Music Box Dancer Ch. 02

This story is part of an ongoing series. The chronological order of my stories is now 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 7 - Decisions and Rulings

"This is Bettina Wurtzburg, KXTC Fox Two News!" shouted the lovely redheaded reporterette at 7:00am, Monday, June 18th, from in front of the State Office Building. "We are eagerly awaiting the State Supreme Court's rulings on several key legal actions regarding the Independent State Counsel's investigation into wrongdoings by Governor Val Jared and Police Commander Donald Troy!"

"At 9:00am the rulings will be handed down," said Bettina, "and we will bring you those rulings as soon as we get them. Meanwhile, in another shocking affront to the security of our Nation, the Guardians of Justice have released more classified and highly sensitive documents!"

Bettina continued: "The documents reveal that the U.S. Department of Agriculture intentionally used insecticides that devastated bee populations all over the Nation. This has already led to lower yields of many crops, and further bee population depletions could create potential famine in many parts of the world fed by American farms! Other documents reveal that BigRoadAndRail Corporation has worked with several U.S. Government agencies to bring all transportation in the United States to a halt in the event of an emergency, as well as use the Nation's roads and rails to transport people to FEMA camps!"

Bettina went on: "The Department of Agriculture has issued a statement saying they are investigating the breach of security by the Guardians of Justice, and that any depletion of bee populations would be purely unintentional. BigRoadAndRailCorp's CEO, Curtis Meigs, has denied any involvement with Government plans to control transportation in the Nation. Meanwhile, U.S. Senator Samuel Russell is blasting the FBI for not having caught the GOJ by now. Roll tape."

Tape rolled, showing a very angry Samuel Russell giving a speech at the University, saying "The ability of the terrorist group Guardians of Justice to continue to operate in this fashion unabated shows that the FBI is full of incompetent Agents led by incompetent administrators!"

The tape then showed the current Director of National Intelligence saying "The Guardians of Justice represent a threat to national security, both within the country and around the world. They must be stopped at all costs. We believe that Russian and Israeli intelligence units are responsible for the damage being done by the GOJ, and we must act to stop these hostile actions."

Back to Bettina: "The Israeli Government bitterly protested the accusation that they are involved in any way with the GOJ's actions, but the CIA Director issued a statement saying that Israel's continued 'persecution' of Muslims in the Gaza Strip is becoming a real humanitarian problem. Republicans denounced the CIA Director's statements, saying Israel has every right to defend itself from Islamist terrorists attacking Israelis near Gaza, but with the Intelligence Community making statements like these, relations between the two countries are cooling rapidly."

"And finally," said Bettina happily, as if nothing she'd said before had been said, "the deadline of June 20th to enter the Town & County Team Triathlon is coming up rapidly. This year, teams will run for charities and raise money for those charities, with a small purse for the charities of first through tenth places added. Last year's winners, Teresa and Todd Burke, are running as a married couple for the first time, and running for the University Hospital Cancer Center..."

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

"How has Captain Croyle found time to train for the race?" asked Joanne Warner as we drank coffee in MCD and watched the broadcast.

"That's how she's been relieving stress over all this b.s. that's going on with Mullen." I said. "She goes and trains for the race. She's been leaving Todd in the dust, too, so I hear."

"You're not running with your wife, sir?" asked Jerome Davis.

"No, the Slender Man screwed me up on that, too." I said. "The bicycling part of the race hurts too much. So my wife is running with the Sheriff's wife. But Laura and I are still working on that dance competition in November."

"Dancing with the Crowbars." Cindy said somewhat acerbically, then added: "But seriously, that does sound like fun for you and Laura."

"Who's running for the Police team for the Triathlon?" asked Teddy Parker, who was sitting at his desk, seemingly disinterested in the news.

"I think Hicks and Johnson are the Police men's team." I said. "Corporal Gunddottar was trying to get someone female to run with her, and I told her if she did we'd sponsor them as the Police women's team."

"She's running with Wanda's boyfriend Carl." Cindy said. "And Town Fitness Centers is sponsoring them."

"Town Fitness Centers is hardly a charity." I said.

"No, the charity is the Veasley Community Center." Cindy said. "Unless a couple of their members enter the race." That was not likely to happen, I knew.

"Are they really having a wheelchair race this year?" asked Theo Washington, seeing Captain Tanya Perlman drive in.

"Yes we are!" Tanya said happily. "And I'm in. I was trying to get Commander Troy to enter, but he wussed out." I grinned at that one.

"Are y'all really doing a full triathlon?" asked Theo, his voice connoting stunned amazement.

"No, just part of the course they're doing the run on. We're going to be starting early, and hopefully finish by the time the cyclists and runners get there." Tanya said.

"You will." I said. "And if there's an issue, we're going to divert the wheelchair racers into Town, while the runners and cyclists are on University Avenue and North Street."

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

"This is Priya Ajmani for the State News Network!" said the beautiful Indian reporterette at 8:00am, whose morning broadcast was now seen all over the State. Jenna James in Midtown was holding serve at 12:00noon, while Diane Williams at KCTY in the City did the 6:00pm broadcast. Individual stations took back over twenty minutes into each broadcast.

"SNN has learned that the State Supreme Court will hand down its rulings in an hour, at 9:00am." Priya said. "Sources tell SNN that the rulings could be wide-ranging and not favor any particular side. But Social Justice groups are lining up their spokespeople to tell us what they think about it, and no matter what happens, someone is going to be angry..."

After it was over, Cindy turned off the television set. "Well, at least it'll be over for Teresa soon." Tanya nodded vigorously in agreement, and Cindy said "By the way, where is she?"

"In Midtown." I said. "If the Court rules against her, she'll have to go to Mullen's office immediately, where she will take the Fifth and then come back home."

"Think you'll win your lawsuits?" Cindy asked me. I shook my head gravely.

"No." I said. "I knew Judge Watts would have to recuse himself, but I was hoping Folsom would show more spine than I've got left, and that he'd rule on my cases. But he passed the buck to Nance, who crushed 'em. I doubt they'll overturn them."

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

9:05am. "This is Bettina Wurtzburg, KXTC Fox Two News! The State Supreme Court has just handed down its rulings. Let's go to Meredith Peller, Fox Midtown! Meredith!"

"Thank you Bettina and Tim!" said Meredith, as Tim Sioban of KSB in the City had also gone to her. "The rulings are out, and here's what we have:

"First, the Court ruled that Commander Donald Troy's lawsuits against the Citizens For Police Accountability, Black Voices Raised, and Senator Maxine Watts were correctly dismissed! The Court ruled 4-3 that the Citizens United ruling applies here, that the donation of PAC money is a form of Free Speech. Two of the State Supreme Court Justices made a point to state in their opinions that ruling for Commander Troy would, and I quote, 'give him the power of the Police to abuse citizens and harass them with specious investigations', close quote. The Court also struck down Commander Troy's slander and defamation lawsuit against State Senator Maxine Watts as being 'alien to the concept of Free Speech'."

"Second, the Court ruled 4-3 that the State Bureau of Investigation's Office of Ethics and Review, the SBI-OER, cannot investigate the Office of the Independent State Counsel while the ISE's investigation is ongoing, that doing so would be tantamount to investigating a District Attorney for prosecuting a case in Court, and would effectively harm the Independent State Counsel's authority to use normal investigatory means to reach its conclusions."

"However," said Meredith, "it was not a total win for Robert Mullen. The Court ruled, again 4-3, that Teresa Croyle's actions in recording the ISE's interrogation of her, as well as her discussing what happened with the media, gives her 'whistleblower' status, for which she cannot be prosecuted. The SBI-OER may retain those recordings, but the subpoena for the ISE's interview tapes does not have to be fulfilled until the ISE investigation is concluded. Also, Mr. Mullen will have to re-issue a subpoena for Captain Croyle to appear before the ISE again."

"Fourth," said Meredith, "the Court ruled that the Independent State Counsel must adhere to strict guidelines regarding the scope of its investigation into Governor Jared, and must show relevance at every turn for any questions it asks. This is a severe blow to Robert Mullen, whose briefs to the Court stated that he needed to lay groundwork to achieve the relevance, and therefore he should be given broad scope. The Court did not agree."

"Fifth, and last," said Meredith, "the Court ruled that the contract between then-Detective Teresa Croyle and the Town & County, where she resigned in exchange for criminal charges against her being dropped... is valid and binding. The Court ruled that Captain Croyle cannot be criminally charged in the Dean Allen assault case again, as that contract was in effect a plea deal with the County, and bringing up criminal charges again would amount to a violation of the Double Jeopardy clause of the United States Constitution. However, the Court also ruled that Captain Croyle may face civil liabilities, as may the Town & County Police Force."

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

9:25am. "This is Bettina Wurtzburg, KXTC Fox Two News!" the lovely redheaded reporterette said from in front of the Courthouse complex on the east side of Courthouse Square in Town. "Fox Two News has learned that Dean Allen has filed lawsuits against Captain Teresa Croyle and against the Town & County for the assault upon him at a traffic stop several years ago, whereupon he was charged with DUI and homicide.

"Allen served four years in prison for wiping out the family of Phil Kearns, but at the time of the bust, then-Detective Teresa Croyle violently assaulted him. The criminal charges have been resolved as pled down, but she now faces a civil trial for her abusive actions..."

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

"Nothing unexpected." I said as I sat in the Chief's Conference Room with the Chief and Deputy Chief. "Pretty big wins for Teresa, if you ask me."

"But they killed your cases." Cindy said to me. "I can understand them stopping you from looking into their finances under the Citizens United case, but to completely dismiss the Maxine Waters slander case doesn't seem right."

"It's a double standard." I said. "They can try to drain me financially with legal complaints all the time, but I'm not allowed to investigate their dirty money. And it's funny they talk about my investigations as being 'specious', when it's Robert Mullen who is making the truly specious, time-wasting, money-wasting investigation."

"Seeeems to meeeee..." drawled the Chief, "that they tried to divvy up the rulings to give everyone something. Almost... political, I'd say." He then noticed that his words had sent me into a reverie... a deep one.

I was now seeing the reason for Mitt Bain Willis's little game with me, but I was seeing something more... they'd let Teresa off the hook because the Independent State Counsel's gambit with her had not worked, and they needed to save Robert Mullen. Yeah, Chief, I thought to myself, it's political... and the rot goes all the way into the bowels of the State Supreme Court...

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

The TCPD Bell 206 landed at the Fairgrounds just behind Police Headquarters. Teresa Croyle and her lawyers got off, and the Bell took off for its home at County Airport. Police cruisers were blocking the way to the Fairgrounds, denying the angry, rabid Press Corps of the opportunity to envelop Captain Croyle in a crush of people. She and her legal team went through the gate, opened by Patrolman Barker, and through the parking lot.

She came into Headquarters and was going to go to her office when Deputy Chief Ross intervened. "Come with me." Cindy said. She led Teresa into MCD.

"Forrrrr she's a jolly good fellow, for she's a jolly good fel-low, for she's a jolly good fellllll-ohhhhhhhh, which nobody can deny!" sang a chorus. The Detectives also had a cake for her.

"Aw, you guys are awesome." Teresa said. She introduced her lawyers and said to give them praise for their work. Then everyone ate cake... per Marie Antoinette's instructions, dontcha know. I had a feeling that Marie Antoinette and Mitt Willis would've been peas in a pod...

Part 8 - The Next Phase

"Hi Don." said my lawyer Mike G. Todd on the afternoon of Monday, June 18th. "I was contacted by the Independent State Counsel's office. We negotiated for you to appear after the July 4th holiday, but now they're asking if we want to move it up... to this week."

"Oh, so they found some whitespace on their calendar," I said, "now that they can't force Teresa to appear immediately again."

"Appears so." Mike said with a chuckle. "So what do you want to do?"

"Tell them..." I said, then paused, thinking about it, then deciding. "Tell them that we'll move it up under one condition: that my interrogation be before the Special Grand Jury. No prior interviews, no prior discussion."

I heard Mike Todd whistle. "Wow, Don, do you know how risky that is?"

"It's the lesser of two evils." I said. "Mullen can't play his dirty tricks in front of the Grand Jury."

"But you have no legal protection while in there." said Mike. "And unlike Teresa, you really can't divulge what's discussed in a Grand Jury hearing."

"True." I said. "But those are my conditions."

Mike hung up. Twenty minutes later he was back on the line. "They didn't go for it." Mike said. "They'll wait until after the holiday."

That's what I thought, I said to myself as I said goodbye and disconnected. That's what I thought...

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

"This is Bettina Wurtzburg, KXTC Fox Two News!" shouted the redheaded reporterette at 7:00am, Tuesday, June 19th. "Reaction to the State Supreme Court's rulings have been rolling in! State Senator Maxine Watts had this to say about the rulings. Roll tape."

Tape rolled. Maxine Watts was yelling at some audience "And the Court rightly struck down the racist attacks by Commander Donald Troy against me! Donald Troy is a racist and a Police thug! I call upon everyone to rise up against Police Brutality! Let your voices be raised in opposition to white suppression of black voices!"

Back to Bettina. "The social justice groups Citizens for Police Accountability and Black Voices raised also issued statements praising the decisions that halted Commander Troy's investigations into their finances. However, the victory was tempered by rulings that ended any criminal actions against Captain Teresa Croyle. Roll tape."

"The State Supreme Court struck a balanced tone," said State Senator Katherine Woodburn, "preserving the Federal and State Constitutions while prohibiting abuse of Police power in Commander Troy's cases."

Lieutenant Governor Collins said "We have to remember that the Independent State Counsel is investigating the criminal acts of Governor Val Jared, not a years-old case of Captain Teresa Croyle's. The State Supreme Court's rulings mean that the Independent State Counsel has the mandate to press forward with its investigations."

Back to Bettina: "Governor Val Jared had no comment on the State Supreme Court rulings. Captain Teresa Croyle also issued no comment, as her lawyer cited the impending civil case against her, filed by Dean Allen. Commander Donald Troy did issue a statement, a cryptic statement saying, and I quote, 'The Truth will come out, and the Day of Reckoning is at hand. And I do not dance to anyone's tune but my own.' close quote."

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

"Okay," said the Mayor as the Council convened in Executive Session at 8:30pm, Tuesday, Jun 19th, "the papers for the Dean Allen lawsuit were served. I've asked City Attorney Garland to come in and advise us on our options. Mr. Garland?"

"We don't have many, I'm afraid." said Garland. "The criminal aspects of the case were handled, and are bygone, but the civil aspects are just coming to light with Allen's release from prison."

"And the fact Dean Allen murdered three people in the commission of a felony DUI means nothing?" asked John Colby.

"Not really, because he was in Police custody when Croyle whaled on him." said Kelly Carnes. "My question for Mr. Garland is how do we transfer any responsibility on our part to be solely upon Teresa Croyle? Can we sue her ourselves to make that happen?"

"Uh, no." said Garland. "Her contract with the County was ruled valid, and so a criminal lawsuit won't hold. And the County has no standing to sue her in civil court; only Dean Allen has standing for that."

"And he's exercising it." said J.P. Goldman. "Folks, the proper thing to do here is just have the City Attorney contact Dean Allen's attorney and work out a settlement. Make sure our insurance will pay for it, Garland, and just settle and be done with it."

"That's the smart thing to do." said Edward R. Steele. "Chances are that they'll want to settle, as well. Let's just get it out of the public pervue, and move on. I do have a question for Mr. Garland: Allen sued us separately from Ms. Croyle... can we just wrap both into one settlement and be done with it?"

"We can." said Garland. "If Ms. Croyle and her attorneys agree."

"Why should we do that?" Kelly Carnes all but exploded. "Let her make her own settlement and pay for it!"

"Oh she would." said J.R. Goldman. "Even if we settle jointly, she's going to have to pay her portion. The point is to get it wrapped up and put behind us."

"Let's put our part behind us, and let Allen take Croyle to the woodshed!" Carnes exclaimed. "Hell, it's her actions that got us into this bloody mess in the first place! Why should we help her out in any way?"

"Because, Mrs. Carnes," said Ian McGhillie, "it is helping us more than it is helping her to get this settled."

"She may not want to settle with Allen." said Loran T. Michaels. "She's always been bitter about the incident, and from what I hear, she never lost that anger. She may fight him tooth and nail."

"No, I don't think so." said Garland. "I didn't come in here without having some discussions with her lawyers first, to gauge where they are on this. They'd like to settle, too. Let Allen have his money and run, and we put this behind us."