Dark Side of the Force Ch. 02

"That man is two steps from going over to the Dark Side." said Katherine Woodburn. "In fact...." she paused, then continued: "that may be our weapon against him: set something up so that he does something out of bounds, then swoop down on him and smash him!"

"I was stunned when I heard about that attempt by Ikea to find Oldeeds's killer's gun in the Chief's SUV." said Malone, changing the subject. "How in the world did that idiot get that hair-brained idea?" Wargrave said nothing, knowing that Malone didn't know the story at all, and never would.

"I don't know, but he got himself a trip to surgery for it." said Katherine Woodburn. "And the Governor has intervened to prevent Jack Lewis from investigating either Griswold or Troy."

"But Griswold has to retire." said Malone. "And that is very, very important for us."

"Okay guys," said Wargrave, to wrap up the meeting. "I'm going to start checking around with my sources. I agree with you that Nathan Allen has become a thorn in everyone's side. He's beginning to irritate me as much as the Iron Crowbar does." Oops, he thought to himself, that was a slip-up. But if the others noticed, they didn't show it, Wargrave observed silently to himself.

Part 11 - The Race Card

"This is Bettina Wurtzburg, KXTC Channel Two News! Channel Two News has learned that Senator Nathan Allen has made a remarkable comeback! Channel Two News Polls show that he is back to 44%, and the State Democrat Party has released funds to his campaign that had previously been withheld..."

"I'll never understand the voting public." I said out loud as I cooked breakfast for Laura. It was the morning of August 29th, almost football season. Laura had been discharged from the hospital after only three days there, including the day of the surgery, and I wondered if that was due to the abilities of the surgeons and staff, or the hardheartedness of the insurance company. At any rate, Laura was laid up in bed and would be for at least another week as she recovered. Her two classes that she taught were being started by Dr. Bonnie Karpathian.

My cellphone rang. After listening to the information, I said "Thanks, and thank you for calling." The phone call I had received was from a 'source', and the 'source' had told me that Harold Malone's campaign intended to unleash the 'race card' against Daniel Allgood over the Labor Day weekend. It was time to set my own plans in motion: two could play the race card game.

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"Okay, are you guys good with this?" I asked. It was 10:00am. In Classroom 'E' with me were Lt. Cindy Ross, activated SBI Reservist Molly Evans, Detective Theo Washington and one other officer. His name was Eugene Graham of the Southport Police Department. He had replaced Theo Washington as one of Southport's SBI Reservists, and was activated as such now. He was black, slightly lighter-skinned but larger than Theo, and had been a very, very good undercover narcotics cop for years. He'd volunteered to work with us.

The Chief (and therefore the Governor), SBI Deputy Director Tom Conlan, and SBI Inspector Maxwell all knew about the sting we were about to do. We had a secret warrant under seal from Judge Rodney K. Watts, authorizing it. Myron Milton was making sure that Internal Affairs listening devices were rendered inoperable.

"I'm ready to go!" said Eugene Graham enthusiastically. Everyone else nodded.

"Okay, it's 'Go' time." I said. "Theo, help Eugene get wired up."

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The black man wearing an A/C repair uniform and carrying a box of tools entered the Hyatt Hotel on the northwest corner of Town at 2:00pm that afternoon. He rode the elevator up to Room 429, the room assigned by the County Democrat Party to Harold and Madelyn Malone. Malone was speaking to a crowd at the Hotel later that evening. They'd just been seen leaving the hotel.

Once in the room, Eugene Graham set about planting listening devices in the lamps and a a flower pot, and was trying to set up a tiny camera in the window right above the A/C unit.

Suddenly, the door opened.

Eugene had the presence of mind to quickly kneel, as if he were working on the A/C as Harold and Madelyn Malone entered the room. They had come back inside and gone up the back way after Malone had noticed just a couple too many A/C repair vans in the Hotel parking lot. Madelyn was wearing a summer dress and high heel pumps that accented her big breasts and nice figure and legs.

"Who the fuck are you?" Malone thundered as Eugene turned his head to look around.

"Repairman." he said. "I was sent up to look at your air conditioner." He was about to get up when Malone stepped up to him quickly. Malone had drawn a concealed .357 Magnum revolver from his pants pocket, which had been his backup service weapon. He put it in Eugene's earhole.

"Put your hands on your head, nigger." Malone ordered. Eugene complied, still on his knees, his face showing fear. "My dear, it looks like we got us a nigger, here." said Malone.

"Yes, dear." Madelyn said, standing next to her husband, hovering over Graham, speaking her words with clarity and emphasis. "Why... he tried to rape me."

"Did he now?" snarled Malone. He cocked the revolver. "Trying to have sex with my white wife, nigger? Well, I think I'll just shoot your coon ass right now..."

To be continued.