Little Red Haired Girl Ch. 02

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 9 - Devastation

Saturday, February 16th, nearly noon. I was in my office, dressed in my red golf/polo shirt with embroidered badge and khaki pants. I was on the computer, getting data on Tomoko Shimono, Paco, and Jerry Barsbane.

My desk phone buzzed. I considered not answering it, but something told me I needed to. I picked up the receiver and said "Troy."

"Sir, this is the Duty Desk." said the Duty Desk Sergeant. "There's been an accident on Courthouse Square. Officer Barker is down..."

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

I took my SUV, even though the distance was very short. I was allowed through the cordon being set up by the TCPD, and I saw the flashing blue lights of many Police vehicles on College Street.

When I got out of my vehicle and came up, I saw that there was a crowd of people being restrained by the Police in a polite but professional manner. I saw a little red haired girl sobbing in what appeared to be her mother's arms. And I saw a couple of Officers attending someone lying on the ground, who I realized was Barker. Father Romano was also kneeling there, giving what looked like the Last Rites.

Further down, a car had crashed into the front of a store. Officers had dragged the driver out of the car and had him on his belly, hands cuffed behind him. The driver looked unkempt and ragged, his shirt dirty and his jeans had holes in them. He was drunkenly babbling something.

Barky was being held back by his leash, the other end being in Patrolman Johnson's hand. Barky was whimpering as he looked at his owner, and whenever anyone came up to Barker, the dog would begin barking furiously, trying to protect his stricken human.

"Hey, Barky!" I called out as I came up. "Come here, boy." It worked. Barky knew me, having seen me a number of times in his puppyhood. He sniffed my hand, then allowed me to pick him up, though he continued to whimper.

The two Officers besides Father Romano that were kneeling by Barker were Lieutenants Rudistan and Irwin. Then I looked at Barker. His eyes were open, staring sightlessly at the sky. A pool of blood was flowing on the bricks from under the back of his head.

"He's gone, sir." said Father Romano, who had undergone rigorous wilderness survival paramedic training. Just then the ambulance arrived, and two paramedics jumped out. Rudistan, Irwin, and myself got back out of the way, and Father Romano went over to the little girl and her mother.

"Damn." I said sadly. "When was the ambulance called?"

"The people around here called 9-1-1 when it happened, sir." said Corporal Hicks, who had just come up to me. I led him back away from the body and the group.

"Let me put Barky in my car." I said. I did so, and Barky just looked out the window at the small crowd of people, still whimpering. I came back to Corporal Hicks.

"We'll have to check to see how quickly 9-1-1 notified the ambulance service, sir." Hicks said. "In the meantime, I've got several people coming up to me saying Barker threw that little girl out of the way of the oncoming car. We're getting statements now, and as usual they all differ, but the gist of it is that this car came flying hard down College Street, then veered right at Barker's table. He threw the little girl out of the way, then the car hit his table and ran over him."

"Have we secured the video of the area?" I asked.

"We're doing that now, sir." said Hicks. "Only a couple of these shops have cameras, and they're still cameras so they don't show everything. Headquarters is getting footage from the streetlights and from City Hall and the Civic Center."

"Good." I said. "Let's see if this bistro nearest the scene has any video." I led the way inside. The two shocked workers said there was a camera, but they didn't know how to get the video, that only the manager knew.

"Call him on the phone and ask him to come down." I said. They made the call and tried to explain the situation. I had the girl on the phone hand me the receiver.

"This is Commander Troy of the TCPD." I said. "To whom am I speaking?" He identified himself as Tom Jones. "Mr. Jones, I need you to come down here right away and show me the camera footage of the fatal car accident in front of your restaurant, here..."

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

As we waited for the manager to show up, I went back outside. "Sir," said Rudistan, "footage from the streetlight cam at Riverside and College has been downloaded to the evidence servers, and you can look at it."

I took out my Police iPhone and watched. I saw the back of the car going down the street, then almost inexplicably swerving at the very last moment to plow into the sidewalk tables. Then I saw that a camera from J.P. Goldman Bank had been uploaded. It surveyed the front entrance of the bank, but it showed College Street, and though from a distance it revealed the front of the car coming down the road, swerving, and Barker flying back, then the car continuing down and hitting a nearby store.

"Wow." I said. "It swerved right at the last second. He had no time..."

Officers were getting statements from people. I saw the red-haired girl still sitting nearby, sobbing. Why she had not been pulled back so that she would not have to witness this, I did not know, and would demand an explanation of my Officers at a later time. Father Romano was talking to her and her mom, but she continued sobbing unabated. I asked her and her mother to come down the street, further away from the crime scene, and pulled up a chair next to her and her mom as they sat down.

"Hi." I said. "My name is Don. What's yours?" I asked the girl.

"Frieda." she said.

"Are you okay?" I asked. "Were you injured?"

"No." Frieda said, then wailed: "He... he died because of me! He picked me up and threw me out of the way and the car hit him!" Frieda broke down into more sobbing.

"Frieda," I said. "I need to tell you something. Look at me." When I finally got the girl's full attention, I said "Frieda, he did not die instead of you. He didn't have time to get out of the way, even if you weren't there."

"How do you know?" Frieda asked.

"Because I am a Detective." I said. "I saw the video, and I know some other things, as well. And I know that either both of you would've died, or he would've died after throwing you out of the way. He chose to save you, but even if he hadn't, he still would've been hit. So do not blame yourself, okay?"

"But he died!" Frieda said.

"I know." I said, putting my arm around her. "But I'm glad he saved you."

"What happened to his dog?" Frieda asked.

"I put the dog in my car." I said. "He's okay. My dog Bowser is Barky's daddy, and we'll make sure Barky is taken care of." Frieda nodded.

Just then a shadow blocked out the light. I looked up to see Deputy Chief Cindy Ross standing over us.

"I heard what she said about blaming herself." Cindy said. We both knew where this was going.

"Frieda," I said, "this is Commander Ross. I'm going to ask her to take you and your mom to the hospital, to make sure you're okay." I looked up at Cindy and said "They may have taken her statement, but ask her more about it. And you might want to call Susie Haskins to talk with Frieda."

"You are reading my mind, Commander Troy." said Commander Ross.

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

It happened so fast that the tape barely showed it: Barker flung Frieda to the side then took the full brunt of the car colliding into his table and then him.

"He never had a chance." said Teresa Croyle, who'd shown up some moments before, and was now watching the video with me.

"No, he didn't." I said. "I'm not sure how he got that girl out of the way, either."

"The Hand of God." Teresa said. That was as good an explanation as any, I thought to myself.

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

"She's okay, physically." Dr. Yates said to Cindy and Frieda's mother. "But she really is blaming herself for your Officer being killed. My condolences to the Police Force, by the way."

"Thank you." said Cindy. "So, let's bring in my expert therapist, and see if she can help." She went down the hallway, where Susie Haskins and her mother were, and brought them over and made introductions. Then Cindy took Susie into the examination room.

"Hi Frieda." Susie said. Cindy put her up on the examining table next to Frieda. Susie was about Frieda's age, and one class ahead of her in school.

"Hello." Frieda said, still in misery.

"I know you feel bad." said Susie. "But don't blame yourself"

"How do you know how I feel?" Frieda said.

"Because it happened to me, too." Susie said. "When the Iron Crowbar rescued me and the other kids from the Slender Man, he hurt his back very badly. I was crying because he had been hurt rescuing us. And then he came over to me and made me stop crying, because it wasn't my fault that the Slender Man kidnapped us nor that the Iron Crowbar got hurt."

"But he lived." said Frieda. "Officer Barker died." She began crying again. Susie put her arm around Frieda.

"I know." said Susie. "Officer Barker was very brave, like Commander Ross here, and the Iron Crowbar, and Mrs. Veasley were brave. Mrs. Veasley died, too, and I was said about that. But all we can do is remember them, and do good with our lives, like Mrs. Veasley told me to. I think Officer Barker would want you to do that, too."

Cindy had tears in her own eyes as she said "Susie is right, Frieda. I know it's sad and it hurts us right now, but over time we'll remember all the good Officer Barker did and we'll keep going like he would want us to. Okay?"

"Okay." said Frieda, trying to dry her tears despite the pain in her heart...

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

As Cindy helped Frieda, I did my duty. I went back to my office and put on the uniform I kept there as a spare in case the one I was wearing got dirty, or if I was in other clothing as was the case today. When I came into the anteroom of my office, Father Romano was there. He was going to go with me------

"He was a Presbyterian." said a voice as I put on my Duty Dress jacket. I looked up to see Sheriff Griswold in my doorway, also semi-formally attired. "I've called Dr. Ayers already." Dr. Edward Ayers was the Presbyterian Church's pastor. "You can come also, Father." the Sheriff continued.

"If your pastor will be there," said Father Romano, "I'll stay here and write up my Police report of the incident..."

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

We picked up Dr. Ayers and went to the home of Barker's parents. They were at home. Mr. Barker looked ragged when he answered the door.

"Oh no..." he said. "It's true, isn't it?"

"May we come in?" asked Sheriff Griswold. Mr. Barker let us in, and we went into the main room. Mrs. Barker began weeping when she saw us and the preacher. They obviously had gotten word. The pastor went over and sat down with Mrs. Barker.

"We've gotten a couple of phone calls." said Mr. Barker. "They were asking if it was our son that was hit by a car on Courthouse Square, and I can't get in touch with him. I was about to call the Police Station."

"Why don't you have a seat." I said, gently directing Mr. Barker to a nearby chair. Then I addressed them all. "I am sorry to inform you that it is true. Your son was struck by a vehicle, and he died instantly." Mr. Barker began crying, joining Mrs. Barker in grief.

"I also want you to know," I said, "that your son's last act was to throw a little girl out of the way, saving her life. He died bravely, and selflessly."

"Thank you for telling us that." said Mr. Barker.

"Was... was his dog with him?" Mrs. Barker asked, her voice unsteady.

"Yes." I said. "I have Barky in the car. I can keep him for a while, unless you'd like to keep him now."

"Yes, bring him in." said Mrs. Barker. "My son loved that dog. He was very grateful to you, Commander Troy, for giving him Barky." As if my heart weren't heavy enough, hearing that we'd lost a man who loved dogs just made my pain even worse.

I went and got Barky as the Sheriff and the Presbyterian minister tended to the Barkers...

Part 10 - Investigation

4:00pm, Saturday, February 16th. A very somber meeting was taking place in Classroom 'J'.

"Martha will do the autopsy when the Hospital releases the body, which should happen soon." said Cindy Ross. "But it was pretty obviously blunt force trauma to the back of his head. There were also severe internal injuries where the table and then the car slammed into his abdomen and chest."

"He couldn't make his legs move fast enough to get out of the way." said Chief Moynahan.

"With respect, Chief," I said, "none of us in this room now could've gotten out of the way of that. That car swerved into him right at the last second. How he got that child out of the way..." I did not finish the sentence.

"Tell us about the guy who hit Barker." said the Chief.

"His name is Wayne Shaw." said Lainie Everett. "Fifty-eight years old, unemployed. He has six DUI arrests, and four other arrests for drunk and disorderly conduct, some of those being concurrent with the DUI arrests. The first two DUIs were pled down. The third and fourth weren't, but he was only fined, first $700, then $2500, and he found a way to pay the fines."

"His license was permanently suspended after his fifth DUI arrest," continued Lainie, "and Judge Folsom gave him two years in jail. He served the entire sentence. On his sixth arrest, Judge Nance vacated the charges on a technicality, citing that the Police had surveilled him and then followed him for an unreasonable time before stopping him. Then-D.A. Krasney chose to not appeal the ruling."

"That figures." I muttered.

"He never was forced to go to rehab, or A.A.?" asked Chief Moynahan.

"He was supposed to, after his fourth DUI arrest." said Lainie. "According to Court records, he missed most of his appointments; and the ones he went to, he came in drunk and they kicked him out."

"Where is he now?" I asked.

"At the Hospital, sir." said Rudistan. "Under arrest and under guard. He hit his head on the doorframe, and his chest may have impacted the steering wheel even though the airbag deployed. He was incoherent when we pulled him out of the car. The Hospital took the blood alcohol test, which was 0.14, legally drunk but not enough for a hardcore alcoholic like him to be that severely affected. They're going to do more bloodwork, for other drugs in his system."

"Good." I said. "And make sure no harm comes to him." I knew that Officers were more than upset that one of our own had died at that man's hands; it was my duty now to see that he was protected.

"Yezzzz, make sure nothing happens to him." said the Chief. "I don't want to give the Media any legitimate reasons to be whining about us."

"What happened to the car?" I asked.

"I had it sent to the State Crime Lab." Tanya Perlman said. "They have a facility near the garage in the basement level, where they can examine cars, strip them down to the bolts, and such. I asked J.R. Barnes to do that for this car because the car not only didn't stop, there are no skid marks on College Street nor the sidewalk, as if the brakes were never applied."

"That car really slammed into that storefront." Rudistan said. "We're lucky that no one else was killed. But Shaw was so incoherent at the scene, he may not have applied the brakes. He may not even have realized what he'd done."

"Our CSI guys will tell us more on that." Tanya said.

"Okay, then." said the Chief. "Put out the word: black tape on badges until March 15th, and the flag on the flagpole on our front lawn to half mast for that length of time, also. I'll speak to the Sheriff about the flag in Courthouse Square being brought to half-mast."

As everyone filed out of the room, one person remained in his chair. That would be me. I was in something of a reverie.

"You okay, Don?" Cindy asked as she came back to where I was sitting. The Chief had also noticed, and come back towards us.

"Uh... yeah." I said. "I was just thinking... that car swerved right at the last minute..."

Part 11 - Driving On (Pun Not Intended)

"This is Bettina Wurtzburg, KXTC Channel Two News." the redheaded reporterette said somberly at 7:00am, Monday, February 18th, from the southwest corner of Courthouse Square. "We are bringing you continuing coverage of Saturday's death of a Town & County Police Officer."

After going through the details of Officer Barker's death and the arrest of Shaw, Bettina said "The funeral will be Wednesday, and Officer Barker will be buried with full Police honors."

"And in State news," said Bettina, "Sources tell Channel Two News that a number of meetings occurred over the weekend under the gold dome of the State Capitol. Political experts are saying that a secret framework for a Budget deal could be in the works. Neither the deeply unpopular Jared Administration nor Legislators of either political Party are commenting on rumors that a high ranking Democrat Legislator, which sources tell Channel Two News was 1st District State Senator Katherine Woodburn, met with the Governor and Lieutenant Governor in the past few days..."

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

"What's that about?" asked Teresa as the Sheriff, the Chief, me, and my Angels sat and watched the broadcast while drinking weak Iron Crowbar coffee in the Chief's Conference Room. We all had black tape over our badges.

"Is the Press trying to stir up false hopes of a compromise Budget?" continued Teresa. "Or trying to stir up trouble amongst the Legislators?"

"Some of both, I'd imagine." I said. "There is no doubt in my mind the Press does not want a Budget to pass, so that they can report on the plight of the People of the State, and also blame Governor Jared for it all. So if there are talks going on, this is Bettina's way of trying to undermine them, and cause the Legislators and the Governor to distrust each other all the more."

"C'mon." Cindy retorted. "Do you really believe the Press is that malicious?"

"Yes." I replied coldly, my gray eyes staring right into Cindy's ice blue peepers.

"In this case, Crowbar is right." said Sheriff Griswold. "The Governor has told me that reporters are telling his people stuff all the time, some of it true and some of it false, but with the goal of undermining various Legislators that might be open to compromise. They, the Press, are doing the same with a number of Legislators. And they're always trying to find out what one side is discussing, so they can go spill it to the other side."

"Still, to assign the Press that much hostile intent..." said Cindy.

"Errr, changing the subject," interrupted Teresa. Seeing the look on my face and knowing that I was about to go off on Cindy, she said: "Commander, what was that Police report you filed about talking to Wayne Shaw?"

"Yesterday I got a call from the Duty Desk." I said. "They were relaying a message from the Police guards on Shaw at the Hospital. They said that Shaw had woken up yesterday (Sunday) morning. He didn't know where he was, and after he was told he was in the Hospital and that he'd run over someone and killed him, Shaw began crying. He begged the Officers, and then the doctors that came to check up on him, to call me and ask me to come talk to him."