Black and Blue Ch. 03

"Did you see anyone filming you?" Teresa asked. "Anyone using cellphones to film the stop? Or videocameras?"

"No ma'am." said Buchannan. "Not that I saw, but you can check our Officer-cams and dashcam."

Teresa nodded. "And you didn't see any Media vans, anything that might make you think the Media was watching and filming?"

"No ma'am." said Buchannan.

"Okay, that's all I need." Teresa said. "You can go find McElwane and the two of you can leave if Commander Troy is finished with him."

"Can I say one thing, ma'am?" Buchannan said. Teresa nodded and Kevin continued: "I don't know why McElwane wants a Union Rep, other than he has the right to one. But he didn't do anything wrong during the stop."

"I agree." said Teresa. "By the way, how are your wife and baby doing?"

"Great, ma'am!" Kevin replied, his eyes lighting up "I had no ideas babies got so big so fast, but he's doing great."

"That's good." Teresa said with what was for her a smile. "Okay, you can go." Buchannan left the room.

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

"As you can see, Patrolman McElwane," I said after we watched the Buchannan interview, "that's all we wanted to ask you about... if anyone like the Mainstream Media was watching you or filming you. And I hope you observed that Buchannan has your back on this, so there's nothing to be concerned about."

"Sir," said McElwane, rising to his feet and coming to attention, "I've asked for a Union Rep to be present during any questioning of me about that... situation. With all due respect, sir, I feel I'm being denied that representation while being questioned about it."

"No, you're not." I said. "I haven't asked you anything. I will say this: I am disappointed in your lack of cooperation. You are dismissed to your Patrol duties. Go." McElwane moved out smartly.

A moment later, Teresa came into my office. "How did it go, sir?" she asked.

I said "He started getting cranky about it. I didn't ask him a single question, but he said he felt like he was being interrogated without asked-for representation. I'm starting to think Tanya's right, but it doesn't matter as far as what we want to know. Buchannan answered your questions, and I made observations of McElwane as he watched the interview."

"If I may ask, what were those observations?" Teresa asked, with Cindy-ish curiosity.

"He looked like some ideas were popping into his head." I replied. "He's starting to see the light on all this, the real light. Anyhoo, if you don't have anything else to do but twiddle your thumbs, why don't you and I go to the scene and see what we can see."

Teresa replied with a glint in her eyes: "Well, sir, my thumbs are going to miss their twiddling exercise, but let's go. We do need a Patrol cruiser to escort us into that part of Town, though..."

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

10:30am, Wednesday, May 6th. Corporal Hicks and Sr. Patrolman Johnson followed my Police SUV to the southwest area of Town, the 'Southwestern Ghetto', the poorest area of the County. We were all wearing armor over our uniforms, and everyone but me was wearing a Police helmet. Drama Queen me was wearing my ubiquitous blue Tilley Hat with a miniature badge beneath my Airborne wings.

Hicks and Johnson took up somewhat defensive postures, watching the buildings and down the street as Teresa and I surveyed the weed-infested area between two abandoned industrial buildings,

"Okay," I said, "there was a building here, but it caught fire and burned down years ago. The structure was unsafe and homeless people were living in it, so it was condemned and razed. You can see that trail through the weeds that people use to walk through to the other side, where there are Progressive State Housing apartments down that street. It's definitely where someone walking his kid home from Sharpton Elementary would go through during daylight hours."

"The buildings on either side don't have any side windows, just solid brick walls." Teresa said. "I guess someone could be on the roofs, but it's not the best place to film the incident. Across the street, though, it looks more possible. Gated parking lot in front... someone in a car could've filmed the incident from there."

"Sir," Hicks said, coming up to me, "there aren't any pedestrians walking down these streets. There's no stores nor places to eat. Those are on the other side of the empty lot, on the street parallel to this one. If someone wanted to film us abusing a black citizen, that side of the lot would have been far better."

I said "I totally agree, if what they wanted was for real citizens to see and film the incident. Corporal, contact Intel Branch, and ask to get video of this street, but looking away from this spot. And have them get footage of the street on the other side of the lot."

"Yes sir." said Hicks, who then moved out smartly to implement my instructions.

Teresa said quietly "I've already asked for that footage, and reviewed it. I didn't see anything."

"It won't hurt to do it again, and have other eyes look at it." I replied. "But there's an element missing in this, whether on this side or that side of this empty lot. Care to guess what that is? And to help you answer that, put yourself in the position of the person setting it up."

After a moment of looking around, Teresa said "I think I see what you're getting at, sir. They didn't have total control of the situation. They couldn't control Buchannan and McElwane finding the father and son when they did, nor where they did. They made the call apparently leaving everything to chance."

"You're on the right path." I said. "So what does that suggest to you, Iron Wolf?"

Teresa said "I don't know, sir. I don't have the Power of the Vibe like you, Cindy, and Carole do, but I get the nagging sense that something's not right about all this. What are you thinking, sir?"

I said "First, now that I've seen this location, I think it exonerates McElwane from complicity in any shenanigans."

"Sir?" Teresa asked with a gasp. "So why is he refusing to answer the most basic of questions, and demanding a Union Rep every time he turns around?

"Think about it." I said. "He let Buchannan defuse that situation, rather than escalate it into a racially-charged incident. And like I said before, he's starting to realize some things... like maybe he was potentially being set up to be the fall guy if something happened. And that's why he's protecting himself with the Union requests."

"He thinks we're setting him up?" Teresa asked.

"Maybe us, maybe someone else." I said. "So let me do this..." I turned and called out "Corporal Hicks! Over here, please!" as I made a 'come here' motion with my arm. Hicks hurried over as I made a 'Blood Order' sign with my fingers, causing him to turn off his Officer-cam.

"Hicks, this is a Blood Order thing." I said quietly. "I need you and people you trust to watch Buchannan and McElwane's backs. Let me know if someone starts messing with either of them."

"Yes sir." said Hicks. He moved back towards his vehicle.

"And the other thing I'm seeing," I said to Teresa, "is you're right that they didn't have control of the situation... but they didn't intend to. It was a dry run. They just wanted to see what would happen, what we would do."

"So you think they'll do something like this again?" Teresa asked.

"Maybe." I said thoughtfully. "Maybe..."

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

11:10am, Wednesday, May 6th. Having dismissed Hicks and Johnson to their regular duties, Teresa and I went in my Police SUV to the A.M.E. Church. We went inside to the office area, and were admitted into Dr. Joseph E. Williams's office after he asked the large number of political people and lawyers to give him a few minutes with me and Teresa.

"Why do you guys have armor on?" asked Williams, perhaps humorously. "You don't think it's dangerous coming to see me, do you?"

"No sir." I said with a grin. "We've been out to areas a little less friendly and safe than your church, and to tell the truth, I forgot we were wearing our armor."

"I hear that." said Dr. Williams. "I do want to tell you that I appreciate you going to the Election Center last night. I'm hearing some really bad things. We think Silas is stealing this election. Do you think that, too?"

I said "I don't know, Reverend. I do think the Sheriff and I got there in time to stop some really ugly stuff from going on, but your election was so close that they'll have to recount and forensically audit the results to be able to tell."

Williams nodded. "I was a couple of thousand votes ahead with virtually all the votes counted. Then all of a sudden, the lead was cut in half, then in half again. In a matter of minutes. I've refused to concede, and we've asked for the recount. I'm also going to demand that audit, even sue if I have to. But money's tight; I can't afford a long, drawn out legal battle."

"How are Silas's finances, sir?" asked Teresa.

"That's another thing." Dr. Williams said acidly. "We think Silas didn't report everything he brought in, like he should have. We think Lionel Carmela, the Political Science professor on Campus, funneled some money from an unregistered PAC into Silas's campaign. Carmela was supporting Stacey Jacobs more openly, but we think he's also funneling illegal money into Finneran's campaign for Inspector General as well as Silas's."

"Why the secrecy, and the illegality?" Teresa asked. "Why not just register the PAC and openly support the candidates?"

I replied "Because they'd have to reveal the donors, and it might get Carmela into hot water with the University. But most of all: Carmela doesn't want our right hand to see what his left hand... his very Left hand... is doing. Democrats are divided between a moderate and a much more Socialist agenda, and Carmela wants to support he more Leftwing candidates without being seen doing so."

"But why would he support Silas?" Dr. Williams asked. "Silas is relatively moderate, like I am."

"Yes, sir," I said, "but Silas hates me and was running against me, while you were on the Charter Commission with me, and you refused to denounce me."

"I don't get that, either." said Dr. Williams. "Don, you are not hated by the Black Community. They appreciated what you did for our children's education with your structuring of the new Charter. And our polling showed that your name was never a problem for our campaign."

"Hence the ballot box stuffing to get you defeated." I said. "Unfortunately, there's nothing I can do. You'll just have to follow the process on this. Anyhoo, there is one other question I'd like to ask you. There's a lot of tension between black and the Police. What can we do, what can I do, to help defuse that? No, I'm not 'woke', so I'm asking seriously: what do blacks want?"

Dr. Williams said "I don't know, Don. Different people want different things, and for different reasons. Maxine Watts wants reparations, she says... but she's using that as a political tool. Edgar Silas and Bruce Finneran attack the Police constantly... for political gain.

Dr. Williams: "But a lot of the division is legitimate frustration, especially with the Police, and the Judicial System. There's a lot of frustration that might never go away, no matter what you do. You're doing all you can, Don, and I'm sure you are as well, Teresa... but then there's just one incident of a gun being planted on four black kids, and just once incident of a white cop forcing a black man to get on his knees at gunpoint... and all the good work you've tried to do is gone... poof!... like the wind."

Dr. Williams: "And solutions? You and I did a lot for education here, but that's a long, slow process, and some people aren't patient. They want 'change' now, but never seem to say exactly what change they want..."

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

As we were leaving the A.M.E. Church, we found that the Press had been made aware of my presence, and six (six!) news vans were in the parking lot, having almost killed three church members as they drove through the barricades to get in. Now reporters and cameras were about to rush us.

"Allow me to clear the path for you." said Teresa, spoiling for a fight with the despised members of the Media.

"You don't even carry a crowbar." I said as I brought my red crowbar out. "But go ahead. If Penis Holder gets in the way, let me have him myself.:"

Teresa led the way, occasionally shoving a camera out of our path. I didn't have to use the crowbar; the gutless reporters were too afraid to challenge it and the redhead carrying it.

"Why are you here, Commander Troy?" I heard the reporters shouting. "Are you working with Dr. Williams, Commander?" "Will you be investigating the election results?" "Are you the reason Dr. Williams lost, Commander Troy?"

Near the end of the line, Lester 'Penis' Holder stepped forward to shove a microphone in my face. I threw an excellent, really an NFL-quality stiffarm, which caught Holder right on his cheek. I shoved him hard to the ground, then got in the passenger-side door of my SUV that Teresa had opened. Then she went around to the drivers side and got in.

"Neat trick so you could drive my vehicle." I said as I handed her the keys.

"Moohahahaha." Teresa replied as she cranked the car. The reporters tried to get in front to stop us, and I turned on the lightbars. When Penis Holder got up, Teresa swerved to try to hit him, making me chuckle as he leapt into a couple of other reporters to get out of the way.

I got on the loudspeaker. "Clear this roadway or you will be arrested." I said. The turning on of the lightbar made their stopping the vehicle a felony crime in this State. Teresa began going forward, literally pushing rabid reporters out of the way, and threatening to run them clean over if they didn't move.

That didn't bother me a bit; after all, those weren't even human beings; they were worthless reporters. Male or female, whatever ethnicity, they were all equally worthless, because they were journalists..

Have I mentioned that I utterly despise the Press?

Part 16 - Water, Water Everywhere

3:00pm, Wednesday, May 6th. I was called into the Chief's office.

"Why are you wearing armor?" the Chief asked.

"I just never took it off after we went to the Southwestern Ghetto to see the scene of the McElwane-Buchannan incident." I replied.

"And that's why I called you in here." said the Chief. "McElwane went to the Union and filed a grievance that you and Commander Croyle have repeatedly continued to question him after he requested Union represen-tay-shunnnnn. The Union Reps called me about it a few minutes a-goooo. They are demanding a meeting with you, and are demanding that we leave McElwane a-lonnnnne."

"I don't think we've violated anything, sir." I said. "Corporal Kirkpatrick stopped asking questions when McElwane asked for a Rep, and so did Teresa. I never asked him a question at all, and I have that on videotape. I won't give them the videotape until they actually grieve me, and then I'll use it to humiliate them."

"Heh heh heh heh." chuckled the Chief. "I told them that McElwane was not under investigation, and we were not interested in investigating him, as Buchannan had confirmed McElwane's actions were not improperrrrrr. I also suggested that we could suspend McElwane for not cooperating with our investigation of the incident, and then he'd have real reason to request their representation."

"Did they say why they wanted a meeting with me?" I asked.

"Nooooo," said the Chief, "but my experience suggests it's 'optics', so they can go back to whoever cares and say they pushed you a-rounnnnnd."

I said "Well, if they want to see me, they can make an appointment through my assistant---"

*BRING!* *BRING!* *BRING!* *BRING!*

It was my Police iPhone. The Chief indicated with a hand gesture that I should answer it. "Troy... whaaa?... okay, I'll be right there."

After disconnecting, I said "They began the recount at the Election Center at noon. Five minutes ago, a water pipe burst, flooding the main counting room..."

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

"It's really bad." said Lieutenant DeLong as he and I surveyed the extensive damage while other Police Officers and Firefighters milled about. "The pipe was overhead, above the drop ceiling, and it was a branch right off the main feed. The pipe burst almost completely in two, and water just poured out of it, through the ceiling, and into the room. The servers are in here as well as the electronic counting machines, and they were blown out; we're lucky there wasn't a full-on electrical fire."

"And the ballots themselves?" I asked, pointing to plastic bins full of water and sheafs of now-worthless paper.

"Yes sir." said DeLong. "Those are boxes of ballots waiting to be counted. They were soaked, and pretty much destroyed. The Election Chairwoman said she thinks about half of the ballots cast yesterday have been wiped out, and cannot be recounted."

"Wow." I said. "And nobody shut off the water?"

"That wheel valve was stuck open." said DeLong, pointing to a pipe that came out of the floor and went to the ceiling. "They tried to shut it off, but it wouldn't budge. The Fire Department shut it off at the connection outside when they got here, but water flowed like a mighty river for over ten minutes, making this room a swimming pool."

"Listen," I said, "have the Officers ask all the employees how the ballots were brought in and stacked where they were, and see if we can get a composite story that they were put where the most damage would occur if a water pipe just happened to burst."

DeLong grinned. "No wonder you get the results, sir, thinking the way you do." He then moved out to give the word to everyone.

After a few minutes, I left the scene and went outside, where employees were huddled in groups being interviewed by the Police. I saw Fire Marshal Roy Easley near a fire truck and went over to him.

"Hey Roy," I said as we shook hands. "Do me one favor. When you get in there, check to see if the pipe rupture was sabotage."

"I've already given my team instructions to do that." Roy said. "And to see if the condition of the shutoff valve was natural or... shall we say... induced to freeze up like it did."

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

"So what is the law pertaining to this?" I asked Paulina on the phone as I drove back to Headquarters.

"If it were a General Election," Paulina said, "they would have to do the whole Election over again. But with it being a primary, it's up to the Parties at the State and Local levels to determine what to do. They can accept the original results, or pay for another election..."

Part 17 - (Pulling) Rank And File

4:15pm, Wednesday, May 6th. Officers Buchannan and McElwane were at their lockers in the Old Mill's locker room. "See you tomorrow." McElwane said as he got up off the bench, then left the room.

"See ya." said Buchannan. A moment later he looked up to see Sergeant McCombs standing over him.

"Stay there." said McCombs. He straddled the bench and sat down, to Buchannan's left. Out of the corner of his eye, Buchannan saw Hendricks and Hatch peeking from behind the end of the next row of lockers.

"What's this about?" Buchannan said warily.

""Why are you cooperating with the Brass investigating McElwane?" snarled McCombs. "Why didn't you demand a Union Rep, like he did?"

"I didn't need one." said Buchannan. "And they're not investigating either of us."

"What did you say about McElwane?" snarled McCombs. "Why are you throwing him under the bus?"

"I'm not!" Buchannan retorted, as much stunned as angry. "I told 'em he didn't do anything wrong."

"Let me tell you something 'Boy'." McCombs snarled, meaning the word as derogatory towards blacks. "If you know what's good for you, you'll shut your fucking mouth and stop talking to Troy."