore and the fact she doesn’t drive doesn’t help.

It was almost 1:30 when Bishop Earl came home with Paul both wearing hospital scrubs and barefoot. He said Paul would live with a mild headache from the animal tranquilizer they used on him, and asked if we had heard anything from his wife or my mother. We all shook our heads as Greg’s mother updated them. Only to have to repeat everything when my adoptive parents and my friend’s parents walked in the door, asking what the hell was going on as Mom quickly lifted off my shirt and had me turn around so she and Dad could inspect me.

The fact that Bishop Earl said I was fine wasn’t good enough until saw it for themselves. They didn’t apologize just handed me back my shirt so I could put it back on as they repeated all that had transpired. Which wasn’t much other then the fact they were unsure if it was all connected? Something told me it wasn’t, after all, it’s not the first time my father had tried something like this.

Mrs. Earl made up sleeping arrangements for the Cranny boys and my brother down in the basement where they wouldn’t be disturbed. Dad was having Kerry and her husband watch my three brothers and the house while he and Mom rushed back here only to find out that I wasn’t the one in trouble. He cringed when Officer Knox handed him the watch inside a plastic sandwich bag. Telling him it had malfunctioned well that was what the report was going to say. So the company would simply replace it for free. Dad said. “You have no idea how many times I have given that line too them do you?”

Mr. Stringum said. “Tell them they don’t replace it you will be taking your businesses elsewhere?”

Dad gave a tried heavy sigh, mumbling. “He only had it for 3 days.”

My casework said as she plumps down in the nearest seat. “Well, now that you’re here Mr. Mrs. Rothwell my service are no longer needed, considering you are his parents and he certainly in no danger and is unharmed… Physically,” she paused and cringed when she saw me noting it was in poor taste. Stating the fact I was physically ok, it was the mentally part they were unsure of. According to her, I wasn’t her problem anymore, I was the Rothwell’s problem considering they had adopted me and signed on the dotted line. The only reason she was here because neither of my parents was at the time of the crisis. Even the Cranny boys had at least one parent here, and my brother wasn’t her concern when my mother has in the past let my adoptive parents step in where needed.

She quickly picked up her briefcase and made her way to the door and turned around and said. “Perhaps Mr. Rothwell maybe we should discontinue the use of the monitoring devices on your son. He hasn’t yet really needed it in over the last 2 years as often it has malfunctioned causing everyone to panic for no reason.”

Bishop Earl, Dad, Mr. Stringum and I all said at the same time. “That’s not going to happen.”

Mr. Stringum stood up and said. “And I can guarantee he’ll have a new one before he even leaves this house if I have anything to do with it.”

She nodded and said. “Very well then, good night gentlemen.”