Levi Samuels was used to late nights at the office. Alexandra was not terribly different. He didn’t have many cases and those were easy. The sun was down and he was alone. Kira and Grey Lady had gone home at 5, when the office officially closed. Natalie left at 6 and Levi had been alone since then. His plan was to go home around 10, brush his teeth, send Jasper a good night text and go to sleep early. The light in his office was on and spilling out into the hallway where the glass back door caught some of it but spilled the rest onto the back porch. He thought for a second that he saw a shadow, but blamed it on a trick of the setting sun and stood to put away Mrs. Norris’s file.
Miranda Rogers was slinking around the back of the law office. She had been sort of stalking the building and trying to work up her nerve to go in. Her father was working into the evening tonight. She had been walking the town since after school, on the fringes of people and saw Romeo out and about with what had become his new group of friends. She envied how quickly and easily her charismatic brother connected with people. Duncan was likely off with Fernanda somewhere. Miranda had a problem that she knew was bigger than her but it also wasn’t something she wanted to share with her father and brothers. She needed help...legal help. So when she saw Natalie Sokal up on her balcony kissing her fiance hello by a barbecue she knew that Levi was in the office alone. It took her another 15 to 20 minutes to work up the nerve to sneak around to the front of the building and then go in the main door. As she got to the law office door she tried the handle and found it locked. She took out her phone and was ready to text Levi but as the door was glass he may have seen her standing here.
Levi finishes tidying his office and moves from his office to the front desk to make sure nothing was just laying out. Kira was a great secretary but it was an ingrained habit from working in Vancouver. He glances out of the office’s front door and sees, of all people, Miranda Rogers. Moving to the door, he unlocks it from his side and opens it. “Miranda. Well, this is a surprise. Is everything all right?” he was insanely curious why she would be at his office.
Miranda has been holding in a lot all week and hasn’t talked to anyone about the terrible thing she needs help with. When Levi asks if everything’s alright she just bursts into tears suddenly and shakes her head “No……..no it’s not and I can’t tell my Dad…...I did something really dumb and someone took pictures.”
Levi stands with the door open, but when Miranda starte crying, he moves back and motions ofr her to come in. He closes and locks the door behind her and his eyes grow big looking at the lock. He gets his face under control and motions down the narrow hallway. “Come into my office.” he leads her there and motions to a chair while he leans against the front of his desk. He has a bad feeling about this. “Now .. calm down and talk to me.” he hands her a box of tissues. “What kind of pictures?” he asks gently, but if it were pictures of her in Perkatory, he suspects she wouldn’t be in his office crying about it.
Miranda takes a handful of tissues and presses them to her face “You can probably guess. I didn’t know he was taking them until later. It’s a boy I met at school. He put the TV on…..and…” She pulls out her phone but hesitates “I don’t really want to show them to you because it makes me look like a slut. I didn’t want to go to the cops…..because the guy….his dad is a cop. I don’t know how it works here and if that would be better or worse. Plus he didn’t force me. I chose to do the stuff in the pics….well except when other people came in.” She sniffs and then exhales looking just overwhelmed.
Levi is both sympathetic to Miranda’s plight and infuriated at the teenage boy. But he reaches for the phone. “I already know you're not a slut, Miranda, so don’t worry about that. But I do have to see it. I don’t want to, but I have to.” he hears this boy’s father is a cop. “Did you consent to having the pictures taken?” he asks, his voice completely casual. “Before or after other people came in?”
Miranda has another quiet sob and shakes her head “No...I had no idea. He wanted to blindfold me and then he put the TV on so I couldn’t hear the camera snapping. I didn’t know until I heard other people come in...then one of them was a girl...Brooke...and she took off her top and kissed me. I didn’t consent to that either but then I heard the camera snap. Then I got the hell out of there...but now they’re harassing me...two boys in my class...one of them Spencer...the guy and then two boys from my brother’s class. It’s going to be all over school by the end of the week.” She shakes a bit as she sobs again “We just moved here Levi…..” After catching her breath she opens the app on her phone and hands it over with the album now up. She can’t look at Levi as she does it. In the mix of photos is Miranda on her knees and blindfolded while Spencer Newcastle is behind her taking her. He’s carefully angled the pics so her face shows but not his own. He’s cut off at the upper chest but on his left hip he has a large brown beige birthmark that’s sort of kidney shaped. Then a few later there are two shots of Miranda being kissed by Brooke Martin. They’re both topless and Miranda’s eyes are wide in shock.
Levi listens to her story and is already working on the case when she hands over the phone and he sees the pictures. He looks at them carefully, his face portraying nothing. Then he reaches for his legal pad, placing the phone on his desk. “Give me all of their names and addresses … phone numbers if you have them. Ages, their homeroom classes. I want to know everything.” he looks at her and his heart truly does go out. “I will do the best I can to handle this discreetly, Miranda.”
Miranda appreciated Levi not reacting in total shock or horror but is super embarrassed at his seeing the pictures nonetheless. She reaches for the legal pad “It might be quicker if I just write…” If he lets her have it she’ll take a pen from the desk and write Spencer Newcastle - the guy I slept with who took pictures without me knowing, Grade 12, Mr. Negron’s homeroom, Cosmo Cherneski gr 11, same classroom, my classroom as well. He came later with Brooke and was the one who snapped the picture of her and I. Brooke Martin, graduated, I don’t know her age but she lives somewhere in the bottoms I think. Old enough to buy beer because she offered to when I first met her before this happened. And then she writes two more names. Maddox Brown and Justin Stevens. They knew about the pics and harassed me at my locker and in the hallways. They’re in grade 9 or 10, in my brother’s class Mr. Arnett’s homeroom. She writes a cell number beside Spencer’s name because he’s the only one she has a number for. And then she hands back the pad and sighs “I appreciate the discretion. And the help….If you’re doing the lawyer thing I guess i do have to tell Dad...because I’m assuming you’d charge a lot for that…..” She looks around “I could clean the offices to pay some of it…..Duncan would probably wonder what’s up though…” As Duncan had been working here part time.
Levi takes the legal pad when she’s done writing on it and looks at the names. He zooms in on two of them immediately. “Don’t worry. We’ll call this my pro bono work for the month.” he says it as if there really is such a thing. He winks at her. “One more thing, Miranda. Was it only stills, or could they have taken video as well…” he knows that might be more horrifying than stills, but as it was these photos seemed to be on the Internet.
Miranda shrinks into herself “I hope no video. I heard snaps but Spencer convinced me they were part of what was on TV. He put on a porno...real classy I know. I seem to meet all the worst guys…” She says sadly “I know this is my fault. I should never have gotten involved with him. I appreciate you not charging me. I still need to find a job...but if the whole town sees those pictures that might be impossible now.”
Levi nods and looks at his legal pad. Then he looks at Miranda. “This is NOT your fault.” he assures her, firmly. “And I’m pretty sure I can take care of quite a bit of this .. tonight.” he sets the pad down. “Miranda, we all make mistakes as kids. It’s part of growing up. And you now know what NOT to look for in a guy. I’ll do all I can to keep those pictures out of the public eye. Actually … It’ll be easy I think .. since he used Flickr he’s making my job a little easier.”
Miranda looks reassured and also hopeful but also surprised “I didn’t think it would be this easy…..thank you. You’ve got like legal god powers or something. Because I know from my old school. This happened to girls I know and it ruined them forever…..” She swallows. “At least when you were a kid maybe everything wasn’t online? Or maybe it was. Sometimes I forget you’re younger than Dad. He loves to tell us about dial up internet and cassette tapes.”
Levi grins. “Well, for you I hope the hard part is over. The girls from your old school didn’t happen to have a high priced attorney who knows how to throw his weight around effectively in their back pocket.” he winks at her. Then she brings up online and he smiles. “I’m more post Internet … but it gets worse and worse. And yes … I’ve heard your Dad talking about dial up and the whole Internet. I don’t think it’s so much your dad is old … he’s a bit of a luddite … probably because you don't need internet access to shove a three foot Q-Tip up someone's nose.” he stands. “I’ll get on this right away, Miranda and I’ll let you know how it went, okay. Just trust me … and relax. Watch a movie, or play video games or whatever it is you kids do these days.” he quips hoping she is at ease.
Miranda is beyond grateful. She gets teary eyed again and the stand up and steps behind the desk giving Levi a sudden hug “Thank you so much…..please text me when there’s news. I’m just gonna lie low. I don’t want to run into any of those people before it’s dealt with.”
Levi hugs Miranda back and sees her out, hoping for her ability to lay low and relax. He returns to his office, turns his computer back on and begins typing. After an hour, he begins to print things out and by 8, he has a pile of papers in a folder. He uses the bathroom and after washing his hands, checks himself in the mirror, straightening his tie and nodding in approval at his reflection. Back in his office, he grabs his briefcase, the folder and his keys and leaves the office by the back door. Alexandra is a small town, so he gets to the Claremorris in minutes. He walks up the stairs and knocks on the door of Richard Newcastle’s apartment.
Spencer Newcastle is watching mindless television when he hears a knock at the door. He grins a bit hopeful that it’s Brooke or another one of his girls he’s connected with. He checks his wavy strawberry blonde hair in the mirror by the door. It’s still good. Breath check….fresh enough. He swings open the door and greets the person behind it with a smarmy grin...but then it falters when it’s a guy in a suit “Who are you?” Spencer barks in irritation. He looked like he wanted something. Maybe he was selling something but that was a nice suit for a bible salesman.
Levi offers a small smile. “Good evening. I am looking for Missers Newcastle. Richard and Spencer.” he doesn’t put it into the form of a question. He knows exactly who he is looking at and he knows this ‘man’ is a minor.
Rich Newcastle is in the kitchen, making himself a sandwich before he heads to bed. It’s been a long day and he really hopes it isn’t any of his sons stupid friends at this hour of the night. But he hears the voice at the door and moves to take a look. The man speaking to Spencer was the Jew lawyer that came to see those kids who beat up the Lancaster guy. He frowns slightly. Mesers. What the fuck? “Mr Samuels.” he can at least call him that. “Um .. come on in. How can I help you?” Maybe he needed help on a case. That would brighten his star at the cop shop. He is in a pair of worn jeans and the undershirt he wore to work.
Spencer looks a little confused as to why this guy is looking for him. His dad seems to know who he is though so he sort of looms to the side waiting to see what all this is about. Samuels, he notes the name and shoves his hands in his faded jeans pockets. He’s wearing a baseball style grey shirt that has navy sleeves and sports a Vancouver Canucks logo. On his feet are white sports socks.
Levi smiles and walks inside of the apartment. Like vampires, he cannot enter a house uninvited. He goes into the pocket of his suit jacket and pulls out two of his business cards, offering one to each of them. Sitting on a worn second hand chair that did not match the couch, he places his briefcase on the coffee table with the file and looks at them both. “I’ll get straight to the point, Officer Newcastle.” he begins. “I’ve become aware of some … activities involving your son and some of his friends involving underage girls. Now of course none of us wants any of this to go to court, so I’ve come to talk to your son about destroying the incriminating evidence against him before I’m put in a position to have him arrested.” his voice is mild, calm and almost cheerful.
Rich takes the card, notes all of the offices across two countries and sits on his couch. He listens to Levi and he turns his head towards his son at the mention of underage girls. He knew his son was, himself, barely legal. But who got all pissy about girls under say 15? It was just kids. And .. evidence … whose side was this lawyer on, anyway. “WHat the hell is he talking about?” he demands to know from his son.
Spencer got defensive looking immediately “Dude...I’m underage. Of course the girls I fuck are underage.” He neglects to mention Brooke of course who is an adult. “How is it illegal? I’m not a rapist…..” He had never forced anyone to do anything. Sometimes he omitted details. “And which girl?” He wants to know who ratted him out as back to school could be a busy time.
Levi makes note that Rich seems a bit lost as to why he was here, but then Spencer begins speaking. He keeps his face deadpan. “If I understand correctly, you are seventeen? That is over the legal age of consent in British Columbia. 16.” he finally moves a brow, arching it up a bit. “Which girl did you think it was? And how many are there to begin with?”
Rich frowns. Spencer is rambling on and very possibly digging himself a hole. The problem was that Rich knew that this was a very expensive suit he was looking at. ANd he was about to start spending money on a divorce. He clenches his jaw and sits back, looking at his son, but no saying a word. Better his son learn early what a pain in the ass women could be.
Spencer was annoyed by the whole situation “You’re not a cop. You’re not a doctor. I haven’t done anything wrong Mr. Samuels. Yes I’m 17. And I haven’t been with anyone under the age of 16 since I was under 16…..not that it’s any of your business either way. I don’t have to tell you who I spend my time with. You tell me who’s making shit up about me. I have never fucked anyone who said no. I’m not breaking any laws.” His photostream was anonymous. He had been with a few under 16 but this clown didn’t need to know it.
Levi looks at Spencer, since his father seemed to be staying out of it. “As it says on the card I gave you, I am a lawyer. With Samuels and Sons. We charge quite a lot of money, not that it’s any of your business, but with that money we can afford some of the best private investigators on the North American continent. And in an investigation it appears that we have uncovered pictures from your IP address.” he pauses and, sounding no more than mildly curious, asks. “Do you have a birthmark on your left hip? Sort of brownish. Shaped like a kidney?”
Rich already knows how expensive Samuels and Sons is. He grips his sandwich and stands. “Life lessons boy.” he grumbles. “I don’t want to fucking know.” and he heads into his bedroom, closing the door behind him. In a minute, the sounds of some pedantic television show can be heard, muffled by the walls.
Spencer thought the lawyer was posturing until he said the words pictures and IP address. When he asks about his birthmark Spencer actually goes ashen “Jesus…..” Then his dad says life lessons and that he doesn’t want to know and bails. “Fuck…” Spencer spits out “Miranda…..what do you want from me Moneyface?”
Levi watches Rich leave the room claiming he doesn’t want to know and then turns his attention back to Spencer. He guesses at Miranda, but Levi still doesn’t confirm or deny his guess. Moneyface wasn’t a new insult and it was one of the nicer ones he and his family had heard. “I would like to broker an agreement with you, Mr. Newcastle.” he explains. “You delete every photograph on your site, your camera and your computer. You guarantee me that any and all photos of you having any sort of sexual congress with any woman of any age are deleted from your computer and the computers of the people you might share them with, up to and including Maddox Brown, Justin Stevens, Brooke Martin and Cosmo Chemeski. Then you guarantee me that you will not continue the practice, nor harass any of the girls that you took photos of in any way, shape or form, and I will give you some very valuable things.” he looks reasonable. “I will not have you and your friends convicted on any cases involving pornography, and believe me when I tell you getting you convicted will be a walk in the park for me and I’m a defence attorney. In addition, I will not report your activity to one Chief Joshus Greene, who would, I’m sure, immediately terminate your father from his position.” he pauses and then looks like he’s just remembered something. “And I won’t then convict your father as an accessory to the crimes you have committed as I have no doubt that he bought you the camera equipment that you used to take the pictures on that server.” he holds out his hand to shake. “So we have a deal, Mr Newcastle?”
Spencer listened to Levi like the man was holding him at gunpoint. He knew everything. He knew names. How the hell did he know all this? He threatened pornogrpahy charges. He suggested he could get his father fired. Spencer felt his stomach lurch and shakily offered his hand for the weakest handshake he’s ever given. He was speechless but nodded slowly. Finally he realized he had to say he agreed or the guy might do all this stuff “Yes….I’ll do it….” then he had a horrible thought “What if one of them shared it? Do I still get nailed? That’s out of my control.”
Levi accepts the handshake and stands, glancing at his watch. “Oh, you better hope they haven’t shared it, because since you took the photos, you are thereby an accomplice to their crimes.” he explains, simply. “But it’s early yet and I’ll be visiting all of them for the same chat I just had with you.” he heads for the door. “I want to surprise them, so don’t call them after I leave. You can all catch up in school tomorrow.” he levels a finger at him. “I mean it. I’ll know if you called them and you really don’t want to annoy me, me. Newcastle.” he reaches for the door knob “I’ll see myself out.” and he leaves.
Rich had turned on the television set, but had stood by his bedroom door. He couldn't hear the conversation, but he did hear the door close. He came out and looked at his son. “I don’t know what you did, and I don’t want to know.” he tells him. “But you fucked with one of the most powerful fucking law firms in Canada. Whoever you fucked with … don’t fuck with her ever again.” and he returns to his room, actually watching the program this time.
Spencer watches Levi leave and was practically hyperventilating. He started pacing and his father came out and stated what might be the obvious. He flips the bird at his father’s door after. This fuckin lawyer was like a gangster. Frantically he went to his room and yanked open his laptop. He deleted every naughty picture he’d ever taken, then the ones uploaded on Flickr and then his holw Flickr account itself. Then he cleared his browser history, canceled his all porn subscriptions and started to go through his phone feeling the sweat roll down his back from the anxiety “That frigid little bitch…...I’ll find a way…”
Levi left the building and walked down 3rd street. Justin Stevens was another very easy conversation. Justin had nothing to do with the actual taking of the photographs, he had literally ‘only looked’. He was sure that after he left, his parents would have a stern talking to with their son. Once he left, he walked casually towards ‘The Bottoms” where the other 3 people lived. Cosmo Chemeski was also relatively simple. He had not had sex with Miranda and was basically only an observer. But Levi left an impression. Especially in the Bottoms, an expensive suit, briefcase and words went a lot further than even the cops got. It didn’t hurt Levi’s cause that his family worked with unscrupulous individuals. Although they denied it, they had a heavy Mafia clientele. Levi could be a shark in court. That was part of his education that he learned from his father, grandfather and older brothers. Scaring a bunch of high school students into doing what he wanted was child’s play, although if they forced him, he was more than capable of doing everything he threatened. After he left Cosmo’s apartment building, he entered another building via a door by the ZigZag records shop. He decided to start on the top floor then visit the floor below. And Maddox Brown lived on the top floor. He checked his watch. Not even 9:30 yet. He blindly checked his tie knot, then knocked.
Little Laura Brown answers the door and looks up at the man in the suit. She’s a bit of a gaunt looking girl with curly brown hair and big green eyes. “Hello?” She says timidly. But before an answer can be given a pointy faced man appears behind her and pulls her back by the wrist protectively “Laura sweetie, we don’t answer the door to strangers.” He’s looking at the man in the suit as he says it. The man has thinning brown hair with edges of grey and a tuft of it sticking up a bit at the front. He’s not a large man yet he seems to loom.
The child is trembling a bit “Sorry Daddy…”
He makes a show of kissing her on the top of the head “For your safety of course. Go and play now.” Now the man looks to the stranger “We do have to keep an eye. What can I do you for friend?” His tone is saccharine. Inside, the TV is on a sport channel ana bit loud. Through the door a tidy livingroom with a thin woman who looks facially much like the girl. She looks apprehensive and doesn’t get up to see who’s at the door. There are two bedroom doors open too and they look like kid rooms from hints of decor. A large foot dangles off the end of the bed of one of them and can be seen through the doorway, a teenager maybe?
Levi is about to adjust his poker face for child kindness, but then the little girl is pulled away and a man addresses him, so no need to change that poker face. Levi nods and goes again into his suit pocket. “Good evening. You are Craig Brown?” he offers the card. “My name is Levi Samuels. I’d like to speak to your son Maddox, if that’s alright.”
Craig is all smiles “Yes Sir that’s me.” He takes the card curiously and noted that the man is a lawyer from it. His smile barely falters but there’s a little twitch at his eye “Maddox?” He pauses “Well alright….come on in. We have nothing to hide Mr. Samuels.” He has no reason to say that but he does say it. Then he smiles again and calls out “Maddox would you come out here son? It appears you have a visitor? Can we offer you a drink Mr. Samuels?” He glances back at the thin woman and she hops up from her chair and moves to the kitchen Craig smiles at her “My beautiful wife, Molly. Good hearing and great pot roast.” As if these are desired qualities in a life partner.
Little Laura peeks out of her bedroom doorway watching them with an armless barbie doll in her hand. Beside her appears her young teenage sister Hayley who gently taps Laura and motions that she should come back into the bedroom.
Maddox heard most of what was being said and he came the moment his father called him. That was the healthiest option. “Yea Dad …” he stops short seeing a man dressed nicer than any he’s ever seen in real life holding a briefcase. In his head he tries to figure out what he did wrong, because this man looks like Authority. Not Social Services, he was dressed too nice for that. But … something was up.
Levi puts on a professional smile. When Craig tells him that they have nothing to hide, it tells Levi that they have something to hide. But that is not what he is there for, although klaxons are ringing in his head that his face does not betray. Before Craig is done offering him a drink, his wife is up, in the kitchen and ready to pour. The household help he grew up with didn’t snap to as fast. “No, thank you very much Mrs Brown. I’m fine.” he speaks in a normal voice now that Craig has gone to such lengths to let him know his wife is not stone deaf, although considering the volume of the television, it would make sense if she were. Out of the corner of his eye he sees the little girl again and another teen. He doesn’t even sit in the small living room, a he doesn’t expect that this will take long at all. “Hello Maddox. I’m Levi Samuels.” he offers his hand. “I’ve been told you were looking at some .. pictures today .. over the last couple of days, maybe? I was wondering if you used your phone to view them, or someone elses?” he wanted to cut tot he chase before Mrs Brown offered to bake him a ham or something.
Molly just gives a polite nod and a small smile and scurries back to her chair. She’s sewing something by hand in her lap. This man in the suit made her extremely nervous and she keeps looking back. Maddox has gotten into something he shouldn’t have...pictures on his phone? She closes her eyes.
Craig looks back at Maddox and then at Levi.. His jaw clenches but then he forces another smile “Kids and their phones…..what kinda pictures are we talking about Mr. Samuels? Nudey pics….perhaps the boy was just curious.” He shoots a look back at Maddox and his eyes narrow where Levi can’t see “Why don’t you show us your phone Maddox?”
Maddox blinks. “Um … I … “ he looks at his father. “Um … a friend of mine sent me this link in school …” and then his father is asking to see his phone and he knows by the look on his father’s face that he had better deliver. “Um .. the link is ..” he opens the app and clicks the link again. Then he blinks. “Um .. the page is gone. It says the account doesn’t exist anymore…” he tries his history. “Nothing its all gone.”
Levi shrugs at Craig. “Something like that.” he watches Maddox with his phone and does not show his satisfaction that Spencer was as good as his word and deleted the pictures and account. “Oh … I see. I thought it might be. But that’s a good thing.” he nods. “Now I’d also like to talk to you about Brooke Martin.” he moves on smoothly, but perhaps suddenly. He watches Maddox carefully for signs he knows her personally.
Craig looks satisfied that whatever is was it’s gone now “Well you see, not a problem is it?” He smiles at Levi and extends it to Maddox but his eye twitches again and he inhales deeply making his nostrils flare a bit “Brooke Martin?” He watches Maddox. He knew who Brooke was and her reputation in town. Maddox better have an answer that made the lawyer leave soon.
Molly had started sewing again after a pause but now froze with her needle pulled upwards.
Maddox had started to relax once the lawyer said it was a good thing. But Maddox did not do well under pressure. He lived under it 24/7 and didn’t like it. So when the lawyer changed the subject, he began to stammer. “Brooke … um … I mean … she .. I … that is … we ..”
Levi very calmly cuts him off. “In particular,” he lowers his voice a bit, in case the little girl could head, but he doesn’t lower it much. “Have you ever had sexual contact with her and has she ever bought you alcohol.”
Maddox’s jaw drops a little. “Well .. yea .. I mean … she .. sure … she’s … you know .. like that … and she buys sometimes …” he inhales deeply and exhales trying not to panic. “Yes sir, to both.” he tries to look more put together than he’s ever been.
Molly jumps a little as Maddox gets to his conclusion and pricks her finger with the needle.
Craig’s reaction is very hard to read. He gives Maddox a long sidelong glance and then unexpectedly claps him on the shoulder and looks at Levi with a smarmy grin like he’s selling hima used car “He’s a curious boy. You were young once Mr. Samuels,,,,I daresay you still look to be. I’m sure you sewed some wild oats. And that Martin girl is just giving them away. Curiosity is not a crime my friend, but a right of passage.” He gives Maddox a little wink after and his gaze lingers as his eye twitches again.
Maddox looks far more interested in his father’s reaction than the lawyers. He nearly jumps when his father claps him on the shoulder.
Levi sees the reaction and nods. “Of course, Mr. Brown.” He looks at Maddox. “Thank you for the honest answer.” He looks at the family in the room. Nervous mother, nervous son and father. “Well, That’s actually about all I have.” he says. “I’d just like to remind you not to look at those sorts of photos. Curiosity is one thing, but sometimes its a fine line between harmless and criminal.” He turns towards the door after giving the wiFe a small wave. “Mrs Brown. Mr Brown. Good night to you and thank you for your indulgence.” and if he isn't let out he will let himself out.
Craig Brown sees Levi out “Of course of course...thank you so much for coming by and sharing your concerns. We’ll keep the boy in line.” He says resolutely but still with his friendly smile until Levi is on his way. The door closes and locks and the TV volume goes up.
Levi walked out of the apartment and the moment the door was closed the television volume went back up. He went to the stairs and headed down. The first floor of apartments was above the now closed stores. Stopping at his final door, he knocked on the door of the only female involved in this mess.
Behind the door a hoarse female voice croaked “Keep your panties on doll, I’m comin….” The door opened to a haggard middle aged woman with blonde hair dyed so often it had that straw quality to it. She had a cigarette hanging out of her mouth and an old green tank top on and no bra with a pair of short cutoff jean shorts. She was tanned but you could tell it was a project to stay that way. She had dark circles under her eyes and the remnants of caked on makeup. In one hand she held a beer bottle and with the other she pulled the door open further and grinned at the man in the suit as she took a drag and then blew the smoke at least into the other room and not in the man’s face “Well aren’t you a tall drink of water. Hi...I’m Sherry…” She weaved a little and smelled of more booze than just the beer in her hand.
Levi kept his poker face. He reached for another business card and held it out. “Hello. I’m Levi Samuels. I’d like to speak to Brooke Martin, please.” he was sure this was Brooke’s mother and he thought he smelled a couple of different kinds of alcohol on her breath that should not be mixed.
Glen Martin was sitting at a worn square dining room table, smoking a cigarette. He looks in the direction of the door, curiously. He can't see whoever it is, but it’s getting a bit late.
Sherry takes another long drag and side puffs it out at Glen “Brooke home?” She doesn’t wait for an answer but instead barks her name out like a belch meets a battle cry “BROOKE!” she takes the card and squints at it.
From a room down the hall comes Brooke Martin in a crop top thin tied white tshirt with a black bra under it and ripped jeans so tight you’d swear she had to paint them on. There’s a rip in the ass that shows a good portion of hers if she happens to turn around. Her bottle blonde hair is in a high ponytail with lots of brown roots going on. She smiles sweetly at the man in the suit “Hello.” She looks Levi up and down. A little fancy but once the clothes were off…
Sherry hands Brooke the business card “Here you read it Brookie…..mama’s eyes aren’t so good today.”
Brooke takes the card and keeps looking at the man.
Levi nods at Brooke. “May I come in, Miss Martin?” he asks her formally. He took in her clothes and he’d already known her nickname was BJ Brooke. Blow Job Brooke. How did someone get a name like that? He knew, of course, but it was just amazing to him.
Glen watches as Brooke comes out of her room. “There better not be nobody in there, Brooke.” he warns her. He’d been home a while and hadn’t even noticed Brook come in.
Brooke giggles at the man in the suit “Miss Martin? Why yes...yes you can Mr…..” She looks down at the card “Levi Samuels.” She steps back but not so far that Levi wouldn’t have to walk by her. Then she looks at her father “Not yet Papa…” she eyes Levi again.
Sherry finds the whole scene hilarious and takes a big swig of her beer before finishing her cigarette and walking to the table where there was an ashtray in front of Glen and butting it out. She hadn't read the card “Fancy name, fancy suit. You some kinda high class male stripper?” It’s sort of a flirt but crass.
Levi steps in and into the apartment. He’s been eyed by women before and he doesn’t react now any more than he did the last time it had happened. “Thank you.” he replies to Brooke. He looks at the older woman. “No ma’am. I’m an attorney.” he explains. Brooke is a bona fide adult, so he doesn’t need her parents. He nods in the direction of the living room and yet another worn couch. “I’d like to speak to you, please.”
Glen raises both of his eyebrows when this thin man in his perfect suit walks in. His wife puts out her cigarette and he puts out his own, only to light another. Inhaling he lets out a huge plume of cigarette smoke. “She win the lottery or something?”
Sherry lights another one too and watches Levi go by “The man lottery….” she slurs and then falls into a dining chair and goes to sip her beer and frowns at it “Glen….Glen my beer’s empty…” she says it like she’s shocked by it.
Brooke sashays into the living room and sits on the couch, patting the seat beside her. Right beside her “Sure….come and sit. I won’t bite.” She gives Levi a coy look.
Levi looks around the living room, but doesn’t see another chair. He sits at a respectable distance from Brooke and coughs. The place is almost as smoky as a seedy bar. “Thank you. I understand that in the last couple of days you had an interaction involving Spencer Newcastle and Cosmo Chemeski? Is that true and could you tell me about it?” he knows he is opening himself to possible details, but the question has to be asked.
Glen watches his daughter sit on the couch with the lawyer and he puffs at his cigarette. Sherry’s beer is empty, but she was also making eyes at the fancy lawyer in a suit that probably cost more than his laundromat made in a week, so he rolls his eyes. “The fridge is still in the same fucking place. And get me one while you’re up.”
Sherry grumbles at Glen but she does really want a beer. She gets to her feet leaving her smoke burning down in the ashtray. As she passes the lawyer she says “Shwanna beer?” but she also keeps weaving and shuffling towards the fridge.
Brooke pretends to be shocked by Levi “Oh my those boys. Well they’re real boy scouts let me tell you...but not too young if you know what I’m saying?” She knows the law. And he wasn’t asking about Maddox, that sporty little stallion. “Yes Cosmo and Spencer made a Brookie sandwich. It was tasty. Have you ever had a threesome Levi?” She seems to truly not care that her parents can hear it all.
Levi nods, but doesn’t reply to her questions. “I was led to believe there was also a young lady named Miranda there and that you kissed her?”
Glen sits up when he hears the talk go immediately to sex. Of course it did .. it was Brooke. But then a girls name came up and his brows lift as he takes another drag of his cigarette.
Sherry comes back in with three beers. Levi hadn’t answered her and so she always assumes yes and ries to foist one on him “Try not to spill on your pretty clothes pretty man.” Then she’ll almost slams one down for Glen “Here…...just sit there smokin while I do all the work…”
Brooke waves it off “Oh she didn't stick around. I was just having a bit of fun with her. I mean with Spencer...I’m sure she saw that comin…” She cracks up.
Levi completely ignores the beer on the coffee table. “With Spencer? Ah yes. I saw the photographs. Do you have them on your phone, computer or other electronic mediums?”
Glen takes the beer and rolls his eyes. “I do all the work in the sack, so this makes up for it a little bit.” he gripes and takes several large swallows.
Now Sherry laughs until she snorts and looks at Glen “You wish dipshit.” It’s almost affectionate.
Brooke gives Levi a sly grin “He sent me a few. You dirty bird Levi...do you wanna see them? Maybe get a few ideas…” She clicks her lips looking at him and then as he’s ignored the beer she takes it for herself and cracks the cap off and then makes a bit of a show of putting her mouth over the end of the bottle before she drinks her first sip. She’s clearly hoping to get Levi interested in something.
Levi looked at her, evenly. “I see. Well, you are going to have ot delete all of those pictures, as well as any others that you have on any forms of electronic media you possess.” he glances at her parents. “Or are in the possession of anyone at this address.”
Glen leans over in his chair and slaps his wife’s ass. Then he hears the lawyer man speak and he looks in that direction. “Was he talking about them? He and Sherry?
Brooke stopped flirting at this request to delete the images and asked seriously “You just mean of Miranda? Not like all my naughty pics?” She’s resistant “And what if I don’t...find them all?”
Sherry gives a little squeal at the ass slap “Oh Glenn….you lookin to get my motion lotion goin?” She croaks. Then she hears the lawyer and Brooke and laughs “Could take our baby girl awhile to get rid of all of that biz.”
Levi is glad to see the attempt at flirting end. He sees that she is taking this seriously. It was hard to say with her which way it would go. “I mean all of them.” he tells her. Every naughty picture, audio and video file.” he actually looks more relaxed, not less, although he does cough again in the smoke. “If you don’t find them all, and I will know if you do, than I will contact the proper authorities to have you charged with possession of child pornography, conspiracy to create child pornography, ststatory rape as well as first degree rape.” he explains as casually as he can with the smoke encompassing him.
Glen hears some of the talk but not all. He stands and kisses h, leaning her up against the kitchen counter. “It’s boring talk. But if that what she’s into…”
Brooke was thinking how to get her flirt back on when Levi starts rattling off all her possible charges. As ditzy as she was she knew those were bad things and froze mid sip and then quietly set down her beer “I don’t want trouble…..you know people come to me just like I did at their age. And they’re over the age of consent.” She’s lying of course. Maddox wasn’t. Dante hadn’t been but his was a nice tight ass she could never nail down. And Maddox’s friend Justin had chickened out on her. But maybe it was this Miranda chic. “I swore Miranda was 16 and it was only a kiss….” Albeit topless and photographed.
Sherry kisses Glen back and gets into it but she heard the conversation and pulled back a moment “Hold onto your pecker darlin…..now you listen here fancy man. Brooke ain’t raped nobody. Those boys...they want it and she’s teachin em good. You’re a man….you’ve been laid. Maybe not properly if you’re gettin all fussy.”
Levi continues to look at Brooke. “According to two minors I have talked to that is not true, Miss. Martin. “Maddox Brown and Dante Mendoza. You are even in a photograph engaging in sexual activities with Mr Mendoza. “ he knows this because Dante is actually his client. “That would be not one, but two counts of statutory rape.” he hears the drunken woman and looks at her, his gaze going slightly colder. “And any sexual contact, including kissing that was not consented to is considered rape by the laws as they stand in British Columbia.”
Glen gets back in his chair, lighting another cigarette and blowing out aa long stream of smoke after a deep drag. “Girls can get in trouble for that?” he sounds amazed. “I thought it was only the boys who got in trouble.”
Brooke’s eyes go so big you can see all of the whites of them. He knew about Dante and Maddox? She inhales “Alright. I’ll delete. How do I give you proof that I’ve done so so you can let this go?”
Sherry frowned at Levi and then at Glen “I dunno hun..none of this makes any sense to me…..”
Levi simply cants his head. “You do it where I can see it.” he tells her and stands. “Your computer is where, now?” he was more than willing ot go into her bedroom … but she wasn’t going to have the time she thought she was.
Glen arches his brows. All he really heard was the word computer. He used the one Brooke owned to balance the laundromats books. Despite his age, he really didn’t know anything about computers.
Brooke looks taken aback again that Levi means she’s to delete everything right now, in front of him but then she signs “Alright. It’s a laptop, and a phone, and a Flikcr account which I can access from both. I’ll go get them.” And she stalks off feeling like half her identity is about to be erased.
Sherry just stares at the lawyer and power smokes now. This man was raising a lot of stink about nothing and making her baby girl jump through a lot of hoops.
Levi nods, but gets up with her. He follows her as far as her bedroom door, taking in that she does indeed have Just the phone and computer. Glancing around, he now looks at Glen and Sherry. “Your daughter doesn’t use your computer, does she?” he asks. “To go online or download files or anything?” he asks, conversationally.
Glen shakes his head. “We look like we can afford two fucking computers Mr Lawyer?” he asks, his tone a bit resentful. He power puffs his cigarette. More than half hoping the lawyer will never get the smell out of his fancy suit.
Brooke notices Levi following but has now surmised he was neither a man to flirt with or to trifle with. She pockets the phone and carries the laptop back with her to the living room where once she’s seated she wakes it from it’s sleep cycle.
Sherry just shakes her head and points at Levi “People keep yammerin on about privilege….there is it sitting right on my couch in a tie….we got one computer and one toilet. No matter how many you got your shit still stinks Mister.”
Brooke looked up from the laptop a little embarrassed. “Mama….Pop….I’m in a heap of trouble here...could you fuckin shut it?” She goes into her files “I’m organized at least so it won’t take long.” She turns the computer to Levi and there are files labelled Brett, Dante, Maddox, Cosmo, Spencer, Charlie, Ladies, Groups, Blue Door, She proves they have contents by randomly clicking on one, meaning to hit Charlie but accidentally opening Maddox. Her images are set to large icons so Levi will get an eyeful of very explicit pictures of Brooek and Maddox. But he also might notice that Maddox without clothing has a lot of random bruises in different places throughout the series. None of them would be visible if he were dressed. But Brooke scrambles to close the file “Well you can see there’s stuff...I’ll just delete the files then do the Flickr and then my phone…..”
Levi doesn’t even look at Sherry. He watches Brooke and sees Maddox when his pictures are revealed. Brooke closes the folder fast, but not fast enough. He sighs and remembers why he is there, but he also knows he may be dealing with an abused child, no matter how man sized. “Did you put those bruises on Maddox?” he asked knowing she didn’t. “And if you didn’t do you know who did?” he didn’t get to deal with poor families much, but he is cynical enough to exect that even if Brooke knows, she may lie about it … whether to protect Maddox or to keep herself out of it. “And yes … both if you please. Delete it all.” if he had to, he could get a court order to examine Maddow .. unless of course the bruises weren’t fights with his unusually kind and considerate father but with others at school.
Glen frowns as the lawyer makes Brooke do his bidding and then asks if she put bruises on one of the boys. “Where these boys get their bruises is none of our fucking business, Mister.” he nearly snaps. “We mind our own goddamned business and I advise you to mind yours.”
Brooke looks at Levi like he’s nuts “NO! I’m not into whipping people….everything else maybe but not that. Plus he’s twice my size. You know he plays like every sport right? Lots of sports injuries….and he’s got a bit of a temper. Gets into fights with guys at school.” Her face is completely genuine. “Talk about looking for the worst in people….wow.” She goes ahead and starts deleting her way through he collections and goes on to deal with Flickr almost sadly “I have so many followers. You’re breakin hearts Mr. Samuels….”
Sherry has finished her beer now and is a little dozy in her chair “Damn right…” she mutters and nods off again.
Levi notes that the bruises could be from anywhere and then Brooke is telling him he looks for the worst in people. “Occupational hazard in an attorney, Miss Martin.” he nods. “I am sure they will get over it. I’ll contact Flickr and have them check those followers and get any pictures of yours they may have off of their server. It’s not only people I look for the worst in.” he tells her. “Now … your phone.”
Glen snorts. “Fucking lawyer. You should … ah fuck it.” He watches his wife doze off and wakes her by yanking on her arm. “Wake up Sherry. I’m gonna do a cavity search on your ass.” and he will drunkenly tug her towards their bedroom. He’s been emasculated enough by this rich suit. It was time to feel like a man now.
Brooke vaguely overheard her parents but she was used to them and had in many ways unconsciously modeled her thought patterns after theirs. She took out her phone and started deleting. There was a lot on it, mostly nudes of her she’d sent out when sexting.
Sherry wakes and smirks at Glen “You dirty bastard. You better be up for the full deal if you want in the back door.” She gets dragged off and it’s obvious when they begin because she doesn’t even try to be quiet and it sounds like they’re banging right against the bedroom door and crashing into it.
Levi has no real choice but to watch her denote the photos one at a time. Then her father drags her mother in the bedroom and almost immediately it’s like someone hit play in the middle of a sex tape. He doesn’t roll his eyes, but does ask Brooke. “You can always batch delete, you know…” this is not a pleasant experience for him and for far more reasons than he is a gay man.
Glen wants in any door he can and is perfectly happy with the front. He isn’t quiet. His wife isn’t quiet and he could care less WHAT the lawyer hears. He might learn something he didn't in law school.
Brooke is remarkably not tech savvy for someone who has as many pics and videos as she does “You can? How do I do that?” She looks at Levi a little doe eyed.
Sherry starts making a series of almost grunts and squeals and smacking the door and then yells out “Look out Daddy here it comes!”
Levi looks at her. “In the upper corner select ‘select all’ and …” he blinks as Shelly starts screaming. He sighs. “Then delete all.” he can’t help but look at his watch.
Glen can be heard growling. “That’s my baby . who you cummin for?”
Brooke follows his directions and then holds her breath as it’s just suddenly gone and then slowly exhales “I feel like I’ve erased my identity….”
Sherry keeps screaming and slapping the door “I’m cummin for my daddy...I’m cummin for my daddy…..oh Glen...you stuff me like a turkey ooooooooh weeeee!” And there’s one last big thud.
Levi looks at Brooke. “That is not your identity, Brooke. You’re more than those pixels.” he speaks relatively gently, only to immediately her Sherry talking about being stuffed like a turkey. That was all the cue he needed. Standing he nods at her. “Thank you, Miss Martin. You’ve done a good deed.” he turns towards the door. “I’ll see myself out.” and he will go unless she stops him.
Brooke hears Levi’s words but doesn’t believe them. “Thank you Mr. Samuels…..bye.” She sinks back into the couch wondering what more than those pixels would even be.
Levi leaves the building and turns left, heading along the sidewalk and then to Water street and home. He pauses at the corner of 1st and Water, just outside of Perkatory and sends a text message to Miranda.
Wishing you a good night. Nothing exists that can hurt you.
It’s a bit cryptic, but he wants to make sure she can understand it even if she is with her brothers and father. Hopefully she won’t have to explain it. Tucking his phone back in his pocket, he makes it home just before 10. He sniffs and his suit smells like cigarette smoke. Rolling his eyes he sheds it, putting it aside for dry cleaning and steps into a steaming hot shower.
Miranda has been home in her room, basically hiding out. She put her pajamas and sat down with her laptop and headphones to binge watch Stranger Things again to try and distract herself. She hadn’t even eaten anything because her stomach was so unstable when she got home from the anxiety. Suddenly a text came across her phone and she paused and jumped and then read it. Nothing exists that can hurt you. She got what Levi meant, but how had he done it? Cradling her phone to her she sobbed again, this time in relief. A few minutes later she texted back:
Thank you for everything. You’re beyond amazing.
Jasper Rogers arrived at Levi’s door bearing wine and flowers. He was still in his work shirt and tie but the tie was loose and the white button up shirt was two buttons open. He has a key now and he used it and stepped in “Levi?”He shut the door behind him and took off his shoes and then set down the flowers and wine on the kitchen table. He walked around a bit and then heard the shower running and grinned. Quietly he stepped to the bathroom door and shed his clothes and then made his way through and slipped into the shower with his beloved reaching for him and beginning to try to kiss and caress him.
By the time he heard Jasper entered his shower, Levi was soaping up for the third time. He rinsed and smiled at Jasper, but it was a tired thing. The evening had been absolutely exhausting. “AH, my love, my life, my reason for being.” he kisses him, but resists the caresses. “How was work?” he asks. Jasper was always welcome, but this was a surprise. Not unwelcome, simply ill timed.
Jasper kisses Levi back and then feels the resistance and backs off respectfully “Work was way too long….Levi are you ok? I’m not trying to push you if you’re not in the mood but I feel like...how was YOUR workday?” He takes the soap after Levi and actually just showers, staying close but not coming onto Levi. He could use a shower shower too after long hours and suctioning fluids from humans in surgery and trauma. There had been an accident at the docks where a crane fell on three workers. He had earned his orthopedic surgeon portion of his titles today. Then once all were in recovery he went to the pharmacy and saw the flowers at the till. He had been gifted the wine and it might be iffy but it would do. But now his man seemed to need more of a shoulder than his romance.
Levi finishes his final shower and gets out, calling over the running water as he dries his body. “For a lawyer, it was long. A lot of phone calls and legal calisthenics.” he would never lie to Jasper, but he did embellish the truth in this particular case. “I did some work for my younger clients and that always runs me down.” again, not a lie, as it was already known that he was Dante’s lawyer and he had indeed checked up on the young man earlier in the day. “But what about you? I can whip us up some left-overs and thoroughly impress you with my stovetop heating skills.” he offers.
Jasper listens to Levi and then turns off the water and steps out too, grabbing a towel and drying himself a bit before he wrapped it around him. Levi has the nicest towels and sheets, like he actually shopped at more specific places than the Superstore and Walmart sale displays. “That does sound like a long day. Did you hear about the accident at the docks? I had a bone saw day and a 6 hour surgery. But they came through the procedures well.” He exhales “I would love your leftovers. I had a moment of contemplation with one of those sandwiches in the vending machine and decided my life was more important than my hunger so I will be easily impressed.” He grins.
Levi puts a towel around his hips and goes into his bedroom, where he grabs a pair of sweatpants that he’ll probably sleep in. “I heard about it on the radio .. that Walrus guy? Sounded gruesome … will anyone have to be airlifted off of the island?” With the ferry closed he now wondered how that worked He had his way of getting to the mainland.
Jasper puts the clothes back on he came in. They hadn’t planned on him staying the night as this was a spontaneous drop in. “So far not necessary. I mean if all three were in critical condition still and we had other patients in intensive care we’d have to but thankfully it was a slow week before this. I texted my kids and only got one reply back. Life with teenagers…” He laughs “Oddly it was Miranda. She sometimes ignores mine I’m sure. She’s home tonight and the boys must be out.”
Levi nods and heads into the kitchen dining area. His back turned he winced a little at hearing Miranda’s name. “Hey, aren’t fathers supposed to be glad the daughter replied?” he quips. “Duncan is probably with Fernanda and Romeo … how is school going for him .. a name like that, your house could become a hotbed of teenage girls hanging out.” he turns with two wine glasses. “Just don’t become too much competition for Buni … she strikes me as a woman who wouldn’t sue.” he sets the glasses down and winks.
Jasper chuckles “I am pleasantly surprised when my children acknowledge my texts and of course glad Miranda reached back. Her moods are still all over the place. I thought we’d sorted some of it out but then lately she’s shutting me out again. It kills me Levi. I know she was closer to Bea but I’m it now...I mean I know my kids are getting to love you too...but you know what I mean.” He nods about Duncan “Yeah two peas in a pod Duncan and Fernanda. And Romeo….oh I’m sure there are girls...all through school there have been for him. But here he’s got a main crew of really good friends too...one’s a girl but not like fan girling over him. Nice kids. And they do hang out at that coffee shop so if there are fangirls I’d think that would be good for Buni. That place is always packed after school.” He looks at the wine glasses and smiles “I brought you flowers too...they probably should go in water. I just missed you today Levi. The wine is...well a patient gave it to me so I have no idea if it’s any good. It’s an island favourite the Bear Ass wines. She tells me the red is the better of the two though.”
Levi looks in his refrigerator and pulls out a garden salad with tuna flaked generously.. Then he gets two forks and sets it between them. “Well … she IS a teenage girl, so isn’t that part of it? I have brothers .. except for Ruth.” he smiles at the kids. “I love them already too.” he just nods about Duncan and Fernanda. “Well it helps to have one female friend who doesn’t want something from you?” he asks and smiles, seeing the flowers. “I love them.” he does go to put them in water. “I missed you, too.” he looks at the wine with raised brows. “Never heard of it…” he glances at the bootie and snaps his finger. “Corkscrew…” he turns and starts looking for his.
Jasper nods ruefully “It might be…” then he beams that Levi says he loves his kids. “One of the Hawkins-Domino kids. Have you been to Scott for a haircut? He’s got all their school pictures on the wall in his shop too. Family man….nice guy. His wife Amanda teaches at the school. She’s black...he’s white. I love the diversity of this town Levi. I mean even your friends….and coworker...Natalie and Marcus. And there’s a lesbian couple among the cops. We picked a good place to be out and fall in love. Makes me happy.” Jasper picks at the wrapper on the top of the wine bottle and peels it off and laughs “You won’t need a corkscrew.” He twists off the cap and sniffs at the wine “Bear Ass wine is cheap ass wine I think but let’s be brave.”
Levi nods. “Beginning of every month I get a haircut. He’s good and way more reasonably priced than anyone in Vancouver.” he smiles. “Yes, it’s incredible here. And one of the cops told me that he’s happy because now there Jews on the island besides him.” he laughs. He blinks when he’s told the wine has a twist top. “Well … Let’s see what they have to offer. I'm guessing that wine is younger than … Ruth.” he laughs and nods. A day like he’s had, he just needs the drink. It’s not bad and he feels much better as they share the salad. Afterwards they lay in bed watching a movie on Levi’s laptop. When he woke it was morning and Jasper was gone.
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