“This better be good, Llew.”
“Leslie, help me! You gotta help me! I think I’m getting ready to get arrested!”
“Whoa, whoa, Llewellyn, slow down!” Llew ran to the living room and peeked out the curtains. “Oh my god! Oh my god!” Four sheriff’s cruisers were out front along with the mayor’s black BMW. He was screaming and pointing at Llew’s house, probably insisting they open fire on it.
“I can’t hear! Turn that fuckin’ music off now.” Llew heard his brother yelling in the background. There was scuffling and static as his brother probably tried to get to a quieter place to talk. “Llew! Llew, what’s going on?”
Llew ran his hands through his hair while he paced in his living room. “We got caught, Leslie. Moss’ parents came home while we were doing it. They caught us.” Llew was sobbing now; he couldn’t hold it back any longer.
“Okay, Llew calm down. It’s gonna be okay. The mayor can be mad all he wants that his son is gay but there isn’t—”
“Moss said I raped him, Leslie! His dad went crazy. I had to fight my way out of there and I ran home half-naked! Now there’s four sheriff cars out front with the mayor. Oh god. They’re gonna take me to jail, Leslie!”
“That fuckin’ bastard! I knew he wasn’t shit. I’m gonna call Sheriff Bailey, Llew.” Leslie was winded, sounding like he was running.
“I don’t see him. I don’t see Sheriff Bailey out there. None of them are gonna listen to me, Leslie.”
“He might still be on vacation. Llew, don’t worry. I’ll straighten everything out. I’ll call his cell, okay? He’ll come get you until I can get there. I know everything. I know you and Moss have been dating. It’s going to be fine. I’m going call him, too. I’ll threaten his little ass and he’ll tell the truth. Can you hear me, Llew? I’m coming—”
His brother’s words were cut off by the hard pounding on his front door. “Leslie, I’m scared. Come and get me, please. You know I didn’t rape him.”
“Of course I know that. I’m on my way, okay? I’m leaving right now; I’ll be there in a few hours!”
“Llewellyn we know you’re in there! Open the door!”
“That’s Deputy Jamison,” Llew cried. “He hates me. He’s going to put me in jail, Leslie.”
“Open the door or we’ll kick it in! Three! Two!—”
“Leslie!”
“Llewellyn!”
The front door shattered around the knob as Deputy Jamison and two other deputies burst through the door, their guns pointed at his chest; yelling for him to get down on the floor. Llew didn’t think he’d ever been so terrified in all his life. Even his parents dying wasn’t this frightening, because Leslie had been right there by his side the entire time.
Now he could just barely hear his brother’s panicked yells through the fallen receiver over the deputies’ orders.
“Get down on the ground now! Right now, Llewellyn! Don’t make me tase you!” Jamison yelled.
“Llew do what they say!” Leslie screamed through the receiver. “Don’t resist, Llew. I’m on my way to get you! Can you hear me?”
Tears streaked down Llew’s cheeks from his wide eyes. He weaved his hands behind his head like they barked at him to do. He dropped down to his knees just as Deputy Jamison rushed over, pushing him face first to the hardwood floor. He yelled out in pain at the rough way his arms were twisted behind him while a two hundred fifty pound man put all his weight down on the knee in the center of his back.
“Llewellyn Gardner, you’re under arrest for the rape of one Moss McGregor the sixth. 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 provided for you. Do you understand the rights I have just read to you?”
Llew heard Jamison talking, but he couldn’t wrap his around the reality. He’d just been placed under arrest and read his rights. As clearly as he knew everything was a big mistake and it would all be worked out soon, he was still scared shitless.
“Do you understand? Yes or no, Mr. Gardner?” Jamison screamed at him.
“Y-yes, sir.” Llew finally stammered. He was yanked up to his feet, and he got a look at the other four officers inside his home, rummaging through their belongings. Oh my god. They’re searching my house.
While Jamison dug his hands inside his hoodie pockets and his pants, searching for god knows what, he eyed him with a look of pure disgust. “I always knew you were a piece of shit, Llewellyn. You and your brother. I should’ve run you guys out of town years ago, but Bailey insisted you two were good. But when he sees that poor McGregor kid and what you did to him, he’ll know.”