Breaking news, p.12
Breaking News, page 12
“Jasper Irons?” She asked for clarification.
“That’s me. Can you re-cuff me? Put my hands in front? It’s hurting my shoulders.” He asked politely.
“I’m sorry, we can’t.” She said, watching him.
Les leaned forward, resting his upper body on his thighs. She watched as he clenched his fists and rocked them. She heard the loud pops, as his knuckles cracked. She saw that the tendons on his wrists stood out. She heard him saying softly, push me pull you, over and over and the tingling went to her brain, alarm bells screaming. Her mouth fell open as his forearms began to bulge. He rocked a little in his upper body, chanting in a low voice. Puuusssh me, puuuulll you. When he sat back up straight, his forearms were massive, like a bodybuilder’s nearly grotesque.
She heard Marty whisper beside her, “Jesus Christ.” His voice strangled.
“Les?” Olivia said softly.
“It’s Jasper, I told you.” Jasper grunted.
“Jasper, I’m sorry. I need to read you your rights.” She said, looking up at Littleton and Brightwater, their faces pale, their eyes large.
“Don’t need to O-li-vi-a, I already heard them when you told Les.” Jasper said, his blue eyes glinting at her from his narrowed eyes.
“Can you tell me what this is all about?” She asked, nodding down to the box.
“That’s my treasure. My paybacks.” He grinned, but it looked more like a grimace.
“Paybacks?” She asked as she sat down in the chair, still holding the box open with its grisly contents.
“It’s that push me, pull you. Les had a shit childhood. Donovan was a fucker, a motherfucking humping trucker. Excuse my French.”
“Who is Donovan?” She asked.
“He likes you O-li-vi-a. He’s sweet on you, he says you’re a real peach, a peachy peach. Les’s stepfather. The big pig himself, pig man, pig fucker, hog butcher of the world.” Jasper said, an edge to his voice.
“Where is Donovan now?” She asked.
“Dead, and dead Fred. Got partial payment in prison, after he beat Les and broke that jaw. Broke that tooth.” Jasper said.
“Tooth?” She asked, studying his face in hypnotic fascination. It was Les, but it wasn’t Les. The man didn’t sound or even look like Les, but she knew it was him.
“Sure, and Les went six months for his jaw to heal, wired shut and that gaping hole, like the opening of hell. The kids teased him, until I beat the bloody, bloody shit out of the biggest of them. Then they left Les alone.” Jasper laughed and the hair on her arms rose once more. It was a laugh that you didn’t want to hear. She suppressed the shiver that tried to work its way through her body. Her mouth was dry and she had to swallow several times to speak.
“So, Les lost his tooth when his stepfather broke his jaw? What happened after that?” She asked.
“I got his tooth back and back with payback. Puuusshh me, puulll you. I made sure them knuckles couldn’t beat no more, beat the meat. I made sure.”
“Do you mean the victims?” She asked.
“Victims. Them victims ain’t victims. They hurt their children, they hurt their wives. I made sure they couldn’t do that again. Made sure they couldn’t knock their little teeth out.” Jasper said and tilted his head to the side looking at her.
Olivia couldn’t count the times her hair went up and down on her body. Just as the hair would go down, Jasper would look at her a certain way or say something and her hair would raise again.
“These men abused their families?” She asked.
“Yes, but we saw them and we pushed and pulled and pushed and I was the constant companion and I followed the abusers’ home. I watched them go to their little homes in their little lies and I saw.”
“That is how you chose them? You saw them abuse their family members?” She asked, trying to clarify and understand what had moved Les to kill, or rather Jasper.
“I filled the need and I did the deed, I made sure those fists were fists no more, that their mouths could say no more and I got Les’s tooth back, to fill that black hole.” Jasper said grinning again.
“Does Les know about you Jasper?” Olivia had to ask.
“Les has a hint, a glint when he looks in the mirror. When he sleeps, I creeps and take my turn and I make things burn and though they don’t scream, their bones and blood and brain do. It’s like a beautiful noise that I could hear over and over a thousand times. It’s like making love, so pure and that first blow, that hollow sound would send delicious shivers down my spine. I watched their eyes as they moved like marbles falling. Rolling around and then I bring the hammer down, and down and the meat and the bone and the brain flies. I feel that warm spray.” Jasper said in a soft faraway voice, longing and seductive.
Once more the hair was standing on Olivia and she looked over again at Reeder, and his arms were covered in small goosebumps and the hair erect as a porcupine’s quills.
“Puuusssh me, puuulll you.” Jasper whispered so softly, his face relaxing, his shoulders going down.
“Jesus, fuck me.” Brightwater breathed.
“What do you think?” Littleton asked softly, his hand covering his mouth.
“I think he needs to go over to Psych, he needs to be evaluated.” Olivia said softly, watching Les, who was now opening his eyes, fear and worry within their depths.
“Olivia?” He asked, his voice trembling.
“Les?” She asked, he looked like himself again, though he was sagging.
“What? What’s going on?” He began to cry.
“I don’t know Les, but we’ll make sure you get some help, okay.” She said softly.
Les nodded, tears sliding down his face. Olivia got up and called on her phone, requesting an ambulance and then she called Chief Skilter.
“Chief, this is Shin. We have Leslie Pigg in custody, but there is a wrinkle.” She said.
“What’s that Detective Shin?”
“Sir, I don’t know how to explain it, and when you see the video, you’ll understand, but I’m sending Leslie Pigg over to Psych, I think Les has DID, Dissociative Identity Disorder.” She said.
“What? You mean multiple personality? Christ, he’s faking it. You caught him and he’s trying to play the insanity card.”
“No sir, I think when you see the video, trust me. There isn’t a person in this room that hadn’t had the living hell scared out of them, by what they saw. I’m not kidding sir.” She said, her voice low.
“Alright. Have him transported and finish up there. Once it’s done, I’ll take a look at the video.” He said and hung up. Olivia took a deep breath and let it out slowly. She looked at her hands, they were shaking badly. She turned when she heard the ambulance and she walked over to Les.
“Les, the ambulance will take you to the hospital, I’ll follow and make sure you’re checked in and they treat you okay.” She said softly to him.
Les nodded and tried to smile but his lips trembled so badly that he clamped his mouth shut. Turning she waved Officer Reeder to her.
“Let’s walk him down to the ambulance and see he’s put onboard safely.” She said.
“Yes mam.” Reeder said, he was still pale and she could see he’d been shaken badly, as they all were.
“John, you and Pete finish up here. I’ll be getting Les settled at the hospital.” She ordered. She and Officer Reeder helped Les stand and each on his side took him downstairs to the waiting ambulance. He was cuffed to the gurney, each wrist. Olivia watched as the ambulance pulled away, Officer Reeder riding with Les. She’d follow in her car. Her legs were weak and shaking, but she managed to walk to her car.
She was on the verge of crying, though she wasn’t sure why. Was it because her friend didn’t even know he was a killer? That he would go to prison all the same. Was it because Jasper had scared the living hell out of her? Jesus. The hair stood again on her arm.
Ϫ
Les stared up at the ceiling of the ambulance. He didn’t look at the officer sitting beside him. He felt the warm tears flow down the sides of his face. He was trying hard to be brave but he felt as though he were standing at the very edge of a deep gorge. The dirt and gravel beneath his feet were falling away and his mind was about to plunge into some kind of living hell. His heart was racing, beating hard in his chest. He’d heard that voice talking to Olivia. He didn’t want to believe that it was coming out of his mouth. But it knew about his father knocking out his tooth and his jaw being broken.
He’d never told anyone about that. Not even Val. Jasper Irons, that name was so familiar, but who? Who was it? Push me, pull you. His constant companion breathed softly in his brain, like the subtle breath on a feather. He tried to turn away from it, but now that he heard it, he couldn’t push it away. Jasper was my friend, Jasper was the little black boy Donovan hated.
“Donovan beat you for having a black friend. He beat you nearly to death.” The soft voice said, so soft, puuuussshhh me, puuulll you.
Les started crying, sobs wracked his body. He felt the gurney shift and move as he was taken out of the ambulance. He felt the cool air around him and heard the bay doors open. He saw Olivia’s face near him and he turned his head.
“I’m so sorry Olivia. I didn’t know, I didn’t know.” He cried harder.
“Don’t worry Les, they’ll help you.” She said.
Ϫ
“Jesus Christ.” Chief Skilter breathed as he watched the video, Olivia sitting beside him. The hair had once more gone up on her body, though she’d seen it, it still gave her the chills.
She felt her eyes sting with tears and tamped them down. Les was so screwed up, she didn’t know if he’d ever recover. That scream had sent chills through her again and it hadn’t been any easier hearing it the second time.
Skilter sat back and looked at her, his normally florid face was now pasty and sickly waxy. His eyes were huge behind the glasses. He believed it as well.
“He isn’t faking it is he?” He asked her, his voice shaking.
“No. It would seem that Les had existed in a living hell with his stepfather. I’ll speak with the psychologist.” Olivia said.
“My god, if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes, I’d not have believed it.” He said, awe and something else, fear, maybe, in his voice.
“I’ll be going by the hospital day after tomorrow to speak with him. He has a lawyer and I’ll speak with her as well, after I speak with the doctor.” She said.
Chief Skilter appeared somehow older in the moments after viewing the video. Olivia likened it to watching someone die right before your eyes, a horrible and painful death. It was a death, a death of the old Les.
Ϫ
Olivia spoke with Les’s doctor, though he couldn’t say a lot because of patient confidentiality.
“Is there any help for him Dr. Kristoff?” Olivia asked, sitting in the doctor’s office.
“Only if he wants it. It will take a lot of work on his part, but I do think he will find some kind of resolution. You know he’s requested to go to prison, don’t you?” He asked.
“What? Why, he can receive help here and stay out of that situation, can’t he?” She asked, shocked.
“That would be up to the jury to decide, but he says he is waving a trial and wishes to plead guilty and go straight to prison.” Dr. Kristoff said, shaking his head.
“I’ll talk to him doctor, and his lawyer. He needs help and this is the best place for him.” She promised.
Ϫ
Olivia walked into the room, Les was sitting in a chair, with an orange jump suit on, chains around his wrists, that ran through a belt and down to ankle chains. Beside him was a woman, she looked to be in her forties, her skin a beautiful blue black. She was relaxed and sitting with her briefcase in her lap. Olivia smiled at Les, who returned her smile. He also looked relaxed, a lot better than when she’d last seen him. His eyes were puffy and red rimmed, from crying she thought, but still, there was a calmness about him.
She wondered if the doctors had sedated him. She wouldn’t be surprised. She’d told Jeff the whole horrible thing. She’d wept and Jeff had held her.
“It was so horrible. That scream, that god awful scream. I don’t think I’ll ever forget it.”
“I’m so sorry Olivia. My God, that poor man, what he must have gone through to have had his brain splinter like that.” Jeff had said, he’d also been stunned as well.
Olivia took a seat in front of Les, and smiled once more.
“Hi Les, how are you?”
“I’m okay. This is Ronda Trelleborg, she’s my lawyer. I told her we could talk freely.” He said.
“No, Les, I’m still an officer of the court, anything you say to me, it’s on the record. Listen to Ms. Trelleborg.” Olivia advised, looking to his lawyer who smiled gratefully. Apparently Les wasn’t taking her advice.
“Olivia, I consider you my friend. I’m going to talk, and tell you, because I’m already waving the trial and pleading guilty to thirteen counts of murder in the first. Because I’m doing that, the prosecutors said they would waive the death penalty and I’ll have thirteen life sentences. Eligible for parole when hell freezes over.” He smiled, though his lips did tremble.
“That’s what I wanted to talk to you about. Les, if we can get you to trial, I’m sure Ms. Trelleborg has told you that you can plead not guilty, by reasons of insanity. When the jury sees the video, they will see that you weren’t responsible. Please, listen to your lawyer. Going to prison is hard time, and to spend the rest of your life there, please rethink this.” Olivia pleaded.
Les smiled and it was a sweet smile. He shook his head.
“Look, I’m beginning to find out who I really am. I’m not insane. I’m screwed up, but, that’s okay, I’m working to fix that and myself. I don’t want to be in a hospital the rest of my life. Donovan spent his whole life blaming others for his actions, or reactions. He never took ownership of it. He beat the hell out of me and my mother, because he wouldn’t admit his own short comings. I won’t do that Olivia. I won’t be like Donovan.” He said, his face earnest.
“Look, I found out who Jasper is, he was a childhood friend of mine, he was black and Donovan hit him, hit a six-year-old for being black. And when I tried to stop him, he beat me nearly to death. Something broke inside of me, besides my bones. Later, when Val and I separated, you know she’s black? I don’t know if I ever said that. When we separated and eventually divorced, I tried to commit suicide. That was six years ago, and when I tried to commit suicide. Jasper stopped me and tried to help me.” He said, his eyes now red and tears began to slide down his face. Olivia’s eyes began to tear as well.
She reached into her purse and pulled out a tissue and handed over to him. He smiled and took it.
“I drank, I think trying to drown myself and I think that is when Jasper Irons kind of took control. I don’t know if I’m remembering right, I’m working on that. But, when Jasper, my constant companion, witnessed each of the men, hurting their family or children, something snapped, in me, or him or both of us.” He shrugged.
“Please don’t say anything else Les, I’m serious, if you keep talking, well, please.” Olivia said helplessly.
“No, I am clear on this, maybe for the first time in my life, I’m not terrified. Look, I’m so sorry I or Jasper killed those men. It sickens me, to the depths of my soul, but I can’t be sorry that those families, those children will not have to grow up in fear, like I did. They don’t have to be beaten and abused by some bastard. They won’t have to live their lives like I did, and that I can’t be sorry for and that, in and of itself is worth spending the rest of my life in prison. I did it, whether under Jasper’s influence or my own, but I did commit those murders and I will not shrink from what I did.”
Olivia took a long deep breath and nodded her head. She looked over at the lawyer who looked at her clasped hands. She felt bad for the woman, they both knew that Les didn’t do the crimes, but he did. But he was willing to take the punishment for it. She respected Leslie Pigg very much and what he chose was both foolish and admirable. He was holding himself accountable.
“Alright Les, I respect your choice, I wish you’d consider otherwise, but I understand I guess and I respect it.” She smiled at him.
“Thanks Olivia, it means a lot that you said that. I mean it. I respect you so very much. You’re an honorable person and you work hard to help those who can’t.” He said softly.
“I’ve got to head back to work Les, but I’ll come back to see you and I will come to visit, once you are situated in prison. Please take care of yourself.” She said and stood. She reached out her hand and squeezed his. He squeezed her hand gently and smiled.
Olivia left the room, blinking back tears. She felt for him and felt badly that his life had turned into some kind of shambles. She hoped he’d be okay in prison, and she’d go and visit him once he was settled in. She only hoped that he’d survive that brutal environment.
EPILOGUE
Les sat on the metal bench of the long dining table. The stainless steel was bolted to the cement floor of the Kershaw Correctional. He looked down at his food, two small loaves of cornbread, a serving of pork and beans, fruit cocktail, coffee and some kind of rice dish with bits of meat in it. He wasn’t sure what it was, and wasn’t sure he wanted to know. He’d been at the prison for six months now and was starting to get into a routine.
It had been difficult at first. But he’d been talking to a therapist and that helped him. Even that part of him, Jasper was helping him put the pieces of the puzzle together. And though Jasper was violent, he was also sweet and kind. He was the champion of the weak and helpless.
Les took a bite and chewed slowly, staring off into space. Most often than not, he was left to himself. He suspected that word had spread that he’d been convicted of thirteen murders, a mass murderer, a serial killer. A killer of abusers. That wasn’t who he was, but he’d take the reputation anyway if it kept the people away from him. He didn’t want trouble and had lived in fear the first three weeks until he realized most people left him to himself.
