Fire in the Embers Ch. 04

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"That was a good observation about the Consultant setting up things for others." I said as we settled into our chairs in my office. "So... whassup, Cousin?"

"I'm wondering what awards to write up for everyone." said Cindy. "Teresa should get something extra after both the Viscotti and Beanstalk busts."

A quick explanation of the Town & County Public Safety Department medals: they are similar to the military's medals. There are Police medals (blue edge on the ribbons), Fire medals (red edges), Deputies (brown edges), and Public Health (salmon pink edges), and then there's a Public Safety version of most of the medals, with gray edges, that are slightly above the others.

There are Certificates of Achievement below, and then the actual medals. At the low rung are Achievement Medals, then Commendation Medals. Following that are the Lifesaving Medal, the Orange Order (and Fire and EMS equivalents), then above them the Purple Order.

The Star of Gallantry is next, with only Police, Fire, and Public Service overall having these. They're like Bronze Stars. The next level above them are the Sheriff's Medal (Public Service), Police Medal, Fire Medal, etc. Then a 'Legion of Excellence", a new medal that had not yet been awarded. Then came the Distinguished Service medals for each branch with a Public Service one as well (which is like the Department of Defense Service Medal, followed by the Army Distinguished Service Medal and the Navy's, etc.). Topping it off were the Distinguished Police Cross, Distinguished Fire Cross, and the highest award, the Medal of Valor.

There had been no Distinguished Police Crosses given out in the last 30 years, though three Medals of Valor had been awarded in that time. By way of contrast, the Fire Department had awarded six Fire Crosses but no Medals of Valor in that same period.

I said to Cindy "Did anyone do anything particularly heroic? Take fire to distract from others?"

Cindy replied "From the reports, two guys were going to ambush our SWAT guys, but Teresa started firing at them. Another perp was apparently keying on that and tried to shoot her, but Hugh Hewitt pulled her back out of the way, and that last perp died from his many wounds. That seems to be as close as anything got. Of course, it was a firefight. Everyone was in danger."

"True." I said. "Okay, you know the drill: write up the SWAT Teams for Commendation Medals, which will be reduced to Achievement Medals by the Council. You can put Teresa in for a Star, but it'll likely be reduced to a Commendation Medal. At that point, I'll go beat up the Council and the Sheriff to make it a Public Service Commendation Medal instead of just a Police one, in order to encompass both the Viscotti and Beanstalk successes."

Cindy said "The Fire Department has extra medals that the rest of us don't. They have one between Commendation Medals and the Lifesaving Award. I wish we had something like that."

"Me too." I said. "But I've got bigger things to fight with the Council over--"

*BUZZZZZ!* *BUZZZZZ!* *BUZZZZZ!*

It was my assistant Helena French buzzing me. She said that I had an 'urgent' phone call. I took it.

"This is Mrs. Peabody. I'm in my office, Commander..." said Adele Peabody, which let me know she was being formal because she might be overheard. "...and I just wanted you to know that I think someone might have been following me this morning."

"Oh really?" I said, sitting up in my chair. "Tell me about it." Mrs. Peabody told me that an old-model, run-down-looking car kept showing up in her rear view mirror, seeming to follow her at a distance. Since the neighborhood she lived in and traveled through did not normally have many cars that looked like they came out of the Tenderloin District or Southwestern Ghetto, she took notice.

"I have a parking place in the basement parking lot, which that car could not enter." said Mrs. Peabody. "I kept watch, but didn't see anyone outside looking into the parking lot."

"Okay." I said. "Keep a sharp eye out, and don't go to lunch alone. Also, I'll ask a patrol car to follow you home tonight to make sure no one is tailing you."

After hanging up, I looked up at Cindy and told her that the call was about someone at City Hall possibly being followed, though I did not name names. "Did you see anyone following you today?" I asked.

"No." Cindy replied. "But that's because I slept here after we monitored the Beanstalk Gang raid. And don't you dare complain: you've been up all night at the scene."

"Well, I did come back here, and got a couple of hours sleep." I said. "Hmmm, let me call Laura."

I called my wife and asked her if she noticed anyone following her or seeming to be watching her. She said that she was always watchful, of course, and had seen no one. I told her to be on the lookout for any potential issues.

"Sounds like you have a vibe about this." said Cindy.

"And he should." said the voice of the woman who'd just walked in on us. It was ADA Paulina Patterson. "I heard the tail end of your conversation, and I was just coming into tell you that someone was following me in to work this morning also. I made some quick left turns and lost them." Her description of the car was similar to the one that had followed Mrs. Peabody: older, decrepit, and easily observed in its mediocrity.

"All right, then." I said. "Cindy, it's time for a public service announcement to all of our Detectives. Paulina, if you'll let all of the D.A.'s Office people know. Everyone should call their families and tell them to watch over their shoulders, just to be on the safe side."

I called Molly and told her to be on the lookout, then called my mom. The background noise of her phone suggested she was in a room full of people. She said she'd be on guard.

Cindy came back in. "Okay, you definitely have a vibe about this. Do I need to use a crowbar to get it out of you?"

"You've heard what I've heard, and seen what I've seen." I've said. "So you tell me." That got me one of 'those' looks from my partner, but she thought about it, then finally admitted defeat.

"Like Paulina said," I finally told her, "KSTD dropped the lawsuit over the Burke tapes."

"So what?" Cindy said. "I thought Jack Muscone's answer was a good one."

"Except that everything I know about Priya and KSTD suggests they'd never go this far and then just give up." I replied. "And State Senator Woodburn put out a statement of support for KSTD and hoped they'd continue the fight. They had political backing... but then rolled over like dogs named 'Brownlee'."

"Sorry, I'm still the Junior Michaux, here." Cindy said. "I'm not connecting these dots."

"Yeah, I'm the paranoid Michaux, here." I replied. "But what I'm seeing is that a certain Consultant was using KSTD and the lawsuit to get those tapes, to get the information that he does not know we already have. The lawsuit is dropped, meaning he's not going that route any longer. And that means he'll go after them through other means, which I fear may be by threatening harm to my family, friends, or Police colleagues."

"Okay." Cindy said. "I'll tell Jenna to make sure she doesn't go anywhere alone. I left Teresa a text message and email, and I emailed your mom."

"I called my mom, your sister, and of course Laura." I said. "Well, we have a long, long day of interrogating Beanstalkers today. Let's get to it."

"By the way," Cindy said, "is Julie enough to handle all this financial information? Do you think she needs Krueger to help?"

"Naah, she can handle it." I said. "She's probably already catalogued six leads and will be asking Jenna and the Feds for more warrant even as we're talking now..."

Part 18 - Friday the 13th

"How about lunch." I asked Cindy as I stepped into her office. "My treat."

"Sure." she replied. "Where?"

"It's a bit cold," I said, "but we can walk to Courthouse Square and to one of the restaurants there."

Indeed, it was clear and cold today, in the 30s. Cindy was wearing a Police windbreaker (darned Canadian, not feeling the cold at all, I thought to myself), and I was wearing my black leather jacket with the sewn-in badge over the left breast, and my rank pinned on the epaulets. I really liked the leather jacket, which I also knew had a thin lining of armor protection within it.

"Wow," I said, "look at all the old people on the Square." Indeed, there were pairs of older citizens sitting on park benches, walking along the sidewalks, some sitting at outside tables of the bistros. They were well-bundled against the cold temperatures.

"Yeah." Cindy said. "Wonder why? It's cold, and they could be at the Community Center if they wanted to."

We went into a sandwich shop and got subs and coffee. Despite the cold, we sat outside, watching the Square. Cindy noticed me peering about.

"You're looking for something." she said, then realized my plan. "Are you hoping to see someone following or watching us?"

"I sure am, Crowbar 2." I said. "But except for all these old people noticing two Police Officers walking along the Square, no one has really drawn my attention."

"Well, it was a try." said Cindy. "A good try."

"Yep." I said. "Maybe I'm just being paranoid, after all."

"No." Cindy said. "I didn't tell you this earlier, but I'm feeling the vibe as well. I've felt uncomfortable all morning long. Jenna took Gor-don with her to the Courthouse, so she's not alone. It's your mother that keeps coming to my mind."

"Where is she now?" I asked. I got out my cellphone and texted my mom. She texted back that she was with friends at the Community Center. I texted to be watchful and she texted back and said to tell Cindy to stop worrying about her...

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

"What are you still doing here?" asked Chief Moynahan as he walked into my office at 7:45pm, still Friday the 13th. He'd been on his way out and had seen the light on in my office.

"Just correlating all this paperwork, Chief." I said. "Hours of interrogation of the Beanstalk Gang. Most of the guys were underlings, did what they were told. The leaders, the top two guys, are holding out for deals in exchange for loosening their tongues. The underlings have public defenders, for the most part. The top guys are represented by Chase, Lynch, and Berry, P.C."

"Mind if I have a seat?" asked the Chief.

"Oh, sure, sorry about that." I said, not having realized the Chief wanted to stay and talk.

As he sat down, Moynahan said "Those FBI friends of yours are a riot. I am going to suggest to Mr. Nash to get a ring on Ms. Speer's finger, and soooooon. And I'm surprised you haven't gone off and joined them yet."

"Chief," I said, "Unless and until the Council fires me, I plan to be with this Police Force right here in this Town until I'm either retired or dead and buried."

"Heh heh heh heh. That's good to hear." said Moynahan. "And you've built up a really fantastic young Police Force here. My friend Griswold was able to do some things, but he had a lot of corruption to clean out. He tells me that you cleaned out the Augean Stables for him, allowed him to retire leaving his Force in good hands."

"And now it's in your good hands." I said. "Well, officially after next Tuesday's second reading of the bill. I don't expect any problems there--" I stopped talking as I noticed a blonde streak pass down the hall. My door was open and I could see through the glass of the door to the anteroom into the hallway.

A moment later, that blonde streak came back. Cindy Ross came into my office. "I'm sorry to interrupt, Commander, Chief," she said, "but have you seen Jenna around here lately?"

"No." I said. I noticed that Cindy was trying hard to hide agitation on her ruggedly pretty face.

"She's not answering her cellphone." Cindy said. She was dialing Jenna's number again, but not getting an answer.

"Have you tried Gor-don's number?" I asked.

"I don't know it." Cindy replied.

"When did you last talk to her?" I asked.

"About 6:30." Cindy said. "She's been in Court all day, filing papers related to the Beanstalk Gang arrests. She said she was going to be in meetings with the D.A., then she and Gor-don would come back here."

"Tell you what." I said. "Go to the Duty Desk, get Gor-don's number and call his cellphone. I'll call the D.A.'s office and the Courthouse."

"I'll come with you to the Duty Desk, Captain." said Chief Moynahan, and I realized why... he intended to not let Cindy be alone until her fiancée was found.

I called the D.A.'s office, and to my surprise got D.A. Krasney himself. "Hi, Mr. Krasney." I said. "I'm looking for ADA Stiles. Is she over there?"

"No, Commander," said Krasney. "She left an hour ago with her assistant. She said she was going to her office at your Headquarters. Isn't she there?"

"I didn't see her, but I've been in my office all day. I'll check and see what's up. Talk to you later." I hung up, then called Myron and told him to bring himself and Mary back into Headquarters. I then walked up to the Duty Desk. Cindy was on her cellphone.

"No answer from Gor-don." she said, her face becoming more visibly worried. "I'm getting his voicemail."

"Give the Duty Desk the make, model, and license plate of Jenna's car." I said. "Guys, radio all Precincts and patrols to find ADA Stiles's' car. Priority, and let them know the Police Commander is personally interested." That was done, then I had Cindy come back to my office with me.

I called Paulina, who was at home, and asked her to try to get in touch with Jenna or Gor-don, and for her (Paulina) to be very careful and not be alone in public tonight. She said she was coming to Headquarters, and I said I'd dispatch a police officer to drive her here.

"I'm going to call the Sheriff." said Chief Moynahan. He left for his office.

"I'm sure she's all right." Cindy was saying, more to herself than to me. "She probably took Gor-don to supper after all the work they did today, and..." Her voice trailed off as she noticed I was typing on my cellphone beneath the level of my desk. I had hoped she wouldn't observe it. The text read 'Come to HQ stat.'."

It was being sent to Lt. Teresa Croyle.

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

An hour later, Police Headquarters was buzzing. Paulina was in her office next to mine, and so was D.A. Krasney. Myron and Mary were downstairs, their fingers buzzing over computer keyboards. Tanya Perlman was in MCD with Joanne Cummings and Martin Nash. Jack Muscone was in my office with me. Teresa Croyle was in Vice, working with Christopher Purvis and Hugh Hewitt and his SWAT Team.

And Molly Evans was sitting with Cindy and Sandra Speer in Cindy's office. It would seem that when Chief Moynahan had gone to call the Sheriff, he'd made a second call, knowing that Captain Ross might need some support from her sister. I didn't mind having Molly and my soon-to-be-born child inside the safety of Police Headquarters, either.

My Police cellphone rang. It was Sergeant Rudistan. Myron had found the signals from Jenna and Gor-don's cellphones, and I had sent Rudistan and Morton to the area, with orders that they call me on the cellphone and not the police radio... to which Cindy was listening.

"Sir," Rudistan said. "We've got the car. It's in an alley behind the buildings along Jefferson Avenue. Not too far from Smith-Morra Pharmacy and the Bishop Pawnshop. Nobody inside, but ADA Stiles's purse is in the car as well as their cellphones. No blood that I can see, but no people." My heart sank as I told him to phone the Crime Lab and get a team to investigate the scene.

Jack Muscone looked at me, needing no great feat of detection to see what was on my face. I just nodded and got up and walked to the Conference Room, to exercise a most painful duty. I do not care to remember how Cindy's face looked the instant she saw mine, followed by my words:

"We've found her car..."

Part 19 - Brutality and Deceit

The dank smell of the dark room was the first thing Jenna noticed when the mask was taken off her face. Then she looked around, seeing the black walls, and what looked like a wide archway to the hall, with bars across it. Across the hall was another such room.

Where am I? she thought to herself. Is this one of Rita's dungeons? She only knew that she'd been carried down a flight of stairs, then unceremoniously dumped-- hard-- onto the metal bed with a thin mattress on it. She now realized that he right hand was handcuffed to the bed's rail that served as a headboard.

To her right was a black brick wall. She looked to her left, and saw that Gor-don was sitting on the bed on the other side of the room, which was at least 20 feet wide, and not nearly as deep from the jail bars to the back wall. He was not shackled to the bed. He looked scared.

And then she saw him. He was medium height, stocky but not fat, wearing a black shirt and olive-green military-style pants which were very old and frayed. He was also wearing a black mask, with lighter colored cloth over each eye and the nose and mouth. Like a weird Spider Man mask.

"What is this?" she demanded, trying bravado. "What do you want from us?"

"From you?" the man said, his voice muffled by the mask, "a hot piece of ass. But we're not really interested in you. We want what the Iron Crowbar has."

With that he came over and slapped her, hard. Her cheek burned from the blow as he said "Do not speak until spoken to, bitch." He reached out and tore Jenna's blouse open. He then produced a small knife, and cut her bra straps, roughly pulling it out, exposing her breasts. Her nipples were hard from the cold, and the man took notice. He began squeezing and kneading her breasts with his gloved hands.

"Get away from me, you bastard!" she gasped. The man laughed sardonically.

"Get off of her!" she heard from the side. Gor-don had said the words, coming to her rescue. The man got up.

"Stand up, punk." he ordered Gor-don. "STAND UP!" Gor-don slowly stood up. The man swung his left arm, punching Gor-don solidly in the gut. Gor-don bent over and fell back onto the bed, gasping in pain.

"Stand up, punk!" the man ordered. When Gor-don did not move fast enough, the man reached down and pulled Gor-don up off the bed.

"Strip, punk!" the man ordered. "Get your fucking clothes off." Gor-don complied, but left his underwear on. "ALL of it, punk!" the man growled. Gor-don dropped hid drawers, revealing his cock, which was surprisingly large on his lean, punkish body.

The man went over to Jenna and reached between her legs, under her skirt. She tried hard to keep them shut, and the man slapped her face again, hard. Only the glove prevented the blow from doing worse damage to her face.

"Spread your legs, bitch!" he ordered. When Jenna did not comply, he forced her legs apart and grabbed her panties, practically tearing them off as he pulled then down her legs. Finally, the flimsy fabric fell to the floor.

"Get over here, punk!" ordered the masked man. "Get down that and eat her pussy. Eat that bitch's cunt, make it wet for me."

"Leave her alone, jerk." Gor-don said back.

"Punk, you do not understand." the man said. "You either eat her pussy, or you watch me beat her to death." He provided an example by smashing his closed fist into Jenna's jaw, just below her mouth.

"All right, all right, just leave her alone." Gor-don said. He went to the end of the bed and got between Jenna's legs. Her skirt was hitched up, revealing her pussy and her pubic bush of dark red hair. He leaned forward and slid his tongue over her slit.

Jenna tried hard not to respond, but could not deny the shock of pleasure that she felt from the young punk's tongue. How could she be responding this way? she thought to herself.

"Get your fucking face in there, punk." said the masked man. "Get face deep in there and eat that whore pussy."