Only Time Ch. 04

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.

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Part 19 - Danger In The Night (continued)

I knocked on the door, and Molly came out, having to work to keep the dogs from rushing out. They were most displeased at the intrusion of their territory and the disturbing of their harmony... and I was not very happy either.

"Frisk her. Thoroughly." I said to Molly, holding my service weapon pointing at the ground, but ready to bring it back up to shoot Robin Isley if she tried anything. The Nextdoor County Police Chief did a very thorough job of frisking Isley, finding her armed with her service weapon, and her FBI badge and ID, which Molly confiscated.

"Again," I said, "Why are you here, Dr. Isley?"

"Why don't we go inside, and I'll tell you." said Isley.

"Harumph." I said. "No way I'm letting you inside my home, where my children are."

"Out here, then?" Isley said. I could see the worry in her face.

"Keep those here at the door." I said to Molly, meaning Isley's gun and ID. To Isley I said "Let's go over here and sit down. I had her sit down in the chair to the left of me, while I sat in my normal place. This put the patio lights in her eyes and my face in shadow.

The autumn night was indeed chilly as we sat down. Robin Isley had on a light jacket over her dress, and was shivering slightly in the cold. I turned on the gas to the fire pot in front of us, which gave some warmth as the rocks in it heated up.

"All right." I said. "What's it about?"

Isley said "I don't know how much you know, but something is wrong about this whole hospital bombing. By that I mean the investigation of the whole thing. And what happened with Curtis Halsey. He totally went off the reservation trying to shoot down that helicopter."

"And trying to murder Karina White." I said, not letting that one off the hook.

"White was in the ATF for a long time," said Isley, "and there's a lot of bad blood between her and Halsey."

"And that justifies him trying to murder her?" I asked harshly.

"Look, that's a sideshow." said Isley, trying to move past it. "What I came to talk about is the course of the investigation."

I didn't want to move past Halsey's murderous attempt on White, and I certainly didn't consider it a sideshow, but I decided to hear out Robin Isley. "Okay, what about it?" I asked, my voice still unfriendly.

"When it first happened," Isley said, "I thought we were here to find out what happened. And then things began getting weird. I didn't know you knew about the 'American Jihadi Front', but that name was brought up immediately. I went to look them up, and I can't find hardly any information on them." I nodded.

Isley continued: "Then they started up the Cartel threat business. One thing that I've realized now that I didn't give much thought to before: Halsey knew all about the Cartel threat against you."

I said "And I did not fail to notice that he already had his cheap shots at me ready to go over that."

Dr. Isley nodded. "Yes, you saw that, too. Anyway, the autopsy reports came out, and the whole tenor of the investigation changed. A lot of our people started asking questions, and Lindsey Black responded by really started pushing them to interrogate everyone over that nurse that was killed. Black really believes that other Hospital employees are associated with her. My own research has found that the nurse might be a White Nationalist----"

I interrupted: "That's the wrong term. That nurse was a White Supremacist, which is not the same thing as 'White Nationalist', a term the Press uses to attack any Conservative. And yes, that nurse had a lot more issues than just that. But keep going."

Isley nodded, then said: "Well, it's out of control. It's out of my control. I realize now that the Washington brass doesn't want to find the truth, they want to put out a narrative that they can control. They were setting up Winters to be the fall guy, but he's not playing the game anymore. And that means that I'm going to be their next straw man."

"So what do you want me to do?" I asked.

"Find out the truth." replied Isley. "The real truth. I'll get you access to the scene, and all the reports of all of our data we've collected so far. Just find out what's going on so that I can do something about it."

I shook my head slowly for several long seconds, as if in contemplation. Then I said "We're way past that. I've got a bastard in my County Jail that is associated with the people that took my nephew hostage and murdered one of my Police Officers. And some of the people involved in the EMPTY QUIVER event were also associated with this guy."

(Author's note: 'A Death In The Family', 'The Nuclear Option'.)

"So," I continued, "a much larger game is being played here. However, I do want to know why they chose to bomb a Hospital's maternity ward. So I have some questions for you."

"Go ahead." Isley said.

"First," I said, "why did you put Halsey in charge of the field investigation in the first place?"

"I was ordered to." said Isley "By the Director of National Intelligence, Brendan Chapel, himself. I've come to realize that it's very strange how that's all gone down. This whole thing is being orchestrated from Washington... even trying to gin up some conspiracy involving that nurse that was killed."

"Yes, I can see that you see that." I said. "Second, let's just hypothetically theorize that I find the truth, and expose it. What will the Washington brass do next?"

"I don't know." said Robin Isley. "And I'm a little bit scared to find out."

"So am I." I said. "So am I. So one more thing: if you want me to help you, I require a couple of goodwill gestures in return. First, I want Curtis Halsey brought back to this jurisdiction... so that the D.A. can refile charges against him and we can arrest him and give him a fair trial for his 'alleged' crimes."

"That's beyond my scope," said Isley, "but I'll see what I can do. And second?"

"I want you to leave Owen Lange, Jack Muscone, Karina White, and their teams alone." I said. "And you must especially stop fucking around with Jack Muscone and his fiancée, Tanya Perlman. It's obvious you've been trying to use her to pressure him, and constantly threatening his job, or to transfer him, and try to make him choose between her or the FBI. That will stop, one way or another. Tanya Perlman is like family to me; I will not tolerate the continued abuse you are heaping upon her."

Robin Isley became sullen, and crossed her arms, looking at the fire pot and not me. "I'm not abusing them."

"Pul-eeeze." I said. "I really get irritated at people who think I'm the dumbest rock in the box."

"Beyond that," countered Isley, "I need loyal agents. Muscone and Lange have shown themselves to be disloyal, both to me and the FBI."

"Bullshit." I said. "Jack Muscone's loyalty to the FBI is beyond question, much less reproach. But beyond that... demanding loyal Agents is what got you into trouble in the first place. You need good Agents, not sycophants that are willing to do corrupt things for you."

"C'mon." Isley said, looking back towards me. "You demand loyalty of your Police Officers."

I turned to look at her, my eyes boring right through hers. "Why, no." I said. "I don't have to. I earn their loyalty by taking care of them and leading them honestly and honorably. And because they know I'm loyal to them, they are loyal to me... to the point they were willing to die for and with me to stop your Federal Agents from taking Peter Blassingame away from us."

"That wasn't me." Robin said, a bit of anger in her voice.

"Cry me a river about it." I replied. "Another example: When Halsey was about to murder Karina White, her FBI Agents defended her against him, and arrested him, too. And his people... didn't raise a finger to help him. She's already earned her Agents's loyalty, while he doesn't have his people's loyalty."

I continued: "The point is: loyalty, like respect, is a two-way street. And if you think you don't have Muscone's loyalty nor Owen Lange's, it's because they see the lack of loyalty and respect from you first. And if you continue to confuse 'authority' with true 'leadership'... then I cannot help you, Dr. Isley. I cannot help you at all."

"Well, what the hell am I supposed to do?" snapped Isley. "I need people I can trust working for me. And Jack Muscone and Karina White are not among those people! So either they have to go, or I do, and I'm not going down without a fight."

"That is admirably exact." I said. "It's either you or them... and there's a lot more of 'them' you'd have to remove if you take out those two. May I suggest... you do as you said you were doing in the past... and emulate your mentor, Dr. Laura Fredricson?"

Isley looked sharply at me as I just raised my eyebrows at her...

Part 20 - Interrogation

"This is Bettina Wurtzburg, KXTC Channel Two News!" shouted the redheaded MILF reporterette from the Press gathering 200 feet from the front of the Hospital, at 7:00am, Friday, October 18th. "Channel Two News has learned that a local nurse may have been involved with the terrorist attack upon University Hospital!"

Bettina talked about the late Nurse 'Ratchett', then said "Federal authorities are piecing together what they believe is a conspiracy by White Nationalists to damage University Hospital. They believe the same or similar White Nationalist groups were behind the attack on BOW Enterprises, which left a Police Officer dead and BOW Enterprises CEO Todd Burke severely injured. Roll tape."

Tape rolled, showing BATFE Agent Lindsey Black saying "The Police have one of these White Nationalists in custody, and we will be interrogating him as part of our investigation. That suspect may have been involved with others who also attacked the CEO of BOW Enterprises, as well as other crimes in this part of the country." When asked to elaborate, she refused to mention the EMPTY QUIVER event in any way.

Back to Bettina live: "Local authorities are saying they will not turn over the arrested suspect to Federal authorities at all, as he has been charged with the attempted murder of Dr. Laura Fredricson the night after the bombing. Dr. Fredricson was seriously wounded in the terrorist attack and is recovering from her injuries, and Channel Two News has learned that she could be released from the Hospital as early as Monday. Dr. Fredricson is the wife of Police Commander Donald Troy, who has refused to respond to KXTC's multiple, repeated requests for comment..."

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

"And she got it in." Teresa Croyle said as we sat and drank coffee in the TCPD tent on the University Hospital campus. "The ubiquitous 'Commander Troy won't talk to us!' cheap shot." We all chuckled.

"By the way, is that true?" Cindy Ross asked. "They're releasing Laura as early as Monday?"

"Don't let this get out." I said. "But maybe Sunday. We're saying next week so we can try to sneak her out of here without the Press really knowing, so they won't tell the perps, inadvertently or otherwise."

"Wow, that's amazing." Teresa said.

"Oh, she's still got a lot of healing to do." I said. "But she can do most of that at home once the doctors believe infection and internal bleeding risks have passed."

"I am verrrry hap-pppy that your wife is able to return home." said Chief Moynahan. "That was a very scary few hours last Wednesday."

"Yes sir, it was." I said, very aware that Chief Moynahan was saying that as a widower himself.

"Sir," asked Teresa, "we're going to have to let the Feds interview Jack Logan?"

"Yes." I said. "The Sheriff is negotiating the details now. The Feds wanted us to bring Logan to the Federal Building, but we nixed that immediately. Then they wanted him brought to Police Headquarters, and we asked why can't he stay in County Jail and be interrogated there. The latest I heard is that the Sheriff will allow four Federal interrogators, none of which can be Federal Marshals, and they have to relinquish their arms at the front door. I think they'll be willing to accept that."

"How are things here?" asked Chief Moynahan. "When will we be able to get back to nor-mulllll?"

Teresa said "They're going to remove what's left of the bomb truck today. My belief is that the Feds will pick the crime scene apart over the weekend, and will be done with it by Monday. So I anticipate we'll be pretty much done there Monday. We'll have a perimeter, of course, but not like what we have now."

Cindy said "The Press is already ready to move on, frickin' 'Drive-By's. After today the beauty queen anchors will go back home and leave the cubs here. I agree with Commander Croyle that the worst of it will be over by Monday."

"I'm just glad we have an open date in football this weekend." said Chief Moynahan. We knew this was an attempt to start 'trouble'.

"You know," I said, "all this has put things into perspective. The football games and the rivalries are fun. But the tragic deaths we just suffered are not. So you'll just have to forgive me if I don't play into the banter much next week..." Cindy nodded vigorously in agreement.

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

8:00am. Cindy and I drove up to County Jail and went inside. We were wearing our standard uniforms: light blue shirts, medium blue pants with two light blue piping stripes down the sides, soft shoulderboards of medium-dark blue with a single silver star on each shoulder just above a line of stitched gold at the shoulder end.

The TCPD Officers and TCSD Deputies were wearing chest armor vests, and they were well armed with their service weapons and also TASERs. Additionally, many of them had what Sheriff Griswold called 'Klingon Pain Sticks'. These were black tubes with prongs on the end that emitted an electrical discharge. They were not unlike TASERs in their delivery of a strong shock to a perp, but had prongs instead of wires or needles.

We went to the cell that contained Jack Logan. He looked up at us calmly. His hands were not cuffed, but his legs were in solid iron shackles that prevented him from doing more than shuffling or hopping.

"Come to the door, Logan." said the Deputy.

"Why don't you come in here and get me." said Logan cooly. The Deputy opened the door, and I walked in.

"Move your pansy ass. Now." I ordered.

"Help me up." said Logan, extending his arm. I grabbed it and pulled him upright, and of course he attacked. But I was ready for it. My Aikido training allowed me to turn his attack against him, and I used that and his own momentum to help him keep right on going... into the far wall. And then I jabbed a Pain Stick into his back... and you get one guess which vertebrae. (If you guess the same ones as my damaged ones, you've been paying attention.)

"AUUUGH!" Logan screamed. "Police brutality!"

"You don't know the meaning of the word." I snarled. I quickly cuffed Logan's hands behind him, pressing my fingers into points of his body to cause pain, and also deaden his ability to move his arms to take swings at me. Then I took out the black cloth hood I'd brought in and put it over his head. With no eyelets, he was blinded. Hey, it worked for captured terrorists in Afghanistan and Iraq; it would work here, too.

Two Deputies came in and half-walked, half-carried Logan out of the cell and down the hallway to Interrogation-1. His hands were uncuffed, then recuffed to the ring in the table.

"Good God." muttered Sheriff Griswold as I went into the anteroom where he was watching. "I've never seen a bastard fight so hard while in captivity. Is he amped on something?"

"No sir." I said. "But he appears to be brainwashed to resist as hard as he can. That, or he thinks he's James Bond, and can fight his way out of anything. I've told the Deputies to put the hood on him when we're transporting him."

"Gotta be careful, Crowbar." growled Griswold. "You know the smarmy lawyers and the corrupt, Police-hating Press would just love to whine to a judge and to the People about us mistreating this poor, calm, non-protesting victim of abuse."

"Yes sir." I said. "We've recorded plenty of video of him attacking our Officers. Okay, let's get his lawyer in here."

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

"Well if it ain't the Police Department's token Bar Code." said Nathan Masterson as I went into the Interrogation Room, a sneering reference to my Jewish ancestry.

"And if it ain't the White Supremacist's token Jew Hater." I replied with exactly equal feeling. I sat down opposite Jack Logan and read him his rights from the card. "Do you understand the rights?" I asked. Logan just looked at me with a half incredulous, half sneering look, and said nothing.

"Let the record show you've been mirandized." I said. I opened the file folder in front of me. "Jack Logan, former Navy SEAL... and a very poor representative of them; you're a lousy fighter. So, Logan... why did you try to murder my wife?" Logan just stared at me, as if he were frozen in place. He said nothing.

"You know, Logan," I said, "I know who your friends are... or were. Navy SEAL unit that got busted up after committing war crimes, raping and murdering innocent civilian families in the war theaters. And they're not much better than you. And now Quint is dead, Trent and most of the others coming up missing recently. Nobody's going to come help you out of this one, Logan. You're going to spend the rest of your life in prison... unless you cut a deal, which I might very generously offer."

"You don't have anything to offer." said Masterson. "Your wife wasn't even in the hospital room. It's all your word against his as to what actually happened. And then there's the treatment of this prisoner while he's been in your custody, which has been a violation of the Geneva Convention, much less his Constitutional rights!"

"If he'd stop trying to injure and kill my Police Officers... and every time he tries, it's just one more count added to the charges... then he wouldn't have to be restrained." I said. "And do I even need to say we got it all on tape that he drugged two Police Officers and then had the gun in his hand when he walked into that hospital room... which did contain my wife until we moved her to safety, and which he thought contained my wife. Definitely some intent, there."

"Doesn't matter how much you overcharge him, you'll never make it stick." said Masterson. "But... just for kicks... let's say he did entertain a plea deal. What are you offering, and what do you want in exchange?"

I looked over to see Logan looking at me with the same stupid look, as if he were still disbelieving my existence. I merely said to him "Who do you work for, Logan? Who sent you to try to kill my wife? Who paid you to do that, eh?" Nothing, not even a change of expression. I halfway expected him to start drooling.

And then I realized that all of this was just Masterson biding his time, waiting for the Feds. Now what did he have in mind?

"Tell you what." I said, pretending to collect my papers. "The charges are attempted murder in the first degree with aggravating circumstances, assaulting Police, multiple instances of resisting arrest and more assaults while in custody. Your ass is mine, Logan, but I'm going to make sure you're in 'general pop' at Jacksonville, where they're gonna 'pop' you." I stood up. "You think about it with your lawyer while you're waiting for the Feds."