Investigation - Part 5

Next Steven Otto visited Commander Corey Richmond at the military academy, where Fin had spent his last three years of high school.

At the entrance a cadet was on duty to control the comings and goings. He wore a crisp uniform. Checking with Commander Richmond's office, if "Dr." Steven Otto had an appointment. Steve was collected personally by the Commander, a fit man in his fifties with red hair. Commander Richmond was very proud of the academy and offered the investigator a tour.

They started with the students living quarters. The school accepted boys and girls from Kindergarten to 12th grade. They had of course separate accommodation, but were housed in the same building.

Students were called cadets and had to wear a uniform Monday to Friday. Up to ten students lived on one floor. Two shared a bed room. It was a bit basic with a bunk bed, two writing desks, two wardrobes and an en-suite bathroom. Cadets weren't allowed any electronic gadgets, radios or TVs on their rooms. There were a TV, DVD player and board games in the common room.

Days were strictly organized. Wake up was at 06.00 hours, afterwards beds had to be made according to regulations, then time for personal hygiene. Breakfast was served from 06.30 hours to 07.00 hours. It was followed by formation training. School lessons started at 08.00 hours sharp. There was a half hour break in the morning. To the private investigator's surprise there was no lunch break at all. School finished at 15.00 hours. Afterwards there was time for a snack and private study until 5 PM, followed by an hour relaxation before dinner and cleaning the rooms as well as some extra curriculum activities, like theatre, photography, flying and instrument lessons or other sports activities. Cadets had to be on their rooms at 20.30 hours, ready for inspection and bed by 21.00 hours. Of course the day looked slightly different for younger children.

Weekends were spent exploring the area and other educational activities.

Only once a month students could go out alone on Saturdays or Sundays.

Somehow Steven Otto couldn't imagine Fin fitting in or liking the strict discipline.

"Do you have a lot of cadets, who are problematic children?" "No. Most of our student body have already a parent in the military or plans a career in the armed forces. We are proud to have helped former students achieve high ranking positions in the Navy and Army or to become successful Air Force pilots. Others have of course careers in the private sector. We choose our cadets carefully. Sometimes we end up with unsuitable candidates. Parents lie or they realize their son or daughter isn't doing well in our environment." "Alright."  "This is our sick bay. Cadets must go here, when they feel unwell. Depending how ill the cadet is, he or she might spend some time here. They might be able to return to their room to recover or are declared healthy enough to attend class." Commander Richmond showed Steve the classrooms and sports facilities before going to the administrative building, where his office was located. Corey asked his secretary to make coffee for him and his visitor. In his office Corey invited Steve to take a seat and handed him Cadet Noose's file. Commander Richmond's office was a male sanctuary with leather furniture and dark wooden panelling. Steve thought it fit Corey.

"Did you know Cadet Noose personally?" "I encountered him a few times, mostly it was positive, like handing over an award for the fastest cross country finish of the school. Once I had to punish him, because Cadet Noose had accumulated five detention points, which meant an appointment with me and a call to his parents. It's normal procedure." "Okay, and what does a visit to your office entail?" "I discuss the situation with the parents first. They can make the decision how their son or daughter is going to be punished or leave it to the kid, depending on age and maturity." "Okay, so how do discipline your students?" "Again depending what the parents decide, what the misdemeanour was, how often I see that specific Cadet for disciplinary reasons and how old the student is. It can be anything from taking away privileges, having to do extra chores or drill training to corporal punishment." "Do you generally decide what punishment you are going to use before calling the parents or do you give them different options?" "Well, I make up my mind and give two options. One is something that students won't like to have to do, i.e. staying at school on a free weekend, cleaning the grounds or training. The other is a paddling." "Hm, can I ask what happened when Cadet Noose visited your office?" "I called his parents. They left the decision to the cadet. I then asked the Wing Leader Voltaire DeLeon to bring Cadet Noose to me. We discussed the misdemeanor without Wing Leader DeLeon being present, but he was invited in, when I offered Cadet Noose his choices. It was a week drill training including Saturday and Sunday with Wing Leader DeLeon or two licks with the paddle. He made up his mind and chose the paddling. As always I asked the Cadet to bend over my cleared writing desk and to hold on to the opposite end. I then lectured him about the importance to be punctual and reliable before applying the first stroke. I let him stew a bit and then gave the last one with a bit more vigor. Wing Leader DeLeon witnessed the procedure and accompanied the cadet back to his room." "Was the cadet contrite?" "Yes, he was when he arrived and even apologized before I told him what options he had. Afterwards he stated again how sorry he was and thanked me." "How did he react to the punishment?" "Cadet Noose took it like a man. He grunted only after the second swat. There weren't any signs he was close to tears." "Do you think Cadet Noose was spanked at home?" "Of course I can only speculate, but based on his reaction I would say, he was used to harsher corporal punishment." "Can I see the paddle?" "Naturally." Commander Richmond went to retrieve it from a cupboard. The paddle was made from oak wood and had holes drilled into it. Steven Otto thought it was a formidable weapon and must cause bruising. The paddle was around 16 in long, 4 in wide and 0.5 in thick. He barely kept from shuddering. "Is there a protocol you have to follow when giving a paddling?" "Well, there has to be a witness present and I only deal with the boys. The girls are punished by our female PE teacher. We are allowed to give up to six swats. It is up to our discretion if the cadet has to remove clothing below the waist." "Do you often paddle on the bare?" "No. I use it only for exceptional bad behavior or if the student is very often in my office for discipline." "How often do you think you asked cadets to pull down their pants in the last ten years?" "Maybe three, four times. As I said it's a rare occurrence." "And how often do use generally corporal punishment?" "First of all most students are very well behaved and I don't see them for negative reasons. Second most parents and students now a days prefer to have privileges taken away, so I paddle a cadet maybe every three months, if even." "I assume Cadet Noose was fully clad, when he was punished by you?" "Of course. It was his first and only visit. Due to this it was a low count of swats and given on his pants." "Do you normally check if a cadet cheats, for example he has newspapers stuffed into his trousers?" "It's easy to spot if a cadet is cheating. As you said, when they use newspapers or a book or wear more underpants, it's generally clearly visible. If I have my doubts about the honesty of the person in question I check." "What's happening when you catch someone?" "The cadet has to remove all clothing from the waist down. He will be given two sets of swats: The first for the original offence; the second for cheating, which automatically means six." "So you can give more than six?" "Only in this circumstance." Steven nodded, indicating he understood. Running out of questions Steven thanked the Commander and took the copy of the file with him.

Steven studied it at his hotel, learning Fin had been a good student, excelling in sports, math and science. There was a C in Chinese and Formation Training, but otherwise only As and Bs. There were two punishments noted, one was a detention for the whole class, since a prank had been played on another student, but nobody had come forward admitting to having it done, and the paddling Commander Richmond had already described. Otherwise teachers reported Fin was quiet, shy, hardworking, self-controlled and ready to help other cadets. Of course Commander Richmond's testimony added another point of evidence Fin had been probably abused. Either that or he had been very self-constrained and didn't show how much the swats with the paddle really hurt. Having spoken with many people about Fin by now he thought it was the first, leading to the latter.

©2017

Investigation - Part 4

Instead Steven managed to find an old school friend, Patches Sigrist, who was now a city commissioner of Fort Lauderdale. He invited the private investigator to his constituency office. Patches Sigrist looked more like a surfer dude than a politician. He was blond with a stylish haircut and pearly white teeth. His physique indicated he was a sporty type. 

Mr. Sigrist's office was contemporary and even the laptop and few papers on the writing desk made it look cluttered.

The councillor offered Steven Otto juice or green tea. Steven took the juice. "I have cleared my appointments for the rest of the morning, so that we can discuss Fin." "That's generous of you and I appreciate it." "You're welcome." "So, how have you two met?" "We went to the same schools from age six to fifteen." "Okay, were you always friends?" "Nearly from the beginning. Fin was very shy. When you knew him better he was the whole opposite. He was creative and fun to be with. We also liked windsurfing, which connected us even more." "Did you have anything else in common?" "Oh yes. When we were small we loved Tom & Jerry, the Marlins, which didn't change, playing with our Masters of the Universe figures and skateboarding. Our favorite character from the Sesame Street was the Cookie Monster." "Have you been round to Fin's home?" "Of course, but we preferred to play at my house just a few blocks away." "Any reason for that?" "Fin and his parents weren't very close. I'm not sure if it's true, but I had the feeling they hated him. When Fin was very young, maybe up to the age of ten, twelve, he tried very hard to please them. I think he gave up, because it was fruitless. He never managed to get the recognition he deserved." "Hatred is a strong word, considering Coldham and Beverly are Fin's parents..." "Well, you should have seen how they looked at him. It wasn't the way my parents looked at me. There was nothing loving about it. Mr. and Mrs. Noose were very cold, sometimes angry and no matter what Fin did it seemed never good enough. It wasn't unusual to hear a sentence like: "Mike would do that... Mike would never do this... Mike is so much better behaved than you! You could learn from your brother!" And so on. It's a wonder Fin never had self-confidence issues." After pausing for a short moment Patches continued: "I guess his self-confidence had to do with his grandparents. His paternal grandmother was very good to Fin. He had a close relationship with his maternal grandfather too." "Do you think Fin was abused?" Patches considered how to answer this. Steven was expecting an answer a politician would typically give - saying something by saying nothing. The question made Patches Sigrist uncomfortable and he struggled with his conscience. Steven wondered if Patches knew more than he wanted to admit. The commissioner came to a decision. Straightening he said: "Well, he was definitely emotionally abused. I witnessed something else. I wondered why Fin always wanted to be last in the showers after PE and preferable alone. I... Once or twice I pretended I had left already and spied on him. The first time Fin's body was unblemished. The second time he had a bruised behind and there were welts. By my estimation the injuries were a bit older, because the bruises had faded. They were green and yellow. At first I thought he had had some kind of accident, but I couldn't come up with any accident that would cause welts, so I guessed Fin's father had punished him physically." "Why do you think it was his father?" It was a bit awkward for Patches. "Hm, good question. Even if Mrs. Noose was cold und uncaring, I can't imagine her wielding a belt or whatever was used to cause such damage. She's a woman after all and should be slightly more nurturing." Steven Otto wasn't so sure about that. He couldn't help believing Beverly Noose might have been much more involved than anyone thought. If the Nooses really had used a cane it wouldn't have mattered, who spanked Fin with it. The implement was a great equalizer. The private investigator had informed himself. According to his sources not a lot of strength was necessary to inflict an unbearable amount of pain to the person at the receiving end.

"Okay, how many welts did you see?" "I'm not sure. Maybe two or three." "Did Fin show fear of going home or did he mention that his parents spanked him?" "No and no. I mean, of course, when he had done something wrong, he wasn't too keen to go home, but I didn't think he was more scared than others. We didn't talk about spankings. Fin could be very particular when it came to discipline. He would listen to others describing how their misbehaviour was handled, but never wanted to speak about his own experiences. Fin shut down completely and let you feel it was better to leave him alone. A class mate pressured him too much and Fin promptly ignored the person afterwards. It was as if he didn't exist." "How were others dealt with?" "It depended. If I remember correctly the majority received corporal punishment, some had their privileges taken away and others were grounded." "What about yourself?" "My parents never touched me. They tended to shout at me, if they were very upset or angry and my punishment were groundings." "Did you see Fin had bruises or welts any other time?" Patches Sigrist tried to remember. "No, but there were clues." It seemed the commissioner didn't want to elaborate, so Steven Otto questioned: "What clues?" "Fin had phases he seemed to be unable to sit still. I caught him a few times grimacing as if he was in pain or limp a bit." "Did you ask him about it?" "Yes, his answers were a bit elusive. He claimed he had a headache or banged his knees or other excuses." "How often did that happen?" "Since it has been quite a long time ago I'm not sure if my memory is reliable... It wasn't that often, though." "Once a month? Every quarter of the year? Yearly?" "I think when Fin was younger it was more often. Maybe four to six times a year, later maybe once or twice." "In your opinion was Fin physically abused?" Patches Sigrist replied: "That's difficult to answer. From the perspective when it happened - in the eighties and nineties - no. Seeing it from today's standpoint: yes." The private investigator didn't have any further questions, so he thanked Patches Sigrist for his time and answering honestly.

©2017

Investigation - Part 3

While Mike Noose didn't react to any letter sent, Stamford Noose, Fin's and Mike's uncle, was open to talk about his brother's family. The private detective had to travel to Boston. Stamford was extremely busy and asked Steve to meet him at Massachusetts General Hospital, where he worked. Stamford's office was modern and understated. Dr. Noose was wearing a white coat, white shirt and a blue tie. He looked very similar to Coldham. His hair was an even lighter shade of blond and he had brown eyes instead of blue grey. If Steve hadn't known Stamford was forty-six he would have estimated him slightly younger. They shook hands and Stamford apologized for having not much time. "You were interested in my brother and his family?" He asked brisk. "Yes. How would you describe Coldham's and Beverly's parenting style?" "Generally strict and authoritarian, but more so with Fin than Mike. He could be a pain in the butt - excuse my language. He was rebellious and constantly talking back. It must have been frustrating for my brother and sister in law, but if I would have been them I would have tried a different tack since being strict didn't work." "Have you any idea how Mr. and Mrs. Noose dealt with misbehavior?" "I definitely have seen them smacking their sons, when they were very small. Don't know what they did do later..." Stamford thought for a moment. "Sad, that my mother is dead. She and Dad spent every summer with Coldham and the rest... She could have shed more light on it." "Did she maybe ever mention witnessing a spanking?" Stamford thought about. "No." He shook his head. "Wait a moment, though. She kept a diary. There are a lot of them at home. Why don't you come by later in the evening and my wife or I can give them to you." "I would appreciate that." "Great. If you'll excuse me now. I have some work to do." "Of course."

Steven Otto was excited. There was at least some evidence Fin had been really spanked as a child. It didn't proof yet there had been any abuse, though. He hoped Lilian R. Brogan Noose's diaries would reveal more. It was hard to wait. Finally it was time to visit the Noose's home in Back Bay. A maid opened the door to the apartment and brought the investigator to the living room. Stamford Noose had changed clothing. He pulled off looking smart in his casual attire. One thing was for sure Stamford was straight forward. He didn't beat around the bush and came direct to the point. He handed over the diaries he thought could be of interest for Steven and asked for them to be returned. "I remembered something my father mentioned many years ago. He'd been to a convention in Miami and stayed with my brother. I think he said Fin had behaved ghastly. I'm not sure what he did, but he offended his grandfather so much, that he went to Coldham and Beverly and told them what Fin had done. Father said Fin got his just desert. He remarked Fin had been suitably punished, but if it had been him, he wouldn't have just used the cane." "Cane?" "Yes. I'm not sure if you are aware how we were disciplined. Father first spanked our bare butts with his hand, before moving on to the cane." "So Fin was caned?" "It sounds like it to me." 'Did he give more details? How did he know Fin was caned?" "I'm sorry, but I can't recount anymore." "Alright. Thank you for being so helpful. I will bring back the diaries as soon as I have finished reading them." Steven added in his mind: "And if necessary copy the important parts."

Lilian Rose Brogan Noose, nee Casey, kept a lively diary. Steven Otto could picture Mrs. Noose, her friends, acquaintances and family very well. He started to read from 1971, checking if he could find an entry about Coldham and Beverly. The first he found was in April 1972. In summer the same year Coldham introduced Beverly to his family. Lil, as Mrs. Noose preferred to be called, thought that her son and future daughter in law were a good match. Coldham was a lot like his father, not only physical, but also emotional.

He and Beverly were conservative, had the same outlook on life and were ambitious.

They married in 1973, graduated in 1975 and worked a year before deciding to start a family. Lil had been very excited when Fin had been born and was sad she didn't live closer. Coldham F., Lil's husband, was of the opinion they would only intrude if they showed up too often. It was arranged, though, that the grandparents and the family went on holiday together and visited regularly.

Lil was disappointed when Coldham and Beverly never really bonded with Fin. Okay, the pregnancy had been difficult, but that was no reason to resent the baby. Lil was also very surprised, when Beverly announced around four months after Fin's birth she was pregnant again. Lil believed the kids were too close together in age and it would have been better if her son and daughter in law would have waited for another year before trying to conceive again.

Mike was born two weeks early, so he and Fin were just eleven months apart.

In 1978 Beverly was in a crisis. Lil didn't know what had happened, but her daughter in law seemed seriously depressed. Lil stayed for a few months with Beverly and Coldham, taking care of the children and the household. Lil tried to build up Beverly. There hadn't been any progress when she left. Finally in the last half of the year Beverly clawed her way back.

The next entries were only interesting in regards to family dynamics. If Lil's entries were correct Mike was the preferred son. It would corroborate with what Mrs. Tomczyk and indirectly Stamford Noose had told Steven.

It got fascinating when Fin turned seven. His grandfather Coldham F. wanted to give Fin a cane as birthday present. Lil found it totally unsuitable. They argued for weeks. In the end Lil gave in. She hoped Beverly and Coldham had common sense and would throw it away or at least not use it to punish Mike or Fin.

Steven skimmed over the next nine years. He stopped dead in his tracks reading the following:

Cancun, 01.08.1993

Tonight was terrible. I missed Fin at dinner. Beverly claimed Fin was out with his girlfriend. I thought something was wrong, because there were negative undercurrents at the dining table. After we finished our meal Mike took me aside and told me Beverly and Coldham had spanked Fin with a belt. In his opinion it looked pretty bad. I thanked Mike. I needed a few moments of quiet to gather my thoughts. I was concerned. Fin maybe was too ashamed to come down for dinner or slept. I decided to get him something to eat and check on him. Based on what I would encounter I would have to make a decision to let it rest or confront his parents. The supermarket was my first stop. I bought a Manchego and quince jelly sandwich and Crème Caramel. Both were comforting and things Fin liked. Next I tried gaining access to Fin's bedroom and him to open up. He had been asleep and at first wouldn't let me in. He wore only a t-shirt and had a towel wrapped around his hips. Not a good sign in my opinion. I got him talking. Fin said: "Mom and Dad spanked me, because they believe I have stolen your brooch." It's not an expensive piece of jewellery and has high sentimental value for me. The silver brooch is shaped like a bug and the last gift Ramsey gave me.

Steven made a mental note that Ramsey was Lil's first husband, who fell during World War II, before continuing reading:

I guess I have lost it somewhere or forgotten where I have left it. Fin wouldn't steal from me. He knows what the brooch means to me.

I wanted to see what damage the belt had done and prepared for the worst. Getting Fin to turn around and unwrap his towel proved difficult. He finally did what I asked him to do by cajoling and making him laugh. It was hard for me to keep my emotions under control. I wanted to cry, comfort Fin and scream or march off and make a scene. Beverly and Coldham wouldn't have deserved it better. Fin had been abused. His behind was covered in overlapping, angry red welts and black bruises. It must have been incredible painful. Fin covered himself again. He bared his feelings instead and said: "It's not so much the physical pain that hurts. They don't trust me and call me a liar even when I tell them the truth. I didn't take it." "I believe you, darling." I hugged him, but felt he was uncomfortable with me trying to console him, so I released my favorite grandson and left him alone. I went to my room to vent some of my emotions. I had come up with a solution, so that my son and daughter in law would never ever punish Fin physically. I knew how to get through to them. When I found them at the bar I confronted them and threatened to inform the press and anyone else, who would listen to me, that they were child abusers. They don't want a scandal and since they know Fin and I are very close they can't make sure Fin won't mention a spanking in the future. I think they will never touch him again. Of course I will also speak to Fin and re-enforce he can come anytime to me if he has problems with his parents. If he will do so is another question...

Over the next few days Lil wrote about her feelings. She also tried to get out of Fin, if they had used the cane on him in the past. He clamped up. At first Fin was polite, then he got impatient and angry. Lil didn't want to risk her good relationship with Fin, so she let it be. She didn't leave the matter alone, though, and asked Mike. Fin's brother hadn't any problems admitting he had been spanked. Coldham and Beverly didn't discipline him that way since he turned fourteen. In the very worst case Mike had received first a hand spanking and then half a dozen smacks with a wooden spoon. Having unwittingly stepped into Fin's punishment he thought his brother always got the belt or some other implement, because Fin had complained even days after being punished how much sitting hurt. Before Mike had believed Fin was seeking attention. He doubted it now. Lil shuddered, thinking how much misery Coldham F.'s birthday present many years earlier had caused. She was sure the cane and Fin were very well acquainted. She came to the conclusion based on Fin's unwillingness to talk about discipline, the brutal treatment he had received during the vacation and Mike's description.

Lil was disappointed in her son. She had hoped her own example would influence Coldham stronger. Unfortunately she had failed somewhere and felt guilty. At least she prevented further punishment.

Lil was proud her other children had managed to teach lessons without spanking.

During the vacation Lil found the brooch at the very back of the in room safe.

The rest of the diaries didn't reveal anything important. It was a break through, though. It confirmed for the first time Fin had been punished with a different implement than the Noose's claimed to have used.

Steve wished there would have been photos. If the welts and bruises were visible he had the proof. It was still only hearsay, but he saw no reason why Lilian Rose Brogan Noose would lie in her diaries. It was written only for her own eyes. Steve had to talk with Mike. He believed Fin's brother was the key. Mike was still elusive.

©2017

Investigation - Part 2

The interview with the Nooses approached. Steven Otto came well prepared, when he arrived at the house, where Beverly and Coldham lived in Palmetto Bay. The whole area had been severely damaged during Hurricane Andrew and the home had to be rebuilt. It was made of concrete and looked similar to the other houses in the area. The front lawn was kept immaculate.

A gentleman in his fifties opened the door. His wheat colored hair had turned grey at the temples and his hairline was receding. Having seen photographs of Fin as an adult Steven was amazed how similar father and son looked. "Mr. Noose, I'm Steven Otto. Thank you for allowing me to interview you." "You are welcome. My wife and I are very proud we can take part in your study. Please follow me." Coldham led Mr. Otto to the formal dining room. It offered seating for eight. The room was held in a maritime theme. Steven felt it was cold and suited for business entertainment. Soon Mrs. Noose arrived. She was roughly the same height as her husband and dark haired. She had stunning blue eyes. Steven and she shook hands. Beverly Noose offered Steven a seat, coffee or tea and jam doughnuts. Steven asked for coffee. After her return she told him the doughnuts came from a prestigious bakery in town. Steven was impressed.

He started his questions after eating one of the delicious treats. "As part of my study I'd like to ask you a few questions about your own childhood. Mr. Noose, do you mind if I start with you?" "No, not at all." "What year were you born, Mr. Noose?" "1953." "Where did you grow up?" "In Boston, Massachusetts.” Steven asked the questions on purpose to get a feel of Coldham's and Beverly's body language. It would make it easier later to identify when they were untruthful. "Did you grow up in a one parent family?" "No, my parents stayed married until my mother died." "Have you any siblings?" "Yes, my mother was widowed with two small children, when she met my father, so I have a half-sister, a half-brother and a younger brother." "You said you both spanked your own sons. How did your parents rear you?" "My mother was quite modern for her times. She never spanked Diane, Arthur, Stamford or me. We were sometimes trying, but instead of losing her temper my mother explained how she was feeling about a certain situation and what we should make better in the future or she forced us to make amends. For example I was once rude to an elderly neighbor. Lil had heard it and talked to me. She asked if I would like to be treated like that. When I shook my head, she said: "Mr. Aujesky is very lonely and just wanted to have a quick chat. I'd like you to go over to him and apologize besides that I expect you to visit him regularly for the next months." At first I went under duress, but I found out Mr. Aujesky was quite interesting. We developed a friendship.

When my mother could she protected us from father. He wasn't that "enlightened" and spanked my brothers and me for our misdeeds. He never touched Diane. Dad was traditional and believed my sister was my mother's responsibility." "May I ask how your father spanked you?" "Generally on the bare behind. Until I was seven he only used his hand, then a combination of hand and cane." "When did your father start to spank you?" "To be honest I'm not entirely sure. I guess maybe from three to seventeen." "That's it for the moment, thank you, Mr. Noose." "Mrs. Noose, when were you born?" "In July 1953." "And where?" "In Frostburg, Maryland. It's about 150 miles northwest of Baltimore." "Did you grow up there?" "Yes, it was not nice, a blue collar town. My father was a miner and very poor. I didn't like the town or our lifestyle, even as a small girl. I wanted to get out as soon as possible. Thinking about how to manage it, I decided I would not end up like my mother, who was a home maker. My way out was education. I studied hard and got a scholarship at the University of Florida, Miami, where I also met Coldham." For Steven it was an eye opener. He could understand why good grades were especially important to Beverly, remembering what Carol Resch had told him. "I assume your parents didn't divorce?" "No, they were married for the rest of their lives." "Do you have siblings?" "No, I'm an only child." "Did your father or mother spank you?" "My Dad spanked me. When I was misbehaving my mother warned me and if I repeated the same thing, she told me to go to my room and wait until my father was home. I knew what that meant. My mother would give my father a chance to relax a bit, before telling him about his unruly daughter and that she wanted him to punish me. I'm not sure what I dreaded more: The waiting or when I heard my father approach up the stairs. He was fair and gave me a chance to explain myself. If he still believed correction was necessary, I would get spanked. Sometimes he let me off, but it was rare." "Can I ask how your father spanked you?" "Like Coldham, always on the bare and at first with his hand, later we migrated to his slipper and when I was twelve the belt was introduced." "Up to what age did your father discipline you?" "Until I was fifteen." "Would you mind if I ask you both an intimate question?" Coldham and Beverly shook their heads. "I'd like to know from both of you if you were embarrassed when you had to bare yourself or were bared in order to get punished?" Beverly answered first: "I guess it was for me more embarrassing than for Coldham - maybe I'm wrong -, but he had someone of the same sex, thrashing him. I hated it in fact when I reached puberty. My Dad always said I needn't to worry he had seen it all before, which was true; still I dived as soon as possible over the pillow mountain on my bed. Not that I wanted to be spanked, but it was better than showing off... I couldn't care less what I showed my Dad, when the whipping was in progress. I forgot totally about being ashamed. The pain was searing and my father merciless." "Well, it was embarrassing for me too. I never liked presenting my naked buttocks for father's hand and / or cane. The cane was worse, though. He was very thorough and it hurt really a lot." "Is it right of me to assume the cane and belt left marks?" Coldham and Beverly nodded. She indicated Coldham should go first. "Yes, I had tramlines and bruises for about a week." "It was similar for me. The welts reminded me for a few days about my misbehavior, but were visible much longer than they hurt." "What made you decide to spank your sons too?" Steven asked. It was Beverly, who answered. "We agreed sometimes a sharp, painful shock was better than dragging out a punishment, making all feel miserable. When the boys were smaller it was easier to simple smack them immediately after their misbehavior. They generally dropped their behavior, and it made them better understand it was wrong what they did than explaining it." Steven didn't agree with the sentiment. He thought to avoid a mistake it was always better to be told what went wrong. Of course he didn't mention it. Now the critical point was coming. "Did you spank your children exactly the way your parents did or did you do something differently?" This time Coldham spoke: "Beverly and I thought our fathers had been too harsh, so we never used the belt or the cane. We agreed when the gravity of the misdemeanor was really serious to first give a hand spanking and then six to ten strokes with a wooden spoon." Steven thought Coldham wasn't telling the whole truth. "Up to what age did you spank your sons?" "We stopped when they turned fourteen and deemed it not suitable anymore for them." Beverly replied. Again Steven believed Beverly was lying. "Would you say you had to punish Coldham Fintan and Holiday Michael roughly the same amount?" Beverly and Coldham communicated silently. Beverly answered: "Fin was a quite wilful child, very own minded, rebellious and stubborn. He got more spankings then Mike." "So Mike was generally better behaved?" "Yes, he was in much fewer trouble at school, obedient and didn't talk back unlike Fin." Beverly answered Steven's question. Mr. Otto thought Beverly was telling the truth.

The question was had there been more going on than Beverly and Coldham were willing to admit or had Fin perceived the spankings as abuse? There were other options to consider too. The Nooses might have used stronger force or a different implement when punishing Fin or gave more strokes. Steven Otto couldn't shake off the feeling that the Nooses had something to hide. He was determined to find out what. For the time being Mr. Otto thanked Coldham and Beverly, asked if he could come back if had more questions and finished the interview. The Nooses agreed and brought the investigator to the door.

On the way to the car he passed the neighboring house. Steven thought he saw the curtain of the living room moving. If the neighbor was nosy, maybe he or she knew something about the Nooses. It was worth investigating.

Steven drove off, but returned to observe both houses.

The Nooses were obviously out all day, while the neighbor was an older lady called Randy Tomczyk. She ventured out nearly every day.

Mr. Otto arranged a "chance meeting". She was just leaving her home, when he approached the Noose's. "They aren't in." The grey haired lady told the investigator. "Really?! Sugar! I must have confused the day I should have come back!" Steven Otto pretended to be disappointed. "They normally return after 8 P.M. You should try then." "Thanks, but I have to go back to the airport in a couple of hours..." "That's tough. I've never seen you here before. Are you a friend of Beverly and Coldham?" "No, I'm conducting a study about child rearing methods. They agreed to take part. Do you know the Noose's sons maybe?" "Mike and Fin?" Steven Otto nodded encouragingly. "Of course I do. Haven't seen them in many years, though. I think Mike for about five and Fin around ten." "But you knew them as kids?" "Sure. Very different boys. I think Mike is slightly younger than Fin. I guess a year. He was outgoing and very close to his parents. Fin was quiet, but I had the impression he liked to be the boss. He wasn't close to Coldham or Beverly." "Did they treat him differently than Mike?" "I'm not entirely sure. I think Mike got away with things Fin wouldn't have." "Do you have any examples?" "Well, sometimes the kids were playing in their back garden. It borders on mine, so I could hear what was going on and see into the rooms at the back. Anyhow Beverly sometimes called the kids in to do homework or because dinner was ready. If Fin tried to stall, Beverly got angry and impatient quickly. Mike could stay in the garden longer and would get the wrath of his mother after maybe being asked five times to come in." "Okay, and how do you know Fin liked to be in charge?" "When Mike and he played, he told Mike what he expected him to do." "I see. Coldham and Beverly said they disciplined their children by spanking them. I guess you didn't notice anything, did you?" "Only once." "Really?! Would you mind telling me about it?" "I'll better ask you in then. It's a longer story." Mr. Otto had expected Mrs. Tomczyk lived in a more lavish interior, but it was astoundingly simple and clean cut. The color scheme was black and white with sparse furniture. "Coffee or tea?" Mrs. Tomczyk offered. "Coffee, please." It was Mr. Otto's fifth cup of the day. While Mrs. Tomczyk was bustling around she started telling her tale. "My husband Sebastian was much older than me. His biggest hobby was growing award winning flowers and I realised I enjoyed it too, so I continued even after his death. Mike and Fin caused me a lot of grief by playing soccer in their own garden. The ball went astray too often and damaged my roses. I had enough and confiscated the ball. Boys can be the spawn of Satan and Mike and Fin were no exception. They were upset and angry I kept the ball, so they planned their revenge. I caught them with their trousers down, peeing on my terrace. I was so angry I grabbed them by the ears and brought them next door. Beverly and Coldham made Fin and Mike apologize. They also promised me their sons would be punished and were clearly embarrassed and disappointed by their offspring's behavior. I didn't know what punishing Mike and Fin entailed. Back home I made myself a cup of tea, before I checked if the neighbor's kids had vandalised other parts of the garden. My roses were still in all their glory. Looking up I saw one of the windows on the second floor of the Noose's house open and a boy looking out. At least I had the impression. A second or so later I realised it was Fin bending over. Someone was standing behind him. It was Beverly and she was talking to Fin. I couldn't make out what she was saying. Beverly took a step back. I wondered what this was about. Then she raised something. It was a switch or some kind of stick. Beverly brought it down on Fin's behind. Three or four times. I couldn't see if Fin cried or hear him shout. His body language spoke volumes, though. It must have hurt like the dickens. I thought it was over the top. Don't get me wrong. Boys need a strong hand, but a few swats with the hand would have done the job in my opinion." "Did you mention it to Beverly or informed the authorities?" "No, Fin wasn't my son and I'm not related to the Nooses, so I couldn't tell them how to raise their children. I watched out if there were other thrashings, but didn't, so it must have been a once off." "Steven Otto was suspicious, though. “How old were the kids at the time?" "Maybe eight and ten or so." Randy Tomczyk wasn't too sure. Finishing his coffee, Steven thanked Mrs. Tomczyk and was on his way. So the Nooses had been lying. They had used a different implement than they had told him at least on Fin. Steven thought he had to talk to Mike and hoped Fin's brother was open enough to tell the truth. Maybe he could dig up other family members, who knew...

©2017

Investigation - Part 1

Steven Otto was a veteran investigator, first with the police force in Texas, later as a private detective.

Normally he dealt with cheating spouses or vanished people, but the job he had received from Kenneth Loesing was a bit more unusual.His client wanted to find out if a former employee of his had been abused as a child.

Kenneth Loesing's Personal Assistant gave Steven Otto all the details they had about Coldham Fintan Noose III.

The subject had grown up in Florida, so that was where Mr. Otto was heading to. The parents, Beverly and Coldham Fintan Noose II, still lived there. He also had found out a bit of the background. The parents hailed from Maryland and Massachusetts respectively. Mr. Noose was an architect and Mrs. Noose a school administrator. Mrs. Noose was from a blue collar background - her father had been a miner -, Mr. Noose descended from a prominent doctor's family in Boston. Steven Otto also found out that the Nooses didn't have any contact with their sons. They had a fall out with Coldham Fintan III when he was eighteen and about half a year at college. The private investigator guessed his subject had dropped out of college as a consequence of being cut off financially by his parents. Coldham Fintan opened his own security company and based on the tax filings was pretty successful. Holiday Michael Noose, the subject's younger brother had no contact with his parents for roughly 5 years. Contrary to Coldham Fintan his brother still received full financial support from his parents and finished his studies to become an architect even if the fallout happened about a year before Holiday Michael graduated. It seemed the Nooses cared more for the youngest child.

Steven Otto requested the school files of both children, by claiming to be a psychologist, treating one of them, to see if there were any notes about suspected abuses. While waiting for the replies, he made email contact with Beverly Noose, pretending to conduct a study about child rearing methods and if she and her husband were interested in taking part.

Beverly and her husband had two traits: They were very conscious of their reputation and vain.

To be chosen for a study flattered them and made them feel important. They agreed, so Steven Otto sent them a questionnaire.

In the meantime the Elementary School Coldham Fintan and Holiday Michael had visited had answered back and included the requested files. There was nothing indicating the school had noticed anything unusual going on at home. Since there were the names of a few teachers mentioned in the reports, Steven Otto tried to get in contact with them. He found out to his dismay that two of the teachers had died. One had been in his eighties, the other was only thirty.

Steven Otto contacted Carol Resch, who had been Coldham Fintan's teacher from kindergarten til the end of second grade. She was sixty, had retired and lived now in California. She agreed to meet him at her home in Palm Springs. Steven Otto flew to San Diego and drove with a rental car to Palm Springs. The journey was picturesque and if he wouldn't have been on business Steven would have made a de-tour to Julian. He loved apple pie and the town was famous for it. Palm Springs was about 123 miles north east of San Diego. The journey took a bit over two hours. The directions Mrs. Resch had given were precise, so Steven didn't have problems locating her address. Mrs. Resch lived in a one storey Spanish style building. Steven parked the car on the street and went up to the door to ring the bell. Carol Resch was petite with short grey hair and blue grey eyes. There were a few wrinkles, but overall Mrs. Resch had kept a certain youthfulness. Mrs. Resch invited Steven Otto in, after seeing his credentials. The private investigator had to bend, when he entered the living room, because he had the height and physique of a basketball player, even so he hadn't played in a team since college. Mrs. Resch liked the red haired and blue eyed man in his fifties based on his friendliness and curiosity. It hadn't been lost to her that he had taken in all the details of the hallway and was now interested in the living room. The hallway had been painted in bright yellow, while the living room walls were pink. Carol liked chintzy furniture. It wasn't to Steven's taste. He admired the many photographs of the classes Carol had taught. Steven wondered if in one of them were Coldham Fintan and Mike too. Mrs. Resch offered Steven coffee and cake. He accepted gladly. Settling down, they talked about the beautiful weather and a bit about Carol's teaching experiences, before Mr. Otto broached the reason for his visit. "Do you remember Coldham Fintan?" "Of course I do!" exclaimed Mrs. Resch. She went to pick up a couple of framed photographs. "We called him Fin. That's him from age four to six. As you know he was born in November 1977, so he was one of the youngest." Mr. Otto studied the boy. On the three photographs Fin was always placed at the front. On one he looked very serious, on the others he smiled.  The boy was blond. Steven couldn't make out the eye color. He thought Fin had been shorter than other boys in his class. "How would you describe Fin?" "Well, he was very shy, but when he said something it made sense. He was honest to a fault. I liked him." "Did he ever tell you about his relationship with his parents?" "Yes, Fin was generally very well behaved and had good manners, but once he had gotten a reprimand and his parents had been informed. He was chalk white and it was very obvious he dreaded going home. Fin was - I would guess - about five. I asked him what he thought his parents would do to him. Fin was visibly embarrassed, but since he was a very bad liar, he admitted he was most likely getting a spanking. You shouldn't forget this was in the eighties and resorting to physical punishment fairly normal. I never approved of it." "When you saw Fin again, did he make any signs he had been spanked?" Mrs. Resch thought for a moment. "I think I met him the next day and he made a normal impression to me." "Were there ever signs Fin had bruises or other injuries?" Carol wasn't stupid and gave Steven an odd look. "What are you implying?" "Well, Fin made allegations that his parents abused him as a child." Carol was shocked. "I didn't know about it and Fin didn't show any signs - at least not as long as I had him as a student." "Did you teach Holiday Michael as well?" "No." "Did you have contact with Fin's parents?" "I talked to them a few times. They made a good impression. They seemed to be interested how their son was faring. Mrs. Noose was ambitious. She expected from Fin that he performed. She wouldn't have had to worry. Fin maybe wasn't in the top five of his class, but he had generally A and B grades and rarely a C." Mr. Otto asked if there was anything else Carol could think of. Carol couldn't. He left his business card just in case.

So far Mr. Otto had only heard hearsay. There was no evidence there was any physical abuse going on. Steven decided to remain open and see what the questionnaire revealed and what other people had to say about the Nooses.

The questionnaire was returned and to Mr. Otto's surprise stated Beverly and Coldham had spanked their kids. Hm. Mr. Otto replied via email this was very interesting and if he could interview them. It was getting exciting.

Steven had also managed to track down another two teachers, who knew Fin from age eight to twelve. He visited Gihad Buchanan first, who lived and worked in Tallahassee.

They met at a cafe to discuss Fin. Gihad was a tall man in his mid-forties. He had very short reddish brown hair and steely blue eyes. Gihad made the impression he was a neat freak. He placed his cutlery, so that his fork and knife were the same distance from his plate. When he took a slice of bread he made sure it was cut into even pieces and they were all exactly the same size. Gihad was also straight forward. "Why are you interested in Fin?" Steven replied: "If you don't mind, I'll tell you later." "I hope it's not because he did something illegal." "No. What makes you think so?" "Well, he was too introvert and seemed to trust nobody. That's for me a sign Fin had something to hide or would turn into a criminal. He seemed cold and distanced." "How do you mean?" "Fin didn't talk a lot and very rarely spoke about his family. He hated being touched and I don't know if it had to do with modesty or something else, but he was always the last in the shower after sports and didn't want to be seen naked." "Maybe he had something to hide. Did you ever consider Fin's behavior as a sign of child abuse?" Gihad stopped cutting his steak sandwich. "No. I didn't think so." Steven believed otherwise. Seeing the indicators, Fin could have told Steven's client the truth. Steven thanked Gihad.

Next on his agenda was Ingo Mueller, a German in his late fifties. Steven Otto was happy he didn't have to go back to California, where Ingo now resided. He had business to do in Miami, so they agreed to meet at the Ritz Carlton. Mr. Mueller was fairly relaxed and had only a slight accent. Ingo was grey haired and had blue eyes. Ingo thought Fin had been a wimp as a child. Ingo had noticed Fin was teased about his name, but instead of standing up to the bullies he ignored them and withdrew. Steven frowned when he heard Mr. Mueller had done nothing to stop the teasing. Ingo explained: "The kids had to figure it out themselves." Mr. Mueller also said Fin seemed sometimes distracted and squirmed a lot during class. Steven didn't know what to make of Fin being distracted. A picture of the boy emerged, though. Fin seemed to have been introvert, honest, didn't trust people and didn't like to be touched. Steven thought there might have been signs of abuse, like Fin's fear of going home, his dislike of being seen naked, his shyness and avoiding physical contact with other people.

©2017

S'Parks @ the Hilton Vienna, Austria

During our two stays at the Hilton Vienna in July 2016 we had each evening dinner at S'Parks.

The chef is Gerasimos Kavalieris and S'Parks has received 84 out of 100 points at the Falstaff Guide.

The restaurant is on the ground level of the Hilton and has a lot of space. It can be cleverly divided into smaller sections if necessary and makes it much smaller and intimate during dinner than it is during breakfast.

During the summer months outdoor seating is available too. We decided to sit inside, since it was air conditioned.

The interior is modern and there are very high floor to ceiling windows.

We were accompanied to our table and given the menu.

We ordered on both occasions a large bottle of still water and Preiss juices. The producer is Austrian and the fruits used are organic. We tried the two varieties available: apricot and Williams Christ pear.  Since we loved the juices we looked for them in different shops in Vienna, but couldn't find them. S'Parks has a program to provide diners with specialities and rarities from Austria, called Genuss Region Oesterreich. Preiss juices belongs to it too.

On one of the evenings we had two hot chocolates.

We received different bread rolls and typical Austrian bread spreads.

We had two course meals, since the portions were generous.

Starters we tried were braised artichoke, tomato salad and mozzarella and scrambled eggs, Styrian organic pumpkin seed oil and meadow herbs.

Main courses were pan fried char filet, peas and romaine lettuce salad, tomato and mint, Krautfleckerl (cabbage pasta), a typical Austrian/Bavarian speciality I already knew from the home cooking of my mother, with green salad and Wiener Schnitzel with green salad and parsley potatoes.

Desserts we enjoyed were Kaiserschmarrn with plum sauce and apple strudel with vanilla ice cream. The Kaiserschmarrn could be made without raisins, since my fiancé is allergic to them.

Costs were ca. 80 Euro (ca. 87.50 USD) on both evenings.

We loved the quiet upscale atmosphere - there were other couples dining with us - but the majority wanted to sit outside, the attentive staff and the excellent quality of the meals.

When we will stay at the Hilton Vienna in the future we will eat at S'Parks again.

 

©2017

 

Hilton Vienna, Austria

In July 2016 I celebrated a milestone birthday and we decided to spend it in Austria. A wish of both, my fiancé and I, was for a longer time to stay at the Hilton Vienna, the largest hotel of the country.

We booked two separate nights, one after we arrived and the other before our departure from Vienna International Airport. This is a combined review of both stays.

The hotel is ideally located. We took the City Airport Train, short CAT, to Vienna Mitte train station from Vienna International Airport and the Hilton Vienna is just across the road. This remembered us about the Hilton Kuala Lumpur and their connection between the KLIA and the hotel incl. KLIA Express [KLIA Ekspres] and the Central Train Station [Sentral].

At first sight it was easier to find the side entrance than the main entrance.

Reception was on the immediate right, when entering via the main entrance. The Lobby Bar and Lounge is to the left and there is a sign, indicating the bar with an arrow with Gin Tonic and the other arrow the reception with check in.

The check in experiences were very different each time. The first was businesslike, the other warmer and more personal.

We had once paid cash and once with points. Each time we had chosen a King Cathedral View Room. During our first stay we weren’t upgraded. The second time we received a Corner Junior Suite with views over the city, the Stadtpark and the Steffel.

During our first stay a convention of Neonatologists took place, so the hotel was very busy, but the convention didn’t disrupt other guests.

On the ground floor was also S’Parks Restaurant, which won best “Genuss Austria” [which promotes regional products] restaurant in Austria for 2015/2016. We ate dinner there twice – a review will follow – and we can confirm that the award is well deserved.

We liked also the display cabinet with different awards, for example best traditional gugglhupf in 2012, a Hilton Vienna Teddy Bear and kid’s lunch boxes on offer.

The elevators were a bit hidden away and not too far from the public rest rooms.

Our room was located on the 6^th floor and had the desired views over the Stadtpark and St. Stephen’s Cathedral.

The furniture was made from blond wood and the overall color scheme was light brown and felt fresh and attractive.

As a gold member of the Hilton Honors loyalty program we received a personalized welcome letter from the hotel manager, Roemer Quelle still water from Austria and three pistachio macaroons. They were yummy. We appreciated that our preference for still water had been remembered.

The writing desk had a glass plate with little white dots printed on it and a stylish lamp.

There were also a wardrobe and credenza, a comfortable bed, a coffee table with magazines Wien Exklusiv and First Class Vienna.

The minibar was stocked with Vaihinger juices, Roemer Quelle, Evian, Manner wafers, Kitkat, Red bull, Coca Cola in glass bottles, Havanna Club, Beef Eater and much more.

The snacks were 3.50 Euro (ca. 3.85 USD), the non-alcoholic beverages ranged from 4.25 Euro to 5.75 Euro (ca. 4.65 USD to ca. 6.30 USD), beer was 5.50 Euro (ca. 6 USD) and all liquor 10 Euro (ca. 11 USD), while Champagne was 48 Euro (ca. 52.50 USD).

The flat screen TV had 86 channels, of which around a third were German speaking. The rest was international and included CNN, CNBC and Bloomberg.

On one of the German channels we saw Ali Guengoermues of the one Michelin-starred restaurant Le Canard Nouveau in a reality TV series, where he trains an ambitious young chef.

We had lunch at Le Canard Nouveau in Hamburg in April earlier in the year, so it was nice to remember our encounter with the chef, his cuisine and to see him on TV in “action”.

There were also a tea/coffee making facility with Tschibo coffee and Ronnefeldt tea.

The bathroom was small with a bathtub/shower combination, sink, toilet, marble top, wood, and tiles. Amenities were by Peter Thomas Roth. We liked also the mosaic in different shades of green.

Overall the atmosphere of the hotel and room let us relax and we felt well throughout.

As gold we received complimentary breakfast at S’Parks. The breakfast buffet was large and had everything one could want. On a personal note, I would have preferred, though, to have a few more vegetable choices. Otherwise I loved it. The quality was memorable and included an egg station, an Asian section, yogurt, fruits, smoked salmon, cold cuts, cheese, different types of bread and pastries. Tea and coffee was self-service.

Our Corner Junior Suite was large and open plan. The floor to ceiling windows offered stunning views.

The color scheme was different shades of brown and blond wood furniture and had a lot more storage space. There were three wardrobes and a credenza.

We also had a seating area for two, a coffee table and again Wien Exklusiv and Cercle Diplomatique – the leading magazine for the diplomatic corps, international organizations and the economy – and a flat screen TV.

As a welcome gift as golds we received three chocolate macaroons and still water. My birthday had been five days earlier. I was pleasantly surprised, when a personalized birthday card, two vouchers for sparkling wine at S’Parks and a coffee flavored cake were waiting for us. A wonderful/personal touch which we both appreciated very much. Our thanks to the Hilton Vienna.

The bathroom had the same size as the one we had during our first stay. The Peter Thomas Roth amenities included the massage bar, which is rare and we like, it seems this particular soap bar is available at suites only at the Hilton Vienna.

In both rooms were artwork of Viennese landmarks.

With the upgrade to the Corner Junior Suite came Executive club lounge access.

The lounge on the 12^th floor was divided into three rooms. Some gave views over the Stadtpark, others over the neighboring buildings.

When we arrived during Happy Hour wine, beer, vodka, sparkling wine and gin were served as well as alcohol free beverages. Appetizers included ham salad, curly fries, hamburgers and dessert Panna Cotta.

Breakfast was a choice between S’Parks and the club lounge. We chose the club lounge, because we thought it would be quieter there and we’d already tried the breakfast at S’parks during our first stay a few days earlier and decided it would be good to compare both offerings.

The breakfast was smaller of course, but included all essentials and had to my happiness more vegetables on offer, overall we felt well catered for and received throughout memorable service in a memorable and beautiful hotel in the heart of Vienna.

Would we stay here again? Yes, definitely. The staff is very friendly and efficient, the location, club lounge and restaurant are excellent. We enjoyed the comfort of our room/Junior Suite and the recognition as gold members was wonderful too. Good to know: the hotel through the concierge offers also reasonable priced luxury limousine airport transfers from/to the hotel.

 

 

©2017