Black and Blue Ch. 02

This story is part of an ongoing series. The chronological order of my stories is listed in WifeWatchman's biography.

Feedback and constructive criticism is very much appreciated, and I encourage feedback for ideas.

This story contains graphic scenes, language and actions that might be extremely offensive to some people. These scenes, words and actions are used only for the literary purposes of this story. The author does not condone murder, racism, racial language, violence, rape or violence against women, and any depictions of any of these in this story should not be construed as acceptance of the above.

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Part 7 - Betrayal

"And there it is." I said. "The missing link."

"What do you mean?" asked Melina.

I said "I was starting to get my head wrapped around what was going on with Sergeant McCombs and those four low-level perps he busted, but I wasn't seeing the full plan, and the endgame. And now a lot of things begin to fit. McCombs made his bust when I was out of Town. They kept me from seeing it by misfiling the logs, and I didn't realize anything was going on until they gave McCombs a citation for the bust."

I continued: "And it's Gwen Munson, of all people... Gwen Munson!... who was handling their case. She normally handles big cases for Big Boys, like Darryl Dawson." (Author's note: 'Homewrecker'.) "Yet there she is, taking the case for these four drug soldiers."

Melina asked "So why plant the gun, as that little shit Hatch obviously did?"

I said "That's the fly in the ointment. I'm thinking McCombs, Hendricks, and Hatch don't know the full plan. They were asked or told to make the bust, and they did. So... either we have two separate actions with equally desired outcomes, or this is much, much deeper than I've been realizing."

Melina said. "Well, there's more..."

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

10:00am, Saturday, May 2nd. Sheriff Griswold, Chief Moynahan, and myself were meeting in the Sheriff's office in City Hall, to discuss the unfolding developments. I told them what I'd learned, though not from whom I'd learned it.

"You think Fineman is in on this?" growled Griswold.

"No sir." I said. "Well... she may be in with McCombs to make the drug bust. I found out that it was her that recommended to Hewitt to award McCombs that citation, and he did, not realizing how I feel about McCombs."

"How is it she's making recommendations like that to a Precinct Captain?" Chief Moynahan asked, a bit harshly.

"Maybe over a drink." I said. "Or maybe it was... pillow talk."

"Oh, geez." muttered the Chief. The Sheriff barked a laugh.

"We meet with D.A. Walters in one hour, in her office." said Griswold. "What do you want to do?"

I said "I need both of you to approve this, but my decision is to bring in our spy from the cold, to use the Chief's words, and bring back J.J. Perry as a regular Vice Detective."

"I concurrrr with that use of my worrrrrds." said Chief Moynahan. "He's been undercover for a long, long timmmme. And from what Commander Troy just told us, he's already been outed."

"I just want to know one thing before we do that," growled Griswold, "and we'll have to find a way to ask him first: is he working on anything so big that bringing him back out would do more harm than good. If he's about to bring us something that would put Jacquez Wilson or T-Mac in prison in a major drug bust, maybe we should let him finish that work?"

I said "I would agree, Sheriff, but we may not have a choice. It'll depend on Monday's hearing..."

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

11:00am, Saturday, May 2nd. We walked across City Hall to the office of District Attorney Miriam Walters. She was sitting at the conference table in front of her desk. With her was ADA Savannah Fineman.

"Franklin Washington not here?" asked Chief Moynahan as we came into the office.

"It's not his case, and never was." said Miriam Walters. "Have a seat, gentlemen." We sat down, the Chief to Walters's right, then me, then the Sheriff. Don't blame me; Griswold chose his seat first.

"I have some new information for you." said Miriam Walters. "About two weeks ago, Gwen Munson petitioned Nance's Court to not waive the preliminary hearing on the drug charges. Previously it had just been the gun charge she'd objected to. Nance granted the petition, rolling it into the hearing Monday. The problem is that we, the D.A.'s Office, were not informed of this. A 'clerical error' was cited as the reason."

"Furthermore," continued Walters, "literally at 4:55pm yesterday, a subpoena was issued by Gwen Munson to have Detective J.J. Perry appear as a material witness. I understand that Detective Perry is a deep undercover operative, so if he's called to the stand, he will no longer be able to go undercover."

"Yezzzz, we are aware of that." said Chief Moynahan. "We also have some new information. Commander?"

"Thank you, Chief." I said. "What I've learned is that the Black Community has become aware of the gun charge, and it's becoming a rallying point for them, for lack of a better term. They believe Jeremy Hatch, who is truly a dirtbag, planted the gun------"

"We've gone over this, Commander!" Savannah Fineman said angrily.

"Not this aspect of it." I replied, trying to keep my voice calm and level. "And if you let me finish, you'll see the whole picture." Savannah pretty much rolled her eyes at that.

"Go ahead, Commander." said D.A. Walters. "What are the issues?"

I said "You've got them on the drugs. And the Black Community doesn't seem to be very excited about the drug charges, though they as well as the perps were up in arms about the gun charge, pun not intended. You don't need the gun charge, and pushing it might just get the perps acquitted on the drug charges, too. So if you drop the gun charge, you not only have a better chance to win the drug case, you take away the potential issue of the gun charge leading to protests... and worse."

"I don't give a damn about that." said ADA Fineman. "That gun charge is important. It adds years to the perps's sentences, it's a worse parole violation than the drugs. I want to put these bastards away for years, and be able to say we took gun-toting criminals off the streets."

"If you want to win the Solicitor election in November------" I started, but Savannah cut in.

"This is not about the Election!" she all but shouted. "This is about taking four slimebags off the streets for as long as we can!"

"Let the Commander finish." admonished Sheriff Griswold.

"Yes, please." I said. "What I'm trying to tell you, Ms. Fineman, is that black people vote, too. If you want to win the election in November, drop the gun charge. You will be slaughtered in November if you push those charges, whether or not they're convicted or acquitted."

"Furthermore to this subject," I said, "if protests become violent, it's my Police Officers that will have to put their lives on the line to protect innocent lives and property. They'll do their jobs, but I don't want to subject them to harm if its avoidable... and in this case, it may well be."

Savannah turned to Walters and said "We've discussed this. I want to push forward with this, including the gun charge. Especially the gun charge."

Knowing her own electability might be an issue, Miriam Walters said "Let's look at the whole picture, here. First, we don't really have to make a decision on whether to keep or drop the gun charge tomorrow. We could drop it later, especially as a carrot for a guilty or nolo plea on the gun charges."

"And we have our undercover Detective to considerrrrr." said Chief Moynahan.

"Again, I don't care about that." said Fineman. "I want a conviction on this case."

"And you may get it," I said, having been perfectly set up by Chief Moynahan to make this pitch, "if you'll agree to do something my way, and see what happens..."

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

Back in my office after the meeting, I talked with Teresa and Tanya, who'd come in to watch the early Police Boxing Matches rounds. I told them what had transpired, all of it. They agreed on my recommended course of action.

I took out my Police iPhone and sent a text. It read: "Beauregard. Come in from the cold."

"The 'Beauregard' protocol means that Ice Cube has been exposed." I explained. "The rest of it means for Perry to come see me..."

Part 8 - Politics and Religion

"Not God bless America! God damn America! God damn America!"
------ Rev. Jeremiah Wright, Barack Obama's pastor.

"...Police power showing up in a kind of gangster and thug mentality -- you know you can wear all kinds of colors and be a thug, you can sometimes wear the colors of the state and behave like a thug,
------ Rev. Rafael Warnock, U.S. Senate candidate in Georgia (as of this writing).

Sunday, May 3rd. I was wearing civilian clothes, as was the Sheriff, as we sat on the front row at the Town & County A.M.E. Church. Also in attendance were my wife Laura, wearing a very tasteful navy blue dress; Carole, wearing her Sunday best; Marie, in her Sunday best; and Marie's parents, Edward and Stephanie Steele, in their Sunday best. Edward was there in a show of political support for Dr. Williams.

Next to Carole and Marie sat Jameis, and his grandfather was sitting next to him on the other side. We had been invited by Jameis's grandfather to the service.

There were also members of the Press, who were in the back of the church. They were filming Dr. Williams's sermon, which often was as much politics as religion. But Dr. Williams was not known for the fiery speeches of hatred that some pastors of predominately-black churches were known for.

"We know that there have been times that relations between the Black Community and the Police have not been good." Dr. Williams was preaching. "Many do not acknowledge the actions of good Police Officers that try to be fair, and do the right thing, and I think that is a mistake."

Dr. Williams: "I agreed to work with the Charter Commission because I knew that Commander Donald Troy would be a fair and honest man in attempting to restructure our County Government. And he endured the wrath of the Teachers Union to bring a much more fair education system to our County. It is now up to us to use that system to educate our children! Only through education, knowledge, and perseverance will we rise to be truly free!"

Dr. Williams: "And while there are many acts of racism still practiced by people with evil in their hearts, we have to acknowledge those acts of good, of those who stand up and speak out, and those who work for equal justice for all! Sheriff Griswold and Commander Donald Troy have stood up and are working for real justice!"

Dr. Williams: "Edgar Silas has chosen to attack Commander Troy, and attack me for working with Commander Troy. Silas sees only the hatred, and uses it for his own political purposes. We must rise above that! We must work with the good for the good! Not only will I not renounce my professional relationship and personal friendship with Donald Troy, I will stand proudly by the achievements we have made together!"

Dr. Williams: "I have seen what Edgar Silas refuses to see. I have seen Commander Troy's true heart. Not only in his unswerving devotion to our Town & County as a Police Officer, and not only in his work with the Charter Commission... but in how he is raising his children."

Dr. Williams: "When someone attempted to frame our brother Jameis, and said he did it because Jameis is black... another child stepped up to tell the truth. She said she did it because it's what an Iron Crowbar would do, and she wants to be an Iron Crowbar like her father. And young Carole showed not only her integrity, and her courage, she showed that she is worthy of carrying that crowbar one day!"

Dr. Williams asked Carole to come up to the front. He said "Many years ago, I had the honor of meeting Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. I was very young then, not a lot older than you. All us kids at that event were given these necklaces. I'm going to pass this on to you, Carole, in the hopes you will continue to be a beacon for equal justice for all people, black and white, Jew and Christian, Protestant and Catholic."

He put the necklace, which had a small Cross on it, around Carole's neck. She very politely said "Thank you, Reverend." and shook his hand as the congregation rose in applause. Carole came back to her seat and fist-bumped Marie and Jameis before sitting down.

After the service, I had a lot of people come up to me, and to the Sheriff as well. Many were asking about the gun charge against the four black 'youths' that had been arrested. I just said that I was familiar with it and that we were working to get to the truth of the matter. What more could I say?

Carole kept the necklace in her jewelry box, along with the 'Daughter of a Paratrooper' necklace and a few other items she'd accumulated. She'd eventually give Tasha the necklace to commemorate a special occasion in the future.

Meanwhile, Marie went up to Rev. Joseph E. Williams and said "Doc-tor Williams, why are there black churches and white churches?"

"Well," said Dr. Williams, "that started up a long time ago, before the Civil War even. And it just continued. But now, anyone can worship the Lord here."

"But wouldn't black people and white people get along a lot better if they went to church together?" asked Marie.

"That is a very good observation, Miss Marie." said Dr. Williams. "A very good observation..."

Part 9 - Exposure

"This is Bettina Wurtzburg, KXTC Channel Two News!" shouted the redheaded MILF reporterette from the rooftop at Riverside and College, at 7:00am, Monday, May 4th. Star Wars Day: May the Fourth be with you.

Bettina began: "Early voting for the Party primaries has been relatively light, and experts believe there will be a strong turnout at the polls tomorrow. Two important primaries in our County are on the Democrat side, while several Republican primaries at the State level are considered crucial. Let's go to Karl Frazier of Public Policy Polling for more. Karl!"

"Thank you, Bettina." said Karl Frazier as the television went to a split-screen. "The local Council races are very important, and the primary for the seat held by the retiring Reginald B.F. Lewis is crucial. The race is tight, split right down the middle, and we just may not know who the winner is until very late into the night or early the next morning. In the primary between Malinda Adams and Stacey Jacobs, the incumbent Ms. Adams holds a pretty strong lead, 53-47%."

Bettina: "Karl, watch this tape, and tell us if you think this will hurt Dr. Joseph Williams in the vote tomorrow. Roll tape." Tape rolled, showing Dr. Williams's favorable remarks towards me in his sermon. Bettina made sure that Carole was not shown at all... so much cuteness would win the election for Dr. Williams, fer sure.

Karl Frazier: "We'll have to see, Bettina. Edgar Silas has tried hard to make Commander Troy the issue in his campaign, and in a very negative way of a white cop abusing blacks with his crowbar. But as I said, despite his refusal to renounce his association with Commander Troy, Dr. Williams is right in the thick of this race."

Bettina: "Thank you, Karl! And now let's go to reporter Lester Holder on a developing case. Lester!"

"That's right, Bettina!" Lester Holder said. "A preliminary hearing will be held today in the Courtroom of Judge Harry R. Nance. Four young black men were pulled over by a TCPD Officer and made to get out of their car. Other Officers arrived, all of them white, along with a drug dog, who alerted. In the subsequent warrantless search of the car, several kilos of drugs were found."

Penis Holder: "But what has the Black Community enraged is that a gun was found in the glove compartment of the car by a white TCPD Officer. The gun had no fingerprints on it at all, and was not registered to any of the four young black men, nor was it ever reported as stolen. The four men vigorously denied the gun belonged to any of them, and it is increasingly believed that the white Officer, who has a very substandard record as a Police Officer, planted the gun to incriminate the black youths."

Bettina: "Lester, who is prosecuting this case? Who in the D.A.'s Office?

Holder: "Neither the TCPD nor the District Attorney's Office would return KXTC's repeated calls asking for comment, but it is believed ADA Savannah Fineman, who is running for Solicitor against incumbent Solicitor Ted Mason, is handling the Prosecution, at least for the preliminary hearing."

Bettina: "Thank you, Lester, and we'll be closely following this important breaking story as it develops..."

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

"I appreciate what Dr. Williams said." growled Sheriff Griswold as we drank coffee in the Chief's Conference Room, "but it could cause him trouble in the primary tomorrow."

"He told me he was going to say that," I replied, "and I asked him if he was worried about it hurting him with the voters in that district. He said that win or lose, he felt he had to speak his truth on it."

"Well, it's not hurting him in the polls." Cindy Ross said.

"If the polls can be trusted." replied Teresa Croyle, with a degree of cynicism in her voice. "Todd's hearing that Silas is slightly ahead, and has been for a couple of weeks. He's also hearing that Malinda Adams has blowout numbers against Stacey Jacobs, on the order of 57 to 58 percent. Jacobs has not polled well at all in that District, and she may regret giving up her Assembly seat to run."

"Which is why we really need to have LEOs in support of the poll watchers." I said.

"Our Deputies are all over it." said Griswold.

"And we have a contingent of TCPD Officers to back them up with some numbers and force, if need beeeee." said Chief Moynahan.

"What about that slug Holder's report?" asked Tanya. "Is that something to be worried about?"

"I didn't think it was," said Sheriff Griswold, "until I had at least a dozen people come up to me at the A.M.E. Church yesterday and ask about it. And a bunch of folks were asking Crowbar about it, too." I nodded vigorously in agreement.

"Were they hostile about it?" Teresa asked incisively.

"No." I said simply. "Of course we were in a church. But there was awareness, and interest in it, that surprised me. And now the Media is starting to lay a foundation for it to become a problem."

"Speaking of Bettina and Penis Holder," said Teresa, "I heard a rumor that Burt West is on his way out of KXTC. Any truth to that?"

"Maybe." said Cindy. "My secret source said that State Senator Katherine Woodburn ripped him a new ass over something, but she, my source, didn't know what it was about." We all knew Cindy's source was the lovely Indian reporterette, Priya Ajmani.

"I thought Katherine Woodburn was prohibited from owning nor being a part of any radio or TV network station." Sheriff Griswold growled.

"That's true, Sheriff." I said. "But Katherine is still highly influential with KXTC, having owned it in the past. And she could easily get around the FCC ban with proxies. Having said that, I suspect Katherine intervened in KXTC's doings for another reason. They must've been doing something that did not mesh with her plans, whatever those nefarious plans are..."

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

"Okay," I said as Teresa, Tanya, and I convened in my office for the Angels meeting, "what's going on?"

"Are you aware of the incident Friday?" Teresa asked. "There was a call to the Old Mill... not 9-1-1, but the Precinct... that a black man had abducted a black boy, and by 'boy' I mean underaged male child. Buchannan and McElwane spotted them, and checked them out. The man didn't have ID, and McElwane drew his gun and ordered the man to get to his knees."