Little Red Haired Girl Ch. 01

"BigRoadAndRailCorp, I would guess." I said.

Todd grinned his brilliant grin, and Teresa smiled her pursed smile as Todd said "Not much gets by you, Uncle Don. Yes, BigRoadAndRailCorp. And the scary part, at least for our plans, is that they have numerous U.S. Senators on their payroll, if you get my drift."

"I certainly do." I said. "They're the Big Boy Elites." I said. "So what else?"

"How did you know there's a 'what else'?" Teresa asked.

"I'm a pretty good Detective." I said. "And you and Todd wouldn't bother telling me this unless there was something bigger going on."

Todd grinned again. "True. And what happened was that while no one tried to undercut my land options, someone did go in and buy options on some other tracts of land. One of them was BigAgraFoods."

"I thought that land wasn't all that good for farming." I said.

"It's not." said Teresa. "The topsoil is not good for growing crops, and it's not good for growing trees for lumber, either. But that's not the whole story."

"No, it's not." said Todd. "Another company bought options on a very large tract between one of the railroad lines and the BigAgraFoods tract. It's a holding company in the name of an LLC incorporated in Nevada, but Dr. P. Harvey Eckhart is my relative, too, and he found out who was behind that shell company for me. It's State Parcel Service, SPS."

"Really?" I asked. "I thought they were regional."

"They are." said Teresa. "But I took the opportunity to learn from 3M (Mary Mahoney Milton) about searching for data. I found out that Edward Blassingame, the CEO of SPS, is on the Boards of several other regional delivery services like his own, and they're on his Board. Nice cozy bunch of Elites... and guess whose names are on the papers of that Nevada shell corporation? Yep, Blassingame and his incestuous members of their several boards."

"The deduction is not hard to make." I said. "They want to set up a hub near any new railroad tracks built out there. And SPS and their fellow regional delivery companies would merge and become an interstate, i.e. national delivery company."

"That's what Teresa said, too." said Todd with a teasing grin. "She figured it out, since she's a lot smarter than me."

"If I had a crowbar," Teresa said to me, "I'd be waving it in my husband's general direction right now."

"All the more reason to be carrying one." I said with my own grin. "Okay, that's all interesting, but except for trying to undercut the Midwest & Pacific, I don't know of anything necessarily bad about all this."

"I'm curious as to how they knew to come look at that area." said Teresa. "I recall finding bugs in our rental house when we were there last Fall."

"And this could really hurt all our plans." said Todd. "Even if the Midwest & Pacific wins in Court, I don't want to build a research facility anywhere near where the Big Boyz are setting up shop. And Zion Dynamics is the same. But we don't know if they're just trying to cut us out, or if they intend to set up whether we set up or not."

"For me," Teresa said, "the BigAgraFoods part of the picture doesn't add up. What's their interest?"

"You're right, Todd." I said to my nephew. "She is smarter than you." Todd chuckled. Teresa blushed, but she smiled... a very rare real smile...

Part 7 - Morning Coffee, New Reporterette

"This is Bettina Wurtzburg, KXTC Channel Two News!" shouted the MILF reporterette at 7:00am, Thursday, February 14th, from in front of the State Office Building. "It is Valentine's Day, but there is no love lost between the politicians under the gold dome of the State Capitol!"

Bettina began: "Sources are telling Channel Two News that there is a growing rift between Republican House Minority Leader Wilson Hammonds and other members of his Party. Minority Leader Hammonds is holding the line against giving deeply unpopular Governor Val Jared any kind of victory regarding Illegal Immigration, but other Republicans are beginning to admit that they cannot override a Jared veto of the Budget bill. Roll tape."

Tape rolled, showing 1st District Rep. William C. 'Billy' Williams saying "Governor Jared has support of the Conservatives in both Chambers of the State Legislature, and the trust of the People of the State, enough to withstand a veto of the Budget and any attempts to impeach and convict him."

State Senator Moe Molinari then appeared on the tape, saying "Our problem is not Governor Jared, who is acting in good faith and is willing to make reasonable compromises. Our problem is Wilson Hammonds, who is not acting in the best interests of the People of the State, nor the Republican Party."

Back to Bettina live: "We have with us Dr. Adam S. Keller of the City University Rodham Foundation for Political and Social Change." said the redheaded reporterette as the camera went to a split-screen, showing both Bettina and Keller. "Dr. Keller, is that right? Is the Governor bulletproof?"

"I don't know about that Bettina," said Keller, "though Jared has shown he's explosion-proof. Unfortunately, Senator Molinari may be correct that Jared won't be impeached and convicted, but if he vetoes a Budget bill with strong majorities and nothing is passed by the end of the Legislative session for the year, it will be really bad for his Republican Party in the next Election."

"Dr. Keller," Bettina asked pensively, "will the Governor be able to get his racist Immigration policies passed?"

"He's not going to get what he really wants, Bettina," said Keller, "which is to crush the rights of undocumented workers and persecute them. But he may get something in the legislation that will make things as tough as possible on them..."

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

"Whoa, something has happened." I said as the Chief, me, and all three of my Angels watched in the Chief's Conference Room. The Chief was at the near end of the table, me to his left, Teresa to my Left. Tanya was to his right, closest to the door where she could park her wheelchair, and Cindy was to her right.

Sheriff Griswold had not come to join us this morning, so I texted him: "What happened?"

"We'll talk later." came the reply.

"Yep, he knows something." I said, halfway in a reverie and not realizing that others were in the room.

"And what is that?" asked the Chief.

"Whatever is going on in Midtown." I replied.

"Ohhhhh." said Tanya Perlman. "I see what you're saying. They've shifted the onus of getting something done onto Representative Hammonds."

"Really?" Cindy Ross asked skeptically. "Pencil Neck Keller was calling Jared a racist and saying he wouldn't get the legislation he wanted."

"But he did not, and could not, say that Jared would get nothing," I said, "which has been the Media's mantra up to now, chirped over and over and over again. So! there's been a breakthrough somewhere, and my bet is someone... someone important... has taken the Governor's side over Wilson Hammonds's side, which was the real sticking point of this whole thing."

"Well," Cindy said, "be sure to tune in to the KFXU morning show at 7:30."

"Ahhhhh." Tanya said. "Priya has found work."

"Yes. Yes she has." said Cindy. "Maybe Don will cut her a break, now."

"I do commend her for walking away from Katherine Woodburn when Woodburn committed that unforgivable act against you and Betsy." I said. "But a leopard cannot change its spots. We'll see how she does on Fox." Cindy just shook her head, knowing that I was not going to change my spots regarding the Press...

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

"And welcome to Fox Eight University Sunrise!" said Catrina Pierce at 7:30am. "With me as always is Meredith Peller. Meredith, why don't you introduce our new colleague."

"She hardly needs any introduction in our Town & County." said Meredith as the camera panned out to include Priya. "Priya Ajmani has been reporting here for several years, and we've managed to grab her from State Senator Katherine Woodburn's staff. Welcome, Priya!"

"Thank you, Meredith, and Catrina!" Priya said happily. "I'm glad to be here with the KFXU News Team."

"What's going on in the State Capitol, Priya?" asked Catrina.

"There does seem to be new activity regarding the Budget after a big meeting yesterday between the top leadership of both Parties." said Priya, who had turned to look into the camera. She played the Williams and Molinari segments, then said "Sources tell KFXU News that Governor Jared is more willing to make a compromise deal than Wilson Hammonds, and that exasperated Legislators may be willing to work with the Governor."

Catrina Pierce then was shown as she said "We have with us Peter D. Gordon of Clear Call Polling. Peter, what is your data telling us?"

Peter was shown via a video feed. He said: "Hello, ladies! Our most recent polling data shows that Governor Jared is at 50% popularity, and that 52% of the State's voters agree with his policies on immigration enforcement, which is to assist the Federal Government in the rounding up of Illegal Persons as well as stronger enforcement of employers using the State eVerify program in hiring."

"We also had another poll, asking 'Who will you blame if there is a State Government shutdown?'." said Peter. "Forty percent said the Democrats, and those are pretty much all Republican voters. But 40% said they would blame the Republican Legislators, and only 20% say Governor Jared is to blame. And when we ask if a Budget passes the Legislature but Jared vetoes it, the numbers are almost even: 51% will blame Jared, but 49% say they'd blame the Democrats because they didn't work with Jared to pass a compromise bill."

"So the problem is the Republicans in the Legislature." said Meredith Peller.

"You could look at it that way." said Gordon, "but our analysis of our data suggests that a good number of Grassroots Republicans were elected in November, and those voters that elected the more Conservative legislators are very strongly supportive of Governor Jared and Lt. Governor Marshall, while the Republican Establishment is beginning to be out of favor."

"Doesn't that make the electorate that much more polarized?" asked Priya.

"Absolutely, Priya." said Peter Gordon. "But when it comes to the Budget battle, it means the Governor won't be the scapegoat if a Budget is not passed or even if he vetoes it. The overall Republican Party might be destroyed in this State, and that is why you're seeing these not-so-subtle messages sent to Wilson Hammonds through the Media sound bites."

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

"Priya's back." Tanya said as she, Teresa, and I watched in my office.

"And she's the best Priya ever." I said.

"Think she can handle being on Fox?" Teresa asked.

"We'll see." I said. "She lost her last two jobs because of streaks of honesty. Maybe KFXU will be a better home for her."

"I'm wondering if I'm going to win my bet, that there will be a Budget deal." Tanya said, her eyes cutting towards Teresa as she said it.

"I won't cry if I lose that bet." Teresa said. "No Budget would be a catastrophe in this County, especially with the University here."

"That's true." I said. "So, what's going on in our Police Force today?"

"I reserved the Main Conference Room for 9:00am." said Teresa. "Barker's paperwork is done. The Chief said he wants to be in the meeting, though he'll let us handle telling Barker."

"Aw, mannnn..." Tanya said sadly.

"Okay." I said. "I'll be there. Anything new in MCD or Vice?"

Tanya said "We are really watching for anyone that tries to come in and set up drug operations in the wake of the Marcie Harper bust. Nothing so far, though we think T-Square's clubs will have supplies of whatever his customers want. We did get one strange tip, that 'The Teacher' has alerted his petty theft people to be on watch for contraband coming in to the County and to let him know if they see anything. The Teacher does not like competition any more than the Government does."

"True that." I said. "Any more details on that?"

"Just that there have been sporadic reports of people being seen at the BigAgraFoods warehouse at night." said Tanya.

"I heard about that." said Teresa. "2d Precinct has been sending 3d shift patrols by there very regularly for the past week or so. So far, they've found no lights on or any vehicles around the building."

I remembered what had happened to Cindy at that building, and Tomoko Shimono's name being involved. (Author's note: 'Causing A Commotion', Ch. 01.) And now Shimono's name had come up again as well as reported activity near that warehouse. Coincidence? You make the call.

"Tell you what." I said. "We have some IR equipment, don't we? On drones? Binoculars?"

"Yes sir." said Teresa.

"Well," I said, "the Supreme Court said that it was permissible to look for IR heat signatures on private property without a warrant. They said that in a case relative to people using heat lamps to grow marijuana in their homes, but I want to take advantage of that. Talk quietly to Precinct Cpt. Abram and Lt. Rudistan, and have some 2nd and 3rd shift patrols go by the place and look for heat signatures inside. And any time they hear of any activity there, put an IR drone or two up. And keep that off the record: I don't want the Press to see any reports of it."

"Wilco, sir." Teresa said. "Anything in particular we're looking for?"

"Yes." I said. "Tanya knows this already. Jack Muscone sent me a photo. I'll text it to you both now, but don't distribute it or say anything about it.."

I sent the text, then said "I'm doing workups on these three perps. The woman at left looks an awful lot like Tomoko Shimono, who I had believed was dead. The guy in the middle is a martial arts expert named Paco, and the guy at right is named Jerry Barsbane. This photo was taken in Turpin Heights, well south of here, but I don't need to remind you what happened when Shimono's name came up in association with perceived activity at the BigAgraFoods warehouse."

"No sir, you do not." said Teresa, anger appearing on her face at those very bad memories. "Surely this is not related to that, though." I resisted making a bad joke.

"I would doubt it," I said, "but coincidences are starting to build up. Anyway, don't say anything about these three until I find out more about them. So... what are you guys doing for St. Valentines Day?"

"Jack sent me roses; they're in my office." said Tanya. "We're going to go out to dinner, as a family."

"Todd and I are staying at home." Teresa said. "I'll have three boys and one big boy giving me chocolates, and I happened to find out that Todd bought me a red silk teddy."

"Ooooh," said Tanya with a grin. "Gonna be a hot night on the mountainside. What are you doing, Don?"

"I sent Laura flowers, too." I said. "I told her I'd take her to dinner, but with my mom back in Apple Grove, getting babysitters is harder to do. So she may be agreeable to staying at The Cabin, and the kids can play with Legos while we sit by the fire pot on the deck..."

Part 8 - Good People, Bad Things

9:00am, Thursday, February 14th. Captain Teresa Croyle led Officer Barker into the Main Conference Room. Chief Moynahan was sitting at the near end of the table, and I was to his left, facing the door. Teresa came around to sit to my left as the Chief had Barker sit in the chair to his right.

"How is Barky doing?" I asked.

"He's great, sir. Thank you for giving him to me." said Barker. Barky was a Son of Bowser, part of the litter that had also produced Joanne Warner's dog Leo. He was named 'Barky' partly because of the resemblance to Barker's surname, but also because Barky lied to bark a good bit more than his brother Leo and his father Bowser.

There was a pause as no one spoke for a second. Barker filled in the silence: "Chief, sir, ma'am," he said, "I know why I'm here. So just lay it out straight." I nodded to Teresa, who, as Captain of Operations, had insisted on performing this dreaded task herself.

"Yes." Teresa said. "Patrolman Barker, I'm sorry, but you did not pass the physical required to continue as an active duty Police Officer with the TCPD. You can be re-examined in two months, but if you have not significantly improved by then, your last day will be May 1st."

Barker nodded, trying not to look as grim as we all felt. "I know." he said.

Teresa said "I do know that BOW Enterprises has a standing offer for you to work in Security at their facility here in this County. As to the TCPD, you'll be getting a medical separation package that includes continued rehab as well as insurance."

"And you will have our support as you seek new oppor-toon-i-teeees." said the Chief.

"Thank you, sir. And thank you all for all of your help and patience during this time." said Barker.

"We all hate it that we're losing you." I said. "Both as a person and a Police Officer. Your career, while all too short, has been one of distinction, and we appreciate everything you've done while with the TCPD."

"Thank you, sir. By the way, can I be an Auxiliary Police Officer?" asked Barker.

"Yes." said the Chief. "Though the physical restrictions will be the same as they are now."

"For now," said Teresa, "you're on extreme Restricted Duty, and not allowed to carry a Police firearm. You can do Dispatch and Radio, or you can help the Data Guyz with digital data collection and analysis."

"I'd suggest you try that, see if you like it." I said. "A good computer-related career could come of it. And with computers so prevalent in so many jobs these days, it could give you a headstart towards whatever you decide to do."

Barker nodded thoughtfully. "I'll do that, then, sir."

Teresa said "I'll take you over to Personnel & Records. They'll get the paperwork started so that you'll be in the insurance system by May 1st."

We all stood up, and the Chief and I shook Barker's hand. He limped out as he followed Teresa out the door and down the hallway.

"God, that sucks." I said. "And it's because he was wounded in the line of duty."

"Yezzz." said the Chief sadly. "It hurts. But that's what happens... sometimes bad things happen to good people..."

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

11:45am, Saturday, February 16th. Officer Barker was sitting at an outside table in front of one of the bistros on the south side of College Street, facing Courthouse Square. The weather was sunny and unseasonably warm, in the upper 50s. With Barker was his dog Barky, leashed and sitting in the chair next to Barker.

Barker knew it had been coming, that he wasn't getting better, and that he couldn't stay on the Police Force much longer. He was grateful that BOW Enterprises CEO Todd Burke had offered him a security job at the BOW facility... but it wasn't the same as being an Officer on the Town & County Police Force.

He was grateful that the TCPD, and especially Commander Troy and Captain Croyle, no strangers to line-of-duty injuries themselves, had worked hard to find Barker roles with the TCPD so that he could continue to serve while he rehabbed. But the rehab didn't quite work; the nerve and blood vessel damage in his legs had been too much to fully overcome. At least he was alive.

He'd told his parents the night before when he visited them for dinner. His father, a BigPharmaCorp employee, had been very proud of him when he'd joined the TCPD, and anxious but proud of him when he'd been wounded. However, Barker's mother could not hide her relief that her son was not going to be a Police Officer anymore; he was her only son, and nearly losing him had been shocking and painful to her.

As Barker ate his lunch and enjoyed the good weather of the day, Frieda Franklin and her mother came out of the bistro with their lunches and came to the next table. Barky saw Frieda and barked once at her, then looked over and seemingly whimpered, trying to get her attention. And he got it. The little red haired girl smiled brightly and stepped over.