The Eightfold Fence Ch. 03

"All the more reason to ask Commander Troy to reconsider and become Chief." replied Dagmar Schoen, John "Jack" Colby's ally. Dagmar and Kelly were bitter enemies, on the Council and off of it.

"I have to agree with Ms. Adams," said Pastor Westboro, "that Commander Troy, despite his brilliant successes, is not the proper choice. My reasons, however, are not the same. I believe he will be an FBI Agent before too long, and we'll be having this discussion all over again."

"He's turned down the FBI, but accepted a consultant position." replied Jack Colby in the deep baritone voice that totally belied his slender, wiry cowboy frame. "Why in the world would he leave now?"

"Okay, guys," said Mayor Vaughan, "I want to get out of here before sunrise, and we already know the Iron Crowbar is not going to become Chief, at least not this year. So let's see. Our candidates are Precinct Captain Susan Weston, Lieutenant Harold Bennett, Captain Robert Brownlee, Precinct Captain Holsom 'Hal' Briggs, and Lieutenant Scott Peterson. They've all applied except Bennett and Weston. Bennett was nominated by Sheriff Allgood, and Weston by Councilwoman Malinda Adams."

"We should consider a woman for the Chief position, even if we have to hire from outside the local Police Department." said Malinda Adams, as if needing to defend her nomination of Weston. "A woman would best lead our Peace Officers in their mission."

"In that case, I nominate Commander Troy's wife." said Jack Colby. "She's the only woman in this town that can handle the Iron Crowbar." That drew some laughter.

"Be careful." replied J.P. Goldman, the wealthy bankster. "I might take you seriously. Dr. Fredricson is an amazing woman."

"The sexual deviancy professor? She's a whore." said Kelly Carnes venomously.

"Watch your language." replied Colby, staring daggers at Carnes. It was a direct threat.

"I'm sure that Mrs. Carnes is extremely familiar with whores." said Dagmar Schoen. If looks could kill, Kelly Carnes would be under arrest for murder for the look she gave Dagmar, who stared back with equal hatred.

"Enough!" said Mayor Vaughan. "Good grief. Okay, folks, you have the names. We're going to eliminate at least a couple of them tonight. Okay, let's go around the table. Malinda?"

"As I've said, I'll only consider Captain Weston." replied Malinda Adams.

"If I may," said Thomas P. Cook, "I'd suggest that Lt. Scott Peterson, while an able Media Relations Officer, is far too inexperienced both in field work and administration." There was general agreement.

"Okay, so Peterson is out of the running." said the mayor. "At this point in time, I want to bring up something. We also need a Deputy Chief, and I'd prefer to promote from within than hire from outside for that position. The Deputy Chief is third-in-command, after the Chief and Commander positions."

"I think we should change that." said Kelly Carnes. "The Deputy Chief should be second-in-command, ahead of the Commander."

"There's a reason it's the way it is." hissed Dagmar Schoen. "The Commander is in charge of the Officers. The Deputy Chief is an Administrator, not the leader we expect the Chief and Commander to be."

"Folks," said the Mayor, "I remember when we created this structure when the Town and County merged. We never really expected to fill either Commander slot. Griswold jumped us good when he had us put Troy in the Commander slot, and I think it was an excellent move on Griswold's part... but I digress. The reason it's the way it is, is because the Deputy Chief is like a military Executive Officer: he's about 'beans and bullets', supplies and administration. The Commander is in charge of the Officers, all of the Officers, on the Police Force, as well as the Operations Officer. I will not entertain changes to that." And that was the final word on that subject.

"I can tell you right now," said Ian McGhillie, whose son was on the Police Force, "the new Chief must be someone his officers respect."

"If I may, ladies and gentlemen," said Pastor Westboro, subtly taking charge of the others, "I've studied all of these candidates thoroughly, as well as a few from outside. We can talk about those for the Chief position later. I do agree that we should promote our Deputy Chief from inside."

Westboro continued, his voice seemingly soft but deceptively strong and commanding: "I believe Precinct Captain Weston is well suited for where she is, gaining experience for the future. Lt. Peterson is indeed too young. Precinct Captain Briggs is too laid back; he's merely waiting for his retirement. And that leaves Brownlee and Bennett. Brownlee is an excellent administrator. Bennett is good, and a bit older man. He had field experience as a younger officer that Brownlee did not acquire. I believe Captain Brownlee would be the best choice for Deputy Chief."

Reginald B.F. Lewis finally spoke up: "I agree with Pastor Westboro on that. I also have not heard discussed an important aspect of this conversation: the Police Union." A small groan was heard at this bringing up of something they'd wanted to avoid. "I can give assurances that the Police Union will strongly support Captain Brownlee's nomination to Deputy Chief."

Pastor Westboro had not said out loud what he knew to be true: that Brownlee and Commander Troy did not like each other and would be very antagonistic to each other. But Kelly Carnes had no problem bringing it up as she said "I think Captain Brownlee would be a wonderful counterweight to Commander Troy. Brownlee won't let Troy run away with things like Troy has been doing. Brownlee will keep Troy in line."

"He'd damn well better not do so at the expense of the ability of the Police Force to do its job." replied Dagmar Schoen.

"Okay, let's take a ten minute recess." said the Mayor. "No use of cellphones. When we get back, we'll consider filling the Deputy Chief position. There will have to be a second reading, so we'll have to meet next Tuesday and make it official, but we'll decide before we go home."

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

Wednesday, January 21st. John 'Jack' Colby had called the night before and asked me and Daniel Allgood to have breakfast with him and Dagmar Schoen at 6:00am at his Country Breakfast Diner. The food was delicious... the news was not.

"It's Brownlee for Deputy Chief." Colby said. "Partially to keep him out of the Chief's job, which Kelly Carnes wanted. But it was hard to argue with his years of administrative experience and Union ties."

Sheriff Allgood looked over at me. My eyes were downcast. "Damn." was all I said.

"Don," said Dagmar, "you're still Acting Chief, and always over him, never behind him."

"That's not the problem." I replied. "It's that Brownlee is just about the worst possible choice. He's a paper-pusher because he's always been too incompetent to be a field officer. He's a vindictive son of a bitch, and in his position, he can cut off our supplies, cut our training, and make things a living hell for me, and- oh shit..."

"What?"

"He'll be in charge of I.T., too, won't he?" I said, looking up at Colby.

"Not for now." said Colby, avoiding what we all realized was coming. "You're still I.T. Supervisor, as you never gave up the position."

"Jack," said Allgood, "I've already heard from the Union about it. They want I.T., at least the physical part of it, under the Deputy Chief and out of Commander Troy's hands. And structurally, I can't argue with them. I'm grappling with I.T. for all the Public Service departments, so I'm holding the Union off, at least for now. But Don, be prepared for the coming war on that."

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

There was tension at Police Headquarters. I don't know how people find out things so fast, but Brownlee's impending promotion was already known. Brownlee himself was strutting around Headquarters, grinning like a Cheshire Cat.

I didn't think the day could get worse. I was wrong. Very, very wrong.

Just after 9:00am, my personal cellphone rang. It was my wife Laura. "Don," I heard my wife say, her voice solemn and quiet, "you need to come up to University Hospital, right now. Teresa brought Cindy in earlier this morning. Doctor Morgan called me and said he needs to talk to you."

It took every bit of strength I possessed not to drop the phone. "I'll be right there." I said. I rushed out, telling Helena I was going to the Hospital. I tore out of the parking lot, blue lights blazing, sirens blaring. I might have driven like a maniac through Town.

Once at University Hospital, I went up to the floor where I knew the examinations were being done. No one tried to stop me. I got to a room and, looking inside the slender window in the door, I saw Cindy Ross sitting on an examination table. Teresa Croyle was sitting next to Cindy, her arm around her friend. Cindy's head was bowed low; I could only see the top of her platinum blonde head.

Just then Dr. Morgan came around the corner, his face somber. "Ah, there you are Commander. Would you please step into this other room with me?" Fear welled up in my soul as I followed the doctor into the next-door room.

To be continued.