FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Harper being who she was at the hospital really helped expedite the process for Craig. Instead of taking the standard clip board with the admittance forms, she got on a computer set up with the new online database software, and called up Craig's file from his hometown doctor. All of the admittance information was there, including the insurance his parents had not yet thought to cancel. She entered all of the work she had done in checking him out and preliminary treatment, then examined the procedure board, and put him in a spot that got him in an exam room in about ten minutes. That gave her enough time to visit the locker room and get back into her scrubs, and she served as the attending nurse. Since she was not actually on duty, she was able to stay with him in the curtained alcove the whole time, rather than having to run to several other patients. That, and the work she had done before bringing him in meant the doctor could also check him out much faster. Before we knew it, she was wheeling him to radiology to check for broken bones and internal bleeding. It's good to have a nurse in the family!

The doctor examined the X-rays and found only one spot. He declared it a minor procedure and had Harper help him with it, right there in the ER. They opened a small site near the wound, drained it, and stitched up the wound and the surgical site in about forty minutes. The only real slow-down was waiting for his prescriptions. It turned out Craig had two broken ribs where they had been kicking him. The doctor gave him strict instructions how to handle that, and what he could do and not do while they healed. Then he pulled Harper aside and talked to her some more, and sent for a chair to haul Craig out to the van. Harper drove us home, and while Dad got dinner re-heated for a very hungry fox, she and I helped to get him settled.

"Listen, Craig," she started, as she pulled the sheets back on the bed, inspecting my bed-making skills and fluffing the pillows. "We're also going to have another visitor tonight. I got the doctor to let you come back here instead, because you can use the rest and because privacy is always nicer, but because you were attacked, the Iron County sheriff is sending someone to take your statement, and mine as your examining nurse. I have the Doctor's report, too. I had our desk clerk notify them when we admitted you, so he should be here within the hour."

Craig had gently settled himself into an easy chair my parents had installed in the room after Teagan moved out. His ears were laid back, and I couldn't tell what bothered him most about that idea, but his face was pale, too.

"It's standard procedure," Harper explained. "Your injuries were the result of a crime, and that has to be investigated."

Craig forced himself to relax. "Okay."

About that time, Dad came in the room with a tray of food, and the police report was forgotten amidst a cloud of delicious smells. I volunteered to help him eat, and my parents left us to it. As soon as they were out of sight and I could hear the TV go on in the living room, I leaned over and gave Craig a long, slow kiss.

"Thanks for that," he said.

"Been wanting to do that since I saw you in the door of the bus," I explained.

"Yeah. Me, too."

"But let's get this done, too," I said, scooping up a forkful of salad.

"You don't really need to feed me," he pointed out.

"No, but it gives me the excuse to stay in here, so open up." He didn't object to that, and after he swallowed, I kissed him again. Following this pattern, it took Craig a while to get all of dinner down. But we finished just in time for the doorbell to ring, and the inspector from the Iron County Sheriff's Office to arrive. Craig was well old enough that he did not need a chaperone, so once Dad brought the uniformed raccoon down the hall, I left him alone with the sheriff and went to my own room.

A few moments later, Harper came in. "A raccoon sheriff," she said, thoughtfully. "I guess it takes all kinds."

"Yeah, kinda odd!" I agreed. "You see someone with a natural mask, and you think, 'crook.' But then, Green Lantern wore a mask, too." I pointed at the masked hero, posed among his allies in the poster on my wall.

"Hmm. Yeah. Maybe he's really good at undercover investigations," she speculated.

"In a small town like Cedar Springs? I doubt it!" We both laughed.

Then Harper looked more serious, and shut the door, softly. "Hey, this isn't really ethical, but I need to tell you something. Hopefully, you can help me, and Craig, both," she said, quietly. She certainly had my attention. Where I had been looking over my shoulder, I turned my chair away from my desk, as she sat down on the side of the bed closest to me. "Like I told you, I'll be giving a statement to the inspector, too, along with the doctor's written statements. And I have a feeling, there is going to be something in our reports that Craig won't report." "What's that," I asked.

"When someone is severely beaten, we check every inch of them for injuries. It's standard procedure. Even if they say, 'that wasn't injured,' we still do a full triage," she explained.

"Okay," I said, not liking where this was going. I forced myself to stay in control.

"Craig said he hadn't been raped. But we found evidence that suggests the contrary. The tissue around his sphincter has been recently stretched, and there are a couple slight tears. There are plenty of things that can cause it, but sexual penetration is very likely. Knowing that he's gay, he might explain that away by saying he's sexually active. But it's more typical when someone's been forcefully used, or if it's his or her first time to have sex."

I wasn't sure what to say. I certainly didn't want to make things more difficult for Craig, but couldn't I suffer the same fate if I told the truth? I made a thoughtful face, as I were pondered what to do. "Do you want me to talk to him?" I asked.

"It might help," Harper said, "but remember, I'm not supposed to be telling you this. Maybe if you can get some information out of him by asking the right questions? He trusts you enough to have called you for help. Maybe he'll tell you more than he told us in the exam. He'll probably tell the same story, or close to it, to the inspector."

I made the pondering face again. "Why would he lie about something like that," I asked. Now, I was genuinely curious what she was thinking.

"I don't have the percentage off the top of my head," she started, "but a huge number of rapes are never reported, even when it's obvious what's happened. Or the victim will deny that it was non-consensual, once they are backed into a corner about it. Most of the time, it's fear that they'll suffer even more at the hands of the perpetrator. Or that people won't believe them anyway. And especially for men who are raped, they don't like to appear weak. Our culture celebrates male sex, so if they claim it was consensual, then they feel like they are more heroic, rather than looking weak."

I made a face. "That's terrible!"

"Yes, it is," Harper agreed. "But that's how it goes, way too often. And that's even more terrible, because it allows it to continue."

"Well, I'll see what I can do," I resolved. "Of course, it will have to wait until the sheriff's gone. It might look weird if I were to pop back in there right away once he was talking to you."

"You don't have to wait the whole time; in fact, if you can get him to add to his report before we're done, that would be a big help."

"Oh, good idea," I said. Then frowned. "It won't make the statement look tainted, will it?"

"No, I think you'll be okay. Anyway, I'd better go back out in the living room and wait." She hugged me, then left. I went back to my game, but listened closely for the inspector to leave the room. Then I counted to a hundred, and slipped back downstairs myself. I entered his room and, following Harper's example, shut the door softly behind myself.

"How'd it go?" I asked.

Craig smiled, softly. He looked exhausted. "Well, it sounds like he believed me. I mean, the evidence is pretty clear, even through my fur."

"The bandages help," I encouraged.

"Yeah, that, too." He started to laugh, then thought better of it as it made his side ache.

I gave him a serious look. "Listen," I started. "Harper told me something she really isn't supposed to, but she was hoping I could get more information out of you."

Craig frowned. "What do you mean?"

"She said that while she and the doctor were checking you over, they saw evidence of tearing... down there. It's not conclusive, but it does suggest that you were raped, or at least had your first time, recently."

"That explains why they kept asking me about being raped," he frowned. "So they think that the Danes did it?"

"Yeah."

"Meh. Let 'em. Those guys deserve it." He waved dismissal with his good paw.

"Well, more than that, she's hoping you'll 'fess up. I'm guessing they can't do anything if you don't."

"Then what?"

"Well, if I remember correctly, they'll do a DNA sample. And then they'll discover that it wasn't a dog that did it..."

"Oh, fuck! And that could lead them back to..."

"Yeah."

"And your folks've already said, they don't want you ending up gay, so the same thing might happen to you if they find out."

"Yeah," I said, a little darker, this time.

"No, I won't say anything else, then. I'll stick to my statement. It won't be hard, because it's true. They never even suggested it while attacking me."

"Alright."

He looked at me. "Come over here." I complied, and he hugged me, gingerly. "Thank you for everything, Tig. You keep saving my life. I don't know how I can ever repay you."

"You just did," I said, as I let him go. Then I kissed his nose, softly. I stood up because there was a knock at the door, and went to open it. It was the sheriff. He nodded to me, then walked in to the room.

"Hey, Craig. I've finished with Harper. Is there anything you want to add to your statement before I head out?" The question was very pointed.

"No, sir. I've told you everything I remember."

"Alright," he began. It sounded like he didn't really believe Craig. "Well, here's my card, if you think of anything else. You can call that line anytime, even in the middle of the night. Leave a message if I don't answer. I'm the only one who can access them."

Craig took the card and held it, looking at it like he was going to memorize the numbers right away. "Thank you, sir. If I think of anything, I'll let you know."

"And I'll check in with you over the week as things progress," he said. "Remember, we'll need you to come up to Iron County at some point to identify your attackers, and again for the trial."

"Alright, I guess."

"Don't worry," he said. "You'll have full police protection the whole time you're at the identification, and they will be held until you're well on your way, even if we don't identify them. So they can't follow you back out of town. And the local sheriff will be working with us, to keep an eye on your place to watch for any further trouble. It won't be a twenty-four hour watch, but they'll patrol your neighborhood a lot more frequently. Just being present tends to prevent most casings, so even if they do find you here, you should be pretty safe."

Craig nodded.

"Besides," the raccoon continued, "as I understand it, you just met Toby and his family recently, so no one back home should know of this connection, right?"

"Yeah, there's that," I agreed.

"You seem like pretty good people," the officer turned to me. "I think I can leave him here with you. Here's another copy of my card."

I took it, and tucked it in my wallet. "Thanks."

"You should be visited tomorrow by one of the local cops, too, since I can't respond quickly if something urgent comes up. Of course, 911 is still best, but this way, you'll get someone who knows what's going on."

"Right," Craig and I both said.

"Anyway, I best be heading back to the office. You all have a good night." He turned to leave, then paused in the door. "You're sure there's nothing else, Craig?"

"No, sir. Thank you. I'll call you if anything comes to mind."

The officer left, his ringed tail slipping down the hall as we looked at each other and both breathed a sigh of relief. Craig looked completely worn out. I tucked him in, kissed him on the nose, and bid him good night.