The Four Boxes of Liberty Ch. 01

"As everyone says, sir: not much gets by you." Joanne said brightly.

"And your CIA situation?" I asked.

"That may be over, sir." Joanne said. "Er... your wife has suggested I be cut off from that, because of my associations with Melina. I could fight it, but Melina suggested I become an FBI Consultant. I can help you if Jerome is unavailable, or help Mr. Muscone if he needs help."

"Detective Warner," I said, "you are not dealing with an Agency of the Weak-Minded. I can see what you are really up to. You're trying to get me divorced."

"What?!" Joanne exclaimed, totally shocked. "No, sir!"

"Oh yes." I said, trying to hide a grin as I said: "You're hoping to cause trouble in my family, so you can sneak in... and claim custody of the redoubtable Bowser." I failed; a big grin broke out on my face.

"Oh!" Joanne said, smiling again. "Yes, I'm going to steal Bowser anyway, sir. He is such an awesome dog!'

"Yezzzz." I said. "Okay, seriously, you need to talk to Chief Moynahan about being an FBI Consultant. I'll put in a good word with him for you, but I'm not giving up Jerome as an FBI Consultant. So we'll see what the Chief says; it'll ultimately be his decision."

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

8:10pm, Tuesday, October 23d. Mayor Larry Vaughan, the People's Choice, said "There being no further public business, the Council will now retire into executive session to discuss personnel matters." He banged his gavel, and the members of the Council got up and walked out the back door.

One door led to the hallway, but they took the stairs up to the next floor. That hallway door was very near the private Council chamber... the room that would forever be remembered by Deputy Chief Ross as the place where the redoubtable Bowser had exposed the Consultant of Crime, Pastor Raymond Kyle Westboro. (Author's note: 'A Tiny Slip', Ch. 01.)

The Council Members went to their seats, sitting in the same order they always did. The Mayor called the executive session into order, then said "We have our Police and Fire leadership here to discuss the awards and promotions they've put in."

The Fire Department people went first. Chief Quinlin, Assistant Chief Davies, Battalion Chiefs Tucker and Carlson, and Fire Marshal Zoe Singer. Cindy, Chief Moynahan, and myself were waiting in a small room next door.

"Can I get you anything to drink?" asked the Intendent, Adele Peabody. We all politely declined as I admired her gorgeous legs. Then I said "Mrs. Peabody, let me ask you a quick question. Janice Holloway was going to begin working for you next month, and was coming over to learn the ropes. Who else might have known her schedule?"

"Oh, I'd say everyone." Mrs. Peabody said. "It was common knowledge around City Hall."

"And one last question," I said. "Who controls City Hall's video surveillance cameras? Or would have access to them?"

"Not nearly so many people." said Adele. "Technically, the Sheriff's Department is in charge of City Hall security, which includes the cameras, but the man who directly handles them and the tapes is Jimmy Sweeney. I believe the Police did interview him about the cameras being turned off just before the shooting happened."

"Thank you." I said. Adele left the room.

"I can seeeee," said the Chief, "that you have a train of thought boarding at the station about those cameras."

"Yes sir." I said.

"How does she know they were turned off?" asked Cindy.

"She's the Intendent, she knows everything and then some." I said. "And also because that's what Mark Walker, our technology CSI, concluded when he examined the system..."

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

We were brought into the Council meeting room, and sat down in chairs along the left side wall as one looks in from the door.

"Okay," said the Mayor, "we're looking at the promotions and medals for November 1st. Commander Ross, you put in Lieutenant Holloway, who is brevetted a Lieutenant, for full Lieutenant? When she's leaving the Force?"

"Yes, Mr. Mayor." said Cindy. "She deserves the promotion, and the higher pay grade will follow her when she transfers to the Town & County Civilian Service."

"I don't know why." said Kelly Carnes. "That's just more tax dollars being unnecessarily spent." Yep, it was going to be one of those nights, I thought to myself.

"We'll discuss the pros and cons of all of these issues after we allow the Police Officers to leave." said Mayor Vaughan. "So, Commander Troy, you put in Detective Parker for the Purple Order, which seems straightforward enough. And then for the Distinguished Police Cross?"

"Yes, Mr. Mayor." I said.

"Why not the Medal of Valor?" asked Susan Weston, with some venom in her voice. "You seem to nominate anyone that gets wounded for it."

"Oh, I could have." I said, a bit acerbically. "And you'd downgrade it. So I saved you the trouble." Some Council Members chuckled. Carnes was not one of them.

"So, Commander," Carnes said, "you put your Detective in for the Police Cross, and your Chief downgraded it to a Police Medal. Seems you two are not on the same page. What do you have to say to that, Commander?"

"I'd say you're asking a 'gotcha' question," I replied, "trying to sew discord in the Police------"

"Why can't you answer a simple question, Commander?!" Carnes yelled.

"Why can't you ask a simple question?" I fired back. "Instead of trying to create a rift between Police Officers?"

"Listen, God damn you-------" Carnes started, but was interrupted.

"The Commander is right." said Dagmar Schoen. "Your question was designed solely to create problems, Mrs. Carnes. If you were truly interested in an answer, you'd have asked the Chief that question!"

"She's right, you know." I could not resist saying, further infuriating Carnes.

"Okay, okay." said the Mayor. "We have got a good bit to discuss tonight. Are there any more questions?" There were none. We were dismissed.

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

"You just had to goad her, didn't you?" growled the Chief as we walked down the hall.

"Sorry, sir." I said. "But I am really getting tired of her shit."

"Don't say it, Chief." warned Cindy. She knew the Chief was about to say something about the Council being over the Police Force's jobs, and that Don would call that bluff in a heartbeat... with his immediate retirement from the Force.

"I hear you, Commander Ross." said the Chief wearily. He then looked around and asked: "Where are we going, by the way?"

"To the Security office, Chief." I said. "I want to see it."

"It's called a 'bee in his bonnet', Chief." Cindy said. A red crowbar was waved in her general direction. A green crowbar was waved in my direction in retaliatory response.

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

"All right, the Police issues." said the Mayor, the Fire Department issues being settled with nary a discussion. "What's first?"

"How about we press the 'Easy Button', and get Detective Parker's Purple Order approved?" said Ian McGhillie.

"Not until there's a Board of Inquiry investigating the entire incident, and reporting their findings back to us." said Kelly Carnes.

"Oh, come on." said Edward Steele. "We don't need a Board of Inquiry to pass the Purple Order award! Hell, if you can't see that, then you must not be able to read the English language!"

"The indemnity issue concerning Corporals Hicks and Gunddottar is more important." said Malinda Adams. "I am demanding a full Board of Inquiry to investigate their actions. And I agree with Mrs. Carnes that there should be no awards made until that Board of Inquiry reports back to us."

"I move that the indemnification issue be referred to a full Board of Inquiry." said Susan Weston, attempting to move the process along but also hijacking it.

"I second the motion." said Kelly Carnes.

"Why don't we wait for the Inspector General's report first?" asked John Colby. "A Board of Inquiry before that result is just tax dollars being unnecessarily spent." Kelly Carnes glared at Colby for using her own words, spoken moments before to Commander Ross, against her.

"I move this motion be laid upon the table." said Dagmar Schoen.

"I second the motion." said J.P. Goldman.

"You people are disgusting-------" started Carnes, but she was stopped by the Mayor.

"There is a motion to lay it on the table." interrupted the Mayor, putting some authority in his voice. "You must vote without further discussion." The vote was 5-5.

"There being a tie," said the Mayor, "I'm going to go ahead and vote against the motion. There is now a motion on the floor to refer the indemnity issue to a Board of Inquiry."

"I'll say it again." said Colby. "Why are we jumping the gun on Inspector General Wellman's investigation? Let them finish, see what they find, and then we can either act or refer it to a BOI."

"Because I don't trust the Inspector General, I don't trust the TCPD's Internal Affairs Department," said Kelly Carnes, "and very much most importantly, I completely distrust Commander Donald Troy."

"God damn it!" yelled Edward Steele. "Is it not possible to go through one Council meeting, just one, without trying to attack Commander Troy, who has done nothing wrong, nothing at all, in any of this?"

"Not until that son of a bitch is gone from the TCPD, Mr. Steele." Kelly Carnes yelled back. "I'll never, ever stop attacking that dirty, filthy racist bastard, nor his Police brutality! He's a dirty stain on this County, and he should've been fired a long time ago!"

tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap

The Mayor was tapping his gavel on the table. "People, why is it that we cannot get out of a meeting in a reasonable time? Answer: because you just won't stop bickering about stuff like this. One more time: there is a motion on the floor...

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

Getting to the Security office, I produced a master key and unlocked the door. We went inside, and past the front anteroom. A Deputy Sheriff, a burly older man with graying hair and a mustache, was sitting at a console with several monitor screens, but his feet were propped up on the table and he was reading a newspaper.

"Ahem!" I said. He glanced up, then upon seeing who we were, he gasped and quickly rose to his feet. "Chief! Er, uh..."

"At ease, Deputy." I said. "We're here to ask you some questions."

"Uh, sure, Commander." said the Deputy, still trying to get over being startled by us.

"It's common for only one Deputy to be on duty here?" I asked.

"It's even more common for there to be none, sir." said the Deputy. "I'm always assigned here whenever there's a Council meeting, public or private, or if Congressman Condor is having a Town Hall meeting in the auditorium, stuff like that."

"You're on evening shift?" I asked. He affirmed it.

"What about in the mornings?" I asked.

"It depends, sir." said the Deputy. "If it's quiet, they might send someone here. But if there's anything requiring manpower, like a big trial at the Courthouse, or demonstrators congregating, they'll pull whoever is here. Sometimes, they just don't bother sending anyone. The system is automated, as it is."

"Yes, tell me about that." I said. "Can the systems in here be turned off remotely?"

"No sir." said the Deputy. "Well... I happen to know, sir, that the NSA and CIA have devices that can jam the cameras, like a Slender Man sighting. But that would show up as static on the tapes. As far as I know, there's no way to turn off the systems remotely. Someone has to come in and flip the switch."

I was familiar with the system, and knew which switch he was talking about, so I didn't have to ask. "Is there any log entry system to this Security area?"

"There's a buzzer, and the desk person out front can buzz someone in." said the Deputy. "But there's no passcard system. The only other way to come in is to have a key... like you have, sir."

"Okay, then." I said. "Thanks for your time, and answering our questions. We'll leave you to it."

We exited the room, and ultimately City Hall by the side door. We stopped for a few moments to look at the crime scene area, which still had chalk markings... and a bloodstain.

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

"Let's take a five minute break." said the Mayor. He often did then when the arguments were heated, hoping that a couple of Council Members would get together and work out a starting point for a compromise. But this time, the two sides did not approach each other.

"This is so fucking exasperating." said John Colby. "It's obvious as hell that Parker was wounded in the line of duty, and they won't even pass that."

"They think they have to use it as leverage, to get something they want." said J.P. Goldman, trying to remain calm. "But it's ridiculous. They don't have to hold it hostage."

Meanwhile, down the hallway, the other side was talking. "I can't believe those assholes." said Kelly Carnes. "Those two cops fired into a crowd, and that car was out of control with all that crowd around. Why are they protecting them?"

"I think they just want to get the facts first." said Reginald B.F. Lewis. "But I agree that the entire incident should be investigated in one fell swoop, and by a Board of Inquiry." He might not have been aware of Carnes's full intent.

They reconvened after eight minutes. The Mayor saw that his ploy had not worked; the tension was even higher, the Council Members even more dug in.

"Is there any reason," said the Mayor, "why we cannot agree to have a separate motion to award a brave Police Officer his Purple Order?"

"Yes, Mr. Mayor." Kelly Carnes said coldly. "If we do that, we will not get what we want in return: a Board of Inquiry to investigate Commander Troy's Officers that acted irresponsibly."

"For God's sake!" yelled Edward Steele. "You don't have to hold awards for good people hostage like that!"

"Yes I do!" screamed Carnes. "You don't seem to understand that I am not taking your word for this, Steele. Your daughter and Commander Troy's daughter are best friends. Your word is as valueless to me as Donald Troy's."

"You really are obsessed with Commander Troy, aren't you?" fired Dagmar Schoen. "What is with your hatred of that good man?"

"He's not a good man!" shouted Carnes. "He is the poster child for what is wrong with the Police! He's pure evil------"

tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap

"I'm going to remind you to act with respect and decorum during this meeting." said the Mayor. "And I'm going to hold you here literally all night until we get something done, here."

"There is a motion on the floor, Mr. Mayor." Kelly Carnes said in the oppressive silence.

"I move to amend the original motion." said Loran Michaels, speaking up for the first time. "We refer the incident to the Board of Inquiry -AND- approve the Police Force medals and promotions for Detective Parker and Lt. Holloway."

"I second Mr. Michaels motion to amend." said Dagmar Schoen. Kelly Carnes looked daggers at her.

"It's a reasonable compromise." said John Colby. "We have to have a second reading of the bill. That'll give the Inspector General time to do his investigation, and the BOI can consider that information------"

"The point, Mr. Colby!" yelled Kelly Carnes, "is that the Board of Inquiry reports their results to us before any awards are made at all!"

"Do not interrupt me again, Ms. Carnes." snarled Colby.

"Or what? What are you going to do?" shot back Carnes.

"He won't have to do anything." said Dagmar Schoen. "I'll come over there and beat the shit out of you myself."

"Is that a threat?" said Carnes.

"Yes." said Edward Steele. "And Mrs. Schoen will have a lot of help. I'm just as tired of your shit she and Mr. Colby are. You're about to cross the line, Mrs. Carnes, and I will have no problems physically harming you... especially after what you just said about my daughter. I consider you bringing her up to be a threat to her safety------

tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap

"Mr. Steele..." said the Mayor.

"Stop YOUR shit, Vaughan!" yelled Steele. "Why aren't you reprimanding Carnes for interrupting Mr. Colby? I'm sick and god-damned tired of your taking her side like you always do!"

Kelly Carnes got out her cellphone. "I'm calling the Police." she said.

"So am I." said Steele, getting out his cellphone. "And I'm calling the Iron Crowbar's direct line..."

"Both of you, stop it!" yelled the Mayor. "Put your phones away! You don't have any reception in this chamber, so you're not really calling anyone, anyway." Their bluffs called, Carnes and Steele stopped.

"Mrs. Carnes," said Reginald B.F. Lewis, "if they withdraw the amendment, will you withdraw your second of the original motion, so we can start over here?"

"No." said Carnes.

"I'll never withdraw my original motion, either." said Susan Weston. "I'm as dug in as Mrs. Carnes. No awards until the Board of Inquiry reports its findings back to us."

"Why do you hate the Police so much?" shouted Ian McGhillie, father of Detective Roy McGhillie.

"Because Donald Troy is one of them, McGhillie!" fired back Kelly Carnes.

tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap

"There is a motion to amend on the table, and it was seconded." said the Mayor. "Any further discussion?" There was none. "Let's vote by show of hands."

The vote was 7-3, shocking Carnes. She looked hatefully at Reginald B.F. Lewis. "You traitor." she whispered, though where everyone could hear it. Loran Michaels had cast the other vote to approve, while Carnes, Adams, and Weston voted against.

"I don't want to be here all night, Ms. Carnes." said Lewis. "And your level of hatred is over the top right now."

The amended motion carried 9-1. Because Weston and Carnes made the motion and seconded it, they were required by the rules of order to vote for it, and the Mayor made the point to remind them of it. And they couldn't withdraw it unless the motion to amend was withdrawn, and it was not.

"We are all literally too old to be trying to get into physical fights with each other." said the Mayor. "So walk out of here and go home."

He was right; though they stayed in clusters, they all left peacefully. It is possible that the presence of Officers Johnson and Green of the TCPD helped, and it is possible that they were there because The Intendent had called and asked for a Police presence...

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

As we left City Hall and walked back to Police Headquarters, the Chief said "Wherrrre did you get that master key, Mr. Crowbarrr?"

"I got it when I was Acting Chief." I said. "You both are also entitled to a master key, as principals for the County Government."

"No one ever told me that." said the Chief. "I will be sure to get one. Meanwhile... that was a verrrry interesting conversation with that Deputy... who seemed to be slacking in his performance of his dooo-ty. Did you get anything out of it, Mr. Crowbar?"

"Yes sir, I did." I said. "In fact... I think I know who turned off the City Hall security cameras right before the assassination attempt on Holloway..."

To be continued.