Deliver Us From Evil Ch. 02

Father Romano: "When I heard the names of Fred and Ginger Thomas, I remembered that they'd had a promising young son that inexplicably went bad. I'm no Iron Crowbar, Commander, but I was a good Detective in my day, and I can still connect a few dots. And I think I know what is going on, what Messieurs Madden and Geiger were investigating, and who killed Mr. Madden."

I said with a smile: "I suspect you are still a very good Detective, Captain."

"Thank you, sir." said Father Romano. "And I want you... both of you... to know that if those rumors are true and being investigated, I will help you in any way I can. Yes, I've taken vows to the Church, but I have never considered them to supersede my Town & County Police Oath, and you---"

I held up my hand. "I do trust you, completely." I said, finishing the sentence and his thoughts for him. "And I don't know if Commander Croyle told you this, but I was going to have her bring you in, so that you hear this from me, and her, and not the filthy Media." Teresa shook her head; she had not yet told him.

I picked up the folders on my desk and put them down at the edge of the desk in front of him. Father Romano picked them up and began going through them. After reading most of the material, I saw him bow his head low, his chin on his chest, as if in shame. And then he grasped his rosary and Cross, and said a prayer in Latin.

Once done, he looked up and said "I am ashamed by this, and I would like to help in any way I can to remove this stain from my beloved Church."

"And I may need that help." I replied...

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

10:00am, Tuesday, August 3rd. I got a call from Inspector Britt Maxwell with some news.

"Hi Don," she said. "I just got the City Medical Examiner's preliminary report on those two decomposed bodies you found last night."

"Good." I said. "Were they identified?"

Britt: "Officially, not yet. The M.E. is trying to get Fred and Ginger Thomas's dental records. But he's extrapolated general height and weight characteristics from the bones, and they correspond to the Thomases's measurements. And it'll take several days for solid DNA analysis to come back, but early markers suggest one of them is Ginger Thomas."

I said "Where did he get DNA and comparative DNA?"

Britt said "When Kevin Thomas was incarcerated, he lost his rights, as do all convicted prisoners. They took cheek swabs from him and put his DNA profile in the State and National databases. And the bodies were preserved well enough to get some DNA from them, and a comparison of Kevin's profile to the deceased woman's shows her 80% or more likely to be his mother."

"I think that's good enough for Government work." I replied. "Could the M.E. tell how they died?"

"Gunshot wounds to the heads." Britt said. "Clear bullet holes in the skulls... and he speculates they may have been shot in the chest, and the skull wounds are coup de grâce shots, since they're at odd angles but consistent with a victim lying on the floor."

"Okay, that's good." I said. "Thanks for calling."

"Hold on, I have more." Britt said.

"Oh, sorry about that. Go ahead." I said.

Britt: "I got a call from Tony Long a few minutes ago. He said he doesn't want to call you directly, because the Feds might be conducting surveillance on him, you, or both. He said that the Feds are trying to cut off all access to records of Fred and Ginger Thomas, especially at the Federal level but even at the State level."

"Why am I not surprised." I said.

Britt: "Also, Tony did look up all the available information about the Fred and Ginger Thomas home. It was sold on the Courthouse steps to a realty company incorporated in Nevada, but he thinks it's just a shell company. That house is its only holding, and the shell company is not generating any money that he could find. But there are monthly deposits that cover the house's expenses and taxes."

"Good, thanks for that information." I said. "By the way, Britt, if memory serves me correctly, Anthony Howell is the Superior Court Judge in The City, David Herbert is the Federal Judge, Faye Dunlan is the State Attorney, and John Jones is my favorite U.S. Attorney. Are you on good terms with them?"

"Yes, good enough." Britt Maxwell said. "Why? You need me to talk to them?"

"I just might... I just might..."

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

10:45am. Teresa and I were in my office, discussing the case. She said "Father Romano seems to be holding up pretty well. He's in Mary Milton's office with her, and her first words to him were 'Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned.' So Father Romano will treat it with the sanctity of the Confessional. And what they're doing is finding out just what the Federal Government knows and what they're doing about it."

"It's pretty obvious." I said. "Father Romano gave us a huuuuge cluuuuue. The Pope is sick and probably dying. O'Leery is very possibly going to be elected the next Pope. The stakes couldn't be any higher for him, nor for the U.S. Government."

"Why the Government?" Teresa asked.

I said: "The prestige of having an American as Pope cannot be overstated. It reminds me of what went on behind the scenes of the Spassky-Fischer World Chess Championship in 1972. An international Cold War battle between the United States and the Soviet Union ensued over the prestige of being the best in the world at a simple little board game. So imagine what is going on to ensure an American papacy."

"I'll have to read up on that." Teresa said, perhaps a wee bit sarcastically. "And I get it that having an American Pope would be huge. But would they really try to help cover up serial sexual crimes and now murder?"

I didn't get a chance to answer. There was a soft knock on the door followed by it opening and Helena's lovely head sticking in. "Jack Muscone, EAD Lange, and someone else I don't know just went into the Chief's office."

"Thanks, Helena." I said. As Helena withdrew and shut the door, I said "Okay then, it begins..."

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

Moments later, Sheriff Griswold knocked on the door. "You two whippersnappers, come with me." We followed him to the Main Conference Room. Chief Moynahan was seated in his normal seat at the near end of the table. Jack Muscone was to his right, still standing, and EAD Owen Lange was to Jack's right. To the EAD's right was a youngish man we'd met before. He was Michael J. Parker of the Department of State. (Author's note: 'Big In Japan', Ch. 02.)

"Good to see you again, Commander." said Owen Lange, extending his hand. I shook it, making observations. The EAD looked tired, chronically tired. But I could see something else; he was not well, and possibly in a terminal kind of way. He said "You've met Michael Parker of the Department of State."

"Yes." I said as I shook his hand. "You came to notify us about the Takaki Misaki-sama. You remember Commander Croyle?"

"Yes, I do." said Parker.

"Let's all sit dowwwwn." suggested the Chief. I was guided to sit in my normal place to the Chief's left. Sheriff Griswold sat to my left, and Teresa a couple of seats down, where she could observe our visitors in a 'defensive' sort of way.

Owen Lange said "We're here to discuss a very important matter involving the State Department."

I admit I was a bit flippant when I said "Funny, I thought you were here to tell us to stop investigating the murders we've had and discovered yesterday, and that the Federal Government would be taking them over, even though murder is a State crime."

"Unless it's terrorism, or crosses State lines." said Owen Lange. "I won't try to trick you with a lot of bullshit nor molest you with pleas---"

"Ah, 'molest'." I said, interrupting. "An admirably exact choice of words, there. Wouldn't you agree, Mr. Muscone?"

Jack said "Yeah, it's getting around what this is really about. I understand why you didn't tell me, though I'm disappointed in the trust factor."

Teresa cut in, her voice bitter: "Don't go there, Jack. My husband and I have not forgotten Archie Brody, either."

That... was what we call a 'mic drop'. Muscone's beady black eyes showed some anger.

"Let's keep going, so as not to waste Mr. Parker's immensely valuable time." I said. "You have my undivided attention, Mr. Parker."

"Uh, thank you, Commander." said Michael J. Parker, being diplomatic. "What I've come to ask you, and to ask Alison McFarland and her people, is to not pursue the line of inquiry they'd been working on. I'm very sorry for the loss of Keith Madden, but what they were investigating could lead to a potential international incident with an ally to us. It could also affect our relations going forward, for years to come."

"So I should just drop it." I said. "I should just forget that a former TCPD Officer was meant to be killed by that same car bomb, but it just was not his day to die. I should just forget the two dead bodies we found last night, and why they were murdered. I should just sweep all this under the rug, like what has been done so many times before."

Michael J. Parker said "I know it's abhorrent, but as a Police Officer and a former Military Officer, you know that there are sometimes things greater than one's life. I don't say that lightly, either, but in this case country comes first, and it really is that big at the national and international levels."

"It's pretty big here at the State and local level, too." I said. And then I dropped the bomb: "But fortunately for you, I don't need to do any more investigating. So I leave it to you."

"What?!" Teresa gasped at my totally unexpected words. The Sheriff's mustaches were not twitching at all; he was equally stunned.

"Yes, Commander." I said to Teresa, to make sure she was reined in. "We do not need to investigate it any further."

Then I turned and let my eyes bore into EAD Owen Lange's as I said "Although I have to say... I do look forward to watching EAD Lange try to twist the law and his words into knots to justify the Feds taking it over... but I'm sure he'll find a way to get it done."

"Believe it or not," said Lange, "I'm on your side on this."

"Yezzz." I said. "Chief, Sheriff, if there's nothing else, I need to go get some work done."

"Go aheaaad." drawled the Chief. "You can go tooooo, Commander Croyle." Teresa wasted no time in following me out the door.

Back in my office, Teresa couldn't hold back: "What the hell?" she gasped.

I held up my hand and said "Don't say anything. Just listen to this." I fished out my personal iPhone and made a call. When it answered, I said "Alison... do it. Name the name. And you can take my name in vain, as well..."

Part 13 - Unresolved

"Here's what we know." Alison McFarland said into the microphone of her world-renowned podcast Unresolved at 1:00pm, Tuesday, August 3rd. This one was being carried live on KFXU Radio, KFXM Radio in Midtown, and clear-channel KSB in The City.

Alison began: "Yesterday, my colleague Keith Madden, who was employed as an investigative journalist for the Town & County Examiner Online, was killed when a bomb that was planted in the car he was in exploded. I'm here now to tell you why he was murdered... and who was behind his murder."

Alison: "It goes back as far as George Aurus, the Black Velvet Killer. Aurus was abused as a child and a young man. He ran away and joined the Circus... literally. While in that Circus, he found friends, men and women who had also been abused, many by the same man." (Author's note: 'Black Velvet', 'Power'.)

Alison: "This brutal man's insatiable sexual appetite led him to commit horrific crimes against many vulnerable tender-aged persons. These victims and their parents were afraid to speak out, as were their parents if the parents even knew. And any problems that came up were swept under the rug, because this man had, and has, tremendous power behind him... the power of the Roman Catholic Church."

Alison: "After George Aurus was killed in a hail of Federal Government gunfire, Commander Donald Troy was asked by the circus members to investigate the crimes committed by this incredibly evil man, and he promised that he would. He asked me and my investigators to help, and Keith Madden and our colleague Timothy Geiger began looking into it... and they found a trail of brutal crimes that led straight to that perp. And they finally got a case that was less than five years old, which is within the Statute of Limitations."

Alison: "Unfortunately, our Enemy became aware of our investigation. And they tried to stop the investigation by attempting to kill my colleagues. Tim Geiger survived..." Alison's voice started breaking as she said "... but Keith Madden didn't. Keith gave his life... to pursue and help stop the relentless evil... being perpetrated upon innocents."

Alison recovered herself, then said: "This case is now in the hands... of the Iron Crowbar, Commander Donald Troy, who is relentless in pursuing and capturing his criminal prey. He has made a promise to get Justice on behalf of this monster's victims, and both his friends and his enemies know it is a promise he will keep. As we give way to him, and end our part in the investigation, I have one final duty to perform on behalf of Keith Madden... to tell the world the name of this evil man, this spawn of Satan himself..."

"... Claude Cardinal O'Leery."

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

9:00pm, Tuesday, August 3rd. Still in our Police uniforms, Teresa and I went to the office of the manager on duty at the University Food Services main dining hall. "Hello, is Johnny here? Can we speak to him?"

"Is he in trouble?" the manager said sourly.

"Oh no, not at all." I said in as reassuring a voice I could muster. "In fact, we have some good news for him."

"He's probably in back, doing inventory." said the manager.

We went to the back storage area, where we saw Johnny, in a white Food Services jacket and black pants. Johnny had been an Wrangler Circus associate of George Aurus and had helped Aurus help young Jimmy in finding his dog Billy Beagle. (Author's note: 'Vengeance Is Mine') Johnny was also the blood father of little Sarah, who had become sick and died as Teresa sang to her. (Author's note: 'Centuries', prologue.)

"Commander Troy, Commander Croyle!" he said as he saw us. "I... I heard on the radio today. Is it true? Are you really going to get that bastard?"

"Yes. We've got him." I said.

Johnny's eyes filled with tears, and he whimpered. "I knew you'd do it. I knew you'd get him..." he said, almost overwhelmed.

"Don't thank me yet." I replied. "There's one thing we have to do first. And I'm going to need your help to do it. I need you to contact every Wrangler Circus person you can get ahold of, and get them to gather in The City. Here's what we're going to do..."

Part 14 - Sleight Of Hand

12:00 midnight, becoming Thursday, August 5th. Prison guards and Sheriff Deputies began trickling out of the employees gate of the State Prison in The City, located to the west-southwest of the Airport, just northwest of the notorious Badlands District.

A group of six Deputies wearing armor came out of the gate just as a black SUV with 'State Bureau of Prisons' logos on the doors pulled up to them. Three of the armored Deputies crowded into the backseat of the vehicle. It pulled away, followed loosely by another Sheriff's Department vehicle.

"Do you see any drones?" asked the driver... Your Iron Crowbar.

"No." said the Iron Wolf as she looked through the front windshield and side window. "Our escort vehicle is dropping back, and nobody else is behind us."

Teresa and I were wearing khaki Town & County Sheriff's Department uniforms, our ranks on our collars (in silver), and TCPD badges. Technically, we were entitled to do so, as every TCPD Officer was under the Sheriff and therefore technically Sheriff's Deputies. And Sheriff Griswold had authorized it, normally for occasions like Police Officers having to fill in at the Courthouse.

In the backseat behind Teresa was the guard that had dropped the Wrangler Circus card while we questioned Kevin Thomas. On the left side, behind me, was Johnny, the Food Services worker. There was no badge nor insignia on his shirt under his armor. And sitting between them, also in an armored vest and plain khaki shirt and trousers, was Kevin Thomas.

I had planned out this ruse to get Kevin into a blanket of protection before Cardinal O'Leery and the Swamp Frogs could implement their plans to assassinate him. Kevin was due to be released at 12:00 high noon, but technically he was eligible for release at midnight, and that's what I arranged to happen.

City District Attorney Ann Tish was virulently Leftist and anti-Police, so State Attorney Faye Dunlan was asked to go to the Bench of Superior Court Judge Anthony Howell to confirm the midnight release, which he did. She also arranged for Kevin to appear before the State's Grand Jury and testify first thing in the morning. U.S. Attorney John Jones went to Federal Judge David Herbert and obtained what we needed, including arranging for the Federal Grand Jury to convene at the State Court building, so that Kevin could testify before them immediately after his local testimony.

"Where to now?" Teresa asked as we drove through the City streets. "Westphalia?"

"No." I replied. "We'd probably be safe there tonight, but it's too far a drive back to The City to risk."

First we went through a pizza place drive-thru, where 'Clark Kent' had phoned in an order of four large pizzas and Cherry Coca-Cola Zero. I then drove us just west of the City Center where the Cannon Building, the Wynand Building, and the Federal Building were. We stopped to let Johnny, the guard, and two of the pizzas out near a van where four people with Wrangler Circus shirts were waiting. "Sure you'll be all right?" I asked.

"Yes." said Johnny. "And we'll be at the Courthouse tomorrow morning."

"Thanks for helping me, guys." said Kevin Thomas.

"No problem, man." said the guard. "Just show up tomorrow morning."

"Yes." said Johnny. "It's worth it. All our hopes for years are resting on your Grand Jury testimony tomorrow. Good luck. I'll see y'all tomorrow." We drove away as they joined their Wrangler Circus confederates.

Many of the buildings in the area were between 6 and 12 stories tall, and were mixed-use buildings with offices as well as apartment residences. I turned into the parking entrance to an apartment, then drove down the ramp to the next level down. At the end of the drive was a door of metal mesh links like those on the doors of businesses in shopping centers. Past the door, the driveway turned left behind the wall.

I pressed a button on a remote and the metal door rolled up and we drove through, then rolled back down behind us. I followed the narrow path into a tunnel that went for a hundred feet, then back up and out... into another basement garage. I parked in an alcove in the wall, and we got out. I pressed another button on the remote, and a metal chain door came down as a curtain behind it slid sideways to obscure the SUV.

We walked up the stairs to the normal garage area, then up the elevator to the 2nd floor, and down the hallway to an apartment. It was not very large, no more than a relatively nice hotel room with a kitchenette and breakfast room with a table, a living room with a hide-a-bed sofa and a couple of nice chairs and a TV, and two bedrooms, each barely big enough to hold the queen size beds and chest of drawers in them. Each bedroom had a bath with a shower.

As we ate the pizzas, Kevin ravenously consuming one of them and Teresa and I splitting the other, I told Kevin what I'd found about his parents. Afterwards, I said "I think when you didn't come home after you were attacked, your parents called the Cardinal's office. He realized there was a problem for him, and either he or his confederates... or both... went to their home and murdered them to keep them silent. That's why they never visited you nor contacted you. They were dead."