Centuries Ch. 03

Teresa nodded. "Yeah, Kenny said he loved Alexis, and wanted her to marry him... well, I think he just wanted her, but she wanted no part of him. And remember, back then girls around here got married out of high school, and I think that's all Alexis wanted... to find a husband and have babies. But she sure as hell wasn't going to marry Kenny. And my father was the one man Harmon couldn't bully around and literally force a shotgun marriage for his son with Alexis."

"Which would've given him some kind of power over your father, too." Cindy said.

Teresa nodded. "Like I said, I don't remember everything about all that... and I don't really want to."

"Let me ask this." said Sheriff Griswold, to move the conversation to something else. "Who sent Muscone's brother here all those years ago? And don't say 'no data yet'."

Everyone chuckled and I smiled as I said "Okay, I'll take an 'edumacated' guess: Brendan Chapel, the current DNI in Washington."

As everyone gasped, I continued: "Chapel has been spinning his webs for years. He had corrupt connections to BigRoadAndRail even then, and may have worked with Harmon Belton to hurt the Midwest & Pacific's interests in this area. When I see Fenton and Cox here, and Robin Isley sending Lindsey Black here to get Teresa out, all roads point back to Chapel. And a hundred million dollars is certainly a prize that Brendan Chapel would drool over."

Alison McFarland added: "It also explains why Isley and Black tried to keep Teresa away then take her out without killing her. My dad says they really aren't killers, like some of the others you've encountered."

"I'll say this, though." I replied. "Robin Isley and Brendan Chapel are two people upon whom I hope my life never depends..."

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

We packed up to go. Admiral Cordell invited us Town & County folk to fly home with him on the Navy executive plane that had brought him. Teddy Franklin would use the BOW Enterprises plane to return to the Town & County in a few days. The FBI Agents would use their plane to deliver Eduardo Escobar to San Antonio, Texas, then Muscone and Jenkins to the City.

The Navy plane was very nice. There were seats facing tables as well as 'normal' airplane seats. Sheriff Griswold and I were in 'normal' seats, supervising while 'resting our eyes', as taught us by the redoubtable Buddy at home. Cindy and Teresa were talking around the table with Dr. Cordell, and I was following Carole's bad example by surreptitiously listening to conversations that did not concern me.

"Dr. Cordell," Teresa asked, "how come you never got married?"

Dr. Cordell said "Well... I could tell you my Navy career came first, but that's not really true. Truth is..."

He paused, then began pouring out his story: "Not too many years after I completed medical school and was at Bethesda, I met a woman. She was a little bit older than me, and she was the most beautiful woman I'd ever seen. We began dating, and we had a relationship you kids would call 'hot'." Cindy chuckled and Teresa smiled at that.

Adm. Cordell: "I was being transferred to a hospital in Europe, and I asked her to marry me and come with me. She refused, and admitted for the first time that she was in the CIA, and had her own career path along those lines. I was hurt she'd rejected me, but I was far more hurt she hadn't told me from the get-go that she was in the CIA."

"Did you ever see her again?" Cindy asked, and I could tell by the tone of her voice that she was getting a vibe about something. "What was her name?"

"Her name doesn't matter now. She died a few years ago." said Cordell. "I heard she got married some years after she left me, to a CIA Officer, and that he was one of the names betrayed by Aldrich Ames, and was captured and executed by the Russians."

"Sad." Teresa said solemnly.

"I also have to admit..." continued Dr. Cordell, "her being in the CIA and the secrecy and dishonesty was one reason I turned whistleblower when I discovered their illegal operations in Afghanistan and exposed them. I was trying to patch up soldiers that were in the meat grinders of war, though nowhere near the meat grinder that was Viet Nam, and the CIA was there ginning up things for their own interests."

Cindy said, very quietly, thinking I was asleep, "Don't tell Don that. Laura was in the CIA for decades." Cordell nodded and said nothing more. But it was Teresa's vibe that struck me... she knew what I knew, about what had happened in an underground room below University Hospital... and the lengths that CIA Officers would go to in order to achieve their goals... (Author's note: 'Secrets'.)

Part 16 - Truth and Consequences

"Mommy!"

That wonderful sound was made by little Betsy when she saw her mother Cindy come in the door of her condo. Callie put Betsy down, and the toddler waddled over to give and receive very warm hugs.

"Hey, how's my girl?" Cindy said, picking up Betsy and coming over to sit down on the sofa. "And how's my big girl?" she asked Callie, who grinned and then kissed Cindy.

"We're good." said Callie. "Things in California are going well. How did things go in Teresa's hometown?"

"Crazy... as usual when we go out there." said Cindy, then, not shirking what she had to say, said "And there's something I need to talk to you about, after we put Betsy to bed."

"You go ahead and do that." said Callie. "I'll make us some drinks."

"Light wine for me." Cindy said, causing Callie to glance at her as Cindy took Betsy to Betsy's crib. Mother and daughter 'talked' as Betsy was put in her pajamas, then Cindy sang to Betsy as the little girl quickly fell asleep.

Coming back into the main room, Cindy sat down next to Callie, who said "So, being around all you Detectives has rubbed off on me. Something happened out there."

"Yes." Cindy said. "Tim Jenkins went there with Jack Muscone, and... Tim and I hooked up."

"Just a one night stand?" Callie asked. "Or something more?"

Cindy said "I don't know. I honestly don't know." She took Callie's hand and said "Callie, I love you and want to marry you and be with you forever. And I've been a 'committed' lesbian all my life... I ran away from home because my Canadian parents did not accept my orientation..."

"And there's a 'but' coming here." said Callie.

"When Tim and I... it was more than just sex." Cindy admitted. "We made love, like I've never done with a man before. I wanted him inside me like nothing I'd ever felt before."

"I get it." Callie said. "And thank you for telling me up front, and being honest with me."

Cindy said "So... where are you with this?"

Callie said "Well... I let you go once, and I came back because I knew I didn't want to be without you. And I have no intentions of letting you go." Cindy nodded, tears in her eyes, and she wrapped her arms around Callie and hugged her tightly.

"I'm not letting you go, either." Cindy whispered. "I'm sorry..."

"Don't be sorry." Callie said, breaking the hug. "Look, I haven't exactly been monogamous... I made three porn films while I was in California last week... and I've seen how you and Tim Jenkins looked at each other. Laura saw it, too, and we talked about it. She and Don have their open relationship, and Laura says her and Don's love for each other is strong enough to make that possible. And I think our love will be that strong."

Cindy nodded. "And I do love you, baby." she said as she nestled into Callie's arms.

Callie said "We'll figure it out, just like we did when I first came back to claim you." (Author's note: 'The Other World', Ch. 04.) "Whatever the consequences, we'll figure it out..."

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

"Daddy!"

And that wonderful sound was made by my daughter Carole as I came into The Cabin. She ran up to hug my legs, followed closely by her sister Tasha. Usually I would bend over and 'hug' them by patting them on their backs. But tonight I knelt down and took each daughter into an arm, and we had a big group hug.

"Hey Fussbudget. Hey Little Love." I said. "Have you been good girls this weekend?"

"Yes Daddy." Carole said. "And I helped De-tec-tive Julia solve a crime, too!"

I led the girls over to their mothers in the greatroom, and sat down on the sofa facing the back windows, with Carole on my left and Tasha on my right... and a lap full of Buddy and Bowser on my belly and legs.

"Tell me about your case." I said as I petted Buddy and Bowser.

"Let Aunt Paulina tell you the dee-tails." said Carole.

Paulina said "After you left Friday, the TCPD got calls from several hardware stores and the Home Depot. They'd all been broken into Thursday night, but only one item or group of items was stolen."

"Crowbars!" Carole interjected.

"Yes." said Paulina. "Stephanie Steele had an appointment at the University, so I picked up Carole and Marie for her. They were in my office with me when Julia Rodriguez came in. We were talking about the case when Carole came over, and Julia showed her the video footage we'd obtained, showing two men in jeans, leather jackets, and black masks at each of the scenes."

Paulina said "They disabled the alarm systems at every location, went in, and came out with arms-full of crowbars, of every color the stores had, and put them in the back of a dark blue SUV. And that's when Carole made her deductions."

Carole said "I told them those guys were doing that to mess with you, Daddy. And that it was stoo-pid of them because messing with you is like messing with Sasquatch."

All of us adults laughed at that, causing Buddy and Bowser to look up at me. I said "So what happened?"

Carole said "I told them to look around County Air-port for the car, because once they figured out you weren't here, they'd try to go where you were."

"And she was right." said Paulina. "We found the car in the County Airport parking lot, and all the crowbars still in the back."

"Hmm, interesting." I said. "And that was good thinking on your part, Carole." I was remembering Gary Fenton and Gil Cox, who had shown up in Teresa's hometown. They could easily have conducted these burglaries to distract me, only to find out they were too late...

"Daddy," asked Tasha, wanting to be part of the conversation, "did you and Aunt Trreesa catch any bad guys on your trip?"

"We sure did." I said. "And we found the truth about some things, too, which is very important."

"Good!" exclaimed Tasha, leaving me wondering what was going on inside her little head...

Part 17 - The War At Home

"This is Bettina Wurtzburg, KXTC Channel Two News!" shouted the redheaded MILF reporterette at 7:00am, Friday, April 17th, from the rooftop of the building at Riverside and College, with the Federal Building in the background across Courthouse Square. "The US Department of Justice is taking aim at our Town & County!"

Bettina began: "The Civil Rights Division of the US DOJ filed over a dozen lawsuits around the country, including two in our Town & County. One is against Mayor Daniel Allgood, for alleged racist actions against Council Members Reginald B.F. Lewis, who is black, and Kelly Carnes, who is a woman. The other is against the Town & County Police, citing systemic racism in their hiring practices as well as chronic racist actions against People of Color in our County. Let's go to reporter Lester Holder for more. Lester!"

"That's right, Bettina!" said Lester Holder, from the parking lot of the 'Jasmine' jazz club, with a number of black persons wearing 'Black Lives Matter' and 'Black Voices Raised' t-shirts behind him. "The Civil Rights Division expanded their investigation and subsequent lawsuit against illegitimate Mayor Daniel Allgood..." The audience booed at hearing Allgood's name, then Penis Holder continued: "... by including complaints from Councilwoman Kelly Carnes that Allgood was not permitting her to speak at Council meetings because she is a woman!"

Penis Holder: "And the Civil Rights Division's complaint against the TCPD cites their total failure to hire minority and female Police Officers, assigning white Police Officers to patrol in areas populated by minorities, especially blacks, and failing to adhere to Federal guidelines on 'community policing'. The complaint was amended to include abuse and intimidation by Commanders Donald Troy and Cindy Ross, who carry crowbars and use them to intimidate minorities and women!"

In a surprise move, the screen suddenly split, to show Executive Producer Burt West at the KXTC studios on one side, with Penis Holder on the other side. "Lester," said Burt West, "is there anything more on the baby of Betty Morelli, which is believed to have been fathered by Don Troy while she was in his custody?"

Penis Holder smiled maliciously as he reported: "We're following leads on that, including attempting to get records from DFACS that will lead us to the child, so that we can tell our viewers who adopted that child, and demand a DNA test. However, those Government records are being denied to us under the flimsy claim that adoption records are sealed. We will continue to fight to learn the truth, and bring to the viewers what they have the right to know!"

Burt West: "Do you think the DNA test will show that Donald Troy is the father of Betty Morelli's baby, Lester?"

Penis Holder: "We need a DNA test to determine the truth, Burt. Remember that Donald Troy is well known to be a philanderer. He's sired one halfbreed child out of wedlock, when ADA Paulina Patterson betrayed her race and spread her legs for a white man and actually had a halfbreed child with him. Would Donald Troy impregnate a woman in his custody? That's what we need to find out, Burt."

Burt West: "Excellent work, Lester. Keep it up! Let's go back to Bettina Wurtzburg. Bettina!"

The feed came back, but no one was in front of the camera. It then went to color-bars-and-tone...

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

"Wow." said Captain Tanya Muscone as we drank coffee in the Chief's Conference Room. "Civil war, anyone?"

"What do you make of that, Crowbar?" growled Sheriff Griswold.

I just shrugged. "I'm speechless, Sheriff. I don't know what to say about that. It's a new low for KXTC, for sure."

"I have to give Bettina some credit." said Chief Moynahan. "It's obvious she didn't like it, and left the camera after Holder's racist reporrrrrt."

"Not me, Chief." said Commander Cindy Ross. "I'm not giving her one bit of credit, unless she resigns from KXTC in public protest of that... filth."

"She won't." Lt. Commander Teresa Croyle said flatly.

"Holder's racism is not why she walked off the set." I said. "My edumacated guess is that it was Burt West continuing to bring up Betty Morelli's baby, and outright saying I fathered the child, that caused her actions."

"Why don't we discuss something more pahhhh-si-tive." drawled the Chief. "Any word on your inheritance, Commander Croyle?"

"It's in the works, sir." said Teresa. "The DNA tests came back, and showed that I'm a Belvedere, through my mother. I now have an aunt I never knew I had, too."

"Are you going to reach out to her?" Cindy asked.

"I don't know." said Teresa. "My family... is here. Todd, the boys... and you guys..."

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

9:00am, Friday, April 17th. Teresa and I were in the Main Conference Room, in a videoconference with Arthur Blankenship.

"It's done." the lawyer said. "The judge passed off on it. They're sending all the papers to Judge Watts in your County, who is handling the setting up of the restructured trust fund."

"Thank you, sir. And for all you've done." Teresa said. After we disconnected and stood up, Teresa hugged me. "Thank you, Don. For all of this. It would not have been possible without you."

"Glad to be of help." I said. "We'll have a little celebration tonight, at The Cabin..."

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

10:30am, Friday, April 17th. Amber Harris ran out of the KXTC building into the parking lot. "What the hell are you people doing?" she yelled.

Commander Cindy Ross turned and said "We're going through your car. Unlock it."

"And if I don't?" Amber yelled.

"You'll go to prison for parole violation." the Parole Officer said.

"And we're going to search the car, no matter what." Cindy said. She held up the green crowbar that was in her hands. "You can unlock it, or I'll open it myself. Through the smashed-in window." Defeated, Amber unlocked the car. The Parole Officers tore it up, throwing everything out of the front seats, back seats, including the baby seats, and the trunk.

"What the hell is going on, here?" yelled Burt West as he came up to them, followed by a man with a videocamera.

"You better not be recording us." said Cindy.

"And what if I am?" snarled West.

"I'll arrest you, for filming Police Officers." Cindy said. "Oh, it doesn't matter. Let's go in and search Amber's desk."

"Where's your warrant?" barked West.

"I don't need one." said Cindy. "Your bitch here is on parole. I own her, and I don't need a warrant to search her home, her car, and her desk at her place of work."

"Bullshit!" West yelled. "You cannot come into KXTC without a warrant! We will have the right to shoot to kill you if you try."

"Oh?" Cindy replied as she took out her Police iPhone. She said into the phone: "I need fifty armed-and-armored Officers, and the full SWAT Team, to KXTC right now."

They arrived within three minutes. (You get the idea they were prepared and waiting?) They had subdued badges so that it was not easy to see individual badge numbers, and were masked under their helmets, so that their faces could not be seen.

They rushed into the KXTC City Room and forced everyone to lie down on the floor. "What the hell is this?" yelled Lester Holder. He was thrown hard onto the floor, and found the business end of an M-4 pressed into the side of his head.

"You're a traitor to your race." Holder snarled, seeing that the Police Officer that had accosted him was black. Because the Officer was masked, Holder could not see that he was Patrolman Kevin Buchannan, whose baby had been saved during its delivery by Commander Troy's wife. (Author's note: 'Believer', Ch. 01.)

He pulled out his service weapon and stuck it into Holder's mouth. "Say that again, faggot." Buchannan growled. "Go ahead, say it again. I'll blow your fucking head off!"

Meanwhile, Cindy (armed and armored, and masked) and the Parole Officers came in, forcing Amber to come along with them. At Amber's desk, the Parole Officers began looking through the drawers as Cindy forced Amber to lie on the floor, and an armored Police Officer put his gun to her head.

Cindy got impatient and said "Gentlemen, let me show you how to properly search this desk." She pulled out a drawer and emptied its contents onto the floor. Papers went flying.

Cindy looked to make sure there was nothing taped to the inner walls of the desk nor under the drawer, then she threw the drawer to the door with a *CLANG*, and went for the next drawer, emptying the files of papers, making a huge mess. Then she unzipped the cushions of Amber's chair, pulled out the foam pads and ripped them into pieces.

"Okay, nothing here... this time." she said. She went over to Burt West, who was standing near the door of his office, under guard, and said "And we'll be back any time we want to be. Any time I hear about Betty Morelli's baby on your network, I search Amber for drugs... and one day, I'll find some. And that'll give me probable cause to search all your desks, and I'll find a brick of 'China White' in your desk."

"Go fuck yourself, dyke." Burt West gutturally uttered. "We are GOING to destroy Donald Troy, and there's not a damn thing you can do about it."

"Vee shall see." Cindy said in her 'German' accent. "Okay guys, let's go!"