After getting a bit more sleep, we dressed and prepared to go to Ventura and speak with Steve and the Doctor.
Kelly didn’t want to identify the body so they showed him photos of a tattoo on her right shoulder, it was a grinning Hippo with wings and pretty distinctive. He recognized it and that was done. We borrowed an office so we could sit down and Steve could ask Kelly a few questions. Kelly mentioned Paco and Flavio again and Steve confirmed they were South Piru Mafia, a Mexican drug gang. Kelly was stoic through the whole interview. He asked Steve if the trailer was torn up.
"No, it’s relatively intact."
"Can I go there and get my stuff? I don’t have a lot but I’d like my pictures and some other stuff."
"I think we can arrange that. Let me check with my Captain and I’ll let you know."
"Thank you, sir."
"I hate to ask but what do you want to do about the remains?"
"I don’t know, I never thought about it. She always liked the desert. She talked about being cremated and sprinkled into the wind. Maybe with a simple ceremony?"
"I think we can arrange that, Kelly. Maybe Ronny and his mom and dad will join us," I suggested.
"I’d like that."
We found Brandon leaning against Ally in the hallway where we left him, sitting on a bench. He didn’t want to be in the office, apologized to Kelly and said he would explain.
Ally was there because they were grounded by fog, which we had a little trouble with driving in.
"If it doesn’t clear by noon, we’re done and we’ll start our days off early."
Brandon woke up and looked embarrassed.
"Don’t you sweat it honey, it sounds like you didn’t get much sleep last night." Ally stood and gave Kelly a hug. "I’m so sorry about your Mom, Brandon told me what happened. My name is Ally, I’m a friend of Rob’s."
"I know, Brandon told me. He said you were Cammie’s cousin, is that true?"
"You betcha’ honey."
"You kind of look like her, I like her, she’s nice. She cut my hair."
"She did a good job, Kelly; you’re a very handsome young man, just like Brandon here."
"Thank you."
Steve returned and told me the Captain had approved and Kelly could pick up his gear anytime. We just needed to have a report unit dispatched so he could reseal the scene once we were done. I thanked him and told him we’d do that sooner rather than later.
We said our goodbyes and Steve headed back to Oxnard.
"Brandon, would you show Kelly to the break room, so you guys can get a snack and a drink?
"Sure, let’s go Kelly.
"Wow, busy night at your place I guess," Ally said.
I told Ally what had transpired and she hugged me as hard as she could manage. "You’re a good man Rob, Brandon is solidly in your camp."
"Well he’s a good kid, and he deserves a good home. I plan to give him that until he’s ready to stand on his own."
We continued chatting, I inquired about dinner out somewhere and we decided on Wednesday night.
My phone rang and I was going to ignore it but there was a lot going on. It was Paul so I answered.
"Rob, how soon can you be in Ventura?"
"I’m at VCMC now and the boys are with me."
"Great, Judge Bannister is available and I have news about Brandon as well."
"Okay, what office is she in?"
"She’s actually at home so we’ll have to meet her there."
"Okay, give me an address and we’ll get going."
"I’ll text it to you, bye."
"I’m sorry Ally, it’s about the boys and custody and such."
"Well, I’m literally not going anywhere and you don’t need to apologize. Let’s track them down so you can get going."
Two somber looking boys sat at a table side by side, drinking soda and eating chips. I explained what we needed to do and they both smiled. I traded kisses with Ally and we walked to the truck.
The judge’s house was situated in an older neighborhood of larger Spanish revival homes. It was quite a beautiful area. Paul was parked out front and I pulled in behind him.
"So here’s what I know, she’s more than willing to grant temporary custody and full custody later once all the steps are completed. Now regarding you Brandon, your stepfather signed off and I received the documents by FedEx this morning. The judge will rule on that and grant your emancipation. She will appoint Rob as your advisor and guardian. Is that okay?"
"That means I can stay here and go to school, right? That’s great!"
"Yes, that’s what it means."
After following Paul to the front door, we were welcomed warmly by Judge Pamela Bannister.
"Thank you for seeing us so quickly your honor," I said.
"Well in child welfare cases I’m always willing to alter my schedule to make sure the kids are protected and cared for. Paul has given me some background and I have to ask if you’re sure you want to take on this much responsibility."
"I’m certain, Ma’am. They’re great guys and deserving of a good home."
"I thought as much, I’ve heard about you from another source and you get pretty high marks."
"My curiosity is piqued. Who might that be?"
"I’m sorry, but you’ll have to wait a while to find out. Let’s deal with the paperwork here."
She spent some time reviewing Kelly’s issue and addressed him directly.
"I’m very sorry to hear about your mother, dear, but I need to ask you a couple of questions. Are you agreeable to being in Mr. McKenna’s custody?"
"Yes, Ma’am."
"Are you under any pressure to go with Mr. McKenna?
"No, Ma’am, I love him, he’s been really good to me."
"As part of the proceedings you will have to undergo a psychological assessment, and a complete physical examination. Are you comfortable with that?"
"Yes, Ma’am, Rob already suggested that I see a Psychologist. I need to talk with someone about stuff that’s happened to me. And I want to be healthy, too; I’ve never had a physical."
The judge was silent for a moment and nodded her head. She signed the forms and called for someone named Clara.
"Yes, Ma’am?" a younger woman answered."
"We need your stamp on these documents, dear. Paul will witness.
"I’ll just need your I.D., Mr. Church.
"Okay, I presume you must be Brandon Powell."
"Yes, Ma’am, that’s me."
"I’m going to sign off on your emancipation request. This does not confer adult status and I have to appoint an advisor as guardian. Will you be happy with Mr. McKenna?"
"Yes, Ma’am."
Very well, I’m going to impose the same requirements for Psych and Physical assessments. Is that okay with you?"
"Yes, Ma’am."
"Very well then, I pronounce you Brandon Michael Powell to be an emancipated minor. Your attorney will enlighten you as to your rights under those conditions. Mostly it just means that anyone who had parental control has lost that power and it is now vested in Mr.McKenna, do you understand?"
"Yes, Ma’am; thank you, Ma’am."
"You’re very welcome, Brandon."
"As soon as Clara stamps these you will be free to go about your day."
"Thank you, Your Honor," I said.
"Now that the business is done with, it’s just Pam, and so you know, Allison Noble is my goddaughter. She speaks very highly of you."
"I have a pretty high opinion of her too, Pam."
"I’m sorry to say I have an appointment in a short while, so I will have to prepare for that, but I look forward to seeing you and Allison in a more convivial setting."
"That’s quite alright, Pam, we appreciate you having taken time for us."
Both boys chimed in with a ‘thank you.’
Clara handed us the paperwork and I ushered the boys out the front door. Paul joined us in the street and I shook his hand.
"I have a letter from Mr. Folger for Brandon. Why don’t you give it to him later?"
I took the letter and bade goodbye to Paul.
"Is anyone up for a breakfast-like substance?" I asked.
The response was an affirmative and we went in search of a café.
After an unremarkable meal, it was ten a.m. and I mentioned to Brandon that visiting hours were just beginning if he was interested. You could have lit the darkest mine with the glow on his face.
The fog condition hadn’t changed and I called Ally once I had said hello to Espen. He was overwhelmed to see Brandon. I tugged Kelly along with me and met Ally in the ready room where they hang out between flights.
I shook hands with the crew and met Luke. We chatted a while and Mark invited Kelly to check out the helicopter. Kelly looked to me for permission and I nodded. The whole crew led him up to the pad and gave him the grand tour.
"That’s a nice bunch of guys you work with; um, where’s Jess?"
"He’s down in pediatrics helping out, he hates idle time. He’s a bit of a cipher socially but he’s dedicated to his work."
"Still I will miss the bunch of them; we’ve been a good team."
"What’s up, did they cancel the program?"
"Oh no, after two years they rotate new people into the program. I’m going to retire and maybe practice part time. I’m financially independent although probably not in your league."
"I imagine there’s a lot I don’t know about you but Cammie and Pam Bannister give you high marks."
"You know Pam?"
"She was the judge we went to this morning; she struck me as a decent, caring person. You have good taste in friends."
"She went to school with my mom and they remained friends until Mom died a few years back. Didn’t Cammie clue you in on my past?"
"She mentioned a couple of things but I’d rather hear it from you."
"Fair enough, it’s not all that entertaining but I’ll come clean Wednesday evening. But I could tell you about Carter."
Her eyes glittered when she said his name and a look of adoration crossed her face. It was obvious she was deeply invested in her son.
"I’d like that."
"He just turned eight and he’s the only good thing that came out of my marriage. I’ll tell you more about that later. Carter is an exceptionally smart boy. He does class work meant for older boys and he just eats it up. He wants a career in science but he hasn’t decided which discipline. He goes to a private school and boards when I’m on duty. I pick him up when I’m not working and it doesn’t interfere with school activities. He’s incredibly sweet and he has a lot of friends at school. But we have to find another school because his academy is closing."
"It must be Fulton, I heard about that. The Regents made a deal with a developer because of the prime real estate it occupies. Sixty years of tradition out the window; it stinks."
"Yes I know, the developer basically bought the Regents and they do whatever he says."
"Yes, I checked into it. I had attorneys go over it and there’s not a thing that can be done. The buildings aren’t old enough to be historical. I plan to be a thorn in their side when they go to develop it. One step out of line and my friends and I will stop them cold. I wish there was something I could do to prevent it though. I’ve already got neighbors demanding traffic studies and environmental impact studies. There’s also the possibility that there are native burial sites on campus. That could really throw a wrench in the works."
"What’s the point? If he’s already closed the school, all the kids will have gone elsewhere and the teachers as well."
"Because what they are doing is unethical. It’s wrong to use money that way. Especially when the only object, is making more."
"Wow, rich and ethical, that’s a rare combination Rob."
"Sorry about the rant, but it’s not as rare as you might think. I have a lot of friends that are opposed to what Schraeder is doing. It may be legal but it isn’t right."
"I can see we’re going to have some deep conversations Rob."
"I look forward to it. But you were telling me about Carter."
"Ah yes, Carter he’s an adorable boy and he would just love you. He’s in search of a hero. He’s fond of Mark and Luke. John on the other hand is a playboy and they didn’t hit it off. We socialize together and Mark’s daughter Lisa and Carter are good friends."
Ally dug out her phone and showed pictures of Carter and then Mark and Luke’s families; and then several of just Carter. He is indeed an adorable boy. He has the same facial features as his mom and her blonde hair. There was one photo with him wearing nothing but a sunhat and he wasn’t pale anywhere.
"No tan lines, it must run in the family. Wade doesn’t have any either."
"Cammie tells me neither do you."
"Guilty as charged,” I said, “and I have Kelly and Brandon headed that way as well."
"Well, I don’t either in case you wondered."
At that point the outer door swung open and an animated Kelly bounced through. It was good to see him smile but I worried that he wasn’t expressing his grief. I kept my concerns to myself and held out my arms to receive him. He chattered about how cool the helicopter and all the cool gadgets in the cockpit were. He finally wound down and asked Ally about Carter.
"Here’s a photo of him," she said handing Kelly her phone. Somehow in the transfer the photos advanced and the nude photo of Carter popped up.
"He’s cute, I like his outfit" Kelly said as he flipped the phone around for Ally to see.
"Oops, well slide left and you’ll see some others."
Kelly complied, "He looks nice, I like the one where you can see his pretty eyes. They’re just like yours."
"That’s so sweet, honey." And Ally leaned forward and kissed his cheek.
"That’s time, guys," Mark said. "John and I will secure the bird and wait for the new crew to arrive.
I looked at my watch and it was just after twelve. We had been talking for over an hour.
"I’m going to get my bag out of the bird and then get a shower. Are you guys going to hang around?"
"I imagine, I thought we might go over and check on Espen and see how he’s doing and collect Brandon as well."
"I’ll see you there in twenty minutes or so."
Kelly and I said our goodbyes to Luke, Mark and John and then Jess walked in just as we were leaving. He was happy with the news that they had finished their shift and headed out to help secure the helicopter.
When we arrived at Espen’s room I tapped before opening the door. Espen was sitting in bed and Brandon was in a chair with his head leaning on the bed.
"I dozed off while we were talking and he was still here when I woke up."
"He didn’t get a lot of sleep last night and we had a busy morning," I informed Espen.
Espen slid out of bed in shorts and a tee and hugged me and then Kelly.
"You look like you’re moving and feeling better."
"Yup, since they pulled the IV’s and the catheter out I can limp around pretty good. I’m supposed to call for help but maybe one of you could come to the bathroom with me."
"Sure," Kelly said, "I don’t mind, put your arm on my shoulder."
While they were in the bathroom I roused Brandon.
"Where’s Espen?"
I told him and let him know Kelly was with him.
Once back in his bed Espen asked Brandon why he didn’t wake him, but Brandon could only blush and then managed, "You looked so peaceful I couldn’t wake you, I figured if I took a nap you’d wake me when you were ready."
"Ready for what?" Espen asked lasciviously and then blushed himself after remembering they weren’t alone.
It’s easy to forget the rest of the world when you’re in love and these two had it bad.
"I have news for you Espen, I get to stay here with Rob. We saw a judge this morning and she granted my emancipation and Rob is now my Guardian."
"That’s so cool, does that mean you’ll be going to school here too?"
"Yeah, and Rob said your school is highly recommended."
"Langham’s a great school, and very friendly. Great teachers and courses and there’s all sorts of activities outside of classes. If you like science, art, math or music, it’s great. There are lots of sports to play and it’s just a really cool place to go."
"How much longer will you be here at the hospital?"
"I go home Thursday right after they MRI my ankle again. Of course then I’ll have to take my finals. The term ended a couple of days ago.
"Isn’t that where Wade goes to school, Rob? He says it’s really cool there and so does Ronny." Kelly added.
"You mean Wade Hardin? He’s a cool little guy, I like him a lot. He’s never got anything bad to say about anybody."
"Do you know Ronny Morgan?" Kelly asked.
"Yeah, good guy, he’s a hell of a short stop. He’s really friendly, too. I don’t know him really well but he seems cool."
"I have to ask; how did you get the name Espen if it’s not too personal?" I asked.
"Oh it was my grandfather’s name; he was from Norway."
"I thought it sounded Scandinavian, a very interesting name."
"My dad insisted on it; Mom wanted something more current but Dad said it was a tradition to name a first son after his Grandfather. Now Dad lives in Germany and I hardly ever see him. He doesn’t Skype so I don’t even see his face anymore. He has another family, maybe that’s why. I have two half-brothers I’ve never met."
A nurse arrived and wanted to take Espen’s vitals and do a couple of things, so she asked us to come back in twenty minutes.