Angels of Christmas Ch. 01

Laura: "A number of Faculty have been looking forward to the day when he retires, and this cloud Carmela has created over his head is giving them the excuse they need to show that any loyalty to him is now an empty façade. In some ways... this is Sidney having reaped what he has sown." I nodded thoughtfully.

Laura: "Having said that... you're right about Carmela. The influence of his political ideas has been very well received on the Nation's college campuses, and is growing stronger and stronger all the time."

I said: "Ayn Rand, author of Atlas Shrugged wrote that the Bolshevik Revolution that created the Soviet Union was seeded on the college campuses by Socialist professors and 'radicalized' students."

Laura said "Yes. And that is happening in America now. Once-revered colleges on both coasts, from the Ivy League in the east to California's leading schools out west, are already completely gone, and work tirelessly to stamp out any ideas not in jackbooted lockstep with their radically Socialist views. And their philosophy is now infecting Schools in the American Heartland, 'flyover country' as some call it."

Just then, Edward and Stephanie Steele came up to us. "Can you believe this?" Stephanie said to Laura. "It feels more like a wake at the funeral home than a Christmas reception------"

"Mayor and Mrs. Daniel Allgood." the butler announced. We looked over at the couple coming into the room. Daniel Allgood was wearing a black suit with a Christmas tie in a pattern and colors very similar to Stephanie's dress. He looked like Clark Kent about to bust out into the Superman costume underneath. I happened to know that some of that was due to the light armor Daniel always wore.

And on his arm was a vision of loveliness. Melina was wearing a black dress with straps over both shoulders that clung to her magnificent body in the very best possible way. The sheer black stockings and black high-heel pumps shaped her legs to seemingly sculptured perfection.

They walked in as if they owned the room and got into the short line to greet the Wellmans. I glanced around and sensed as well as saw the resentment, bordering on hatred, from the academics in the room: universal loathing for the Republican Mayor that had not allowed a black man to steal his election victory, sheer jealousy of him that he had such a lovely wife, and hatred by the other women of Melina... simply because they were not her.

Hostess Sally Wellman had asked whom she should present to the Allgoods, and Melina quickly said she would greet her sister first. The Allgoods made their way over to us.

"Not exactly a rocking Christmas celebration, is it?" Melina said after we all exchanged hellos.

"We were just noticing that." I said. "Laura, what is your expert medical opinion on the Wellmans? He looked bad in October, when I saw him last. He looks worse now." (Author's note: 'Consent of the Governed', Ch. 03-04.)

"Yes." said Laura. "Carmela is killing him. Literally. Sidney may survive the Ethics Board, but Carmela will get what he wants anyway... if Sidney dies."

Todd Burke said "Uncle Don, should we be worried that Mrs. Myrtle James and Mr. Harold Truelove canceled at the last minute, and are not here?"

"Uh... yes." I said, shocked at that news. "That... is not good."

And then I must admit that I was surprised to hear "State Senators Jimmy Cerone and Katherine Woodburn." And indeed, Jimmy 'Coffin' Cerone walked in, wearing a tuxedo, which was just a wee bit overkill for this occasion. But who am I to tell the Southport 'Boss of Bosses' Emeritus he can't wear a tux?

With him was Katherine Woodburn, looking pretty damn hot in a gold-trimmed black dress that matched her dirty blonde hair very well, with a slit that showed off her lovely legs, and matching high heels.

"Oh, we just have to speak to them." I said to Laura. So we went over and Mrs. Wellman made her presentations.

"Ah, Dr. Fredricson." said Cerone with excellent manners and decorum. "I so rarely get to see you that it is a treat every time I do. I hope you are doing very well."

"Thank you, Senator." said Laura. "And I hope you're doing well, also. And you as well, Senator Woodburn."

"Thank you, Doctor." said Katherine. "I was wondering if I could speak to you about the University Hospital's needs from the State Legislature."

Laura replied "Why, Hospital Administrator Warner is here. I'll take you to him. Excuse us, gentlemen." The women walked away, with both women having accomplished their real goal: getting me alone-time with the most powerful Democrat politician in the State.

"Lovely lady, your wife. You definitely outpunted your coverage, Commander." said Cerone, meaning it as a compliment to Laura.

"Thank you, sir, and you didn't do so badly with your date tonight, either." I replied. "May I ask why you chose to attend this particular party, when politicians of both Parties are having events tonight?"

"For exactly that reason, Commander." Cerone said with a grin. "I don't really like consorting with my fellow politicians any more than you like the Press. Katherine and I came here to judge the situation concerning Dr. Wellman, as well as to gauge the needs of the University this Legislative session."

"You've gotta pass a Budget, and no two ways about that." I said. "What are the realistic chances of that?"

Cerone said "There will be a lot of posturing, a lot of threats, and a lot of useless noise by a Media that is praying for chaos and disaster. And when all has been said and done, more will be said than done. But something will pass, even if it's the equivalent of a 'continuing resolution'."

"And you have other issues, as well." I said. "I am believing the rumors I'm hearing of separating our Town from our County, and merging our County with Nextdoor County and Coltrane County. Perhaps that is also a reason for your fact-finding mission tonight?"

Cerone laughed heartily. "As they say, and rightly, not much gets past you. Yezzz, that is something being discussed, though I personally have no interest in that. I personally think it's too big a task to get done in three months, and ultimately nothing will happen..."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Usually one of two things happens at receptions like these, and sometimes both sequentially: either I would follow Laura around and let her introduce me and show me off to her fellow persons of Academia that she despises, or I would hang out mostly with other non-Academicians like Edward Steele, Teresa, and the Mayor, the Sheriff, and whoever else might be in attendance.

However, on this occasion the normal rules weren't in force. Most of the academic types, like Dr. Clarence P. Chase of the Law School and Dr. Lawrence Woodrow of the Criminal Justice Department, were already well known to me, and me to them. Their presence here was a show of support for Dr. Wellman and against Lionel Carmela. Those that had filed the ethic complaints and/or had sued Wellman had not been invited, leaving a rare few that were far-Leftist and despised Laura and me, but had still come to the reception.

Daniel and Melina had found respite in talking to Seth and Joanne Warner, as Melina and Joanne were close friends and hunting buddies. Todd and Teresa had been corralled by our two esteemed State Senators, and I amusedly noticed Todd pouring on the charm with Katherine while Cerone talked to Teresa, who was wisely listening and learning.

"Why did Dr. Yolanda Yates of the English Department come?" asked Stephanie Steele as she, Edward, Laura, and I talked amongst ourselves.

"Her husband is on Staff at the Hospital, and he's here with her." Laura said.

I said "I suspect there may be another reason that she's here, and Dr. Sonnmore of the Performing Arts Department, as well. They're moles, spies. They'll be reporting back to Carmela on who dared to attend tonight." (Author's note: 'The Knave of Jacks', Ch. 01, 03; for the previous mentions of Dr. Sonnmore.)

"That's just crazy." Laura said, then corrected the record: "I don't mean you saying it, but that Carmela would do something like that."

"Hear me now and believe me later." I replied. "Carmela is that dirty, and he is playing for keeps. He's trying to turn this School into a far-Leftwing California-style Institution of propaganda and promotion of Leftist ideology, and it is all out war for the soul of the School and the Nation, and the future of the students that attend here. He's making his list and checking it twice, and if he can get Wellman out and someone like himself in, then it's going to get ugly in 'Woke Cancel Culture' land."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Laura decided that it was a good time to make the rounds, so I went with her and we greeted others. At one point, Laura was slightly led away by the wife of Dr. Ross Andrews of the Journalism School. Andrews was youngish, tall, slender, with black hair and a chiseled face, and he also had a trait common to journalists and Journalism professors alike: a sneering look of arrogant superiority.

"You're a Journalism School professor?" I asked, which startled Andrews, as he had not been introduced to me as such.

"What, do you memorize the names of all the University Faculty?" he asked sharply.

I just shrugged, then said "And I make observations and deductions from time to time. You're an open book."

Most people would ask what gave them away, but Andrews only said: "Tell me, Commander, what would you do if you were being investigated for criminal and ethical violations, and accusations were made that you were in an open marriage and you and your wife slept around with University students?"

I knew he was insinuating what the Wellmans were being accused of. And I knew that Andrews was a relatively new hire, having been brought on during the previous summer. Yes, I had been keeping up with hires at the University, and knew that Lionel Carmela was behind Andrews's hiring.

"I can't speak for sleeping with University students," I replied, "but I would likely do exactly what I did do when I was falsely accused of criminal and ethical improprieties, and when my wife and I readily admitted to having an open marriage ourselves after Press reporters called my daughter filthy racist names."

Andrews was shocked at my answer. "Okay then... what did you do?"

I said "Why, I just applied the 'Duke of Wellington' approach. When he was blackmailed, he said 'Publish, and be damned!'. My wife and I certainly don't need the sanction of others to make our own choices and decisions, I'll certainly defend my children and will never deny them, and if one is going to accuse me of a crime, one had better have rock-solid proof. I do fight back, and hard."

"So what will Wellman do?" said Andrews. "You may can stand up to public scorn, but he represents this University... and is deeply staining it right now. And it's only going to get worse for him... and his wife."

"Oh really?" I said, peering hard at Andrews. "President Wellman will do what he thinks is best. In the meantime, those casting aspersions against him should be careful... things like that tend to boomerang back upon those casting the aspersions."

Just then Teresa Croyle walked up. "Sir, do you have a moment?" she asked. Her calling me 'sir' was my first clue that there was trouble brewing. I excused myself and we went off to one side.

Teresa said "We have two TCPD Officers near the parking lot because you, me, and our families are here in what the Sheriff calls 'hostile territory'. One of them just texted and said there are four loiterers in the parking lot, and a couple of them are writing down the car tags of everyone there."

"Let's go check that out." I said. I went over to the Warners and said "Joanne, you're with us." Joanne immediately followed me, and we could feel the eyes on us as we walked to a side door and exited. We went out and around to the sidewalk. As we approached the parking lot entrance, we saw a college-age man and woman there.

"Who are you?" I asked authoritatively.

"Who wants to know?" the young man said rather rudely.

Teresa, Joanne, and I displayed our badges, and I said "We're the Police. Now it's your turn, and that is not just a request."

They got the message. "I'm Hayden Avluv with The Silver Sentinel, the University student newspaper, and this is Veronica Hayes, also with the Sentinel." said Hayden Avluv. "We're covering the reception for the paper."

"Then why aren't you inside covering it?" I asked.

"We're not allowed inside." said Veronica Hayes. "We're hoping to get comments from people as they leave. Would you care to give us a comment, Commander Troy?"

"Not at the moment.... who are those people in the parking lot? They with you?" I asked, pointing to two people about two-thirds of the way down the parking lot, who were attired in jeans, sneakers, and hoodies over their heads. And writing down car tag numbers.

"No, they're not with us." said Avluv. "But they're not doing anything illegal, are they?"

"Trespassing, for openers." I said "Come on, ladies, let's check them out." We began walking rapidly towards the two. When they saw us, one of them barked something I didn't quite catch, and both of them took off in a dead run to the back of the lot.

"STOP!" yelled Teresa. She was about to take off after them, but I grabbed her arm.

"No, don't." I said, loudly enough to stop Joanne, too.

"Sir?" Teresa said skeptically.

"I think there's more of them back there" I said, sensing it more than actually seeing anything in the dark. "If we chase them, we may run straight into an ambush."

"Joanne," I said as I reached behind me and drew my service weapon from its holster in the small of my back, "you got your cellphone?"

"Yes sir." Joanne said.

"Call in to TCPD Headquarters." I said. "I need four Uniforms in the parking lot, and vehicle patrols to the north of the President's Home. Tell them plainclothes Officers are on the scene, and give them the descriptions of those slugs in jeans, sneakers, and hoodies."

We had been walking towards the back of the parking lot as I'd talked. Teresa had stopped by her vehicle and gotten her service weapon. We went to the gap in the hedge where the perps had run into, and through it in a manner of clearing a building. On the other side of the hedge was another building. And not a living person in sight.

"You were right, sir." said Joanne, using the light on her cellphone to look around. "Several sets of footprints. They may have been waiting for us to run through there."

"I didn't hear any cars start up." Teresa said. "And there's one of our Patrol cruisers." She pointed at the TCPD vehicle coming up the road from Town. "Maybe we'll get lucky and snag someone."

"Yes," I replied, "but it'll be like a dog chasing a car. What are we going to do if and when we actually catch the car?"

Alas, despite the speed and efficiency of our Officers and patrols, the perps got away.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"What do you think that was about?" Laura said when we got back and reported on what had happened to Dr. Wellman and the Allgoods in Dr. Wellman's little study, where he often held private conversations.

"I think they were getting the car tags of everyone in the parking lot." I replied. "And I think that information will get back into Lionel Carmela's filthy hands."

"Were those two Silver Sentinel reporters involved?" asked Dr. Wellman.

"I don't know, sir." I said. "They were pretty happy about having a story of Police Officers chasing perps down the parking lot. If they were involved, they'll get away with it; there's nothing we can do about them."

Dr. Wellman said "Thank you, everyone. Commander, can you stay a moment?" Everyone else left, leaving me alone with the University President. We sat down in the chairs separated only by a small table.

Wellman said "You're already the stuff of legend as a Detective, so I won't pretend you haven't noticed the changes in both me and my wife. She sees what this is doing to me, and it's taking it toll on her."

I nodded. "It can't be easy. And now I understand that Carmela is threatening to smear your wife's name as well as yours?"

Wellman nodded, and said "I really thought I could weather this, the way you and Laura weathered that bastard Carmela's attacks on you both. And it's been hard enough on Sally, having to watch the attacks on me. But now he's going after her, too. Her friends, or who she thought were friends, don't speak to her anymore; they treat her as if she were diseased, like a leper. And the worst of it is... I just don't know what to do. None of the normal rules apply with that filthy son of a bitch."

I said "You do not have to endure the unendurable, Dr. Wellman. You've devoted nearly half a century to this University. If it's time to retire and go, then consider doing that."

Wellman said "Let me ask you this, Don. I suspect that you will leave the TCPD years in the future, as its Police Chief. And maybe you'll follow Griswold as our County Sheriff for even longer. What if you reach that point, and someone wants to force you to leave in disgrace? Oh, I know, they've already tried. But the point is that I suspect you wouldn't want to resign or retire in disgrace, with your reputation in tatters."

Wellman: "And that's how I feel now. Yes, I could walk away, but all those decades of work I've done for this University would be for nothing. I would forever be remembered as having left under a cloud of shame and suspicion, and that I'd sullied the University's reputation in leaving. I can't even take my own life; the stain... the shame... would remain upon the School"

I said "I understand. And back to your example: I'd stay and fight. I'd leave on my terms, unless I was defeated in an election for Sheriff, of course."

"I've already tried that." Wellman admitted, shocking me; this was new information. "I've had intermediaries, people of influence that also love this University and want to preserve it's reputation, approach Carmela's people to work out something. They made it clear: they are not interested in any deals. They don't just want me gone, they want me gone in the most humiliating way possible. They don't even want to just see me dead. They want to see me broken first. There is no compromise with Carmela. He just wants to watch me burn, even if there is nothing in it for him."

"I agree." I said. "Carmela is that insidious, and then some. There is only one thing he understands, and that is superior power to his own. He considers his life to be expendable in the cause of bringing Socialist Totalitarianism to this country, and through the indoctrination of our students in Universities and Colleges. So... is there anything, anything at all, that you have on him that could possibly make him back off?"

"Noooo, nothing at all." Wellman said. "And it hasn't been for a lack of trying. Even Laura has been unable to get anything on him; he's as slippery as an eel, and has his own electric shock to match. There was a time when exposing his Socialism would've been enough to bring him down, or at least neutralize him. But now, with the Faculties of so many Universities as Leftist as he is, and... as you well know... with the Press so firmly entrenched on his side and against the best interests of this Nation, that exposure will lead to nothing."

Wellman: "I was hoping that the FBI investigation that was opened when he went for you and Laura recently would be enough." (Author's note: 'Consent of the Governed', among other places.) "But they can't pin the Press getting those Wargrave files on Carmela. And while I maintain that I did nothing illegal, the bastards Carmela, Camp, and Rivera are saying that anything I did to bring in money from Wargrave for the University was unethical and bad."