No Show Ch. 01

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

"I'd hate to see what she would say if she didn't like you, Don." said Chief Deputy Cindy Ross as she, Lt. Commander Teresa Croyle, Sheriff Griswold, ADA Paulina Patterson, Yours Truly (me), Chief Sean Moynahan, and Deputy Chief Tanya P. Muscone drank coffee and watched the propaganda-cast in the Chief's Conference Room.

No one chuckled or even smiled at her joke. After a moment of silence, Paulina said "She definitely did all she could to make it about Don, but I.G. Goodwin told me and several other people that Don is not the object of his investigation at all. And he's looking through the lens of improving security in the future rather than placing blame for what happened last Tuesday."

Sheriff Griswold growled most very moodily: "Then why have an investigation at all? I don't need Goodwin's help to fix the problems we had."

Paulina replied "He's doing it mostly to get Mayor Allgood off his back. And speaking to that, rumors and innuendo are swirling around City Hall like you wouldn't believe. People close to the Mayor are saying they have never seen him as angry as he has been the last few days. What did you guys do to him?"

"Not a damn thing." Griswold growled.

"Something happened, Sheriff." Paulina persisted. "Look, I'm telling you this to help you, not accuse you. The rumors going around are that you all knew the attack was coming and apparently let it happen, and that you didn't warn the Mayor in advance."

"Did the Mayor say that?" Tanya gasped. "Did he say that out loud?"

Paulina said "No, not to me. But he must've said something that was overheard, or else Susan Weston leaked it. She's the one who jointly filed the I.G. complaint with the Mayor. I don't know how Bettina can claim she doesn't know, and isn't saying Weston's name out loud. But anyway, that's what's out there."

Tanya attempted to change the subject. "Changing the subject, what was the result of the Union meeting yesterday?" she asked.

I said "That was a thing of beauty, what you did to Bailey, Chief. Telling him you'd do nothing to Davis was a huge gut punch."

Chief Moynahan replied "Good asskissing skills, Mister Crowbarrrr. And you saying you were going to give Davis a medal was even better. Bailey looked like he was going to have a heart attack."

"And that was the final result?" Tanya persisted.

Sheriff Griswold said "After Efram Elliott sent everyone but the Union Reps, me, and Chief Moynahan out of the room, he tried to mediate a solution, and was largely successful. The Union Reps wanted to give us some backtalk about it, but when I told them I'd bring Crowbar back in and make them listen to him give another lecture on the Charter, they became very cooperative very quickly." That caused Cindy to burst out laughing like her sister Molly often would. I gave the Sheriff a 'Mr. Spock' raised eyebrow.

Griswold: "Everyone generally agreed to let me come up with some guidelines about roles and ranks in situations like these, and a need for more and better training. The main problem was Bailey when we called him back in. He didn't want to drop the insubordination charge against Davis, but I told him if he persisted in it, we'd persist in Ross's complaint against him, that even if he was the Incident Commander at the scene, his disrespect towards her in general was intolerable. He finally saw the light, and said he wouldn't push it any further, but he was still going to press the concept that he's in charge in the field and Ross is not."

Griswold: "So I thought we had it all resolved. But if the I.G. starts poking into things, and I can't make my fixes without them crawling all over us, that's going to be a problem."

Tanya said "Have you talked to him? Daniel Allgood, that is? Don, can't you mediate this?"

I said "I'm not going to try. First of all, the Sheriff and Chief should not approach Daniel, because in the state of mind he's in right now, which I've seen before, he'll go tell the I.G. that we're harassing him about it. And I don't really care to help Daniel get out of the world of shit he's in after he voted to keep me out of Council Executive Sessions. He's made his bed and shit in it, and now he gets to sleep in it."

Paulina said "I agree that the Sheriff and Chief should not talk to Daniel about this, at least not until the I.G. brings them together to arbitrate it. Let Goodwin run the interference for you, Sheriff..."

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

The KFXU broadcast said nothing about the Union meeting nor the Mayor's complaint to the I.G. and the imminent investigation, but instead focused on the Federal investigation into the train explosion as well as the Toyota Gang's potential connections to Central and South American cartels.

DEA SSA Lorena Rose was shown reminding viewers of the China White discovered in the auto shop during the Federal raid of the place, and stated her belief that the Toyota Gangs were part of a much larger scheme involving the Cartels... and Red Chinese influence south of the border.

After the broadcast I expertly used the remote to turn off the television monitor, and turned to face my three Angels. "Interesting." I said. "I would've expected Dwight Stevens to be the one in front of the camera."

"She's better looking than he is." Cindy said, making us smile. She then said: "Seriously, he may be busy with the case. Tim (Jenkins) was supposed to come up from Southport today and watch the Bulldogs-Wildcats game with us tomorrow. He called last night and said he couldn't make it, that he and Ted Crenshaw had been pulled out of their investigations of the Toyota Gang associations with Organized Crime, and assigned to work with Lorena and Dwight on the Cartel aspects of the case."

Tanya said "My question is why they'd want to publicize what they are doing by going to KFXU and have them run that piece on it."

I said "Not to get into your business, but is Jack involved in it? And/or his team?"

Tanya said ''I don't think so. He and Julius Jefferson are working with Homeland Security on the train wreck, but it's a lot of busywork and 'hurry up and wait' for lab reports right now. Jack thinks he's being sidelined, taken out of the way."

I nodded. "Any word on the EAD?" I asked.

Tanya lowered her eyes, then looked back up and said "He may make it to Christmas." I nodded again, much more somberly.

Cindy changed the subject by saying "I know you weren't at the Union meeting, Tanya, but I wanted to ask the others: what did y'all think of Louis Bailey and Efram Elliot's attitudes towards Jerome Davis?"

I said "I've long suspected that Efram Elliott had racial proclivities; after all, he was I.A. for years while Captain Harold Malone was here doing Harold Malone things. And I would be a dull Detective if I didn't observe a little tinge of dislike for Jerome in him."

Cindy said "And when Bailey said that about semantics, he was about to say 'that's just semantics, boy', but stopped himself just in time. I'm not sure if he meant it as the racial slur it would have sounded like; after all, Jerome is relatively young, and Bailey might've said it if Jerome was a white man. But he almost said it."

I said "And I definitely think part of Bailey's problem with you is because you're a woman."

"Speaking of that," Cindy said, "I should apologize to you for thinking that you were supporting Bailey's position versus mine regarding our ranks and positions. You remembered that situation with Harlow, and you knew it was a precedent."

I said "And I did not know what ground rules the Sheriff had implemented for the TCSD. My only fleeting question is what would Bailey have done if -I- had shown up. You know I would've taken charge, and if Bailey had given me one word of shit, he'd have had a red crowbar shoved up his ass."

Cindy saiid "He might've had a green crowbar shoved up his ass if Amber had not have gotten snarky with me about you not being there."

"Speaking of that," Tanya said, "how damaging has Bettina's reporting of you not being at the train site and at City Hall been?"

We all looked at Teresa, who said "Ahhh... I need to talk to my Precinct Captains, and get some feedback on that." Cindy's eyes cut towards me. I made sure not to make any change of facial expression...

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

After the meeting was over and Cindy and Tanya had left, I said to Teresa: "Okay, give it to me straight out."

She knew what I meant. She said "There was never any problem with you not being at the train wreck site. It got around quickly that you were investigating the Sedgwick ambush, and there were other senior people at the train scene, so it was well handled."

Teresa: "And at first there was no problem with you not being at City Hall, either, even if the reason was for being at home for your birthday. But after Bettina reported on you telling everyone that you not be called even for emergencies, some stuff started going on, and it looks orchestrated."

Teresa: "Several Uniformed Officers began talking out of turn, saying how you're not showing up and backing them up, and how nice it must be so nice for you to get to stay at home on your birthday while they had to face the danger of a possible riot... yep, same terminology Bettina was using. And my eyes and ears within the ranks are telling me that it is beginning to have an effect on morale, and how you are perceived by them. And if it keeps up, it might become a problem."

I said "Any idea which Officers are ginning up the talk?"

Teresa said "Oh yes. Officer Lydia Green has really been spouting her mouth off. Officers Ron McElwane and Mullen Grant have talked to each other where others can clearly hear them. And a few black Officers at the Old Mill have been (air quotes) 'talking amongst themselves'."

Teresa said "The news is not all bad. Sergeant Carter and Lieutenant DeLong were pushing back and trying to quell the talk, but then the (air quotes) 'critics' started saying DeLong and Carter were supporting you because they're about to be promoted. Soooo, Kevin Buchannan began pushing back and taking up your side, and he's had support in doing that. And Senior Sergeant McGhillie came down on Lydia Green like a ton of bricks, and told her to keep her mouth shut or face discipline."

"Greaaaaat." I said sarcastically. "Now she'll grieve him, or try to accuse him of sexual harassment."

Teresa said "She'll lose. Political discourse is verboten at work while on duty, though we can't stop people from talking while on patrol or at lunch. But McGhillie told Green that badmouthing the Police Commander was not only insubordinate, it was the same as political speech. As to trying to set him up for sexual harassment? All he has to do is show photos of Green next to Roy's beautiful wife Becca, and everyone will know McGhillie did nothing wrong."

"True that." I said with a grin. "Well, there's very little I can do about Bettina's dirty reporting, at least not for the time being. I just have to hope this will be like other news stories, and the 'Drive-By Media', as the great Rush Limbaugh called them, will move along."

"When, oh when is your lawsuit against KXTC going to be heard?" Teresa asked, more as a lament.

"Probably not until next year." I said. "Every time I add examples, they push for more time, and Judge Folsom gives it to them. Thank God he's not going to hear the case... it'll be either Judge Watts or Judge Washington if it's not outright moved up to Federal Court... but KXTC is doing everything they can to delay, delay, delay."

"Can't you fight that, and demand it be pushed up?" Teresa asked. "Or ask for their FCC license be suspended and take them off the air until the trial happens?"

"Mike G. Todd is wayyyy ahead of you on that." I replied. "He's also appealing to Appellate Courts every time it's delayed. But KXTC is bringing in big-time lawyers, lawyers that support dirty Democrats at the National level, and they are being funded by some big-time people, like George Schwartz, the Democrat National Committee, and some of Lionel Carmela's Climate Change shakedown thug groups."

"Truly a fight of Good versus Evil." Teresa said. "I'll pray that you and the Good Guys win."

"We need that prayer." I replied. "Right now, we are losing. The Media's perfidy, their bias, their lies in what they do report and their corrupt acts to bury other stories that they know are harmful to their political allies, is succeeding in their desire to destroy the United States Constitution and individual freedom..."

Part 7 - Cats and Dogs

Saturday, October 30th. We were prepping The Cabin for a big lunch followed by the watch party for the Bulldogs-Wildcats game. Fortunately, as far as the TCPD was concerned, the game was at Wildcat Stadium, and not here at University Memorial Stadium.

Laura and Paulina had decided and then announced that they, just the two of them, were going to our Lakehouse on Lake Watchacoochie for the weekend, to get a jumpstart on Laura's birthday, which was on November 1st. They had left the previous afternoon. Carole, Marie, and Tasha were filling in as hostesses, and they were doing an excellent job. And you get one guess who was providing adult supervision, and that guess had better be 'the redoubtable Bowser' and 'the redoubtable Buddy'.

The Sheriff and I (mostly the Sheriff) cooked steaks, hamburgers, hotdogs, trout, and trimmings on the grill on the back deck. Cindy, Callie, and Teresa made salads, poured potato chips and peanuts into bowls, and made dips.

And we needed all that food. Boys with hollow legs, girls with hollow legs, and big boys and girls that were pretty darn hungry themselves had no trouble helping consume all that food. Joining me to eat it all were: Carole, Marie, Tasha, Jim, Ross, Ian, Doug, Mike, Jack Burke, Tiffany and Jennifer Muscone, Pete Feeley, Betsy, Baby Benjamin, Todd (big kid), Sheriff Griswold (kid at heart), Teresa, Cindy, Callie, Maggie, Molly, Edward Steele, Stephanie, Selena, and Tanya and Jack Muscone.

I had bought some long tables and metal folding chairs, so we had adequate seating. My young hostesses put out the name cards, and apparently Carole had listened to her mother's experienced instruction, as the table distribution and seating placements were absolutely correct for even a formal dinner.

I was the host at the permanent dining room table, and Stephanie Steele had been placed to my right. As we were eating, she said "Did Laura tell you about what University President Moore did?" When I said no, she said "You know that Sidney Wellman would fly in to the away games, especially the Wildcats game, with Faculty, Boosters, politicians and the like. Well, Jerry Moore said he was taking no Boosters with him, at all."

I asked "Did he go himself?"

"Yes." said Stephanie. "He took several Democrats, including Hunter Stenson, who is Hoyt Stenson's son, and some of the most rabidly Leftist Faculty. And while Lionel Carmela rails about how planes damage the environment and cause climate change, he is allegedly on that flight as well, and will be meeting all those Leftwing politicians from both here and in your boyhood home State."

In case I haven't mentioned it (and I haven't), Wildcat School is the main University in the State where Apple Grove is located. Our in-State rival, the State U Purple Hawks, are in Capitol City in the upper middle of the State, and Wildcat School is in the town of Argos, southeast of Capitol City. It was named after Argos, Greece, which today is the oldest continuously inhabited city in Europe.

"I'll bet the Boosters are just loving that." I said sardonically.

Stephanie said "They're about to riot. In just a few short months, Dr. Moore has offended just about every football Booster, like at that dinner you and Laura went to, and now he's insulting the Wildcats people and the Conference's officials." (Author's note: 'Private Practice', Ch. 01 for the dinner.)

Todd was sitting on Stephanie's other side, and he said "I've heard that donations to the University are down 35%. Some are donating exclusively to the Teresa Croyle Trust for the Hospital, which doesn't hurt my feelings any."

"Be careful, though." said Stephanie. "Dr. Moore may start blaming Teresa's Trust for the drop in donations. And I'm already hearing rumors that Lionel Carmela wants to demand that some or all of that Teresa's Trust be donated to the Biology School and Climate Change Center."

"That will be the day." said a voice from on down the table. Teresa's voice...

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

The long tables were folded up and put away, and the chairs were brought to the front room, and the football fans plopped down in front of the huge television monitor. Some of the 'less interested' people sat in the greatroom in back, and a fluttering of parakeets ensued. The boys all headed to the attic room; they'd watch the television up there while they added to New Lego City and the mighty Troy Transcontinental Railroad.

Quelle suprise!... Teresa was wearing an Auburn shirt. Todd was wearing a golf/polo shirt in Bulldogs blue, with the Miami-ish 'U' symbol over the heart. Ian was also wearing a Bulldogs blue jersey. The one signed for him by Derrick 'Bloody' Waters was now framed and hanging on the wall of the attic room, so he had a new one. Carole was wearing a red Wildcats jersey, also new, as her jersey signed by Heisman Trophy winner Jamaal Washington was also framed and on the wall next to Ian's.

Marie was wearing a Wildcats jersey, given to her by Carole. But to my surprise, considering that Paulina had graduated from University Law School, Tasha was sporting a red t-shirt and over it a white Wildcats women's basketball jersey with the number '29' on it. Carole had said "That's going to be Tasha's number when she's on the Wildcats team."

Cindy was wearing a Bulldogs jersey. Callie was too, though she was over in the greatroom talking with the others gathered there. Sheriff Griswold was wearing a red pullover with a Clan Crowbar icon on the front and back, but it was red. Edward Steele was wearing a light blue button-down shirt and khaki pants like your grandfather wears, and Jack Muscone was wearing the ubiquitous FBI-uniform suit and tie.

"Jack, I should forbid you entry unless you change into more casual clothes, preferably Wildcat red." I had told him earlier.

"I yam what I yam." he replied in an excellent imitation of the legendary Popeye. "And don't be shocked if I get called and have to leave."

"Over what, if I may ask?" I asked.

"This fucking Toyota Gang case." said Muscone. "On the one hand, Homeland Security is going nuts over their involvement in that train explosion, but the NTSB is moving like pond water on it. They always move like pond water on investigations, so I'm not blaming them. I personally think they have me (air quotes) 'helping' them on it to keep me distracted from other things."

Muscone: "And there's something going on in Southport. The DEA is like a disturbed hornets nest, and have pulled Crenshaw and Jenkins into whatever they're doing. I've been told to be on standby, and I'll be called in if they make any moves this weekend... and only then will I be told what's going on. Has anyone said anything to you about any of it?"

"No." I said. "And I've washed my hands of it. We're going to put three of the gangs-of-four on trial for their robbery, burglary, and murder actions that we busted in progress, and what happens after that is business of other people..."