Shipping and Handling Ch. 05

This story is part of an ongoing series. The chronological order of my stories is listed in WifeWatchman's biography.

Feedback and constructive criticism is very much appreciated, and I encourage feedback for ideas.

This story contains graphic scenes, language and actions that might be extremely offensive to some people. These scenes, words and actions are used only for the literary purposes of this story. The author does not condone murder, racial language, violence, rape or violence against women, and any depictions of any of these in this story should not be construed as acceptance of the above.

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Part 18 - The Golden Break (continued)

George Aurus was sitting in Interrogation-1 on the highest chair that could be found in Headquarters, a rotating metal stool-chair, his legs dangling down. He was handcuffed to the ring on the interrogation table.

As I stared at Aurus through the one-way glass, Mary said "About an hour ago he just walked up to a parked Police car on University Avenue, identified himself, and said he wanted to talk to Commander Troy. They brought him in, took him through booking, put him in an orange jumpsuit, and brought him in there."

"Have you talked to him?" I asked.

"No sir." said Mary. "The arresting Officers mirandized him, but said he never asked for a lawyer, only to speak to you."

"And he will definitely get that opportunity." I said. "Let's get a Uniformed Officer in there, and I'll go in. Have you called the Chief yet?"

"No sir." said Mary.

"Call him when I go in there." I said. "By the way, it was wise to not say Aurus's name over the cellphone. Take the same precaution when you call the Chief..."

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

The Uniformed Presence was rookie Patrolman Drew. Once he came inside, I went in through the anteroom.

"Well, Commander Troy." said Aurus in his sinister, whispery voice. "I'm sure you did not expect to see me tonight, my old friend."

"The last time I saw you," I said, "you had my cousin chained to a metal bed, and you said out loud that you were going to rape and murder her. So we are not friends. At all."

"I can understand that." said Aurus. "It's still good to see you again, Commander. Relatively speaking, of course."

I got the key from Patrolman Drew and undid Aurus's handcuffs. "I don't think you're going to outrun me nor anyone else here." I said, giving the cuffs to Drew. I brought one of the (normal) chairs along the side wall over to him, and brought my chair from the table to the side so that there was nothing between us as we sat down.

"Thank you, Commander, this is much better." Aurus said. "I know you can handle me by yourself. Why don't you send your Officer outside, so we can talk privately." I nodded to Drew, who went into the anteroom to keep watch. We all knew that this conversation was being recorded.

"I suppose you're wondering why I'm here in your Police Headquarters?" Aurus said.

"I think I can tell you: you escaped from the people that broke you out." I said. "You're here for my protection from them."

"Good, very good." said Aurus. "Yes, I grew very concerned for my safety. Shall I tell you why they broke me out of jail?"

"Again, I fancy I can tell you." I said. "They broke you out wanting you to help them find Leonard Lotz, who tormented you at the Millwakee Camp." (Author's note: 'Power'.) "They offered to let you do the torturing of Lotz to get the information they wanted out of him. And the information they wanted from Lotz: the whereabouts of my sister."

"Amazing!" Aurus said, and I could tell he was genuinely impressed. "Yes, that is what it was about. But I realized that my abilities to find Lotz were very poor compared to the computer geeks they had with them, and Trent Ridge and Quint Starr acted towards me like those bullies at Millwakee did all those years ago."

"I'm not surprised." I said. "They are viciously evil men, and would have enjoyed torturing and murdering you after they had what they wanted from Lotz. So... where are Trent and Quint now?"

"We were at a safehouse in the City's southwestern suburbs." said Aurus. "The address was 29 Callen Street."

"Mrs. Jones house." I murmured, now recognizing why the old woman with the dog had been so interested in us, and so unfriendly to us. "Who was there with you?"

"Trent and Quint, as you call them." said Aurus. "But Quint was not with us all the time. An Asian woman who they called Keiko, was also there. Very beautiful woman. As usual, she chose to have sex with Trent instead of me."

"Did he give her a choice?" I asked.

"Well, he wasn't raping her; she seemed to enjoy it." George said. "Anyway, another person there was a very snotty geek, who they called 'Geek' or 'the Geek'. They never used his name in my presence. He was on the computer all the time. He asked me a lot of questions about Leonard Lotz, about places to look to find data on Lotz. I told him what I could, but it wasn't much."

"What about Jerry Barsbane?" I asked. "Jimmy Tolson? Others?"

"Mr. Barsbane was a pretty cool guy. Always happy-go-lucky, it seemed." said Aurus. "He brought us food every day, but did not live in our house. As to Tolson, he was almost as much of a wimp as me, and I could see he hated the world far more than I do. I saw him on the night they broke us out, but they took him somewhere else, and I have not seen him again."

"Hmm, interesting." I said. "Did you ever hear them say why they broke Tolson out? What use he might have been to them?"

"No." said Aurus. "All I heard from anyone was about finding Leonard Lotz. Oh... right after I was broken out of the prison, I heard the woman say that 'Alicia' had refused to be broken out of jail. I have no idea who she is, though." I nodded.

"So..." I asked, "what do you want now? To go back to where you were?"

"I was hoping for another prison, where I might be... safer." said Aurus. "And perhaps you can arrange for me to be sent somewhere, rather than just dumping me off to the Feds?"

"I can try to get you taken to another prison, a Supermax, perhaps." I said. "But if the Feds go to Court and get a warrant to claim you, there's nothing I can do about it."

Aurus looked a bit worried for the first time. "I know you'll do what you have to do, Iron Crowbar. Good luck finding those people. Your life might depend on you finding them before they find you..."

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

Aurus was returned to a holding cell on 'keepaway' status, and put on suicide watch. The Chief had come in while I was talking to Aurus, and, to my surprise, MPD Detective Nell Bell was also in his office when I got there.

"Come in, Mr. Crowbarrrr." said the Chief. "How did your interview with Mr. Aurus goooo?"

"It was interesting, Chief." I said as I sat down next to Nell Bell. "Aurus figured out that they broke him out in order to use him, and he managed to escape before they murdered him."

"Or is this some kind of set up?" the Chief asked.

"I don't know." I said. "If he was going to set me up, I'd think he'd give me something that I'd want to follow, so that they could spring the trap on me. But all he did was tell me the address of where he'd been holed up... which curiously was the address of the house right next to where the Farrises lived before they moved."

"Sir, we were watching in the Monitor Room." Nell Bell said. "I looked up the records for all the houses in the area. In addition to 31 Callen Street belonging to the Farrises, Numbers 29, 32, and 34 are also owned by SPS employees or the company itself."

"Yes," I said, "and Mrs. Jones was in league with them, if I don't miss my guess. She was on watch for us, challenged us when we went to the house, and the neighbors in those other houses were watching. Made it look like a Neighborhood Watch, but in reality it was lookouts for the Bad Guys. Additionally, Mrs. Jones had a dog... and I'm sure the Enemy knows I love dogs and would be less suspicious of Mrs. Jones because of it."

"They used good psychology on you with that one, Mr. Crowbar." said the Chief. "I've already sent the City Police the information, and they are getting some warrants to raid those houses."

"I fear they'll find the birds flown, and the nests empty." I said. "But maybe the perps left a clue to where they went from there. And if the dog was left behind, they'll get him to the shelter, where he'll be fed and watered, at least."

"Can I ask a question, sir?" asked Nell Bell. Both the Chief and I nodded, and she said "I looked up your cases involving George Aurus and Jimmy Tolson. By the way, who is Detective Troy? Is that you, sir?"

I grinned and the Chief chuckled. "No," I said, "that is the Detective Troy who is much better than me. My mother. And I'm in third place; my daughter will be in the No. 2 spot, if she doesn't outright take the title from her grandmother."

"Oh!" said Nell. "I would love to meet her, then. Anyway, sir, I was trying to figure out why they broke Tolson out of Supermax. I think the reason is very important, and would lead to the capture of this whole gang, but except for Tolson's experience in insurance, I can't see anything."

Chief Moynahan said "I agreeeee that the Tolson punk's knowledge of insurance might be helpful in the insurance fraud we've run into, but that has been going on for some time, I believe, and Tolson was in prison with no visitors for all that time."

"True, sir." I said. "And Aurus confirmed what I suspected, that he was their intended link to Leonard Lotz, who was last known to be working with my sister Elizabeth."

"Sir," asked Nell, "can I talk to George Aurus? Maybe he'll tell me something about Tolson that he wasn't prepared to tell you." The Chief and I were both surprised by this. He looked at me for the answer.

"Sure." I said. "But you need to do it fast. The Feds might be here at any moment to take him away from us."

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

Aurus was brought into Interrogation-1 and again handcuffed to the ring on the table after I'd brought in a chair he could sit in more comfortably while being restrained. Then Nell Bell went into I-1 alone with the Black Velvet serial killer.

"Hello, Mr. Aurus, I'm-------"

"Detective Nell Bell, Midtown Police." George Aurus said, finishing the sentence. "So nice to meet you. Forgive me for not standing and shaking your hand."

"Quite all right, under the circumstances." Nell replied. "I just wanted to ask you about Jimmy Tolson. I know you told Commander Troy you didn't know where they took him nor what they wanted from him..." She leaned forward and said conspiratorially, "... but I know a man of your great intellect could guess at a few things."

"You're perceptive, young lady." said Aurus. "And quite pretty, and very charming. A lesser man would be bewitched by your feminine charms... and guile."

Then Aurus sat back, at least as much as he could, and said "But I spent years raping and murdering women that thought they were smarter than they really were. And killing a few men along those lines, as well. Only the Iron Crowbar was good enough to totally defeat me... and to defeat the Consultant of Crime, as well.

"Ahhhhh." Nell said, getting Aurus's clue. "Tolson had ties to the Consultant, didn't he? But not all that strong, and certainly Tolson was nothing but a puny ant to the Consultant, unlike a brilliant man like yourself would be. So how does Tolson help the Shimono Gang?"

Aurus smiled his peculiar smile. "Ah, you're being charming again. I do admit I'm flattered, and I like it. But I will tell you what I told the Iron Crowbar: I genuinely don't know for sure what they thought they could get from him. Perhaps Tolson learned a secret, something about the Consultant that those evil people wanted to find out. And if I'm a good judge of character... and I am... then I feel very sorry for what Mr. Tolson is going to endure at the hands of Trent Ridge to get that secret."

As I listened in the anteroom, I heard a commotion outside, in the hallway. Opening the door, I saw Jack Muscone, Martin Nash, and several Federal Marshals. I quickly went into the anteroom, knocked on the door, and told Nell to go out the other way after I closed the door. She did, just as Jack got to the anteroom.

"Hello, Don." Jack said. "I'm sure you know why I'm here."

"He's right there." I said pointing towards the interrogation room. "He's yours, just as soon as you hand me the Federal warrant for him." Muscone instantly produced the warrant.

"By the way," I said, "he's asked to be taken to a different prison. May be an issue of life or death for him. See what you can do, huh?"

"We've anticipated that." said Jack. I led the way into the room, and as I unlocked Aurus from his handcuffs, I told him he'd have to go with these Federal Marshals, and that I'd asked for them to take him to a different prison. I then told the Marshals to handcuff Aurus's hands in front of him, and they reluctantly complied after Muscone told them to follow my suggestion.

"Thank you, Mr. Iron Crowbar." said Aurus. "And I do sincerely wish you the best of luck finding those bastards. I know you think I'm evil, but I'm nothing compared to Trent Ridge."

"I agree." I said.

"Farewell, Mr. Iron Crowbar." Aurus said, perhaps sadly, thinking it was all over for him.

"Au revoir, Mr. Aurus." I replied, very sure we'd indeed be meeting again one day...

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

I invited Nell Bell into my office after the Feds had left with the prisoner, and had her sit down in a hot chair.

"That was very well done, Ms. Bell." I said. "One of the best interrogations I've seen in a long, long time."

"Thank you, sir." said Nell. "But to be honest, he was really too good for me."

"You just got some practice against a brilliant if twisted mind, and a serial killer of the highest order." I replied. "And you acquitted yourself very well. So! you think Tolson is the key to all this?"

"Maybe, sir." Nell said. "I've just begun studying the Consultant of Crime, and even your detailed reports barely scratch the surface of who he was and what he was doing. You may be the only one that can figure out the link between him and Tolson."

"You're bringing the psychology on me that you just used on Aurus." I said with a grin. "But your interview with him did bring a couple of things to my mind. It's possible that Tolson knew of some stash of money or valuables that the Consultant had that never was found, and these perps found out and are looking for it."

"Sir," asked Nell Bell, "do you think this Shimono Group is part of this smuggling ring and insurance fraud scam? Are they working in connection with that gang, or independently?"

I smiled. "You are really asking the right questions." I said. "What do you think the answer is?"

"They were living in SPS safehouses, as Aurus called them." Nell said. "But that's the only link I have between them."

"Good observation." I said. "I happen to have some other ones to add to it. A young lady has told us that she observed Edward Blassingame, Keiko Shimono, and the late Paco Domingo together." (Author's note: 'Little Red Haired Girl'.) "I don't expect you to know anything about the Leonard Lotz situation, nor that of my sister, at least not until you get the Top Secret clearance I've asked Chief Soltis to acquire for you, but suffice it to say there are connections there. The Shimono gang and the entire insurance fraud and smuggling rings may not be connected, but the guy at the top is definitely involved with both."

"Thank you, sir." said Nell. "Uh, sir, there's one more thing: do you have any openings with the TCPD's Detective Force?"

I did not miss a beat as I replied "Are you unhappy with the Midtown Force?"

"Oh, no sir, they're great." Nell said, looking worried that I'd misinterpreted her question. "But I've learned so much up here, and you're all such great people... well, I had to ask, sir."

"I understand." I said. "The truth is that we don't have any openings right now... and if we did, I would not hire you."

"But sir!" said Nell, seemingly shocked, "I know I can grow into the job and be an asset to you-------"

I held up my hand to stop her. "I know, and you're an outstanding Detective already." I said. I then leaned forward and rested on my arms on my desk as I said "The reason I would not hire you is because you are in the right place already."

"The Midtown Police once had a great unit." I began, sitting back in my chair. "Captain Sean Moynahan was in charge of a group that consisted of Frank Soltis, Molly Evans, and Wes 'Coldiron' Masters. Three of them are now Chiefs of Police, and Masters is all but the leader of City Internal Affairs."

"There is a new group forming in Midtown P.D.," I continued, "consisting of you, Eric Hannum, Steve Ruger and Kimberly Wesson, who graduated 2nd and 3rd in their class at Police Academy Advanced Course last Friday. You four have the opportunity to be as great as Captain Moynahan's group before you, and a group to rival even my best MCD Detectives here, if I do say so myself."

I went on: "But that group needs one thing... a leader. Someone who is going to take charge, take care of the others, and lead the way through the best and the worst of things to bring Justice to the Police Force and the People of Midtown..." I peered hard at Nell as I finished: "... and I perceive you to be that leader, Detective Bell."

"Oh, wow... thank you, sir!" Nell gushed. "But am I ready for that?"

"You will be, if I don't miss my guess." I said, very sure.

"And he never misses his guessesssss." drawled Chief Moynahan, who'd just opened the door and heard the last part of that. "I agree with his assessment, Ms. Bell. We are expecting to hear great things about your career, and I can assure you that Chief Soltis has already been made aware of our observations and opinionnnnnns..."

Part 19 - Regrouping and Retrenching

"This is Bettina Wurtzburg, KXTC Channel Two News!" shouted the MILF redheaded reporterette at 7:00am, Monday, April 1st, from the anchor desk of the KXTC studios. "The Town & County Police have been delivered multiple setbacks as they pursue specious charges against BigAgraFoods employees!"

Bettina: "Channel Two News has also learned that the Town & County Police are totally befuddled by the murder of Rupert Saidy last Thursday. Saidy, a State Parcel Service employee, was found dead in a delivery truck last Thursday. Commander Donald Troy has not responded to repeated requests by KXTC for comment."

Bettina: "But the big story today is that the TCPD and other law enforcement entities in the State executed warrants against several BigAgraFoods employees for perceived insurance fraud. However, all of the employees arrested refused to cooperate with the charges, which BigAgraFoods lawyers say are 'specious', 'false', and 'unjustified', and every suspect was released on their own recognizance, without bail and without ankle monitoring, showing how weak the TCPD case is."

"And finally," said Bettina, "the formal session of the State Legislature is over for the year, but Democrats are promising to continue working to impeach Governor Val Jared and remove him from office! Several members of the State House Judiciary Committee say that they believe Commander Donald Troy lied under oath when he testified that he did not inform Governor Jared ahead of time that he was investigating two women who made credible claims of sexual harassment against Governor Jared, and that Commander Troy lied by saying the women's claims weren't credible. Once again, Commander Donald Troy has refused to return KXTC's repeated calls for comment on the matter."

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