The Four Boxes of Liberty Ch. 02

This story is part of an ongoing series. The chronological order of my stories is listed in WifeWatchman's biography.

Feedback and constructive criticism is very much appreciated, and I encourage feedback for ideas.

This story contains graphic scenes, language and actions that might be extremely offensive to some people. These scenes, words and actions are used only for the literary purposes of this story. The author does not condone murder, racial language, violence, rape or violence against women, and any depictions of any of these in this story should not be construed as acceptance of the above.

Part 6 - First-Born Children

"This is Bettina Wurtzburg, KXTC Channel Two News!" shouted the redheaded reporterette at 7:00am, Wednesday, October 24th, from in front of City Hall. "Channel Two News has learned that the Town & County Council has referred Monday's Police-involved shooting incident to a Board of Inquiry!"

Bettina started: "After a long evening of bitter fighting, the Council reached a compromise agreement. They passed the Fire Department's promotions and medals nominations, as well as passing most of the Police Department's, including a Purple Order for Detective Teddy Parker. The bill will require a second reading at the next Council meeting, slated for next Tuesday, which will give the Inspector General's Office enough time to complete their investigation."

"And in State news," said Bettina, "State Republicans condemned Governor Val Jared for his plans to name a second Independent State Counsel to investigate Robert Mullen and the first Independent State Counsel. Roll tape."

Tape roll, showing State House Ways and Means Chairman Wilson Hammonds (R - Pottsville) saying: "Robert Mullen was named Independent State Counsel to thoroughly investigate Governor Jared and Commander Donald Troy for abuse of power in harassing two women that made very credible claims that Jared sexually harassed them. Jared's actions show that he is trying to cover up his crimes and the actions of Commander Troy. Val Jared is not a Republican, he is a racist and misogynist, and I demand he resign as Governor immediately."

Back to Bettina live: "Candidate for Lieutenant Governor Sharon Marshall issued a statement, saying 'the corruption of the Republican Establishment in the Caucus vote counts needs to be investigated and the criminals brought to justice. I applaud Governor Jared for considering a second ISC, and thereby standing up for the Citizens of this State that are tired of the corruption of both Establishment Democrats and Establishment Republicans'."

"We have with us Dr. Adam S. Keller of the City University Rodham Foundation for Political and Social Change." said Bettina. "Dr. Keller, what does the Governor's threat to name a second Independent State Counsel mean?"

"Bettina," said Keller, "it means that Governor Jared and Commander Donald Troy know that the pillars of justice are moving in to crush them for their blatant actions of abuse of power. Jared and especially Troy are scared, frightened, of what Robert Mullen is finding out about them and will report about them, and they are trying to intimidate Mr. Mullen. However, I think they'll find intimidating Mr. Mullen is a lot harder than harassing and intimidating women."

"Dr. Keller," said Bettina, frowning, "are you saying women are easy to intimidate?"

"No, Bettina." said Keller, looking nonplussed. "I'm just saying that Donald Troy thinks he can pick on women and harass them after they've made credible claims of sexual harassment, but he will find Robert Mullen a much harder man... er, person, to intimidate."

"Er, let's go to Nick Eastwood for Sports." said Bettina, who was looking pissed off at the moment.

"Thank you, Bettina!" said Nick Eastwood. "Bulldogs fans are excited about this weekend's upcoming game against the Wildcats. RVs are already pouring into the County from all over the State and the Region! The Town & County Police Force has set up designated RV zones for these vehicles, and selected parking lots on the University Campus have been designated RV-only parking, as well..."

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

"Wow, Keller stepped in his own dung, there." said Jerome Davis as they watched the broadcast in MCD. It was a very full room of Detectives and other officers.

"It's hard being a liberal!" said Lt. Micah Rudistan in his jovial manner. "Hard to say something without offending one Snowflake group or another."

"Rudistan," said Cindy Ross sourly, "it's hard for you to say much without offending me. I'm a political atheist only to a certain point."

"Oops." said Rudistan, remaining jovial. "Sorry, ma'am."

"Don't worry, Rudistan." Teresa Croyle said. "Commander Ross is just worried about what the Wildcats are going to do to her Bulldogs on Saturday."

"OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHH" came a massive chorus. Cindy was looking at Teresa as if Teresa had lost her mind. Teresa was staring right back at her, trying not to wickedly grin.

"Dangerous side for a Police Captain to take when I'm in the room." said Cindy.

"And the right one to take when I'm in the room." replied Your Iron Crowbar as I came into the room. I was carrying a square picnic basket with a soft red cloth inside it.

"What's that basket about, Commander?" asked Rudistan. "Detective Warner might take that and use it to steal your dog!"

"That'a a great idea, Lieutenant Rudistan!" Joanne said happily. "I'm definitely going to steal Bowser!"

"You cannot steal Bowser." I said, coming up to Joanne. "Carole would take a crowbar to you. However..." I said as I reached into the basket, "perhaps you will make do with Bowser's first-born son." I took out an extremely handsome all-white puppy and put him on Joanne's desk.

"Ohhh!" Joanne said, her hand going to her mouth. "Oh, he's beautiful! Hey, little buddy." she said to the pup, petting him. It was love at first sight for both, as the puppy eagerly licked and pawed at Joanne as she picked him up and cradled him.

"Awwwwwwwwww!" came a chorus in the room.

"What are you going to name, him?" asked Rudistan, continuing to play his role to perfection. Oh yes, he'd helped me set that up. "You can't call him 'Son of Bowser'... that's S-O-B!" Everyone laughed.

"He looks like a good law enforcement officer to me." I said. "How about Leo? L-E-O."

"Aw, that's a great idea!" said Joanne as I put the basket down on her desk. "Hey, Leo!" The pup wagged his tail mightily.

"Seth!" I called out. "Take your wife and new dog home. Joanne, you're excused for the day, and that is not a request. Go home."

"Seth? You're here?" Joanne asked as her husband came up to the desk.

"Yes. The Commander called me." Seth said.

"I had to warn him about the new addition to his family." I said.

"Does Leo have any brothers and sisters?" Julia Rodriguez asked as Joanne and Seth took Leo home.

"Yes," I said, "Leo was one of six puppies in the litter. But they've all found loving homes. If Bowser sires any more puppies, I'll let you know."

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

"You got Joanne good." Tanya Perlman said as my Angels and I convened in my office. "She about fell out of her chair when you put Leo on her desk."

"Yeah, and I think Leo won't be lacking for a lot of love, just as Bowser isn't." I said.

"I'm glad Seth took it so well." said Cindy.

"Oh, I made sure to let him know." I said. "And he's probably thinking that'll help him put off having children for another year or two."

"We shall see." said Tanya with a gleam in her eye. Cindy's eyes had become the slightest bit introspective, I noticed.

"Okay, let's watch some TV." I said, turning on KSTD.

"This is Cynthia Freeman, KSTD Five-Alive News, bringing you all the news you have a right to know!" said the lovely reporterette at 8:00am. "The Town & County Council voted to award Detective Teddy Parker the Purple Order for being wounded in the line of duty last Monday!"

Cynthia: "Detective Parker tackled and shielded Police Lieutenant Janice Holloway on Monday morning, preventing an assassination attempt against her from being successful. He was wounded and is recovering at University Hospital. Lt. Holloway was unharmed, and she will be transferring out of the Police Department to a civilian position with the County in November."

"The Council also voted to refer the Officer-involved shooting and the Police response investigation to a Board of Inquiry." said Cynthia. "There will be a second reading of the bill next Tuesday, which means Inspector General Horace S. Wellman has only that much time to complete his I.G./Internal Affairs investigation of the incident."

"And let's go to KSTD Sports with Jeff Hull!" said Cynthia "I understand you have an exclusive for us, Jeff?"

"That's right, Bettina!" said the youngish, black-haired reporter. "In a KSTD exclusive, I had a chance to talk to Police Deputy Chief Cindy Ross, a Bulldog graduate. Roll tape."

Tape rolled, showing Hull with Cindy. "Commander," said Hull, "last year the Bulldogs beat the Wildcats, and you had the Bulldog Band serenading Commander Troy. What will you do this year?"

"Well, we have to beat the Wildcats first." Cindy astutely said. "We're not planning to have the Band again, but I'm sure we'll have something for him."

"We also have Commander Troy here." said Hull, surprising the world as the camera panned out to include me. "Commander, if the Wildcats can pull out a win, what will you have for Commander Ross after last year?"

"Well," I said, "I did enjoy meeting Chief IV, who is an outstanding mascot. As to retaliation... like the Beijing Olympics Opening Ceremony, it would be impossible to match her bringing the Band to play for me. So I won't try. But we'll find a way to let Commander Ross know that order has been restored to Nature."

"And you have a birthday coming up, Commander Troy?" said Hull, making Cindy smile wickedly.

"Yes, and I'm looking forward to a great birthday present from the Wildcats... a win Saturday." I said.

"Commander Ross, do you have anything planned for the Iron Crowbar's birthday?" asked Hull.

"Heh heh heh heh." Cindy said. "Nuff said on that."

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

"Who are you, and what have you done with the real Commander Troy?" asked Teresa after the broadcast. "What's with this love affair with the Press you've been having lately?"

"Gotta keep the Wildcats represented." I said. "Seriously: I'd been led to believe that Catrina Pierce would be doing the interview. But she's no longer with KXTC, and will be joining KFXU when they start up in November. But if it annoys the hell out of KXTC, that won't bother me a bit. "

"You annoyed the hell out of Kelly Carnes last night." said Cindy. "And Chief Moynahan, also. And that reminds me... why did the Chief downgrade your putting in Parker for a Police Cross?"

"Whaa?" gasped Teresa.

"This will probably surprise you, and keep this in this room," I said, "but the Chief and I did that on purpose."

"I'm more curious than anything else." said Teresa. "Why?"

"Susan Weston has complained bitterly in the past about us, quote, 'giving out medals like candy', unquote." I said. "And she has a point: in the last six years, the Police have awarded four Medals of Valor, not including Tanya's State-level equivalent, and two Police Crosses. Additionally, the Fire Department has given out a Medal of Valor and some Fire Crosses... and all this after years of no MOVs, no Police Crosses in 30 years, and only a few Fire Crosses."

"Is that why she made that sarcastic comment to you last night?" Cindy asked.

I nodded. "Yes. She strongly opposed Father Romano's Police Cross, but his was such an exceptional case that the Council awarded it anyway. So with Parker's award, the Chief and I thought that if I put him for a Police Cross and the Chief downgraded it to a Police Medal, the Council would see that he was being quote 'reasonable' unquote, and award it. We didn't expect Carnes to try to make an issue of him downgrading my initial write-up, and use it to try to create discord and rifts. And that was part of the reason I lit into her like I did."

"So what's going to happen to Parker's medal?" asked Teresa.

"They downgraded it, to a Star of Gallantry." I said. "Good award, but I was hoping to get Parker more. I tried to get more for McGhillie, too, when he was wounded on the 'Night of the Cobra' incident."

"You know, I can understand it." said Teresa. "Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to denigrate what they did in any way. But if there's 'medal creep', for lack of a better term, then it cheapens the higher awards as well as the lower ones. Achievement Medals don't mean what they used to twenty, even ten years ago."

"I understand, and the Chief understands even better." I said.

"Well," Cindy said, "the bar for a Medal of Valor went through the roof after what Teresa did to earn hers. So I'm not sure what the complaint is."

"Don," said Tanya, "do you think politics are playing a part in that? Or just hatred of Police?"

"Some of both, I would imagine." I replied. "I think Susan Weston had and has a genuine point about 'medal creep', but Kelly Carnes is just a hater of the highest order."

"Okay, before I leave you to your meeting," Cindy said, "I wanted to tell you that I'm presenting the budget to the Town Assembly next Monday night. Both the Chief and I are hearing rumors that Eldrick X. Weaver is going to use that platform to push for three Precincts again."

"They don't have that authority." Tanya replied. "Only the Council can do that."

"True." I said. "But don't be surprised if this is being orchestrated by members of both of those legislative bodies."

"Will it work?" Teresa asked.

"Not if we push back on why it's such a bad idea." I said. "Oh, I guess I should ask... do you guys think it's a bad idea? And speak truthfully."

"Totally a bad idea." said Teresa. "Waste of resources. Hell, two Precincts is one too many."

"I agree." said Tanya. "And of course I fear needlessly scattering the Detectives into the Precincts."

"What they said." is all Cindy said.

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

At 9:00am I had a visitor. I halfway expected it to be Jack Muscone, but it was not. It was Town & County Councilman Edward Steele.

"I'm sorry to barge in on you at work, Don." he said as he sat down in a hot chair. As did most visitors, he looked around my office, observing the various framed items as well as the 'I Beat Slender Man' statue on the bookcase behind my desk.

"No problem at all." I said as I poured him some coffee, and then some for myself. As I sat down, I said "What can I do for you?"

"Have you heard about what happened in the Council meeting last night?" Edward asked.

"Some of it." I said. "I understand Carnes got ugly about things. And so did you."

"Yeah, I said some things I shouldn't have." said Steele. "And yes, the overall meeting was as heated and ugly as anything I've seen. But it was what Carnes said about our children that bothered me most."

"Our children?" I said. Edward told me about Kelly Carnes saying his and my daughter's were best friends.

"I think she intended to mean it just to say I was connected to you, so she would fight me as hard as she fights anything to do with you." said Edward. "But the fact she brought up and mentioned Carole and Marie are best friends... I couldn't help but wonder if she meant more in saying that... and if there was an implied threat."

My face must've looked dark, because Steele was peering at me. "You okay, Don?"

"No sir, I am not." I said. "I had to live through my child being kidnapped and nearly murdered by a Town Councilman and a reporter. I take comments like that very, very seriously."

"I'm not sure what we can do about it." said Steele. "I contacted the school Principal and told him I'd received threats. Their security officers are watching Marie and therefore Carole's classroom more closely, and are on the playground with them during recess. The teachers are on watch, too."

"I appreciate you doing that." I said. "It may be better having someone besides me, or someone in addition to me, telling them of the threats. By the way, do you want Police to patrol in your neighborhood more? Follow you, Stephanie, and Selena and see if you're being tailed?"

"You might can do that." said Steele, obviously liking that idea. "But check behind your family, as well." He got up. "I'm going to go talk to the Chief, and tell him what I told you. I came to you first because it's personal and because it's your daughter."

"I appreciate it." I said. "Before you go... anything you can tell me about this Board of Inquiry business?"

"Sure." Steele said as he sat back down. "Reginald B.F. Lewis broke ranks with Carnes and voted with us, but we had to compromise to get the medals and promotions approved before November 1st. He and I had breakfast this morning at the Colby's Country Breakfast Diner, as we often do, and he told me that Carnes and Malinda Adams want to use the Board of Inquiry to discredit your Officers and smear the entire Police Force, and thus attack you, Don."

"I see." I said.

"Don, let me tell you one more thing, in confidence." said Steele, lowering his voice to barely above a whisper. "Those two Officers are really going to have to explain themselves for firing shots on a busy street during rush hour. Now you know I support the Police, but this one could be a problem. And one more thing... don't talk to them yourself. I expect that if they come up with a good defense, they're going to be asked if you coached them. They need 'plausible deniability' on that."

"Right you are." I said. "I haven't talked to them, beyond at the crime scene, and I won't. And thanks for telling me."

After Steele left to talk to the Chief, I thought about it. And I came up with the answers I needed. I took out my personal cellphone and made a call...

Part 7 - Conversations

I invited my three Angels to lunch at the Cop Bar, on me. We were taken to the new back room, where Chief Griswold and FBI Special Agent In Charge Jack Muscone were waiting for us. Tanya's eyes lit up upon seeing her fiancé, as his lit up at seeing her. I observed a certain pendant around the Chief's neck: the mon of Clan Troy.

The table sat six, with Chief Griswold at one end, Tanya at the other (easier to park her wheelchair there), Jack to her right, me to his right and the Chief's left. Cindy sat across from me and Teresa across from Jack.

"How's the campaign going, Chief?" asked Cindy.

"Good, good." said Griswold. "My campaign has not solicited donations nor accepted any over twenty dollars a person, but money is just pouring in. Thankfully, Judge McGill and Myrtle James have put together a tremendous organization to keep us well within the legal requirements."

"How are the poll numbers, Chief?" asked Tanya.

"Pretty good, for me." said the Chief. The D.A. race looks to be fairly close, but we expect Miriam Walters to pull ahead of Jenna Stiles. Krasney is not even registering on most polls anymore. And then there's the Mayor's race."

Everyone braced for the information as Griswold said "Daniel Allgood is really holding up well. 48-48%, plus-minus 2% margin of error. Those are our internal numbers; I'm sure the Press will report different ones."

"So the Caucus scandal didn't hurt the Republicans?" I asked.

"Oh I wouldn't say that." said Griswold. "We really thought Mayor Vaughan would have a shot at taking Congressman Condor down, but Vaughan's numbers dropped hard after that Caucus scandal, and simply have not recovered. Billy Williams's race is tighter than it was, but we think he'll still pull it out. Peter Long Cox in Nextdoor County was unopposed, so he'll win. But Katherine Woodburn is going to clean her opponent's clock."