Scavenger Hunt Ch. 03

Teresa said "I think he was trying to draw attention to the Democrats's welfare spending---"

"But that's not what people are going to hear, nor think about!" I fired back. "Establishment Republicans are just stupid as hell about their messaging! When the Enemy is in the process of destroying himself, get the hell out of the way and let him! But no, Ryan Paulson fucked it up. Completely."

The Chief said "I can seeeee that your forced day away from Police business yesterday has not improved your moooood, Mr. Crowbarrrr."

"No sir, yesterday was great." I replied. "But you forgot to send the memo to Bowser demanding that I sleep in... he could not understand why I wasn't up and taking him and Buddy out at the crack of dawn. But at least I was able to stop the near-disaster of Carole and Tasha trying to cook breakfast without supervision..." I just shook my head at that memory as everyone else began chuckling, which turned to open laughter...

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

After the Fox University Sunrise report, the Angels Meeting got underway in my office sans Cindy, who was matriculating her way down to City Hall with the Sheriff. I had called Captain Claire Michaels and 'invited' her (in the Japanese sense) to attend.

I said "Okay, where are we on the cellphones we've accumulated over the weekend?"

Tanya said "Myron and his I.T. crew cracked them yesterday, and sent the data from them to Intel for processing."

Claire said "And they're doing that now. I had them send Ashton Cardigan and Lindy Linares the data for acquiring metadata for us. I know they were getting fresh Federal warrants to do that, but I'm not sure what progress they've made. It'll probably be this afternoon or tomorrow before we get their data."

"Explain to me again why we're going through the Feds for that information?" I asked skeptically. "We can get our own warrants for that data."

Claire said "It's harder for us to get Federal warrants than for the Feds to get them, and easier for the phone company, especially BigCommo to fight us on local warrants. And considering that we're going to be sharing with SAC Cardigan as part of our Joint Task Force with them anyway, it just makes sense to let them do the work for us."

I said "But now you are waiting on them for the data. I'd rather us get the data, even if we have to fight harder for it, then give it to them while we process it ourselves. You need to be pushing to get that data. Okay, what's next?"

"Sir," Teresa said with alacrity, "can you please tell me exactly who is in charge of Intel Branch while Lieutenant Mary Milton is on maternity leave?"

"I am." said Claire with equal alacrity.

Teresa said, undeterred, "I mean directly, Commander... as in which Lieutenant is in charge?"

I said "I thought I was pretty clear that Lieutenant Purvis was in charge, was I not?"

"You were, at least to me, sir." Teresa said. "But I have become aware that the persons in Intel Branch are receiving conflicting orders, and are concerned that they will be disciplined or negatively affected no matter what they do regarding those orders. I've also been made aware that a grievance with the Union is about to be made."

"No one came to me with any such concerns." Claire replied. "As they should do before going to the Union."

"Unless, Captain, you are the subject of their grievance." I said. "So... what's going on between Lieutenants Purvis and Warner?"

Claire was beginning to realize that Teresa's question was not out of the blue, but a repartee between her and myself to bring the subject up. Claire said "I have to send Lieutenant Warner in with my instructions from time to time to get things done in there."

I said "So why isn't Warner going to and through Purvis, instead of giving direct orders, especially invoking your name, which is a no-no of leadership?"

Claire's eyes bore into mine as she said "Because, sir, Purvis can't lead himself nor anyone else out of a paper bag. And in order to get anything done in there, I send Warner in to get them moving in the right direction."

I said "And maybe, just maybe, that is what the problem really is. The system works, Captain, when it's properly followed. And you and Warner are not following the system; you are bypassing the proper chain-of-command. Purvis is in charge of Intel, not Warner. If you have a problem with Purvis, you bring it to me."

I continued: "And from this point forward, Warner is not to go into Intel. She is not to be your go-between to Intel; you interface with Purvis, and in a professional manner, not with threats nor intimidation. Do I make myself clear, Captain?"

"Yes sir, but no sir." said Claire. When I glared at her, she said "Warner is our liaison with the Feds, sir. Excluding her from Intel entirely excludes her from being able to do her job. And that is not fair to her."

"Point taken." I said. "Of course I shouldn't have to spell out the answer to that, but I will, just so you and Commander Croyle hear me say it: Warner is to go to and through the current leader of Intel Branch: Lieutenant Christopher Purvis. And she should do so in a professional manner, with the goal of completing the TCPD mission on the Chief's behalf."

I finished up: "Okay, Captain, Commander Croyle, you can go. Commander Muscone, you and I have two important meetings this morning... more like interviews..."

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

12:00 high noon, Monday, October 11th. Teresa and I got to the Cop Bar, and 'Pops' directed us to the back 'Command Room'. Waiting there for us were the Chief, the Sheriff, the Chief Deputy Sheriff, and the Deputy Police Chief.

Sheriff Griswold growled "I ordered the Double Breakfast Cheeseburger Plate for you, Crowbar, and I know you'll practice the Cerone Doctrine by eating all of it."

"Yes sir." I said. I really was hungry, so that would be no problem.

"And I ordered you the Steak Caesar Salad, Teresa. Heavy on steak." the Sheriff said.

"Thank you, Sheriff." Teresa said. "So how is it going with the Assembly?"

"It sucks lemons." Cindy replied matter-of-factly. "I'm not sure why we're even bothering. I could've just submitted our proposals in writing in a file folder, and with a jump drive with the.PDF file for their computers."

"They're not asking questions?" I asked. "I would've thought the Democrats would've been interrupting every five minutes with 'defund the Police' rhetoric."

"Nope." Cindy replied. "In fact, the Democrats are making a point to be rude about it. They're making sure I see them reading books and magazines, or playing around with their cellphones. Cori Bowman was holding up a book to make sure I could see the title, which was 'It Was Slaves That Built America'."

"Ah yes." I said. "That's one of the textbooks the U.S. Department of Education and the powerful Teachers Union want to force every public school student read, as part of 'CRT', their Critical Race Theory curriculum."

Sheriff Griswold said: "And any parent who objects to that is labeled a Racist, a White Nationalist, a Domestic Terrorist. And Derrick B. Harland's FBI will investigate if not arrest those parents as terrorists."

I said "And I can refute them with a non-racial analogy: every annual meeting of BigPharmaCorp's Stockholders, the Union always makes a proposal to limit any employee's salary to no more than 25 times the amount of the lowest base pay of the lowest Unionized worker. They claim it's because it's the workers on the factory floors that are making the product, and therefore making the profits possible."

Me: "Problem is, they'd have no product to make if it weren't for the people who created the chemical processes, and created the pharmaceuticals that create those profits while helping people get and stay well. And those workers on the floor are not the managers and executives that make the decisions that make the employees's jobs possible. And if those people make more, there's a reason for it. Soooo, slaves did do some of the work that built America, but so did a whole lot of other people."

"But that's not what the Teachers Union wants our children to be taught." Teresa added.

"We are digressssing from the Assembly meeet-nnng." Chief Moynahan said. "It was the Police Budget you were discussing? And are the Republicans acting the same wayyy?"

"Yes and yes, Chief." Cindy said. "And the Republicans are not as blatantly rude as the Democrats, but some of them are on their cellphones, too. Some are paying attention, but they're not asking any questions, either. They seem to be treating everything as a foregone conclusion, and any engagement would be superfluous and a waste of time."

Sheriff Griswold asked "How did your interviews this morning go?"

"Very well." said Tanya. "As usual, the Iron Crowbar has made excellent choices."

"Good asskissing skills." said Our Sheriff.

"Butter me up, butter me up." I said. "But seriously, Sheriff, they went well, and our candidates stepped up and said they would accept their new I.A. roles if approved by the Council..."

Part 11 - Overruled

"This is Bettina Wurtzburg, KXTC Channel Two News!" shouted the redheaded MILF reporterette at 7:00am, Tuesday, October 12th, from the roof of the building at Riverside and College, with City Hall as her background. "Town & County Assembly Republicans want to shut down the County's Free Clinics!"

After the hard-charging intro music, Bettina began: "During a contentious presentation by Chief Deputy Sheriff Cindy Ross, Assembly Republicans peppered her with questions regarding the Public Health Service. The Assembly's Republican leader, Ryan Paulson, asked why County dollars were funding, quote, 'welfare clinics' that should be funded fully and solely by Federal dollars. Let's go to KXTC reporter Martha Faulkner for more. Martha!"

"That's right, Bettina!" said the 'non athletic' and 'very decided' blonde reporterette, from the same rooftop but with the Public Health building, next to and just north of Police Headquarters, as her background. "Assemblyman Paulson had this to say in an interview with me yesterday afternoon. Roll tape."

Tape rolled, showing Martha interviewing the very dark-haired Ryan Paulson in the atrium of City Hall as he tried to look 'casual' in his suit and trenchcoat. Paulson said "The Public Health Department is meant to handle public health emergencies and situations, such as pandemic outbreaks, vaccines against the flu, and health advice to our elected leaders. Their HAZMAT team is there to handle emergencies, as they have done in the past."

Paulson: "The Public Health Department is not meant as a vehicle for free medical care to welfare recipients. The Free Clinics in the County should either be shut down or run by private companies. People can go to University Hospital or their doctors for medical care, or take advantage of the Federal Government's socialized medicine facilities. And the next thing you know, Democrats will be demanding that these clinics be used to murder unborn children, paid for by our County tax dollars."

"Back to you, Bettina." Martha Faulkner said.

"Thank you, Martha!" Bettina said as the feed returned to her. "That was reporter Martha Faulkner with that report on Republican Ryan Paulson's unbelievable views on healthcare for the poor and the reproductive rights of women..."

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

"So what really happened, there?" asked Lt. Commander Teresa Croyle as she, Sheriff Griswold, Your Iron Crowbar, Chief Moynahan, Deputy Chief Muscone, and Chief Deputy Ross drank coffee and watched in the Chief's Conference Room.

Cindy said "Some of Bettina's evaluations are just her opinion... nothing new for KXTC... but for the most part she got it right. Since no one on either side asked any questions about the Police budget, and since the Fire Department and EMS budgets are scheduled to be discussed today, I had time in the afternoon to start on the Public Health budget."

Cindy: "And the Assembly Republicans, especially Ryan Paulson and Jeff Maple, just hammered me with questions. And not about the details of the budget, but asking if it was the Public Health Department's place to be running the Free Clinics at all, much less funding them. At first I said that those clinics were where people got the flu shots and stuff, but Paulson did pretty effectively show that the Clinics had become de facto doctor's offices for the southside poor."

Cindy: "I then said that the Council had authorized and mandated the Clinics, and he'd have to take things up with them. And I'll say this: none of them mentioned abortion or those clinics being places to have abortions. That is not authorized nor mandated. So why Paulson told Ms. Faulkner that, I'm not sure."

"To score political points." Tanya astutely said. "And to that subject, why is KXTC giving Paulson, much less any Republican, the time of day, much less all that air time?"

Cindy said "To make him look bad, and to make the Republicans look bad. And whatever side of the aisle you're on, he looks bad saying those things the way he said them."

I said "No, I think there's another reason. You know how much KXTC despises Daniel Allgood. I think they're going to help Paulson primary Daniel for the Republican nomination for Mayor next year. If Paulson wins the primary, then like John McCain before him, Paulson will be shocked, shocked, at how fast KXTC turns on him."

"I'll buy that for a dollar." said Our Sheriff.

Teresa said "So I guess Martha Faulkner drew the short straw, and has to cover the Republican candidates, while Carl Lemay gets to cover the Democrats?"

I replied: "She just got paid to say 'That's right' to Bettina, tape a controversial interview with a possible Mayoral candidate, and say 'Back to you, Bettina!'. Nice work, if you can get it."

After everyone chuckled, the Chief said "So after you retire, Mister Crowbarrrrr, are yuuuuu going to become a reporter for KFXU, or for Alison McFarland?"

"Quoting a wise and great Sheriff, sir..." I replied, "Har!"

"Good asskissing skills, Crowbar." growled Griswold...

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

8:55am, Tuesday, October 12th. I was in my office, going over the duty logs of the previous day, when my door opened and Teresa looked in. "The Chief wants us in Classroom 'E' at 9:00. The cellphone data is back, and we may have a break in the case."

I got up and followed her down the hall to Classroom 'E'. As we walked down the silent hallway, I said "Is it just me, or is it really somber around here today?"

Teresa replied "Now that you mention it, yes. It was really quiet in MCD this morning, but I don't know why, and I didn't ask."

We went inside Classroom 'E', to see that the long conference table had been moved to the back of the room (near what had been Classroom 'F' and was now Mary Milton's office and the server rooms), and forty chairs brought in, all facing the 5x4 matrix of monitors.

Captain Michaels, Lieutenants Parker, Washington, Warner, Rudistan, Purvis, and Myron Milton were already there, as was Detective Sergeant Julia Rodriguez. Over the next few minutes, Detectives Monroe, Laurer, Scott, Plant, Roark Coleman, Statler, Waldorf, Newman, and Grubby Paul trickled in. Pottsville PD Lieutenant Shane O'Brady came in with Joan Laurer.

"No announcements! Keep your seats!" thundered the voice of Chief Moynahan as he came in, followed by Deputy Chief Tanya P. Muscone, FBI Special Agent In Charge Jack Muscone, FBI Special Agents Steven Gable, Christy Cassidy, and Tim Jenkins, and DEA Supervisory Special Agents Dwight Stevens and Lorena Rose.

As they sat down, Detective J.J. 'Ice Cube' Perry came in. Captain Michaels all but screamed "You're late! Where the hell were you?"

"Sorry, ma'am, everyone." said 'Ice Cube'. "I was on the phone with a C.I., and he was giving me some pretty important stuff."

"That's an excuse, and it's unacceptable---" Claire said angrily, but was stopped by the Chief himself.

"It's o-kay, Captain." said Moynahan. "And it's o-kay, Mr. Perry... especially if it solves this case before the Iron Crowbar doezzzz." The room was utterly silent, maybe because of Claire's outburst. I didn't see the humor in the remark, either.

The Chief said "You might as well laugh. The jokes don't get any better." The mood got no better, either. Even Rudistan looked 'not jovial'.

Chief Moynahan gave up. He said "I called this meeting so that we could all hear some newfound information at the same time, as well as share with our Federal friends who may be becoming increasingly involllved. Go ahead, Captain."

Claire Michaels said "Thank you, Chief. First, some background. Our FBI friends were conducting an investigation into four persons who owned apartments in a duplex subdivision in Coltrane County. These four were potentially involved in a stabbing incident in Commander Troy's hometown, a case he solved over that weekend." I halfway expected someone to say something about good asskissing skills, but the Sheriff was at City Hall, and it just was not that kind of day.

Claire continued: "The subsequent investigation of them led to growing evidence that they were involved in industrial espionage. They were found to have been part of a company called 'TechnoDynamics Security', which Mr. Muscone found was connected to 'TechnoDynamics, Inc.', a company related to Matthew Willis and Brendan Chapel."

Claire: "The FBI was conducting surveillance on their homes in Coltrane County, but they never showed up there. When Commander Troy and Lieutenant O'Brady went to investigate four bodies in the southeastern part of the State, he had DNA acquired and asked the FBI to raid the duplex homes for DNA and other evidence. And now I'll turn it over to Corporal Scott for the results, as well as the data acquired to this point."

"Yes ma'am." said Penny Scott. "First of all, it's not totally confirmed, but early DNA test markers and other indicators, such as extended blood typing, show that (air quotes) 'confidence is high' that the four persons that lived in the duplex apartments are the same four bodies that were found in Donnan County."

"Second," said Penny, "four of the eight recovered burner cellphones correspond to the IDs we've seen in the other gang cells: they're 'SHWhiskey' 1-4, and have 'SHLimaW' as a contact. As with the other gangs, they were very careful about their communications and the burners were used to make videos in both this County and in Palmyra County. There was one anomaly, and I'll circle back to it in one moment."

Penny: "The other four burners gave us a lot more information. They're in the fake names of the four: Dulci Tamayo, Tom Tamayo, Gabby Williams, Jerry Williams. They used the phones mostly to talk and text between themselves. But there were also some contacts between Jerry Williams, a.k.a. Winston Reskind, and the (air quotes) 'official' phones of Peter Segui and Feng Xingshi. And there was one number that was totally new to us."

Penny: "The metadata shows the phones were in Apple Grove the weekend before last. On that Sunday, Jerry Williams called this new number, and there was a five minute conversation. That phone has no ID programmed in, and it was pinging from the City Center, near the Federal Building and the Cannon Building. It then went totally offline until Tuesday, when it activated again, this time in our Town & County, in the Warehouse District. Texts were sent to all four of the White Team on their (air quotes) 'non-SH' burners, which said, and I quote, 'Meet at Location Sargasso, 1:00am. Leave all cellphones at home.', unquote."

Penny: "The other exciting thing about that number is that it called and received calls from four other burner phones, which came up as 'LiaisonA', 'LiaisonB', 'LiaisonH', and 'LiaisonW', a number of times. LiaisonA's location was nearly always Palmyra County, often near where the Stubbs & Wheaton office was. LiaisonB was in our Town & County, on the southside. Sometimes at clubs like 'Jasmine', but often outside, nearer to the Warehouse District. LiaisonH was in Southport, in the Dagny Piers area, and LiaisonW was in Hamilton County, Coltrane County, and our County. And as far as I can tell, it was always in restaurants or pubs."