Home for the Holidays Ch. 04

This story is part of an ongoing series. The chronological order of my stories is listed in WifeWatchman's biography.

Feedback and constructive criticism is very much appreciated, and I encourage feedback for ideas.

This story contains graphic scenes, language and actions that might be extremely offensive to some people. These scenes, words and actions are used only for the literary purposes of this story. The author does not condone murder, racial language, violence, rape or violence against women, and any depictions of any of these in this story should not be construed as acceptance of the above.

Part 18 - Orange Rules The Night

Author's note: this is a 'bridge' story to fill the gap to the next series of mysteries. Thanks for your patience.

The Police Chaplains were at their desks in their cubicles. Father Romano had finished his paperwork and was saying prayers when the door open. Captain Teresa Croyle came in, followed by Commander Cindy Ross.

"Chaplain Romano," said Teresa, "would you please come with us?"

For a second, she thought she might witness the first refusal in Orange Order history. But Father Romano surrendered to the will of the Police Force. He accepted the congratulations of his fellow Chaplains, then followed Teresa out the door. In the main hallway, he was placed in the line. Detectives were peeking from MCD and Vice, then applauded as the procession went by.

Chief Griswold was waiting in the Main Conference Room. "Congratulations to all of you!" he said as the rest of us left to gather the Force into the Main Auditorium. Griswold explained that the Candidates' families were being informed, then said "We've notified the Catholic Church here as well as your superiors in the City that you'll be doing honorable but earthly things tonight, Father. And by the way, Chaplain Romano, we usually don't tell the vote numbers but in your case, the only ballot that did not have your name was your own. We consider that a unanimous nomination. Congratulations!..."

Cellphones everywhere started chirping, as my 'Loddy Doddy Everybody' email went out. Fifteen minutes later, we had almost the whole Force in the Auditorium. Auxiliary Police Officers were manning the Duty Desks here and at the Precincts.

Chief Moynahan took to the podium on the stage. "I want to congratulate all of you on another year of outstanding Police work. You've been challenged, and you've risen to the challenge. You've faced everything from hostile politicians to the Slender Man, and you have kicked ass!" There was laughter and then applause.

"Before I bring on our Orange Order candidates," said the Chief as I waited at the side of the stage, "I want to make an announcement. As you know, we had some people trying to suppress voting rights at the polls, and Commander Troy took care of that business." There was applause, then the Chief said "I realized that our training is good, but nothing beats training for the Police Boxing Matches."

My heart surged as the Chief continued: "They say it's a woman's prerogative to change her mind. Well, it's a Police Chief's, too. And I have changed my mind. The Freestyle Division of the Police Boxing Matches will allow the use... of crow-barrrrrs."

The auditorium erupted as Officers came to their feet in applause and cheers. As it went on, Chief Moynahan pointed at me, directing me to come to the stage to announce the Orange Order candidates. He shook my hand and then left the stage as I took the podium. The cheering finally quieted down.

"You know that college football commercial, that says 'Who's In?'?" I said happily. "The Police Boxing Matches. I'm in! Who's with me?" The auditorium erupted into cheers again. I saw Teresa at the side of the stage. She made the two-fingers pointing at her eyes, then at me. I returned that salute, then turned to the audience, pointed at my eyes, then at all of them.

Once things were settled down, I said "And now it's time to announce the Officers that you voted into the Orange Order. First, Sergeant DeLong!" There was applause as DeLong came up on stage. "Next, is Detective McGhillie!" I announced, and everyone applauded as Roy came up and stood next to DeLong. "And last but certainly not least... Chaplain Romano!" The applause was loud and raucous, like a State of the Union speech...

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

After the initial ceremony at the Junction Station Depot, where all three candidates remembered to take their lanterns (earning Teresa a good bit of money), we arrived at the southwest corner of Courthouse Square. Citizens lined the outer sidewalks of the four streets that made the Square, and candles, lighters, and cellphone lights dotted the landscape, creating a beautiful nighttime scene.

Teresa was leading Father Romano on his Patrol of Honor. She was fulfilling 'make up' time, for when she was inducted into the Blood Order from the year before. DeLong and McGhillie were led by Myron Milton. Inside the Square was restricted, but Mary Mahoney was there, photographing her husband, and Becca Larrington was videoing her fiancé Roy.

They went around the Square three times, then Myron's patrol went south, to get the southern areas out of the way. We'd had trouble before, and had a heavy Police presence along MLK Jr. Avenue. But there were no problems; indeed, a large number of people lined the street, holding up candles or cellphones with their lights on.

"Father Romano will walk MLK Jr. Avenue literally on the way back to Junction Station." I said to Chief Griswold as we followed him and Teresa on their walk towards Ronald Reagan Park. "I told Teresa that if he starts tiring, to take frequent breaks."

"Har." said Griswold. "He'll be fine. He's in a lot better shape than most people might realize. He started an exercise regimen while recovering from his wounds after the bank shooting. Heck, he might even sign up for the Police Boxing Matches!"

"Good!" I said, smiling. "I want my championship to be during the most-participated-in Matches ever."

Griswold chuckled. "You just can't wait to get into that, can you?"

I grinned. "I've been held out of the last two. But this year, not even the Slender Man will stop me from competing... and winning."

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

The really good news was that I could delegate others to follow the patrollers, and Griswold and I went back to Junction Station to set up for the morning ceremony. That took very little time, and we settled down to get a few hours of sleep. Sleep... was a good thing.

I woke up to hear that the Patrols were being brought back to Junction Station. I stepped outside and watched, seeing the orange and green lanterns of Myron's group, and a few minutes later an orange and a green lantern fell in behind them. They came up to the Depot and were admitted inside. We held the ceremony pinning their medals on their uniforms, then everyone sat down to the traditional Orange Order breakfast: eggs and beer!

We had steaks, too, which I paid for. As everyone ate, Teresa said "Father Romano kept up very well. He won't admit it, but I think he's secretly happy about being voted in."

"I agree." I said. "DeLong and McGhillie were good choices, as well."

"Too bad Teddy Parker didn't get voted in." Cindy said quietly. "Usually wounded Officers get voted in."

"There's always next year." I said. "This yea, 2d Precinct banded together to vote in DeLong, who is a great Police Officer. Everyone voted for Father Romano, so that left about half the ballots. McGhillie was the overwhelming choice at 1st Precinct and at Headquarters."

"How do you know that much from the votes?" Cindy asked. "I mean we all saw them, but we didn't have time to analyze them."

"Elementary, my dear Kato." I said. "Everyone voted for two people. Father Romano was one of those choices on every ballot except his own. Half the ballots had DeLong, and nearly half had McGhillie. And while I don't mind people grouping up to vote in someone... I hope that 2d Precinct didn't vote for DeLong to make a statement other than his merits as an Officer."

"That crossed my mind, too." said Teresa. "And I did not fail to notice the extra Police coverage as we walked down MLK Jr. Avenue. You thinking we were going to have an incident like last year?"

"I didn't expect any incidents." I said. "But you know I'm an old Boy Scout that likes to 'Be Prepared'..."

Part 19 - Belles of the Ball

And it's tradition in the Troy household: after going to bed when I got home, I opened my eyes a few hours later to see my firstborn child on top of me, her face right over mine.

"Wake up, Daddy." Carole said. "It's time to get ready for the Po-leece-man's Ball."

"Hey, Sweetpea." I said. "Thank you for waking me up. Where's your mom?"

"In the 'Puter room." Carole said. "That's what she does now, instead of 'meetings'."

I laughed. "At least she's here at home, right?" Carole agreed, then climbed off of me and got off the bed. I got up and went downstairs, accompanied by Carole and the redoubtable Bowser. Indeed, Laura was hard at work on the computer.

"Whatchoo uptoo?" I asked as I came in.

Laura smiled, then said "I had Carole wake you up so you can shower and get ready before me. I might take longer than you do." Now that was an understatement, and a truth in nearly all married households.

"On my way." I said. "Everything okay with the Company? Carole is beginning to believe that you being in the 'Puter Room is like being in 'meetings'."

"Yes, everything is fine." said Laura. "Langley has been trying to monitor Austin Murphy, but he's given them the slip. Lilly Wargrave is vacationing in the Cayman Islands, but he's not there. He may be in France."

"Hmmm..." I said to myself, but loud enough to be heard. Laura peered at me. I noticed her look and said "Gotta wonder if he's trying to sell arms to Islamists in France, so they can kill Jews there."

"That is a potential problem," said Laura, "but your dear sister has put the fear of God into every foreign agent that might want to help the Islamists in France."

"I'd suggest your friends in Washington look at Germany if they want to find Murphy. Lots of Islamists to sell weapons to in Germany, thanks to their Government's policies." I said. "And Lilly Wargrave is of Eastern European origination. She might've helped him find refuge there."

"Go get in the shower." Laura said. That was not a request, and it was intended to convey her desire for me to stop telling her what she already knew...

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

Laura and I drove in my Police SUV to pick up the Griswolds, then went to Police Headquarters and parked in my normal spot inside the gated parking lot. Shuttles had been arranged to take Police Officers and their spouses or dates to the Convention Center right up the road, and we took one of those.

When one enters the Convention Center from the front (facing Courthouse Square), the auditorium where Teresa was wounded was in the front. Around the left side (and along Riverside Drive) the hallway led to the Theater. Around the right side (next to the State Office Building) were the various ballrooms that could be partitioned off into smaller conference rooms. It was set up that the open bar was to the right and a coat room was to the left, and those formed a hallway 'tunnel' to the main ballroom where the festivities were being held.

Laura and I went in with the Griswolds before others were allowed in, mostly to check up on the setup. Already there were Cindy and Callie. Cindy was in her formal uniform with medals Callie was wearing a dark blue wraparound dress that left little to the imagination in displaying her magnificent legs and shapely body. Sheriff-elect Griswold and I were in our formal Police Uniforms with Medals of Valor around our necks. Mrs. Griswold was dressed respectably in the same dress she'd worn the year before. Laura was in the black dress she wore for the dancing competition... she knew we would be 'expected' to show our winning form during this evening.

I saw Myron Milton fiddling with some equipment behind the raised dias where the Leadership would be sitting for dinner. His wife Mary, her hair dyed as jet black as Laura and Carole's hair naturally is, was 'supervising'. A projector screen was set up to one side. Cindy said "Myron said you wanted this set up for a DVR presentation?"

"Yes." I said. "If Jamaal Washington wins the Heisman, we'll show the DVR of it."

"Think he'll win?" asked Cindy.

"I dunno." I said. "Laura does... she was checking with her sources while I was showing and shaving this afternoon."

"I should've known you realized that is what I was doing." said Laura. "And I'm going to do to Cindy what my husband does, and not tell her who the winner is going to be." Callie burst out laughing at that. Cindy was less amused.

"I already know, too." Cindy said. "My father has sources, just like Laura does."

"So your mom is keeping Betsy?" I asked.

"At The Cabin, along with your kids, Marie, Molly's boys, Daniel and Melina Allgood's children, the Muscone kids, and Todd and Teresa's brood." Cindy said. "And yes, she has help. Selena Steele, Laura's assistant Laurie, and my assistant Lauren, who offered to help as an excuse not to come here tonight."

"The Allgood kids?" Laura whispered to me, a bit too loudly.

"Yes." I said quietly. "Good way for Carole to see Patricia, so she'll stop bugging us about it. Melina and Daniel will be here, of course." Laura said nothing, but I could sense the increase in tension in her...

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

At 7:30pm, the receiving line opened. At the head of it was Mayor Larry Vaughan and his wife, then Sheriff Daniel Allgood and his wife Melina. Then Chief Moynahan was next, along with Nextdoor County Police Chief Molly Evans, who was the Chief's 'date' for the evening. Then followed Fire Chief Quinlin and his daughter, as the Chief was divorced. Then the Griswolds, then Laura and me, then Cindy and Callie, then the Council Members and their dates, those that had shown up: Reginald B.F. Lewis had chosen to not attend.

The Council Members were not seated at the long row of tables on the dias. Cindy and I had amused ourselves by putting them at their own (round) table at the front, just in front of the dias. The amusement came from having the Democrats and Republicans alternately seated, so that on each side of the Member and his/her spouse or date was a Member of the opposition Party. I don't think Kelly Carnes and Dagmar Schoen appreciated being seated next to each other, so they had their spouses switch places so that they were not next to each other.

As everyone was finishing their dinners, the speeches began. The Mayor went first. "I have enjoyed being your Mayor these last few years, and I greatly appreciate the wonderful job the Police Force has done during that time. It has been my honor and pleasure to brag to all the other mayors about having the best Police Force in the State... heck, in the Nation!" Everyone applauded.

Then it was Daniel Allgood's turn. "My remarks might sound a lot like Mayor Vaughan's. First of all, I appreciate the support that Mayor Vaughan has given the Police Force and the Public Safety Department these last several years, and I can promise you that I will give you that same great support as your Mayor in the coming years." More applause, somewhat polite. "And I appreciate all of your hard work these last four years of my term as Sheriff. I have enjoyed bragging to all of the State's Sheriffs that the TCPD is the finest Police Force anywhere!" Louder applause for that.

"And I'm also very happy for you as well as myself," said Allgood, "that you've upgraded at the Sheriff position. You cannot have a better Law Enforcement Officer than Antonio Griswold, and I look forward to working closely with him." The applause was very loud, and became a standing ovation. That meant Chief Griswold was going next, whatever the original order might've been.

"Thank you, Mayor-elect Allgood." said Griswold. "I will add my appreciation for Mayor Vaughan's support of the Police and Fire Departments during his tenure as Mayor. I look forward to working with Mayor Allgood, Chief Moynahan, Chief Quinlin, and PHO Paige to keep our Public Service Department the very best that it already is."

"But I'm also going to challenge you tonight." said Griswold. "I'm going to ask you to not rest on your laurels. I'm going to ask you to strive to become even better, as individuals, as law enforcement officers, and as Citizens of our great Town & County." The answering applause was very loud.

Fire Chief Quinlin was next. "I'll just echo that I look forward to working with Mayor Allgood and Sheriff Griswold. I also want to thank all of you Police Officers for the support you give the Fire Department. While we're putting out fires, you're blocking off roads and securing the scenes, and helping with injured personnel. We could not do our jobs without you doing your jobs, and I want all of you in the Police Force to know that the Fire Department stands ready to assist you in your missions whenever we can." Everyone applauded, more than politely, but not quite 'Griswold-level' applause.

Chief Moynahan was next. "Yeah, what they said." Laugher broke out, followed by some applause. "I just want to add that you guys did an outstanding job this year, just outstanding. I have never gotten over the sense of pride and honor I feel whenever I'm introduced as the Police Chief of the TCPD, and it's truly the honor of my life to lead you guys as we serve the Citizens of the Town & County and bust the perps." Applause for that. "And I know I'll be saying the same thing next year, because you guys will make next year even greater for all of us." More applause.

Next was Cindy, and she made her remarks intentionally subtly humorous. "First of all," she said, "I appreciate you guys not destroying too much equipment, or any of the buildings." There was some laughter. "We lost a couple of Police cars to bad actors, but we didn't lose any Police Officers, and that's the best possible news." There was applause.

Then Cindy said "We did have to re-arm the helicopter a couple of times." Laughter broke out, followed by applause as Cindy patted me on the shoulder. "And we lost some armor... curiously, the armor being worn by our Police Chaplain, Father Romano, of all people." More laughter broke out, then louder applause as Cindy held up Father Romano's armor that had stopped the bullets meant to kill him.

Then she held up the armor I'd worn, that had been destroyed by the Slender Man. "And the armor holds up against perps and lightning strikes. The bottom line, guys, is that I don't mind ordering new armor... as long as it's for the same Police Officers. We didn't lose anyone this year. Let's all make it here next year, too!" More applause.

Last but not least, it was my turn. I usually made the toast for the evening, but I had a few extra words this time.

"Like everyone else," I said, "I thank Mayor Vaughan for his support, and Sheriff Allgood for his support. And I don't think I need to mention how happy I am that my old Chief is now going to be our Sheriff." Everyone applauded, knowing that the bond between Chief Griswold and me went beyond just a professional association. The old Chief's eyes showed the same emotion as my own.

"I want to point out that Detective Theo Washington is not with us tonight." I said.

"How dare he!" yelled out Joanne Warner (on cue). Everyone laughed.

"Detective Washington and his brother ADA Franklin Washington are the guests of the Downtown Athletic Club in New York tonight, where their cousin Jamaal Washington is a finalist for the Heisman Trophy." There was applause for that, though not loud. After all, this was still Bulldogs Country.