Semper Fidelis Ch. 03

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That evening, we had dinner at the Cabin. Laura was back, and Carole was overjoyed to see her mom again. My mother Phyllis was there, as was Chief Griswold, Cindy, Teresa, Todd, Jack Muscone, Tanya Perlman, little Pete, Paulina Patterson and baby Tasha, Sandra Speer, Martin Nash, Molly and the boys, and Chief Moynahan.

I had told Cindy about my findings about Charles Roland. Her ice-blue eyes became jet when I told her of his very likely involvement in Jenna's ordeal. I also promised that his takedown would belong to her.

After dinner, we talked about the case, reaching the final part, what everyone wanted to know:

"That just leaves one big question, son." said my mother. "I keep hearing that you believe the SBI raiders did not make as much a mistake as we are led to believe."

"Not only that," said Chief Griswold, "when Commander Troy told Governor Jared what he thought, the Governor suddenly announced he was running for re-election." Everyone was stunned... and of course wanted to hear a lot more.

"All right." I said. "I have here a copy of the warrant that was issued for the raid. Everyone please take a look at it." As they did, Ross had decided to play a game of pinching my nose, so I played with him for a moment.

"Oh, I see it." said my mother the instant she examined the documents. No one else caught on. Chief Griswold did not bother to look at it. He was holding baby Jim, who was fascinated by the Chief's big handlebar mustaches... just as his sister Carole had been months before at one of these victory parties.

"Still don't see it." said Cindy.

"You've got a lot on your mind, I can tell." I said. My mother patted Cindy on the arm, and Cindy patted my mom's thigh in appreciation.

"So," I said, you may have noticed that the letters and numbers are very much in the European-style. The 'z' has a line through it to differentiate from a '2', the '7' has a similar horizontal line to differentiate it from a '1', and the '1' has a little flag-tail on top of the line."

"Now in America, we generally don't write that way." I continued. "I made a check of as many places of origin of SBI warrants as well as other Government documents as I could. There is only one place where this writing is consistently used, and it's the Clerk of the Court of the Midtown Superior Courts. She's in her sixties, and she emigrated from Germany forty years ago."

"So," I continued, "most of the time, 70% of the time for the pollsters out there, the SBI uses the Westphalia Courts to get their warrants. 20% of the remaining time, the SBI gets the warrants at the local jurisdiction of where they're executing it. And the last 10% is the Midtown Courts.

"Now usually warrants are typed." I said. "Chief Moynahan and Molly will remember when I went down there once before, and I lamented on how long it took to get warrants. One of the reasons was because they insisted on typing them, for clarity. But then, after the Midtown PD made some complaints, they started writing them out longhand if they got backed up, or if the warrant was very quickly needed."

"So instead of going to Westphalia Courts, instead of going to our County's Courts, which was the jurisdiction for either our County or Nextdoor County, they go to Midtown. Why? Because that is where the woman that writes the Germanic numerals works."

"Someone asked for an address of 2461 Reservoir Drive. That's the Nextdoor County side of Reservoir Lake. Our side is Reservoir Road. I might add that there is officially no '2461' on Reservoir Drive, and that Tom Riordan does not live at his Riverside Drive home now... but that's not relevant to what I was seeing."

"So," I said, "the SBI death squad rolled up, but the driver misread the address as '2467'. And that led to Gunnery Sergeant Guernica's death. He thought burglars were invading his home and he went to defend his family. He was obliterated, and his family is lucky to be alive."

"Because you got there in time." said Chief Griswold.

"Maybe." I said.

"So they misread the '1' for a '7'." said Cindy. "And they meant to go to '2461'. So who lives there?"

"The houses are odd-numbered on the right, even-numbered on the left." I said. "So they meant to go three houses further down."

"But that's..." Cindy said, and then her eyes widened. "Oh my God!"

She was looking over at Chief Griswold. "That's your address, Chief!" she exclaimed.

Everyone gasped, looking over at Chief Griswold, who was nodding. Then they looked back at me, seeing a man whose face was set in iron.

"That's right." I said flatly. "I do not believe in this many coincidences at once. They must think I am a stupid idiot that wouldn't see through that. I believe that the orders for this raid came from the top, from Jack Lewis himself... and the purpose and intent was the cold-blooded murder of Chief Antonio Griswold. And yes... I took what they did very, very personally. And still do."

"And once the Iron Crowbar showed his well-reasoned analysis to the Governor," said Moynahan, "the Governor did not appreciate his friend Grizz being targeted like that. And his announcement to run again came swiftly."

"Can we prove this?" asked Martin Nash. "Any of it?"

"If push came to shove," I said, "I have a C.I. that heard one of the raiders say well before the raid that they intended to come into our County. We also have Graves's testimony. But linking Lewis to the killers, and showing intent? Ain't likely gonna happen."

"I'm sorry for that family." said Cindy. "But I'm glad you're alive and still with us, Chief." She got up and went over and hugged the old Chief.

"So what are you going to do, Don?" asked Jack Muscone.

"Payback is coming." I said. "And it will be a bitch for Director Jack Lewis. He will regret the day he ever heard my name..."

Part 17 - Epilogue: Death Before Dishonor

At 4:00am, Wednesday, March 23d, I was awakened by my cell phone ringing... and Bowser barking at it. I answered. It was the Deputy Director of the FBI.

"Commander, can you come down to the Federal Building as soon as possible?" he barked. "And wear a sharp-looking uniform."

"Er, yes sir." I said. I got up, made a hasty toilet, kissed my wife on the cheek, then left. I was in my Duty Dress uniform. No idea what was going on, though.

I pulled up and parked behind the Federal Building, gaining access with my consultant badge. The guard at the door asked another guard to escort me to the third floor, where the FBI rooms were. I could feel a touch of something in the air, not excitement, but not tension. I would soon find out what.

Going into the FBI area, I was brought to the conference room. I saw the FBI DepDirector, and across the room, and older man in a Marine Corps uniform.

"Thank you for coming, Commander Troy." said the DepDirector. He began introducing me to the Marine General. As the man turned to face me, I was stunned... he was no less than the Commandant of the United States Marine Corps, the highest Marine in the Nation!

This man's presence would literally be classified information. To say it was a surprise was a huge understatement.

"Ah, it's an honor to meet you, Commander." he said, coming up to shake my hand.

"Likewise, General." I said. I didn't know it yet, but this man would one day be Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. And if the FBI DepDirector gave off an aura of power, this man gave it off even more so.

"Commander, I have been briefed on your Police Force's response to the attack on Gunnery Sergeant Guernica and his family.." said the General. "I also was informed of your support of him in the face of smears, and I happened to see that video that's going around. I wanted to tell you personally that I am very grateful to you for your actions and your words."

"It was my honor, General." I said, still a bit stunned.

"Even so, I want you to have this." he said. He extended his hand and dropped a small black metal object into my hand. It was an Eagle, Globe, and Anchor, the official symbol and insignia of the United States Marine Corps. "This was Gunny Guernica's, pinned on him when he graduated from Parris Island."

"Sir... I can't accept this." I said. "His family should have it."

"They have his other ones." said the General. "They wanted you to have this one. I know that you'll treasure it as you do those Army Airborne wings of yours."

"Yes sir, I will." I said, then remembered my manners. "Thank you, General."

He shook my hand again, and said to the FBI DepDirector. "We need to be getting back to Washington, William."

"Yes, we do." said the FBI DepDirector. "Our plane is at County Airport. I'll be seeing you again soon, Commander."

As he left the room, the Marine Commandant said loudly "Semper Fi, Commander!"

"Airborne all the way, General!" I replied, a Paratrooper to the last.

He chuckled, then the room emptied of all but myself. I looked at the Eagle, Globe, and Anchor in my hand, still stunned at what had just happened.

I went to my SUV, and drove to Headquarters. I would frame the insignia, on a red background, and hang it on the wall near the picture drawn by Miguel. I would not forget. And I would fully avenge Gunny Guernica's death.

The lights in my officer were off. As I looked outside the window of my office, seeing the first threads of dawn, a song kept playing in my head. A song that had led Gunny Guernica and his fellow Marines for many years, and would carry the Corps forward...

From the Halls of Montezuma
To the shores of Tripoli;
We fight our country's battles
In the air, on land, and sea;
First to fight for right and freedom
And to keep our honor clean;
We are proud to claim the title
Of United States Marine...

Finis.