Long Cool Woman Ch. 01

"Thank you, Doctor." said Laura. "My flight was fine, but it came into City Airport, and I had to arrange for a car to bring me down here. I'll be sure to tell my assistant next time to get me a flight directly into Midtown."

"I understand." said Dr. Wages. "Please, have a seat." As Laura sat down, he went back behind his desk and sat down in his large, 'modern' design chair that was a series of gray vertical cushions that curved upwards. It didn't look particularly comfortable to Laura, but it seemed to fit Dr. Wages well as he relaxed into it."

"So you're from Texas." said Dr. Wages. "I have a friend in Homeland Security from Lubbock, a Dr. Lysander Starr." Lubbock was the home of Texas Tech University, where Laura's backstop said she'd gone to School...

"I'm sorry, I've never heard of him." Laura said, which was true.

"Ah, he may work in a different department than you do." said Dr. Wages. "So, you're here about the mole?"

"The mole?" Laura asked, as if this was the first time she'd heard any such thing. "Ah, no... I'm here to look into the compliance issues with your subsidiary, Audial Security Solutions. Is there a problem with a mole there?"

"Ah, yes. Same thing, actually." said Dr. Wages. Was that a hint of frustration or irritation on his face, Laura wondered to herself. He continued: "So just to be sure we're not talking at cross-purposes, I understand your visit is to look at the financial recordkeeping of our projects with Audial and other companies regarding the 'Alicia' project?"

"Yes." said Laura. She pulled a sheet out of her notebook and said "I'm sure my office sent you the names of the seven projects in a letter or email, but here is my copy." She handed it to him, and as he examined it she said "So you have a mole problem?"

"I might as well tell you," said Dr. Wages, "since it's going to immediately flash like a lighthouse on a stormy night when you begin your examination work. Recently one of our project managers at Audial was killed... apparently his team members were playing some sort of sexual role games, and he was hit on the head from behind. The Police arrested them all and charged them with murder, even though we think it was just a tragic accident, and will be providing lawyers to vigorously defend them in Court."

"What was the name of the man who was killed?" Laura asked.

"Lang." said Wages. "David Lang."

"No," said Laura, "I had not heard of those... sordid... details."

"That's understandable, if you weren't directly involved in it." said Wages. "Anyway, that's not the story I'm meaning to tell you. What happened is that the FBI discovered that our liaison to Mr. Lang and to the Audial projects is a woman named Mai Ling. Lovely and very competent woman, but the FBI said they believed she was a spy for China. She subsequently disappeared, and we've been scrambling to do a security review to see if we've been compromised. And that's what I thought you were here for."

"No, I can't say that it was." said Laura, taking off her glasses and looking at Wages. "But sometimes my superiors don't tell me things, so that when I find anomalies I don't have any preconceived notions about them. I'm simply supposed to do a financial audit on some of your projects that require a security clearance that not many of us have."

"I understand." said Dr. Wages. He stood up, so Laura did also. "My assistant will take you to the rooms we've set aside for auditors. We go through at least one security review every month, it seems." As the assistant came in, Wages said "How about lunch?"

"I'd be delighted." Laura said, though somewhat formally.

The assistant led the way down a hall towards a large room with cubicles in it. Just before entering that area, she stopped at two small rooms, each with a table and chair.

"I hope these will be adequate for you." the assistant said. "The red cable is a secure hookup, and the blue one is the normal one, and a lot faster." She handed Laura two passcards. "These will open the doors to these two rooms, the executive washrooms, and the elevator to the ground floor. If you need to go anywhere else, just ask me and I'll have someone escort you."

"Thank you." Laura said. Turning to her assistant, she said in a rather bossy voice: "I'll take the room on the left, and you can have the one on the right. Come in here after you set your stuff down..."

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

Back in my office, I was finishing up paperwork when my personal cellphone rang. It was State Senator Jimmy 'Coffin' Cerone.

"Ah hello, Commander." said Cerone when I answered. "I happen to be in your County today for a meeting at the University, and I hoped you would be kind enough to join me for lunch at Luigi's today."

"With respect, Senator," I said, "your timing is terrible today. This County is crawling with FBI and SBI Agents, looking for that escapee Trent Ridge. If they saw us together, it would be bad for your reputation."

"I appreciate your concern, Commander." said Cerone with a chuckle. "But I'm willing to bet that the matter I wish to discuss with you is the same matter your SBI friends wanted to discuss with you. So please... do come and have lunch with me. And bring your lovely Commander Ross, if she's available..."

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

Laura used an app on her laptop to test the true security of the 'secure' line, and found it to be reasonably good. Of course she didn't truly trust that, as this was MegaTech Industries, a company that had created some of the most advanced technology in the world to spy on American Citizens and other people of the World, at the request and behest of the Government.

She looked up the names of Dr. Lysander Starr and Mai Ling as if she were a Homeland Security official. Of course she could make a much deeper search with the CIA tools available to her, but she knew that even this 'secure' line was not to be trusted with that. She also was making the searches because she knew she would be expected to, especially if the name drops were traps.

She passed a written note to Donna, which said "Assume these rooms are bugged." Donna nodded, then handed the note back.

"Nope, no 'Lysander Starr' anywhere in Homeland Security." Laura said out loud.

"Why did he ask that, then?" asked Donna.

"Probably a quick test to make sure I am who they think I am." said Laura. "And 'Mai Ling' comes up as being on the FBI's wanted lists, with the alias of 'Mai Lin'. We're obligated to report that up the chain once we find any references in our own audits."

"You're not going to inform them, anyway?" Donna asked.

"No, of course not." Laura said. "One thing to learn is that we investigate only those things we were sent here to investigate. We don't stick our nose into other things unless we actually find something to report."

Donna said "Really? But------" Then she caught the 'look' Laura was emphatically giving her, and she shut her mouth.

Laura began typing on her laptop again, resisting the temptation to shake her head in disbelief. Donna was not working out at all, so far, Laura thought to herself; I just hope she doesn't totally blow this mission...

Part 6 - Martini Lunches

Cindy and I were dressed in civilian clothes when we came into the Luigi's. It was very busy, packed with a large crowd for lunch, but Cindy and I were taken upstairs to the small private room reserved for the Owner and his guests. As we came into the room, I noticed Cerone's two bodyguards eating at the table in the corner, which gave them a faster view of anyone coming in than the intruder would see the guards.

"Ah, come in!" said State Senator Jimmy 'Coffin' Cerone as he rose from his seat at the back table by the (bulletproof) window that gave a view of the River just past the back parking lot, and the farmlands and BigPharmaCorp beyond. "I appreciate you coming. You're looking lovely today, Commander Ross."

"Thank you." Cindy said, sitting herself in the seat that Cerone politely had pulled out for her, which faced the window. I sat to her right, and Cerone was sitting to her left. "Senator Molinari not joining us today?"

"Heh heh, no." said Cerone. "The Legislature is out of session, so he's enjoying his time and this weather off somewhere up near the City. And speaking of that weather, it's a beautiful day today, but very warm. So I've ordered light pasta instead of the heavier lasagna. Will you have some wine?"

"Thank you, but we're on duty." Cindy said. She told the waiter that had come up that she would have Coca-Cola Zero. I asked for unsweet iced tea, into which I would put the pollutant of 'fake sugar'.

"I was very upset to hear of those despicable attacks upon your daughter, Commander Troy." said Cerone. "I can assure you that if I hear any news of where he is, I will immediately inform you."

"I appreciate it." I said. "But let not your heart be troubled. I have the feeling that the Navy's people will find him before any of us do."

"Harumph." said Cerone. "You are indeed too modest, Commander. No disrespect to your lovely wife, but Federal Agents tend to have their heads up their... fourth points of contact, as you Airborne Paratroopers say." I chuckled at the joke. Cindy was a bit less amused, and I didn't know if it was because of the insult to Federal Agents, or the mention of 'Airborne Paratroopers' in the vicinity of my bad back.

Cerone continued: "And if you'll excuse me for coming right to the point, that's one reason I asked you to come today. It would seem the FBI and the SBI are searching for blackmail materials accumulated by Bundy McGinty, who you took down some weeks ago, Commander Troy."

"McGinty's Materials, as we're calling them." I said. "I've been hearing a lot about them recently. Seems a lot of politicians want them found. I can understand your reasons, as well."

"For myself," said Cerone, "anything McGinty would've had on me is beyond the Statute of Limitations by now, as I've been an honest Legislator for the past few years. But some of my former associates might not be sleeping as easily as I do. And that's why I'm prepared to offer a substantial reward to anyone who finds... 'McGinty's Materials'... and brings that information to me. Unread, of course."

"Of course." I said. "But Commander Ross, myself, and any law enforcement officer could not accept your generous reward."

"Not directly, of course." said Cerone. "And I should say as part of this that I don't care about the rest of it; I only want the material that is related to me directly, if there is any, of course, and anything related to my associates, and former and current friends."

"I understand." I said. "I also know that I tried to find the Materials when I busted McGinty, and I was not successful. He left no traces, no clues, no codes that might've allowed me to find the stuff. I'm not even sure McGinty's Materials even exist. He may have just created rumors about having stuff to keep himself from being disappeared."

"I can tell you this much for an absolute fact: the Materials exist." said Cerone. "And some of it concerned your old enemy, the Consultant of Crime. Westboro knew McGinty had the dirt, and so he left McGinty alive and alone. Wilson Hammonds knows for sure the Materials exist; he is lucky he is not in prison or dead... and he will be if the Materials are found."

"What about Governor Jared?" I asked. "Why do I suspect that a lot of the politicians want the Materials to see if there's anything to attack him with?"

"You are good at 'suspecting' things, Commander." said Cerone. "And I will be very candid, very blunt: I believe a man of your inestimable talents is capable of finding the Materials... if you haven't already."

I allowed my face to harden just a bit as I said "Ears are to hear with, Senator. As I just said, I took my shot when I busted McGinty, and I came up empty."

It is not exactly wise to 'front' the former Bosses of Bosses of the Southport Mob. But Cerone saw that I was not only doing so, I was unhappy at his previous insinuation.

"My apologies if I offended you in any way, Commander." Cerone said, backing down. "But should you try again, a substantial reward awaits you... or whoever you designate to receive it. And again, if it's found and anything related to me comes up, I would consider it a favor if that material is returned to me. A favor of the kind I might be able to repay as you might need, one day."

Our lunch arrived, spaghetti noodles with a choice of sauces: marinara, Alfredo, butter or clam sauce. I took Alfredo, Cindy took the clam sauce, and Cerone had the marinara sauce.

As we ate, Cerone said "Are you prepared for the Governor's impeachment, Commander? Both Commanders?"

"You think it's going to happen?" Cindy asked.

"My fellow Democrats are digging themselves into a deep hole." said Cerone. "Young up-and-comers like Tasheeka Harris and Nina Cortez are pushing hard for hearings, and no matter what is found to be the truth, they will demand the impeachment of the Governor. Wilson Hammonds and a few other Elitist Republicans are being more quiet about it, but they also very much want the impeachment to happen, and the Governor's removal, as well."

"But... he's done nothing wrong." Cindy said. "He's broken no laws, that I know of, anyway. And that situation with Braselton and Rodman was a dishonest joke, and Commander Troy blew them out of the water on it."

"Very true, Commander, very true." said Cerone, wiping his chin with his cloth napkin. "But the truth does not matter. What you're seeing is purely political. Governor Jared has not toed the Establishment line. He made promises the People wanted to hear, and he has kept those promises. He has been transparent and has exposed the political machines of both Parties, and their deep corruption. He is working tirelessly to put a lid on Illegal Immigration, and that is harming the cash cow of both Parties. They want him gone, and they've already tried outright assassination. Impeachment is what they have left, and that's what they're going to try next."

"What do you think their chances of success are?" I asked.

"They have the corrupt judges to go to the State Supreme Court." said Cerone. "Judge Nance in this County, Judge Stone in Coltrane County, Judge Omar in the City, and Judge Adam 'Shifty' Schaefer in Madison County... any of them if not all of them are very ready to make the referral."

"As to the State Senate," said Cerone, "it'll need a 2/3s majority, which seems insurmountable with the Republicans in the majority. But don't be fooled. A lot of those Republicans are giving lip service to the Governor but fully intend to vote to convict him if they can get to a State Senate trial."

"Are they planning to go after Don again?" Cindy asked.

"I don't think so." said Cerone. "They tried that, twice, and couldn't break down his testimony or get him to change it or contradict himself. And they're glued to the polls... polls which showed that the People of the State believed Commander Troy and not Robert Mullen nor my fellow Democrats."

"That's reassuring to know." I said, meaning it more than either Cindy or Cerone realized. "Anyone told KXTC that?"

"Oh, they know." said Cerone. "But with them, it's local... and it's personal."

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

Dr. Mark Wages came up to the door of Laura's temporary office space. "Dr. Washington, this is Dr. David Carlson. He's in charge of several of the projects you're working on. David, this is Lauren Washington."

"Why hello." Laura said, standing up as her eyes took in the sight of David Carlson. He was young, under 30 (she would find out later), tall, broad-shouldered, and had very light brown/dirty blonde hair and blue eyes. His face was 'chiseled' but friendly, and handsome. She liked what she saw.

"Very nice to meet you, Doctor." said David, taking her hand in his flirtatiously. "May I call you Lauren?" He liked what he was seeing, also.

"Certainly... David." she replied.

"And this is Margaret Mason." said Wages. "You'll be touching base with her on some of the accounting stuff." Margaret had brown hair that framed her face not unlike the way Carole's hair framed her face. Margaret also had glasses of the style favored by Don's sister Elizabeth. Laura noted that something was odd about the glasses... perhaps they were MegaTech's experimental 'Google glasses', with a camera and microphone embedded in them, she thought to herself.

"Let's go to lunch." offered Dr. Wages. "My treat."

"Sure, let me get my laptop." Laura said.

"Oh, you can leave it here. Only your passcard can open the door." said Wages.

"Nooooo, I can't be separated from it." Laura said. She closed and disconnected her laptop, and put it in her purse, which was large enough to hold it but not so large to be bulky, like a diaper bag.

"We'll take my car." said Dr. Wages. "Your assistant can go with Marla and the others." Marla was a dark haired woman in her late 20s. With her was another woman and two men, one white and one (India) Indian.

"I thought Donna might stay here while we're at lunch, and then she can go out when we return." Laura said.

"Oh, I wouldn't think of it." said Dr. Wages. "We'll be glad to include her." Laura told Donna to get her laptop and take it with her.

They went down the elevator and out to the parking lot. Wages had a parking space in his name, which contained a very expensive Mercedes, similar to Laura's car at home. Laura got into the backseat with David, while Wages drove and Margaret rode shotgun. Laura saw Donna and the other younger people get into a very nice Audi further down the parking lost.

As they drove through the manicured streets of Palm Creek, Laura talked to David, who had admitted he was 29 years old.

"Only 29, already got your Ph.D., and working with MegaTech Industries?" Laura said. "Very impressive."

"Well, my attempts at pro football and pro baseball careers didn't work out." David said. "So I went back to Northwestern and got my Ph.D. in Biomechanics."

"How are you using that for MegaTech?" Laura asked, seemingly casually.

"Implants." said David. "I can't say a lot about the specifics, but if what we're doing works out, it's possible that paraplegics might be able to walk again, or at least regain control of their bodily functions. And instead of massive surgeries, an implant could regulate a heart's function, as well as allow instant and constant monitoring of it. And then there's the brain symbiosis projects-------"

He stopped, seeing Dr. Wages glance at him in the rear-view mirror, then said "Well, those are in the infant stages."

"They sound fascinating. I'd love to talk to you more about them, especially the spinal cord work." Laura said, thinking of Tanya Perlman but not mentioning her, of course. "Perhaps after our audit is over?"

"That'd be great." David said, giving her his most winning smile.

"Just nothing that's still under wraps." said Dr. Wages. David nodded vigorously in agreement.

"Of course." said Laura...

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

"I have a couple of questions." Cindy said as we were driving back to Police Headquarters... via a round trip around the Bypass. "First, why was Cerone so open about everything? Especially the Impeachment stuff? He's a Democrat; doesn't he want to destroy Jared like the rest of them do?"

"He's a Democrat, being an old Union Boss before becoming the Boss of Bosses in Southport." I said. "And Molinari is a Republican. But what they both really are, is eminently practical. Which is why they work together to actually get stuff done in the State Legislature rather than play the stupid games the vast majority of them are playing. So he's telling me this knowing that I'll tell Sheriff Griswold, and knowing the Sheriff will tell the Governor."