Slender Man Ch. 02

"I know." I said. "You might notice how carefully Hardwood crafted his words to make sure he didn't actually say himself that we made any warrantless searches. And I always think it's amusing when they have to tell us that a reporter is 'trusted', as Priya did of the most very untrustworthy Hardwood."

Just then there was a knock on my door. Chief Moynahan came in. "I just got off the phone with the Sheriff. We were talking about what Bettina had said, and we watched the Hardwood comments together, via phone. I am going to give a press conference and shoot down these accusations. As part of that, i will tell the Press that I ordered you to not speak to them. And I really did do that, though maybe just in my head. But it's to humiliate them."

"I appreciate it, Chief," I said, "but I doubt they'll carry it live on the air, and they sure as hell won't air it on tape later."

"If they don't," said the Chief, "then I will close the Press Room, and forbid the Press entrance to Police Headquarters, either Precinct, or County Jail if it's not aired by the noon broadcast." With that, the Chief took his leave of us.

"What I want to know," said Cindy, "is why they're doing this. I don't have to be you or your mother to see that this is orchestrated and coordinated."

"Yes, you're right, it's definitely intentional." I said. "But I wonder if Priya was part of it. She seemed surprised by Hardwood's attacks. Maybe Bettina and Hardwood collaborated on this."

"I would not be shocked at all." Cindy said. "Don, you need to fuck the hell out of that bitch and get her head back on right. She's starting to really, really piss me off."

"After porking Priya," I said with a grin, "why would I put my pecker into Bettina's pickled pussy again?"

It took Cindy five full minutes to stop laughing and regain her composure.

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

KSTD covered the Chief's press conference live. KXTC did not. Nor did KXTC show any of it during their noon broadcast. That got Burt West and Bettina phone calls from the Sheriff, threatening to deny KXTC access to City Hall, Police Headquarters, or any Police crime scene. They would show the bare minimum of Chief Moynahan's comments during the six o'clock newscast.

Part 10 - Slender In Memory

9:00am, Thursday, March 9th. We were meeting in Classroom 'E'. Present were: Chief Moynahan, me, Cindy, Teresa, J.R. Barnes, Myron and Mary, Joanne, and Teddy Parker.

"Dr. Yates talked with Henrietta an hour ago." said Cindy. "It was taped by Sergeant Rudistan, and that has been put in the evidence servers. The gist of it is that Henrietta said she was walking home when she thought someone was behind her. She turned and saw a very tall man, but didn't see his face. She doesn't remember anything else. There is a puncture mark on her neck, which was likely the injection point of the sedative that knocked her out."

"Okay." I said. "Not much there. Captain Croyle?"

"Interviews of neighbors in Heather and Henrietta's neighborhoods have yielded nothing." said Teresa. "No one saw anything, apparently. Considering that there are signs all over the place that it's a 'Neighborhood Watch' place, it's kind of scary that no one saw anything... or else they're just not talking to Police."

"Some of both, I'd imagine." I said. "Mary, Myron?"

Mary said "I got a little bit more on Larry and Jen Lance, whose daughter Heather was the girl Henrietta was visiting. Larry Lance was a process engineer for Burke Enterprises before Michael Burke sold out to his son, Todd. Larry resigned when the Burke company was absorbed into BOW Enterprises. He's done freelance contract work and some work for StatePowerCorp since, but it doesn't look like he was making what he used to."

Mary continued: "Jen Lance works for Forbes & Sehgal Engineering, but only for the last two years. Of interest is that some years ago, she was an ardent environmentalist and may have been involved with the PCGW when they went to war with Crown Chemicals."

"Okay." I said. "Any video show up anywhere that we can use?" I asked.

"No sir." said Myron. "We tried an algorithm to compare cars in the Kensington and River Valley districts to the west side, anywhere near where the girl was found. No joy at all. It's worse than looking for a needle in a haystack; at least we know the needle is in the haystack in the first place."

"True enough." I said. "While I have you here: anything on that pickup truck that dragged Kevin Greeley to his death?"

"The license plate was reported stolen ten months ago." Myron said. "It belonged to an elderly Korean War veteran, a Lewis Grissom. He's in bad health, in Hospice, and his wife doesn't drive vehicles anymore."

"Okay." I said. "Unless someone has something else, we have Richard Ferrell to catch, and we have Slender Man to find. Fortunately, this girl was not harmed. But let's do what we can to prevent any more abductions... and quite frankly, I'd like for the pranks to stop. This bozo might make an appearance and suddenly find some good ol' boys or teenagers shooting at him... that was the Apple Grove method of dealing with pranksters pretending to be ghosts."

"My hometown, too." Teresa said.

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

Going back to my office, my assistant Helena said "Commander, an FBI Agent Les Craig has called you twice. I told him you were in meetings, but he called back and said it was urgent. He wanted me to get you out of the meeting, but I said I couldn't do that."

"I'm sure he thinks it's urgent." I said. "Helena, you generally know which calls to take and which aren't important. For most of the FBI, do what you can to accommodate them. But if it's Les Craig, tell him I'm unavailable. If he insists or calls back, tell him I'm unavailable to him."

Helena smiled her pretty smile and said "Yes sir, I will do just that." And I knew she would enjoy doing just that.

Going into my office, I barely had sat down when I heard Helena's phone ring. Then less than a minute later, my personal cellphone rang. I pushed the button to send it to voicemail.

A moment later, the Chief buzzed me. "Mr. Crowbar," he said, "I have Agent Craig on the line. I know, I know... but just take his call and dispense with him, would you please?"

Fer cryin' out loud. "Okay, Chief." I said. A second later I heard "This is Les Craig, Commander."

"What do you need, Craig?" I asked, a bare minimum of courtesy in my voice.

"I'm calling to see where you are in finding Leonard Lotz." said Craig.

"Are you kidding?" I asked in spite of myself. "You harassed my secretary and then went over my head to my Chief to ask about Leonard Lotz?"

"He's a wanted criminal that might be in your area." said Craig. "We've asked your Sheriff and your Chief to make his capture a top priority. So how is that coming along?"

"I've got two murders and an abduction to solve." I said. "Leonard Lotz is at the very bottom of my list, to the point I really don't care about him right now unless he shows up on my doorstep."

"Commander," Craig said, trying to put authority in his voice, "maybe you're not fully aware of the gravity of this situation. Leonard Lotz is a dangerous criminal and an escapee from---"

"HOW is he dangerous?" I thundered. "I know what dangerous criminals are; I've arrested more of them than you have, for damn sure! Lotz has never killed anyone. Why do you keep saying he's dangerous? Why the frickin' panic in you over this guy? Eh?"

"Lotz is dangerous, Commander." said Craig. "I can't go into details with you, but---"

"Well, if you can't tell me, then I guess I can't find the time to look for him for you... which is what you want me to do. You want me to do the job you can't get done, even with all the FBI's horses and all the FBI's men."

"I don't know why you're being so hostile, Commander Troy," said Craig, "but you better think about the future. The FBI can be a great help to you, or can cause you problems."

"Is that a threat?" I asked. The silence on the other end was deafening. Then I realized that it was prolonged. The line was dead; Craig had hung up on me.

The party never stops in the Iron Crowbar's world, I thought to myself as I put the phone receiver back in its cradle.

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

Captain Teresa Croyle came into my office.

"I'm glad you're here." I said. "I was wondering if---"

She handed me a file folder. "Larry Lance's employment file at Burke Enterprises." she said.

I smiled. "Thank goodness I've got some competent people around me." I sighed and said "Thank you."

"May I?" she asked, indicating a chair. I nodded and she sat down.

"There's not a lot there, sir." Teresa said. "Larry Lance was pretty good friends with Michael Burke. He did say in his resignation letter that he was leaving due to the ownership change, but there seemed to be no personal animosity towards Todd. Mr. Lance may have thought his job was in danger, and he probably was right. Todd took BOW Enterprises in new directions; Lance was part of the 'old school' crowd that was stagnant."

I looked at the file. "So no issues with anyone, no reason to think he's a nut of some kind?" I asked.

"Not that I can tell, sir." said Teresa.

"What about John Claymore, Henrietta's father?" I asked. "Did you get a chance to observe him?"

"Yes sir." said Teresa. "There was obvious tension between John and Carla Claymore. But a lot of it was on her side. She was upset about her daughter, of course, but I thought she was more hostile to him than he was to her."

I nodded. "Okay, so I've got an eight foot nutjob that was looking into my office window and now has apparently abducted a child. Not exactly a lot to go on, eh, Captain?"

Teresa made a muffled sound that might've been a short laugh. "Time to get Bowser on the case, sir..."

Part 11 - Insubordination

3:00pm, Thursday, March 9th. I was called into the Chief's Conference Room. He escorted me in, where Sheriff Daniel Allgood was sitting.

"Have a seat, Commander." the Chief said, having me sit in the near chair to the door, with my back to the door. The Chief sat on the end of the table to my left. To his left, facing me, was the Sheriff.

"What this is about, Commander," said Sheriff Allgood, "is the situation with FBI Special Agent in Charge Les Craig. I understand you had a phone conversation with him that turned ugly?"

"That's one way of putting it." I said.

"What would be another way?" asked Allgood.

"Another way would be an unwarranted intrusion into my work, him wanting me to do his job for him while at the same time not explaining why he wants me to do his job for him." I replied. I expected the Sheriff to ask me to elaborate... but he did not.

"Commander," said the Sheriff, remaining formal and stiff at all times, "when the FBI requests your help on something, especially the apprehension of a dangerous, wanted criminal, why would you be opposed to giving it?"

I looked over at Chief Moynahan, who was offering me no help.

"First," I said, "because Agent Craig will not explain his obsession with Leonard Lotz, and I don't share the opinion that Lotz is as dangerous as Craig makes him out to be. Second---"

"Isn't that Agent Craig's job to determine how dangerous Lotz is?" asked Allgood.

"If that's the case, and I'm to have no input on that, then why does he need or should he expect my help in the first place?" I fired back.

Sheriff Allgood was beginning to get angry, and now the Chief intervened.

"Sheriff," Moynahan said, "I bee-lieve Commander Troy has made a very cogent point."

"I don't agree." said Allgood. "If Agent Craig says Lotz is dangerous, why should he not be believed? If the FBI, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, says Lotz is a Top Ten criminal, who are we to debate that?"

"Do you think the FBI is better than we are, Sheriff?" I asked angrily.

"You forget your place, Commander." Allgood shot back. "I'm asking the questions, here." It deteriorated quickly from there.

I stood up. "I can reply one of two ways." I said. "First, you ask the questions then reject my answers, seemingly accepting Les Craig as some kind of LEO god, and you apparently think I'm a piece of shit by comparison. Well, I interviewed Leonard Lotz at the Asylum; he's not a mass murderer like George Aurus, and I see no reason why he's more of a threat than Les Craig himself. Les Craig failed in Southport for years, and now he can't find Leonard Lotz when it should be easy to do so. Worse, Craig may be dirty, and there is no way I help Craig find Lotz without knowing what Craig wants with him. I might well be sending Lotz to his death if I do."

"Are you serious?" Allgood asked disbelievingly.

"Hell yeah, I am." I snarled. Then I leaned over the table and said "And my second reply... Sheriff Allgood... is that if you want to start throwing rank around with me, I'll shove my badge up your ass so far you'll never shit again. I sure as hell don't need you, nor this job, more than you need me right now. And when the next kid disappears, is abducted? Good luck to you." I turned for the door.

"Where are you going?" shouted Allgood.

"Somewhere else." I said. "Before I say something you and your wife will truly regret." I turned and left the room, slamming the door behind me.

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

It was two hours later. I was sitting in my office, alone. No one had entered in that time, and my only communication with the outside world was to tell Helena she could go home.

The door was locked, but one of the two other people who had keys opened the door: it was my wife Laura. She had the blood-taking kit.

"No." I said. "Not now." Laura nodded, set the kit down on the edge of the desk, and sat down in a hot chair.

"So," my wife said, "what did you mean about saying something that Daniel and his wife would regret?"

I peered at her. "You do know Melina's a racist, don't you?" I asked. "And Daniel was head of I.A. but did nothing when Captain Malone exercised racism against blacks within this Police Department and outside of it?"

Laura nodded, but I was not done: "And now we have a group of White Supremacists who brought nerve agents into this County, and dragged a man down a dirt road to his death, and Daniel is sitting there trusting FBI Agent Les Craig over me?"

"You think Craig is part of the white supremacy group?" Laura asked.

"I don't know." I said. "But what I want to know is why Les Craig is so hell-bent on finding Leonard Lotz, so obsessed with it. If Lotz were a killer like George Aurus is, I could understand, but Lotz... he's not a freaking killer. He's a Silverfish-wannabee. He robs banks. He doesn't take hostages. He was never considered a threat or a violent person while in prison."

"I see your point." Laura said. "But is that all it is with Craig? Obsession over one bank robber?"

"No, and Craig is not all I have a problem with." I said. I got up and opened my whiteboards. I took from the boards the composite picture of the man that was hanging there, then turned and handed it to Laura.

"That," I said, "is the man I saw at the State Capitol, and the man who I am sure I saw while I was being tortured by Casey B. Walker. I believe he is the leader of a rogue cell that may include CIA Agents, FBI Agents, and people in other Departments and Bureaus."

"I've never seen him before." Laura said. "Do you want me to try to have him identified?"

"No." I said. "You'll never be able to, and you'll only alert him to the fact we know about him. As an example, how easy would it have been to find out anything about 'Diana', your old mother?"

"I again see your point." Laura said. "So you think he's one of those? The ones whose names cannot be spoken?" I nodded, and then explained my thesis that he was involved in the eugenics experiments of Dr. Yarborough. (Yes, the bug-killer was on.)

When I was done, my stunned wife said "Well, that explains why you're under stress."

"And why I'm not very trusting of certain people right now." I said. "Including a Sheriff that has his head up his ass. So... any other schools you ever thought about working at?"

"No." said Laura, trying to suppress a grin, and failing. "You'll just have to take the SBI job." I just shook my head, then chuckled.

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

7:30pm, Thursday, March 9th.

"I think he understood." said Chief Moynahan as I stood in front of is desk, having not been invited to sit down. "When you said that about his wife, he almost collapsed. That hit him as hard as your crowbar ever could."

The Chief then looked up at me. "He hasn't suspended either you or me, at least not yet. But today has been a bad day. I know you don't like Les Craig, and I don't blame you. But I have received calls from others in Washington, including U.S. Senator Samuel Russell, Congressman Condor. They're only hearing Craig's side of the story of your altercation with him, and when I told them there was another side to it, they said they did not care. The Governor also called, but it was more to get the full facts."

I remained standing, not saying anything, just absorbing it.

"Mr. Crowbar," said the Chief, "you have built up one hell of an organization here. You have a very loyal group of people working for and with you. Your record of successes is respected and in some cases envied by more people than you know. Even your dog meets a higher standard." He was peering at me for a reaction; I did not give him anything to read on my face. His own face became disquieted.

"But there are limits, Mr. Crowbar. Not everything has to be a war." continued the Chief. "Sooooo, keep your head down, try not to make any noise or headlines through the weekend, and we'll find a way to get through this, too." I still said nothing. "Anything you want to say, Commander?"

"No sir." I said.

"Okay, then. Dismissed. Wrap it up and go home."

I left. What I did not know was that the Chief got on the phone. "Yeah, it's bad... as bad as I've ever seen him... nooooo, he's way past that... I said something about his dog, and he didn't even blink... yeah, that bad... I'm afraid he'll quit, he'll leave... and then Ross and Croyle will leave, and his Data people will go, and maybe even some of his Detectives... morale would go into the toilet... we'd be destroyed..."

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

I went into my office and looked around. I'd always felt an aura about the place, a feeling that this was where I belonged, where I should be as I led my Police Force. But tonight, I was not feeling that. I was feeling nothing. Not just since I got this office, but for the first time since I became a TCPD Officer, I felt like this room was not home.

I was contemplating how many boxes it would take to get my personal stuff out of here. One for the framed stuff on the walls, one for the Trojan Horse, one big box for the contents of my safe...

"No, you're not packing, you're not going anywhere." a voice behind me said. I turned to see Cindy, dressed in a black pullover sweater, blue jeans, and black civilian boots. Looking damn hot.

"I may not have a choice." I said, still in a mood.

"Let's go get a drink." Cindy said.

"Isn't Callie at your place, waiting for you?"

"I called her." Cindy said. "She knows I'm going to be late."

"You know," I said, "I don't feel like drinking. Let's drive around Town."

Part 12 - Slender On Deck

"Wow." Cindy said. "First the Media, then Les Craig being an ass, then the Sheriff being a bigger ass..."

"Yep." I said as I drove along North Street. "All in one day. Quite the coincidence, wouldn't you say?"

"Maybe." Cindy said as we turned to go south on the Bypass. "What bothers me is how you're reacting to it all. Got Slender Man in your head? It's obvious you're driving this route looking for him."