D-I-D Syndrome

"Oh, Wade I love you so much. Those words are like life-giving rain to my parched soul. You've breathed new life into me. I'll take every baby step with you, side-by-side on our journey to recovery."

Upon their return to the apartment that evening, they sat together snacking on popcorn while watching a rom-com. About halfway through the movie, he put his arm around the woman he had loved for over half his life. When it was over, he kissed her on the forehead and they went to their respective bedrooms; baby steps.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Two weeks later Gloria was trained and ensconced in her new position as secretary for Accurate Deliveries. Juanita, who had served in that role for four years was leaving to have their first child and wanted to be a stay-at-home mother. She and her husband planned on growing their family after his promotion to grocery store manager. Gloria loved her job at the delivery company, unlike her work at the textile mill. She had been a doffer removing bolts of fabric once a specific pattern had completed its run, or once a full roll of fabric had been achieved and found the work tedious and mind-numbing. She was now the consummate professional and enjoyed interacting with all of their many clients and was paid better than she was at the mill. She rode with Wade every day to and from work.

Wade, for his part, had something nagging in his craw. He couldn't put his finger on it but something seemed strange and unusual about his inheritance. He'd carefully studied every word of documentation passed onto him by the attorney and never saw any papers showing his father making the initial investment that was verbally claimed. At lunch, he drove over to Robinson's Investigations, a local PI firm. Jim Robinson listened to Wade's concerns.

"I need to know exactly how all of this came to be." Wade began. "There's no paperwork showing that my father ever invested a dime, but that's what I was told. The attorney was less than forthcoming about how all this came to light after all these years and all this leaves me unsettled. I need answers, specific answers that tell the whole story, not just bits and pieces. Is that something you can do?"

"Why yes sir," Jim assured. "I was the lead detective in a big city Police Department before meeting my wife and moving here. I know how to get information. But what I need you to understand is that the information might not be admissable for legal purposes without sworn testimony which can be challenging to come by. But truthful answers are much easier to obtain."

"That's all I ask. I just want answers. I'm not planning on taking any legal action of any kind. You may think me a fool for looking this gift horse in the mouth but as a popular TV ad once said, 'inquiring minds want to know'. But this has to be done on the QT. No one must know that you're looking into this for me."

"Mr. Phillips, discretion is paramount at Robinson's Investigations. I'll get started right away and let you know what I find." The two men shook hands and Wade gave Jim's secretary a wad of cash to initially fund the investigation.

Five days later, Gloria put through a call to Wade from a Mr. Robinson.

Wade answered, "Hi Jim, how can I help you?"

"Sir, I have the information you requested. I can come to your office if you like," responded the PI."

"That won't be convenient. It would be better if I came to you." Wade countered.

"Just a second...... My secretary says I have an opening at 3:00 this afternoon," Jim offered.

"That time sounds good, sir. I'll see you then." And Wade hung up the phone.

Three o'clock found Wade seated across the table from the proprietor of Robinson's Investigations. "I wanted to keep this as private as possible which is why I elected to come to you. There are a lot of ears where I work," Wade claimed.

"I understand completely, sir. Before I begin, I have to ask, are you sure, really CERTAIN that you want to know the answers to your questions? If you're happy with the way things are, you might be better served to leave well enough alone."

"Good, bad, or indifferent. I just need all the facts. It's driving me crazy not knowing," Wade confirmed.

"Fair enough. I and my associates have interviewed quite a few people to collect this information, including maids, housekeepers, attorneys, secretaries, textile workers, and even people at your firm. Most didn't even know they were being interviewed. They believed they were simply having casual conversations. You said you wanted this very low-key." Jim explained.

"Perfect. So what did you find?" Wade pressed.

"Before I begin, when I refer to your girlfriend, shall I call her Miss Jessup, or would you prefer Gloria?"

"Gloria? What's she got to do with this?" Wade puzzled. Jim merely gave him a stoic gaze. "Gloria, please call her Gloria."

"Very well. My team has pieced together the following scenario: Approximately five weeks ago, I don't have an exact date, Gloria went to the mansion of Theodore Sr. and Henrietta Cone. They were reluctant to entertain someone they didn't know but her persistence eventually won an audience with them. Their housekeeper overheard her spirited conversation with them."

"She informed them that she was an employee of their textile mill as were her parents. She told them that their son, Tad, took her to the senior high prom and raped her that very night. She said Alden had participated in the rape and held her down while also taking a video of it. It was the most horrible night of her life. Of course, they were aghast hearing such news and didn't believe her. She told them she didn't care if they believed her or not and continued. Afterward, Tad blackmailed her with exposing the video recording to her boyfriend and also threatened to fire both of her parents making her family homeless unless she acquiesced to his frequent demands for sex."

"After graduating high school, she too went to work at the mill and became engaged to be married. Tad intentionally outed their trysts to her fiancée causing an immediate breakup of the relationship in an effort to humiliate her fiancée. Soon afterward, she became pregnant with Tad's child. Tad demanded an abortion and refused to acknowledge responsibility or any financial assistance as she carried the baby to term. He again severely threatened horrible repercussions if she ever tried to tie the baby to him and has abandoned her since that day."

"Theodore interrupted her saying that she wasn't the first gold digger coming to claim a love child with one of their sons and was about to have her thrown out when Gloria made specific threats that garnered their attention. She said she had a semen DNA sample from Tad that she had kept for evidence. If they do not cooperate with her, she WILL send that DNA sample along with the child's DNA to a renowned testing laboratory. Not IF but WHEN the test results come back PROVING Tad's parentage of the child, she will spend every moment of her life bringing this ugly truth to light, exposing the Cone family debauchery to the newspapers and all employees of their mill just what kind of people the Cones really are. She wouldn't be able to prove rape but she wouldn't need to. She will be believed because it is the 100% unadulterated truth. The scandal will ruin the Cone name and damage the morale of all twelve-hundred employees."

"She was so self-assured and determined, that the Cone patriarch realized that she was indeed telling the truth. They asked what she wanted to avoid a scandal. She told them either she was going to walk out of there that day with a check for $500,000.00 or she would ruin the Cone legacy. She said if they worked with her, she would sign an affidavit attesting that there was no relationship between Tad Cone and Doyle Jessup and her silence would be forever maintained. She made it clear that this was a one-time offer that expired when she exited their home. Theodore and Henrietta asked for a few minutes to talk it over. She saw Theodore make a call, presumably to Tad. He was obviously displeased with the tenor of the conversation."

"After preparing a handwritten document absolving Tad Jr. of any kinship to the child, Doyle Jessup, Henrietta produced a check endorsed by them both for the requested amount. When all signatures were completed, Theodore assured her that Tad would be dealt with severely and reassured her that her parents' jobs and hers had never been in jeopardy for a moment. Tad has no such authority."

"Gloria then went to Jason Rawlings and had a lengthy conversation with him before securing an attorney to create a trust in the amount of $100,000.00 for the benefit of one Doyle Jessup. Though the child would be consigned to the orphanage, the trust would provide new clothing for his needs, books and educational enhancements as well as for college expenses, should he not be adopted beforehand."

"A Juanita Estevez overheard the conversation between Gloria and Jason Rawlings where he negotiated a price of $350.000.00 for the sale of Accurate Deliveries and transfer of ownership to your name. However, Gloria offered him an extra forty-five grand, upping the price to $395,000.00 if he would cooperate with the narrative that your father had made the initial ninety-percent investment and never let you know that she had done this for you."

"Gloria didn't keep a nickel for herself. The remaining five thousand when to the attorney for legal expenses. Every cent was spent for your benefit and the child. Incidentally, that ten percent anonymous investor in Accurate Deliveries feeds into the trust for Doyle Jessup and will continue to do so for as long as you own the company. So there you have it, Mr. Phillips. It won't stand up in court mind-you but you said you wanted the truth of the matter and that is what you have been provided."

Wade had his head in his hands. He was shaking his head back and forth as he absorbed the enormity of Gloria's actions. Tears welled up in his eyes while, at the same time, laughter erupted from deep in his chest. "That woman, that woman, that woman! What am I gonna do with her?" He exclaimed. Then he looked directly at Jim.

"I'm in your debt and appreciate the lengths you have gone to in order to secure the answers to my questions. When I settle my account with you today, can I count on you to destroy all of your records and collected information on this matter? I don't want anyone to ever know what I've learned today," he requested.

"Of course, you can, sir. We value discretion as much as you do. Consider it done and thank you for giving us your business. It has been a pleasure and if you ever need us in the future, we'll be happy to help you in any way." Jim affirmed.

Wade stopped by Gertrude's home before returning to work. He had a very special favor to ask. The next day at lunch, he met up with three of his best friends who were football players from high school, and asked them for a special favor also. By the end of the meal, in response to the explanation of his request, they robustly shook hands with their friend and said, "With God as our witness, we swear to you on our lives, he won't touch a hair on her head."

The following Saturday night, Tad Cone arrogantly strode into Henderson's looking for some Saturday night nookie as was his usual custom. He was successful at bedding most of the women he set his sights on every weekend. He used his status as a Cone to his best advantage by giving every woman hope that she may be the woman who lands him. Most of the women there that night seemed to be already taken and he didn't want to cause a scene that might dissuade a potential bedmate. Then he caught sight of a gorgeous blonde-headed goddess by herself at the bar that he'd never seen before so he moved in to make the kill.

"I know you don't need to hear that you're gorgeous but you're hands-down the most beautiful woman in the place tonight." Tad schmoozed. "May I buy you a drink?

She smiled back at him and showed him the ring on her finger. "Engaged," she said but I accept free drinks when offered.

"Bartender, give the lady whatever she likes on me," Tad ordered. "And I think you should know that a ring has never stopped me before," he said coyly.

"That wouldn't surprise me; you seem to be the type that just takes what he wants," she playfully cooed in her southern drawl.

"You have no idea," he chuckled. "You in town for long or just passing through?"

"I've been visiting my aunt here, but I leave in the morning to return to my hometown and my fiancée," she admitted.

"Well, we'll just have to make sure you have some very special memories to take back with you," he sexily suggested.

The blonde vixen teased and taunted Tad all evening. He kept plying her with drinks and she kept pulling his chain. Finally, at 11 pm she said she needed to be going to pack for tomorrow.

"What? Let me drop you off wherever you need to go. I have something I'd like to give you and it won't take long. I promise you'll leave town with a smile on your face," he urged.

Darlene refused, "I don't think so. I really need to be going. Thanks for the drinks and the banter."

Tad moved to grab her arm when a huge strong fist surrounded his wrist and stopped him dead in his tracks. Then three big men stepped in between her and Tad asking, "Ma'am. Is this gentleman bothering you?"

Darlene looked Tad straight in the eye and asked, "Well, are you?"

Tad knew he didn't stand a chance against these three and had no idea where they'd even come from. "My mistake. Just a little misunderstanding. No harm, no foul. I hope you have a safe trip back home, ma'am," and with that remark, Tad angrily exited to go home empty-handed.

As the spurned man walked out to his car and pulled the keys from his pocket, he audibly expressed his frustration at having been shot down after so much time and effort, "Son-of-a-bitch!" He exclaimed to himself loudly. The moment he pressed the remote button to unlock the car door, he was struck in the back of the head and rendered instantly unconscious.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Tad awoke the next morning at 11:07 am according to the digital clock on the dash of his Cadillac. He was cotton-mouthed, groggy-headed with a pounding headache and an unfamiliar very sharp pain in his crotch. As he tried to get his bearings he quickly realized that he was alone in the car and whoever had knocked him out wasn't in the immediate vicinity. A cursory inventory revealed that his wallet and cell phone were both missing. Had he been beaten and robbed?

That day happened to be a breezeless, unseasonably warm, sunny day and the sun brightly beat down and reflected off the hood of his car. Then he noticed something odd on the front of the hood. It appeared to be....NO! It couldn't be! He quickly undid his pants as rapidly as possible, unzipped them, and pulled his boxers away from his body to get a look between his legs. A sock? One of his socks was missing from his foot and for some reason was covering his genitals! He gently slipped it off, took one look, and passed out right then and there.

The next time he awoke the time was 11:39. He'd been out for nearly a half-hour. He looked once again at his crotch. It was undeniable. His cock was missing and some kind of constriction band was sealing off the end of his very short stub! The wound had already begun to scab over. He looked again at the hood of his car. The part of his cock that had been cut off was roasting out in the hot sun on the automobile's red hood. It appeared to be shriveled and almost dried out. Tad jumped out of the car to make sure. It was definitely his cock and it was severely damaged from lying out in the hot sun, baking while he was unconscious.

He again thoroughly searched the vehicle for his phone but it was not to be found. He took in his surroundings. He had no idea where he was but he recognized the highway marker and figured he was several miles out of town. Without a phone he couldn't call 911. He checked and discovered his keys on the passenger side floorboard. He flipped through them to start his car so he could drive to the nearest hospital but the ignition key was missing! Every key was there except for the key to the ignition. Tad let a string of curse words fly that would have made a sailor blush.

He felt his best choice was to start walking. It was difficult at first because of the sharp pains that welled up from his groin but it was either walk or go crazy waiting for someone to happen by. This stretch of highway was seldom traveled after the bypass had been opened two years ago. He just kept walking looking for signs of civilization. Finally, after two hours of walking in obvious distress, an old farm truck lumbered into view. Tad flagged him down and begged for a ride to the nearest hospital. He offered the farmer a reward of $100.00 that one of his family members would provide after they arrived.

Once back in his hometown hospital, Tad had one of the nurses call his parents with urgent instructions to come to the hospital immediately with a hundred dollars in cash. He couldn't call them himself because the doctors were assessing and treating his current crisis. A surgeon and urologist were called in for emergency consultation. After an evaluation, it was reported to Tad and his parents that someone had placed a thick, heavy-duty, ty-rap cable tie around his penis and utilized a cable tie gun to constrict the cable tie as tightly as possible, completely cutting off the flow of all blood supply before severing his penis. Had the cable tie not been used, Tad was told that he could have easily bled out and died.

Unfortunately, his recovered penis segment was far too damaged and decomposed to even consider reattachment. The best that they could do for him, for the time being, was to insert a catheter through the one-inch stub of his urethra and into his bladder. Then they would fold over and sew the ends of his penis together to form a rounded-shaped bulb to his penile stub. Once the stitches were removed and the would-site healed, the catheter could then be removed and normal bladder function restored. This was their immediate recommendation.

After his recovery, he could then seek out plastic surgery to reconstruct a make-shift penis like those constructed for women transitioning to become men. However, because all of his penile nerves were lost, he would never be able to achieve orgasm from penile stimulation as he had in the past. However, he might want to consider prostate stimulation therapy through the anus. Many men are able to achieve orgasm solely from this form of stimulation. His partner could be easily trained on the most successful methods of prostate stimulation. This was news that Tad wasn't anxious to hear.

Tad's father swore to his son that they'd find whoever was behind this heinous attack and bring them to justice. He called the Sheriff from the hospital and ordered him to get to the bottom of the attack right away. The Sheriff set his whole team of investigators to solve this crime and forensic specialists were immediately dispatched to the Cadillac location to gather evidence. Many fingerprints were recovered from the passenger side of the vehicle, but the driver's side had no prints other than Tad's.

A Deputy collected security camera footage covering the parking lot outside of Henderson's. Using high-quality video enhancement technology and slow-motion frame-by-frame playback, they were able to discern a good bit of information from the recording. They saw a half-drunk Tad angrily stumble out to his car. As he pressed the button on the remote, an average height man, dressed in camouflage coveralls, a full-face camouflage Covid mask, large sunglasses, a camouflage baseball cap with a long brown ponytail exiting from the back of the ball cap, wielding a small wooden baseball bat quickly step up and strike Tad from behind, knocking him out. He opened Tad's car door, shoved the unconscious man in the back seat, jumped in the car, and drove off. Careful enlargement and enhancement of the video revealed more leads and telling details. The assailant was white or Latino with a recognizable gang tattoo on his hand and the same tattoo readily visible on his neck.