"Yeah, leaving their bodies within yards of a police precinct is actually a touch of genius," I said, "but killing them there, where they could be heard is not-- oh, sorry." I realized I was giving them clues, and that I was being glared at again.
"I think that one's forgivable," said Cindy, "as we would get around to figuring that out ourselves. But any more such 'accidents', and I'll be inviting you to the gym, Commander."
"If ever there was an incentive for me to keep my mouth shut..." I said, grinning, and not finishing the sentence. Everyone laughed, knowing that Cindy's invitation meant a crowbar beatdown in the ring, and I would be on the receiving end of it.
The Chief bade Tanya to continue her narrative as I looked at the photos. Charleen Davis had a look of fear and surprise on her face, while Edna's was a mask of open horror. That was an absolute clue, I thought to myself.
"In addition," Tanya continued, "they had passed in and out of rigor, and sat out in the cold for a while, so the M.E. is going to have to do some chemistry work to try to nail down a time of death. But he thinks they died pretty much at the same time."
After a pause, Tanya added "I did ask the M.E. to concentrate on Edna Biller as a possible alcoholic. He said a preliminary exam of both women's livers show no immediate evidence of chronic alcoholism."
"Okay, what about the groundwork?" the Chief asked. "Someone talked to Biller again?"
"Yes sir." said Theo Washington. "We asked him again about his car being Cloroxed down, and he reiterated the manure story. He only told us about delivering the manure to the cooperative farm when we explicitly asked, though. We also asked about how much time his wife spent with Charleen Davis, and he said he didn't know. He also didn't know if Edna was babysitting Bill Davis for Charleen, but said she'd never mentioned that she was doing so."
"Not much there at all. Anything else?" asked the Chief.
"The bodies were found to the north of Town." said Martin Nash. "Not all that far from where Edna Biller's car was found. But the cameras in that area do not show the car being driven along the most direct routes towards that crime scene."
"So the perp drove in circles." said the Chief. "Sucks for us to find, but keep looking at the accumulated video evidence. Next?"
"Sir, we've been trying to check out Mr. Biller's story." said Teddy Parker. "He was indeed seen at the Senior Center, in their main front room, at about 9:30pm. He said he didn't see his card-playing friends there, but they actually were there, in the card-playing room. They said they didn't see him."
"We also have been gathering as much camera evidence as possible from anywhere near where the two women's cellphones pinged." Myron said. "So far we're getting very little on anything, but there's a lot of tape and not yet time to have gotten through it. We do have Mr. Biller's truck near the Senior Center, but it then went into a dead zone, and we can't find anything where it came out of that dead zone."
"Like I said before, keep looking." said the Chief. "Okay, now that we know that murders have been committed, anyone have an idea of what has happened, and more importantly, do we need to make some arrests?"
"With respect, sir," Tanya said, cutting off Parker and Washington from speaking further, "I've asked them not to theorize in this meeting, as the data is just coming in. We'll have a roundtable on this, and I'll let you and the Commander know what we come up with."
"You good with that, Commander?" the Chief asked, and I knew it was semi-humorous.
"Yes, sir." I said, giving Tanya a thumbs-up. "And let me just add that I am more than happy with how this Team is doing to this point. You're damn good."
"We damn well better be, considering the top quality of the training this man has given us." Cindy said, pointing her blue crowbar at me. That wasn't quite what I wanted to hear; I was trying to be complimentary and encouraging.
"You're all doing extremely well." I said. "Keep it up. Chief, why don't we let them go have their discussions while you give me training on being an Acting Police Chief that can sit back and twiddle his thumbs while his people get the job done."
"It's a damn good thing I'm retiring, Crowbar." the Chief replied, knowing I was teasing him, but also knowing I'd never have said that if he weren't retiring. "Okay guys, get out there and solve this double murder. Crowbar, all kidding aside, I do have a lot of stuff to show you..."
Part 9 - Casting Of Votes
"This is Bettina Wurtzburg, KXTC Channel Two News!" shouted the lovely redheaded reporterette at precisely 7:00am on Wednesday morning. I could almost set my watch by her. I definitely knew what I wanted to pump into her as I watched her luscious mouth hover over that microphone of hers...
"Channel Two News has learned that two bodies were found by Police yesterday, and they are believed to be those of the missing Edna Biller and Charleen Davis. The two women were reported missing Monday morning, and Police have declined to say if Harmon Biller or Bill Davis, the husbands of the missing women, are suspects in the case. We now go to Chuck Pringle for the Sports report. Chuck!"
"Thank you Bettina." said Chuck Pringle, who was surprisingly reporting live from outside the University athletic complex. "Yesterday was the funeral for Coach Brian Harlan, which was attended by the football team, Coach Harlan's last, as well as by other school coaches and many friends and family. Coach Harlan died of cancer just hours before the final game of the season against State Tech, and many players spoke of their love for their coach." There were taped interviews with various players, which I didn't really watch.
Pringle continued: "In other Sports news, Nick Eastwood continues to improve in the hospital, and has feeling and movement in all extremities. Doctors believe he will make a full recovery. However, the repercussions from the ugly hit endured by Eastwood, as well as the unbelievable conduct of the State Tech fans in applauding his injury and then being disappointed that he was not paralyzed, are continuing. Representatives from State Tech to Coach Harlan's funeral were denied entry to the service, and there are already rumblings in the State Legislature that deep cuts will be made in the budget allocation to State Tech in the next session. The Conference has suspended the player that made the hit on Eastwood, calling it deliberate, but that will have little effect, as the player is a graduating Senior and State Tech is not going to a bowl game this year. This is Chuck Pringle, KXTC Channel Two Sports. Back to you, Bettina!"
"Thanks, Chuck!" said Bettina. "Finally, the Police Department has given no official word on its plans for honoring Chief Griswold as he retires at the end of the year. Sources tell Channel Two News that the Chief will be recognized at the Policeman's Ball, and the Town & County Council are making plans to honor Police Chief Griswold and Fire Chief Gillem, perhaps with a New Years' Day Parade. Channel Two News will bring you all the information just as soon as we have it. This is Bettina Wurtzburg, KXTC Channel Two News!"
"Ready to freeze your ass off at the parade for you, Chief?" I asked as the Chief came into the room.
"Harrumph. I'll keep warm thinking of how it'll be you dealing with those Press bastards from now on, Crowbar." growled the Chief, who then moved on out of the room and to his office.
Is it possible that I am not the only one with a deep hatred of the Press?
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"Did you get your votes in for the Orange Order?" Cindy Ross asked me as we went to my office after watching the news on the morning of Wednesday, December 3d.
"Yes." I said. "And you?"
"Sure did." she replied. "Think you'll get in?"
"Who knows?" I said. "I think you're a lock, though."
The Orange Order was an honorary society within the Police Department. The entire Police Force voted for who they thought deserved admission, but one was expected to not vote for oneself. This was something like the Boy Scouts, where the members of their honorary Order of the Arrow were voted in by Scout Troops, not from within the honor group itself.
Members of the Orange Order wore a medal, whose cloth drape and accompanying ribbon were an orange field, green edges, and a thin white strip between the other colors. The medal was a lantern of a green color (please, no comic book jokes here), signifying the original citizen patrols that started in Holland some 400 years ago.
No one had ever been elected to the Orange Order that had been with the Police Force less than two years; ergo, I had not been elected before and this was my first time being 'eligible', so to speak. Why Cindy Ross was not already in I did not know, but I expected that to be remedied this weekend.
This year we were instructed to vote for four people. There were also some unwritten rules about the vote: it was encouraged to vote for at least one Uniformed patrol officer, and often all the inductees for the year were from the Uniform ranks.
The initiation was always the first weekend in December, and today was the deadline for getting the votes in. Right now the box was in the Chief's secretary's office, and woe betide anyone who even looked the wrong way at that box... I'd rather face Russian bullets on the battlefield than the Chief's secretary defending that box. Even with my crowbar, it would be a losing proposition for me.
"I guess we'll find out Friday." Cindy said.
"I'll tell you who is not going to make it." I said. "Precinct Captain Susan Weston. She just got here for the meeting with the Chief, and I expect to be called into his office while Tanya is holding the MCD meeting. You should be in the MCD meeting, of course, but let Tanya take the lead."
"Yes sir." Cindy said. "By the way, what Weston did is getting around the station. Mixed reviews on who's right and who's wrong."
"Only two opinions matter, there: the Chief's, and mine." I said, perhaps a bit more snottily than I intended. I then moved to change the subject. "By the way, what is your evaluation of Lt. Perlman's performance?"
"Very good." Cindy said. "I'm not worried about the observing and deducing as much as you are; I'm watching her for her leadership skills. And I'm very happy with what I'm seeing."
"I'm happy with what I'm seeing, too." I said. And I did not just mean Tanya Perlman. It was all I could do to hide how ecstatic I was that Cindy Ross was taking advantage of her opportunities, and was showing outstanding leadership herself...
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Tanya Perlman led the meeting in Classroom 'E', with Cindy stationed at the whiteboard. The two victims and the two husbands had been added to the boards already.
"Okay," said Tanya, "is there anyone else besides these two men that we have any suspicion of?"
"No ma'am." said Theo Washington. "I even talked to the pastor of their churches. The Davises were far more involved in their church, First Methodist, than the Biller's were in theirs, First Baptist; but the Davis's pastor, the Reverend Dr. T. Alford Martin, said the Davises were loved by the congregation and their many friends; and the Biller's pastor, Pastor Raymond Westboro, said he doesn't know of any problems between the Billers and anyone else. Ditto that for Mr. Biller's co-workers at BigPharmaCorp; none of them knew of any problems that the Billers had with anyone. No one really associated with him socially, but no one had any issues with him or knew of anyone with issues with him or his wife."
"They, weren't very social at all." said Cindy Ross. "I checked with a few 'sources' in the social scenes, including Mrs. Myrtle L. James and Elsie Gringer. Neither of them had any information to give, and between those two ladies, every woman in this Town is accounted for, socially. So nothing on Mrs. Biller or Mrs. Davis, and even less on their husbands."
"I will say this." said Martin Nash. "Harmon Biller's story is looking more false with every step we take. He may have gone to the Senior Center, but he obviously did not look hard for his friends, as they actually were there. So he may just be trying to establish an alibi, as the time is close to when the text was received on his phone."
"The text was sent earlier, though, and took 50 minutes to reach his phone." said Myron Milton. "Edna's got one of the worst service plans in the history of cell phone communications."
"Think he might have known that?" Tanya asked, almost rhetorically. Myron just shrugged.
"In addition," said Nash, wanting to continue his narrative, "he cleaned out his truck with Clorox, though he gave a story for that."
Teddy Parker spoke up. "I might have some information about that. We went down to that cooperative farm, with Deputy Strait escorting us." Parker said. "The people there were very friendly, and they said Harmon Biller had indeed delivered a load of manure to be used as fertilizer on Saturday, and that he had done that on several occasions in the past. He cleaned up on the site with the water hose at the cooperative's farmhouse, and they said they weren't sure but they thought he did so on Saturday, as well."
"Another not-quite-alibi." Tanya said. "Of course, we do have the blood, the stationary, and the cell phones at Mr. Davis's house. That's pretty strong stuff. Okay, guys, we need an autopsy and more data. Keep searching what Myron brings us, and keep pounding the pavement to find out anything you can."
"Think the Commander has figured it out yet?" Theo Washington asked.
It was Cindy who answered. "No, not yet. I think he has ideas, but he's waiting for the autopsy data, too."
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
I entered the Chief's office upon being summoned. Precinct Captain Weston was seated in one of the chairs in front of his desk. She was wearing her Duty Dress uniform, and I noted the gold-colored Captain's bars; I was not used to that yet. I nodded at Cpt. Weston as the Chief pointed for me to sit in the chair next to her. I noted that she looked nervous, and not too happy with me.
"Commander," the Chief said, "I have been talking to Captain Weston and heard her side of the story of the incident yesterday. I've also made sure she understands her role and position as a Precinct Captain in the Force. I further explained that you were correctly taking up for your officer, that you take good care of your people, and that includes taking care of her... if she will let you. Captain, you're where you are now because the Commander thought highly enough of you to put you in that spot with the expectation that the Council would agree with his expert opinion."
The Chief adjusted himself in his chair, then continued: "What I want both of you to hear is that this Police Force has a lot more rank structure than many Police Departments. In some ways I find it unnecessary, but at the higher levels it can be helpful. However, this is not the military, and you should remember that it's your position more than the metal on your shoulders that counts."
The Chief looked at Captain Weston and said "You're in charge of the precinct, but the crime scene belonged to Perlman. It might have belonged to a Sergeant if we'd come across the bodies without already having a case to attach them to. In those cases, I advise you to be circumspect about your respective roles. I could come by a crime scene myself, but when I do I make damn sure to stay out of the MCD's way, and especially did so when this guy was a Lieutenant and actually hands-on with the cases."
The Chief was not finished. "In both your chairs, the game is political, and it can get very hot. The Commander needs to understand this as much as anyone else does. At this level, it can be give-and-take, it can be about egos and where one is on the flagpole. Of course, the higher up the flagpole you go, the farther your ass sticks out, and the Commander knows this all too well; that's why he works so hard to take care of his people, and I'm sure you'll do that for the people of your Precinct, Ms. Weston. But also remember that it's not a zero-sum game; there is not necessarily a loser in order to be a winner. Think win-win, and work to let your people work for you. Okay, Captain, you're dismissed. Commander, stay here a moment."
After the Precinct Captain had left, her eyes looking a lot less severely at me, the Chief said "I hope the latter part of that sank in."
"Yes sir." I said. That was not good enough for Chief Griswold, he snapped his eyes on me, boring in.
"Commander, I am not kidding." he said sharply. "You are about to be in charge here, at least for a few months. You've got to play the game. You think you're playing it now, but you're still playing it too straight, too directly."
"Yes sir." I said. "Chief, is there something wrong here?"
"No." said the Chief. "Your actions were totally correct, and Ms. Weston now understands that where she did not before. I think she learned a lot, but it's a lesson for you, too. Miss Perlman is also going to receive instruction, and I'm counting on that to trickle down through the chain of command, if you get my drift."
"Yes sir." I said. "I think Lt. Ross is already on it."
The Chief's eyebrows went up, and he nodded. "Okay, maybe you're a little farther along with this than I thought."
"Sir, may I ask another question?" I asked. The Chief nodded and I continued "Sir, you don't seem happy at the way I'm letting the team solve this case, and yes, in some ways we've made a bit of a game out of it. Do you want that to stop?"
The Chief smiled. "Naah. I began getting worried that they might fuck something up and let a perp get away, but I realized that maybe we're a bit more dependent on you than is healthy for this Force. I know you won't let the perp get off, and I realized that this will be good training for them."
The Chief then added, "Don, I know you're going in this direction, but you do need to continue to let go of the reins a bit. You've got the Uniformed guys now, and I wouldn't mind seeing you work more with Vice and getting thoroughly up to speed with them."
"Wilco, sir." I replied, fully aware of what the Chief was doing... and how little time he had left to get all of us up to speed before he retired...
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"I'm taking Mary from you." I said to Tanya later that afternoon. "You've still got Myron, but I'm going to have her help me look up some stuff."
"Have you solved it yet?" asked Tanya, and I could not tell if she was apprehensive or just inquisitive.
"I'm close." I said. "You guys are doing well, but you need to pick up the pace."
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"You're right, Commander." Mary said, easily finding the data. "Here is the credit card data you thought might be there."
I looked over the display. "Send this to the secure servers as evidence." I said. "Print it out and put it in a folder for me, also. If and when the others ask, give this information to them, but it's evidence now, so make sure it stays good that way."
"Yes sir." said Mary. "And I can't tell Myron, either?"
"Noooooooo." I replied. "You're with me now. Myron is still on the Dark Side with the MCD guys." Mary laughed.
Part 10 - More Evidence
On Thursday, December 4th, the autopsy and Crime Lab evidence first reports came in. I attended the meeting in the main conference room at 10:00am. The Chief was nowhere to be found; his secretary said that he was in a very important meeting, and that he should only be contacted in an extreme emergency. I had an idea what that meeting was about: the Orange Order election. I said no more about it.
Tanya took the 'Chief's chair' and led the meeting as I sat in my normal chair at the far end of the table and listened.
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