Deliver Us From Evil (24 page)

“But, how can you say that? How do you
know?”

“How do I know? I was
there,
remember? Let’s go back to that Sunday, September 5
^th
. Let’s go back to the campfire. The six of us having our supper. You with me, Mr. Ramsey?”

“Yes, I’m with you. Keep going. I’m listening.”

“It was brought out in the trial. The two boys left and went up to the main house. They were tired and wanted to go to bed early. Willie Groda gathered up the dishes and left for the dining hall. That of course, left Father Reiniger, Danny, and myself at the fire. As I testified in the trial, Father Reiniger was angry. He was very upset with me, after I’d accused him of molesting the boy in the rectory. When he suggested that he and Danny take a boat ride, I knew exactly what he had in mind. I’d seen it happen twice before. He’d take the boys out on the boat, always one at a time, bring them back and suggest a swim; an easy way to get their clothes off. And then, he could molest them. I often thought, the boat ride, Mr. Ramsey, was kind of like, ‘foreplay.’”

“Uh-huh. So, you are telling me that you saw Father Reiniger and Danny
leave
in the motorboat. What happened then, Mr. Kramer?”

“Willie Groda came back to the fire. He and I finished off the last of a pot of coffee he’d made. We talked for about ten minutes. I told him I was a little beat, and was gonna go back up to the main house. I remember, as I left, Groda was putting out the fire.”

“What happened next?”

“About an hour had gone by. It was dark by this time. I was sitting on the veranda of the main house. All of a sudden, I heard the motorboat shut off. I knew Father and Danny had gotten back. They didn’t come up to the house right away and I was curious. I left and walked down to a small wooded area that overlooks the strip of sand we call the beach. They’d just come back from swimming. It was then, that I saw Father suddenly throw the boy down on the sand, and he forcibly raped him. I felt like I was paralyzed. I froze. I couldn’t move! Danny was crying out with pain. He was shocked, afraid, confused. After it was over, Father was more disgusted than anything else. I heard him yell, ‘Stop your crying! Stop your crying, you sniveling little shit! Stop your crying! You make me
sick!’”

“What happened after
that,
Mr. Kramer?”

“Father got dressed and he left. I hesitated for a few minutes. Danny was lying in a fetal position on the sand. He was crying, moaning; he was trying to relieve the pain. He made me think of a wounded animal. I walked over to him, bent down. I wanted to help him. But, he looked up at me, and I’ve never seen such
hate
in a boy’s eyes! He screamed at me, ‘I trusted Father Reiniger! I
trusted
Father Reiniger! I thought he was my friend! And I trusted you too, Mr. Kramer! What
are
you two guys? A couple of queers? A couple of faggots?’ I tried to calm him down. I said, ‘No! No! Listen to me Danny! You’ve got it all wrong!’ But I couldn’t get through to him. He was uncontrollable; he was shaking with anger! He screamed at me again. ‘You’re a liar! You’re a liar! I
trusted
you and Father Reiniger! You’re both a couple of lying
faggots!
Admit it! You’re both
faggots!’”
Kramer paused. “Then he calmed down a little. He was still angry, but more calm. Then he looked me straight in the eye and he said to me, ‘If you think I’m gonna keep quiet about this and forget it ever happened, well then, you’re crazy! You and Father Reiniger
aren’t
gonna get away with this!’”

Ramsey hung on every word. “And?”

“Well, I don’t know what happened. Something just hit me. I knew the boy meant what he said. I couldn’t reason with him. I couldn’t get through to him. He was threatening to expose the truth about Father Reiniger, and me, you might say, an innocent bystander, and I couldn’t let that happen! A scandal like this would ruin my chances of getting into the seminary. What I wanted most of all, a career in the priesthood, would just go up in smoke. My career would be ruined! Suddenly, all the anger I’d felt for Father Reiniger that afternoon, just exploded. As far as the seminary was concerned, he’d dumped me! That, and now this kid was threatening to expose me for something I’d had not part of. I don’t know what happened. I just snapped, I guess. The next thing I knew I had him on the ground and I was choking him. I was choking him to death! I kept squeezing his neck tighter and tighter. I don’t know what came over me. I just couldn’t help myself! I just
lost it,
I guess. I remember picking up a piece of driftwood that was lying in the sand nearby, and I shoved it down, over his throat! I was choking the boy, and all of a sudden, he wasn’t breathing anymore. He was dead.”

For a brief moment, Ramsey gazed at Jack Kramer in stunned silence. Then he lit up another cigarette. “Tell me what happened,
then,
Jack?”

“At that moment, I
despised
Father Reiniger. I knew I’d killed the boy, but there was no way I was going to take the blame for it. Danny was last seen with Father Reiniger, and Father Reiniger was the one who was going to pay for it! I buried Danny’s clothes and shoes in the sand, then carried his body over to the small rowboat we had at the dock and put him inside. I left Danny’s T-shirt in the rowboat, intentionally. I wanted to leave the cops a clue. I rowed out to the middle of the lake and I dumped his body into the water. That was the last I saw of him.”

Ramsey eyed him closely. “Well, I certainly want to thank you for your candor, Jack, but, why are you coming to me with this information,
now?”

“This thing has been tearing me apart, ever since it happened. I have nightmares, Mr. Ramsey. Bad dreams. And every dream is the same. I’m lifting Danny Novak’s body out of the rowboat, dumping it over the side, and watching it submerge, watching it disappear into the water, and wishing it was me.” Kramer spoke with great earnestness. “I need your help, Mr. Ramsey. I need your help.”

“Well, in that case, I would say you have an immediate decision to make, Mr. Kramer.”

“What’s that?”

“I gotta level with you. You need representation.”

“Representation?”

“Would you like me to represent you? As your attorney?”

“Yes, I would, but I hear good attorneys don’t come cheap.”

“I wouldn’t worry about that right now. You
sure
you want me to represent you?” he said, with a dry laugh.

“Yes. I’m sure.”

Ramsey shot him a small smile. “I just
lost
the case for Father Reiniger, you know.”

“I don’t care about that.”

“Well, a good move, I would say.”

“What happens now? Where do we go from here?”

“My advice for you right now, Jack, is to turn yourself in. Turn yourself in, to the police. They’re right across the street from the courthouse.”

“Any idea what will happen to Father Reiniger?”

“There’s no question about it. I would say Father Reiniger will be looking at twenty years in prison, for child abuse, involving a minor.” He paused. “Tell me, Jack, is there anyone you’d like to call? Anyone you’d like to contact, before we go to the police?”

“No. No. I can’t think of anyone.”

“Is there anything
else
you’d like to tell me? Before we go?”

“There is something. After all of this is over and the dust has settled, will you do me a favor?”

“Of course. What’s that?”

“Will you apologize to Danny’s mother for me?”

Ramsey’s voice was low. “I think it would be best for you and everyone concerned, if you did that
yourself,
Jack.”

Kramer paused. “Yeah. I guess you’re right.”

Ramsey stubbed out his last cigarette and quickly began to gather his material, folders, et cetera and place them inside his briefcase. Rising, he picked up his suit coat, lying on the counsel table beside him, and quickly put it on. He picked up the briefcase, and smiling, paused for a moment. “Shall we go?”

“Yeah, Mr. Ramsey. Let’s go.”

Jack Kramer preceded Ramsey, and slowly the two men began to make their way out of the courtroom.

About the Author

John L. Evans was born in Corsham,

England and raised in British Columbia,

Canada. He emigrated to the United States

in September, 1948. He lives near

Los Angeles, California.

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