CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE - The Vindication of Eddie Robinson

MIKE - After chattin' it up with Fletch, me-n-Eddie rode off into the sunset, another job well done, but I had one on my own ahead of me. I know for sure Eddie didn't tell me ev'rything on that tape, unconscious or not. It was cocaine that got him kicked outta the academy. Maybe so, but I still didn't hear it all. I had to talk to the kid.

We got back home and I says to Eddie, "you remember when I gave you that shot of truth serum and I recorded ev'rything ya said?"

"Yeah."

"Well, I wasn't ever gonna play it for ya, but I think ya oughta hear a part of it, anyway."

I, myself, listened to it a few times, still tryin' to take it all in. I couldn't believe what my boy had held inside all this time. My heart was broken. Since then I just looked upon him with sadness in my eyes, sadness in my heart. You take all the weapons used on me throughout my life as the Dashin' Detective, add it all up, and that was a day at the beach compared to what I felt when I heard Eddie's confession. Sympathy doesn't serve a Detective well. A Detective with a muscular, agile body, a quick mind, an effervescent enthusiasm for the fight against crime should be the recipient of fear, love, admiration, respect, lust. I just wanted to hold 'im, my sweet, precious boy with all that pain inside of him. He was too young for all of this.

The tape recorder itself had a counter on it. I scribbled some notes, putting the counter number after certain excerpts like the one I was about to play for him - the one about the cocaine. He bristled.

"So now you know what really happened. Ya sore at me?"

"At first, yeah. Not because of the drugs, but because ya couldn't think to tell me, honestly. But I saw why. Then I got to thinkin'. You couldn't walk outta there on your own devices. I think you were coerced. I also think you're blockin' out the memory of what really happened, what really held you there, this force that took away your once-promisin' career as a blue-boy. In my heart of hearts I know there were others involved. We have a way to find out. I spoke with Dr. Fletcher about it. That was the so-called pit-stop I had to make. Eddie, as I rescued you from that closet as a kid, gave ya a whole new lease on life, I'm here to do it again. You're gonna be hypnotized and re-live ev'rything to a tee and we're gonna track down these sick sons-a-bitches and we're gonna NAIL 'em. We're gonna make them wish they'd never been born, we're gonna make shit outta their lives like they done to you. Ya with me?"

"Gosh, I've never been hypnotized before. Is it safe?"

I hugged him, "as safe as if you're in my arms, boy. I'll be right there as you're goin' through this. I won't let anything happen to ya. Anything you've ever felt about that night will all come out in one session. You can really start to live after that. You're a bright, sexy, good-hearted All-American boy who just wants to do good. You've done lots of good and now you're gonna get some of that back, so whaddya say, huh?"

Eddie sat and thought, then stood up and said to me, "to Wursthaven".

And to Wursthaven we headed. And good on him, Fletch agreed to see us on real short notice, too.

"Now this shouldn't take very long, you won't feel a thing. Do you have something to concentrate on as I put you in a trance?"

Sure did. Eddie brought along the Batman comic that Skip gave 'im - the original print. He concentrated on the Boy Wonder himself, his role model, his inspiration for crimefightin'. As peomised, I was right there next to him. Fletch assured me that he'd be safe, that he didn't need anyone else around, but the kid spoke up, "Uh, no, doc, I want him here with me. We never go through anything by ourselves."

"Please, doc, this is a big thing for 'im."

He relented and as Eddie focused on the cover of the magazine, holdin' it with both hands, I sat next to him, my hand on his arm. The sight of Robin, the feel of my rough, leathery hand on his smooth, silky arm, familiar stuff. That's what he needed.

"Your eyes are getting heavy, you are slowly losing consciousness, falling into a deep sleep. Your deep subsoncious is slowly rising to the forefront. When you awaken at the end of this session you will know nothing of what is about to take place..."

[That's what he thinks - I gave Eddie the wire and he's gonna hear ev'rything]

"....you will also awaken feeling refreshed and renewed. Now, I'm taking you back to that weekend at the academy. As you relive that weekend, you will reveal all that occurred during that fateful time. Where are you now?"

"Walkin' back to my dorm. Classes wrapped up for the day. I see these two guys walkin' up in my direction. I'm nervous. I reported them for an infraction and they were suspended for a week - now they're back. They grab me and slam me up against the wall."

"Well, if it isn't the stool pigeon himself."

"Yeah, he should join the Rat Squad when he gets outta here - provided he gets outta here alive, that is."

[His life was threatened?]

"They punch me in the stomach and throw my books outta my hands. As they keep hittin' me, they keep sayin' stuff like are ya gonna snitch about this POW! - what about this - WHAM! -"

"Hey, what's the matter with ya, Little Caesar, ain't ya never heard of the Code of Silence?"

"You don't do a cop like you did us, kid."

"It was the right thing to do - I saw ya breakin' the rules and I had to say somethin' "

"Fuck the rules and fuck you, too. Hey, Marty, I guess we really showed this guy, huh?"

"Nah, not yet, Stosh. This is only the beginning. Hell, it's a shame that little fat fuck Mc Inerney got tossed outta here - we coulda thrown him in the shower with him!"

[SKIP! They were there at the same time?]

"Eddie, who is this Mc Inerney person?"

"I don't know. Never heard of 'im, I heard some guy got expelled for indecency, but I never got his name."

[Holy Crap - the two of them right there and they never met! I guess Skip never knew Eddie either]

"They walk away and I pick up my stuff and go back to my dorm. I was just gonna take it easy, but now I was all beat up?"

"Didn't you go to the infirmary?"

"Wanted to, but I was too scared to. I'd have to say who did this to me and I didn't want anything back. Since there were no classes for the weekend, I figured I'd stay inside and just let this blow over. Maybe things would ease off. I locked my door and went to sleep. Next thing I knew, my door was broken into, the lights were shinin' in my face, my hands and feet were cuffed and shackled, one of them had his hand on my mouth. I was dragged to this room, other guys were there, they ripped my clothes off , uncuffed me, grabbed my arms and held them against the wall. I tried kickin' myself free, but they were stronger."

"Do you know any names? Who are they? You quoted a name of Marty."

"Yeah, Marty Shaughnessey. Nobody could pronounce his last name, so they called him Chauncey, too."

"What was his role in this?"

"He was barkin' orders at the others."

"Who's Stosh? You also said his name."

"Stosh Wilczek. He was one of the guys holdin' me against the wall. He shouted that it's time to dress me up."

"Dress you up in what?"

"A leather mask, then they tied a sheet around my neck like a cape, or somethin', then they put a pair of leather shorts on me. Hey, guys, look at our little superhero! Boy if Batman could see you now!"

[They didn't! Oh, this is really gettin' bad! I know bullies always attack your weak spot, but this....I want these guys' blood!]

"Shaughnessey took his pants down and started jerkin' off in front of me. When he was about to cum, he said open up and say ah! I gritted my teeth and said no, then another guy stomps on my foot and I forget myself and scream, then it hits my mouth, I start gaggin' - No, you don't gag, Little Caesar, swallow it! SWALLOW IT, LIKE THE LITTLE COCKSUCKER YA ARE!"

"Do you know who else was there? Do you know their names?"

"Mike Murphy was the other guy holdin' me down with Stosh. Then Chauncey said well, I got somethin' else for ya to swallow. Murph, Stosh, bring 'im over here. They brought me to a desk and my hands were cuffed behind me and my feet were chained to the legs of a desk. There was a few lines of powder sittin' in front of me."

[Good Jesus!]

"Hey, Little Caesar! I hear you're gonna be the guest of honor at a drug test tomorrow!"

"He must've heard the administration was planning to call you up at random?"

"I guess so. Chauncey put the powder up to my face and I tried to wrestle my head away, then Murphy and Stosh held my head still, one of 'em grabbin' my nose and holdin' my nostril open. Can't hold yer breath forever, boy wonder. Come on, sniff! Get it up there!"

[Eddie starts sniffin' - was it to act out what happened or was he startin' to cry?]

"It went up my nose. I couldn't stop it. OH GOD! It's burnin' me! My nose is on fire! God it hurts! It hurts! What's the matter, boy wonder, ya feelin' a little hot? Huh? Here, let's cool ya down a little. It's a bucket of ice cold water. Oh, God, it's so cold - SO...COLD. Oh, GOD I'm gonna freeze to death."

[I whip my coat off and grab him and wrap it around him, rubbin' him up and down, tryin' to keep him warm, I got him in my arms now, his face buried in my chest, he's sobbin' uncontrollably, he's shakin' like murder. Actin' fast, Fletch eases him outta the trance. I tell 'im he's gotta bring him out now before he freezes to death. He tells me it would be too much for him if we do it too fast.]

"Eddie, Eddie, listen to me, we're leaving the dormitory, we're coming back to the present. When I snap my fingers, you will be back in my office, on the count of three - 1...2...3!"

MIKE - When Eddie came to, he was still cryin', but he was kinda confused, too. Still shakin', he looks up at me and sees my face, smilin' down at him.

"Hey, how ya doin', pal?"

"Oh, GOD, Mike! Help me, Mike! HELP ME!"

"I'm so proud-a you, kid. Ya spilled it all. Ya got it all out."

"I hate 'em, I hate 'em all! I want them dead!"

He was still recoverin' from his relivin' the past, even though he was in the here and now, he still felt ev'rything he just relived. I told him we were gonna get these guys, oh, boy and how. Batz the Dashin' Detective and Robinson the Boy Friday are on the case now.

WILL EDDIE FINALLY FEEL THE VICTORY OF VINDICATION? WILL STOSH, MURPH AND CHAUNCEY FEEL THE AGONY OF DEFEAT - AND OF DA FISTS? READ ON TO THE NEXT CHAPTER!