Teresa's Christmas Miracle Ch. 01

"Pretty damn good seal... since -I- can't see the reports, nor even their existence." I said with considerable asperity.

"I couldn't bring them up, either." Teresa said. "And Myron found out why. There's a glitch in the programming code that seals off documents. Documents like the one in this case, sealed by, say, a Sergeant, can be seen up the chain-of-command to the Precinct Captain, but not higher. It -is- a glitch; Myron said it doesn't appear to be intentional. He'll get it fixed in a couple of days."

"Who sealed the reports?" I asked. "Rookie Patrol Officers have no power to do that."

Teresa: "Sergeant Clark, sir. But you're getting me off track, so let me circle back to that." I did not like that, and my look at her indicated my displeasure. But I just said to go ahead, and Teresa continued: "Myron copied the data to another server so it can't be sealed further nor destroyed. He also confirmed that the other Officer that came up to the situation was who you said it was: Ron McElwane."

Teresa: "They're both 1st Precinct Officers, so I went to 1st Precinct. Captain Hewitt took leave starting today, and won't be back until January 3rd. That's my fault; I told him to burn his vacation time so that he wouldn't lose it at the end of the year. So I talked to Lieutenant Jerome Davis, and gave him the details of the situation."

"Wait." I said. Teresa paused, and I said "Didn't Hewitt take vacation time around Thanksgiving, or the week after?"

"Yes sir." Teresa said. "But he'd accumulated four weeks, because he hadn't taken any in a while." That did not sound right to me, but I told her to keep going.

Teresa: "McElwane is also on vacation this week, but Magnussen is not, and Jerome is going to call him in and talk to him. And now I'll come around to Sergeant Clark. He's a good Officer and has had a good career up to now. He was Hicks's Sergeant in Hicks's early years, and you know how good Hicks is." (Author's note: 'The Pact', Ch. 02, for first mention of Sergeant Clark) I nodded.

Teresa: "Sergeant Clark is also on vacation, but Jerome is going to call him and ask about the case, and why he sealed it. Myron checked, and Sergeant Clark has sealed six different traffic stops over the last two years..."

She paused, and I could tell she was building to something dramatic. "All right, hit me with it." I said.

Teresa replied "All of the sealed records involve University students. And the student that was stopped Saturday night... was Lawrence Watson."

"The football team quarterback." I said as a statement. Teresa nodded, and I said "Okay, keep looking into this, and document everything you're finding. Tell Jerome to do the same thing. Check and see if those other sealed citations involve athletes, especially football players. And I want to know if Watson was sober or not when he was pulled over."

Then I said "So how are things going with the Christmas Concert? Keeping you busy? I can have Jerome handle this, and begin looking into it myself if you need the time for the Concert."

Teresa said "Everything is in place. They'll start putting up the stage and sound equipment tomorrow morning. The weather looks good for today through Thursday, the kids are as excited as they can be, the choirs are ready, the high school bands are ready. At this point, there's really not a lot left to. I'm on autopilot..."

Part 3 - Looming Danger

"This is Bettina Wurtzburg, KXTC Channel Two News!" shouted the redheaded MILF reporterette at 7:00am, Tuesday, December 21st, from the edge of University Avenue, with University Hospital in her distant background. "Social Justice groups blast Governor Sharon Marshall for providing armed stormtroopers to protect the Christmas Concert!"

After the hard-charging intro music, Bettina began: "Governor Sharon Marshall reacted to Dr. Lionel Carmela's call for peaceful protests at the Christmas Concert by calling up State Troopers and possibly even the National Guard to protect the Concert, its performers, and its attendees from what she egregiously called 'threats of violence'."

Bettina: "After University President Jerry Moore was assailed and castigated by Social Justice groups for not doing more to stop the Christian event, which experts are saying is illegal on State property, Dr. Moore ordered that the University Campus Police not participate in security arrangements for the Concert."

Bettina: "He also ordered the Campus Police to be on call to protect any peaceful protesters that demonstrate at the event, especially against White Nationalists such as the Guardians of Justice Motorcycle Club that shows up every year, and also to protect them from Commander Donald Troy and his rabidly militant tactics of Police brutality against peaceful protesters that he has employed in the past."

Bettina: "Social Justice groups also protested outside the home of State Supreme Court Chief Justice Robert Johnson in Palmyra County, just northeast of Midtown. Chief Justice Johnson overturned Appellate Judge Leahy's order that the Christmas Concert be stopped, allowing the potentially illegal concert to be held. Governor Marshall sent an elite State Patrol Combat Strike Team to break up the protests, and they used violent means and excessive force to break up the peaceful demonstrations..."

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

"So that's Jerry Moore's plan." I said as Sheriff Griswold, ADA Paulina Patterson, Chief Moynahan, Deputy Chief Tanya P. Muscone, Chief Deputy Cindy Ross, Lt. Commander Teresa Croyle and I drank coffee and watched the propaganda-cast in the Chief's Conference Room. "They're trying as hard as they can to drive a wedge between the Campus Police and the TCPD and State Patrol."

"I don't disagree with you, Don." said Tanya. "But Bettina is also trying to set the narrative ahead of time. If that piece of filth Carmela does have his thugs try to disrupt the Concert, and the Campus Police do intervene on their side if the TCPD or anyone else tries to stop them, you better believe KXTC will be screaming that me and my GOJMC buddies were the aggressors and the violent ones."

"And ditto that in accusing me and the TCPD as being the aggressors, if not the instigators." I replied. "But anyone with more brains than a Betta Fish know very well that we will arrest the agitators, and with whatever force is necessary. So the question is whether or not the Campus Police actually follow Moore's orders and come up against us, or if they do the right thing and stand down... or even help us against the thugs."

"What power, if any, does the University President have over the Campus Police?" Tanya asked.

"None." growled Sheriff Griswold. "All Campus Police units are State-level LEOs, just as the State Patrol and SBI are. And they fall under the command of the Governor of the State, not the President of the University. And as Harry Nance learned the hard way a few years ago, -I- am the supreme law enforcement authority in this County, not Jerry Moore, and certainly not Lionel Carmela." (Author's note: 'Christmas In The 
County', Ch. 02)

I said "Paulina, after Carmela's comments on the air yesterday, and Bettina's this morning, can we swear out a warrant for Carmela's arrest, for making terroristic threats?"

Paulina said "I can certainly file for one. Whether or not Judge Folsom issues it, is another matter. And before you ask, he's the only Judge not on vacation at the moment."

"Do it." growled Griswold. "Crowbar, I'll handle this myself..."

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

4:00pm, Tuesday, December 21st. Teresa reprised her actions of the day before by coming into my office, getting coffee, and sitting down in the far-side hot chair.

"Paulina got the warrant to arrest Carmela on the charge of making terroristic threats." she said. "Judge Folsom was surprisingly amenable to our requests. He also issued a conditional warrant that -if- anyone disrupts the Concert, or attempts to, Carmela can be additionally charged with inciting to riot."

"Great!" I exclaimed. "Maybe that'll pre-empt Carmela's thugs from trying anything. So... I can see in your face that there's bad news. What is it?"

Teresa said "Not much gets past you. First, the warrant expires three hours after the concert ends. And second, Sheriff's Deputies went to serve the warrant and arrest Carmela, but he is not at home nor at his place of work at the University. His cell phone is pinging from his home, and his gas-guzzling, climate-polluting Cadillac Escalade is parked in his home's garage. The bird has flown the coop. I had the Duty Desk put out an APB for him."

I got out my Police iPhone and sent texts. "I'm putting out a BOLO (Be On the Look Out) for Rob Lawton, as well. If he's giving Carmela cover or is transporting him somewhere, I'll have no qualms about arresting him, too."

Teresa said "And Jerome sent me a report on his continuing investigation of the traffic stop last Saturday night, or early Sunday morning as the case may be. He spoke to Officer Magnussen, who said that he'd initiated the high-risk stop because of the speed the vehicle was going, the fact that it was registered to the University and could have been stolen, and the driver was weaving and didn't respond to the blue lights behind him for several miles."

Teresa: "When McElwane got there, he called off the high-risk stop and they approached the vehicle. Magnussen's Officer-cam got to the point where we can just see Lawrence in the driver's seat, and then McElwane tells Magnussen to turn off his Officer-cam. Jerome asked if Watson appeared intoxicated, and Magnussen said he couldn't tell, that McElwane put himself between Magnussen and Watson so Magnussen couldn't smell Watson's breath, but otherwise Lawrence seemed calm and reasonable. And no, no field sobriety test nor breathalyzer test was given."

Teresa: "McElwane told Magnussen to not bother writing up a citation, but Magnussen had already written up the warning, and he issued it to Watson. McElwane didn't say anything about it; he just told Watson to be on his way and to drive straight home, and below the speed limit."

Teresa: "Jerome also called Sergeant Clark, who freely admitted pulling the citation and related data. Clark said he didn't destroy anything but just hid it so that the Press wouldn't find it and try to create a publicity shitstorm. He said the previous times he pulled citations were for the exact same reasons, to keep them out of the hands of the (air quotes) 'filthy Press'. Sounds like Sergeant Clark has figured out the Police Commander's evaluation of the Press, and has emulated it."

"Yes. Yes it does." I replied. "And I normally would heartily approve. But we cannot put ourselves in a position where it looks like we're covering for football players. So I'll talk to the Chief and have him disseminate some policy instructions about courteously but strictly following procedures and the law in any stops involving University athletes. And you and I will write up Memoranda for the Record about our actions on this particular incident, for CYA purposes if nothing else---"

*BRING!* *BRING!* *BRING!* *BRING!*

It was Teresa's Police iPhone. I nodded for her to answer it, and she did so. "Ah, hello, Chief Cordell... yes.... oh my goodness..."

Part 4 - Premonitions

4:45pm, Tuesday, December 21st. Participating in the meeting in the Chief's Conference Room were Police Chief Sean Moynahan, EMS Chief Leonard R. Cordell, Your Iron Crowbar, Lt. Commander Teresa Croyle, Lieutenant Joanne Warner, BOW Enterprises CEO Todd Burke, and Hospital Administrator Seth Warner.

Admiral Cordell said "To recap: I got a call from General Alexander McFarland, asking me to contact Teresa and the Hospital people. A Major General Spencer Davenport is currently assigned to Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. He and his wife have twin kids, a boy and a girl, Diane and David. Both kids are afflicted with a rare disease..." He gave the name of the rare disease, which non-doctors like me can't pronounce and can't spell, either.

Teresa said "Oh, we've had some decent results developing a cure for that in our Research Department. We should get those kids admitted to the Hospital."

Admiral Cordell said "That's exactly what we're doing. They've been accepted into your Trust's research program, and General Davenport was arranging for the family to fly over. However, the boy took a turn for the worse, much worse. And the girl started getting worse, too, maybe out of worry for her brother."

Admiral Cordell: "So the kids are being flown on an emergency medical transport plane to the Mainland. Less than an hour ago, the plane reported that their navigation instruments, all of them, suddenly stopped working. The plane is flying okay, and other military aircraft are flying with them to guide them to Los Angeles, but the plane won't be able to make it anywhere near here."

Chief Moynahan asked "Can't the Military put them on another plane and get them here?"

"That's why General McFarland called." said Admiral Cordell. "The plane will make an emergency landing at Vandenberg AFB, which is west of Los Angeles. But they don't have other planes available to bring the kids here, and it'll add twelve more hours at least if they fly planes into Vandenberg to fly them out. Maybe longer with it being Christmas, and so many people on leave."

Admiral Cordell added: "And I'll add that the Military is going to look the other way if a General uses military assets to get his children to the medical help they need... to a point. But if it starts costing a lot, like all those extra aircraft over the Holiday season, that'll start raising questions."

"What about helicopters?" I asked. I saw Teresa's eyes light up as she realized the direction of my train of thought that was boarding at the station.

"I can check and see." said Cordell.

Teresa said "Admiral, please check to see if they have helicopters that can get the kids to the airfield near my childhood hometown." She turned to Todd and said "Has Teddy Franklin left for there yet?"

"He's leaving tomorrow morning." Todd said.

"Call him and tell him he's leaving tonight." Teresa said, taking charge of the situation... and her husband and a retired full Admiral. "I'll fly him out there. Admiral, if you'll contact whoever you need to and tell them to have a plane or helicopters bring those kids to the airfield near my childhood hometown, I'll pick them up and fly them here."

"What about the Concert?" Seth Warner asked.

"It's three hours out and three hours back." Teresa said. "I should be back well before dawn tomorrow."

"And I'll help Seth with anything that comes up in your absence." Joanne Warner said.

I said "Teresa, why don't you and Dr. Cordell go and get things started for your trip. Seth, Joanne, stay here. I need to speak to you for a moment."

Teresa and Dr. Cordell got up and exited the room, going to her office to make calls and plans. I turned to Seth and Joanne.

"I need to make you two aware of something that might be nothing, but could become a problem." I said. "It's called (air quotes) 'personal services'. Joanne, you can't do anything for Teresa nor me except Police work, because we're in your chain of command."

Me: "As an analogy, Captain Malone used to send rookie Police Officers to his house to mow his lawn. Word is that Wilson Hammonds would have State Prisoner details do the same for his home and the homes of his friends. And that is illegal."

Me: "So, to quote Elmer Fudd, you have to be vewy vewy careful about any work you do for the Concert, even if it's helping Seth, whether volunteering or for pay. I would recommend you not sign any paperwork nor place orders for anything that would have your name placing the order."

Me: "And the reason for it is paranoia on my part. The Union has actually grieved Mary Milton being here on Orange Order Day, and I strongly suspect collusion with the Press on that. So if the Press finds out you did something that is even remotely close to being considered 'personal services', whether true or not, they'll start screaming about it, and our Enemies will try to go after both you and Teresa, and maybe even me and Chief Moynahan."

Joanne said "All I've done is make some phone calls to check on things, and pick up the white robes for the kids to wear."

Seth said "What's permissible? Can she help me with things the Hospital does to help put on the Concert or help the Cancer Kids?"

I said "I would look at it this way. If whatever Joanne is doing can be traced back to Teresa, the Croyle Trust, or the Christmas Concert in any way, be careful about it. Again, don't have your name nor any signature on any paperwork."

"Do we really have to be that careful about it?" Joanne asked skeptically.

"Yezzz, you dooooo." said Chief Moynahan. "The Commander's admonition is sound. I still can't bee-lieeeeve what the Yoon-yun is doing about Lootenant Milll-tonnnn. And I wouldn't put it past them to gin up something over this, as well."

I added: "And as bad as the Union is, the rabidly dishonest Press is a hundred times worse. The are looking for things to accuse us of wrongdoing over, and they'll make something up if and when they can't find anything legitimate...

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

8:30pm, Tuesday, December 21st. The BOW Enterprises aircraft took off and headed west, its twinkling lights getting smaller and smaller and finally disappearing. As Todd and I turned and walked back to my Police SUV, I said "Why is Teddy Franklin flying out there when Christmas is so close?"

Todd grinned his brilliant grin and said "Teddy has a girlfriend out there. He's spent a lot of time out there setting up our businesses and helping set up the Midwest & Pacific Railroad, and he met her and began dating her. She invited him to spend Christmas Day with her family, and he's going to meet her parents for the first time. And if things go well, that diamond ring in his pocket will be on her finger by the time he comes back."

"Ah, young love." I said with a grin. "We can write a script for 'Days of Promise' about this." Little did I know at the time...

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

I drove us to The Cabin. Todd's boys were there as well as all my kids and their mothers Laura, Molly, and Paulina. When we went inside, I saw that we also had two surprise guests: Teresa's aunt, Clarissa Belvedere Esterson; and my mother, Phyllis Troy. Clarissa's great-nieces and wards Beatrice and Eugenia Windham were in the attic room with the other kids.

"Hi Mom!" I said as I went up and hugged my mother while Todd hugged Clarissa. "I wasn't expecting you for another two days. But that's not a complaint."

After I hugged Clarissa and Todd hugged his grandmother, my mother said "I went to Louisiana to visit Clarissa, and we drove up from Lake Charles. Beatrice has her driver's license, so she and I shared driving duties. It was not a bad trip."

Clarissa said "It was not bad compared to the inexcusable condition of air travel in this Nation, thanks to the complete incompetence of that do-nothing US Secretary of Transportation that thinks he will be President one day. Families have been sitting at DFW for the entire time it took us to drive up here, including the overnight stop."

Phyllis said "We went through Baton Rouge and saw the LSU campus, which was very nice. We stopped overnight at Cape Girardeau, Missouri, the boyhood hometown of the great Rush Limbaugh. The next morning we looked in on the Arch at St. Louis, then worked our way up here."

"So where is Teresa?" Clarissa asked.

"Piloting a Life Flight mission." I said. I explained the issues surrounding transporting the sick children from Pearl Harbor to University Hospital. As I did, I saw the looks of unease on Clarissa and my mother's faces. And I suddenly remembered the 'interesting' plane ride they'd had flying from Teresa's hometown to here... aboard the same aircraft Teresa was now flying. (Author's note: 'Who Watches The Watchers', Ch. 01-02.)