My Brother’s Keeper - 35

As soon as they arrived at the station house Tad asked if he could call a friend to bring him his ID from his apartment. The investigating officer appeared surprised that he had a legal place of residence but gave his permission. Once Tad had assured Denise that both he and Roy were all right, and told her what he needed, he hung up and they were taken to an interview room.  

There they told the investigating officer the complete story of what had happened, starting with Roy’s first run-in with Daws at the shelter. The only thing they left out, by unspoken agreement, was Jerry’s involvement in all of it. In point of fact they made certain his name was never mentioned. Roy told the officer that it had been another of the shelter dwellers who had stopped Daws assault, someone he had never seen before or since.

Finally, after what seemed like hours, although they discovered that it had been just over one hour, they were told they could go home. Roy laughed wryly at that idea as he had not intention of ever going to his real home.

Tad caught on immediately. “You are going home…with me,” he said quietly, wrapping one arm around Roy’s waist.

“I don’t know who the hell you are, but get your filthy hands of my son,” a loud voice said from the door to the interview room.

Roy turned, keeping one hand on Tad’s arm so he wouldn’t pull away. “Hello, father. How nice to see you again,” he spat out, his voice acid-laced. Then he turned back to Tad, “Shall we get out of here before I say some things I might regret?”

“You do not walk away from me, you little fagot,” Roy’s father said menacingly. “Where is Jerry?”

“Safely out of your clutches, by his own choice.” Roy stepped forward, Tad right beside him. “Now move, please,” he said with contempt limning his face.

“Gentlemen…” Two men came into the room. The one who had spoken immediately introduced himself as Captain Thompson. He closed the door and then asked what the problem was.

Roy’s father replied, “Arrest him, and his queer friend. They lured my son away from my home and have kept him from returning. If you look in your records you’ll find a missing person’s report on him.”

The captain looked at Roy, one eyebrow cocked in question. “Is this true?”

“You don’t ask him. The damned faggot will lie his head off. That’s what they do,” Roy’s father almost shouted, his face turning red with rage

Roy broke in, saying, “Jerry’s my brother. I didn’t ‘lure’ him away. He came with me willingly when he,” he angrily pointed a finger at his father, “kicked me out of the house after he found out I was gay.”