Cancel All Our Vows Ch. 01

"This is the wrong Police Force to try and intimidate." said Mary.

"You got that right." I said as I held up and brandished my red crowbar...

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

No sooner had Mary exited my office than the door to Tanya's next to mine opened. Tanya's husband, FBI Special Agent In Charge Jack Muscone, came out, pivoted, and knocked on my open door. "May I come in?" he asked as he knocked.

"Sure." I said. Jack came in, closed the door behind him, and sat down in the near-side hot chair. I'd made a hand gesture towards the coffeemaker, and he waved at it in refusal.

"I wanted to touch base on you with the Huntington-Luna murders." Jack said after seating himself. (Author's note: 'Sausage and the Law', particularly Ch. 04.) "Have you guys tried looking any further into it?"

"Sure. We haven't dropped it." I said. "And our Vice Squad hasn't stopped looking into the Sarah Sandstone/Geoff Gerard case, either, and their possible connections to the Smooth White Boys. But to answer your question, we haven't found a whole lot yet. What about you guys?"

Muscone replied "Virtually nothing about the murders themselves, except we don't think it's a pro hit, at least not in the traditional Mob sense. But Bob Gold and Partners... including Dean Allen... are getting nervous. I think they know we're looking into them."

I said "They do, and they hired Gaston and Bertram full time."

"Oh, you do know that." Muscone said, his beady black eyes showing his disappointment that I knew already. "Anyhoo, Tim Jenkins in Southport is working on the Organized Crime angle, and Dwight Stevens and Kevin Pitts of the US DEA are really working on the Marquis Swift angle."

"How's that going?" I asked.

Muscone said "Dwight is working out of Southport on it, and is working with Josh Segers on the other side of the State Line. Kevin Pitts is working with Lorena Rose of your SBI on things on this side of said State Line. So far, no tie-ins between the two, but it's early days yet."

I said "Jack, have you asked Stevens, Pitts, or Lorena Rose just what their sources are to think Marquis Swift is running drugs up here? Why are they concentrating on him? What evidence do they have that he's the one?"

Muscone said "You're reading my mind again. I haven't even said this to Tanya, so I know you didn't get it from her. You're right: 'Checkers' is not coming up anywhere in our investigation, and I've been wondering what his involvement with anything is. You think he's a red herring? You think Dwight and the others are trying to hide something?"

I replied: "I think they honestly believe he's involved in something, but I just wonder why. I doubt I would get an unvarnished answer from Dwight Stevens, if I asked myself, but if you asked him as if it were an afterthought... 'oh, how did you develop your intel on Marquis 'Checkers' Swift?'... I'd love to hear what his reaction is."

Muscone became thoughtful for a moment, and I took the opportunity to refill my coffee cup with the Elixir of Life (coffee) and add the appropriate pollutants. As I sat back down, he said "Yeah, that is strange. I'll see what I can find out, and if they catch me sniffing around, I'll just say I'm following up on the drug connections to the Huntington and Luna murders."

I nodded my agreement with that plan, and Jack excused himself to go back to work. After he was gone I considered the situation in my mind. That had been a pure 'phishing' expedition by Jack. The game was afoot; something was going on. And, as usual, the Federal Agents, including Jack Muscone himself, weren't telling me everything they knew...

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

1:00pm, Monday, April 25th. After a delicious lunch at the Cop Bar with the Sheriff, I got back to my office to find that several emails were awaiting my perusal. After reading them, I called Teresa on the landline phone.

"This is about to become a 'BFD'." I said. "I have this email from Nextdoor County Police Chief Molly Evans, meant for my eyes only but she knows I'll share it with you. Her rookie Officer Neumann, who I have not yet met, is upset about TCPD Officer McElwane's treatment of him. Chief Evans is not happy about it, either, and I don't blame her. So!... whaddya got on this?"

Teresa said "Let me check, and I'll come to your office with a report." But she did not come to my office. Instead, she, the Chief, myself, Deputy Chief Muscone, Captain Hugh Hewitt, and Lieutenants Jerome Davis and Mary Milton convened in the Main Conference Room at 1:30pm.

"Let's get Chief Evans on the phone for a videoconference." Chief Moynahan said. Mary used the device on the conference table, and a moment later NCPD Chief Molly Evans appeared on the monitor on the far wall.

After greetings were exchanged, Lieutenant Jerome Davis was called upon to start, and he said "Officer McElwane submitted his Police report just before Roll Call this morning, barely in time. I checked with Mary, here, and she checked and confirmed that McElwane looked up Mullen Grant's Police report before submitting his own." Mary nodded vigorously in agreement.

Davis: "So to no one's surprise, they pretty much match. Grant did put in his report that McElwane confronted the NCPD Officer and forced him to leave. McElwane's report only said he told the NCPD Officer that he was handling it and that the NCPD Officer should go back to his own jurisdiction."

Molly Evans said "That's not what my Officer is saying. He's saying Grant told him to leave, though politely, but that McElwane confronted and tried to intimidate my Officer, including putting his hand on his service weapon and unsnapping it's protective strap."

I said "Yes, I reviewed your Officer's dash-cam and Officer-cam. We'll get to him in a second. Jerome?"

Davis: "I saw what the NCPD Officer put into evidence, as well as the spotty coverage from the McGhillie Golf Course, and Grant's Officer-cam... which he turned off as he approached the passenger side of the car. And the passenger was not named in any of the Police reports, though the car tag, which the NCPD Officer got on video as well as putting it his Police report, shows the car belongs to Lawrence Watson, who is on the University varsity football team. In fact, he's the starting quarterback, and a candidate for the Heisman Trophy."

I said "Wasn't there an incident around Christmas involving Lawrence Watson? And I believe McElwane's name came up in that case, as well?" (Author's note: 'Teresa's Christmas Miracle', Ch. 01.)

"Yes sir." said Mary Milton. "Early on December 19th. Officer Ragnar Magnussen made a stop of a speeding vehicle that belonged to the University. Officer McElwane came up and took control of it, though Magnussen issued a warning citation. The driver was Lawrence Watson. McElwane let him leave without giving him any kind of sobriety test."

"That's what I thought," I said. "What happened next, Jerome?"

Davis said "I called McElwane in from his patrol. When he came into my office, I said that it was about that traffic stop. McElwane immediately asked for a Union Rep. I had the Duty Desk call for one, and they gave my Duty Desk people some lip. So I called them myself, and they said it'd be two days at least before they could send someone."

"Not after I light their pants on firrrrre." drawled the Chief.

I said "Jerome, dd you talk to Grant?"

"Yes sir." said Jerome. "He was cooperative about everything... until I asked about the NCPD Officer and McElwane's confrontation. Grant said he was unclear on the details, as he was watching the pulled-over car. When I asked who the passenger in the car was, he hemmed and hawed, and I told him it was a direct order for him to tell me. At that point he asked for a Union Rep. I called the Union for one, and they said they'd send two... on Wednesday at the earliest."

"That will not dooooo." drawled Chief Moynahan as he brought out his Police iPhone. "I'm going to call that Youuun-yunnn bastard and tell him to get his ass in here---"

"Chief, before you do..." I said. Moynahan looked up and didn't hit the speed-dial button, and I said "Let's get our plan of action in place before you call them in---"

Molly Evans said "I need you guys to know that my Officer is upset about the way he was treated. He's also upset that his radar-lock on the car was ignored, and the guy wasn't ticketed for super-speeding. He wants to file a complaint with the SBI-OER against McElwane over it."

I said "That's one of the things I want us to get our ducks in a row on. He has the right to contact the SBI, but once he does, cats are out of bags and can't be put back in." To Chief Moynahan I said "Sir, I think we need to call Internal Affairs in on this one."

"Internal Affairs!?" Captain Hewitt said, a bit disbelievingly and a lot disapprovingly.

"Yes, Captain." I replied. "This is the second incident involving McElwane in just the last few months... and potentially involving the same University football player. McElwane has not followed proper procedures and protocols in either of these incidents. In this last incident, as Chief Evans said, her Officer said he was threatened by McElwane when McElwane was about to draw his gun, and both our Officers apparently ignored her Officer having evidence of a crime being committed."

Me: "So I think we should have Chief Abram send an I.A. Officer to interview Chief Evans's Officer, and he'll see that we're serious and we're investigating, and maybe Chief Evans can persuade him to hold off calling in the SBI. Also, Captain Hewitt, I'm getting really sick and tired of McElwane demanding Union Reps every time we so much as read a Police report he files and we try to ask a question about it. So let him and his Union Reps deal with a full-bore, no-shit Internal Affairs investigation."

"With respect, sir," said Captain Hewitt, "it's out of character for you to call in I.A. Again with respect, sir, are you sure we want to go this route? As you said, once cats are out of bags..."

"I bee-lieeeve Commander Troy is correct, Capt-nnnnn." said Chief Moynahan. "And I fully support bringing I.A. into this, for many reasons. Chief Evans, are you good with letting our I.A. handle this?"

Chief Evans replied "I am. I'll talk to my Officer, and tell him to expect your call."

"Okay, thennnn." drawled Moynahan. "I'll call Chief Abram."

Teresa said "Hugh, Jerome, tell McElwane he's grounded until this is resolved. No vehicle patrols. Put him on desk duty or send him to the Courthouse for security duties." I nodded vigorously in agreement...

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

2:30pm, Monday, April 25th. Chief Moynahan called me into his Conference Room. When I went inside, he was sitting in his normal place at the near end of the table. To his right, her back to the door, was Lieutenant Lisa Monroe of Internal Affairs. I went to my regular seat on the far side of the table, to the Chief's left.

The Chief had me go through everything we had about the incident, as well as the incident the previous December. After I was done, Lisa said "So what exactly are you expecting from us, from Internal Affairs?" I glanced over at the Chief, who looked as surprised as I felt at the question.

The Chief said "That's what we need yooooo to find out."

Lisa Monroe: "What I'm getting at, Chief, is that we normally investigate potential criminal activity by Police Officers after a referral by you guys. In other words, you find wrongdoing, and call us in to investigate."

Lisa Monroe: "Police let people off light on traffic violations all the time, including reducing speeding violations to warnings. It's a judgment call. And that NCPD rookie ended up out of jurisdiction, and our guys told him that they were handling it, and for him to go home. That's hardly anything to complain about."

Monroe: "So what I'm asking is this: what crime or other violation do you think is happening, here? Do you think McElwane or someone else is being paid off or taking bribes to let University athletes off the hook, and fix their tickets?"

The Chief looked over at me to answer, and I said "First of all, there's an incident involving our sister Police Force, the NCPD, which may have exceeded acceptable bounds. They are upset about it, and their Officer is threatening to go to the SBI over it. That is the last thing we need, and we lose control of the situation if the SBI comes into it."

Me: "So not only do we need to ascertain just what happened there, we need to show the NCPD that we're taking this seriously. Calling in I.A. shows we're not sweeping it under the rug. I would like for you or someone in Internal Affairs to interview the NCPD Officer, and to do it today."

Me: "As to potential crimes, the NCPD Officer claims in his formal Police report that he locked his radar on the car in question being a super-speeder, but the TCPD Officers totally ignored it. And we have a previous incident in December, where a speeder was let off with a warning. In both cases, Officer McElwane was involved, and University football player Lawerence Watson was involved."

Me: "Letting off people with a warning is one thing, but a pattern of doing it for University football players is another. We need to know if this is just McElwane and a few other rogues, or if this is a systemic issue within the TCPD. Either way, we need to nip that kind of favoritism in the bud. And I am very concerned that on both occasions, not only was there super-speeding, but we're not sure if Lawrence Watson was sober either time. If they keep letting him off, and he drives drunk again and kills somebody, that would be inexcusable."

Me: "And last but not least, I recommended we bring I.A. into this because if the Press ever gets ahold of this and runs with it, I want them and the world to see that we did not sweep it under the rug, but that we did something about it. And I am hoping your investigation will root out any problems that exist, but also will serve as a deterrent to letting University athletes off the hook in the future."

"We can certainly look into it." Lieutenant Monroe said. "I'll open a file, and I'll begin looking into McElwane and Grant's traffic stops, as well as seeing if Lawrence Watson or other athletes have a pattern of getting warnings."

Chief Moynahan said "I'm going to call Chief Evans of the NCPD, and have her have her Officer available for you to talk to." He got out his Police iPhone.

"Today, sir?" Lisa Monroe said, her voice almost a gasp.

"Oh yes!" the Chief said, overlooking any disapproval in her voice. "Time is of the essence, both in getting his story, and in reassuring him and his Police Chief that we are on the case..."

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

Meanwhile...

Officers Ron McElwane and Mullen Grant were called into 1st Precinct Headquarters and told to report to the Precinct Captain's office. They entered to find Precinct Captain Hugh Hewitt behind his desk and Precinct Lieutenant Jerome Davis standing at the side of the desk, to the Captain's right, practically at the position of attention.

"You wanted to see us, sir?" McElwane said. He did not stand at attention, slouching a bit, with his hands in front of him. Grant was a lot closer to the position of attention, though his eyes were on Captain Hewitt instead of straight forward.

"Yes." said Hewitt. "You're off patrol, McElwane. You'll be reassigned to desk duties pending the Internal Affairs investigation of the incident Saturday night."

"What?" McElwane gasped. Then he said "I'm grieving this to the Union."

"That is your right." said Lieutenant Davis, his voice stiff and formal, connoting authority as well as displeasure with McElwane. "It also was, and is, your right to ask for a Union Rep when we tried to clarify your Police report, too. But your invoking that right is the reason Internal Affairs has been brought in. And you're off patrol status until I.A. finishes their investigation and reports back to the Chief and to us."

Captain Hewitt said "Officer Grant, you weren't on patrol duty as it was, but don't go on any more patrols with anyone, anyway. I recommend that you also confer with your Union Rep. Officer McElwane, you might want to get a lawyer, as well. You're dismissed for the day, and I suggest you use the time to contact your Union Reps. You'll receive your new duties tomorrow morning after Roll Call."

The Officers left the office. As they walked down the hallway towards the locker room, a stunned Ron McElwane muttered "Internal Affairs?! Really??" Then he said to Grant "Get with your Union Rep. Don't say a goddamned thing to I.A."

Grant took a few fast steps to get ahead of McElwane, then turned to confront him. "Listen," Grant said, "I'm not going to throw you under the bus, but I'm not going to lie to them, either. I'm not losing my job over that punk kid that keeps driving drunk, and I'm sure as hell not covering for him in the future." With that, he turned and swiftly walked away from McElwane...

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

3:30pm. As Lieutenant Lisa Monroe and Senior Sergeant Nikki Kemp of TCPD Internal Affairs drove towards Nextdoor County, Nikki said "I don't get it."

"What's that?" Lisa asked.

Nikki Kemp said "This may turn out to be no big deal, or we may find some minor issues. But for the Chief and the Commander to call us in at this point? That's... it's not normal. It's like bringing in a backhoe to dig a hole to plant watermelon seeds."

Lisa Monroe replied "True. But there's one thing I've learned about Commander Troy: he is always a step ahead of us in his vision, he always has a reason for everything he does. For him to call in I.A. like this is like (air quotes) 'only Nixon could go to China'. So let's do this by the book, and not just go through the motions. We might find something bigger than we're expecting..."

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

Meanwhile...

University head football coach Thrasher was in his office in the Athletic Building with two of his coaches, evaluating that day's recently completed Spring practice session, when there was a knock on the door followed by it opening.

"Oh, it's you. Come on in." Coach Thrasher said. "Okay guys, we'll pick this up later. You can go." The other coaches left the room. To his guest, Coach Thrasher said "What's going on?"

"We've got a problem." the guest said. "Well, -you- have a problem. Did you hear about the cops stopping Lawrence Watson's car Saturday night?"

"Just that our backup kicker Ruggs got a warning for speeding." said Thrasher. "What of it?"

The guest said "Lawrence was in the car, too. And he was flat-out drunk. You're lucky as hell that they got over the County Line. A Nextdoor County punk rookie got a radar lock of over 100 miles per hour on the car, and chased it over the line. He was told to go back home, but he made a complaint about the way he was treated."

"So whaaaat." Coach Thrasher said witheringly. "They made it over the line, and our guys took care of it."

"I'll tell you 'so what'." said the guest angrily. "All the top Police leadership was out of Town over the weekend. They went to some dedication event out west. I was hoping we could bury this. But Commander Troy and Chief Evans read the duty logs and sent emails about it. And earlier today, Troy called in Internal Affairs over it."

"Our backup kicker got a warning." Coach Thrasher said. "That's all I know."

"Look, Coach," the guest said, "Lawrence almost got caught driving drunk last December. And he was lucky that Ruggs swapped seats with him when they were pulled over Saturday. You know what the stakes are, Coach. Lawrence is the leading contender for the Heisman Trophy. You've got a real shot at beating the God-damned Wildcats, winning the Conference, and even contending for the Natty. But if Lawrence keeps drinking and driving, and he gets caught? Especially in -this- County?"