Cool For The Summer Ch. 01

"I'm not running for political office." I said, a bit strongly. "And none of my children have committed a felony crime, at least that I know of."

"I was just going to say," said Paulina, though with some trepidation in her voice, "that it's the Media's cover for both Stensons that's the unethical and embarrassing behavior."

I said "What I noticed is that the Media, and Bettina in particular, feel the need to use adjectives in reporting on those Williams/Silas race results. Bettina called them 'false claims' every single time she mentioned them, and she went out of her way to repeat her lie."

"If Commander Ross were in here," Teresa said flatly, "she'd say that we'll never know."

"And that's my point." I replied. "The Media is repeating it over and over and over again that there is only one side to that story, when we know there's the other side. The Media takes time and effort to attack and ridicule anyone who dares say out loud that there is even a possibility that there was election fraud."

I went on: "Just imagine if there were a Presidential Election where there was clear and obvious fraud, and it was very likely that Election was stolen from its rightful winner... and rather than reporting facts and both sides of the argument, the Media attacks anyone not in jackbooted lockstep with their one-sided view, that dares oppose their view in any way. And that's why I believe the Media is the greatest threat to our Constitution and our Individual Freedom today."

Teresa said, meaning it humorously: "Commander Ross would say that could never happen here in America." I don't think she expected to see my face turn as red as my crowbar.

I did keep my voice calm as I said "Commander Ross can run back to Canada. It's the rest of us that will suffer the consequences of the Media's dishonesty. Inga Gunddottar, Ellen Brooks, and our Police Force has been paying the price of the Media's constant lies and agenda-driven reporting all summer. And one day... it could lead to civil war."

"Strong letter to follow." growled Griswold as he got up. He stopped us from getting up out of respect, and said "You young whippersnappers get back to work, and I'll do the same with a little visit to the EMS Headquarters across the street." With that, he made his goodbyes and left the office, and ultimately the Headquarters Building.

"Uhhh, was he upset?" Teresa asked after having made astute observations of Our Sheriff.

"I think maybe we should not bring attention to the political differences between Ms. Ross and myself." I replied. "That's the main reason the Chief stopped having coffee klatches in his office, and the Sheriff is a good Detective that can still make solid observations and deductions..."

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

At 10:00am, FBI Special Agent In Charge Jack Muscone and Assistant Special Agent In Charge Karina White appeared at my doorstep. I had them sit down and provided them with much needed coffee. I refilled my own mug with coffee, as well.

"So," I said, "what's going on with my two favorite Federales?... now that Laura's retired, of course." The Federal Agents chuckled politely.

"We do have some developing news." said Jack Muscone. "We've been glancing into Teresa's cousin Jen Sakai." (Author's note: 'Sugar and Spice'.) "As you know, her ex-husband is a Japanese national that was caught spying for the Communist Chinese. Jen may have been involved in that, but we've found a bit more."

"Illegal whisky trade?" I asked. Jack's eyes just about bugged out of his head.

"How do you do that?" he gasped. "Or have you been looking into her, as well?"

"Not really." I said. "But I'm the little brother of one of the best smugglers in the entire world, and I realized that the Belvedere Clan had sugar plantations in Louisiana, some of which they still own at least part of. And their cookie dough recipes are just begging to double as mash bills for making whiskies. Japanese whisky was really popular a few years ago, though the frenzy has abated somewhat. Put that all together, and you have a potentially lucrative market for the Japanese Yakuza to delve into."

"You're on the right track." said Muscone. "And further along, the DEA and their Japanese equivalent believe that that whisky trade may be a front for smuggling drugs into Japan, again with Jen Sakai and her confederates doing a lot of the smuggling."

"I would not be surprised." I said. "But I'll be curious to learn why she's risking all that, when she comes from a wealthy family and could just sit back and twiddle her thumbs."

"We have something on that, too." said Karina. "The Belvedere family isn't as wealthy as they appear to be on paper. Teresa's aunt Clarissa owns the family home and estate, and she was well-served by whoever set up the trust funds for her. She gets a good stipend once a month, though the house and its bills and taxes drain a lot of it."

"And her kids mooch off her, too, from what I've heard." I said.

"True." said Karina, "though those expenses aren't too bad. The problem for her is that she also has variable life insurance policies that she can take loans against, if and when she needs an infusion of cash. And that's what her hanger-on kids have drained from her. She's been a little too generous with them, especially Colin and Wendy Esterson."

Karina: "And some of their chickens, as well as those of Jen Sakai and Robert Edwards, are coming home to roost. They're all in serious debt, for various reasons. But Clarissa is not playing around; she lets them live in her home, but she is not bailing them out."

"So I take it this is a joint DEA/ATF investigation. And you're working with the Japanese authorities on all this?" I asked casually... a bit too casually. And Jack Muscone noticed.

"To an extent." he said. "Yes, it's a joint task force being put together on our end. We're finding out stuff on this end, and giving it to the Japanese to work on their end. We've gotten some feedback, but not a lot, especially on the potential espionage and national security issues Oh... and there's one other thing: Takaki Misaki is ill."

"Oh no." I said, concerned. "Terminally ill?"

"Ultimately, though he could live for months, even a few more years." said Muscone. "But he's turning over more and more things to his son Nagamasa, who is already becoming the de facto head of all Japanese Intelligence. So there is urgency for Misaki to get this case wrapped up."

I nodded. "Okay, then. So... what's the other reason you're here?"

Karina grinned. Jack just shook his head and muttered "Four hundred years ago..." Then he said "We both know about that bug found in Tanya's wheelchair. Do you have anything new on it?"

"Why don't I call in the Officer in charge of that investigation." I said. I picked up the landline phone and asked Lt. Commander Teresa Croyle to favor us with her presence in my office. Within seconds she was seated between Karina and Jack, in a chair she'd brought in and put down where Tanya normally parked her wheelchair.

"Yes, sir, I was going to give you my report later today." Teresa said, which meant she had intended to give it to me when she and I were alone in the office.

"Speak freely in front of our friends, here." I said. "I know they won't say one word of what they hear. My office is 'Vegas' to them."

"Yes sir." Teresa said without smiling at the joke. "First let me tell you the background information, as well as some factual things we've found." I nodded, and Teresa continued: "In talking with Tanya, I'm finding that she is very rarely out of her wheelchair, even at home. The four most common occasions are when she is in bed, when she is in her 'Tank' at a crime scene, when she is at her weekly rehab at University Hospital, and when Todd's BOW Enterprises people are doing maintenance on it."

Teresa: "At home, she is almost always surrounded by family. On those rare occasions that Jack and all three of the kids are away, she usually comes to visit me, Cindy, you, or Christina Cho...and she's in her wheelchair at those times." I nodded.

Teresa: "When she's in her Tank, her wheelchair is almost always in her van, which she keeps locked. Still, it's usually unattended, and is among several Police vehicles while everyone's attention is on the crime scenes themselves. So that's a possible time, but there are reasons why it's not all that likely."

Teresa: "That leaves while she's at rehab, and during maintenance. And the story behind that is that there are six technicians that are assigned to the chair's maintenance in addition to other duties. All six have excellent records with BOW, no criminal records, and have Top Secret security clearances, which shows their integrity."

Teresa: "Still, I'm looking into them. Todd is helping with their BOW records, and I'm not going to discuss the investigation of their other finances in the presence of Federal Agents, however trustworthy, so sorry."

"I don't blame you a bit!" I said enthusiastically. Then, seeing Jack's 'not amused' look, I said "Just kidding. So are these six people eliminated as suspects?"

"Too early to tell, sir." said Teresa. "I'm also looking into what transpires at University Hospital while Tanya is in rehab. On most days she goes there, her wheelchair is in the rehab room. But on some occasions, one of the BOW techs will meet her there and do routine maintenance while she's doing rehab things. I was going to talk to you for guidance before I do anything, but one plan is to interview Hospital staff and employees... but they know me as a Board Member as well as being Police, so I might stir up some dust even in the innocent asking of questions."

Jack Muscone said "Anything at all on the possibility that any Federal Agents are behind this? If so, I am really itching to bust some heads."

Teresa replied "Not really, sir. She's usually in the chair when she's in contact with any Federal Agents, present company included. Nobody's name has stuck out, but on the flip side of that coin I can't positively eliminate anyone, either."

"Okay, good report." I said. "We'll talk more about what we'll do going forward. Keep looking into those six BOW employees, and we'll want to interview them, as well. But not until we have more data."

"You're not hauling them in now?" Jack asked. "Is BOW going to suspend them or anything?"

Teresa looked over at me, and I said "I'm advising against that, at least for now. If they're innocent, we'd be fucking them up for no reason. And one other thing occurs to me... we have to ask ourselves the question: 'who benefitted most from having that bug planted on Tanya's wheelchair?'. As of right now, I simply can't see how that benefitted any of the BOW technicians."

"Who does your fertile little mind think it benefitted?" asked Jack.

"My first thought, of course, is the Press." I said. "But it also depends on when the bug was planted. If it was planted while some of us were in Teresa's hometown last April, then it could have been people who knew the issues with the Black Community were about to explode, and wanted to know what we, the Police Leadership, were planning to do about it."

"Wait." said Karina White. "You're saying that all those black riots were deliberately created?"

"Absolutely." I said. "I sincerely believe that the Mainstream Media was behind most of the violence that occurred both here and all over our Nation!"

"But..." Karina said, not quite understanding, "they started when blacks were killed by Police, for the most part."

"True." I said. "But the Press has contingencies for these things. When some sicko shoots up a school, like what happened at Nextdoor County High," (Author's note: 'Schools and The Second'.) "the Press puts a pre-planned narrative in action: blame the gun, gin up 'groups' to demand more gun legislation... and that to confiscate guns from law-abiding citizens, not the bad guys... and so on and so forth."

Your Iron Crowbar: "The Press was a huge part of the Counterculture demonstrations and riots in the 1960's... though young whippersnappers like you, Karina and Teresa, won't remember that. And they were helping their beloved Soviet Union: the Russians even admitted years later that they were part of ginning up the anti-war sentiment in the Viet Nam era."

Your Iron Crowbar: "What they do is get a few people to go in and start up the angst, using the natural frustration for their purposes and concentrating the anger and hate until you see those large demonstrations, and ultimately violence. So when a white Police Officer kills a black citizen, for right or for wrong, there is genuine anger and frustration about it, but in example after example... from 'Ferguson', to 'Minneapolis', to 'Chicago', to 'Wilmington, Delaware' to 'Portland, Oregon'... it's been found out that the rage and hatred was first ginned up by paid agitators in full cooperation with the Mainstream Media."

Teresa said: "Well, you've got Don off and running on his favorite subject now. But he's right... I saw it myself in those demonstrations after the Nextdoor County High School shooting. Remember that during that crisis Democrats and their patsies stormed the State Capitol, damaging it. And the Wisconsin State Capitol was also attacked by Leftists because of their Republican Governor doing the right things. Remember that... especially if and when anyone storms the U.S. Capitol and the Press jumps to blame ALL Conservatives and Republicans for it."

Karina said "Come on, could that really happen?"

I said "You better believe it. When Benjamin Franklin was asked 'What have you given us?' when he came out of the Constitutional Convention, he said 'A Republic... if you can keep it.'. Our Constitutional Republic, with Government of the People, by the People, for the People, is a very fragile thing. It won't take too much Democrat abuse of power and stealing elections for people to rise up in defiance... and for the second American Revolution to begin. And that scares the living hell out of the Democrats..."

Part 4 - Contradictions

"This is Bettina Wurtzburg, KXTC Channel Two News!" shouted the redheaded MILF reporterette at 7:00am, Tuesday, August 11th, from the roof of the building at the corner of Riverside and College, with the State Office Building in the background. "State politics heat up as the Labor Day Holiday nears!"

Bettina began: "Democrat nominee for Governor Hoyt Stenson gave an interview to the SNN Networks, where Mr. Stenson outlined his proposals for sensible gun control measures. Candidate for Lieutenant Governor Corey Coons gave his views on Police brutality against People of Color. Roll tape."

Tape rolled, showing the elderly, white Hoyt Stenson being asked by Tim Sioban: "So your policy will be to force all the citizens that want to own guns to get a Government permit to buy them, to force them to register their firearms, and they will face felony criminal charges if they're caught with an unregistered gun? Isn't that just a first step towards confiscation of all guns from law abiding citizens?"

"Bingo!" Stenson said loudly, a huge smile on his face. "We're going to stop the sale of dangerous guns in this State, and we're going to find ways to confiscate people's guns."

"But what about Second Amendment?" asked Martha Faulkner of KXTC.

Hoyt Stenson: "I will be directing the State to join lawsuits that will force the Courts to properly interpret the Second Amendment as a protection of State Militias, i.e. State Government authorities, and not an individual right. Individual citizens owning guns is dangerous."

More tape rolled, showing the young(er) black, bald-headed Corey Coons shouting at a rally: "And Hoyt Stenson and I will not accept any Budget that does not fully defund the Police! We will also join the US DOJ Civil Rights Division in investigating Police Departments in this State that have physically abused People of Color as well as using the legal system to suppress their voices, and we will abolish those racist Police Departments!"

Back to Bettina live: "We have with us Karl Frazier of Public Policy Polling." A split-screen with Frazier came up. "Karl, what can you tell us about the State and local races?"

Frazier: "The race for Governor between Sharon Marshall and Hoyt Stenson is close. Ms. Marshall has a four point lead, 46-42%, with 12% undecided, with a three point margin of error. Corey Coons leads Ruby Russell 50-42%, again with a three point margin of error. And for State Attorney General, Republican Gil Krasney and Democrat Glenn Alberts are in a virtual tie, 45-45%, with the same margin of error."

Bettina: "What about the local races?"

Frazier: "In Reginald B.F. Lewis's Council district, Edgar Silas leads Republican Katina Jones by an 85-15% margin of respondents that expressed a preference. But in the overall, there is a whopping 30% of likely voters that are undecided. This may be due to Katina Jones raising the issue of the charges against Breonna Bryant, and successfully getting a meeting with the Town & County Police, showing she is capable of getting things done."

Frazier: "In the other contested Council race, incumbent Kelly Carnes has a 50-40% lead over newcomer businessman Bill Redmond. And in the most important local election for all, for Mayor, Eldrick X. Weaver leads incumbent Daniel Allgood by a four point margin, 44-40%, with 16% saying they are undecided or declining to state a preference."

"Thank you, Karl!" said Bettina. As the screen came back to her alone, she said "And tonight the Town & County Council will meet in public session. Channel Two News has learned that the Council will consider an ordinance requiring the Town Assembly to pass a Budget by November 1st. The new Charter, written by Commander Donald Troy and the Charter Commission, requires that the Budget be passed by Election Day, but states that an earlier date may be set by law. And now let's go to Jeff Hull for Sports. Jeff!"

"Thank you, Bettina!" said Jeff Hull, with the University football practice fields in the background. I could tell by the light that this was recorded and not live.

Hull: "The University and all the Conference teams began their summer camps last week. Bulldogs Coach Thrasher had a great recruiting year, and the Dogs are expected to compete for the Conference title. State Tech's recruiting class was not as strong, and their coach is said to be on the hot seat if things don't improve for the Engineers."

Hull: "And with Wildcats Coach Richmond retiring after suffering a mild heart attack, new Head Coach Erskine Marshall will have to find replacements for Heisman Trophy winners Jamaal Washington and Clarence Appletree, as well as a new quarterback. But they should be stout on defense with Davis Smith and Gregg Scott returning, and kicker Kevin 'Fear The Frames' Rodriguez is a candidate for the Lou Groza Award, given to college football's best kicker..."

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

"How did Bettina get back on the roof of that building?" asked Lt. Commander Teresa Croyle, as she, ADA Paulina Patterson, and Sheriff Antonio Griswold joined me for coffee in my office.

"The building owner filed a lawsuit over my 'health and welfare' inspection." I replied. "Judge Harry Nance issued a stay, so Bettina can go up there now. And I'm sorry to say that the County Attorney and the Mayor are already agreeing to pull the inspection in exchange for dropping the lawsuit. In Daniel Allgood's defense, he said Bettina falling off the roof would be a good thing, and I can't argue with that."

"Hear hear." growled the Sheriff.

I continued: "And Karl Frazier's report in that segment should be required viewing for all of our Detectives. Not for the politics of it, but to observe and deduce the nuances of his presentation."