Iscariot Ch. 02

"God help us if it's Bob Rovers's BAU team." Teresa said.

"No," said Cindy, "I don't think they'll waste time sending an openly hostile team like that, though I could be wrong. If they send someone openly hostile, the Chief will order the Force to not cooperate, and then it gets snarled up in the Courts and becomes a mess... for them."

"So they really are looking for the truth?" Teresa asked. "Instead of trying to screw over Don yet again?"

"Maybe." said Cindy. "I'll tell you something else, just between us, that my father told me. A lot of what you're seeing the US DOJ doing here, in our County, is practice for similar operations around America. They tried to steal the Mayoral election here, and failed, and now are following up with charges of racism and Civil Rights investigations. You'll be seeing them try the same things elsewhere, rigging and stealing elections, attempting to suppress opposition with shouts of racism and Police brutality."

Teresa said "They have to be discouraged at the way the American People are standing up to them. At least in this County."

"That's true." said Cindy. "Anyway, and changing the subject, what's going on with Detective Geiger?"

Teresa said "Most of what I've heard is what you've heard, from Tanya. I am hearing some scuttlebutt that what's going on with Geiger and Parker is becoming known to the entire Police Force. Some of them are scared that Geiger might get put into a Precinct leadership slot. Others are scared that Parker will be put in a Precinct slot; they think he's a good enough Detective, but has no business leading Uniformed Police Officers.

"Who really is going to be put in the leadership slots?" Cindy asked.

"Hewitt will be First Precinct Captain, that's a done deal." said Teresa. "Daniel Patrick will likely be the SWAT leader, brevetted to Lieutenant. And Sergeant DeLong is the leading choice for First Precinct Lieutenant, and it will be not be a brevetting but a full promotion, there."

Cindy said. "Sounds good. Sorry to distract you. You were saying about Geiger? Tell me this... does he have any family? Anyone close at all?"

Teresa said "Not that I know of. His parents are dead, I know that much. But he never said if he has any other family, brothers or sisters, and such."

"No mention at all?" Cindy mused. "Strange."

"Not really." Teresa said. "No one here knew I had any family anywhere, until somebody went to my hometown and raided the newspaper office there." (Author's note: 'Teresa's Christmas Story'.)

"Best thing that ever happened to you." Cindy replied. "Well, maybe except marrying that hot guy with a lot of money and packing a huge dick." No, Teresa didn't burst out laughing. But she did smile brightly.

"Yes on both counts." said Teresa. "But my point is that when we were in Vice, nobody talked much to each other, and certainly didn't share personal information. And Geiger is a product of Harold Malone's Vice Squad."

Cindy nodded. "Yes, and Geiger is never going to get over that. He's forever tainted by that stain, and unlike you, there's no way out for him."

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

When Teresa and Cindy came back in from lunch, Officer Drew at the side entrance desk said "Ma'am, ma'am, Commander Troy told me to tell you both to come to his office when you got back."

"Okay, thanks." said Cindy. She and Teresa picked up the pace as they went down the hall. When they went into the anteroom of the Commanders's Suite, Helena told them to go right on inside.

"Whassup?" Cindy asked as she came into my office, followed by Teresa.

"Let's watch some TV." I said. I pressed the remote, and turned to Police internal channel 2, then started a DVR recording.

"This is from University Hospital about fifteen minutes ago." I said. "As you can see, it shows Amber Harris at the Hospital, checking on Lester Holder, who is in ICU. I just called the Courthouse, and a freshly printed warrant for Harris's arrest, for violating the terms of her bail, should be ready for you by the time you get there, Captain Croyle. Take at least one female Officer with you when you go arrest Amber. She was still at the Hospital as of five minutes ago."

"On my way!" Teresa said excitedly. I asked Cindy to sit down, and she did.

"Some people would say you are a mean-spirited man." Cindy said.

"Some people would be absolutely right." I replied. "I really, really want to bust that bitch down hard, and this is my best chance in a long, long time. But that's not why I asked you to stay. Something's come up. Let's go to the Main Conference Room..."

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

"The Son of Man is to go, just as it is written of Him; but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had not been born."

--- Matthew 26:24.

Captain Tanya Perlman drove into the Main Conference Room, followed by Lieutenant Jerome Davis. The Chief was at the near end of the table, with me to his left and Cindy to mine. Tanya parked opposite me, and Davis next to her.

"Okay, Mr. Crowbarrrr, let's get him in here." said the Chief. I sent the text. A moment later there was a knock on the door, followed by Captain Ted Orosco of Internal Affairs coming in.

"Have a seat, Captain." said the Chief. "Okay, guys, tell us all your story."

Tanya had Jerome tell us what he'd told her: that Geiger had been investigating McGinty's Materials like Jerome had assigned him, but then Geiger had begun acting strangely, then had called with the water pipe excuse, but was currently not at home.

"So you think something's fishy," said Orosco, "as opposed to something being wrong, like him going missing and being in trouble."

"Exactly." I said. "It may be totally legit, but at the same time if Geiger does find McGinty's Materials and doesn't come correct and bring them in, we'll need to be in front of it..."

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

"God damn Donald Troy!"

Those heartfelt words were uttered by Amber Harris as she and Bettina Wurtzburg looked through the window at Lester Holder lying in the hospital bed in ICU.

"You think he did this?" asked Bettina. "He was at the Charter Commission meeting the whole time."

"I think he was behind it." Amber said. "I think he had someone do it for him. God! there's got to be a way to get back at him!'

"Trent Ridge couldn't get the job done." Bettina said, subtly goading Amber. "Ridge is an experienced Navy SEAL, and the Iron Crowbar whipped his ass in personal combat. Just plain whipped his ass."

Amber said nothing, wondering if this was Bettina's way of saying she knew about Amber's sexual liaisons with Trent Ridge, and her aiding and abetting Trent after his escape from TCPD custody. She merely said "There has got to be some way, somehow, to get Donald Troy."

"Amber Harris?" said a woman's voice behind her. She and Bettina turned to see Captain Teresa Croyle, dressed in a black SWAT uniform, armor, and gear, confronting her, with three equally armored Officers behind her, one of them being Patrol Officer Joan Laurer.

"What?" Amber said harshly.

"I have a warrant for your arrest." said Teresa. "For violating the terms of your bail." She advanced upon Amber.

"I'm visiting my friend in the Hospital!" Amber gasped.

"My God, are you for real?" Bettina angrily asked.

"I don't give a damn about why you're here." Teresa said flatly. "But you've broken the law, and this warrant for your arrest has been issued. Turn around."

"Go fuck yourself!" Amber shouted angrily. She then tried to push Teresa back. Oops.

*WHAM!*

The two-time Police Boxing Matches Champion took Amber down hard, driving her face and chest into the hospital hall floor and pulling her arm painfully hard behind her. Patrol Officer Laurer moved in to help, and together they affixed handcuffs to Amber's wrists. Then they bodily lifted her off the floor and half-walked, half-dragged her down the hallway.

"You'll never get away with this!" screamed Bettina. Teresa stopped.

"Take her to Headquarters." Teresa said. Then she turned around and advanced upon Bettina.

"Listen, bitch." Teresa snarled quietly. "We're not 'getting away' with anything; we are enforcing the law... the law that you worthless reporters seem to have no problem violating at your whim. Keep up your shit... and I'll personally finish what I didn't let Commander Ross do to you." With that, Teresa turned and left.

Bettina tried to keep the smile off her face. She took the tape recorder out of her purse and played it back... only to find the hum of static, as if the Slender Man had been in the area.

As Teresa went downstairs to join her team and take Amber to Headquarters for booking, she smiled inwardly as she thought to herself: yes, the Commander always gives me the very best Christmas gifts... that photo of me and Alexis, and then the bug killer. Yes, the very best Christmas gifts...

Part 12 - Victories and Defeats

"This is Bettina Wurtzburg, KXTC Channel Two News!" shouted the redheaded reporterette at 7:00am, Friday, June 28th, from the rooftop of the corner building on College Street, with Police Headquarters in the background. "Commander Donald Troy's war against journalists continues!"

Bettina began: "Commander Donald Troy personally called for a warrant to arrest our colleague Amber Harris, who was visiting our colleague Lester Holder at University Hospital. Lester Holder is in critical condition at the Hospital, but as she was visiting him, TCPD Officers in full riot gear used excessive force to arrest her and haul her off to jail on Commander Troy's orders!"

Bettina: "Commander Troy also had KXTC reporters removed from yesterday's Press Conference under false pretenses before speaking at the Press Conference. Commander Troy has refused to respond to KXTC's repeated attempts for comment on the attack that left our colleague Lester Holder in critical condition at the Hospital. We have with us KXTC publisher Burt West with an editorial comment. Burt!"

"Thank you, Bettina." said Burt West, sitting at the KXTC anchor desk. "Considering that our colleague Lester Holder may have been attacked and brutally beaten for his accurate comments about Commander Troy's racism, Police brutality, and immorality in siring children with multiple women, we believe that Donald Troy is obligated to answer our questions. For him to continue dodging our questions and refusing to respond is very suspicious."

"Our viewers have the right to know if Commander Troy was involved in the murderous attack on Mr. Holder, they have every right to expect Commander Troy to answer our questions, and they are well within their rights to wonder if Troy's dodging us is just confirmation of his possible complicity in the attack on Holder. Back to you, Bettina."

"Thank you, Burt!" said Bettina. "The Town & County Police say they have no leads in the criminal attack upon our colleague. Considering the hostility shown by their Police Commander towards our colleague and all journalists, KXTC believes the Police are not committed to the investigation, and we have asked the US DOJ's Civil Rights Division to investigate the TCPD for what may have been a hate crime against a journalist..."

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

"That has got to be actionable!" said Tanya Perlman, whose cherubic face was beet red with anger.

"They don't care." said Sheriff Griswold. "Just like Holder was all but challenging Don to beat the shit out of him, and ended up really getting his ass beat to within an inch of his life, KXTC is willing to cross the libel line to attack Don. They know a lawsuit will drag on for years, and they'll probably end up 'not losing'."

"True, Sheriff." said Cindy Ross. "But KXTC is starting to have money problems. Only about a third of their former advertisers are still with them, they've lost almost all of their mobile vans, and their viewership numbers are starting to crater. And call me politically incorrect if not worse for saying this, but the Black Community alone can't keep them financially solvent. Point being: a lawsuit drains them dry, and a lot more quickly."

"Well, they're saying that." I said. "I'm not sure they're really that insolvent or even in trouble. They do want people to think that they're the poor, poor Media being beaten up by the big, bad Police."

"So you won't sue them?" asked Tanya.

"I'll ask Mike Todd what he thinks about it." I said. "Right now, I'd really rather focus on totally destroying Amber Harris as a Media entity."

"Did Detective Geiger come in this morning?" the Chief asked.

"Yes sir." I said. "Well, he's working out in the gym. He doesn't have to be at his desk until 7:45am."

"Gooooood." said the Chief. "I hope that can get resolved, and Geiger can become the Detective he has the po-tench-ulllll to beeeee..."

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

"Oyez, oyez, oyez. All rise. Court is in session, the Honorable Patrick R. Folsom presiding." said the Bailiff.

"Be seated, please." said Judge Folsom as he took his place behind the Bench and banged his gavel. "First case?" He knew what was coming, but still asked that it be announced.

"Case number 37099, Town & County v. Amber Harris." said the Bailiff. "Assault on a Police Officer, and violating terms of her current bail agreement."

"Prosecutor?" said Folsom.

"Your Honor," said ADA Franklin Washington, "the Defendant violated the terms of her bail agreement, and a warrant was issued for her arrest. She resisted arrest and physically pushed an Officer who was attempting to arrest her, bring up the new charges."

"I see." said Folsom. He looked over at Amber Harris, who was sitting with her lawyer, the ever-wily Gwen Munson, of Prodder, Ryder & Reems, P.C. "Defense?"

"Your Honor," said Gwen Munson rising to her feet, "my client was at the Hospital, visiting her colleague, reporter Lester Holder, who was severely beaten and has life-threatening injuries. It is only meet and right that she visit her colleague in his time of danger, and it was ridiculous for the Police to come into the Hospital in full combat gear to arrest one unarmed woman."

"Additionally," continued Munson, my client was taken down with unnecessary and unlawful force in an exercise of Police brutality, and they made up the assaulting Police charge to cover up their own crime. We ask the charges be dismissed with prejudice, and that my client's bail agreement be amended to permit her to visit the Hospital while her colleague is a patient there."

"Oh." said Judge Folsom. "So now she asks permission to violate the bail agreement she has previously agreed to. Prosecutor, do you have anything to add?"

"Yes, Your Honor." said Franklin Washington. "We have evidence that the Defendant has violated her bail on several occasions, thumbing her nose at the bail agreement, by illegally using a device to mimic her ankle-monitoring device that allows her to leave her home undetected. And the Hospital visit is an absolute violation, no matter the reason. Finally, we have Officer-cam footage that will show the Defendant did assault the arresting Officer, was taken down in response, and not with excessive force."

"Your Honor," said Gwen Munson, "the takedown was excessive no matter what. My client was unarmed, reacted defensively when she was violently rushed by the Police Officer, and only defended herself. The use of force and physical violence used against her far exceeded any necessary force needed to subdue her and arrest her. I again point out that there were multiple Police Officers dressed in what can only be described as paramilitary combat gear, far in excess of anything required to subdue one unarmed woman in a Hospital."

"Let me see the video." said Folsom. The Court Reporter brought up the video on a tablet, and he watched.

"Yes, Mr. Washington," said Folsom, "that is a lot of riot gear for just one arrest. But I understand that with the recent attacks on Police by extremely dangerous criminals, that much gear as standard operating procedure might be warranted. And Ms. Munson, the takedown was not excessive; I can clearly see that your client acted offensively first."

"Ms. Harris," Folsom said, directly addressing Amber, "the Court was extremely generous in its earlier bail agreement, and you have willfully violated it---"

"But Your Honor!" interrupted Gwen Munson, "her colleague is in critical condition! I cannot believe the Court cannot see that, and have enough mercy and understanding to allow that visit and other hospital visits."

"Prosecution?" asked Folsom. Washington stood up a bit slowly, deliberately.

"Your Honor," said Franklin, "the Defendant's previous charges were assaulting Police, and she has not learned her lesson but did it again. Furthermore, she has lawsuits against her for slander and defamation, and her employer has been sued for libel, her words being anything but 'merciful and understanding'. She has willfully disregarded the bail agreement and disrespected this Court by failing to meet the terms of the agreement. Last but not least, Your Honor, her failure to obtain permission for the Hospital visit, which I would have recommended be denied, again shows the Defendant's utter disregard for this Court, and the Law."

"What is your recommendation, Prosecutor?"

"Your Honor, we ask that the Defendant's bail be revoked, and that she remain in custody at County Jail until her trial." said Franklin.

"Your Honor," said Gwen Munson, "I believe my client's life and health would be in danger if she is incarcerated in any jail controlled by Commander Donald Troy. Her colleague is fighting for his life in prison, and an investigation needs to be made to determine if Commander Troy caused or ordered that attack on a journalist that exposed the truth about him, Commander Troy----"

"Stop." said Folsom. "Just stop. Commander Troy is not on trial in this case, your client is. And Commander Troy did not force your client to violate her bail agreement. No, this is a serious matter, and the Defendant cannot be allowed to continue under the previous and now broken bail agreement. I'll take a ten minute recess and return with a decision..."

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

Helena buzzed me to announce that I had a visitor. It was FBI Special Agent In Charge Jack Muscone. He availed himself of my offer of coffee and poured himself a cup before sitting down in a 'hot chair'.

"So, what's the damage?" I asked jovially.

"It's official." said Muscone. "You probably already know about it, since Chief Moynahan was made aware of it, but the US DOJ Civil Rights Division is opening a case on the Lester Holder incident and the TCPD's possible involvement in it."

"Yes, I heard." I said. "No big surprise there, and maybe it'll serve to totally exonerate everyone."

"True." said Muscone. "But what you may not have heard about is that it's official that they're going to open another investigation, centering on Mayor Daniel Allgood and his actions at Council meetings, to include your refusal to allow one of their officials to enter the Executive Session meeting."

"No, I hadn't heard, but I'm not surprised." I said.

"The good news," said Muscone, "is that the TCPD investigation will not be done by nor in association with Jocelyn Moran, but by an FBI OPR team out of Washington. And it may not be nearly as bad as it sounds for you and the Police. This team has done a lot of OPRs, and they usually are very professional and act in accordance with the Constitution. But they don't normally investigate Civil Rights cases, so we'll have to see how that will go."

"And the bad news?" I asked, knowing there was bad news somewhere in all this...

"As hard as the Swamp Frogs have gone after you over the past few years," said Muscone, "it is nothing compared to what they want to do to Daniel Allgood. I think they smell blood, and they think Allgood is no Iron Crowbar. The part about you not permitting Moran into the meeting is no big deal; you were just doing your job, and Captain Thompson was right there beside you. And Moran called you a 'Cracker'; that's hardly going to win any case against you."