Oct. 1, 1995
Deputies Arrest Three on Child Pornography Charges
Sheriff’s deputies raided the residence of Lucy Van Daal, 34, based on an anonymous tip, and arrested Van Daal; her brother, Stanley Van Daal, 42; and Edward Deluca, 48, an associate of the Van Daals, for charges of possession and producing child pornography, as well as child endangerment. A minor was removed from the residence and placed in the care of the state until the victim can be reunited with next of kin.
The Pinehaven Press news story went on, but I didn’t bother to read it. Instead, I was overcome with relief and had to wipe away a tear. Mugshots of Mei’s mother, Uncle Stan, and another creepy old guy graced the cover. I’d never seen the woman before, but she didn’t exactly look like mother-of-the-year material, haggard and bleary-eyed, as though she had some type of drug habit. Stan and Deluca looked like middle-aged pedophiles: pudgy and unkempt, with a bad greasy comb-over in Stan’s case, and a bald pate and coke-bottle glasses in Deluca’s.
The day before had been a tough one. Upon jumping back to Saturday, I’d immediately gotten dressed and ridden my bike to the sheriff’s station, arriving there about eight o’clock. I told the deputy at the duty desk that a child was in danger and needed to be rescued from the company of some pedophiles right away. The young woman on duty—Deputy Moore, according to her name badge—I didn’t recognize, but I had to give her a lot of credit. She took my concerns seriously and was much more gung ho than the lazy good ol’ boys on Coleman’s force. Moore took down the address and made the call over the radio while I waited, then she assured me deputies were en route.
I wished I could contact Chris Hansen from To Catch a Predator, but I didn’t think the show had even been conceived in 1995. Still, I would’ve loved to see video of the takedown of those pedophile creeps when some big corn-fed deputies tackled them and slapped on the cuffs.
The excitement was dying down by the time I rode over to Mei’s house, arriving just before nine. I had feared the cops might not take the situation seriously and might leave without taking action. If so, I was determined to start throwing rocks through the windows or something—anything to keep Mei safe. But I needn’t have worried.
They raided Mei’s house twenty minutes after I stopped by the station, around 8:20, blocking in the mother’s car and arresting both her and pervy Uncle Stan. They catalogued and seized boxes of evidence, then sent a unit over to arrest Edward Deluca, who was actually living in the same apartment building I had inhabited in my other timeline, which was extra creepy.
It was fortunate I stopped by the house. When I arrived, the perpetrators had already been taken away for booking. Deputies were still going through the place, and Mei was sitting on the porch, totally freaked out by the raid. She had her knees clutched to her chest and was rocking herself, ignoring the officer trying to coax her into going with them. When I identified myself as a friend, the deputy seemed relieved and allowed me to step in and talk to Mei. I managed to calm her down after a few minutes and eventually talked her into going down to the station. The deputy let me put my bike in the trunk, and I rode with Mei in the back of the police cruiser. That was my first time there in this timeline, but I couldn’t have been more pleased since it was for a very good reason.
Mei and I drank hot cocoas at the station and waited a couple hours for a Child Welfare Services representative to arrive from Montrose, the nearest city with an office. Mei was understandably scared and didn’t want me to leave, but the woman from child services was personable and used to dealing with children with intellectual disabilities. She got Mei to open up to her after a short time.
“Jason, will you stay with me?” Mei asked when I tried to leave.
“Sorry, but I can’t, Mei. But I’ll see you at school Monday, okay? In a few days, your grandparents will be here to pick you up.” I didn’t know that for sure, but the Child Protective Services woman had promised to get in touch with them.
Mei trembled, her eyes darting around nervously until I squeezed her shoulder.
“Just be brave, Mei,” I said quietly. “Be like Misa from Macross.” Misa was Mei’s favorite character.
After a moment, she gave her resolute nod, and I knew she would be all right. I hated to leave her in the care of strangers, but the woman had promised Mei she would take her to and from school like normal until her grandparents could be reached. Mei would be staying temporarily at the children’s shelter in Montrose.
I left the sheriff’s office a little before noon. I was hungry, but I’d managed to poach a glazed donut earlier that took the edge off. After I ate something, I would get a shower and a change of clothes then catch up with my friends. And I got to look forward to watching Crimson Tide all over again.
I felt a deeply satisfying and addicting high as I rode my bike home from the station. I felt a little guilty about leaving Mei, but I knew her situation would work out for the best in the end. I’d managed to save her from not only the predations of a pedophile rapist, but also whatever unknown fate befell her after she ran away. I’d never before experienced a high like using the time-travel device for good, and I wondered if that would continue.
But I knew Mom was about to meet Dean soon, and my life would change forever in a disastrous way.