Sausage and The Law Ch. 03

Lemay: "However, for the initial filling of the newly created slots, the current Appellate Judges can send nominees to the Governor, and Legislators within that District can submit nominees. They must do so by March 10th. Governor Marshall has agreed to select names from the lists without regard to Party affiliation or judicial record, unless she can show cause for rejecting a name, such as past criminal or unethical behavior. Then the State Senate will vote to confirm the names."

Lemay: "But not everyone agrees with these changes. Roll tape."

Tape rolled, showing State Rep. Tasheeka Harris yelling (yes, yelling!) "This is just another tool of White Supremacists to cover up for illegal warrants and keep Blacks in jail after illegal arrests!" And State Senator Maxine Watts said "This is just another Republican bill to keep the Black man down."

Back to Lemay live: "Back to you, Bettina."

"Thank you, Carl!" shouted (yes, shouted) Bettina as the feed came back to her. "That was highly respected political reporter Carl Lemay with that detailed and insightful report on our Legislature's latest action. In other news, University President Jerry Moore is already throwing up roadblocks to State Medical College President Laura Fredricson's plans to take some University-owned land and have it transferred to the SMC for classroom buildings. Dr. Moore has also demanded Dr. Fredricson vacate her office in the University's Psychology Building, even though Dr. Fredricson is still Head of the Department of Psychology until the end of the semester..."

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

When one comes into the Chief's office suite, his office is in the corner, straight ahead. There are two offices to the left and right of the Chief's office, which had been meant for the two Commanders that were slotted. Because those positions weren't filled for years, and then I took my current office instead of one of the offices in the Chief's suite, the left office became a storage space, and the one on the right became the Chief's Conference Room.

In the Chief's Conference Room, the large monitor was mounted on the wall to the right, the wall away from the Chief's office. The table was meant to hold six persons: two on each side and one on each end. But for the coffee klatch, adjustments had to be made. The Chief sat at the end of the table. I usually sat to his left, the window behind me. The Sheriff moved his chair at the end around so that he was next to me, so he could see the monitor.

Teresa sat on the other side of the table, nearest the monitor. Cindy sat next to her. When Tanya was present, Cindy moved down some, and Tanya squeezed in between her and the Chief. On the far side, if Paulina was there, I moved down towards the Sheriff, and Paulina squeezed in between me and the Chief.

We were in that configuration on this morning during the Bettina broadcast... and all eyes except mine were on Paulina. The Sheriff and Teresa looked hopeful, Tanya and the Chief looked curious, and Cindy and I wore faces that connoted the others were a couple of steps behind our vision.

"Whut?" Paulina said, seeing that she was the Center of the Coffee Klatch World at the moment.

"They're wondering if it's true?" the Green Crowbar Cindy Ross asked.

"Might as well tell 'em." I said helpfully. I was not helping.

"All right." said Paulina. She sat back in her seat and said "What is accurately true is that after Alvin Whitner announced his candidacy for Solicitor, my phone lit up on Friday and Saturday. The Mayor called, Mrs. Myrtle L. James called, Edward Steele called, J.P. Goldman called, Judge Franklin Washington's wife called. Even Ryan Paulson called. And their message was unified. They begged me to run for Solicitor against Whitner."

Paulina: "I don't think Miriam knew when the thugs of the Press ambushed her, but she called me into her office and asked if I intended to run. I said I'd had no intentions to run as of that time, and Miriam suggested I consider it, and that if I did she would endorse me."

Sheriff Griswold growled "I didn't call you about it over the weekend, but I would love it if you did run for it."

"So you're going to?" Teresa asked.

Paulina said "I don't know. I don't really want to; I'd rather be an ADA and prosecute criminals. But I also realize what a threat George-Schwartz-backed D.A.s are. Where they've been elected, their failure to prosecute criminals and try to eliminate cash bail have turned those cities into utter hellholes. Chicago, San Francisco, Portland... and especially the shithole sewer that is Wilmington, Delaware. So if me running is what it takes to stop Alvin Whitner, then that's what I may have to do."

"Changing the sub-jecccct," drawled Chief Moynahan, to change the subject, "what is that bizzz-nesss with Jerry Moore and Laura abouuuut?"

I said "He's just harassing her. Laura's job as State Medical College President officially begins July 1st; well, that's when she starts getting paid for it, and it's a nice raise, there, too. So her job with the University will end on June 30th. She's already putting her stuff from the clinic in her office into storage, and she'll finish out her classes."

"Wowwww." Tanya said. "But she has to be doing Medical College stuff now. No way she could not start before July 1st and start classes this Fall."

I said "True. And nothing personal to any of you, but I'm just not going to discuss anything she's doing, nor the things I'm doing to help her. Stuff keeps leaking out, like that University-owned land thing. Consider me paranoid as hell, but I really do think this Headquarters is bugged."

"It ain't paranoia, Crowbar." growled Griswold. "It ain't paranoia..."

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

"Hello and welcome to Fox Eight University Sunrise!" said attractive blonde Catrina Pierce from the KFXU studios at 8:00am, Tuesday, February 22d. "I'm Catrina Pierce, and with me is co-host of the top-rated afternoon program 'The Four', Lisa Fillmore. Priya Ajmani is in assignment in Midtown. Good morning, Lisa."

"Good morning, Catrina. Good morning, everyone." said lithe blonde Lisa Fillmore. "Here's what's in the news. Last week Appellate Judge Leahy ruled that a warrant to arrest Randy Luna, the primary suspect in the murders of Sarah Sandstone and Geoff Gerard in the Rio Linda Apartments southeast of Town, had been improperly requested by the Town & County Police."

Catrina: "Appellate Judge Leahy threw out all the evidence amassed by the TCPD, including the revolver that was used to murder Ms. Sandstone and Mr. Gerard and its bullet cartridges that had Luna's fingerprints all over them, despite that evidence being found under a different warrant that has not been declared improper in any way."

Lisa: "The ruling has been appealed to the State Supreme Court, but no action has been taken to stop Judge Leahy's order to release Luna without ankle monitoring or any other surveillance. Randy Luna is now at large, and is believed to have fled the Town & County, perhaps over the State Line."

Catrina: "State Legislators on both sides of the aisle were so outraged at the ruling, as well as the inability to do anything about it in a timely manner, that they passed the Appellate Courts Act with large bipartisan majorities in both Houses of the Legislature. And despite yesterday being the Presidents Day holiday, Governor Sharon Marshall signed the bill into law."

Lisa went to Priya Ajmani in Midtown, who described the details, very similar to Carl Lemay's report. Then it came back to Lisa, who said: "Sheriff Antonio Griswold and the TCPD came under verbal attack by former Sheriff Department Senior Deputy and current candidate for Sheriff Louis Bailey. Roll tape."

Tape rolled, showing Bailey saying "Sheriff Griswold has repeatedly allowed Commander Donald Troy to flout the law and judicial rulings, but this time, despite a valid warrant and eyewitness testimony to hold him, the TCPD just let a murd--- er, an alleged murderer go. The inconsistency and double standards shown by Griswold and Troy are appalling!'"

Back to Catrina live: "And candidate for Mayor Ryan Paulson echoed those sentiments, saying, quote, 'Mayor Daniel Allgood's lack of institutional control is what has allowed criminals like this one to get away', close quote..."

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

"Wow, this is the most cooperative Legislature I've seen in -years-." said Cindy Ross as our Angels Meeting in my office started off with coffee and commentary on the KFXU broadcast we'd just watched. "How in the world did that Appellate Court bill get through?"

Teresa said "That was an utter shock. Todd's lobbyists said they hadn't heard a word about it. But they couldn't have just done it in a few days. They must've been working on it for a while."

I said "True. But we started having the issues with the warrant back in January, so it appears to me that some people were paying attention then and contacted their Legislators. And you're right as well, Cindy: I'm shocked by the level of bipartisan agreement and accomplishment we are seeing from our State Legislature this year."

Cindy said "And so much of it is the Democrats conceding things. The Hospital and the State Medical College, and most importantly there, outlawing the 'loyalty documents'? These Appellate Court expansions... with a Republican Governor and Republican-controlled State Senate? Letting Don re-write the State Constitution? Gotta wonder what they're gonna get in return... or do you know already, Don?"

She had felt a vibe, and it was coming from me. I was realizing something. "I just realized something." I said. "What's the last big thing left for the State Legislature?"

"The Budget?" Tanya asked.

"But that's not critical this time." Cindy said, still trying to mentally probe my mind. "Oh, of course. Redistricting."

"Give that woman a green crowbar!" I said. "Yes. Redistricting. The Dems have been collecting chits, and they're going to cash them in to get what they want in the redistricting. I fear... that they are really going to tear our Town & County apart..."

Part 18 - Machinations and Manipulations

Friday, February 25th. It was Tasha's sixth (SIXTH!) birthday, and we were having a party for her at The Cabin. Present were: Carole, Jim, Ross, Ian, Betsy, Benjamin, Marie Steele, and Agnes Reynolds, the little girl from Apple Grove who had been adopted by the Reynold family as they moved to our Town & County. (Author's note: 'Reunion Fever', Ch. 05.) She and Tasha had become very good friends in school.

Also present were Paulina, Me, Molly, Laura, Stephanie Steele, Edward R. Steele, Cindy, Callie, and Sheriff Griswold. Apparently BOW Enterprises was having a function that made Todd and Teresa as well as Agnes's parents unavailable.

The party almost had not happened. Two days before, on Wednesday, Paulina had asked me if we could have the family (meaning Troy family) party the next day, Saturday. She said she wanted to throw Tasha a party at the Pizza Roundhouse restaurant with her school friends in her class. I'd said that meant Laura wouldn't be at the family party, as her Saturday would be slammed, and I'd have to check with the others. I did admit that we'd -assumed- we'd have the party Friday.

Later that night, I got a call from Paulina, who reported that Tasha had gotten upset when she was told of Paulina's plans, and that the (Troy) family wouldn't be at the pizza party. There was also consternation expressed by Tasha that the feral cats under The Cabin were 'expecting' Tasha to be there to feed them on Friday. So here we were, with Agnes 'representin' as Tasha's classmate, and the pizza party would be the next afternoon.

Tasha got a good haul of gifts. Agnes gave her matching full-size rubber basketballs so that they could practice together. Ian and Jim conspired to give Tasha several mostly-picture books on the U.S. Constitution, the three branches of Government, and how legal trials are held, which Tasha liked. She liked even more the little booklet that was the Constitution itself that Ian had slipped into his birthday card for her. "Tasha wants to be a lawyer like her mom." Carole told me.

Betsy and Benjamin (pretty much Betsy) gave Tasha a couple of early grade books on cats. Marie gave Tasha a highly-sought-after booklet of drawings, and the quality of these books were getting better and better with each birthday Marie drew for. This booklet showed Tasha with the cats, Tasha with Buddy and Bowser, Tasha with Carole, Tasha playing basketball with Carole, Marie, and Agnes, then one of Tasha and Agnes playing their 'circle' game.

What is the 'circle' game? To make a short story long: At the end of the driveway to The Cabin, just past the far-side garage that housed the Black Beauty, I'd put up high fencing to keep basketballs from going down the hill (though a few still found their way over the fence). I'd put up a basketball goal and backboard at the regulation 10' height, and measured out 15' to the foul line.

The circles on the court are 12' in diameter, so I measured and drew the foul line that long. Then Jim got a string, had Ross hold one end at the middle of the foul line, and inscribed a circle. I had not intended for him to use a nail and literally gouge the circle into the concrete, but guess what he did? And Carole and Marie 'helped' by somehow getting some paint like they use on highways and painting the circle, giving 'paint it black' a whole new meaning at the Troy household.

I was less than thrilled at these little feats of engineering, but I shut my potty mouth when I saw what the circle was used for. The kids played a game where two of them stood in the circle with basketballs. They had to dribble their basketballs while trying to take the other person's basketball away from them, and end up dribbling both basketballs. If someone and/or his/her basketball went out of the circle, then he/she was out. But to truly win, one had to control both basketballs at the same time.

All the kids would play from time to time, and Daddy got his butt beat on many an occasion, but Tasha and Agnes would play for hours. Sometimes Tasha took Agnes's ball, sometimes Agnes took Tasha's ball. And even Carole took her share of losses at their hands. But most of all, I watched all of them become better and better basketball players, which would serve them well in the future. But I digress...

The last drawing in Tasha's booklet was of her sitting with me in the metal mesh chair on the back deck. Below the drawing had been written (in Carole's handwriting) 'Daddy's Little Bundle Of Love'.

"Aww, that is so sweet!" Callie said when she saw it, and all the ladies agreed. The adults had conspired to give Tasha gift cards to buy clothes or other stuff.

Last was Carole's gift. One was a picture book about the life of US Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. "Tasha is going to meet him one day." Carole whispered to me. Then Carole handed Tasha a small box. "This is Daddy's present for you. He let me help him pick it out." Carole said. She was being modest; this was Carole's doing al the way.

"Yes," I quipped. "That's from me, and I'm dying to know what I got you."

Tasha opened the box and her eyes widened and her mouth opened in a 'whaa?' surprise look. It was a necklace on a little silver chain. The charm on it was composed of an enameled red heart, the bottom pointed 'southwest' as one looked at. Halfway superimposed over it was a smaller silver heart, pointing southeast. On the back, which was solid silver and flat, were engraved the initials 'L B O L'. Carole said "That's because Tasha is Daddy's Little Bundle of Love."

"Aw, this is cool!" Tasha exclaimed. She hugged Carole and said "Thanks, Carole!" Then she came over to me and said "Daddy, will you put this on me?"

What girl doesn't love jewelry, I thought to myself as I draped the necklace around Tasha's neck and fastened it. Cindy was videoing this on her iPhone, and I would later see the beautiful smile on Tasha's face as I put it on her. Then Tasha turned around and said "Thanks, Daddy! I'm glad I'm your Little Bundle of Love!"

"And you always will be, Little Love." I said, hugging her back. Then Tasha went around showing her necklace off to everyone. Even the boys pretended to be interested.

"Okay, supper is ready." Laura said as she and Stephanie Steele brought out the dishes... pizzas! The kids were excited and rushed to the table.

But I'd heard Paulina whisper "Oh no..." When I turned to look at her, she said "We're having the pizza party tomorrow night!"

"Ohhh... that's my fault." I said. "I didn't get a chance to tell Laura about that, nor that we'd swapped party nights. She's been working to all hours of the night on the Medical School stuff."

Laura saw us whispering, and I waved my hand towards me for her to come over, then said "I didn't get a chance to tell you, but Paulina's giving Tasha a pizza party tomorrow at the Pizza Roundhouse."

"Ohhhh." said Laura. "I'm sorry about that. Carole told both me and Stephanie that Tasha loves pizza, so that's what we got."

"Kids love pizza, and would eat it every day if we let them." I said placatingly. As I said it, we all looked over at Carole, who was taking her place at the 'kids table', which was the main table. She became aware that she was being observed, and she looked right back at us.

Laura caught on: "Have I been bamboozled again, this time into this faux pas?"

"I dunno." I said. "But I'll speak to her about it." And then I started catching on. I instinctively knew that everything Carole was doing, from the pizza suggestion to the necklace, and the booklet... it was all being done for a reason. And whatever Carole's reason was, I was a few steps behind her vision...

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

As the kids played Uno and Laura, Callie, Cindy, and Stephanie fluttered like parakeets, mostly about the University and the State Medical School, I lit the fire pot on the back deck and sat down around it with Sheriff Griswold, Paulina, and Edward Steele.

"So, Paulina," said Edward, "have you given any more thought about running for Solicitor?"

"Some." Paulina said, with a decided lack of enthusiasm in her voice. "I've talked to a few people about it. But I need to think about it some more... a lot more."

Edward R. Steele said "I apologize if we seem to be pushing you on it. It's just that if you're not interested, we need to find someone who is willing to run and can win. Time is of the essence, and Alvin Whitner is an incredible threat."

"I get it." Paulina said. Then she said "Look, I'll be straight up with you guys. I have never really been interested in the Solicitor position, not when it was D.A.-appointed, not when it became an elected position. But I'm also aware of what Alvin Whitner or any George-Schwartz-funded D.A., Solicitor, or Judge would mean."

She got up as she said "I'll have something to tell you early next week. In the meantime, thank you for hosting the party for Tasha, and she loved the necklace. I've got to get her home to get some rest."

"Y'all can stay the night." I offered.

Paulina said "Yes, I know. But Laura needs some rest even more than the kids do. As soon as Tasha and I leave, everyone else will, and you can get Laura up to bed, where she needs to be... getting some sleep."

And that is what happened. No sooner were Paulina and Tasha gone than the Steeles were taking Marie home and Molly was putting the boys to bed. Carole helped me make Laura some hot chocolate while Laura took a shower. When Laura came down to say goodnight, Carole had her sit down and they drank cups of hot chocolate together.

Then I helped Laura to bed, and my wife was out like a light as soon as her head hit the pillow. Carole also fell asleep quickly, though she fought hard to stay awake. Melatonin 1, Future Iron Crowbar 0, I thought to myself as I tucked her in.