Christmas in the County Ch. 01

I then reached into my coat and turned on the bug-killer, which caused our radios to go dead. "I do need to say one thing, though. Cindy would get mad at me if and when she thought I was holding something back from her. She didn't, and still doesn't, understand why I did that sometimes. And there are times I won't tell even you some things."

I continued: "The reason why is not a reason of trust, but a reason of 'plausible deniability'. You cannot be forced to tell what you do not know. And I fear that one day lie detectors will become so good that they'll be unbeatable... and will be admissible in Court."

I went on: "And I admonish you to think in the same terms: there may be times you need to do something that I am not going to want to know about, and should not know about. Feel free to keep those secrets, and follow the Japanese adage to only whisper about them into a deep well at high noon."

"Yes sir." said Teresa. "Thank you. And thank you for your trust in me. You have no idea what it means to me."

"I have an idea of it." I said. "I watched you go in there and save Carole."

"No sir." said Teresa. "It's more than even that."

"I am sorry to interrupt this," I said as I looked at the rear-view mirror then my driver-door mirror, "but we are being followed. Blue Toyota Corolla."

"I see it." said Teresa, looking into her door rear-view mirror. I casually made a right turn. The blue car made that same turn a moment later.

"Doesn't seem to be more than one car." I said. "I'm going to get onto North Street, then take University Avenue south. Get on the radio and have them picked off my tail..."

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

As we drove south on University Avenue, I saw in my rear-view mirror that a Police cruiser was pulling up behind the blue Corolla. Teresa was watching, too, and we were listening on the Police radio.

One 'interesting' thing about Police vehicles is that other motorists tend to slow down when they see them. So when the Corolla did not stop but sped up and zoomed past my Police SUV, it created a potentially dangerous situation.

The other Police cruiser gave chase, and I also hit the lightbar and sirens. "God damn, that car has one hell of a motor!" Teresa said as the Corolla sped south, towards the Bypass or towards Coltrane County.

"Let's see if they can match this." I said as I put the pedal to the metal. My SUV leaped forward as its powerful motor rumbled, with the TCPD cruiser lagging behind in the pursuit. I saw other Police vehicles enter the chase behind us, as well.

As we headed further south, the traffic cleared a little bit, and I knew I had to take decisive action now before we got to the Bypass. I heard Teresa say into the radio "All units, be advised that we are executing a PIT maneuver." I sped up as if to pass or get alongside the fleeing vehicle, then I swerved to hit the Corolla on the left rear side. The car could not hold his position, and the rear of his vehicle fishtailed to the right. I pressed the attack, the front of my vehicle ramming the left rear door of his, and pushing him off the road into the shallow ditch next to it.

"We don't have armor on," I said to Teresa, "so stay behind the doors until the others arrive." With that, we opened the doors and pointed our weapons at the Corolla just as the chase Police vehicle arrived. Officers Johnson and Burrell, who had on armor vests over their uniforms, approached the car, yelling at the suspect to show his hands. He did not, but they got to the vehicle and forced open the driver side door, then dragged the woozy driver out and to the ground, affixing handcuffs to him...

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

I walked slowly into Interrogation-1, pretending to read the contents of the file folder in my hand. With me was Commander Teresa Croyle. The Uniformed Presence was Officer Lisa Burrell, who had effected the arrest.

"Well, what do we have here?" I said as I sat down. "Joey Dalton. Long rap sheet, here Joey. But we really should call you 'Dull'-ton... this is one of the most boring sheets I've ever read. So tell me something, Dull-ton... why are you raising my Police Force's blood pressure with that car chase today? Especially this close to Christmas."

Dalton was white, tall, broad-shouldered, head full of dark brown hair, and handsome in a 'bad boy' kind of way. But even if he was wearing a suit, once could tell he was a small-time loser.

"I'm on parole." mumbled Dalton, who might not have been fully over that car crash I'd provided him. "If I got caught with any drugs you cops planted on me, I'd go back to jail."

"And running from Police is not going to do that for you?" I asked acerbically.

"Not if I don't get caught." said Dalton. "Not if I get away."

"I see." I said. "And those bags of meth and coke we found in your car aren't yours, I'm betting you'll say?"

"No." said Joey. "I'm clean. I've met every meeting with my Parole Officer, and passed every drug test. You check with him, you'll see!"

"Oh, we will." I said. "So why were you following me?"

"I wasn't following nobody." said Dalton.

"Hmmphf!" I snorted. "He says he wasn't following us." I then stood up and leaned over him. "Now you listen up, Dull-ton, and you listen good. The one thing that really pisses me off, I mean really pisses me off, is when someone treats me like I am stoo-pid. Do you really think I did not see you following me in a big circle through Town? Now one more time, one last chance on account of it being the Christmas season and all... why were you following me?"

"I want a lawyer." said Dalton. "I ain't answering no more of your questions without a lawyer. I want my arraignment." He was sobering up, I could tell.

"So be it." I said. I got up to go, as did Teresa. I said to her loudly enough for Dalton to hear: "Contact the DEA. This bozo has Federal priors; let's turn him over to them instead of an arraignment in local Courts."

"Sounds like a plan." Teresa said.

"Wait!" Dalton called out, suddenly looking very scared. But I did not. I walked out of the room.

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

Federal Marshals came and took Joey Dalton into custody within the hour, transporting him to wherever the DEA wanted him to go. Meanwhile, Teresa, Tanya, and I sat in my office.

"He wanted an arraignment." I said. "In other words, he wanted to be in front of Nance, so Nance could release him, and then he could bolt for the State Line. He truly does think I'm stoo-pid."

Teresa said "When you mentioned the DEA, he got scared, and he wanted to talk. Why did you walk out?"

"Because it was pointless to keep talking." I said. "He'd asked for a lawyer, so either he or we would have to get him one, and that would take a ton of time. And then he'd string us out, not giving us anything worth a crap, while his attorney would be outright sprinting across Courthouse Square to Nance."

Teresa nodded. "I agree with you, but this is why no one can match your interrogation skills. You know when to hold 'em and know when to fold 'em."

"So why was he following you?" asked Tanya. "And more importantly, for whom?"

I said "Maybe for Nance. Maybe for Carmela. I don't know who else would want to keep tabs on my movements."

"The Press." said Teresa.

"Ehhh... if they wanted to follow me, they'd just do it themselves." I said. "And one more thing about that guy: he wanted us to think he's a bum, but he wasn't. Not by a longshot. My bet is that he's a mid-level soldier for someone..."

Part 5 - Free Speech For (Almost) All

"This is Bettina Wurtzburg, KXTC Channel Two News!" shouted the redheaded MILF reporterette at 7:00am, Monday, December 23d, from the top of the building on the corner of Riverside and College. "Violent demonstrations have led to poor Christmas sales!"

Bettina began: "After violent demonstrations by pro-Christianity groups last week, area businesses are reporting poor seasonal sales relative to the past several years. While some blame online sales taking away business, many blame Police Commander Donald Troy's failure to stop and arrest the violent demonstrators as a major factor in the economic malaise gripping our County. And now let's go to trusted reporter Lester Holder for the Midtown report. Lester!"

"That's right, Bettina!" shouted Lester Holder, with a backdrop of the State Capitol behind him, which was really a green screen in the studios. "Legislators and Social Justice groups condemned deeply unpopular Governor Val Jared for giving a Christmas message from the Governor's Mansion as well as participating in the lighting of the State Christmas Tree on the grounds of the Governor's Mansion. Other religions and Atheist groups called the Governor's actions 'insensitive to other religions' and 'hateful to those who do not practice Christianity'. Governor Jared did not return multiple calls for comment on his hateful actions. Back to you, Bettina."

"Thank you for that important story, Lester!" Bettina said as she was shown on the screen again. "And Courthouse Square will be shut down tomorrow afternoon and evening, as it was rented out by the County to a private group, which calls itself 'The Guardians Group, LLC'. The reason on the application said that the rental was for a 'Free Speech Rally'. The group 'Citizens for Secular Atheism' had a warning for The Guardians Group. Roll tape."

Tape rolled, showing some smarmy college student with a thin beard, whining "We will not tolerate Christian practices on Government-owned property! Any attempt to have a Christian service or concert on these grounds will be stopped! Judge Harry Nance is ready and willing to help our cause with Judicial Orders to suppress Christians from flouting the law on Government property!"

"Even if it's rented out?" Bettina had asked.

"That doesn't matter!" shouted the whining young thug. "And we will do whatever it takes to stop any Christian practices here!"

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

"So much for Freedom of Speech, eh?" Teresa asked as we drank coffee in my office.

"Those groups love Freedom of Speech." I said. "Until it's Conservative or Christian free speech, then they will use violence to stop it."

"Think they'll be a problem tomorrow night?" Tanya asked.

"I almost hope so." I said. "But seriously, I don't think they will be, when they see what they will be up against."

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

"We can't act until the Fascist Christians actually do something." said Josh Daschle, as he met with the Citizens for Secular Atheism in a conference room next to the office of Professor Lionel Carmela on the University campus. "But Judge Nance will be ready to receive my lawsuit, and he'll issue an immediate injunction. And then the Town & County Police will have no choice but to shut it down."

"But if that filthy SS Stormtrooper, Donald Troy, refuses to act," said Dr. Carmela, "Judge Nance will have the State Patrol ready to come in and shut it down... and make a lot of arrests. It'll be a great day, shoving a crowbar up the asses of those God-damned Jesus Freaks!"

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

Over the weekend, the word had slowly gotten out about the Free Speech Rally on the Square on Christmas Eve. The word was getting out, and I had hopes of strong attendance, as long as it didn't get shut down ahead of time. However, many black leaders put out word that blacks should not attend, that Judge Nance's intent in shutting down the concert for White Christians was the right thing to do.

But Dr. Joseph E. Williams of the A.M.E. Church told his congregation that Children of all races were called to attend, in the name of Free Speech for them as well as for 'white folks', as he called them. And Eldrick X. Weaver, in a speech to the Black Business Council, said that black children got cancer, too, and their support was needed.

So now, on Monday the 23d of December, I put my last puzzle piece in its place...

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

"Five-OH!" the man behind the bar shouted. "Five-Oh in the House!"

"I smell pork." said the man sitting in front of the bar.

"Yeah you do." I replied as Sheriff Griswold and I walked up to the bar. We were in 'Rhythms & Rap', T-Square's main club, and his offices were upstairs. "We want to talk to T-Square."

"Oh, just like that, huh?" said the man in front of the bar.

"Just like that." I said. "Go tell him the Iron Crowbar is here... with the County Sheriff."

"Don't bother." said T-Square himself, coming down the stairs. I still did not understand how he could see through those shades he was wearing indoors. "If it ain't the Iron Cracker himself, and he even brought the Old Man." T-Square then shook the Sheriff's hand and they exchanged a man hug. "Sheriff, why you hanging out with this Cracker, huh?"

"Same reason you're glad to see him." said Griswold without batting an eyelash. T-Square grinned at that, and the Sheriff said "Let's talk."

"We can talk at the back tables here." said T-Square, leading us into a back alcove, where the all-glass walls gave some light, even though everything was tiled in black and chrome. We sat down at a small round table. "So why did you come in today, Iron Cracker?"

"To congratulate you on the success of your new, clean businesses." I said.

"Mighty white of ya." T-Square said.

"And to ask you something." I said. "You participated in the Christmas concert last year. But Judge Nance shut it down this year."

"Yeah." said T-Square, his voice almost a whisper. "That boy Nance ain't right. Oh, he talks the shit, acting like he cares about the plight of the black man. But let me tell you something, brother Griswold... if the Left ever gains power, then Nance will be the first man with a bullwhip in his hands, laying it on the back of the black man."

"I am the choir." said Griswold. "You are preaching to it. And that's why we're here. The Iron Crowbar here is hosting a 'First Amendment Rally' tomorrow. We know the BTW High Drum Corps was going to help you with 'Little Drummer Boy', and I'd hate for all that practice to go to waste. So why don't you and they show up and perform at the rally?"

T-Square leaned back and grinned a toothy grin. "And why won't that cracker Nance shut this one down, too?"

"Oh, he'll try." I said. "And he will fail. Those Cancer Kids, they want to sing, and they're going to. And they want to see and hear the legendary rapper T-Square perform, as well. So what will I be telling them?..."

Part 6 - A New Meaning

Pre-dawn, Tuesday December 24th. Christmas Eve.

I stood on the back deck of The Cabin, overlooking the twinkling lights of the Town as the dogs went around to do their business. A second later I heard the door open, and my firstborn child appeared.

"Hi Daddy." Carole said happily. "Are you ready to go see Trrreesa?"

"I can see that you are." I said, noting that Carole was dressed and ready to go. She was wearing white denim jeans and a white heavy sweatshirt with an embroidered Clan Troy icon on it, front and back. She was also wearing her necklace with the Airborne wings charm on it. Daughter of a Paratrooper, ready to go see another daughter of a Paratrooper.

I was wearing black jeans and a black sweatshirt with the Clan Troy icons embroidered upon them. They had been early Christmas presents from Teresa and Todd.

After getting the dogs back inside, Carole and I got into my Police SUV and drove to the cemetery. As expected, there were fresh flowers on Amy's grave. Carole added her small bouquet to it, and we headed to Ward Harvester Park.

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

Teresa Croyle was was wearing all white, including white jeans and a white sweatshirt with the icon of Clan Troy on it. She was sitting Japanese-style on a towel on the ground in front of the statue at the place in Ward Harvester Park where she and Carole Troy had survived the insidious attack by a reporter and a politician two years before. Two years! Seemingly such a short time ago... and such a long time ago...

The statue of two angels at the spot had been created to look like Teresa's sister Alexis and her ward Amy. As she sat and remembered them, she seemed to feel their presence as the wind and the cold surrounded her, and she thought she heard Alexis whispering "Now is the time... you will find the truth..."

And then she was back, and she realized she was not alone. She looked over her left shoulder towards the entrance to the Park, to her south. Two figures were sitting there, patiently waiting. She waved them over, but only one of them stood up and moved towards her.

"Hello, Aunt Trreesa." said Carole, coming up to her and bowing formally. "Please ex-cuuse me for dis-trrrbing you."

"You are not disturbing me. I'm glad you're here." Teresa said. "Come, sit down by me." Carole came forward and knelt to Teresa's left. Teresa reached out and pulled Carole to her, so that they were close together.

"Why didn't your dad come up with you?" Teresa asked.

"He said this was our place and time, and he didn't belong here with us. So he stayed back." Carole said.

"He came and got us that day." Teresa said. "So he has every right to be here."

"No, it's best he's not here now." said Carole. "It's easier to hear your sis-ter if he's not here."

"What's my sister saying?" Teresa asked, somewhat amused, but not for a minute disbelieving what she was being told.

"That you're going to learn what happened to her before next Chrisss-mas." Carole said. "And you'll avenge her like you did Amy."

"Oh..." Teresa gasped. She began concentrating, trying to hear through the noise.

"Just breathe." said Carole. "And stop thinking. Let it all go." Teresa did so, and thought she heard whispers in the wind. But she couldn't make them out.

*Do you hear what I hear?*

Teresa did hear the music, but it seemed diffuse in the wind. After several minutes of meditative contemplation, she said "Who taught you that about breathing, and clearing your mind?"

"Uncle Harvey Eck-hart." said Carole. "And Daddy does it all the time when he's sitting on the back deck."

Teresa nodded. "So that's his secret. Okay, then, are you ready to go home and have breakfast?"

"Yes." Carole said. "If you are."

They stood up and bowed correctly to the statues and the Spirits they represented, then began walking back towards the lone figure still kneeling at the entrance.

*Do you hear what I hear?*

Teresa heard it clearly that time. "Do you hear that?" she asked, looking around.

"Yes." Carole said. "Daddy's playing music on his iPhone again. He won't admit it, but he's very excited about this Chriss-mus rally."

"I think we all are." Teresa replied.

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

At noon, City Hall shut down. Workers appeared and began erecting a stage that extended the portico over some of the steps, but not nearly as much as the stage for the Medal of Valor ceremonies and Swearing-In ceremonies. And there was a gap to allow people to use the stairs in the middle to get to the top.

Lights were being brought in, large LED klieg lights that had multi-color lighting, as well. (Yes, your author did attend the Georgia-Notre Dame game and saw that spectacular light show!)

As I watched the wiring for the sound systems being put in, Sheriff Griswold came up to me. I still had on my black 'Clan Troy' garb on, underneath the ubiquitous trenchcoat. Sheriff Griswold was wearing a tan (Sheriff-uniform-colored) sweatshirt with the Clan Troy icons, along with black jeans.

"It's looking good, Crowbar." he growled.

"Yes sir, it is." I said. "And we'll know for sure at 5:00pm if it's going to happen."

"You are fooling no one, Crowbar." growled the Sheriff. "It's going to happen. And I'm ready to stop that bastard Nance in his tracks if he----"