No Show Ch. 02

"That's right, Bettina!" said the fat-cheeked, corpulent, balding reporter who was giving trenchcoats a bad name as he was shown on the feed, with the University President's home in the background. "Yesterday I spoke with University President Dr. Jerry Moore about these incidents. Roll tape."

Tape rolled, showing Stellum and Dr. Moore sitting in chairs like it was some sort of '60 Minutes'-style interview. Dr. Moore said "It was unbelievable what was going on, there. First of all, you have to understand just how low class the Wildcats are, from their President, Athletic Director, coaches and players to their dirtbag fans."

Dr. Moore was not done "Wildcat fans are so low class that they go to games in overalls and barefooted, like country hicks. I thought I was in Neyland Stadium or something. I want our Bulldogs fans to be better than that, more sophisticated. Like Alabama fans."

Dr. Moore was not done: "I am pressing the Conference to take actions against (Wildcat School), including sanctions against their athletic programs, and heavy fines against the School itself. And I'm calling for the proceeds or those fines to be given to organizations that support the great cause of Climate Justice."

Back to Stellum live: "Back to you, Bettina!"

"Thank you Pat!" said Bettina as the feed returned to her. "Police Commander Donald Troy, a graduate of (Wildcat School), has not responded to our repeated calls for comment. In other news, the Town & County Public Safety Department will be under intense scrutiny, as the Inspector General announced he will investigate last Tuesday's incidents at the Council Meeting. Let's go to trusted reporter Amber Harris for more. Amber!"

"That's right, Bettina!" said the athletic blonde reporterette from the roof of the building at Riverside and College, with City Hall as her backdrop. "Channel Two News has learned that Town & County Inspector General James 'Curly' Goodwin will open an investigation based upon the bipartisan referral by Republican Mayor Daniel Allgood and Democrat Council Member Susan Weston, both former cops with the TCPD."

Amber: "I.G. Goodwin will investigate the breakdowns of security protocols prior to the meeting that allowed the public Council Chamber to be overrun by peaceful protesters, as well as reports of infighting between the Police and Sheriff's Deputies and charges and counter-charges of insubordination."

Amber: "And Channel Two News has confirmed that the I.G. will look into the aspect of the complaint that the Public Safety Department had advanced knowledge of the coming protests, but did not inform the Mayor nor any Council Member, allowing them to be in danger until they were evacuated during the peaceful protest."

The feed went to a split-screen, and Bettina said "Amber, will the I.G. be investigating why Police Commander Donald Troy did not show up at the scene before or during the time of the peaceful protests?"

Amber: "Bettina, the complaint does not mention Commander Troy by name, nor anyone else by name, for that matter. And I.G. Goodwin did not return our calls asking for information and clarification specifically regarding Commander Troy..."

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

"What was the final score of the Wildcats-Bulldogs game?" asked Lt. Commander Teresa Croyle as she, Sheriff Griswold, Me, Chief Moynahan, Deputy Chief Tanya P. Muscone, and Chief Deputy Cindy Ross drank coffee and watched the propaganda-cast in the Chief's Conference Room. "I don't think anyone mentioned it at all."

"I don't know what time it is on your wristwatches or cellphones," I replied, "but in my office it's Fifteen to Twelve."

"Har dee har har." lamented Cindy Ross. And then, as if struck by something, she said "That's the first crack you've made about the game, at least that I've heard. All that crap that went on got you upset?"

"You're usually a good sport about these Sports things, pun intended." said Tanya. "And the Wildcat fans jeering that asshole quarterback is nothing compared to what I've seen in this here Police Department. Like that Alabama hat on your Slender Man trophy, putting Tide detergent in Teddy Parker's desk drawers, and my son Pete playing the banjo while y'all sang 'Rocky Top' to Joanne." (Author's note: 'Time Flies', Ch. 01; 'Pink Panther', Ch. 03; 'Scavenger Hunt', Ch. 05.)

I replied "It's the biased and dishonest reporting of it that gets me. Tell me seriously and honestly, Cindy... was that targeting call against Davis Smith at that crucial moment anywhere close to legitimate?"

Cindy said "No, he didn't even touch our quarterback. But I can't condone the fans's actions against the refs, and you did win the game."

I replied: "So you'll really think I'm a sore winner when I tell you the Wildcats AD and I both asked the FBI and the LEOs in my childhood State to investigate the refs for corruption. That call was so blatant that one has to wonder about that."

"You've been right about that before." Sheriff Griswold barked. "I remember you getting involved with the State High School Sports Association (SHSSA) over some corrupt refs." (Author's note: 'In Black And White', Ch. 02; 'Believer', Ch. 01.)

"Didn't they once find that an NBA ref was corrupted by Organized Crime?" Teresa asked.

"Yep, and they got him into jail and out of the public eye as fast as they could." I replied. "They didn't want further scrutiny, and proof found, about how rigged the NBA always has been."

I then said: "I'm going to try very hard to not say any more about this, but I would like for all of you to do one thing: watch the national Sports coverage of this. They were covering the NFL yesterday, but see what they say in the next couple of days. Of course the local and even State coverage here is slanted one way, but my mother tells me that it was a whole different story in Apple Grove, Argos. and around that State."

"I have a question." Teresa said. "Just how bad is this I.G. thing going to be?"

The Sheriff said "I don't know. It will depend on how Curly Goodwin handles it. He can do his investigation in a straightforward way or a hostile way. He can be either helpful or hurtful to us. And I need to say this, to all of you: I'm not going to talk to you about it further. I don't want to have any accusations of coordinating our stories ahead of time."

Griswold: "If they want to talk to you, cooperate with them, within the scope of your legal rights, of course. If you're questioned by the I.G. or his people, answer their questions honestly. If you're telling the truth, and we're all going to, they can't play any 'gotcha' tricks, saying 'So and so said something different'. If they try that trick, feel free to call them out on it, but as long as you tell the truth, they can't hurt us."

"Sheriff," said Teresa, "are they trying to hurt us? Especially Don?"

The Sheriff shrugged his shoulders, so I replied "If they're legit, and the investigation is legit, then I'm the least of their issues. If they do what Bettina wants, and try to make me the center point, then its a sham. Either way, like the Sheriff said, volunteer nothing but shirk no duty to answer. Tell the truth, but be sure to demand and have legal representation whenever they talk to you. Never, ever, be one-on-one and alone with them...

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

8:30am. Tanya brought me the box of 'bling', as we called it, then followed me into MCD. "Monroe to Lieutenant." I said as I handed Lisa Monroe a plastic sleeve with her new badge and rank insignia. "Ice Cube to Detective Sergeant." I said as I handed Perry his sleeve of 'bling'.

The mood of the room had perked up, but the banter didn't pick up until I left. What had happened at the Orange Order dinner was getting around, and no one could gauge my current mood.

I found Carter, DeLong, and Abram in the gym, waiting with many others for the 9:00am ceremonies, and gave them their bling as others around them applauded and congratulated them. Then I went to Tanya's office, where she, the Chief, and I checked to make sure the medals, ribbons, and Certificates of Achievement were there, were the right ones, and were in order.

At 9:00am, we went outside. It was a beautiful autumn day, cool but warming up in the bright sunshine. As we were walking to the podium and Officers took seats in the bleachers, Detective Joan Laurer came up to me and asked to speak to me for a second. I stopped walking and the others moved on.

"Sir," Joan said, "I want to apologize for last night. What was said was wrong, and an insult to not only you but a lot of people."

I said "Did you know there was an orchestrated plan to harass me about it?"

Joanne's eyes widened in shock. "No sir! And I never would've gone along with that."

"All right." I said. "Apology accepted, though you're not the one I need to be hearing one from. Carry on." Joan smartly moved out to the bleachers.

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

The promotions went well. Lieutenant Steven Carter's grandmother began crying as she and the Chief pinned his Lieutenant bars on his shoulders. I learned later that she told some people sh had never expected a black man to achieve what her grandson had in the Police Force that was once 'ruled' by Harold Malone. In the present moment, everyone gave her and him a standing ovation as he hugged her.

Sean DeLong had asked Teresa and Lieutenant Rudistan to pin his Captain bars on, and as they did he said softly "This is for Irwin, ma'am. I won't let you down." (Author's note: 'A Death In The Family'.)

"I know." Teresa whispered. "He'd be very proud of you right now, too."

The Sheriff and I pinned Eitan Abram's silver oak leaf clusters on his uniform. And in a surprise move, Director of the SBI Wes 'Coldiron' Masters had shown up, and joined Teresa in pinning Lisa Monroe's Lieutenant bars on her uniform shoulders, both of them at her request.

Next came J.J. 'Ice Cube' Perry. He asked Grubby Paul and me to pin his metal Detective Sergeant stripes on, seeing as Grubby Paul and I were the only ones who knew who he was and had his back all those years he was deep undercover. George Newman had asked me and the Sheriff to pin his Detective-2 stripes on, and we did. Statler and Waldorf had Lieutenant Rudistan and their mothers pin their D-1 stripes on.

Then came medals. A number of Certificate of Achievements and Certificates of Appreciation were handed out, including one for Teresa, for her work to bring down Claude Cardinal O'Leery. As the Chief pinned Lt. Purvis's Achievement Medal on his uniform, I read the citation which said his diligence in data research had led to information that helped us be prepared for the train incident.

And then I got ambushed. The Chief read the proclamation as the Sheriff pinned a Public Safety-level Achievement Medal on my uniform. Ostensibly for my role in bringing O'Leery to Justice, it also covered the Peter Frost murder. I felt grateful that I got a strong ovation for it.

Then I read the Public Safety-level Commendation Medal citation as the Sheriff pinned it upon Lieutenant Jerome Davis's uniform. The applause from the rank and file was loud, and swiftly turned into a strong standing ovation. That surprised me, but it was the look of utter shock on Claire Michaels's face that was my first clue for one of the real reasons for the strength of the applause.

And I knew that another reason was why the Sheriff had upgraded it to the Public Safety level... it was a straight out message to Senior Deputy Louis Bailey and the Sheriff's Department about taking the initiative.

Chaplain Romano's Star of Gallantry was next. Teresa pinned it on his uniform as I read the citation. He also received a strong ovation from the Police Force.

And last, but never least, was Officer Kevin Buchannan's Purple Order. I read the citation as Teresa draped the ribbon necklace around his neck. He saluted her and she saluted back... and then Buchannan turned and saluted me. I stepped up to him and our handshake turned into a man-hug... and then into a full-on bear hug by him. I rolled with it as everyone applauded strongly.

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

SBI Director Wes 'Coldiron' Masters was in Town, and he stayed in Town, at least for the day. After the ceremonies he met with the Chief and Sheriff for an hour. Then Tanya, Teresa, Cindy, and I were invited to lunch with them. Pottsville Police Lieutenant Seamus 'Shane' O'Brady had come to the ceremonies, and he was also invited to lunch with us, since he was an SBI Reservist.

We went to the Cop Bar, and the eight of us were seated in the back 'Command Room'. Being creatures of habit, the Sheriff and Tanya had the 'Jack's Double Cheeseburger' Plate, I had the recently named 'Iron Crowbar's Double Breakfast Cheeseburger' Plate, Cindy had the 'Cindy's Fish 'n' Chips', and Teresa had the (no namesake) Steak Caesar Salad.

The 'rebels' tried new things: the Chief followed Shane O'Brady's example of ordering the Shepherd's Pie, and I resolved to give that a try one day soon. Coldiron Masters had the 'Farm Fresh Buffet', which many people went through for lunch, and he ate more food than a human being should be allowed to eat in one sitting. And he did not waste a single morsel; he ate everything he got from the buffet.

As we were finishing up, Coldiron closed the sliding door to give us a little more privacy. As he sat down he said "I want to take this opportunity to let you all know what's going on at the State level, as well as bounce some ideas off of you." We all nodded and settled in to listen.

Coldiron: "First, our Drugs and Trafficking Division, the SBI-DTD, began looking into the drug and prostitution aspects of the Toyota Gangs that crossed county lines. We got good cooperation from the TCPD, but the Feds? Not so much. DEA Agent Dwight Stevens has usually been cooperative, and Lorena Rose was really good about working with us, but they both said that on this Toyota Gang stuff, they'd been explicitly warned to not discuss it with us, the SBI, in any way. And Rose said that she'd been told not to say a word to the TCPD, either."

Teresa asked "Any idea why? Why they're being told not to talk to you, or to us?"

Coldiron said "No, neither Stevens nor Rose said a word more than that they just couldn't talk to us nor cooperate with us, nor with you guys. I was hoping you might know more about why."

For some strange reason, all eyes went to me. I said "Don't look at me. I'm the Mushroom in all this, too; I'm totally in the dark about why. My only speculation is that the Feds are actively pursuing Cartel influences and possibly Red Chinese influences, which would definitely be higher than our pay grades."

"That could well be the case." said Masters. "The second thing I want to discuss with you is policy going forward. Since becoming SBI Director, I've had a ton of meetings with Governor Sharon Marshall and a number of Legislators on both sides of the aisle. The purpose of those meetings, and my goal for the SBI, is to 're-purpose' it to be a much more efficient and effective law enforcement entity."

Coldiron: "For the last several years, the SBI has attempted to work with local LEOs, but we have been met with increasing hostility, and are being totally stonewalled. I know that you, Commander Troy, tried to create that SIS Division, and it was a good try but it simply was not accepted. Partly due to that, and due to talks with local LEOs across the State, the Governor and I agree that the approach of being available to help locals investigate crimes would just continue to be a failure, and we need to go in another direction."

Coldiron: "The SBI can initiate investigations only for mostly Vice crimes: drugs, gambling, prostitution, child trafficking. And while we can come in for those crimes even if they don't cross county lines, we run into considerable and open hostility from local LEOs if we can't show that the crossing of county lines is the main issue with the case."

"If I may stop you and ask right here," said Cindy Ross, "why the continued open hostility? These are no longer the days of Jack Lewis and Katherine Woodburn using the SBI as a battering ram against local LEOs... are they?"

Coldiron: "First, I'll say this: of course the far-Left Legislators like Tasheeka Harris that want to defund the Police, want to do the same thing to the SBI. When I met with her, she bluntly told me she had only one goal for the SBI: it's total destruction. When I asked who she wanted and expected to investigate local Police Departments for allegations of racially-motivated abuse, she said 'Not you, Cracker.' I just got up and left, and I won't be talking to her or her ilk again."

Coldiron: "Second, no matter how hard we try, it may just not be possible to come into a local crime and not take it over, which is what they resent. For example, everyone greatly respects the Iron Crowbar's abilities, and they concede he's tried to work with them and not over them in the past... in most cases. But once you're in there, Commander, you take that ball and you run with it, and when you get on a hot scent and start going after it, you don't let anything get in your way; you just go after it."

"Yes. Yes he does." Teresa mused. A red crowbar was waved in her general direction. But I did nod vigorously in agreement.

Coldiron: "So we're just not overcoming that obstacle. Even local LEOs that would welcome our help are told by their county's politicians that calling in the SBI would be a 'career move' for the local LEOs."

"I am the choir. You are preaching to it." said Shane O'Brady. "You have no idea how often Wilson Hammonds has threatened my Chief over me being an SBI Reserve member."

"Exactly. Exactly." said Coldiron. "And Wilson Hammonds has not been invited to any of the Governor's meetings on this. I'll also add that the SBI Reserve Program seems to be working very well, and we're leaving it alone."

Sheriff Griswold growled "That's because it was created to give Crowbar State-wide jurisdiction when he needs it."

I said "But it's also a point to what Cindy was asking about. My original SBI Reserve plan was for there to be a pool of Officers that could go on State duty to work across County lines. But their local superior Officers objected to them being away from their local duties, and the local jurisdictions where they went to didn't want them there, for the same reasons they didn't want full-time SBI Agents in their cases."

"So what's your solutions?" Cindy asked. Impatient to get this conversation moved along, the Green Crowbar was.

Coldiron: "Let me just say this first, to round out the picture and give context to the ideas we're formulating. I liked and supported Governor Val Jared in just about everything he did, but he also made a mistake in letting his political enemies frame the SBI debate to be about Illegal Immigration. And with some justification: Governor Jared absolutely wanted to use the SBI to crack down on Illegal Persons, though that was mostly the Federal Government's purview."

Coldiron: "The Governor believes, and I agree with her, that while we will continue to crack down on Illegal Immigration in the State, and the drug and human trafficking that goes with it, we don't want it to be the front line mission of the SBI, where the biased Media can take potshots at the Governor over it. So we're not going to publicly emphasize it as one of our primary missions."

Coldiron: "Likewise, we will still be available to work with local LEOs if they ask for the help... like the Donnan County Sheriff asked for your help, Commander... but we are not going to emphasize it. And we're also not going to twist ourselves into pretzels over jurisdictional issues, trying not to offend the locals. If we're called in, or if its a situation where we can initiate an investigation, then that's what we'll do."