Sugar and Spice Ch. 04

"You're lying to cover for Troy." snarled the Union Rep from the front.

"You call me a liar again," said Davis, "and I'll come up there and beat your ass down so bad you'll never walk right again."

"Okay, guys." said Rudistan, getting up and facing everyone. "Let's keep it more civil than this piece of shit in the $2000 suit is doing." He turned to the Union Rep and said "And if you say something like that again, Loo-tenant Davis won't have a chance to break your legs, because I'll have done it myself already."

"Bring it on, Fat Boy." snarled the Union Rep. That got (Ranger) Patrick and other hardcore Officers standing up.

"All right, everyone." said Kalsu. "I'm sure Patrolman McElwane believes what he is saying, and he had the right to file a grievance. The problem here is that even if Commander Troy was totally wrong, and that has not been established, it wouldn't merit his firing nor the lawsuit filed against him. And because the Union Rep in his expensive suit won't listen to the vast majority of us that are paying Union dues for him to be able to buy that expensive suit, we have little choice but to consider decertification."

Sr. Patrolman Hardy stood up and said "I support Commander Troy and agree he should not be fired, and the Union's position on this is wrong and untenable. Having said that, I don't want to decertify, either. Can't those of you who want to decertify just stop paying Union dues, and let the rest of us have our Union?"

Sergeant Carter stood up and said "I want to ask the Union Rep to explain why he's out for Commander Troy's blood when it's obvious that the vast majority of us support Commander Troy."

The Union Rep said "We're doing it because it's in the best interests of you Police Officers, even if you don't realize it. Commander Troy's actions and words are an embarrassment to the Force. The USDOJ Civil Rights Division has filed a lawsuit against you because of Troy's racism, and---"

"You better watch your mouth!" said (black) Patrolman First Class Kevin Buchannan as he stood up "Commander Troy is no racist. While his wife was helping save my wife and baby, Commander Troy sat with me the whole time." (Author's note: 'Believer', Ch. 01.) "He didn't have to do that. And I was there when that racist McCombs tried to murder that unarmed black man, and Commander Troy saved that man's life. I ain't hearing no shit about Commander Troy being a racist."

"You got that right." Lt. Jerome Davis said with alacrity.

"I have one question for the 'suit' here." said Rudistan jovially. "Is it true, sir, that your sister is a member of the NEA, the powerful Teacher's Union?"

The Union Rep frowned as he said "What's that got to do with anything?"

Rudistan said "Ohhhh, I dunno... the Teachers Union was very angry when Commander Troy wrote the new Charter that excluded the Teacher's Union's wishes on school taxes. They even sent thugs to threaten Commander Troy, and tried to beat up the Assistant Fire Chief and rape his girlfriend." (Author's note: 'Casting Aspersions', Ch. 04; 'Balance of Power', Ch. 01-02.)

Rudistan: "So I have to wonderrrrr if you're doing your sister's Union's dirty work for them, and trying to get Commander Troy fired due to their personal vendetta."

Murmuring sprang up in the Union Hall. The Union Rep looked at Rudistan malignantly, perhaps calculating if he could whip the Vice Squad's Lieutenant in personal combat. That answer would be 'no', and unfortunately the Rep chose not to find out.

"No." he finally said.

"No, your sister is not a member of the Teacher's Union?" asked Rudistan. "You sure about that?" The Rep knew that Rudistan knew.

"No, it's not a personal vendetta." growled the Union Rep, his face red with furious anger. "It's because Donald Troy is a racist, no matter what you say; Donald Troy is a bully that smears the Police Force's good name carrying that crowbar and exercising Police brutality; and Donald Troy is a rapist and a stone-cold killer that should be in prison right now. And yes, I'm going to fight with everything I've got and the Union has to get him fired."

He faced the crowd: "You need to think about what you're doing. If you decertify the Union, there will be no one protecting you from Donald Troy. There will be no one protecting you when you have to lawfully shoot someone in the line of duty and the Black Lives Matter people demand you be fired and tried for murder no matter what the truth is. There will be no one negotiating on your behalf for the salaries and overtime pay you deserve. Now I get it that some of you like Donald Troy's brutal methods, but is keeping him really worth decertifying the Union and being left helpless against Reginald B.F. Lewis, Kelly Carnes, and Daniel Allgood? You'll answer that question... with your vote..."

Part 21 - Epilogue

8:00am, Friday, July 10th. Teresa had brought in her copy of the photo of her father and Dr. Cordell in Viet Nam, and the Detectives were looking at it while Teresa was in the Angels Meeting.

"You know, I think I understand something now." said Joanne Warner. "Teresa's father is tall, broad-shouldered, and you can just see that he exudes confidence and leadership. Remind you guys of anyone?"

"Commander Troy, for sure." said Julia Rodriguez as she looked at the photo.

"Exactly." said Joanne. "And that might explain some of Commander Croyle's loyalty to Commander Troy. He's everything her father was, but he also has taken care of her in ways her father did not. Commander Troy is the father, or big brother, Commander Croyle wished her father had been, but wasn't."

"I can certainly agree with that." said Jerome Davis, who had had the Iron Crowbar's support when he (Jerome) and his father took opposite sides in the war between Black and Blue.

Teddy Parker said "Admiral Cordell did say that Commander Troy was the only other man that he'd ever seen with Commander Croyle's father's leadership and loyalty qualities... and I saw that in the Union meeting last night."

"I had to miss that." said Joanne. "How did it go?"

"They had a non-binding straw poll on decertification." said Parker. "It was about sixty-forty to decertify. Enough to scare the Union Reps, but since it wasn't a huge majority, Kalsu and Lt. DeLong are going to meet with the Union Reps to see if they can work something out."

Jerome Davis said "I think that was a mistake. The Union will just use the time to let Federal Judge Taney rule on their lawsuit. That Union Rep made it pretty damn clear he's not going to stop trying to get Commander Troy fired."

"I'm not worried about Commander Troy getting fired." said George Newman.

"Neither am I." said Julia Rodriguez. "But I shudder to think of this Police Force without Commander Troy leading it..."

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

9:00pm, Friday, July 10th. The sun was setting over the western horizon and it was getting dark over Lake Reservoir as I walked across the backyard of Sheriff Griswold's home. He had a fire going in his fire pot, and the remains of two fish he'd caught, prepared, and eaten were sitting to one side.

"Have a seat, Crowbar." he said as he poured me a shot of bourbon, and another for himself We clinked glasses and he said "Salud!", and we downed our shots. I politely declined another shot, saying I had to drive home.

"I appreciate you coming by." said the Sheriff, who had called and asked me to come. "There are some things I need to talk to you about in privacy."

"No problem, sir." I said.

"First," said the Sheriff, "we, the Chief and myself, are wondering if you are handling the pressure of this Union business and all the other stuff okay."

"Any reason why you think I'm not, Sheriff?" I asked.

The Sheriff nodded, then said "We know you limitlessly hate the Media, and no one in the world can blame you after what reporters tried to do to your two daughters. Hell, I'm surprised you didn't just take Penis Holder's head off with that sword of yours. That's what I wanted to do."

Griswold continued: "It was also wrong of Cindy to say what she did in the coffee klatch the other morning. We all know you have no sense of humor when it comes to the Media, and I told her she knew better than to even attempt to tease or goad you like she did. And it's not the first time you and she have just about come to blows over the Media."

"Yes sir." I said, waiting for the punch line, for the shoe to drop.

"Having said that," growled Griswold, "you just about went off on her in front of all of us, and walked out on the Chief when you left the room. So we're wondering if you're trying to pretend to feel like things are okay when they're not."

"I'm really not worried about the Union, nor the US DOJ." I said. "Should I be, sir?"

"No, not really." said the Sheriff. "But I am telling you we're watching you, like we did after you were rescued from Casey B. Walker's torture of you." (Author's note: 'Dream Weaver', Ch. 04.)

"I get that." I said.

"Also," said the Sheriff, "the Chief had you top guys stop attending the Detectives's coffee klatches because of all the politics being talked and issues with it. And now his klatches are becoming the same way. So, there will be no more klatches in the Chief's Conference Room."

"I get that, too." I said.

"Last, but not least," said the Sheriff, "is a problem I've been watching grow for a while now. You and Ross are blood kin, but you're like oil and water, especially about the Press. With her pregnancy, she'll be getting grounded soon enough, then taking leave. But that's just a temporary solution, and I have to find a more permanent one."

Uh oh, I thought to myself.

"The bottom line, Crowbar," said the Sheriff, "is that the Town & County Police Force is not big enough for the two of you. And it's my job, and my duty, to find a solution to that..."

Finis ... for now.