The Murdered Football Player Ch. 03

"Lieutenant, the Chief said he wanted to see you the minute you came in." she said, having learned and not even let me get TO the door before telling me.

"Thank you, Angela." I said, and strode to the Chief's office suite. In the anteroom, his assistant Martha looked at me and spoke in the tone of a warning: "He's not a happy man, Lieutenant."

"Thank you Martha." I said as she pointed to the door, inviting me to go in. Once inside the Chief's office, I saw him at his desk, writing something. On the sofa to one side of the desk was University Police Commissioner Dexter Robinson, looking severely at me. I stood between the two chairs in front of his desk, as if at attention, but looking at him.

Looking up briefly from his papers, the Chief said "Stand at ease, Lieutenant." I clasped my hands behind my back, noting that the Chief had not invited me to sit down. I was in trouble.

"Lieutenant," the Chief said after a few seconds, his eyes on the papers on his desk, "I thought my instructions, which I stated at least twice, were extremely clear: that you were not to work on the Jackson case."

"Yes sir, they were."

"Then why were you in Coach Harlan's office this morning, interrogating him?" The Chief looked up from under his eyelids without raising his head. "And don't even try to bullshit me that you weren't talking about the case."

It was clear that Harlan had made some calls and had lied about the nature of our conversation. Something I would remember for the future. But right now I had to choose my words carefully and make sure that the first words I said stopped the Chief from his plan of interrupting me with a severe ass-chewing, if not more.

"Ned, sir. My nephew Ned." I said, and it worked. The Chief opened his mouth but arrested himself, gaping up at me.

"I was interviewing Coach Harlan about Ned being in his office less than 48 hours ago." I said, handing him the APB. "I just put this APB out. Ned is in the area, sir."

"So you weren't talking about the Jackson case, but..." the Chief said, then broke down. "Shit, sit down, Crowbar. I can't stay mad at you even when I try."

I sat down and Dexter Robinson came over and sat in the chair next to me as the Chief said "State Senator Nathan Allen and SBI Deputy Director Conlan both called me and said Harlan complained to them that you were in his office talking about the Jackson case."

"No sir, it was about Ned, I didn't even bring up Jackson in any way." I said.

"Lying motherfuckers." the Chief said under his breath. "I apologize, Crowbar. I should've known to trust you and not that lying sack of shit Nathan Allen. Okay, so how did you know to even ask about Ned?"

"I developed some information before your moratorium that Ned was blackmailing Coach Harlan and first visited the coach a few weeks ago." I said, which was true as football player Tony had told me that. I decided not to mention my conversation with Teddy Franklin, for obvious reasons.

"Coach Harlan told me in an 'off the record' way that Ned had returned Sunday and demanded more blackmail money." I continued.

"What's he blackmailing the coach over?" Commissioner Robinson asked.

"PED use by the football team." I said. "Then Ned tried to imply that he was behind the Jackson death, and Coach Harlan punched him in the face and threw him out."

"Do.. do you think Ned was behind Jeff Jackson's death? We're not even sure it's a murder, by the way." the Chief said.

"I think it was murder, sir." I said, "But... if you ask me if Ned was behind it, I don't have any idea... yet." I said. The 'yet' was meant to get the Chief's attention that I understood, and it did. He glared up at me, but then his glance softened.

"All right." he said. "Dexter, I can't hide a damn thing from this guy. Don, Dexter and I haven't decided officially yet, but we're going to start pushing back against the SBI, particularly about the lab results. I am not going to let my people be made fools of and lied about. Now get out of here and see if you can get a lead on your punk nephew. I'm going to call Conlan and smooth things over with him, but as far as I'm concerned Nathan Allen can stew in his own farts."

"Yes sir." I said.

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"So, what is your dream scenario?" Paulina Patterson asked.

She was sitting behind her desk, leaning back in the chair with her feet propped up on the desk. I was sitting in front of the desk, leaning back myself, facing sideways to her. Only that desk stood in the way of the sexual tension between us. Paulina was wearing a salmon jacket and pants, salmon high heel pumps and a white blouse unbuttoned halfway down her chest.

Her breasts and ass nicely filled out the suit, and it was all I could do to resist the deep temptations to take her and fuck her right this minute. I suspected she felt the same way from the looks she was giving me. Her eyes bore into me, signaling her desire to take my white cock deep inside her black vagina...and to host my seed in the depths of her womanhood.

Alas, we had business to do. "My dream scenario would be to be to have a warrant to access the phone records of all the coaches on Friday night and Saturday morning. I would also like to have records of University alumni and benefactors, especially the big one."

Paulina shook her head. "No way Mr. Wargrave would allow any phones in his own name to be accessed like that." She was right, I realized.

"Well, coaches, players, alumni in the area, maybe the Lake Ocheekobee Country Club." I said.

"So you think it happened there?" Paulina asked. I nodded. "Well, I'll just say this." she continued. "It's a sensitive time for all of us. Not only can you not help on the case, but we've been told we can't request any warrants on this case unless the SBI asks for them. So far, they have not requested one single warrant for anything."

"As to the phone records," she said, "even should you develop probable cause, we're going to have to be a lot more specific in the persons whose records we ask for."

"What about that other warrant I asked you for? The sting operation." I said.

"I took your advice and didn't present that one to Judge Folsom, but to Judge Watts. He approved it with surprisingly little discussion." Paulina said. "I think he's beginning to get pissed at all the political crap that's going on. He did say to carefully document each and every step of the operation..."

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"Cindy, how's your golf game?" I asked at 12:30. As I expected, she glanced up at me with that strange and inquiring look on her face.

"Okay, I guess." she said, leaving off the 'Why?' for the moment, but looking at me with the question clearly in mind.

"Britt and I think you should come with us and get a round in." I said. Britt Maxwell was right behind me and we were both dressed for golf. "We were thinking about the Lake Ocheekobee Golf Course. I hear it's in excellent shape this time of year."

"Well, in that case, count me in." Cindy said, fully understanding.

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"They're booked full for today." Britt said after checking with the desk. "I told them we'd wait for a little while to see if there was a cancellation and get something to eat at the bar."

"Excellent." I said. I was hoping that would be the case. We sat at a table in the bar and lounge area. It was the main room of the Country Club, with cheap wood paneling from the 1970s, and adorned with pictures of the course and past players and Club presidents on the walls. Surprisingly, we were the only ones eating. We could see through the sliding glass doors the swimming pool area, where some mothers tanned while their kids splashed in the pool. Behind the pool were the tennis courts, which were not being used at this moment.

A young man, college-aged, was behind the counter of the bar. He had black hair, was of medium height and slender. The name on his nameplate was "Tommy". After observing him, I told the ladies I'd talk to him first, and then Britt would come over in a few minutes and flirt with him for follow up.

"Hi there." I said as I came up to the counter and sat down. "How's business? I'm a little surprised no one else is here."

"Oh, business is good." the kid said. "Golfers are all out playing, and the mother's usually don't buy anything when they have kids here. It's the hot part of the day, but we'll have a rush later this afternoon."

"I see." I said. "By the way, Tommy, my name is Don." I said, introducing myself. "I'm surprised how clean this place is, wasn't there a party Friday night?"

"Uh, yeah." Tommy said. "I helped work it, but, er... I really can't say more about it."

"Ohhhhh... yeah." I said, as if I'd made a huge mistake. "Yeah, I understand. I shouldn't have brought it up. Alumni, football players... my mistake, sorry about that."

"That's all right." Tommy said. "You obviously know. You weren't here?"

"No, I had another function to attend." I said. "Oh by the way, is that a rune on your necklace?" I was changing the subject to keep Tommy off guard.

"Yeah." Tommy said. "I went to some of the seminars run by The Vision. Their national headquarters is right up the road. I went to one of their summer camps, and they gave us the rune when we completed it."

"I see." I said. "Very nice. So," I dropped my voice as I spoke, "the Friday party, it went well?"

"Uh, well, there was a problem." the kid said. "I was outside and something happened in one of the back rooms. A woman came out, naked except for a towel, and when her husband wouldn't go inside with her she screamed at him, really making a scene. A few minutes later some alumni came back outside and hustled all the players back onto their buses, then told me to go home and not say anything-- you know, I really shouldn't say anything else."

"That's okay," I said quietly. "I heard about the football player that died, that it was here, but I understand if they told you to keep it quiet."

"I never saw anything that happened inside," the kid said, " but they watched me leave and go home."

"Where's home?" I asked.

"Oh, I'm a student at the University. I live in New Dorm on campus."

"You didn't recognize any of the players or alumni, did you?" I said. "Sure don't want their names getting out."

"Nick Eastwood, the quarterback of the football team, he was here, and Jeff Jackson, the starting tight end, were the only ones I recognized." he said.

"What did you serve at the party?" I asked. "Food-wise, drink-wise?"

"Sandwiches, chicken fingers, stuff like that. But I wasn't in charge of the food, I was in charge of making up the bowl of punch." Tommy said. "No, no alcohol was in it, people had to add that themselves to suit their tastes. I just make up several gallons of the punch all at once, then poured them into the punch bowl to keep it filled as the night went on."

"So it was all the same batch of punch?" I asked.

"Yes sir."

"Did they drink a lot of the punch?" I asked.

"Pretty good bit, they always do." he said. "And some of them do spike it."

I had given Britt a signal, which Tommy couldn't see, to come join me.

"Hi handsome," she said. "So you're a university student?"

"Yeah." Tommy said. "You know, you look familiar, have we met?"

"No, I don't think so," Britt said, "but were you working one of these parties I came to?" I got up and returned to the table with Cindy as Britt continued to talk to Tommy.

"Ah, I may have been." Tommy said. "You were probably... entertaining one of the football players, so I didn't get a chance to speak to you. Too bad, I'd have loved to get your number."

"Oh, I'll bet you say that to all the ladies." Britt said. "But aren't they busy with the players?"

"Sure, but sometimes I get in a word with them, and sometimes I get a date." Tommy said. "So, what do you say, want to get together for a drink sometime?"

"Oh, maybe." Britt said. Just then a very pretty college-age girl came into the room, wearing a light yellow golf shirt, light yellow tight short pants, and athletic shoes. I saw irritation flash in her eyes as she saw Tommy flirting with Britt at the bar, but she composed herself and walked up.

"I'm sorry, ma'am, but all of our reservations have checked in." she said. "It will be at least an hour."

"That's okay," I said, walking back up. "And your name is..."

"I'm Candy." the pretty girl said. Her hair was dark, her mouth luscious. Her eyes were brown and normally should be bright... but I felt as I looked into them that there was a shadow behind them.

"So you two are dating, I see?" I said.

They both gaped, then Tommy said "How did you know that?"

"Oh, it's easy to spot young love this time of year." I said, then to Britt "Isn't that right, my dear?"

"Oh absolutely." Britt said, "And you're such a gorgeous couple."

"Aw, thank you." Candy said sweetly and happily, relaxing a bit now that her claim to her man was no longer being challenged by the beautiful Britt Maxwell.

"Ah, I see by your runes that you've been to a couple of The Vision's camps." I said to Candy. "Is that where you two met?"

"Yes, it is." Candy said.

"Are you a student at the University, also?" I asked.

"Yes, but I'm on an internship with The Vision for this coming semester." Candy said. Was that just the slightest frown on her face as she said that? I wondered as she continued. "Helps with school expenses. I'm staying at their headquarters in one of their dorm rooms, so it's a much closer drive to get here."

"I see." I said, thinking of an exit strategy, but I was saved when a very tall young black man came in.

"Sir, we just had a cancellation." he said. "I can fit the three of you in now."

"Great!" I said. "Would you excuse us?"

We really had brought clubs and we played nine holes. The golf course was excellent, in as great a shape as we'd heard it was. And despite her modesty of her abilities, Cindy Ross smoked Britt and myself like cheap cigars with her play.

Part 16 - Reversal of Fortune

At 6:00pm a large number of Detectives assembled in the MCD room to watch the news. I had forewarned everyone to expect something big.

"This is Bettina Wurtzburg, KXTC Channel Two News!" cried the reporterette at the top of the hour, looking as fresh and energetic as if she'd taken a two week vacation. "We have bombshell revelations tonight in the death of Jefferson Jackson! Channel Two News has learned that the Town & County Crime Lab results showed prescription medications and alcohol in Jackson's system, and that a confirmation test run by the University Police's Training Crime Lab also showed these drugs! This completely contradicts a report from the SBI crime lab that there were no drugs or alcohol in Jackson's system at the time of his death.

"Town & County Police Chief Griswold and University Police Commissioner Robinson issued a joint statement supporting their labs' findings. Chief Griswold issued a statement saying 'The chain of custody of the samples, including those distributed to the University and the SBI, will stand up in any court of law. Furthermore, I have full confidence in the laboratory work and results of my Force as well as the University's, and that the results of our tests are valid. As the SBI's results are the ones that are different, I believe that any discrepancies and errors must lie with the SBI and that any questions pertaining to their erroneous results should be directed to the SBI.'"

"Commissioner Robinson suggested in a statement that the FBI should be brought in to examine the procedures used by the SBI, and that he would be willing to have his labs undergo the same examination by the FBI, so confident is he that his labs do correct and good work."

Bettina continued, a bright smile on her face... this was a BIG story, and she knew it: "Asked why their results are not in line with the other labs, the SBI has been scrambling, putting out several different statements. Agent Richard Ferrell of the SBI Narcotics Task Force suggested that the Town & County Police provided the SBI with contaminated or false sample, but this was contradicted by SBI Deputy Director Tom Conlan, who is presently in the County overseeing the Jackson investigation.

"Deputy Director Conlan said that he does not dispute the results of the other labs nor the samples given to the SBI, and that he is investigating the matter further but will not issue any further statements until his internal investigation is complete. The supervisor of the SBI Crime Lab has declined to give a statement, nor would he appear for an on-camera interview with Channel Two News.

"The drugs in the lab tests appear to be prescription drugs, and all tests confirm that there were no illegal drugs in Jeff Jackson's system, ruling that out as a cause of death. However, Channel Two News has learned that Jefferson Jackson was monitored as a youth for potential heart problems, though years of examinations pronounced him fit to play sports. We will break in with any new information. This is Bettina Wurtzburg, KXTC Channel Two News!"

Everyone was clapping and cheering as the newscast went forward. Just then, Chief Griswold appeared at the back door to the MCD room. "All Detectives, Classroom J. Five minutes."

As we scrambled and got down to Classroom J, my personal cell phone rang. It was my wife Laura.

"You and I have been invited to a small reception at Dr. Wellman's home tonight." Laura said. "The Chief and his wife will be there, as will Deputy Director Conlan and your friend Henry R. Wargrave and his wife."

"Ah, fun fun." I said, knowing exactly what this was going to be about.

"Darling.... they are pissed." Laura warned me. "I'm wearing what I wore to work today, but you might want to wear something that throws your two medals in their faces." By that, Laura meant I should wear a uniform where the rectangle ribbons representing the Medal of Valor and Purple Order were prominently displayed.

"Wilco. Thanks, honey, we've got a big meeting, so I've got to go. By the way, can you do one more thing for me?..."

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Walking into Classroom J with Captain Malone, the Chief's voice boomed out. "The duty desk just gave me a message that some activity has been spotted in the area where Jefferson Jackson's body was found. Senior Detective Ikea, I want you and Detective Harlan to drive down there and check it out. It may be nothing, it may be sightseers trying to see where the body was found, or it may be some drug deal going down."

Captain Malone added "Have a car with two uniformed officers follow you. We've had reports of drugs being brought over the County line down there. If you find anything going on, call for backup, you hear?"

"Yes sir." Steven Ikea said. He moved out swiftly enough, but Angela Harlan followed a bit more slowly, surprised that she'd been assigned to go, and not wanting to miss this meeting.

"Go ahead, Angela." I said, to get her moving; I was now on a tight timetable. "I'll fill you in on this meeting later." She scooted out.

"Secure that door." the Chief said as he took the podium to a silent, totally attentive audience.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, if I were perfect, I would run for God." Chief Griswold started. "But I am not perfect, and that was shown to me the other day. I made a very grave mistake in giving up jurisdiction of the Jackson case to the SBI." Not a soul moved or drew breath.

"I thought that I was doing what was in your best interests." the Chief continued, "However, you have been subjected to totally unwarranted jeers and attacks by an SBI that, as Miss Ross so astutely put it, 'can't find water in a swimming pool'. And their incompetence has been clearly shown in their worthless lab work. They have smeared our good reputations while showing that their own reputation is one of worthless incompetence."