Pink Panther Ch. 03

"And there are some really good points in your thinking." I said. "But... I'm going to suggest that Dawson was not a whistleblower and was not killed by the Russell-BigAgraFoods cabal. They would have 'disappeared' him, or just shot him and left; no reason to leave stuff in the box springs. And I do think his killing may be related to the others... and not just because of the Pink Panthers."

"Sounds like you have an idea of what's going on, sir." said Cindy, who obviously wanted me to share any such ideas that I had.

"No." I said. "No, I don't. I can't see the end of the road in the darkness, but I can see the next step in the light we do have. We're going to have to investigate these four victims and their University connections...

Part 16 - Compass Points

I strode into MCD. Four Detectives were working on cleanup around Parker's desk. I would find out later that Captain Ross had 'suggested' that everyone help clean up the mess before the Police Commander became 'irritated'. Smart Captain, Cindy is.

"Okay guys," I said, "I've got some assignments for you. Apologies, Captain Ross, for egregiously going around you, but I want them to hear this straight from the Wildcat's mouth." Cindy nodded.

"Parker, Davis," I said, "I want you to find out who was working for The Silver Sentinel, the University's newspaper, at the time Rusty Dawson was. Then go find those people, wherever they are on God's green earth, and ask them about Dawson. Find out everything you can about him, his personality, anything of interest or not of interest."

"Warner, Washington," I continued, "I want you to find out who all of the assistant coaches were under Coach Brian Harlan when he was the Bulldogs's head coach, and I want you to find them wherever they are, and interview them about Coach Butch Fulmer. Get everything you can. And Joanne, I'll be politically incorrect here: if you make the calls, these testosterone-laden coaches will likely talk to you before they talk to another man on the phone. Sorry, Theo, 'GQ' just doesn't cut it on the phone." Joanne laughed as Theo grinned his 'moving star handsome' grin.

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

"Hello, Darling." came the voice of my wife over my personal cellphone later that afternoon. "I hope you didn't forget about the reception at the Wellman's home tonight. Professor Cornyn of Dartmouth is giving the Sigmund Freud lecture here tomorrow, and Dr. Wellman is hosting a reception for him."

"Psychology professor." I said. "I guess I know where you will be tomorrow."

"In the front row." said Laura.

"Okay." I said. "What's proper attire for me?"

"Suit and tie." Laura said. "It's all Academia, so the uniform would be a sore thumb."

"Gotcha."

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

City Police Detective Robin Ventura came to TCPD Headquarters before heading back home. She sat in a 'hot chair' in my office, while Cindy sat in the one to her left.

"I got a little bit on Selena Martinez while I was on Campus." Robin said. "She was on the varsity softball team, on scholarship, and her grade point average was 3.12, which is not bad at all. She was majoring in Education."

Ventura continued: "None of the coaches on any of the women's teams are still with the School, the last one from that time period to leave being the women's basketball coach after the Jayne Hallerton incident. But I did get in touch with a former coach, who now is at a Texas school, and she remembered Selena Martinez. She said Selena was popular with her teammates and was very social with all the athletes on Campus."

"Then she said that something happened." said Robin. "Selena very abruptly left the team and left Campus, as well. The Athletics Department attempted to contact her family, but the family disappeared, as well. They contacted the Campus Police, who knocked on some doors. Their reports say that Selena had moved out of her dorm room and left nothing behind. Also, her classmates or teammates said she had been not been acting strangely at all before disappearing.

"After a few days," continued Robin, "the Campus Police contacted the FBI and passed off the case as a 'Missing Persons' case, and there's no record of hearing anything back. And that's all I've got from this end. I'll work the City end when I get home. Oh, one more thing... this person I talked to, she said to get in contact with a Dr. Laura Fredricson at the University if I wanted any more information about Selena."

"Hmmm." I said. "Captain Ross, do we know anyone who knows this Dr. Fredricson?" I asked with a grin.

"We might know the guy that sleeps with her every night." said Cindy. "I'll have to see if I can get in touch with him." Robin laughed at that one.

"Okay, Robin, this is great stuff, and I appreciate it." I said. With that, Robin Ventura made her goodbyes and left (yes, she was trusted to get to the front door without an escort).

"Interesting." Cindy said after Robin left. "ALL of the women's teams' coaches are gone from that time?"

"Not a huge surprise." I said. "The Bulldogs and Wildcats have always been big football schools, and the Wildcats sometimes have a good men's basketball team, but in the by-and-large, neither School has done much in the Winter and Spring sports. So... what do you think of the Martinez disappearance?"

"I think you're going to be talking to the FBI about her." Cindy said. I nodded. Cindy then said "And I'll be willing to bet the pillow talk in the Troy household tonight will be... professional in nature."

"As my wife is a sex psychologist, that happens every night." I said. "But you're right... it might be my profession this time..."

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

As I was preparing to leave to go home and get ready for the reception, Myron Milton came to my office. "Whaddya got?" I asked.

"A couple of things, sir." said Myron. "First, Selena Martinez had a concealed carry permit. She first applied for it about two weeks after disappearing from the University. But no record of her buying a gun."

"And the permit application didn't show up when people were looking for her?" I asked, partially to myself. "Interesting. Anything else?"

"Just this, sir." said Myron. "I've been working through the calls to and from Rusty Dawson's phone number. There aren't very many, as it seems he didn't have hardly any friends at all. A few from a BigAgraCorp number, a few from a Prodder, Ryder & Reems number. But there's one recent number, which is from a burner phone."

"Gotta love those burner phones." I said.

"This one was purchased from a Wal-Mart near the City." said Myron. "Cash transaction. But here's the interesting thing. I went and found out the numbers that that burner phone has been calling and has been called by. And a very interesting name showed up: Jan Camp."

"The recently fired professor?" I asked. "Who is suing the University for wrongful firing, when she said that she was pressured to change athletes' grades?"

"The same one, sir." said Myron. "And this burner phone has only been in operation from about the time Dr. Camp first began her public accusations, which began right after Kendra Luskin's accuser was acquitted of rape. Word is that Dr. Camp was really pissed about that, and she also hates your wife."

"I've heard the same things." I said. "Okay, this might be interesting information. Thanks for bringing it to me. Oh, one more thing. How are you holding up? With Mary in Vice, you're doing a lot of work these days."

"It's not too bad, sir." said Myron. "Lainie and Sonali are handling the basic stuff for the Detectives. And we're simply not going to find anyone who is as good as Mary... with data, that is."

"I hear ya." I said.

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

"Commander and Mrs. Donald Troy!" intoned the butler, introducing Laura and me formally as we arrived at the reception at the University President's mansion. As Laura and I strode into the main room, I was proud as always to have this lovely woman on my arm.

I was wearing a basic dark gray suit and not-too-dark blue tie. Laura was wearing a clingy white dress with a dark blue sash belt and dark blue high-heel pumps, which shaped those gorgeous legs and that magnificent ass, and also made her tower over me in height. She also was wearing her hair high above her head, giving her even more height. I was not sure what was up with that, but I've never worried about being beside a woman that was taller than me.. Especially this woman.

Our hostess Sally Wellman was the first to greet us. This wasn't really a formal affair, but Sally was so ingrained by the rules and protocols that she couldn't help but apply them anyway. Fortunately, Laura wanted to get right into the greeting line to meet Dr. Cornyn, the celebrated guest of the party.

"Ah, Dr. Fredricson, so good to see you." said Dr. Cornyn as we got to him, and he and she exchanged European-style two-cheek kisses. Dr. Cornyn had black hair, a roundish head, a trimmed mustache, beard and goatee at the chin, very perceptive eyes behind near-slits. His body was pear-shaped, almost rotund, and he was of medium height for a man.

"Professor," said Laura, "may I present my husband, Commander Don Troy?" Laura said in introduction.

"Ah, Navy Commander?" asked Professor Cornyn as he shook my hand vigorously.

"Police Commander." I said. "Former Army Captain."

"I see." said Cornyn. "And escorting this lovely woman, I see. I have to know your secret, Commander." he said with a bit of a grin and a twinkle in his almost-black eyes.

"My secret is the best of good fortune." I said.

"I'll talk with you later, Professor." said Laura, as we had to move on through the line.

"Well," said Laura as we moved away, "what are your impressions of Professor Cornyn?"

"He's very perceptive himself." I said. "I'd be careful around him with my facial expressions. He also has eyes for you, like every man and some women in this room now... including this University's lecherous President."

"Why Don!" Laura said with mock shock. "The very thought!" She then said "But you're right. Professor Cornyn is a brilliant research psychologist. He's done some experiments on my behalf, as well, confirming some of my research."

I nodded, not asking if that was sexual research... or CIA research... he'd confirmed for her...

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

Some minutes later, we came across Dr. Paul Berkshire and his wife. Dr. Berkshire had been awarded tenure after the death of Michelle Schelle. (Author's note: 'The Swap'.) He had brown hair and a beard and mustache, as well. He wore a brown plaid-'ish' sportscoat and solid beige pullover shirt and khaki pants. Yes, the 1970s and 80s were calling, wanting that attire back. His wife was rather plain but slender and in good shape. I remembered that they were both rugged outdoors-people.

"It's good to see you both." said Berkshire, a professor of pre-Law English. "Commander, people are still talking about how you solved Dr. Schelle's death."

"Yes, that was an interesting case." I said. "I always meant to ask you... what is 'pre-Law' English, as opposed to other types?"

Dr. Berkshire smiled and said "I basically teach very formal English and language that is used in the legal system, in contracts, and such stuff. There's also some history of it that I research, mixing judicial history, political history, and the English language of that. It became a niche in the 1980s, when a number of Law School candidates decided to major in English rather than Political Science or Judicial studies."

"And you filled in the need nicely." I said.

"Well, it did get me tenure, after Dr. Schelle died." said Berkshire. "But it's a good niche, and I've enjoyed it."

"Wasn't Dr. Camp an English professor, and up for tenure at that time, also?" asked Laura, and I sensed purpose and intent in her question.

"Yes, come to think of it, she was." said Paul. "She then carved out a niche for herself in the then-new Women's Studies program. But she still never got tenure, and she was fired recently for making allegations about the University favoring student-athletes."

"So she was a former English professor." I mused. "Interesting. What level of English? Basic? More advanced?"

"Basic English, some English Literature, if I recall." said Dr. Berkshire.

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

"Hello, Commander." said Dr. Wellman as he came up to me and Laura. His wife Sally adroitly ushered Laura away, saying that Elsie Gringer wanted to speak with my wife.

"Hello, Mr. President." I said. "And before you ask: no, I have no magic wand nor crowbar to wave that will help the Wildcats against the Bulldogs this year."

"I still don't trust those miracle-worker Wildcats." Dr. Wellman said with his sinister grin. "Terrible thing about that Coach at the game down there."

"Yes sir." I said "But you shouldn't be feeling bad about it. After all, it was Coach Gonzales, who was passing out PEDs to your athletes, and almost got you into some serious trouble."

"That's true." said Dr. Wellman. "And thanks to you, more serious disasters were averted. But beyond the pain to the man's family, it's unfortunate for the Schools, and the Conference, to have a crime like that at a game. Any idea what it was about?"

I shook my head slowly. "Noooo, no sir. I'm not really looking into it, either. Far away from my home and jurisdiction."

"I understand." said Wellman. Then he lowered his voice and said "Yes, I would imagine that Coach Gonzales took many secrets to his grave with him. And as you know from when you first arrived in this Town, discretion and loyalty are things I admire and value very highly."

"Trying to tell me something, Mr. President?" I asked, letting my gray eyes cut sideways to lock onto Wellman's.

"No, no." said Wellman. "But if anything ugly from that dirtbag Gonzales's past came up, I'd hope you'd exercise... discretion... in its revelation to the Public."

"It might surprise you to learn, Dr. Wellman," I said, "that I've always been much more discreet that I've been given credit for. Justice comes first, of course. But Justice and rote application of the Law are not necessarily the same thing."

"I'm glad to hear you say that." said President Wellman. He extended his and and I shook it as he said "Well, I'd better greet the other guests, if you'll excuse me." I assented and he walked off, leaving me to ponder what secrets were out there needing... discretion...

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

As we drove home in Laura's Mercedes, I said "There is something I needed to ask you, Dear. Did you ever know a student named Selena Martinez?"

"Oh... that's the girl that was found dead in the City." Laura said, recognizing the name. "I don't remember ever meeting her when she was a student here."

"The reason I ask," I said, "is because someone that knew her here was being interviewed about her, and said to ask you about her."

"Me?" asked Laura, sounding confused. "I don't know why. She wasn't a student of mine."

"Never was a patient?" I asked. "Gynecology, or sexual trauma?"

"Neither one." said Laura. "Of course, I've never really handled trauma cases, not even immediately after a rape. and Dr. Yates does that now. My therapy with rape victims usually begins after the initial phase, and often only after the rapist goes to trial, if he does go to trial at all."

I nodded. "So maybe this person thought you would have handled such cases back then."

"Could be. So you think Selena Martinez was raped, and that's why she left school?" Laura inquired.

"Not much gets by you, my dear." I said with a grin. "And what's not going to get by you tonight is when I ravish you in bed like every man at that party wanted to do... especially Professor Cornyn."

"Mmmm, a promise I expect you to keep." Laura said, her eyes sparkling even in the dim light of the car...

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

I did not even give her a chance to take off her navy blue lace underwire bra, lace panties, and stockings and high heel pumps. As soon as we got into the bedroom, we were all over each other, and I could tell Laura wanted cock as much as I wanted her pussy.

I practically pushed her onto the bed as I let my pants fall to the floor and stepped out of them. Climbing onto the bed behind my wife, I sank two fingers into her twat, finding her labes swollen and her cunt very wet. She was hot about something, I thought, but I didn't care what it was... I just resolved to satisfy her sexual urges and fantasies with a hard, deep fuck.

I gripped her hips and slid my throbbing hard prick along her labes, feeling her hand guide the helmet of my cockhead past her swollen labes and into her hot, wet depths.

"OH MY GOD!" Laura cried out as I drove into her, balls-deep in ecstasy, until my groins smashed against her magnificent asscheeks. With one hand I pushed on her toned back until her shoulders and head were pressed into the mattress. And then I began fucking the living hell out of her.

"Oh God, that's so fucking good!" Laura gasped out. "Oh yeah, fuck me with that thing!" I suited the deed to her pleas. I gripped her waist firmly, pulling her back into me as I drove forward with raw sexual power, plunging into her again and again and again...

As we rutted lustily, I looked over at the floor-to-ceiling mirror we'd installed on the wall at the foot of the bed. The sight of my half-clothed wife on the bed, her face pressed down and her ass turned up like the bitch in heat she was, her asscheeks jiggling back and fort as my groin slammed into them again and again, was an extremely hot visual to go with the intensely wet pleasure of her pussy clutching at my pistoning prick. I felt my nut rise.

Instead of slowing down, I just drove on relentlessly, fucking Laura as hard as I could. She took every stroke and pushed her ass back for more, her body as well as her voice begging me to fuck her even harder.

"OH MY FUCKING GOD!" Laura cried out as I felt her cunt clamp down on me like a vise. I had to push hard to keep from being expelled, though I knew there was no way my cock was leaving this heavenly hole. I pushed forward with short stabbing thrusts, staying nuts-deep in her, and my vision blurred as the building pain exploded into a mind-blowing release. I barely felt my jism being fired into Laura's depths. I did feel her beginning to collapse, and I rode her to the bed, lying on her and continuing to press down against her ass as I drained my balls, the final spurts of semen dribbling out of my cock and into her...

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

An hour later, we were naked and in bed. I was on top of Laura, my cock buried balls-deep inside her sopping wet pussy. Her long legs were wrapped tightly around me, and my chest was pressing against her large, milk-filled breasts. I was nuzzling her neck and whispering how much I loved her into her ear, and her arms wrapped around my neck indicated that she wanted me to continue doing that as our hips grinded together in a slow, deep fuck.

As I pumped Laura, images came into my mind. Images of me deeply fucking the Intendent, Adele Peabody, just as I was fucking Laura now. Laura moaned as I began thrusting harder, fucking her deeper as I thought about fucking Adele. I did not feel shame at thinking of another woman as I was fucking my wife; after all, Laura had been having a hot fantasy of her own while I was banging her from behind an hour before. Some people wouldn't understand, but our open marriage worked for us, and neither of us would have it any other way...

Part 17 - Flow of Information

"This is Bettina Wurtzburg, KXTC Fox Two News!" shouted the lovely redheaded reporterette at 7:00am, Tuesday, October 3d, from Courthouse Square. "Fox Two News has learned that The Guardians of Justice, the shadowy group considered to be either cyber-terrorists or whistleblowers, has released new information about the recently murdered Coach Willy 'Speedy' Gonzales and the PED scandal that embroiled him and the University!"