what’s right. That’s a sign of some semblance of self-worth—a part of him sees himself as a good person capable of distinguishing between right and wrong.
“But day after day, Vee is also forced to live in a world where he feels he’s invisible and unwanted. As time passes without something happening to alleviate his confusion and self-loathing, I fear he will edge closer and closer to violence. The anger and hopelessness is wearing him down, flattening him out. In several places, he writes there’s nothing he can do to change things. That is the sign of someone abdicating responsibility for their own actions, a natural predecessor to doing something someone knows is wrong. He goes on to write that the devil be on his shoulder, definitely an indication of low self-esteem. Now look at the rest of the closing of his second letter—‘God be with…’ That is the tone of someone who doesn’t expect to be around much longer. Someone who is letting go.”
“He’s a time bomb,” Sandra filled in. “And if we don’t find him soon, help him make the right decision, he’ll go off.”
“I think it’s possible,” Dr. Mayes agreed, “and I think if it happens, there will be no turning back. He is a self-destructive adolescent who talks about death, not prison.”
“Suicide by cop,” Mike stated.
Dr. Mayes nodded soberly. “I believe that’s how it might play out.”
For once, even Koontz appeared pale and troubled. “Sheeesh,” the older detective sighed. “One confused thirteen-year-old and the whole city could go to hell.”
“On the bright side,” Dr. Mayes commented, “it could go the other way. Maybe his mother says the right word one day or a schoolteacher praises his project and boom, that brings him back around. Teenagers are wonderfully fickle like that. Ask any parent.”
“But we can’t count on that,” Mike said dryly.
“Absolutely,” Sandra agreed. “What do you recommend, Dr. Mayes? There must be some way of reaching this boy before things go too far.”
“Certainly. First off, Chief Aikens, you draft a reply to Vee’s letter.”
“Oh, my.” Sandra was taken aback. “What if I said the wrong thing? What if I made it worse?”
She gazed at all three men pleadingly. Koontz looked stricken, too, so maybe they had finally found common ground. Dr. Mayes appeared calm, however, and Mike seemed to be already considering the idea.
“I’d work with you,” Dr. Mayes said. “We’d draft a simple letter, designed to let Vee know that his feelings are understandable and common. He needs to feel a connection with someone and receive validation of his self-worth. That alone could go a long way toward easing him through his confusion. At least it might keep him from taking any immediate action.
“Secondly, we work to identify him and bring him in so we can continue the conversations one-on-one. Vee needs professional help, but he’s certainly not beyond reaching. Frankly, I find the letters very encouraging. And articulate.”
“I don’t know,” Koontz said. “You start talking suicide by cop, I start thinking we should stay clear of his doorstep. What if he freaks, what if he overreacts? Hell, I’ve never tried talking to a thirteen-year-old gangbanger ’bout life. That’s what prison’s for.”
“There isn’t anyone more qualified than a cop to approach him.”
“No, sir!”
“Detective, take away the badge and legal trappings and cops are nothing but a gang themselves. Think about it. Gang members are initiated through a hostile ‘jumping in’ program. How many rookies have you razed and tormented in your career?”
Koontz flushed. Dr. Mayes smiled knowingly and continued. “Gang members can have friends who are not gang members, but they will never be important. Likewise, cops are almost never close to people outside of the department. They have wives and families, sure, but they mostly hang out with other cops.”
Sandra couldn’t help herself; she
“But day after day, Vee is also forced to live in a world where he feels he’s invisible and unwanted. As time passes without something happening to alleviate his confusion and self-loathing, I fear he will edge closer and closer to violence. The anger and hopelessness is wearing him down, flattening him out. In several places, he writes there’s nothing he can do to change things. That is the sign of someone abdicating responsibility for their own actions, a natural predecessor to doing something someone knows is wrong. He goes on to write that the devil be on his shoulder, definitely an indication of low self-esteem. Now look at the rest of the closing of his second letter—‘God be with…’ That is the tone of someone who doesn’t expect to be around much longer. Someone who is letting go.”
“He’s a time bomb,” Sandra filled in. “And if we don’t find him soon, help him make the right decision, he’ll go off.”
“I think it’s possible,” Dr. Mayes agreed, “and I think if it happens, there will be no turning back. He is a self-destructive adolescent who talks about death, not prison.”
“Suicide by cop,” Mike stated.
Dr. Mayes nodded soberly. “I believe that’s how it might play out.”
For once, even Koontz appeared pale and troubled. “Sheeesh,” the older detective sighed. “One confused thirteen-year-old and the whole city could go to hell.”
“On the bright side,” Dr. Mayes commented, “it could go the other way. Maybe his mother says the right word one day or a schoolteacher praises his project and boom, that brings him back around. Teenagers are wonderfully fickle like that. Ask any parent.”
“But we can’t count on that,” Mike said dryly.
“Absolutely,” Sandra agreed. “What do you recommend, Dr. Mayes? There must be some way of reaching this boy before things go too far.”
“Certainly. First off, Chief Aikens, you draft a reply to Vee’s letter.”
“Oh, my.” Sandra was taken aback. “What if I said the wrong thing? What if I made it worse?”
She gazed at all three men pleadingly. Koontz looked stricken, too, so maybe they had finally found common ground. Dr. Mayes appeared calm, however, and Mike seemed to be already considering the idea.
“I’d work with you,” Dr. Mayes said. “We’d draft a simple letter, designed to let Vee know that his feelings are understandable and common. He needs to feel a connection with someone and receive validation of his self-worth. That alone could go a long way toward easing him through his confusion. At least it might keep him from taking any immediate action.
“Secondly, we work to identify him and bring him in so we can continue the conversations one-on-one. Vee needs professional help, but he’s certainly not beyond reaching. Frankly, I find the letters very encouraging. And articulate.”
“I don’t know,” Koontz said. “You start talking suicide by cop, I start thinking we should stay clear of his doorstep. What if he freaks, what if he overreacts? Hell, I’ve never tried talking to a thirteen-year-old gangbanger ’bout life. That’s what prison’s for.”
“There isn’t anyone more qualified than a cop to approach him.”
“No, sir!”
“Detective, take away the badge and legal trappings and cops are nothing but a gang themselves. Think about it. Gang members are initiated through a hostile ‘jumping in’ program. How many rookies have you razed and tormented in your career?”
Koontz flushed. Dr. Mayes smiled knowingly and continued. “Gang members can have friends who are not gang members, but they will never be important. Likewise, cops are almost never close to people outside of the department. They have wives and families, sure, but they mostly hang out with other cops.”
Sandra couldn’t help herself; she
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