Elwood City Police Department, 3:45pm

Nigel Ratburn felt his anxiety had skyrocket, and he felt things crashing down around him. It had been half an hour since the teacher was taken into custody for the second time in three days. First, he was arrested for his disgusting chat and for trying to solicit a 13-year-old for a sexual encounter. Now, he was under arrest for an alleged sexual assault against a minor.

Meanwhile, outside the interrogation room, the two detectives were processing the man's paperwork, a mix of shock, anger, pure disgust. But they wondered if the man would talk, or he'd ask for a lawyer, like he did two days ago.

So they agreed to do the good cop/bad cop routine to get some information out of Nigel. After taking the handcuffs off of him, they proceeded to read the man his rights. This time, Nigel Ratburn agreed to waive his right to remain silent and started talking.

"What the hell is the matter with you?" asked the female officer. "You are a low-life scumbag, you know that? We just found new information from a citizen that a young man claimed to have had a sexual encounter with you."

"I know nothing of the sort, ma'am." replied Ratburn calmly.

"Really? Well, I have another question for you, wise-guy. Does the name Alan Powers come to mind?" asked the female detective raising her voice. The male detective sat across from him without saying a word, arms folded stiff.

All of a sudden, Nigel Ratburn's blood ran cold, slowly sinking in his chair. He remembered when Alan Powers had a crush on him, and he had given in to an illegal and morally wrong lust. And it just so happened that a brave citizen told the detectives about the conversation, leading to where the man was today.

"How long?" asked the detective, with disgust in her voice.

"How long what?"

"How long have you been sexually involved with this young man?"

With that question, they had him right where they wanted him. All that was left was for the man to spill his guts.

"I have not contacted him since he moved. Right hand to God." replied Ratburn.

"You're full of shit. We know that you seduced him a couple of years ago." said the detective.

"It's best that you come clean, man. For your own sake." said the male detective, speaking up for the first time. "If you tell us what happened, we can help you."

"How come this young boy said that you and him had gotten "down and dirty last summer? And this young man also added that you had "hot, passionate sex". Would you care to explain?" asked the detective, fingers tapping on the table.

Nigel had no response.

"Well? I'm waiting." said the female detective impatiently.

Nigel was clamming up and shaking vigorously, lips quivering as if he was about to cry. The detective leaned in towards him, hitting him with a glare that struck like a bolt of lightning.

"Unbelievable. You used your position of power as a teacher at one of the best elementary schools in the state, and quite possibly the nation. You were too pathetic to try to find a grown man or woman your age, so you decided to go and get your rocks off and not only sexually abuse, but traumatize this young man for the rest of his life. What do you have to say for yourself?" asked detective Mary, face turning red.

At this point, in her mind, there was nothing that the pervert Nigel Ratburn could say to defend himself.

"I would like to speak to a lawyer, please." replied Ratburn, ending the interview. In her mind, it was the best thing that he could have done. She had interrogated people for sex crimes before, but nothing of this caliber. If the interview went any deeper, she might have ended up smacking the guy in the jaw. The female detective left the room, holding back tears. She had two young kids, and to find out that this teacher, who many of his pupils looked up to for advice, some even seeing him as a father figure, had abused one of his former pupils. To top it off, her son, the oldest child, went to Lakewood Elementary. Who knows how many more possible students this disgrace of a man victimized?

"You better hope and pray you get the right judge, man. It's not looking good for you. I say you're up shit's creek without a paddle." said the male detective. Nigel said nothing, instead bowing his head in silence, as he was escorted out of the station and into to the police van, which then took him to the Beaver County Jail. He was booked, processed, etc., and jailed.

The very next morning, he was brought in front the same judge.

"Nigel Ratburn, you are charged with one count of sexual assault on a minor. This is a 1st degree felony under Pennsylvania law which carries a sentence of up to 20 years in prison if convicted. How do you plead?" asked the judge.

"Not guilty your honor." replied Nigel.

"Due to the severity of the charges, you are what the court would classify as a potential sexual predator. Your bond is $750,000 with no ten percent eligibility, and your court date for this case is Monday at 9am. Do you understand?"

"Can I be signed over to the custody of my sister?" asked Ratburn in an obvious hail-mary attempt for some sort of leniency.

"No, sir. I will see you tomorrow at 11am for your court date in your last case, and I will see you on Monday at 9am for this case."

Nigel Ratburn walked back to his jail cell, waiting for his lawyer, who would arrive in about half-an-hour's time. Nigel's current charges could have him serving 25 years in prison, depending on if the sentences run concurrent or consecutive.

But, as you'll find out later in the story, things are about to get even WORSE for the now disgraced teacher.

To be continued...