The 'Cousins'

Part 102 (Delta) - Armstrong's Plan.

Armstrong interrupted his deliberations to take a sizeable gulp of whisky while his mind raced to seek a solution. He sat quietly, shaking his left index finger at the desk and continued thinking out loud.

"This boy and Mitchell is one thing, but can this boy be part of the other thing as well? ...Melissa Johnson said White was hobnobbing with Gleitner?" A streak of whisky-induced inspiration set his nerve ends jangling, bringing him to sit bolt upright in his chair.

"Could the White boy be the sex operation Mitchell claims Gleitner's running with high school students? Could Jesse White be all of it? Perhaps Mitchell and Gleitner are in competition for Jesse White? That's it. It makes sense. Jesse White is all of it, there's not two issues here, only one; and they're all part of the same thing – Jesse White is the whole of the problem."

Armstrong stood up shaking his fists in front of him in the manner of a victorious tennis star; a broad smile flitted across his face.

"That's it Ellie. It's the only thing I can do. I'll do what I thought about doing earlier and get rid of Jesse White. If he's not here in the school there's no vice operation rumors operating anymore and he won't be around Bamptonville anymore to meet up with Mitchell so there can be no repercussions for me stopping them from meeting together either. That's it!"

His hands trembled with excitement as he sat down to open his desk drawer to bring out the Jesse White folder and retrieve the boy's home address; placing it on top of the stamp album. Before he closed the drawer, his eyes caught sight of the thirty dollars he'd taken from the boy at the end of their interview. The sight sobered his thoughts enough to focus them on cash issues.

"I must keep the books balanced. White owes $292 on his account and I'll have to pay that if I send him home." He winced at the thought of throwing away so much of his savings, but shrugged it off. "If it saves me my job and keeps me out of courtrooms, it'll be a good investment." With that statement came another, more sobering thought.

'If I send him away, Mitchell could still come after me with lawyers if my reason for his dismissal was to prevent them associating. It'd be better for me if I get his father to take him away. That would leave me out of the picture altogether for the boy leaving school.'

Armstrong rubbed his hands together, before emptying his whisky tumbler and opening his desk drawer to take out notepaper and an envelope. His eyes were drawn to the boy's money lying in his drawer again and scoffed. "Learners Permit indeed, ill gotten gains I call it. But if I am to stay outside of this arrangement I'd best give it back to White, before he quits the campus. Then there's no way Mitchell can tie me in with the boy's departure. ...That'll make White's outstanding debt $322." Armstrong winced again before adding. "For peace of mind, it's cheap at double the price."

Chuck Armstrong addressed the envelope and then refilled his tumbler to ponder the content of the letter to Mr. White. After several minutes and two liberal sips from his glass, he took up his fountain pen and began writing.

Mr. White,

It is my painful duty as Principal of the Bamptonville Community College and High School to request your cooperation and for you to take your son Jesse White away from the school with immediate effect. This is for the good name of the College and for his own continued well-being.

There have been rumours around the campus of Jesse engaging in an unnatural and unhealthy liaison with an English visitor to Bamptonville.

I regret to advise you that the rumor has been confirmed and there is much talk in the town of this liaison and of him being seen in bed with this man at the Melody Inn.

I have interviewed Jesse today to question him about this rumor. He readily admitted to me that he is engaged in an affair with the man and he might also be indulging in these foul practices for money, following the loss of his benefactor, Col. Stuart.

I am unable to protect him outside of this establishment since he is now of legal age to participate in these acts. For his own good and the reputation of the College I think it best if you took him away from Bamptonville and the bad influences prevailing upon him outside of the Community College campus.

Although the law now allows such practices, I cannot condone such activity among students of this college and high school and request that you remove your son from these premises at your earliest possible convenience.

With sincere regrets,

C.H.Armstrong, PhD, MA.(Oxon)

Principal.

Bamptonville Community College and High School.

"Yes! That should do the business." Armstrong signed the letter, but was distracted by a slight tapping on the door to his office, which opened slowly to admit the janitor.

"Begging your pardon Dr. Armstrong, sir. Sorry to disturb you, but I was worried you might be sick or something."

"Good Lord Mr. Ekston, is that the time? I'm fine and thank you for your concern. Please accept my apologies for keeping you waiting so long. I did have some urgent business and was expecting a telephone call. But I'm leaving now."

"No problem sir. I'll wait outside."

"Thank you Mr. Ekston."

Armstrong hurriedly folded the letter into the envelope, sealed it and tossed it into his out-tray, taking care to shield the sight of the bottle of whisky from the janitor with his body as best he was able until the man left the room, and then locked it away in his desk cupboard with the tell tale glass.

There was no sign of stress or strain about Dr. Armstrong as he put away his stamp album and collected his things prior to leaving.

"Good Night Mr. Ekston." He called out chirpily as he passed the janitor waiting in the secretary's office.

"Good night sir."

Armstrong tripped light footed down the steps on his way home, Flik Donovan's words no longer spooled through his mind, replaced by a tune from an old musical, The Maid of the Mountains.

'A Bachelor Gay am I.'

A/N: 'Gay' did not have today's inferences or meanings when this song was written.