Sausage and The Law Ch. 04

Daniel: "The Mayor has no direct control of the Public Safety Department. I work with the Council to make local laws and policies for -all- the Town & County Government, but even then we're limited in what we can do. The Council voted to put the separation of the Public Health Department from the Public Safety Department on the ballot... no, we can't do it ourselves, it requires a vote of the People! And it is the Voters who will decide, not Ryan Paulson... even if he -was- Mayor!"

Part 23 - Wins or Losses?

"This is Bettina Wurtzburg, KXTC Channel Two News!" shouted the redheaded MILF reporterette at 7:00am, Wednesday, March 30th, from the rooftop of the building at Riverside and College, with the State Office Building on the north side of Courthouse Square as her backdrop. "The State Legislature passes a Budget!"

After the hard-charging intro music, Bettina began: "In a surprise move that shocked political experts, both Chambers of the State Legislature over the weekend passed H.B. 1, the State Budget for the year! Let's go to highly respected reporter Carl Lemay for more. Carl!"

"That's right, Bettina!" said the Reporter of Color in his well-fitting suit, broadcasting from the helipad on the roof of the State Capitol Office Building parking deck, with the gold-domed State Capitol and the sunrise behind him. "Because there was no fear of a shutdown if no Budget was passed, it came as a surprise that a Budget -did- pass, and with surprisingly little debate."

Lemay: "In previous years, and especially while the racist, White Nationalist Val Jared was Governor, Budget battles were brutal, bitter battles, with neither side willing to compromise even a little bit. While Governor Marshall has been somewhat more willing to compromise, it was still expected that the Budget battles would be just as fierce this year, and that neither side would be willing to fight it. But to everyone's surprise, a deal was made."

Lemay: "But don't be fooled... the Budget that passed is almost identical to last year's, with small baseline budgeting increases. Money was also allocated for the State Medical College, enshrining it for the future, and money for the University's Biology and Climate Justice School was included. But for the most part, everything else remains the same, including the SBI Budget and money for local LEO jurisdictions."

The feed went to a split-screen with Bettina and Carl as Bettina said "Carl, has anyone given any explanation of how this Budget was able to be passed, and why the effort was made to pass it?"

Lemay: "No one was willing to go on record or on camera with us, but several persons speaking under conditions of anonymity because they are not authorized to speak on the record about these issues did tell Channel Two News that the uncertainty of what Donald Troy and the State Constitution Committee will do in rewriting the State Constitution contributed to the Legislators getting this done now. Commander Donald Troy has not responded to numerous requests by KXTC Channel Two News for comment. Back to you, Bettina."

"Thank you, Carl!" Bettina shouted as the feed came back to her. "And once again, Commander Troy has not responded to repeated requests by KXTC for comment. Now let's go to Martha Faulkner in our KXTC studios for the latest polling. Martha!"

"That's right, Bettina!" said the blonde reporterette, wearing all white as usual, sitting at the anchor desk in the KXTC studios. "I'm with Karl Frazier of Public Policy Polling." The view panned out to show the balding man with spectacles sitting at the anchor desk. "Karl, after the recent local debates, what are the polling numbers?"

Frazier: "Martha, our polling numbers showed an initial burst for Louis Bailey in the Sheriff's race, but over the weekend those numbers did not firm up, and Sheriff Griswold retains a slight lead. But in the Mayor's race, incumbent Daniel Allgood got a huge jump after his debate with Assemblyman Ryan Paulson, and Allgood leads 50-40% among likely voters."

Martha: "What are the reasons for that? Did Daniel Allgood just have that strong a debate showing? Or were Ryan Paulson's heartless Republican policies of wanting to deny Minorities health care the issue."

Frazier replied. "It may be some of both, Martha. Both candidates are extremely unpopular with Minorities, but Paulson seems to be going out of his way to alienate financially struggling people as well as Minorities. Also, Mayor Allgood showed a better understanding of the Mayor position as well as its role in local government."

Frazier: "But the big surprise, and a pleasant one, was how warm and human Daniel Allgood projected himself to be, especially when he talked about his family and their dog. Older viewers like me will remember Vice President Richard Nixon's famous 'Checkers' speech in the 1950s, which saved Nixon's political career. Mayor Allgood's 'Dorothy' speech did him extremely well, as well."

"What about the School Board Chairman race?" Bettina asked.

"That one may go down to the wire." said Frazier. "But one thing is for sure... Cori Bowman will have the full backing and hardcore support of the powerful Teacher's Union..."

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

"Well, we're gonna get paid this year." said Deputy Chief Tanya P. Muscone as she, Command Deputy Sheriff Cindy Ross, Operations Officer Teresa Croyle, Sheriff Griswold, Me, Assistant D.A. Paulina Patterson and Chief Sean Moynahan drank coffee and watched the Bettina broadcast in the Chief's Conference Room."

"You don't seem very surprised about this, Don." said Cindy.

"If they'd announced this Monday, you'd have gotten to see my 'shocked' face." I said, then made a 'whaa?' face that looked like I was totally surprised.

"Now I know where Tasha gets that face from." Paulina said.

"Oh, she gets that from you, too." I said. "Especially where her hands come up to cover her mouth." Everyone chuckled at that.

"So you knew?" Cindy asked me. Persistent, the Green Crowbar was.

I said "I won't reveal my sources, but I heard on Monday that they struck deals over the weekend, even though it was theoretically too late to get anything out of Committee. So they've had the framework in place for a while. How they kept it a secret until now, I'm not sure."

Teresa said "The only thing left is the 'redistricting' bill, and tomorrow night is the last night to pass anything. Todd's lobbyists say they're not hearing anything about changing the Town & County."

Cindy said "But don't get your hopes up. Priya told me some stuff is going on behind closed doors... besides male Legislators getting blowjobs from their female aides---"

"--- and female Legislators getting serviced by their female and male aides." Teresa added 'helpfully'.

"True." Cindy said. "But something is going on."

"Maybe it was this Budget that just passed." said the Chief.

"Don? You still with us?" Cindy asked. Maybe she felt as well as saw me slipping into a reverie.

I said "Yeah, I'm still here. I was just thinking about Edna Carter's race against Cori Bowman, and what Frazier said about the influence of the Teacher's Union. We've... we've gotta find a way to fight that..."

And with that, I was off to reverie land...

Part 24 - Epilogue

The next day, March 31st, I was doing paperwork in my office when a small nuclear explosion happened, in the form of Teresa Croyle bursting into my office.

"Turn on the TV!" Teresa practically yelled as she hurtled into my office at 11:10am. I expertly used the remote to turn on my television monitor as Tanya wheeled in right behind Teresa and they took their normal places.

"This is Bettina Wurtzburg, KXTC Channel Two News! We interrupt our regular programming to bring you this breaking news! The State Legislature has passed the County Reconfiguration Bill! Let's go to Carl Lemay in Midtown. Carl!"

"That's right, Bettina!" said the Reporter of Color as he stood in the hallway of the State Capitol. Behind him I could see another reporter talking to her camera. Lemay said "Just ten minutes ago, the State Senate passed State House Bill 2, which reconfigures the counties of the State!"

Lemay: "As you know, the number of counties in the State is set at 96, plus The City as a semi-autonomous entity. Four districts in the western and southwestern parts of The City that were counties until they were gobbled up into The City wanted to become separate counties again, in spite of the enlightened administration by The City."

Lemay: "They got their wish, but as two counties. The northern two districts were merged into a new Campbell County, while the two southwestern districts are now Milton County! The districts are mostly residential with some high tech firms operating in the area, similar to Palmyra County just northeast of Midtown."

Lemay: "To keep the number of counties at 96, Farmdale and Rivers Counties, which are south and southwest of Coltrane County and our Town & County, are being merged into one Rivers County. Again, Farmdale and Rivers County are merged. And the poorest county in the State, Benning County, is being merged with the county that was the site of the now-defunct Pine Valley project, to become Moore County. Once again, Benning County is now Moore County!."

Lemay: "Governor Marshall is expected to sign the bill within the hour, as soon as it can be printed up and verified. Legislators are already scattering, some going back to their offices or homes in the area, and some bugging out for home..."

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

"Don?" Tanya said, seeing me staring at the television monitor. Teresa finally came around my desk and shook me.

"Uhhh..." I moaned as I came out of the reverie. I looked around to get my bearings. "Oh wow..."

"What is it?" Tanya asked.

"I just realized..." I said, my voice sounding far away, at least to my own ears, "I just realized that they didn't touch us. They didn't touch the Town & County! They didn't merge us with anyone, they didn't split the Town from the County..."

A second later, or what seemed like it, I came back fully awake. In the interval Cindy and the Chief had come into my office. I said "All this time, I've been thinking that the Democrats were going along with everything because they were going to get something in return. And I thought that 'something' would be to tear apart the Town & County. But they left us alone!"

"Don't look a gift horse in the mouth, Mister Crowbarrrr." drawled the Chief.

"It's not a gift, sir." I said. "Something is just not right about that. And I think I know why they did it this way. Oh my fucking God..."

"What?!" came a chorus of Angels.

I said "They're counting on the US DOJ Civil Rights Division to come in and take us apart..."

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

1:00pm, March 31st. Teresa and I were in my Police SUV, wearing our armored vests as we followed FBI Special Agent In Charge Jack Muscone and Supervisory Special Agent Julius Jefferson along the Hammondsville Road, leading west. We crossed the bridge over the State Line River, then Muscone turned left on a barely paved road that went south along the farmland west of the State Line River. I remembered that this road led to the farmhouse where we'd found Keeler dead, and also Helga Radcliffe dead along the roadside. (Author's note: 'Seriously Inconvenienced', Ch. 05; 'The Pact', Ch. 04.)

We got to the farmhouse and parked. There were several other vehicles there. Looking south-by-southwest, I saw the group of people in the otherwise empty farm field. It was recently tilled dirt, ready for Spring planting.

Jack Muscone led the way to the group. I saw SBI-DTD Lieutenant Lorena Rose, a couple of U.S. Marshals, Hammondsville Police Chief Pascal Floyd and his Detectives, Josh Segers (who was black) and Chris Williams (who was white). We all exchanged greetings and handshakes... except the U.S. Marshals, who were looking pretty unhappy at the moment.

Hammondsville CSI technicians were processing the crime scene. I looked and saw the two dead bodies, which had been buried less than a foot under the dirt, but were now dug out and uncovered, their faces easily visible. One was a man and the other a woman.

"Who called it in?" I asked as I photographed the faces of the dead with my Police iPhone.

"We found it ourselves." said Detective Josh Segers. "I've been working with our State's version of the DEA, your SBI-DTD's Lieutenant Rose, here, and the US DEA for a while now. We've been flying drones up and down both sides of the State Line River, trying to catch Marquis Swift, a.k.a. 'Checkers', trying to smuggle drugs to your University. We spotted this discoloration in the soil, and came over to check it out, thinking it might be buried drugs."

"Any idea how long they've been here?" Teresa asked.

"A while. Days, maybe a few weeks." said the Hammondsville Medical Examiner. "They're in the process of decomposing. I'll do a full autopsy, and I should be able to narrow it down from the levels of decomposition."

I was typing on my Police iPhone as I said "Do you want me to tell you how long I think they've been here? Or not say, so you won't have a preconceived notion?"

"I'll take whatever you can give me." the M.E. (wisely) said.

"How would you know how long they've been here?" asked one U.S. Marshal, his voice unfriendly.

"Because I know who they are." I said, and hit the 'Send' button. A lot of cellphones began chiming. "These are the DMV photos and TCPD mugshots of Rhonda Huntington and Randy Luna. They've been missing two weeks, and she had jumped bail and gotten her ankle monitor off. And that's why you two U.S. Marshals are here... wanted felons having crossed a State Line."

"Yep. That's them." said Jack Muscone. Josh Segers and Chief Pascal nodded vigorously in agreement. Jack continued: "Once again, not much gets past the Iron Crowbar. Now can you tell us who did this to them, and why?"

"The 'why' is an easy button answer." I said. "They fell out of favor with someone they could possibly betray and lead us to, so they were executed, brought over the State Line to here, and dumped. I'd say that hired, professional killers did hired, professional killer things, and that our chances of catching them are slim."

"Is Marquis Swift behind it?" asked Lt. Lorena Rose.

Me: "No data yet. And you guys probably know more about Marquis Swift and his movements and methods than I do, but from what little I know of him, he's not a killer."

After a pause I said "Okay, there's nothing more I can do for you here. Jack, let's grab a double cheeseburger at the Irish Pub in the next couple of days, and compare notes on whatever we find."

"You got me at 'double cheeseburger'." said Muscone. "I'll give you a call."

With that, Teresa and I left. As we drove back, she said "That was code to Jack Muscone, calling the Cop Bar by its real name, the 'Irish Pub'. So that means you know something, but didn't want to say anything in front of the rest of them."

"That's Iron Crowbar thinking, there." I said. "Yes, you're right. I don't know those two U.S. Marshals, but their presence bothers me a little bit. How did they know to be there, or did someone call them?"

Teresa said "They were probably assigned to Huntington and Luna as bail jumpers, and came out to check out the reports of dead bodies. Or, as you said, they were called. Not that I'm defending them nor saying they're not hip-deep in Swamp Frog shit, but they could be legit."

"True." I said. "But I won't take the chance. Anyhoo, we know that Bob Gold and Dean Allen may be involved, since Luna associated with them. I'd like to tug at those threads, and if I find something, I can clue Muscone and Lorena Rose into it."

As we crossed the State Line River bridge back to home, I said "Well, you know what this means... a mystery to solve, corruption to root out."

"Another tangled web weaved." Teresa said. "The party never stops in our Town & County..."

Finis... for now.