Iscariot Ch. 05

"He handles misdemeanors." I said. "We charged the bozo with felonies."

"Exactly, sir." said Theo.

I grabbed my phone and called D.A. Miriam Walters. I identified myself when the assistant answered, and she said: "Ms. Walters is in conference, sir." said the assistant. "Can I---"

"Get her out of the conference!" I ordered. "This is urgent!"

"Please hold, sir." the receptionist said. Two minutes turned to three, then to five. "What the hell?" I said, then hung up and dialed the number again. The same person answered. I hit the button to record the phone call.

"This is Police Commander Troy." I said. "This is official Police business, and if you put me on hold again, I will come over there and begin making arrests. Now put D.A. Walters on the phone NOW!"

"She's gone to the Courthouse, sir----" the woman said. I hung up.

"I'm going over there." I said. "Who wants to go with me?"

"I will, sir." said Teresa.

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

We came into D.A.'s office. The woman at the anteroom desk, who looked to be in her upper 30s, said "Can I help you?"

"You're the woman I just talked to on the phone?" I asked. "Who put me on hold indefinitely, then told me the D.A. was at the Courthouse?" When she didn't answer, I said "I just asked you a question. Now you are about to be under arrest. I recognize your voice, so you might as well answer. Was that you?"

"I refuse to answer your question." the woman said, looking hatefully at me.

"If the D.A. is in there," I said, "I'm going to arrest you for lying to Police."

"I just obeyed orders." said the woman. But I was not listening. I was already trying the door, and it was locked.

"Harumph." I said. "And people wonder why I carry a crowbar." I began using my red crowbar on the doors. They yielded with a loud *SNAP!*

"What the hell?" gasped Miriam Walters as I barged into her office. Savannah Fineman was with her.

"Captain, arrest the D.A.'s assistant. Lying to Police." I said. Teresa stalked out of the room.

"What the hell is this?" yelled Walters.

"Your assistant put me on indefinite hold, then lied to me when I called back." I thundered. "And I want to know why Ted Mason is handling the felony charges against that punk we arrested at the Council Meeting last night!"

"Felonies? Are you kidding?" said Walters.

"No, I'm not kidding." I growled. "That perp assaulted Police Officers and resisted arrest! We filed felony charges against him!" Then I realized something: Walters did not know what was going on. So I asked: "Who the hell told you they were misdemeanors?"

"Savannah, is that true?" Walters asked.

"I have no idea." said Savannah, shrugging her shoulders.

Walters called out to her assistant, who came to the door... in handcuffs behind her back, with one very angry Police Captain holding her arm.

"What's going on?" Walters asked harshly. "You told me those were misdemeanor charges!"

"You better speak up, and tell the truth." said Teresa into the woman's ear.

The woman said "Ted told me to tell you they were misdemeanors, and he was going to downgrade the charges and let the guy go."

"Savannah! Get to the Courthouse, pronto!" Miriam Walters ordered. "Go!" she all but yelled when Savannah didn't move. Finally, the blonde ADA got her ass in gear. Walters picked up the phone and dialed a number.

"Mason's not answering." she said. "I'll call the Court Bailiffs, and have them pull it until we can straighten this out."

I turned to the woman Teresa was holding. "Take her to Headquarters. Interrogation-A, if it's not being used." Teresa nodded, then grabbed the woman's arm and led her away.

"How long has she been your assistant?" I asked.

"Since I became D.A." said Walters. "Beginning of the year."

"Something's going on here." I muttered. "And I'm going to find out what."

"Is this how you get your results?" Miriam said, maybe meaning to be humorous. "Break down doors like that?"

I turned to her. "I was about to bust your head open over this." I said.

"Out of curiosity," Miriam said, "why are you so on fire about this? Is it really that important that it's felonies, and not misdemeanors?"

"Yes." I said. "I want to make a huge example of him. We need to start teaching these punks that there will be consequences for their actions." I decided not to mention that I really wanted to fuck that punk up because he was PCGW, and because I consider 'Climate Change' to be a fraud. Let's see if these punks are willing to go to prison for that fraudulent 'cause', I thought to myself...

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

10:00am, Wednesday, July 10th. I strode into Interrogation-A from the anteroom side, with a file folder in my hands. Technically, as Captain of Operations, Teresa could be the Uniformed Presence, and so she was.

"Like the Christina Aguilera song says: 'And it keeps getting better.'..." I said as I sat down opposite the woman. "Allow me to read you your rights." I did so from the card.

"I want a lawyer." the girl said.

"I'm sure you do." I said. "I'd want one, too, if I were in your position right now. And we can play this one of two ways... I haven't asked you a question yet, so you can call that lawyer, and when he gets here I'll open this file folder, and nothing on this earth can save you from a long, long prison term..."

"... or..." I said as my eyes bore in on hers, "you can cooperate with me, and you might even walk out of here without charges."

"I want a lawyer." the woman said. "You're denying me my right to a lawyer."

"Suit yourself." I said. "There's the phone on the wall..."

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

Thirty minutes later, Jenna Stiles came through the door. "I'm here to represent Brenda Lynn Allen." she said. She was shown into Interrogation-A. After ten minutes, she called us in.

"Hello, Jenna." I said affably as I sat down.

"My client says you repeatedly questioned her after she asked for a lawyer." said Jenna.

"That's not true." Teresa said immediately.

"All right, what are you charging my client with?" asked Jenna. "Even if you recorded the phone call, it's going to be hard proving it was her."

"Oh, we're way past that." I said. I opened the file folder. "Your client's real name is Rose Martel. That alias she's using, Brenda Lynn Allen, it was a pretty strong backstop. It would have to be, to survive the scrutiny of working in the District Attorney's Office."

I saw Teresa's eyes widen in shock as I went on: "That's not just a good backstop, Rose... it's professional grade. And you needed it; you have a criminal record as Rose Martel. You were young, but you were involved in the PCGW's attack on Crown Chemicals all those years ago." (Author's note: 'The Phyllis Files', Ch. 01.) "You were arrested and charged with a number of felonies."

"I would imagine," I said, "that a further investigation will find some connection between you and that PCGW punk we arrested last night. He's in a world of sh---- stuff, right now. And you've probably made it worse for him with your little stunt today."

I continued: "And we also have you lying on applications to get your job in the D.A.'s office, and to get a clearance. And I'm going to call in the FBI, and they're going investigate how you got this new identity. It's over, Rose."

"I need to talk to my client." said Jenna Stiles.

"No doubt." I said. "But I'm not going to waste much more time on this." I walked out with Teresa, and we watched through the one-way glass.

"She has a connection to the PCGW thug?" Teresa asked. "She looks a bit older than him... not that it matters: I'm that much older than Todd, and Laura's that much older than you."

I smiled, then said "No, I think she's just helping a fellow PCGW bozo out. Her love interest is either Ted Mason... or Gil Krasney. They're the only ones that could've gotten her a job in the D.A.s Office, and since she's Walters's assistant now, I'd guess that Rose's connection is with Krasney. Hmmph... I didn't think Krasney had it in him. I didn't think he was that much of a man..." Teresa laughed out loud at that, a rare sound seldom heard.

A moment later we were called back in. "What will you offer us in exchange for her truthful testimony?" said Jenna.

"She walks." I said. "She leaves my County, she doesn't come back for any reason. I see her here... and if she comes back I will see her... I'll arrest her. Rose, go back to Gil Krasney, and tell him he was beaten by a better man once again..."

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

"So she was having an affair with Gil Krasney?" asked the Chief as he, D.A. Walters, Teresa, and I were sitting in his office.

"And Ted Mason, too." I said. "She was passing along everything the D.A. was doing over to Krasney. She's been with the PCGW for years, and as Rose Martel was one of their heroes of the Crown Chemicals disaster. So when we busted that guy last night, she got Mason to help get him out of the felony counts we were bringing."

"What can we dooooo to Mason?" the Chief asked.

"Nothing." said Miriam Walters. "Now that he's an elected official, instead of an employee of the D.A. like Solicitors used to be, I really can't do anything to him. The Council can censure him, but there's really nothing they can do, either. I would suggest, Commander, that your Charter Commission consider that in its rewrite."

I nodded. "We're already doing that. In the meantime, what's going on with the Peter Blassingame case? Trial upcoming?"

"With his father arrested," said Miriam, "the dynamic might change. His lawyers have been working like dogs on his defense. But they may taper off in order to help his father's case."

"No, they won't." I said. "Edward Blassingame is more interested in saving his son than saving himself. He even has a 'Messiah' complex about it... he will offer the Feds everything he has and knows, in exchange for full immunity... for his son. There's no way in hell we're accepting that, of course. So... who's on the case for you?"

"I..." started Miriam, then she stopped. I bore in.

"Ms. Walters," I said severely, "it's your D.A.'s office to run as you see fit. But I'm aware that you are diminishing Paulina Patterson's role to boost Savannah Fineman, possibly so Savannah can run for Solicitor and win next time. You're going to lose Paulina, but as I said, that's your business."

"But I will tell you this." I continued. "I want Peter Blassingame convicted for rape and murder, and I really would like to see him executed by the State for his crimes. And if you fuck that up by playing favorites and helping your cronies out at the expense of a good prosecution... I will be very upset. Upset enough to very publicly condemn you for it. In order to get the conviction of Peter Blassingame, I need your very best ADA working on it... and we all know who that is. But it's your D.A. shop, and your decision."

With that, I got up and, nodding to the Chief and getting his nod back, I left the office. Teresa followed me out.

"I hope you weren't too subtle in there. That might've gone over her head." Teresa said, needling me.

I just gave her a 'look', then said "This morning has flown by. Let's go get lunch, shall we? My treat."

Part 27 - Charting The Course

7:30pm, Wednesday, July 10th. The Charter Commission was in the regular Board of Commissioners room, as was Sheriff Griswold, the Fire Chief, the Public Health Officer, and the Police Chief. We, at least I, did not expect a huge crowd like we'd had for the Police hearings. But I was wrong. A huge, overflow crowd was in the room for this, the Public Safety ex-Police hearing.

"Just who are all these people?" Edward Steele whispered to me as people came in.

"I recognize a lot of them." I said. "They're with the Fire Department, and they're the ones most active with the Union. So I'd guess the Union asked them to pack the meeting."

I gaveled the meeting into order. "Thank you for coming." I said. "Our last meeting covered the Police Department, so I'm going to ask that if you're here to discuss primarily Police issues that you submit your issue in writing on the cards we'll provide you. This meeting is about the Public Safety Department overall, as well as the Fire Department, Public Health Department, and the possibility of a new department, a revived EMS service."

I began going through what the Commission had worked on to this point. When I got to the part about re-doing the Fire Department ranks, specifically 'demoting' the Battalion Commander position to equality with Superintendents, and ranked below the Assistant Chief and Fire Marshal, I heard some murmurings in the crowd. Ah, so that's why they're here, I thought to myself.

I expected rumblings as I presented the part instituting a new EMS service, but didn't hear much of anything. After I finished, I asked the other Commission Members if they wanted to comment (none did), then I opened it up for questions and comments.

The first man to arrive at the podium was wearing an expensively-tailored suit that I estimated to cost at least $2000. I knew who he was; he was the president of the national Union for Fire Department Captains (and above).

"I have come to express the Union's disapproval of the plan to demote the Battalion Chiefs to the Superintendent level----"

"Allow me to interrupt for just one second." I said. "Just to be clear, no person is being demoted as a result of these changes. The current Battalion Chiefs, Tucker and Carlson, will remain at their current levels and pay grades for as long as they occupy those positions. These changes will only affect people being promoted to Battalion Chief in the future."

"Semantics aside," said the Union President, irritating me, "we are opposed to this change." He stopped speaking.

We waited for a moment, then the Rev. Joseph E. Williams said "Well? Is there more?"

"It should be enough that the Fire Department Captain's Union opposes the change." said the Union President.

"I think what Dr. Williams is asking," said Edward R. Steele, "is for your reasons for your opposition to the change."

"We believe it adversely affects the structure of the TCFD." said the Union Rep. "It also removes that position from being covered by the Fire Captain's Union."

"They'll still have Union representation." said Savannah Fineman. "They'll be covered by the Fire Department's Union."

The Union Rep persisted: "We believe this is a move to take the Battalion Chiefs out of the top leadership structure of the Fire Department, reducing their important voices in Fire Department decisions and activities."

"We're not proposing this to reduce their voices." I said. "We are reducing it to resolve an issue that negatively impacts the Fire Department and our Firefighters. This is a change necessitated by changing conditions within the Fire Department since the Merger and the writing of the original Charter."

"It still has the effect of reducing their voices." said the Union Rep. "If this is enacted, we will take steps to oppose it."

"If it's enacted," said Edward Steele, a bit strongly, "it will be because the People of the Town & County voted for it. You can make threats, you can sue, but history shows that voted-upon changes like these are rarely if ever overturned." In other words, don't threaten us, I thought to myself.

Next up was Loran T. Michaels, former Public Health Officer (PHO) and former Town & County Council Member. He had this little perma-smile on his face, which connoted that he was barely indulging anyone that spoke to him that he considered of lesser intelligence. This was the wrong Commission to give that attitude, but I digress.

To my surprise, current PHO Beth Paige got up and went and stood beside Michaels. as he began to speak:

"I have come to address a very important issue." said Michaels. "I believe the Charter needs specific language prohibiting a Public Safety person from one department to be forced into another one, especially in the upper management levels. As you know, Commander Troy, you and I were on opposite sides of that with regard to Police Commander Robert Brownlee, and it created an unnecessarily tense situation, costing time and money." By that, he meant the lawsuit he'd filed to oppose Brownlee's forced transfer into the Public Health Service. (Author's note: 'End of the Line', Ch. 01.)

Michaels continued: "I believe this needs to be recognized and rectified by strong language prohibiting such transfers against the will of the incoming Department's leadership."

Beth Paige spoke up: "I agree with Mr. Michaels's statement. I believe this needs to be addressed, and in a way protecting our various departments from the unwanted encroachment of having unwanted persons forced upon us."

I asked the other Commissioners for input; they had none. I said "This is certainly a topic for the Charter Commission to look into and discuss, and we will do so."

Michaels and Paige looked a little nonplussed at my comment, which was correctly interpreted to be a dismissal. Next up was Town & County Council Member Sheila Sorrells.

"I rise in opposition to the plan to reconstitute the EMS." said Sorrells. "The old EMS was rightfully disbanded, as the actions of the EMS personnel in going on strike was both unlawful and showed clear disregard for the Citizens of our Town & County."

Next up was TCFD Battalion Chief Tucker. "I am not opposed to the reinstatement of the EMS." he said. "But I am opposed to it being separated from the Fire Department. The EMS should be under the Fire Department, so that the Fire Department can control them at fire scenes, and can control them in the Fire Department facilities."

"To that end," continued Tucker, "I believe it's a waste of resources for the EMS to have separate facilities from the Fire Department. It seems wasteful. I don't understand how you can be so strongly against a third Police Precinct, claiming a waste of money for the extra facilities, but for the wasteful spending of new EMS facilities. Again, the EMS should be in existing facilities, controlled by the Fire Department."

I did not like the comment about the third Police Precinct, so it is possible that my reply was more than a little acidic when I said "The EMS under the control of the Fire Department was a disaster. And do I need to remind you that Fire Department personnel raped a female EMT and nearly murdered a male EMT that tried to help her? Whether or not the EMS is reconstituted is one thing, but I do know this: it is extremely important that the EMS not be a part of the Town & County Fire Department."

I made no friends in the TCFD with that remark. But after the dog kennel incident (Author's note: 'Fire In The Hole', Ch. 01.), I had my detractors in the TCFD as it was.

I was 'rescued' by the next speaker: Fire Marshal Zoe Singer came up. "I'm in full, strong support of a new EMS, and I very strongly recommend that it be separate from the Fire Department, both in the leadership structure as well as the physical facilities. It's not equivalent to the issue of the Police precincts; I strongly disagree with the last speaker about that. And a separate, independent EMS not under the thumb of the Fire Department would be a unit that paramedics would be proud to be part of in service to the Citizens of this County."

I did not need to be Carole or Cindy to feel the vibe amongst the ranks of the Fire Department, including their Chief, about Zoe's words. There was still hostility there, and that was an understatement...

And finally, a national official of the Police Union spoke. "I was unable to be here at your last meeting, and this really covers all the Public Safety Department." he said. "I believe there should be a new Police Department rank, the equivalent of your Fire Department's Superintendent rank, with the similar responsibilities over installations."