The Four Boxes of Liberty Ch. 03

"And let's go to Chuck Pringle for Sports. Chuck!"

"Thank you Bettina." said Chuck, and I could tell it was a recorded broadcast. "The controversies over the Wildcats Band and their announcer's comments on the radio continues. While Bulldogs Coach Thrasher and Athletic Director Miles Messervy said they accept the explanation that the Wildcat Band playing the Bulldogs fight song was meant as a gesture of respect, they said that they thought the Wildcats radio announcer's comment was, quote 'disrespectful', close quote."

"Opinion is also divided over Commander Donald Troy wearing a blue No. 93 jersey yesterday." said Pringle. "While Wildcats and Bulldogs coaches and players hailed his show of respect, many Bulldogs students here at the University said his crocodile tears were not wanted here. For myself, I think Commander Troy is hateful, malicious man, and I didn't think much of his wearing Derrick's jersey number while Derrick is lying paralyzed in the Hospital. Back to you, Bettina."

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

I was rapidly texting as my Angels and I watched the broadcast in my office. "Goodbye, Chuck. Nice knowing you." I said.

"Uh oh." said Teresa. "Another one bites the dust?"

"In this case, he's been biting cocks." I said. "Pringle was sucking Lester Holder's dick while Lester was sucking the late Graham Collins's little pecker. We'll see what Pringle's wife thinks of that."

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

"Okay, what's new?" I asked an hour later, to begin the Angels meeting.

"The rumors were right." said Cindy. "All the other stuff at the Assembly meeting aside, Weaver called for three Precincts again... and he made a point to say Detectives would be dispersed among the Precincts."

"If it'll get us more manpower," said Teresa, "I might just be amenable to it."

"But that's not his goal." I said. "Weaver wants to increase the higher level positions, such as Precinct Captain and Precinct Lieutenant, and have more Sergeants... which he will push to be filled exclusively by black Police Officers... loyal to him."

"And that's why he was pushing for all those new Free Clinics, and things like that." Cindy said.

"Yep." I said. "He'll use the Public Safety Department for his political agenda."

"I was just glad to see Daniel Allgood support Cindy." said Tanya. "He's been keeping us at arms length for a while."

"What's fun for me" said Teresa with a malicious smile, "is watching the Press and the Leftists have to choose between supporting the black man spewing the race card, or the lesbian that was his target."

"They'll start supporting Weaver if they think this situation will hurt his chances of beating Allgood for Mayor." I said. "Okayyyyy, let's move on to something more productive. Old business: anything new on the Krasney Campaign shooting?"

"I got some stuff back from the State Crime Lab." said Tanya. "They believe that the bullet traveled a good distance before it hit the door frame, that it wasn't an up-close shot. Also, the FBI's old belief that a bullet's lot can be determined by the chemical make-up of the bullet has been largely discredited, but they can still find similarities. And in the case of the lubricant used to seat the bullets in the shells, it looks like a good match. They, and I, think the bullets are from the same lot, though fired by different handguns."

I nodded. "You know... I've been halfway expecting Krasney to come into this Headquarters of his own accord after this incident. But so far, he has not come in. So maybe we need to pay him a little visit, yes?"

"You serious?" asked Tanya.

"Absolutely." I said. "I definitely want to ask Mr. Krasney why the same people that were shooting at my Officers are now shooting at his campaign headquarters..."

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

"You and I have been 'invited' to attend tonight's Council meeting." said the Chief as I stood before his desk in his office. "The Sheriff was also instructed to attend, but he's going to make a point to blow them off by not showing up."

"Yes sir." I said. "I'll be there. Any idea what they want us for?"

"No." said Moynahan. "I expect it will be about either the shooting incident at City Hall, or my exciting evening with the Town Assembly last night. I was hop-ing that you had some insight on it."

"No sir, this is the first I'm hearing of it." I said. "But I'll see what I can find out."

And I tried... but my calls to the Intendent, Adele Peabody, went unanswered and unreturned.

Part 14 - Regrettable

Detective Jerome Davis and I went to City Hall, to the Office of the District Attorney. His assistant picked up the phone and said "Commander Troy and Detective Davis are here to see you, without appointment."

"One moment, please." I heard him say. To the assistant's shock, I went immediately to the door and opened it. Gil Krasney was halfway between his desk and the door; he'd been moving to lock the door, but had been anticipated.

"Oh please, Mr. Krasney," I said, "you really should not try to lock me out. I'd have to use my crowbar to pry open the door, which would damage it. Come on in, Detective." Jerome Davis came on in.

"What the hell do you want, Troy?" asked Krasney, becoming red faced.

"My Detective has attempted to reach you by phone a couple of times." I said. "You haven't returned his calls, so we made this house call to check in on you, to make sure you're all right."

"Well, I am." said Krasney. "So you can go."

"I also came by," I said, producing a file folder from the inner pocket of my trenchcoat, "to show you these very interesting ballistic reports. If you care to look at them, you'll see that the bullet that struck the door of your campaign headquarters is very likely from the same lot of bullets that were fired at my Officers last week."

"That's interesting," said Krasney, "but until you arrest a suspect, there's not much for me to do."

"Oh, but you can answer a couple of questions." I said. "Please, have a seat." Krasney sat down at the conference table that was in front of his desk. "Detective Davis?"

"Yes sir." said Davis, sitting down at the table, as well. "Mr. Krasney, you were at your campaign headquarters when the shot struck the door?"

"Yes, we were in the conference room, having a meeting." said Krasney. "I thought I'd already told you that."

"Yes sir, and I appreciate you confirming it." Davis said smoothly. "Sir, do you normally have meetings with your staff at the campaign headquarters?"

"They meet there all the time." said Krasney.

"Yes sir, but do you personally meet with them there?" asked Davis, not fooled by the form of Krasney's sentence.

"Not as often." said Krasney. "I might go down there for a meeting with donors, but most of my meetings are here... which is perfectly legal, by the way."

"Yes sir, of course." said Davis. "I'm certainly not trying to imply that it's a problem. So why did you meet there on Sunday?"

"It's easier getting people in there than into City Hall, which is closed on Sunday---" said Krasney, turning around and looking behind him, back to Davis, then back around again. Your Iron Crowbar had strolled over to the window behind Krasney's desk, and was looking outside, seeing what I could see along Riverside Drive.

"Commander, can I help you with something?" Krasney asked.

"I was just looking out your window, Mr. Krasney." I said. "To see if anyone is watching your office from outside."

"Why would anyone do that?" Krasney asked sourly.

Jerome Davis said "Mr. Krasney, you said that you don't go to your campaign offices very often? Can you tell us who knew you'd be there on Sunday, and at the time you were there?"

"Uh, everyone that was there, of course." said Krasney. "Probably other campaign staffers."

"Have you noticed anyone following you, Mr. Krasney?" asked Jerome. "Seeing the same car behind you, or anyone seeming to be watching you?"

"Except for Commander Troy, here, no." said Krasney. "Is that important? What is this about?"

"Yes, Mr. Krasney, it's important." I said, looking balefully at him. "And what it's about, is that someone took a shot at you. I believe their intent was to murder you, but they botched it very badly. And here's the rub: they knew you were at your campaign office, at that very time. And because you rarely go there, there is no way that you established a pattern that they could anticipate. So they were either following you, or somehow got information that you were going to be there, and at that time."

Krasney looked at me, then at Davis, with a shocked look on his face. Unfortunately for him, he was not dealing with an Agency of the Weak-Minded; I could tell that he was feigning his shock.

"Mr. Krasney," said Davis, "do you have any idea who might want to harm you, to take a shot at you?"

"Uh, no." said Krasney. "I would imagine that Commander Troy would know more than I do, since I'm told not much gets by him."

"What I would hate to get by me, Mr. Krasney," I replied, "is an assassin's bullet with your name on it. Do be careful. Detective Davis, do you have any more questions for the District Attorney?"

"No sir---"

Just then the door opened, and four Sheriff's Deputies came in. "Mr. Krasney, your assistant called and said two intruders had come in here?" one of them said. I did not recognize him.

I turned and opened my trenchcoat so that he could see my uniform and my badge. "I daresay we came in."

"You can't barge in on the District Attorney without an appointment." said the Deputy. "You're going to have to leave."

"Do you know who you're talking to?" asked Davis.

"Doesn't matter." said the Deputy. "You have to leave---"

I was walking up to the man, the red crowbar that was in my trenchcoat pocket now in my hand. "Let me see your badge, Deputy." I said. With a sudden movement, I lifted it out of its clip-holder on his shirt. "Deputy, I am the Police Commander in this County. And you... are fired. Your employment is terminated, immediately, for insubordination. Deputies, secure his firearm." One of the Deputies did so, and handed it to me.

"You can't do this!" the former Deputy yelled. "I'm taking this to the Union!"

"By all means, do so." I said. "Gentlemen, escort your former colleague out of here. Before I get... upset." The Deputies scrambled to coax the man to leave with them. I thought he was going to turn and rush me, but perhaps the slight movement of my crowbar tapping the palm of my hand changed his suppositions.

"Okay, Davis, let's go." I said. "Mr. Krasney, I am not kidding when I suggest that you be very careful when in public. And as you know, my office door is open to you, without appointment, whenever you're ready to talk."

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

As we walked through the City Hall corridors to the other side, Jerome asked "What do you want him to talk about, sir?"

"I'll tell you at Headquarters." I said. "Meanwhile, let's go talk to the Sheriff."

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

I placed the Deputy's badge and his gun on Sheriff Allgood's desk. He looked up at me with something between a smirk and a look of exasperation as I explained what happened.

"I'll leave it to you to decide if you want to give these back to him," I said, "or follow through with firing him."

"I'm sure he knows who you are now." Allgood said. "Detective Davis, please do not ever feel the need to be as... direct... as Commander Troy is."

Davis smiled. "Yes sir, but the Deputy was insubordinate."

"Davis spent some time in Navy ROTC, Sheriff." I said. "I'm glad he changed his mind and went to the Police Academy, but he'd have locked that guy's heels, too."

"Your father was in the Navy, wasn't he?" asked Allgood. "He helped us with Charlie Griswold, didn't he?"

"Yes sir." said Davis.

"Commander, out of curiosity," said Daniel, "how many TCPD Officers are former military?"

"Uh, there's the Chief, me, Detective Warner is in the Army Reserve, the whole SWAT Team, a pretty good number of Uniformed Officers. Davis here, Commander Ross, Captain Croyle, and a bunch of others were military brats, children of military personnel..."

"I never was involved with the military." said Daniel. "I've never quite been able to understand that camaraderie. But I sure as hell appreciate what you guys do..."

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

Adele Peabody was not in her office at City Hall, so Jerome and I headed back to Headquarters. I had Jerome come into my office, and called in Tanya Perlman.

"Basically, Jerome," I said after we were seated and settled in, "with the bullets from the Holloway/Parker shooting generally matching the bullet recovered from Krasney Campaign Headquarters, it stands to reason that the same people that shot at Janice also shot at Krasney."

"You think he knows something, or saw something, sir?" asked Davis.

"Even worse." I said. "He may have been duped into being an accessory after the fact." I then explained my belief that Krasney turned off the cameras, and that his reaction in the hours and days afterwards was supportive of my thesis.

"The problem, of course," I said, "is that I have absolutely no proof, since Grand Juries don't indict based upon the emotional reaction of a man who is already a nutjob and is not much longer for that Office. Sooooo, our only hope is that Krasney realizes that whoever shot at his campaign office is not playing around, that they mean to kill him, and that he needs to come correct and tell us what he knows."

"Why hasn't he already?" Tanya asked.

"I don't know." I said. "Maybe he doesn't realize the gravity of the threat. Maybe he thinks he can ride it out."

"Would you give him immunity if he came in?" Tanya asked. "With your history with him, he may think you won't."

"And he may be right." I said. "And that's why I took Jerome with me today. Krasney has to know that I'm not exactly keeping secrets here, so he needs to talk to someone. If not me, maybe he'll come to one of you, or both of you."

"And if he does, what deal should we offer him?" Tanya asked.

"You can't, but I can, or Paulina can." I said. "Convince him to talk to us, and he won't regret it. If he doesn't come in, though... he might not live to regret it..."

Part 15 - Casualties of War

8:00pm, Tuesday, October 30th. Chief Moynahan and I were at City Hall, attending the Executive Session of the Town & County Council.

"Okay." said the Mayor as everyone got seated. "Old business: second reading of the bill for Thursday's Police promotions and medals."

"Without objection," said John Colby, "I move we dispense with the actual reading of the bill and vote on it."

"Without objection?" asked the Mayor. He tapped his gavel and said "So ordered. Any words before we vote?"

"I have a question, just to clarify something." said Kelly Carnes. "Chief Moynahan, the promotion of Janice Holloway to full Lieutenant was predicated on the premise that she was taking an equivalent job in the Finance and Accounting Center in City Hall. Now I'm hearing rumors that she is going to work for BOW Enterprises. Which is true?"

"Commander, would you please address that." asked the Chief.

"Yes sir." I said. I stood up and went to the podium, for effect, and said "Lt. Holloway was offered a job with BOW Enterprises, but it required a good deal of travel over the next year. So she opted instead to accept the City Hall civilian position."

"And how do we know she's not going to up and take the BOW Enterprises position in a month or two?" asked Malinda Adams, her voice accusing in its nature.

"You can check with BOW Enterprises for confirmation of this," I said, "but I believe they filled the position with someone else. Also, if you're insinuating that Lt. Holloway is trying to game the system, I know that's not the case. She does not need to play those games; her goals are different... and they're the same goals that led to her decision to not take the higher-paying BOW Enterprises job."

"And what goals are those?" snarled Carnes.

"They're none of your business." Dagmar Schoen said menacingly. Carnes turned to glare at Schoen, and missed my smile.

"All I'll say," I said, "is that Lt. Holloway's main goal right now is to marry the man she is very much in love with."

"You're just a big ol' teddy bear, aren't you, Commander?" asked Reginald B.F. Lewis humorously. Almost everyone laughed.

"Yes I am, Mr. Lewis." I said with a smile. "Don't let the crowbar fool ya."

"While you're standing at the podium, Commander," said the Mayor, "I want to ask what your security plans for the Elections next Tuesday are."

"Uhhhh..." I said, looking at the Chief and then back to the Mayor, "the same plans we've used every two years."

"Though most ballots are cast electronically," said Kelly Carnes, "a good number are still cast on paper ballots for various reasons, including absentee ballots. What are you doing to protect these paper ballots?"

"The U.S. Post Office delivers the properly returned absentee ballots." I said. "And I trust them to do so, seeing as one can send classified documents through the mail. As to the other documents, the Sheriff's Department's Deputies generally handle all that, but of course we Police are only a phone call away."

"Are you anticipating any trouble on Election Day, Commander? asked Reginald B.F. Lewis. "Demonstrations? Riots?"

"Contingencies for issues like that are part of our standard plan, Mr. Lewis." I said. "Any particular reason for your concern, sir? Any imminent trouble you're hearing about, of which I'm not aware?"

"No, but with the heightened political tension all over the State, even the Nation," said Lewis, "it's always good to make like Boy Scouts, and 'be prepared'."

"Mr. Mayor," said J.P. Goldman, "we do have a second reading motion on the floor."

"Yes, we do." said the Mayor. "Any further discussions?" There being none, they voted, and the vote passed 10-0, wouldn't ya know it.

"Okay, now for the real reason we asked Chief Moynahan and Commander Troy to come in tonight." said the Mayor, surprising me; I had thought we were brought in over the second reading, or maybe the kerfuffle the previous evening at the Town Assembly... but wouldn't they have 'invited' Cindy here, too? I thought to myself.

The Mayor pointed to Reginald B.F. Lewis, who said "Chief, Commander, what are you doing to prepare for returning to three Precincts?" I heard the Chief groan. I had already set my own face in iron, showing nothing, not even a flicker. Please do not play poker with Your Iron Crowbar, I thought to myself.

"Remind me not to play poker with you, Commander Troy." said Lewis. "Chief Moynahan made a very insubordinate noise over there, but you didn't bat an eyelash."

"No, you should not play poker with me, Mr. Lewis." I replied. "You should not play games with me at all. Chief, if I may answer the Councilman's question?"

"By all means, Mr. Crowbar. By alllllll means." said the Chief, his voice connoting his bitter disgust with Lewis for bringing Precincts up again.

"Mr. Lewis, or anyone else in here," I said, "go ahead, convince me." There were some gasps and some rustling of movement in chairs as I said "If you can convince me that returning to the failed experiment of three Precincts will be better for the Police Force and our mission, I'll convince the Chief and the Sheriff to accept it."

"But note what I said." I continued. "Prove it will be better for the Force and our mission... not that it'll be better for your social experimentation job creation, or for Eldrick Weaver to try to force his cronies into artificially created leadership positions if he wins next week."

"You forget yourself, Commander." said Malinda Adams indignantly.

"Not at all, Ms. Adams." I replied strongly. "I for one am tired of you constantly trying to force us to hire and promote only women just because they are women. We hire and promote women... on the merits of their abilities to do their jobs, not on the basis of your politically correct social experimentation. We hire and promote minorities... three of my six MCD Detectives are considered minorities... based on their merits, not upon politically correct quotas."