Reichenbach Ch. 02

"Yeah." said Daniel. "Reassure me about that one, too."

I took out my bug detector. Sure enough, I.A. was listening in. "Tell you what, Daniel." I said, very loudly and clearly. "Invite me to your house after work. We can talk where your former I.A. buddies won't be listening in." Daniel looked up and glared at the ceiling light...

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

That evening, Daniel and I sat on the back deck of his home on the ridgeline, looking over the northeastern part of Town and, if one looked due south, the northern parts of the University. Melina was not yet home, and was meeting with Cindy at the gym. I might have suggested to Cindy to leave early and take care of business... and keep Melina distracted while I talked to Daniel.

"I guess we'll see what's in that exposé tonight." said Daniel. "Priya has made twenty-seven calls to my office over the last two weeks, to the point that I've instructed every Deputy that no calls from KSTD are to receive a response. We direct them to the Council's Media Relations Office, but that bitch is relentless."

"I'm worried about the direction of all this." I said. "First, the Burke tapes were requisitioned. That was pushed back, but then Priya started zoning in on you specifically. Now, she really bringing you into it with the tapes, but all of a sudden she talks about the Jonas Oldeeds murder case. You understand the connection here?"

"Yes." said Daniel. "I know where the metal for your first red crowbar came from, too, of course."

"Ah yes." I said. "And if Priya starts insinuating what I think she's going to, we'll have to be careful. Priya cannot expose Melina as a CIA agent. President Reagan signed a law making it illegal for anyone to publicly out a CIA agent's name, and that applies to the Press, as well. So if Priya goes there, she will get an in-depth examination of my jails, and felony charges to follow."

"Yes, but that doesn't help the smear tactics, especially for my political career." said Daniel. "I know, listen to me, I sound like a politician. But I know I'm doing good for the County as Sheriff, and if that bitch is trying to force me out, then I've got to find a way to stop her... legally, of course."

"Welcome to my world." I said. "But I can reassure you that you have help far beyond what I can give you. Tell me, does Melina still have that dark brown wood jewelry box?"

"Uh, yeah." Daniel said. "It's up in the dresser in our bedroom."

"Would you mind bringing me to it?" I asked. Daniel knew enough to just do it and not ask questions, and soon we were in the master bedroom. Daniel opened a drawer and brought out the jewelry box. I went up to it, felt around the edges, and pressed the knot on the back while sliding the panel on the bottom out. A flat, very thin drawer slid out of the bottom of the box. There was only one item inside--"

"What the hell are you doing?"

Oops. Melina was standing inside the doorway to the bedroom, and the look on her face was one I'd rarely seen in our eight year marriage... in fact, the last time I'd seen her look like that was the day Elizabeth had sent that email about Todd and Ned's visit...

Cindy was right behind her, a worried look on her face. She'd not been able to keep Melina distracted. More on that later. I had a mission to complete.

"I am reassuring your husband," I said, undeterred, "that he has nothing to worry about when it comes to KSTD's impending attempt to expose you as a CIA agent, and to make people believe you are the murderer of Jonas Oldeeds."

"In my fucking jewelry box?" Melina roared. "That's none of your god-damned business..."

I held up the necklace. It was a 'Fourth Rune' from P. Harvey Eckhart's 'The Vision'.

"Daniel," I said, my eyes boring into my ex-wife, "Eckart's group, 'The Vision', has three camps: an Empowerment Camp, an Enlightenment Camp, and a Leadership Camp. They give runes to those who complete the camps. Dr. Eckhart also has a Fourth Rune, which he gives out very rarely, and only to people he really cares about. Along with the rune comes his promise of personal protection and help for anything the recipient might need, as long as it's within Eckhart's power to do it."

"How long have you known about that?" Melina asked, still angry.

"Oh, you got this sometime in your late teens, before you and I began dating." I said, stepping forward and draping the Fourth Rune around Melina's neck as if it were an Olympic gold medal. "I knew it was hidden in this box all that time, though I didn't really know what it was until more recently. Seeing that you never mentioned that you are one of the CIA's deadliest assassins during our marriage, I'm not shocked you didn't tell me about this, either. But what Daniel needs to know is that Eckhart is not going to allow you to come to harm, Melina. And he has power, real power, to back that up."

Daniel took Melina into his arms and hugged her. "Don't blame Don, honey. He's only doing what's best for you, for both of us."

"Yes, I know." Melina said, hugging Daniel back. "I guess you and I get to have another one of those talks."

Daniel chuckled. "Yes, but not until later. I'm inviting Don and Cindy to dinner. We'll all watch Priya's show and see what the damage is."

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

The damage was potentially significant. Priya had shot footage from the Fairgrounds, mixing it in with tape of the actual shooting of Oldeeds. There I was in the background, just a Supervisor then, ducking as the hand of Providence prevented me from dying that day. Oldeeds had been much, much less fortunate.

Priya then showed that the likeliest line of the fatal bullets' travel was from the north. Nothing new there, but Priya then showed Melina's gym, emphasizing that the roof was a very likely place where an assassin might be perched. Priya ended with a final insinuation:

"The roof of this gym is about 800 yards from the spot where Jonas Oldeeds was standing as he was struck. A long shot, to be sure, but one that a well-trained assassin, an experienced military sniper, or another Government-agency-trained assassin could make. KSTD will continue with its investigation of the only case Commander Donald Troy has failed to solve since joining the TCPD. Good night."

I was texting furiously. "Jack Muscone can rip that one apart. He investigated the roof, found nothing, put that in writing in his report at the time."

Indeed, the FBI put out a formal statement, which KXTC ran at odd hours and KSTD studiously refused to mention, that they (the FBI) had examined the roof of the building at the time and their finding showed no one had been on the roof. Still, the multi-headed Hydra was only beginning to sprout numerous heads...

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

Back in the present, Cindy said to me "I don't know how Melina realized something was going on, but she bolted out of that gym as if she were an arrow fired out of a bow. No way I could stop her. She later told me she'd lived with The Vision before going to college, which Harvey Eckhart paid for. He backed my college loan, too, but I paid it all back."

"I sort of knew that about Melina," I said, "but didn't pay attention to it then, since none of what's happening now had occurred then. But we're going to have to find a way to... 'persuade' Priya to stop pursuing this. I think someone is directing her to do this, and she has no idea of the danger she's putting herself in..."

Part 7 - Indictment and Investigation

The evening of Thursday, June 18th found me at the Mountain Nest with my family. I was watching 'Channel Two Magazine with Bettina Wurtzburg'. It was an hour-long show. The first third was about Henry R. Wargrave. Bettina talked about his charity work, his financial gifts to the University and to the Hospital, his love of the Bulldogs football team (which Laura liked and I didn't as we watched), and finally about his businesses.

The second portion of the program was about Michael Burke and his financial gifts to the University, and Bettina talked about Burke's former business, which was now part of his son's company, and how he had 'lost' his wife. Bettina made it sound as if Eleanor had died, not that she'd been sent to prison for attempted murder.

The third part of the program surprised me. Bettina talked about Tom Riordan, University booster and patron, who happened to be Janet Riordan's husband. I watched that part attentively. Considering he was being lumped in with Burke and Wargrave, I could tell that something was going on with this.

"One thing's for sure." I said as the broadcast ended. "That was done at the request of and on behalf of University President Wellman."

"I don't disagree with you." Laura said idly as she read her copy of the widely circulated magazine 'Sexual Psychology', featuring articles by noted sex researchers. I need not say that Laura's articles had appeared in that periodical many, many times. "I'm just wondering how Dr. Wellman is going to react when Wargrave is indicted."

"Me, too." I said. "Wellman hates negative publicity surrounding his University."

"Think he'll cut Wargrave loose?" Laura said, asking a question she likely already knew the answer to. "Or will he stand by his friend... and all that money Wargrave brings to the school."

"My answer is..." I said, putting in a little pregnant pause for dramatic effect, "he's already cut Wargrave loose; and Wargrave, who loves his University, has acquiesced to it."

"Oh, so..." Laura started, and then made an observation. "Darling, you need to take Bowser outside."

I looked down, seeing a fine looking dog sitting on his haunches, looking up at me hopefully. "Okay, Bowser, ready to go outside?" I asked. "Do you need to go out?"

Bowser wagged his tail happily as he got up and walked towards the door to the back patio. I followed, letting him out and going outside with him. It was dark outside as I stood on the patio and looked down at the twinkling lights of the Town in the early summer warmth.

*BZZZ! BZZZ! BZZZ!*

My cellphone was going off. It was the alarm that a sensor had been tripped at the Cabin. I looked up the mountainside and could see that the floodlights on the back deck of the Cabin had come on... these lights were tripped by motion sensors.

After Bowser was done, we went back inside. "Laura," I said, "sensor alarm at the Cabin went off. I'll go check it out real quick." I put on my bulletproof vest and gun belt as a precaution, hopefully unneeded.

"Take Bowser with you." Laura said. "Maybe he can get on the intruder's scent." I knew she was being sarcastic, not to mention condescending towards my canine buddy.

"I think I'll do just that." I replied, perhaps a bit acidly. "Lock the doors and set the alarm."

"We'll be fine." Laura said. "You be careful."

I put the walking harness on Bowser, to which I could attach a leash. He jumped up into my Police SUV and got in the passenger seat, and I drove up to the Cabin.

At the Cabin, I put the leash on Bowser and walked around. There was no one, not a sound. As we walked along the walkway to the deck, Bowser was sniffing the ground rather excitedly. I let him follow the scent, and he led me down the driveway towards the remote-controlled gate at the entrance. At the gate, the scent went cold.

"Probably a deer or a fox, Bowser." I said as we walked back up the driveway to the house. We went inside to check, and found no problems. I went back on deck, tripping the deck lights myself. As I looked over the Town from this much higher vantage point, and much more preferable view in my opinion, I glanced down towards the Mountain Nest.

I suddenly had a cold feeling inside me. Maybe Bowser noticed; he began getting antsy, pulling against the leash. I was just thinking that this sensor alert had just pulled me away from my family; they were alone. Sure, Laura was very capable of taking care of herself and the children, but I wanted to get back to them as quickly as possible.

As I loaded Bowser back into the SUV, I got another cold shiver. I looked all around in the darkness... I had that same feeling that I'd had at the Cop Bar... that I was being watched. I looked up the mountainside towards the top of the ridge, peered into the darkness beyond the Cabin, but saw nothing, heard nothing.

"Okay, Bowser," I said as I got in the car, "I guess it's nothing. Let's go home." Bowser made a sound that was something between whimper and a sigh, and he seemed relieved that we were going back home, where he could resume his duties of watching over Carole...

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

Friday morning, June 19th. At 7:00am sharp, Bettina Wurtzburg appeared on the MCD television screen, and she was looking gorgeous and hot: makeup done just right, wearing a tight, clingy dress that showed off her hot body. We couldn't see much of her legs, but I knew she was wearing high heels that showed her luscious gams off to perfection. She looked like she was about to perform fellatio on the microphone in front of her, right there on the TV in front of everyone.

If Bettina was making sure to look hot, it meant that she had a hot news lead. And she did.

"This is Bettina Wurtzburg, KXTC Channel Two News!" the lovely redhead started, as always. "Channel Two News has learned that the FBI will be giving a press conference in the City, to announce that a formal Grand Jury indictment against Henry R. Wargrave has been issued! The charges are extensive, ranging from money laundering to illegal arms importation."

"Mr. Wargrave has been given 24 hours to contact the FBI and make arrangements to turn himself in." Bettina continued. "His passport has been flagged, and police units in the State have been advised to keep watch for any movements he may make. The FBI made this statement late last night after the indictment was issued."

The screen went to film footage of FBI Special Agent in Charge Jack Muscone announcing the indictment, saying that the indictments were the results of years of labor investigating Wargrave's illegal operations.

"He looks very happy, doesn't he?" Tanya Perlman said as she watched. "He's been wanting this for a long time."

"Yes, but he's gained weight." observed Joanne Cummings astutely. "He needs to cut back on the double cheeseburgers." That got her a sharp, cutting look from Tanya... but attention was diverted by one titian-haired Police Commander laughing almost hysterically after spluttering his coffee all over the place. I could not stop the laughter.

"Oh my God, that was a good one!" I finally was able to say to Joanne. "High five!" Joanne and I high-fived, both of us ignoring Tanya's cutting looks. Then Cindy started giggling and I went into another round of uncontrollable laughter, joined by several others.

It was unfortunately stopped when the Duty Desk Sergeant came to the MCD room. "Commander," he said, "you have phone call. It's from the FBI in the City."

"Ha!" Tanya said, pointing at me. "Jack heard you, and now you're gonna get it!" Still red-faced from laughing, I excused myself and went to my office, Cindy following.

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

"Thank you both for coming." said the FBI Deputy Director as Cindy and I took seats at the conference table in the FBI offices in the City at 9:30am. The phone call had been an 'invitation' to come to the City, partially to watch and enjoy the media circus surrounding the Wargrave indictment, and partially to discuss something else. In the room with Cindy and myself were Jack Muscone, Lindy Linares, and of course the DepDirector.

The DepDirector continued: "First, about Wargrave. We thought he was at his penthouse suite when we made the announcement last night. The warrant will be served this evening, but we're suspicious that he's not there. He may have gone to his home in your Town." His look was towards Cindy and myself. "We're putting assets into place to watch, and please consider this your formal notification of that."

"I need to call the Chief, then." I said. I excused myself and stepped outside the conference room and made that call to Chief Bennett. He kept me on the phone far longer than I wanted to be, asking a lot of questions to which I really didn't have answers at the time. I finally was able to hang up and go back in. There was some chatter going on, and it ceased as I opened the door.

"The Chief was acting funny." I said. "He asked me a million questions about what you were going to be doing. He seemed skeptical of the whole thing. Not sure why, either."

"I'll call him after this meeting." Jack Muscone said, for which I thanked him.

Taking back control of the meeting, the DepDirector said "The real reason I asked you and Captain Ross to come here today, Commander, is because we're putting a sting operation in place, which will help the local police crack the Stanton/Ward murders. That's why I asked you to deputize yourselves into the SBI when you came over... this meeting is our SBI/FBI liaison meeting.

"I thought Captain Wexler withdrew the request for SBI help." Cindy said, and correctly.

"She did." I said. "But last night Lt. Garnett made a new request, which was backed up by an Assistant Police Commissioner and... well, another group within the City Police. I didn't get a chance to tell you this morning because I was distracted by... double cheeseburgers."

Jack's eyes cut over to us as Cindy broke out laughing. "Stoppit." she said to me as she tried to regain her composure.

"Y'all are making me hungry." said Jack, which caused me and Cindy to have to suppress more giggles. The DepDirector was peering at us, totally stunned; he was not used to losing control of meetings like this.

"My apologies, Director." I said. "So we're ready to go with the sting?"

"Yes." he said. "Linares is my liaison for this. What we're hoping is that all the Press coverage of the Wargrave indictment will give you guys a chance to work behind the scenes without prying eyes, and maybe even the perp will be distracted long enough for you to make the sting work."

"I do need to tell everyone one other thing." I said. "I did some research on the City's drug trade interdiction efforts. The City is much larger than my County and most others, and it appears that there are seven major zones within it. What is interesting to me is that, like our County when Captain Malone was there, each zone has it's own drug gang that's allowed to operate, while all others that try to come into that zone are crushed by Police."

"Could that just be the gangs doing that?" Lindy asked.

"It could, but it still means the City Police are co-opted." I replied. "We have the good fortune to be in the unique position of already having observed Malone doing this, so it was easier for me to spot."

"Commander," said the Deputy Director, getting it, "do you think this is a pattern because the same person or persons is behind it here, as in your County?"

"The likelihood is very strong." I said. "Very strong."

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

It was Morning in America, and even better, it was Morning in his Town and County, thought Henry R. Wargrave as he stood on the back balcony of University President Sidney P. Wellman's home. He could see the River in the distance over the immaculately manicured back lawn of the mansion's property and the guesthouse at the other end of that lawn.

He had stayed here the night before, having easily eluded the FBI Agents that had been assigned to watch him. Austin R. Murphy was at Wargrave's home here in Town, while his wife Lilly was in the City. He had told her that he might not see her for a while, but after he was settled in, he'd call for her and she'd be brought to him, to live out their lives together... somewhere else.