Causing a Commotion Ch. 01

"Yeah, we've dug a hole on this one." Callie said. "I don't know if Laura knows it was us, but she made a point to say the kidnappers fucked things up very badly."

"I figured Don would figure it out and tell me that he knew it was us." Cindy said. "He'd say 'You're not dealing with an Agency of the Weak-Minded, you know.'. But he hasn't said a word, so far."

"Maybe we should come correct and tell him." Callie said. "Don also says it's easier to get forgiveness than permission."

"Orrrr..." Cindy said, "we can let sleeping dogs lie on this one, and just not say anything unless and until we have to."

"And we definitely need to talk to Melina before we talk to Don." said Callie. "I don't want to get her in trouble, especially after she helped us so much with it."

"Don will be furious if we do tell him." Cindy said. "He'd have gotten the truth out of Mills about where Lewis and Ferrell are. We should've delivered Mills to Don..."

"What if Mills really didn't know where they were?" asked Callie. "Then Don might've killed him, and we'd all be in a world of shit. I think you did the right thing. Mills isn't going anywhere."

"I guess you're right." Cindy said. "Okay, we'll keep our mouths shut for now. If Don asks, I won't lie, but I don't believe that it is a lie to withhold the truth."

"Flawlessly logical, Mr. Spock." Callie said with her beautiful grin, which made Cindy grin...

Part 5 - Storm Clouds Gathering

"This is Bettina Wurtzburg, KXTC Fox Two News!" shouted the redheaded MILF reporterette at 7:00am, Wednesday, September 26th, from in front of the Courthouse complex. "We are bringing you continuing coverage of several developments!"

"In State news," Bettina said, "Westphalia State Rep. Sharon Marshall has declared that she is in the running for Lieutenant Governor. Marshall is not considered to be a Grassroots Conservative, but she has increasingly sided with Governor Jared and against State Representative Wilson Hammonds of Pottsville, who experts say is the real Republican Party power in the State. Her entry into the race means that State Senator Sean Stockton, who ran a failed campaign for Governor two years ago, will likely not enter the race."

"On the Democrat side," continued Bettina, "experts are mildly surprised at how the Party is coalescing around State Senator Maxine Watts's candidacy for Lieutenant Governor. Her often harsh rhetoric has worried Democrat moderates, but she received the strong endorsements of State Reps Elijah McKinney of Southport and Tasheeka Harris of Midtown, as well as the Social Justice group 'Black Voices Raised'."

"And leaked documents are showing that Independent State Counsel Robert Mullen is having problems generating indictments of Jared aides Steven Fuqua and Alan Davidson. Both aides testified before the Special Grand Jury, but no indictments have been brought down. We have with us Dr. Romanov of the University's Institute for Politics. Doctor, what does this mean for Governor Jared?"

"It isn't necessarily a bad thing that the Special Grand Jury is not indicting these very minor figures in this investigation." said Dr. Romanov. "It only means they've considered their information as part of Mr. Mullen's case against the Governor for his potentially criminal actions."

"Doctor," said Bettina, "how much is Commander Troy an albatross around Chief Griswold and Sheriff Allgood's necks as they run their campaigns?"

"None at all." said Dr. Romanov, which caused Bettina's face to fall, and maybe even show anger. "Chief Griswold is embracing having the Iron Crowbar in his Police Department, and Sheriff Allgood has his own problems with racial and misogyny issues. Della Harlow and Eldrick Weaver would be better served to leave Commander Troy out of any political campaign conversations."

"Thank you, Doctor." Bettina said acidly, then turned to the camera again. "And in other State News, a Superior Court Judge in the City refused to issue an arrest warrant for U.S. Senator Samuel Russell, even after a Grand Jury brought an indictment against the Senator. The judge stated that the Senator is immune from prosecution while the U.S. Senate is in session. The City has appealed the ruling to a Federal Court."

"Also," said Bettina, "another judge in the City refused to release former SBI Lieutenant Leon Mills, citing that the City Police adequately showed that they did not administer the torture that Mills was subjected to. As Mills had a residential address in the City, he was released on $100,000 bail with ankle monitoring, pending his hearing to be extradited to our Town & County to face conspiracy charges in the murder of Charlie Griswold..."

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

FBI Special Agent In Charge Jack Muscone came into TCPD Headquarters at 8:53am, and was politely escorted by the Duty Desk Patrolman to my office, where I had him sit down after he helped himself to some of my coffee. I refilled my mug, as well.

"We, meaning the FBI," said Muscone, "are convinced that you had nothing to do with the capture and torture of Leon Mills."

"Glad to hear that." I said, somewhat acerbically. "What gave it away?"

"If it had been you," Muscone replied, "then Mills would not be in Police custody. He would be dead... or more correctly, 'still missing'."

"Oh, I dunno." I said. "I really do try to pick my spots when it comes to coloring outside the lines. Leon Mills wouldn't have been worth it. No, I'd've had the City Police pick him up, or arrested him as the SBI Inspector that I am."

"So you don't think he knows where Ferrell is?" asked Jack.

"Nope. Nor Lewis." I replied. I then peered at him and said in my best Emperor Palpatine voice: "I wonder if your feelings on this matter are clear, Lord Vader."

"They are clear, my master." intoned Muscone in a deep voice. He made the sign for me to turn on the bug-killer. I gave a thumbs-up: it was already on.

"I freely admit that if I had a choice between getting Ferrell or getting Lewis, I'd pick Ferrell." Jack said. "Mostly for what he did to hurt Tanya, but also for some hatreds that go way back."

"Yezzz, I remember what you did to him when we were investigating the Oldeeds shooting." I said. (Author's note: 'Case of the Executed Evangelist', Ch. 02.) "And you can have Ferrell. I want Lewis. For trying to kill Chief Griswold and ending up killing a U.S. Marine, and then for Charlie Griswold's murder." (Author's note: 'Semper Fidelis' for the Marine murder; 'Fathers and Sons' for Charlie's death.)

"Thank you." said Muscone. "Anyway, Mills has an apartment in the City, a cheap brownstone above a delicatessen just a little ways north of the area he was kidnapped. The City Police let us go along on their search of the place. There was nothing there, at all. Just some dishes, furniture, bed. But not a scrap of paper nor a computer. It looked like the dwelling of an illiterate."

"Did it look recently cleaned?" I asked.

"Uh... as a matter of fact, it did." Muscone said. "Think that means something?"

"It was the Consultant of Crime's calling card, back in the day." I said. "We'd go to someone's house or apartment, find it totally clean. Someone is playing Copycat, it would appear."

"Lewis?" asked Muscone. "Or maybe Tomoko Shimono?"

"I would suspect my dear sister Elizabeth," I said, "if I didn't know that she's not around to play that game. Lewis... I dunno if he ever dealt with the Consultant, or even knew who Westboro was, at least not ahead of the time I exposed Westboro."

"I'll tell the EAD about it." said Jack. "He may wet his pants if we get anything that shows Ms. Tomoko was behind it. He's got a bee in his bonnet about her. Anyway, there was another reason I came to talk to you. Washington is going nuts over the Samuel Russell indictment."

"Do tell." I said. "They gonna send him back home to face trial?"

"No." said Jack. "I've talked to Bill Nunn several times, and he and other Conservatives are really pushing it, openly demanding that Russell resign or at least return home and face the music. But a lot of Establishment Republicans are rallying around Russell, saying his wife's testimony proves he did nothing wrong, that it's a false accusation, and so on. Russell is all but threatening the Grassroots Senators, and Nunn is telling me that he is being pressured behind the scenes... the Republican Leadership is threatening to take away his Committee assignments, and not help fund his next campaign..."

"They're not going to support him anyway." I said. "Graham Collins, before he was murdered, was openly saying he was going to run for Nunn's seat. Ditto that for the late Mittens Willis. They'll find someone else... maybe Wilson Hammonds... to primary Nunn, but that's not for a couple more years."

"True." said Muscone as he got up. "Oh, just one more thing. There's still chatter that you and Laura are in danger. To say the CIA Director is worked up about what happened in France is the understatement of the year. You guys keep your heads on swivels."

"We will." I said. I knew that the security around my daughter's school was strong, but I made a mental note to do some extra checking on it.

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

"We've got two separate tips, both from C.I.s." said Captain Tanya Perlman as she drove into my office at 3:00pm, followed by Lieutenant Mary Mahoney Milton. "Drug shipments into the County. Three men on buses that are going to come into the bus station at midnight, each carrying a very full duffel bag."

"Good." I said, indicating for them to sit down. "These good C.I.s?"

"Yes sir." said Mary. "They've been reliable in the past, especially the one we call 'Tilden'. Not his real name, of course."

"Someone going to pick them up?" I asked. "And where are they coming from, do you know?"

"No sir, on any pickups." said Mary Milton. "It's the bus from the City. It will depart and go west, to Hammondsville and points beyond."

"How are you going to handle it?" I asked.

"We'll have an unmarked car follow the bus in when it crosses the County Line from Nextdoor County." said Tanya. "We could ask Chief Molly Evans to have an unmarked car follow at a respectable distance through Nextdoor County, if you wish."

"Yes, do that." I said. "But talk to her personally, not to anyone else. Okay, what else?"

"Bus passengers, once they check their bags, aren't allowed to access their luggage until they reach their destination. The bags will be unloaded and brought to a pickup point inside the station. If we get a warrant, we can have a dog sniff the bags as they're being unloaded from the bus. If the dog alerts, we can see who picks up the bags, and arrest them before they leave the station... with full 'probable cause' to inspect the bags."

"Precinct 1, eh?" I said, thinking to myself. "The Bus Station is at the corner of University Avenue and North Street, big intersection in the northeast sector of Town. I take it anyone inside the station and checking the luggage will be in plainclothes?"

"Yes sir." said Mary. "We've done these stings at the bus station several times, sir. Our guys know what to do." She was 'hinting' that I should leave her to handle it.

"I'll leave you to handle it, then." I said agreeably. "Give Captain Croyle and Precinct Captain Carswell a courtesy briefing, verbally, on the phone or in person, not via emails. And make sure the warrant is 'all good' before doing it, but get the warrant as late as possible."

"We've talked to Franklin Washington already, sir." Mary said. "He knows how to get the warrant quietly and with no leaks." That was another hint in my specific direction.

"Like I said," I said, "I'll shut my trap and let you guys handle it. Call me if anything goes wrong, or if there's a serious incident report generated." That usually happened if shots were fired or someone got hurt, which I hoped would not happen.

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

"Big one tonight, eh?" Cindy said, as she, Callie, and Teresa were eating nachos and drinking Coca-Cola Zero on the deck of the Cop Bar at 8:00pm, still Wednesday, September 26th. The sun was going down, and cool weather was creeping in.

"Yes, which is why I asked you to have this snack with me." Teresa said. "It's not likely, but if anyone is watching us, or me, they'll see us doing our normal routine."

"Why would anyone be watching us?" Callie asked, instinctively glancing around as she said it.

"It's our first big drug tip in a long time." said Teresa. "And secondarily, Tanya said that Jack is getting information that Don and Laura are still under potential threat. They're going to be at home and nowhere near this drug bust, but we need to keep our eyes open just in case."

"Must be hard, being under constant threat like that." said Cindy. "I mean, I know they're both used to it, and take precautions, but it still has to be worrisome for them. My father has very heavy security, but I still worry about him at times. And you, Teresa, have been shot and blown up saving my father's people and Don's daughter."

"And Don has been kidnapped twice, as well." Teresa said. "Laura says he's a lot more careful now than he used to be, especially about his kids's safety. But he says that worrying about it is mentally destructive, so he tries to keep things in proper perspective."

"No, he just relieves stress by going to Israel and jumping out of airplanes." Cindy said.

"Stoppit." Teresa warned.

"It's okay, baby." Callie said, squeezing Cindy's shoulder. "He'd have been more badly hurt if the Chief had let him participate in the Police Boxing Matches!" Cindy and Teresa both laughed out loud at that, and the mood became much better...

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

Midnight, becoming September 27th. Cindy got a text on her Police iPhone.

"It's from a burner phone." she said. "But I know that number... it's one of our C.I.s... Tilden."

"Why is he texting you?" Callie asked.

"I developed him as a C.I. years ago." Cindy said. "Sometimes he forgets and sends me texts. Oh wow..."

"What is it?" asked Callie.

"He says... an Asian woman was spotted at the BigAgraFoods warehouse, and there's a light on in there." Cindy said. "He said the girl looked like the porn star Asa Akira... which is what we put out when we asked the C.I.s to be on the lookout for Tomoko Shimono. She looks like Asa Akira..."

"Wow, let's go check it out." said Callie.

"We need backup, at best... oh, shoot. That drug sting at the bus station is in progress now." said Cindy. "Tell you what. Let's get dressed and go down there. If anyone's there, we'll call for backup. That place is supposed to be abandoned. And maybe the bus station thing is a distraction for this."

"Going to call Don, at least?" Callie asked as they got dressed, including putting on light armor.

"No, not if we're just going to drive by." Cindy said. "We can handle this..."

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

My body's internal clock works too well. Laura and I had gone to bed at 10:00pm, made love, and then gone to sleep. But as it neared midnight, my sleep became fitful and light. I knew the bus station drug bust was about to go down, and I halfway expected a phone call...

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

Yep... oh wait... that's Laura's phone, I realized. She answered, then said "No, that's fine, I told you to call as soon as you got something..."

I heard Bowser barking his canine head off, then heard Carole say "Hush, Bowser!" Bowser did not like hearing cellphones go off in the night.

"I'll check on them." I said as Laura took the call. I went to Carole's room. She was petting Bowser to calm him down.

"Hey Fussbudget. Hey Bowser." I said as I went into the room. Bowser's eyes showed considerable relief when he saw me. I helped Carole pet him for a moment, then said "Okay, back to bed, both of you." I tucked Carole in, kissed her forehead goodnight, then petted Bowser as he settled back into his basket.

Going back to the bedroom, Laura was still on the phone. "Okay, thanks." She disconnected, then looked at me and said "That was one of my friends in the Science and Technology Directorate. They ran that DNA scan you gave me... and got a match."

Part 6 - Declaration of War

Cindy was driving Callie's car. Both women were wearing black clothing, similar to what they'd worn on their escapade in the City that had led to the capture of Leon Mills. They eased down the side road that connected two larger roads in the Warehouse District, south of Downtown. Callie had her binoculars out and was examining the building. It was the BigAgraFoods warehouse, where the deadly chemicals had been discovered, and where Mitt Willis had made the fatal mistake of playing 'Music Box Dancer' as he threatened the Iron Crowbar.

"There's a light on in there." said Callie. "But I'm not seeing any movement."

"There's a back door on the other side." said Cindy. She drove the car back along the route they'd come, then took a road and parked in the lot of the building behind the warehouse.

"All right." Cindy said. "We'll see if that door is unlocked. If not, we'll sneak around the side and see if we can look inside any windows. If anyone is in there, we'll come back and call for backup, okay?"

"Gotcha." said Callie. "Got your tracking devices on?"

"I hope to hell we won't need 'em." Cindy said.

"Me too." said Callie. "Got your crowbar?"

"Always." said Cindy, holding up the green crowbar.

They got out and made their way down to the door in the back corner of the warehouse. It opened outward. Callie tried the door, and found it unlocked. As she turned to give Cindy a thumbs-up, she saw the movement behind Cindy. "Look out!" she managed to gasp out.

*ZAP!* *ZAP!* *ZZZZZZZTTT!*

Both women were hit in the back by TASERs. As the electricity coursed through them, paralyzing them, Callie saw masked persons converging upon them. She felt something on the back of her neck; she was being injected with a knockout drug. She felt herself being picked up and thrown through the door into the building, then everything went black...

To be continued.

What is happening? Have you figured out what the Iron Crowbar was seeing? Some answers next time...