Balance of Power Ch. 02

Then Silas said "Vote NO on the Charter proposal on September 24th, and tell Commander Troy that covering up for Police brutality of minorities is not acceptable here." The boilerplate said that the ad was sponsored by the NEA, the powerful Teacher's Union.

"Wow." I said. "They're going all out. And did you notice who paid for it? The NEA."

"I don't get it." said Teresa. "Todd said that his political sources said that Eldrick X. Weaver was for the Charter. Why did he appear in that ad, then?"

"But he didn't speak in it." said Tanya. "And that ad looked spliced together. I wonder if they misled him on it, and he walked off the set."

"That's Iron Crowbar thinking, there." I said. "Okay, let me go get Rodriguez and McGhillie...

Part 6 - Cars and Crowbars

10:30am, Monday, September 16th. We came into Midtown Police Headquarters. Chief Frank Soltis was already right there to greet us.

"Come on in, guys." he said after I introduced Rodriguez and McGhillie. "Let's go talk to the Team With No Nickname." He led the way into Headquarters, and up to their second floor. At the far end (the western end) he led us through a wooden door into an open space with windows for walls. There were six desks.

"Ah, corner office for this team." I said jovially. "Well deserved."

"Hi Commander!" said MPD Detective Nell Bell as she came up to me and gave me a hug. Eric Hannum, Kimberly Wesson, and Steve Ruger also came up to greet us, and I introduced Julia and Roy to anyone who didn't know them. (Author's note: 'Environmental Hazards' for Wesson and Ruger, 'Shipping & Handling' for Bell and Hannum.)

"These guys came down to talk about the car theft ring you may have chopped up, pun intended." I said. "I just came down to congratulate your new Detective Sergeant. Well, deserved, Kimberly!" I shook Detective Sergeant Kimberly Wesson's hand again.

"Thanks, Commander." Wesson said. "I didn't know you knew."

"Not much gets past this man." said Chief Soltis. "Commander, why don't you and I go talk in my office, and we'll leave our Joint Task Force to their work..."

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

As I sat down in what was Chief Soltis's hot chair in his office, with him behind his desk, he said "It was a tough choice between Wesson and Ruger, but Wesson has shown leadership promise. Steve Ruger took it in stride, and he may have his own team soon."

"Did you consider Nell Bell?" I asked.

"Sure did." Chief Soltis said. "The only knock against her is experience. And I was talking to Chief Moynahan about your Captain Perlman's idea of an Intelligence Division. I'd love to get out of being dependent upon the State SRIC, and Nell just might be my answer." I nodded.

Soltis continued: "I admit my other consideration was sentimental. Kimberly Wesson really reminds me of Molly Evans when she was our Detective Sergeant: sharp as a tack, tough as nails, and not afraid to be a leader. Ruger is solid, very solid. Hannum is doing well, but he needs time and experience to grow into the role he's being tasked to perform."

"Sounds like you're really getting this Police Force turned around for the good." I said. "You've done a great job with it."

"Thanks." said Soltis. "I freely admit that I didn't know if we'd get here, if I would get here. Then Chief Moynahan would tell me to just be as confident as the Iron Crowbar is, and I'd plow through." I chuckled at that.

"That confidence was all you." I said. "And you had a great mentor in Chief Moynahan. I learn a lot from him, too. So... any other cases going on down here?"

"Nothing out of the ordinary." said Soltis. "With the Legislature out of session, the sleaze and corruption tends to quieten down. Our biggest problem is that State Rep. Tasheeka Harris of Inner Midtown has been ratcheting up the 'Police brutality against minorities' crap. I noticed they're doing that in your County and in the City, as well, so it must be coordinated."

"Some of what they're accusing us of has to do with next week's Charter vote." I said. "I think it'll calm down some after the vote."

"As if you don't have enough to do, you have to go and re-write your County's Charter." said Soltis with a gleam in his eye. "What, are you going to re-write the State Constitution next?"

I grinned and said "If they asked me to, I probably would do it." I said. "Re-writing the Charter gave me a chance to have input in cleaning up the mess. Pass or fail, it was worth the time and effort to made a difference."

After a few more moments of Chief Soltis telling me what was going on in the MPD, he said "Okay, let's go talk to the team about these car thefts." We went back to their area. The only Detective there was Eric Hannum, sitting at his desk and running data.

"They all went to the China One Car Shop, Chief." said Hannum. "I'm here minding the store."

"Let's go see what's going on there." I suggested to Chief Soltis.

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

"I am telling you," Cochise said in his whispery voice as MPD Officers and Detectives were going through his place, "we do not deal in stolen cars here. We are not a chop shop."

"Gimme a break." said Nell Bell. "You lied on the stand about my previous visit here. And you're lying now, Cochise."

"Ah, but I did not lie." said Cochise. "You threatened me, saying the Iron Crowbar would come down here."

"It wasn't a threat."

That was whispered into Cochise's ear from behind him. He looked over his shoulder to see the broad-shouldered redhead with a Tilley Hat and a light trenchcoat looking down at him. I said "It was a... prediction, Cochise. And it has come true."

Cochise looked very shocked and very worried as I continued: "No, I did not like you lying on the stand, especially in the Blassingame case. I'd have been most very upset if Peter Blassingame wasn't on Death Row right now. You should've been thinking about your future, Cochise."

"I always do, Mr. Crowbar." said Cochise. "This is an honest business. As I told the pretty lady, this is not a chop shop."

"Wrong answer, Cochise." said Nell Bell. "The boys bring in the stolen Mercedes and Beamers from the Iron Crowbar's County, you strip out the tracking devices and change the VINs, then ship 'em out to Southport for transportation down the Big River."

"No idea what you are talking about, pretty lady." said Cochise, but now looking very worried.

"Your buddies in Turpin Heights pay you well for 'clean' cars." I said. "Unfortunately, you messed up on one of them. You didn't find the extra tracking devices we planted on some cars and left out like low-hanging fruit to be taken."

"And your boys bit: they took those cars." said Nell Bell. "We've tracked them through your shop here to Turpin Heights. Why, we even have the photos." She showed photos on her iPad of expensive cars without car tags coming into the shop, then leaving later.

"You see, Cochise," I said, "I'm here as an FBI Consultant. Since those cars crossed State lines, the Feds are about to come in here and tear you a new asshole, and they won't be leaving much of the China One Car Shop intact, either. And lying to a Federal Agent is a Federal crime, too. So... why don't you cooperate with Detective Bell here, make up for those sad, sad lies you told in Court... and maybe she'll generously provide you with a nice plea deal. Or... you can deal with me and the FBI. Your choice, Cochise. Your choice..."

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

"Wow, that was amazing!" Nell Bell said to me as we had lunch at a local buffet restaurant. "Cochise folded like a cheap deck chair when you came in. But... did you really have some of those cars bugged with trackers?"

I smiled. "If anyone asks, especially under oath, you and I can say that we the TCPD did put some trackers on some cars... my wife's Mercedes, Selena Steele's Corvette C-6, and a few others. But none of the cars we bugged were stolen."

I continued: "But when I told Cochise some of them were bugged, and then you had those photos your people took, he thought it was cause and effect, and that he'd sent cars with trackers to his buyers in Turpin Heights. You played along with that very nicely, too. And yes... he folded and began singing like a canary. And he'll be opening a new car shop somewhere far, far away from here, if he's smart."

Nell said "I sent Ted Crenshaw of the FBI in Southport the information we got from Cochise. Hopefully they can make a big bust. So... you weren't exactly telling the whole truth, were you?"

"Cochise lied, I lied." I said. "We are not obligated to tell the criminals the truth, but we have to do it carefully, and not in a way to be accused of entrapment. A clever mix of truth and fiction, combined with Cochise's conscience weighing on him for those lies in the trial, and he suddenly became all cooperative."

Nell said "And his fear of the Iron Crowbar helped. He looked like he was going to crap his pants when you came up behind him like that..."

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

As we reconvened in the office room of the MPD unit, Julie Rodriguez said "Chief, Commander, these guys need a name!" There was general acclaim.

"We better call Captain Perlman." I said. "She named me the Iron Crowbar."

"We can't call it 'Major Crimes'." said Chief Soltis. "We have separate Homicide, Robbery, and Sexual Crimes divisions."

"How about 'the Iron Crowbars of the Midtown PD'?" I suggested. Nell Bell shook her head vigorously in disagreement.

"Thank you, sir," Nell said, "but we are not there yet."

"Special Investigations." Julia Rodriguez said. "Either SIT or SIU, depending on if you call yourselves a Team or a Unit."

"That sounds good." said the MPD Chief.

"Is that what we should start calling you at home?" I asked Julia, teasing her.

"Once I get that secret cubicle built, sir." Julia replied, giving it right back. I chuckled and nodded.

Part 7 - Fighting Back

3:00pm, Monday, September 16th. We arrived back at Police Headquarters, and I instantly felt the buzz around the place. The Duty Desk Patrolman told me that the Chief wanted me to go to his office. I immediately did so, of course.

"How's Midtown?" asked Chief Moynahan as he had me sit down.

"Good, sir." I said. "Chief Soltis has really cleaned the MPD up, and the Special Investigations Unit, which is what Ruger, Wesson, Bell, and Hannum have decided to call themselves. is doing a great job."

"Yezzz, they are." said Moynahan. "Frank (Soltis) called and said he appreciated our help with the car theft ring. Seeeemmms you whispered sweet nothings into Cochise's ear, and he came back with some hard somp-thnnnnnnngs."

"An easily intimidated man, that Cochise." I said.

"Yezzz." said the Chief. "Anyway, as you are fond of saying: 'let's watch some TV'." He turned on his monitor and we watched as a recorded ad was played. It showed me and Roy Easley, in civilian clothes but with our Medals of Valor around our necks, extolling the virtues of the new Charter. The boilerplate said the ad was paid for by the J.P. Goldman Campaign PAC.

"Looks good." I said.

"Yezzz." said the Chief. "But there have already been complaints made and a lawsuit filed, saying you're making a political ad in uniform by wearing your MOV."

"That's a crock, sir." I said. "And by the way, did the people filing the lawsuit also file one against Fire Chief Quinlin and Battalion Chief Tucker?"

"Noooo, of course not." said Chief Moynahan. "I'm just letting you know."

"Wait until they see the next one." I said. "I'm filming it later today."

"Heh heh heh heh." said the Chief.

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

"This is Bettina Wurtzburg, KXTC Channel Two News!" shouted the redheaded MILF reporterette at 7:00am, Tuesday, September 17th, from her perch atop the building at Riverside and College. "More legal complaints against Commander Donald Troy have been filed!"

Bettina began: "Several groups have filed complaints against Commander Donald Troy for an ad showing him in uniform promoting the new Charter. The groups are rightly complaining that Commander Troy is breaking the law by appearing in the ads in uniform. They also filed complaints against Fire Lieutenant Roy Easley for appearing in the same ad in uniform. A lawsuit by the NEA regarding those ads was thrown out by Judge Patrick Folsom. Reached for comment, Fire Chief Quinlin stated that the accusations would be reviewed, and that Lt. Easley would be disciplined if the situation warranted. Police Chief Moynahan issued a statement defending Commander Troy. Commander Troy has not responded to repeated requests for comment by KXTC."

Bettina: "As part of this, KXTC Executive Publisher Burt West issued a statement saying KXTC will not air these ads nor any pro-Charter ads until the FEC and local authorities make a ruling on their legality. KXTC will continue to run legal ads by the NEA and other anti-Charter organizations!"

Bettina: "And the NEA intends to file a complaint with the Town & County Council at the public meeting tonight, saying that the Town & County Police, and Commander Don Troy in particular, used excessive force in arresting six persons who allegedly assaulted a Fire Department employee and his fiancée..."

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

"Getting to be like a broken record." growled Sheriff Griswold as we watched and drank coffee in the Chief's Conference Room.

"And the double standard still reigns supreme." I said.

"You weren't in uniform!" exclaimed Teresa Croyle.

I replied "They're saying that wearing the MOV with civilian clothes, which is allowed, constitutes being in uniform. It's not, it never has been, but the NEA is clutching at every straw they can."

"We all wore our MOVs with civilian clothes when the Sheriff announced he was running for Sheriff." said Cindy Ross. "No one said a word then."

"And we'll be bringing that up when we file our counter to their complaint." I said. "I'm not really worried about all that, though."

"So KXTC is not running any pro-Charter ads?" Cindy said skeptically.

"They weren't anyway." I replied. "They refused to take any pro-Charter ads that had stipulations on the times the ads had to be run. The ones they took, they ran at 3:00am. That drew a complaint with the FCC and FEC, so now KXTC is just saying they won't take pro-Charter ads at all."

"Lawyers are really getting rich off all this." growled the Sheriff.

"Yes sir," I said, "and that's part of the NEA's strategy. They have millions they can pour into this, and they think we don't have the resources to respond."

"And they're right. We don't." said Cindy.

"We have other ways to fight back." I said. "Six of their thugs are in jail, and they're wasting thousands of dollars paying lawyers to defend those guys."

"And they're going to be en fuego when they see your next ad." said Tanya, with a twinkle in her eye and a wicked grin on her lovely face.

"Yes. Yes they are." I said with my own smile of happy anticipation...


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

"... and in local news," said Meredith Peller on the Fox Eight News broadcast, "the NEA filed a complaint against Police Commander Donald Troy and Fire Lieutenant Roy Easley for appearing in a pro-Charter ad in uniform. Both Medal of Valor recipients wore their medals with civilian clothing, which is permitted under County law, but the NEA stated in their complaint that that constitutes being in uniform. A counter-complaint was lodged, citing precedent rulings that MOVs with civilian clothing is not considered uniform wear."

Catrina Pierce said "Considering that the NEA actually sponsored an ad which shows Fire Chief Quinlin and Battalion Chief Tucker in uniform, isn't that more than a little bit hypocritical of the NEA?"

"The Teachers Union expects us to not see that, nor say it on air." said Meredith with great acerbity. "I agree it's hypocrisy."

"Another thing that is hypocritical of the NEA," said Catrina, "is their announcement that they're going to ask the Council to investigate Commander Donald Troy for excessive use of force in arresting six thugs with NEA ties that are charged with attempted rape and other crimes of violence."

Meredith said "I don't have a problem with investigating the Police for possible excessive use of force, and the truth will come out. But I agree that the NEA's hypocrisy and double standard in their actions is insulting to our intelligence."

Catrina said "It shows me a certain desperation in the NEA's actions to defeat the new Charter from being passed. And speaking of that, let's bring in Peter Dwayne Gordon with Clear Call Polling. Peter, what are the numbers telling us?"

"Thank you for having me on, Catrina and Meredith." said Peter. "The numbers are showing that the 'YES' votes are in the lead by a 52-48% margin overall. The areas of the County that are part of the County High School school system show the strongest numbers against the Charter, with nearly 80% opposed. But this is offset by the numbers in the Booker T. Washington High School districts, which show a 60% preference for the new Charter."

"Peter," said Meredith, "there is a growing movement of people who are in favor of splitting the Town and County back into two separate entities. How is that looking?"

"We did ask that as a poll question." said Peter Gordon. "The numbers are all over the map, pun not intended. Despite the consensus opinion, it's really the business district areas and some of the minority districts that support the split the most, while much of the outlying areas support the status quo...."

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

"Why is that?" asked Cindy Ross as we sat in my office to start the Angels Meeting.

"I'm sure Teresa remembers hearing about J.G. McGill." I said. (Author's note: 'The Saga Continues', Ch. 04.) "It was said that the County people finally approved of the merger because it diluted black voting power, and kept the Town Council from having majority black membership. So I can see a good bit of the outlying County continuing to want the merged entities, while those in Town might want to split up again. But why does the Business Community want to split? I'm not there yet on that."

Teresa said "I do remember that, sir. I'm just wondering why it's suddenly being pushed at this time."

"It's a time of uncertainty, with the potential new Charter." I said. "Oh, here's my new ad."

Everyone watched as I came onto the screen in a civilian suit and tie. Next to me, to my Angels's stunned amazement, was Eldrick X. Weaver. Weaver said "I'm Eldrick X. Weaver, and this is Charter Commission Chairman Donald Troy. Chairman Troy and I don't agree on everything, but one thing we do agree on is that this new Charter and the new School Board in it will give all the County's children the best education we can give them."

Then I said "Therefore, we ask you to vote 'YES' on the Charter on September 24th." The boilerplate said that the ad was paid for by the Citizens for Children's Education.

"Wowwwwwww..." Cindy said. "The enemy of my enemy is my friend, indeed."

"Yep." I said. "Weaver was furious at being tricked into being in that ad with Finneran and Silas. So he agreed to make this ad with me. And we had a few minutes of good conversation, as well. I dunno if it'll help in the long run, but one never knows."

"I think your name was 'Machiavelli' in a previous life." said Tanya. "That is really going to stir up a hornet's nest."

I just grinned. No, Your Iron Crowbar don't play...

Part 8 - Political Power Struggle

7:00pm, Tuesday, September 17th. I was at City Hall with Teresa, both of us in our standard uniforms of light blue shirts with soft shoulderboards, dark blue pants, me with a double thin line of light blue piping on my pants, Teresa with one thick line along the sides of hers.