Published: 2 Jun 2022
From Previous Chapter:
Mark asked him if he was to wash his hands up to his elbows, then he quickly ran away. But the boy came back to ask where the bathroom was. Mr. Wayne, still smiling from what the boy said, took him to the half-bath located just outside the Study.
Mr. Ken went to the Foyer and greeted the two detectives who arrived a little early. But just before the man closed the Foyer Door, he noticed two more vehicles entering the estate and then one more followed. The man waited at the Foyer for the last three people to arrive for the interview of Mark Golderson.
When the Cover boys went up to the Pavilion to meet up with their friends, their friends all yelled, “What took you so long.” Then, they all laughed.
Matthew couldn’t contain himself and blurted out they had a new ‘brother’.
That shut the Covers’ friends up, and quick.
Robert told Matthew to keep quiet, and then he asked everyone to take a seat and that they had some news they wanted to tell them. After everyone was seated under the Pavilion, Robert stood in front of the group.
“Yes … we have a new ‘brother. I’m sure you all heard about the home invasion that happened last night. Our new ‘brother’, his name is Mark. He was the boy that our dad carried out of the house, if you saw the news video.
“At about one o’clock, the Sheriff’s detectives … they will be here to interview Mark about what he knows about last night. Our dad … he told us some stuff, but he wants us to wait to say anything to you, so we don’t get it messed up with what you heard on the news,” finished Robert.
“So … you have a new ‘brother’. How old is he? And was he injured at all during the home invasion?” asked Logan.
“Mark, he will be ten next month, and he was hidden in what the news people called a hidey hole. He did see … oh, I … I can’t say anymore,” abruptly stopped the teenager.
“What did your dad say about Billy? Did he know how badly injured he was?” spoke up Eric.
Robert had forgotten that his Best Friend would be there, and he knew as much as they did, and maybe more, and he forgot to tell Eric not to mention Billy to their friends. Now that the cat was out of the bag, the older Cover knew he needed to say something.
“Billy … he was there too?” asked a curious Jamie, one of Billy’s original friends.
“Yes … he was there,” spoke up Lonnie. “I talked to Billy last weekend. We talked for about forty minutes. He told me all about his new foster home, parents and now the Covers’ new ‘brother’, Mark.”
“Why didn’t you tell us that. You could have told us how he was doing and everything,” argued Gabe.
“Well … because Billy asked me not to tell you guys. He said that with him gone … he would probably never be back here … and that we all needed to move on,” explained Lonnie.
“But he is coming back,” said Eric.
“He is?” asked a surprised Brad.
“Yes … our big ‘brother’ … he will be coming back here to live … after he gets out of the hospital,” spoke up Robert. “Our dad … he doesn’t know how badly he was injured,” was all the teen Cover got out before he was interrupted by Matthew.
“Mark told us they had beaten him really bad,” offered Matthew.
“Beaten? I thought they said one teen was shot. The news people never said anything about a teen being beaten. All they said was a teen was shot,” spoke up Cody.
“It was Kaden,” offered Kevin, who then put his hands over his mouth knowing he said something he probably shouldn’t have.
“Kaden? How did he get involved?” asked Jamie.
“Guys, guys … listen up,” yelled Robert, to get everyone’s attention. “Mark … he told us this morning that Kaden also called Billy. But our dad … he told us the boy who was shot… it was Kaden. He told us that Lt. Dan told him Kaden was shot … that Kaden was shot … in his back.”
That revelation that Kaden was at the home, and was shot in the back, caused the boys to start talking amongst themselves and the noise of forty plus boys as they tried to speak over one another, at the same time, made for a very deafening Pavilion.
“Guys, guys,” yelled Robert, to try to get them to settle down, “Look …none of that was released to the news media and you can’t … you CAN’T go out and start telling people what we just told you.
“You saw what happened when one of your parents, or somebody who was also told by them, called the news media about Matthew … about our ‘brother’ being the one who told the police about the possible armed robbery last Christmas.
“You have got to keep what we just talked about quiet … until you hear it on the news. You all got that?” loudly asked Robert.
“Yea, we all got that … but tell us more about Billy coming back,” implored Cooper.
“Guys … we won’t know anything more until our dad and Mark … until they go over to the hospital later, and see him and Mark’s parents. We hope they will let him see him and find out how badly he was hurt. But … we also have to remember that our new ‘brother … both of his parents were shot, and he has to be really worried about them,” replied the Cover teen.
“Then, why aren’t they going there now? And why then are the detectives going to interview him. Didn’t they do that last night? I thought I saw some video of them doing that last night,” interjected Hunter.
“Look … all we know is that Matthias and Roberts will be here to talk to Mark at one o’clock. Why, we have no idea. Our dad didn’t tell us. Now, remember, please don’t tell anyone what we talked about. Hopefully, the news media will be briefed by the Sheriff’s office, and then it will all be known and you can all talk about it,” prompted Robert.
The boys began milling around and talking to one another about what was just revealed there at the Pavilion. Eric and Robert got together and rehashed what they had talked about last night on the phone, while Eric’s mom was at the crime scene.
Gordon and Trevor heard the two friends talking about Ms. Judy and Mr. Ken being at the crime scene, so they asked them to tell them what they knew about their parents going there, and how they knew to be there.
As Eric and Robert explained to their friends what they knew, others began to listen in. Soon, more of the boys wanted to know what they were talking about. It didn’t take long for someone to call everyone together and tell them that Eric and Robert were actually talking while their mom and dad were at the crime scene.
When everyone was settled in their Pavilion seats, Eric told them what their conversation was all about. The Cover teen explained that Mr. Ken called his mom and told her to get dressed as one of his coins went off. Eric told everyone they didn’t know it was Billy’s coin until Mr. Ken got to their home.
Now the boys were given more information about what happened last night and again Robert had to remind them not to talk to anyone now, or later about the coin being an emergency signaling device. The Cover teenager told the boys they all had them, and they may one day need them like Billy did.
When all the conversations died down, the boys began to skate or play the games so they could have a Champion over the Labor Day Picnic, Lonnie went over to Robert.
“Robert … I guess when Billy comes back, I’ll … I’ll have to give up my position on the barbeque team,” lamented the older teenager.
“Lonnie … depending on how badly Billy was hurt, he may not be able to do anything for quite some time after he returns. Especially, after he first gets back home. Let’s wait and see how he recovers. You know, he might have broken bones, we just don’t know. And if he does, he won’t be doing many things for a long time,” counseled Robert.
Lonnie thanked the Cover for talking to him. The older teen said he’d wait and see. He did tell Robert that he was enjoying being on the Team and helping Matthew out and they were becoming good friends.
Lonnie then said he wondered if that friendship will continue once Billy returns. The older teen said he thought Matthew needed an older ‘brother’ to talk with, and be there for him like Billy sort of was, when he was here. Robert thanked him for that insight and walked away wondering what that all meant.
The detectives arrived about 12:45 that Monday afternoon and all the boys saw them arrive. The boys then saw three more cars arrive soon thereafter. Eric told everyone that one car was his mom’s, and Robert told them the other two people were Bill Jackson and Stewart Russell.
When the detectives met Mr. Ken at the Foyer Door, they told him they wanted to get settled before they began their interview of Mark Golderson. It was when the almost ten-year-old came out of the half-bath that Mr. Ken took the opportunity to introduce them to one another.
“Mark … you may remember Lt. Matthias. He talked to you last night before I brought you home. This other man is Sgt Roberts. He is the lieutenant’s partner, and they’ll be talking to you about what happened last night,” was how Mr. Ken introduced the three people.
Not too long after that, Bill Jackson, Stewart Russell, and, not many minutes later, Ms. Judy arrived and the introductions started all over. Once they were all done and everyone made their pleasantries with one another, Mr. Ken suggested they use the Great Room for the interview.
Mr. Ken took Mark aside with the lawyers, so he knew who they were and again why they were there. Bill Jackson told the youngster that they would make sure he was treated right and that the Deputies didn’t take advantage of him being so young. The boy thanked the two men for being there for him.
Mr. Ken told everyone the reason he wanted to use the Great Room was because it wasn’t as crowded as his Study and down there it was much brighter, more open and they could all spread out more.
Before the detectives started their questioning of Mark, Sergeant William Roberts explained to Mark that he was going to record their interview, so that they don’t miss anything he might say. The sergeant asked the boy to be as honest and open about his answers as he could, as that would move the process along faster. Bill Jackson just snickered at hearing that. The sergeant just smiled back at the man.
After recording who was present, for the record, Lieutenant Brandt Matthias began the interview by asking Mark to tell them how he saw what happened at his home last night. The man told Mark that if he thinks of something he may have overlooked, that it was OK for him to go back, add it, and then continue with what he was saying. Mark said he understood.
Mark began by telling everyone that they had decided to go out for dinner and then where they’d gone. Then he asked if he should tell them about Kaden’s phone call on Wednesday. Lt. Matthias told the boy he could, or he could tell them later. The man told the boy to do whatever he felt more comfortable in doing.
Mark then went back to tell the group about the phone call he answered from one of his ‘big brother’s’ friends. The young boy said the name on the screen said Kaden, and that the teen said he wanted to surprise Billy by stopping by one day.
The youngster said he gave the teen their address, not knowing he shouldn’t have. Mark then added the teen asked him not to tell Billy he called, and for him to erase the phone call from the history. Mark said that’s what he did.
Mark then went back to telling the lieutenant about how they all came into the house, used the bathrooms and then gathered in the Family Room. The boy said that it was about 8:30 when the doorbell rang and, because it was so late, his mom told his dad to see who it was.
Mark told the detective that as his dad went to the front door, he told his ‘big brother’ that it could be his friend who called earlier that week wanting to surprise him. The boy said that as soon as Billy heard that he had answered his phone and then didn’t tell him about it that he got really mad at him.
The Goldersons’ son continued and told the man that when Billy learned it was Kaden who called, and that he might be at the front door, his foster brother sent him right up to the ‘Safe Room’. Mark said he didn’t know why he had to go, but his mom yelled at him and told him to do what his ‘big brother’ told him to do.
Mark said he stopped at the top of the stairs and he heard Billy tell his mom that Kaden was a drug dealer and might be there to cause trouble for him. The boy then said he heard lots of loud, mean voices and decided he’d better get into the ’Safe Room’. The boy added that when he got into the room, he immediately pressed the Panic Button, but the police never came.
Sgt. Roberts asked Mark if he heard what the voices were saying as they rushed into the house. All Mark could tell the man was that they sounded furious and angry, which was why he hurried to get into the ‘Safe Room’.
The lieutenant then asked the boy to continue.
“Well … I didn’t hear anything after that as the room … it is pretty tight, so I couldn’t hear out of it, then down the stairs and to where everyone was. I just couldn’t hear anything, I’m sorry. Then, I heard them come up the stairs and then shove Billy onto his bed.
“The one man told the other two to search the room for anything of value. I had hoped they wouldn’t find Billy’s coin. They didn’t,” said Mark, and was interrupted by the Sergeant, who asked him what was so important about the coin, before he could continue.
Since the boy was sitting on the sofa, with his foster dad, Mr. Ken whispered into the boy’s ear not to say anything about how special it is. Mark looked up to the man with a question on his face. The man said he’d explain later.
Mark continued and answered the detectives and told them that the coin was a special gift Mr. Ken had given Billy and that he told him he never wanted to ever lose it or get scratches on it. Mark then said he dropped it one time and Billy got really mad at him. He added that his foster brother wanted to know if he had squeezed it because he was afraid, he’d bent it.
When the lieutenant told him to continue, Mark said that the three men kept asking Billy questions about a man they called ‘Smokey’ and why he called the cops on him. Mark said that they also asked about a man they called ‘Greaser’, and every time his ‘big brother’ didn’t give them the answer they wanted to hear, they hit him.
The sergeant stopped the boy right there and asked the boy how he knew the men hit his ‘big brother’. Mark said that he could hear them grab Billy, and he could hear the sound Billy made when they did whatever they did to him.
Mark then added that he saw what his ‘big brother’ looked like after the men all ran down the stairs as the gunshots began, so he knew the men had to have been beating on him. Retelling that and seeing it again in his mind, what Billy looked like, made Mark begin to cry.
Mr. Ken hugged the boy to him, who in turn, turned into the man and cried even more. The owner of The Cove asked the detectives if they could take a break to let the boy calm himself down some. It was then that Momma Maria came down in the elevator and brought some refreshments for everyone.
Mr. Ken pulled Mark aside, when they went into the Men’s restroom, and told the boy that not many people knew about the coin and that it was a signaling device. The man asked his foster son if he could try not to say too much about what the coin did for him. Mark said he would try to remember. The boy then said he needed to use the restroom.
When the group got back to the interview, Lieutenant Mattias asked Mark to tell them more about the questions he heard the man asking Billy. All the boy could tell him was that the men seemed to ask the same question over and over and they also yelled at him for making the phone call that got ‘Smokey’ and ‘Greaser’ killed in that shootout.
Mark then told the detectives that the men went into his room, which was right next to his ‘big brothers’ so he was able to hear them, where they talked about killing his mom and dad and Billy before they left. The boy said the men decided they couldn’t let anyone live after they saw their faces, but hadn’t decided when they were going to leave. The boy said it was while they were in there that they said they heard something coming from downstairs and one man went rushing down the stairs.
Mark then remembered that while the men were questioning Billy, that his ‘big brother’ asked them how they were able to get him banned from where he used to live. The boy said the man, the one they called Weston, told his foster brother that Kaden knew his way around where Billy lived and when the fireworks were being shot into the air, Kaden knew that the side garage door was unlocked during the day and he used that to get into the house.
Mr. Ken was taken aback at hearing that. He told himself he should have watched the videos after Kaden had been banned, but he had no real reason to do so. Now, he knew where to look on the videos and what to look for. He was now really pissed at himself for banning Bill so quickly from The Cove.
The lieutenant then asked the boy when it was that he got to see Billy. Mark said that after all three men had gone down the stairs and the shooting stopped for a while, that he got out of the ‘Safe Room’ to see what happened to his ‘big brother’.
“I’m sure you have a cell phone, so why didn’t you use it to call the police while you were in the ‘Safe Room”? asked the sergeant.
“I … I forgot it when … when Billy … when he rushed me up the stairs,” replied Mark, as some tears came leaking out of his eyes.
“Mark … if your Panic Button didn’t work, then who pressed it that the alarm company did call the police? Do you know?” asked the lieutenant.
“And why didn’t you go down stairs to check on your parents?” quickly asked the sergeant.
Mark looked up to Mr. Ken to see if he should answer. After getting a nod from the man, the boy said he doesn’t know who pressed the other Panic Button, but that he kept pressing his, and the police never came.
“Then, again, why didn’t you go downstairs to check on your mom and dad?” again, asked the sergeant.
“Because Billy … my ‘big brother’ … he told me not to go down there. He made me promise not to go down there. He then told me to get back into the ‘Safe Room’ and wait for Mr. Ken to come,” offered the youngster.
“How did Billy know that Mr. Ken would come, Mark?” asked Lieutenant Matthias.
“I don’t know. He told me NOT to go downstairs and to get back into the ‘Safe Room’ and wait for Mr. Ken to come. That’s all I know,” almost yelled Mark.
“When the Deputies were calling out your name, and we’re sure you could hear them as they walked throughout the house multiple times, why didn’t you come out then?” asked Roberts.
Again, Mark looked up to Mr. Ken to see if he should answer. After getting the nod, the Golderson boy said that his ‘big brother’ told him to wait for Mr. Ken to come and not to come out until he did.
“What would you have done if Mr. Ken had never come?” quickly asked the sergeant.
“I guess … I guess I’d still be in there,” replied the boy, as he began to cry some more, and turned into Mr. Ken for safety.
“I think that is enough for now!” spoke up Bill Jackson, as he stood up, essentially telling the Sheriff’s Detectives the interview was over.
It was then that the Foyer Door opened and Chief went barking up the stairs. A few moments later, Lt. Dan Fischer appeared at the top of the balcony looking down over the glass bannister. The lieutenant then walked down the stairs to join the group.
“Sorry for the intrusion, but … well, we have some good news. We have Weston. He was obviously shot and he went to a hospital about ten miles from the crime scene. The doctors took their time tending to him, so we could get there to arrest him.
“Also, the news media … they have now reported that the Goldersons had a foster teenager living with them. The reporter mentioned Billy’s name, but he didn’t have the last name. The reporter said that Billy had to have been the other teenager mentioned by our Information Officer.
“The reporter also said that a few of the neighbors mentioned seeing a strange vehicle driving back and forth in front of the Goldersons’ house, since last Wednesday. One neighbor even showed them a security video of the car. That was one item we hadn’t released to the news media, but that is now, also, out. I guess the last man, Bennett, will steal another vehicle because he’ll know everyone will be looking for him, now.
“Also, forensics … they said that the gun which was used to shoot Kaden was not Levi Golderson’s. They have the bullets from the shootout, and they compared them to all the guns they found and they have established that Mr. Golderson only shot his gun three times. Two of which hit Santiago and the other one hit Weston.
“Levi was defending himself, and his wife down there in the master bedroom, so his killing of Santiago will be ruled a justifiable shooting,” finished Lt. Dan.
Mark then asked when he could go and see his parents and his ‘big brother’. Mr. Ken asked the detectives if they were finished asking the boy their questions. Lieutenant Matthias said they were for now, but they might have more questions as the investigation proceeds. Mr. Ken asked the lieutenant to call first, to make sure Mark would be there.
Ms. Judy, who sat back and only listened to what was being said in the Great Room, approached her friend, Ken. The Director of Children’s Protective Services handed her friend some papers. The woman told Mr. Ken that those were the signed, sealed and delivered foster parent documents that showed that he was now the permanent legal custodian for both Mark and Billy. She told him to protect them.
All three Sheriff’s Deputies smiled when they heard that Mr. Ken was taking Billy back into the fold. They congratulated him on changing his mind. The owner of The Cove told the men that with Mark’s revelation that it was Kaden who entered the house during the fireworks show and planted the drugs, he couldn’t leave Bill out there without a forever home. The men all smiled and wished him Good Luck with the teenager.
That was the first time that Lt. Fischer heard that piece of information and he asked his friend, Ken, what that was all about. It was Mark who spoke up and told the lieutenant that he heard the men tell Billy how they got Kaden to enter the house, through an unlocked side garage door, and put the drugs behind the panel in the closet.
Lt. Fisher wanted to ask the boy some questions just about that surprise disclosure. But the boy looked up to Mr. Ken and asked him again when he could go and see his parents and his ‘big brother’.
Ken Thomas, again, asked Lt. Matthias and Sgt. Roberts if they were finished with Mark for now. They said they were and that they would call if they needed to ask him any further questions. Mr. Ken then walked all of his guests up to the Foyer Door.
After everyone departed the house, Mr. Ken turned to Wayne and asked him to find where Kaden could have entered the house through the side garage door. The man then remembered that he needed to ask the Deputies when he could gain access to the Goldersons’ house, so he could get Mark’s and Bill’s clothes.
Lucky for Mr. Ken, the Sheriff Deputies were still outside talking when he approached them.
“Lieutenant Matthias … when do you think I can gain access to the Golderson’s house, so I can retrieve Mark and Bill’s clothes and whatever else they want from there?” asked Mr. Ken.
The lieutenant and sergeant talked and then the lieutenant said that maybe tomorrow, but for sure on Wednesday. The detective said that with all the gunshots and blood evidence the crime scene investigation team needed at least two days to process the entire home.
Mr. Ken thanked them for that information. He then asked them how he could gain legal access since he didn’t have a key. Lt. Fischer told his friend to let him know when he wanted to get into the house, and he’d have someone meet him there.
Mr. Ken thanked the men for their time and then headed back inside the house. He found Mark waiting on him. The boy asked him if they could go now. Mr. Ken told the boy he needed to use his bathroom, first, and then they would head to the hospital.
Up at the Pavilion, as the boys played the four games Kyle had his ‘dad’ buy for them to play when they got bored, or it was raining, one of the boys had turned on the TV. As the boys sat around playing, they heard the news break into the program and a news anchor began to announce their Breaking News.
“This just in. It was just announced by the Sheriff’s department that they have in custody one of the men who was involved in last night’s horrific home invasion. The man, whose name is Weston Thrumble, went to a hospital about ten miles away to have a gunshot wound taken care of.
“It was reported that the doctors began treating him, while at the same time calling the Sheriff’s Department about a gunshot wound. When the Deputies arrived, they knew who the man was and arrested him right there.
“We also learned that neighbors, close to the invaded home, told this news station that the Golderson’s were fostering a fifteen-year-old teenager whose name was Billy. No last name was given. That teenager had to have been the second teen that the Sheriff’s Information Officer mentioned during his briefing last night. But we do not know what his injuries are either.
“We do know that one teen had been shot, but the Sheriff’s office has not released the name of that teenager, nor what involvement either of them had in last night’s home invasion.
“We also have video of a vehicle that had been seen multiple times driving around the sub-division, and in front of the Golderson home, but we have yet to be told if that was the same vehicle the intruders used before they invaded Levi and Miriam Golderson’s home.
“We also have not been told what type of injuries Levi and Miriam Golderson received during the invasion of their home. All the Sheriff’s office will tell us is that they both received multiple gunshots and they would have more information about last night’s home invasion, later this evening. Stay tuned to this station for Late Breaking News.
The majority of the boys heard the announcement and that caused them to again talk about last night’s home invasion and about Billy and his coming back to The Cove. The boys asked Robert to go down to the house and ask his dad if they could tell their parents what they talked about earlier. But, as the Cover got into the golf cart to drive down to talk to his dad, he saw him and Mark drive out of the estate.
Some of the boys had gone swimming, and with it getting late they came up to the Pavilion to find that no one had bothered to burn the burgers or dogs. With everything they had talked about and the subdued atmosphere at the Cove Skate Park and Pavilion, the Barbeque Team hadn’t made an effort to cook that day.
Robert knew that everyone was hungry, so he had the day’s Team at least get out the hot dogs and start making those. That way their friends could have something in their stomachs as their parents wouldn’t be there for another three hours, or so. As they ate, the boys talked some more about Billy and when he would return to The Cove.
After Mr. Ken and Mark left to go to the hospital, Wayne Mitchell went to his employer’s computer, and using the password his boss gave him, began searching the 4th of July’s videos beginning around 8 p.m. He knew to search those camera videos that focused on the Parking Corral.
While the Estate Master was watching videos, Mr. Chris came to the Study to tell Mr. Ken that Doctor Jennings took him up on his offer for a home cooked meal, and to meet his new foster son. Mr. Chris was disappointed he’d just missed the man.
Mr. Wayne said he’d call the man to tell him, so they came directly home instead of going out to buy Mark some clothes. Chris then asked Wayne what he was doing and upon learning he was looking for the person who was responsible for planting the drugs in Bill’s room, the Estate Manager decided to stay and watch.
The saga of Three Finger Cove continues. Let Chowhound know you are reading his story: Chowhound at CastleRoland dot Net
76,628 views