Iscariot Ch. 03

Bettina began: "All contact with two Officers was lost on Friday night. Channel Two News has learned that the TCPD began a search for the two Officers on Saturday morning, and has asked the FBI for their help in the search. Channel Two News has also learned that the missing men are Detectives Teddy Parker and Timothy Geiger, who were both recently passed over for promotion."

Bettina: "Sources tell Channel Two News that neither the TCPD nor the FBI have discovered any trace of either Detective. The FBI issued a statement that their Missing Persons unit in the City is investigating, but would give no further details. The TCPD would not confirm that the Officers are missing, nor their identities. And despite the seriousness of the situation, Commander Donald Troy continues to shirk his duty to the County's citizens by refusing to meet his obligation to respond to KXTC's repeated requests for comment."

Bettina: "And Channel Two News has also learned that the US Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division will open an investigation of the TCPD over the severe beating of our colleague Lester Holder. Our fellow journalist is still in critical condition in the ICU ward of University Hospital, and KXTC asked for the DOJ investigation to determine if this was a racially motivated hate crime as well as a manifestation of increasing violence against the journalists that bring you the news you have a right to know. An FBI unit in Washington has been assigned to conduct the inquiry, and could begin as early as today."

Bettina finished up: "And in State news, BigAgraFoods CEO Edward Blassingame will be the keynote speaker at the big BigAgraFoods employees and stockholders meeting scheduled for this coming weekend! Mr. Blassingame took over the leadership of BigAgraFoods after the late Mitt Willis was perp-walked by Commander Donald Troy into an ambush that claimed Mr. Willis's life. Mr. Blassingame's office says his speech will focus upon employee achievement, as well as charitable achievements in the name of Mitt Willis..."

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

"What a refreshing newscast!" said Teresa Croyle as we watched in the Chief's Conference Room. "No Amber!"

"Hear hear." I said. "Though Bettina is doing her level best to make up for Amber's absence."

"At least she's not calling Tasha names." said Cindy.

"What was that 'passed over for promotion' crap?" Tanya Perlman asked.

"Six Detectives, one open Lieutenant slot." I said. "Technically true that the other five were passed over, but Bettina reported it that way to make it sound bad."

Teresa said "She's getting more and more shrill about you refusing to return their calls for comment, Commander."

"That was revenge for that Press Conference that Don gave after the KXTC people were taken out of there." Cindy said. "And Captain Thompson set her off again when he told her that KXTC should send reporters other than her, Amber, and Lester, and maybe we'd give them a comment."

"That's not very professional of Captain Thompson." growled Chief Moynahan, a comment that caused me to whirl my head around and peer at him. He just peered back at me, and since he was the boss, I let him win and turned back to watch the monitor, and the Sports report on the July 4th Triathlon.

"Am I the only one that feels a sense of depression about this year's July 4th events?" asked Cindy.

"I'm glad they're honoring Tom Usagi by calling it the 'Tom Usagi Memorial Run' of the Triathlon this year." said Teresa. "But yes, it's... sad." We all nodded, and the room fell contemplatively silent...

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

8:45am. FBI Special Agent In Charge Jack Muscone and FBI Executive Assistant Director Owen Lange came into Chief Moynahan's office. Cindy and I were already in there.

"The FBI team will be here in fifteen minutes." said Lange. "I expect them to be professional in every way, but if any problems arise, come to me instead of confronting them." For some reason, all eyes were on me.

"As long as they're professional in every way." I said.

"Where do you want them, Chief?" asked Muscone.

"They can use either the Main Conference Roooom, or Classroom 'J'." said the Chief. "By the way, they are forbidden to go downstairs. If they want to talk to Lieutenant Myron Milton, they have to do it up heeeeeeere. He has agreed to cooperate with them, but it would be a good idea if they don't offennnd him." I nodded vigorously in agreement.

*KNOCK!* *KNOCK!* *KNOCK!* *KNOCK!*

The door opened, and somewhat to our surprise it was Captain Thompson. "Sorry to interrupt, Chief, Commander... Commanders... but the Press is massing in the Press Room, and they're all demanding Commander Troy come and make a statement."

"Why me?" I asked. "And specifically who is making that demand of me?"

"Sir, it's usually just KXTC," said Captain Thompson, "but today several outlets around the State aligned with KSB are here, and they're all demanding that you speak to them."

I said "Tell them that they are not entitled to make demands of me, and that I'm under no obligation to speak to them."

"Sounds good." said Cindy. Captain Thompson nodded and exited.

"It's gonna be that kind of day." I said, shaking my head. "It's gonna be that kind of dayyyy..."

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

And it was.

The FBI team came in. Their Supervisory Agent was a man named Nate Grimes, who was white, fairly tall, lanky, and had frazzled hair that reminded me of Shane O'Brady. His team was shown into the Main Conference Room, and some of the team ended up going to Classroom 'J'. Chief Moynahan went in to talk to Grimes.

"Just a few ground roools." said the Chief. "Every Police Officer is entitled to Union Representation during any and all questioning, very much as if the Rep is their lawyer. Every Officer is entitled to a lawyer at any time they wish. And I will tell you nowwwww... do not ask for cellphones, Police-issue or personal. You can get Police texts from us, and other text through warrants issued by the Courts, but I have already advissssed my Police Force that a warrant is required to peek into their cellphones."

"You have a problem with us asking them to voluntarily allow us to look into their cellphones?" asked a relatively short, slender black man with a bald head, who was introduced as Special Agent Dominic Ellis.

"Yes, I dooooo." said Chief Moynahan. "Sensitive Police information is on those phones, and I'm just not going to fool with it. If you want to see inside a cellphone, get a warrant. Even if an Officer consents, you'd better have a warrant, or I will end our cooperation with this investi-ga-shunnnnn."

"That will be fine." said Grimes, cutting off Ellis, who was clearly unhappy about it. "So, let's get going. Why don't we start with Commander Donald Troy?"

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

"They want to start with me?" I asked, shocked, as I sat at my desk.

"Yezzzzz." said the Chief, who had come to fetch me. "Gift horse, Commander." he said, meaning me being called in early. I had thought others would be interviewed first, and me near the last in case someone said something about me that they could investigate further... i.e. build their case against me before talking to me. Call me paranoid, but I had no illusions as to who this investigation was about. After all, it was my daughter that Lester Holder had spewed his racist hatred about.

In my office with me was my attorney, Mike G. Todd, who was enthusiastically ready to do legal battle on my behalf today. We headed to the Main Conference Room. Joining us in the door way was the Police Captain Union's Rep.

"You need a Union Rep and a lawyer?" said Grimes after introductions were made.

"You betcha." I said. As we were about to sit down, Ellis said "Will you volunteer to allow us to view the contents of your personal and Police cellphones?"

"Didn't the Chief talk to you about that?" I asked.

"Yes, he did." said the Union Rep, who'd heard the conversation.

"The answer is 'no', I will not permit that without a warrant." I said sourly. "And the Chief told you not to ask."

"Your Chief is not running this investigation." said Dominic Ellis.

"There's about to not be an investigation." I replied, turning for the door. "I'll go have the Chief shut this charade down right now---"

"All right, all right." said Grimes. "Have a seat." As we sat down, Ellis opened what looked like a metal briefcase and began extracting wires. I knew what that was.

"What is that?" I asked. Ellis said nothing as he continued to hook up the wires.

I stood up. "I SAID 'WHAT IS THAT?'!" I thundered. Everyone looked at me in shock.

"Don't you know?" said Ellis sarcastically. "It's a polygraph. Reach your right hand out and extend your fingers, please."

"Are you trying to connect me to that?" I asked.

"Do you have a problem taking a polygraph?" asked Ellis.

"I sure as hell do!" I said strongly. "They're not admissible in Court, they're unreliable, and they can be manipulated. I don't allow them to be used by the TCPD."

"He's right about that." said the Union Rep.

"Furthermore," I said, my anger growing, "for you to try to connect me to it without my consent like you just did, is a violation of my rights."

"What are you trying to hide, Officer Troy?" said Dominic Ellis.

"That's intimidation and harassment!" shouted Mike G. Todd as he stood up, seeing the flush on my neck and face. "And it definitely flies in the face of the Constitution and my client's rights."

"If he has nothing to hide," snarled Ellis, "then he should have no problem taking a polygraph."

"BULLSHIT, YOU SON OF A BITCH!" I yelled. "IT'S CALLED THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES!" I struggled to regain control, and not fly over the table and beat the shit out of the piece-of-crap Agent. "My Constitutional rights apply no matter what!"

"I consider your refusal to take a polygraph to be suspicious." persisted Ellis. "If you continue to refuse, you will be considered a prime suspect in the racially charged attack upon the reporter Holder."

"That's a load of crap!" shouted Mike G. Todd. "Commander..."

"We're done here." I said, pre-empting Mike. I flung open the door and almost ran to the Chief's office. I barged in without knocking, interrupting the Chief, Lange, and Muscone.

"Shut it down, Chief!" I exclaimed. "Kick 'em out! It's a setup! They asked me to give them my cellphone, then tried to connect me to a polygraph without my consent, then threatened me when I refused to take it."

"Commander Troy misunderstood---" tried Special Agent Ellis, who had followed me into the Chief's office, along with Supervisory Agent Grimes. Mike G. Todd grabbed my shoulder to prevent me from saying... or doing... something 'regrettable'.

"No he did not misunderstand, Chief." said Mike. "What Commander Troy said is true. This guy..." he stabbed his finger almost into Ellis's face as he spoke, "... twice showed disregard for the Constitution and Commander Troy's rights. And he did try to get my client to give up his cellphone in spite of your explicitly stated order to the contrary."

"He sure as hell did." said the Union Rep, who could not quite hide that he was really enjoying this.

"Are you guys nuts?" asked EAD Lange to the FBI guys.

"This is our investigation," said Ellis, "and we'll run it as we see fit. You may be an EAD, but you're not the boss of us."

"But I'm the boss of this Police Force." said Chief Moynahan. "And this entrapment scheme is con-cluuuu-ded. Get out."

"Chief," said Grimes, "would you let me talk with you for a minute, and get this ironed out?--- What are you doing, Commander?" He saw me furiously typing on my Police iPhone. A second later the Chief's iPhone chimed.

My email to "Loddy Doddy Everybody", i.e. the entire Force, said "This is a direct order: no Police Officer is to take a polygraph administered by the FBI, either by consent or under orders or duress. Contact your Union Rep if the FBI attempts to intimidate or coerce you in any way to take a polygraph test or to open your cellphones for them. (signed) D. Troy, Cmdr."

"What the hell?" Ellis griped when the Chief read it aloud. "That's obstruction of justice!"

"No it's not." said EAD Lange. "And I'm getting tired of your disregard for these Police Officers's rights. Mr. Grimes, yes, we do need to talk..."

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

I was sitting in my office with Cindy and Mike Todd, and I was in as dark a mood as I'd been in in a long time. I was gripping the red crowbar and tapping it into my hand. Cindy had her green crowbar with her, mostly to protect the rest of the world; she would later say she couldn't remember seeing me this angry in a long, long time.

Finally, the Chief knocked on the door, followed by Sheriff Griswold. "Hello, Crowbar." Griswold said.

"Sheriff." I said moodily in greeting.

"Well, heeeere's what we've agreed upon." said the Chief. "Special Agent Ellis and his polygraph have been sent home. Union Reps will be sitting in with every Officer whether or not they are asked forrrrrr. And the U.S. Attorney is here to lead the questioning..."

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

Going into the Main Conference Room, I saw U.S. Attorney John Jones from the City, who I knew and had worked with in the past, and Supervisory Agent Grimes. "Hello, Commander." Jones said cheerfully, getting up and extending his hand, and I shook it. "Sorry about those problems you had earlier. We're hitting the 'reset' button on all of this."

"Okay." I said solemnly as Mike Todd and I sat down. The Police Captain's Union Rep was already seated at the table. Grimes read me my rights, and I said I understood the rights.

"So, Commander," said Jones, "where were you between the hours of 8:00pm to 11:00pm on the night Lester Holder was attacked?"

"I was at the Civic Center." I said. "I was chairing the meeting of the Charter Commission, which started at 7:30pm and went until after two in the morning..."

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

I knocked before going into the Chief's office this time, and was bidden to enter. "I apologize for barging in on you last time, Chief." I said as I came in, seeing the Sheriff, EAD Lange, and SAC Muscone sitting in front of the desk.

"Heh heh heh heh." the Chief chuckled. "Between that and dead FBI Agents all over the place, I'll take the barging innnnn." he said. "Have a seat. How did it goooooo?"

I sat down on one of the chairs, which normally were for the Press Room. "It went fine, once John Jones got here and order was restored to nature. Mike Todd is in there with Cindy now, and will also be in with Teresa. He said it was essentially pro bono today; I think he was almost as pissed off as I was."

"Har." said Sheriff Griswold. "He's protecting them, as he protected you this morning... more from yourself than that idiot with the polygraph."

"Yes sir." I said, knowing I'd just been given my 'asschewing' in a 'kinder, gentler' way.

Jack Muscone said "I looked up Ellis's FBI record. He's been a good Agent and a standup guy to this point. Grimes said that he, Grimes, was shocked at what Ellis tried to do with the polygraph."

"I'll take your word for it, Jack." I said, feeling tired. "But I get the feeling that Ellis has tried those tactics before, possibly with Grimes's consent, and they may have gotten away with doing it because a lot of people are afraid to stand up to an FBI inquisition and assert their legal rights."

"But not you, eh, Commander?" asked Owen Lange, and I couldn't tell if he was needling me in a friendly way or a not-so-friendly way. I let my eyes bore into him, then chose the more conciliatory approach:

"Well, sir," I said, "between my wife and I, we've killed off Jack's FBI team twice, and we've really had to bust some Swamp Frogs from time to time. I think I'm getting where I hit back first, and worry about it later."

"And you're worried about Parker and Geiger." the Sheriff said. "I think that's the real issue here."

"Yes sir, it is." I said, rising to my feet. "And if you gentlemen will excuse me, I need to be getting back to work on that."

"Keep us inforrrrrrmed, Mr. Crowbar." said the Chief, then added: "We're all worried about them..."

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

"It was pretty straightforward." Cindy said as we sat in my office later. "Grimes asked me to open my cellphone, the Union Rep objected, and then John Jones asked me where I was and some follow-up questions, and that was that."

"Yeah, John Jones is handling things very well." I said. "By the way, did Myron give them what he had on all our Officers and patrols that night?"

"Yes." said Cindy. "He gave it to John Jones, and a copy to Jack Muscone." That caused me to glance up at the Green Crowbar, who had just slipped up.

"Yes," she said, "Jack is watching our backs on this. We didn't say anything to you because we figured you'd sniff out any problems. We didn't expect Ellis to be so open about it, though."

"Hmmmm..." I said, going into a reverie. When I came out of it, Cindy was grinning at me.

"I think I know what you were thinking about, this time." she said. "If Ellis was being so obvious, what were they doing behind our backs while you were distracted?"

"That's Green Crowbar thinking, there." I said. "I thought about that, but I'm more inclined to think his normal tactics got called out on him. Alternatively, he went through that to get himself sent home, on purpose... either to give the US DOJ an excuse to verbally hammer us, specifically me, or..."

"Or..." Cindy said as I drifted off again.

"Or he just wanted to extricate himself from this particular investigation, and that's how he did it." I said.

Cindy nodded. "By the way, anything new on Parker and Geiger?"

I shook my head sadly. "No." I said. "Purvis in Vice caught up to 'Merlock', the C.I. Merlock said someone contacted him about McGinty's Materials, and asked him to arrange a contact with Detective Geiger. So he did, and arranged a meeting at Ward Harvester Park. But he didn't go himself, and he never heard anything else until Purvis called him."

"So someone wanted to talk to Geiger... specifically him?" Cindy said, her voice rising with her hopes. "Maybe that's a thread we can pull on."

"Myron is trying to gather video footage." I said. "But the cameras in the park are focused on the playground equipment, not areas where people might meet and walk around. So we'll have to see... and Myron is distracted by this FBI investigation."

Cindy said "I'm glad Myron is cooperating. He really hates the Feds."

I said "He knows he's doing it this time to protect us, the rest of the Police Force. He/s a good Officer: he'll do what it takes, for the good of the Force..."

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

12:30pm, Monday, July 1st. "Okay, Captain Perlman, you're in charge for the rest of the dayyyyyyy." said Chief Moynahan.

"Ah, the power is mine, MINE!" Tanya cackled with glee, making us all chuckle. "Just kidding. I'll keep the FBI in line. You guys get out of here." The Chief, Cindy, and I got out of there.

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

There was a large number of people at the Nextdoor County Police ceremonies. The Chief, myself, Cindy and Teresa were in our formal TCPD uniforms with medals, and Cindy, Teresa, and I were wearing our Medals of Valor around our necks. The NCPD Officers were in their best uniforms as well.

Midtown Police Chief Frank Soltis had come up, and with him were Detectives Steve Ruger, Kimberly Wesson, and Nell Bell. We all chatted enthusiastically.

City Police Captain Wes 'Coldiron' Masters came up to us, and greeted us respectfully but as old friends. He and Chief Moynahan talked together for some time.

Then it was time for the ceremony. Chief Evans and Detective German were both given purple medals, which were called 'Purple Hearts' for being wounded in the school shooting incident. The Mayor of Hillside made those awards.