Going Rogue Ch. 03

"Yes sir." David said. "The Commander here was in the top group of the Class, while I was struggling to get through it."

"So why aren't you a police officer now?" asked Griswold.

"I got my Accounting Bachelors and Masters degrees in four years through a special program." David said. "I wanted to be a White Collar Crimes specialist, but couldn't get any work in any D.A. offices. Someone suggested I go to the Police Academy and then get a job with a Police Department. So I did. But I still haven't been hired by anyone. I ended up taking this job with the State Republican Party, doing polling work."

"Do you like it?" I asked. "Or would you still like to work for a Police Department?"

"If it were a good Department, like yours, sir..." David replied, "I'd love to work with the Police. Polling work is okay, but I don't really care for politics."

"Things are about to move fast for you, Mr. Krueger." I said. "Why don't you ride back home with me and talk to some of my senior people, and we'll see what happens."

"I'll need to tell the Governor, sir..." said David, but Chief Griswold interrupted him.

"Don't worry about that, young man." said the Chief. "I'll tell the Governor. This is a huge opportunity for you to work with the Iron Crowbar. You have no idea what I'd give for the chance to work with him again..."

"Heck, I'd love to have you back as Chief." I said. "And maybe that chance will come up..."

"No, it won't." said the Chief, his voice resigned. "I'm a fisherman now, and my wife likes having me at home. I'll leave the policing to you young whippersnappers..."

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

Getting back to Police Headquarters around 2:30pm, I had David Krueger sign in and then I took him back towards the offices. I took him to Sergeant Janice Holloway's office to fill out application paperwork. The nerdy guy was mesmerized by the beautiful Latina-looking woman. While David was doing paperwork, I hurried over to Cindy's office.

"Anything happen while I was gone?" I asked as I came into Cindy's office after knocking.

"No new dog crimes." said Cindy. "Myron said he has some information for you. When I asked what it was, he said he'd show me if I wanted to see it but that you'd wanted to see it first. So I didn't push it."

Then she said "But Chief Bennett is mad as hell about something. He asked me twice when you were getting back."

"But he didn't give you any other shit?" I asked.

"No sir." said Cindy.

"Okay, I'll go see him." I said. "Meanwhile, I've brought up a guy from Midtown. I want you to interview him to be a Detective Apprentice, in an accounting capacity like Julie Newton. She's got a lot on her plate with the drug rings and T-Square, and I think he might be what we need to strengthen our resources in the white collar crimes area."

I brought David in to meet Cindy and be interviewed by her, telling her to have him talk with Teresa and Tanya after she was through with him. Meanwhile, I scurried into my office to research David Krueger and find out more about him.

It did not take too long to see why he had not been getting job offers. He was Jewish, which was in and of itself not a problem with me. But some of his relatives had issues: he was a cousin of Weinstein, the bar owner in the southern Tenderloin District, and one of his uncles was a diamond distributor in the City... and a rather unsavory one, at that.

Just then, my phone buzzed. Helena told me that the Chief wanted me to see him in his office, pronto. I hurried over.

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

The Chief's assistant was a woman named Donna. She was in her late twenties or early thirties, attractive with dirty blonde hair. Her face would remind me of Tanya Perlman's except that Donna's face was neither cherubic nor playful; Donna had a way of looking at you as if she were sneering and looking down upon you.

So when I went into the Chief's suite anteroom and said I was here at his bidding, she looked at me as if I were a turd on the floor as she buzzed him. So I knew that something 'not good' was going on vis-a-vis the Chief.

Going into his office, I was self-forewarned enough to be formal. "You wanted to see me, sir?" I asked, not sitting down.

"Yes, Commander." said the Chief, turning his chair and himself in it to face me. "Have a seat." I sat down as he said "I heard about that little speech you gave the entire Force yesterday afternoon. Why didn't you tell me what you were going to do... and say?"

"Uh," I stammered, taken aback. "I... well, I could say that we'd agreed that I'd handle the Officers and you'd handle the shop, but I don't think that's what you want to hear."

"No, it's not." said the Chief. "I also wasn't around much yesterday, and you could use that as an excuse. But I really believe that action you took is something you should've discussed with me before doing it."

It was time to take my asschewing. "I apologize for not doing that, sir."

"There are three problems." Chief Bennett said. "First, it created some controversy. Some of the Uniformed Officers disagree with your position, and strongly. They do not appreciate being put under the microscope for issues pertaining to dogs. Yes, your opinion counts, Commander, but it is not the Holy Gospel. Some officers, and some that openly stated they have no problem with shooting down dogs, said they think you were wrong to impose your personal feelings and will upon their actions as police officers."

I said nothing, letting the Chief finish and invite me to say something before I responded.

"Second, and related to the first," said Bennett, "is that the Police Union got involved and whined about it. I told them that you'd reiterated policy and that I stood behind you on that, which is absolutely true, of course. But I do want you to be aware that they're trying to make any stink possible, so stay cognizant of that."

"Third," continued the Chief, "is that such a speech like that probably should've come from me directly. I don't know if I would've given it, nor in the way you did. But if I had, it would've been a measure of making sure the Force knows it was coming from the very top, or at the least that you had my support by me being there for it, it would have been better for me to be present."

"Yes sir." I said.

"Anything you want to say to that?"

"Just one thing, sir." I said. "Those officers that didn't like what I said, that feel imposed upon... can and should leave their resignations with the Duty Desk before leaving today. If one of them is promoted to Commander, then he or she can impose his or her will. As long as I'm in the position, then they answer to me, not the other way around. My word may not be the Holy Gospel, Chief, but it is the word they will follow as officers on the Town & County Police Force."

"And if I imposed my will upon you?"

"Provided your orders are lawful and don't lead to someone's harm, I will follow them, of course." I said. "And my personal feelings on them would be irrelevant."

"That's what I expected you to say." said Bennett. "Sometimes, one does have to lead by brute force, but don't go to the well too often on that. These guys really will follow you to the gates of Hell and back, but don't abuse that trust."

The Chief paused a moment, then said in a quieter voice: "I think part of the problem is that this was totally unlike you, and unexpected. Unpredictability can be a good thing, but it can also be a bad leadership trait."

"Yes sir." I said.

"There is one other thing." said Bennett. "Brownlee complained very bitterly about Captain Ross intruding on his conversation with Captain Harlow. I know you're aware of it. I got Captain Ross's side of it and Captain Harlow's, and I agree with them that your orders for the Officers to be in the auditorium superseded Brownlee's. And I told him that."

"I did not correct Captain Ross for confronting Brownlee." said Bennett. "She was supporting Harlow, who was being unfairly browbeaten by Brownlee. I will leave any discussion with Ross about her actions to you." That was a hint of his disapproval, I realized.

He continued: "Harlow filed a Police Captain's Union complaint, also, but she has the problem that Brownlee is her direct superior. You know how vindictive he is; he plans to make Harlow's life a living hell. I told Brownlee to let it go, and the Union has formally taken her side... but that's one more thing for you to watch out about."

"I'll do that, sir."

"So, nothing else you want to ask me?" said Bennett, peering at me. I peered back with a look that was more an answer than a question.

"I do need to tell you something, sir." I said. "We're interviewing a guy I met earlier today. If I'm right, he will make a great addition to our White Collar Crimes team."

"And you're usually right." said the Chief. "Bring him in for a few words with me after you're done with him."

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

As Lieutenants Perlman and Croyle interviewed David Krueger in the Main Conference Room, I sat on the sofa in Cindy's office and asked her what she thought of him.

"Are you intending for him to be with the Data Guyz or be a Detective?" Cindy asked.

"Detective Apprentice, or whatever the Council will call the first rung of the ladder when they fuck with the structure." I replied. "If he qualifies with a gun, of course. He passed the Academy already."

"So what do we tell Detective Newton?" Cindy asked.

"My first idea," I said, "is to tell her that her plate is very full with the drug rings and T-Square, and he'll be working on things like Domingo Shipping and other assignments for MCD. My second thought is to reverse that. And I take it by your question that you think he'll work out?"

"On the face of it, he reminds me of Barry Oliver." said Cindy. "Not very aggressive personality, though he would be good with the books and numbers. But then I began getting a deeper vibe about it, and I was thinking that he'll work out a lot better than face value would suggest."

"Exactly my thought." I said. "I saw him working with data this morning, and I thought of Mycroft Holmes working with the British Government: taking unrelated things and correlating them, making sense of a seemingly unrelated jumble."

"And we're going to be needing that in the near future... aren't we?" Cindy asked, her ice blue eyes twinkling.

"Yes." I said, my own blue eyes locking onto hers. "Yes we are."

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

David's interview with Myron and Mary became a fun discussion of numbers, data analysis, computer programming and string theory (don't ask), which I regretted having to break up so that I could have David talk to Chief Bennett.

"I think he'll be great!" said Tanya. "What's your plan for him, Commander?"

"We'll tell Julie that he's here to lighten her load, but that he'll also be working with MCD on non-drug-related financial crimes." I said. "And that's where I think he'll fit best. What say you, Teresa?"

"Meh." said Teresa. "He's brilliant with numbers, and very spatially oriented, so he'll be fine behind a desk. In the field? I don't know. But I do know this: it was a done deal the minute you brought him into the building, because you see things we don't, you know what fits where better than I do, and you would not have wasted your time or our time if it weren't a done deal."

"If Chief Griswold were here, he'd say you're doing a great job of kissing butt." I replied with a grin. "But seriously, if you have any reservations about him, say so."

"No, I don't." said Teresa. "If he can handle a gun, he'll be a positive for us."

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

"I imposed my will upon you." said Chief Bennett to me when I came to his office. "I offered him the job, and he accepted. You get him November 1st."

"How about I get him tomorrow, as a consultant?" I replied. "And then we make it formal on November 1st."

"The only thing wrong with that idea," said the Chief, "is that I didn't think of it to begin with. Make it so, Commander. Make it so." I got out of the office with all the speed I could reasonably and respectfully muster.

It was a done deal.

Part 12 - Going Rogue

It was 6:00pm, still Wednesday, October 7th, and almost everyone that worked at Police Headquarters had left for the day. All of the civilians, the Admin people, the Chief, and the Detectives were gone, leaving the building relatively quiet. Myron and Mary were driving David Krueger back to Midtown to gather his belongings, but not before Myron had handed me a file with the information I'd requested from him.

As I opened the file, Cindy Ross knocked on the door and came on in. "I never got the chance to ask you," she said as she sat down on the sofa, "how did the political meeting in Midtown go?"

"Oh, I think I managed to piss off everyone in the room, except Chief Griswold and David." I said. "Especially the Governor when he had to fork over a C-note to the Chief." I explained the story.

"That's what the man gets," Cindy replied with a smile, "when he bets against the Iron Crowbar. Even I wouldn't do that... except in the boxing ring."

I looked through my eyebrows at her from over the folder of the report I was reading. "Sounds like someone wants to make a wager on next year's Police Boxing Matches."

"We'll burn that bridge... and smoke your ass like a cheap cigar... when we get to it." Cindy replied. "Meanwhile, I will bet that you could tell me who put the bug in that room."

"No." I said. "I'm good, but not that good. Too many possible suspects to say that it's obviously Katherine Woodburn, working in close association with Jack Lewis and Richard Langdon." Cindy burst out laughing, in a way that reminded me of her sister Molly.

"And why Woodburn?" asked Cindy.

"Woodburn has links to some things that no freshman State Senator should have any inkling of." I said. "Including a device like mine that kills recording devices. She had ties to Henry Wargrave, to the Media of course, and also to Jack Lewis. But she has more... far more. She's the second-most dangerous person in the County right now."

"Darn, and I was working so hard to win the title." said Cindy.

"Well," I said, "you have definitely earned another title: that of the Officer our Chief dislikes most. He did the right thing about your defense of Captain Harlow, but I would be dull indeed to not have seen his absolute unhappiness with you for doing it. No, don't say anything, it's past and done with, and he's left it up to me to talk to you, which I am doing now. I know as you know that you did the right thing, but Brownlee will try to get back at Harlow. My only advice and warning is to choose your battles carefully."

Cindy exhaled. "Geez, is it just not possible to do the right thing, anymore?"

"If you want that question answered," I said, "spend a day with Republican politicians. I'd rather spend a day with Brownlee and Steven Ikea in one room than have to attend a meeting like that again. But the point of your situation with Brownlee is that it's getting ugly, and the Chief isn't exactly our buddy on this. And don't get your hopes up too much that the Chief is leaving. Until he actually say he is, it never happened."

"It's a Chief's prerogative to change his mind." said Cindy.

"Ohhhh... and speaking of the Media," I said, peering at my cousin, "how did the interview with Priya go last night?"

"Oh!... that." Cindy said. It took her a second to realize it was too late, that I'd long since read her like an open book, so she conceded. "It was... very good. Not much work got done, but it went... very well." It was no great feat of detection on my part that Cindy and Priya had gotten to know each other... intimately.

"Always nice to have a 'bucket list' item crossed of, eh?" I replied with a grin, knowing that Cindy had wanted to have sex with the beautiful Indian reporterette for a long, long time.

"So I'm told." said Cindy. "And speaking of bucket list items, let's work on one of yours. What did Myron find out for you?"

I nodded as I said "I asked him to give GPS proximities of all Police patrols at or near the time of the dog killings. Only two Police cruisers were near the first six killings. One of them was Sergeant McCombs and Officer Hendricks."

"You think they killed these dogs?" asked Cindy. "Neither looks like Mrs. Veasley's description."

"That's true." I said. "That's why I had Myron do something else. He ran a program which Police should not have, which identifies persons through a description. I had him run the program on the database of every TCPD Officer's official I.D. photograph."

"Ahhhh." said Cindy. "That's why Myron said he would only show me that if I insisted... which I didn't."

"And I appreciate that." I said. "But the program came up with three names... and one of them is the same as the Officer in the other Patrol cruiser near the dog killings."

I handed Cindy the Officer's file as I talked. "His name is Brett Bryce. He's now 33 years old. He was a Green Beret in the Army, but left Special Forces... and the entire Army... under 'undisclosed' circumstances. As you can see from his photo, he has what might be called an 'angular' or 'jagged' face and jawline."

"Mean looking guy." Cindy said. "Eyes of a killer. Reminds me of Tommy Gunn."

"Not a bad comparison, from what I'm gathering." I said. "He's been with the Force for five years. Hired by Captain Malone. I suspect he was one of those 'Sith Lords' that never got activated. His record is pretty decent, actually, but he did become known for going out of his way to shoot dogs on drug raids."

"Think he's our guy?" Cindy asked.

"Strong possibility." I said. "And while I'd love to beat his ass down for killing the dogs, I have to consider something else: that he's a lead to something bigger. Maybe even the biggest prize of all... the person who is the most dangerous person in this County."

"Here five years," said Cindy, "but he hasn't exactly exploded up through the ranks. Just a 'two rocker' Patrolman." That meant he only had two rockers under the chevron of his rank, which left him behind others of his time and grade on the road to Sergeant stripes.

"By the way, what about the seventh dog killing... the Sexton's poodle at the apartments?" Cindy asked.

"Too many Police Cars went by there, especially along University Avenue." I said. "None stopped for any length of time, either. So let's put that aside for the moment, and look more closely at the other ones."

"Sure." Cindy said. "So any other reasons you think it's Bryce?

"Yes. There's something else, which I haven't told you nor anyone else about, before now." I said, then leaned back in my chair as I talked. "When the Council divided us into Precincts, one reason given was so that Officers could become knowledgeable about their territory and its people, and they'd become known and trusted by those people. But I'm sure you see the downside of that: they become known by the criminals, too. Do you remember that man they call 'The Teacher'?"

"Sure." Cindy said. "He's right up there with you in the observation and deduction department."

"True." I said. "He essentially runs the small-time Underworld in this County. One thing he is well known for is knowing who the Police are in this County, and teaching his shoplifting and burgling acolytes who those cops are. He does the same for the plainclothes security people in the shopping malls and stores. He knows where every security camera in the County is, and how to defeat most of them."

"Most of them?" Cindy asked, cutting her eyes up to me.

"What, you think I'm going to let myself be a step behind him?" I asked. Cindy just grinned in response.

"Fortunately, The Teacher loves dogs. So I don't suspect him in any of this stuff." I said. "But here's my point in all this: a few months ago, six Uniformed police officers went to Lieutenant Masters. They said they didn't want to ruffle any feathers or cause issues, but they wanted to quietly rotate among the Precincts. They said it was so they could better get to know the entire Town & County, and they would not be as well known in each Precinct. They also said it might help them get promotions, which is why they didn't want to be open about it and then everyone would want to do it."