The Knave of Jacks Ch. 03

"Oh, most definitely." said Phyllis. "Don't you agree, Lieutenant?"

"Yes." said Tanya.

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

Wheeling into the waiting room, Tanya said "Hello. My name is Lieutenant Perlman with the SBI, and I'm investigating the attack on your son. You are Jeremy's parents?"

"Yes, we are." said his father.

"And I am Detective Troy." said Phyllis. "And who are you young ladies?"

"I thought the Iron Crowbar was a man." said the redheaded girl.

"Ah, yes, you are correct. He is Commander Troy." said Phyllis soothingly. "I'm simply a Detective that coincidentally has the same last name. And you are?"

"My name is Pam." said the redhead. "This is Stella. She's Jeremy's fiancée, and I'm her friend."

"Ah, I see." said Phyllis. "Would you ladies mind coming and talking with me and Lt. Perlman for a moment?" Tanya told the parents that she would be right back. A moment later, the Detectives and the college girls were in the same side room in which they'd just been briefed by Dr. Morgan.

"Ladies," said Phyllis, "time is of the essence, so I must ask questions quickly, and I will ask to answer quickly. Jeremy was in a theater play, was he not?" Pam and Stella confirmed it.

"Were either of you also in that play?" asked Phyllis.

"We both were." said Pam. Stella nodded.

"Stella, you are Jeremy's fiancée, is that right?" asked Phyllis.

"Yes, ma'am." said Stella.

"When did you last see Jeremy?" Phyllis asked. Her keen eyes immediately noticed the fear in Stella's eyes.

"Last night." said Stella. "I was practicing some lines with Carl, who is the lead actor in the play. It was a... romantic scene. Jeremy came in and was upset about it, about us rehearsing that without him being there. Then he left. I... I didn't go after him right away, and when I did, he was gone. I never saw him again, then I heard he was in the... hospital..." Stella began sobbing, and Pam gave her a comforting hug.

"So you don't know what happened in the attack?" asked Tanya. Stella shook her head.

"Pam, what about you?" asked Phyllis, her eyes concentrating hard on the redheaded girl. "Were you at the practice?"

"No ma'am." said Pam. "Adam and I left. We were done practicing our part of the play."

"And you met Carl and Stella at the Tavern, across the street from the School, did you not?" asked Phyllis. The girls' eyes widened as they realized their movements were known to the Police.

"Yeah, they got there later." said Pam. "I'm not sure how much later, though."

"Maybe an hour later?" asked Tanya, who knew it had really been more like an hour and a half.

"Maybe." said Pam. "I really don't remember."

"Who else was at the play practice?" asked Tanya.

"Ken." said Pam. "He's the Director of the play."

"No other cast members?" asked Phyllis. Both girls shook their heads.

"Pam," said Phyllis, "why don't you go back to the waiting room, and I'll just ask Stella a couple more questions." Pam looked like she did not want to leave her friend, but Stella nodded to her and Pam left.

"So after Jeremy came in and made a scene, pun not intended, and then left," said Tanya, "it was you, Carl, and Ken in the theater?"

"Yes." said Stella.

"What happened after Jeremy left?" Phyllis asked.

"Ken went after Jeremy, but came back just a few seconds later and said Jeremy was gone, he'd disappeared. Then I went looking for him, but never found him, so I went back to the theater, and Carl and I left for the Tavern."

"I see." said Phyllis. "Stella, I need for you to be totally honest with me... you didn't rush out immediately because you had to put your clothes back on, didn't you?"

Stella looked surprised, then defeated. "Yes." she said. "It was an intimate scene where Carl takes off my blouse and bra, then we're on the bed making out and the lights fade to black. Jeremy came in while Carl was kissing me, and started yelling, and so I had to get my shirt and put it on before I could run outside after Jeremy."

"Are there often nude scenes in University Theater plays?" Phyllis asked, with perhaps the slightest bit of derision in her voice.

"Not in the big ones." said Stella. "This was an 'Alternative' play, that was in the Black Magic Theater, the one in the basement. And yes, those have nudity a lot more often."

"And actual sex?" Tanya asked.

"Oh, the script doesn't call for that." Stella said. "Maybe simulated sex under covers or something, but not out in front of everybody."

"Stella, I'm sorry about Jeremy." said Phyllis. "We will do what we can to find whoever attacked him. Why don't you go back to the waiting room with the family." Stella nodded and left.

"They were having sex, and Jeremy caught them, didn't he?" Tanya asked Phyllis.

"Oh, there can hardly be any doubt, can there be?" replied Phyllis. Just then, Tanya's cellphone went off and she answered it and took the message.

"That was my Crime Lab." said Tanya. "They've gone through the film footage and they're going to email us a full report. Jeremy was spotted near the Journalism Building and went inside it. He and another person, young man, maybe a student, came back to towards the Theater together, and then went into the 'dark zone' right around the Theater. That other student came back to the Journalism building about 30 minutes later, pretty much running."

The women left the side room and were walked to the waiting room. Phyllis quietly expressed her condolences to the parents, then said "I only have a couple of questions for you: did Jeremy call you at home very often?"

"At irregular intervals." said his father.

"Did he phone recently?" Phyllis asked.

"Last Sunday, I think." said Jeremy's mother. "That was the last time I talked to him."

"Did he sound nervous? As if he were in trouble?" Phyllis asked.

"No, he seemed normal." said the mother. "He just said he was studying a lot, and that he didn't really like the play he was in, but nothing really emotional in his voice."

"He didn't like the play?" Phyllis said. "Did he say why? Did he elaborate at all on that?"

"No." said the mom. The dad shook his head, also.

"Again, I am sorry about this. We will do what we can to find Jeremy's attacker." Phyllis said. "Lieutenant, is there anything before we go?"

"No." said Tanya. "Except to say that I'm also sorry."

As they left the waiting room, Dr. Morgan was coming up the hallway... with First Baptist's new head minister, Pastor Calvin Derkins. Phyllis just nodded to him, and she and Tanya made their way to the elevator as the Doctor went to the waiting room to discharge his most painful of duties...

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

"Where to now?" Tanya asked as she was locked into place in her special van.

"The Country Breakfast Diner has brunch all day." said Phyllis. "Why don't we go there?"

"Sounds great, I'm starved." said Tanya. As the driver, a young Crime Lab employee who was Tanya's State-paid aide-de-camp, pulled out onto the main road, Tanya said "So what do you think, Phyllis?"

"I think it's pretty obvious, is it not?" said Phyllis. "Well, at least what happened just prior to young Jeremy's attack. We need to talk to Adam and Carl..."

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

"Hello, ladies." said John 'Jack' Colby as they came into the Country Breakfast Diner. "Your friends are in the back room. I'll take you there."

"Why thank you, Mr. Colby." said Phyllis, as Tanya looked surprised. Nevertheless, she drove behind Phyllis to the back room. In that room, at the middle table, was the Iron Crowbar, the Green Crowbar, the woman who did not need a crowbar (Teresa), one smoking hot porn actress, and a very handsome private investigator, Tanya noted.

"Hi Mom." I said as they came in, surprised to see them. I made introductions all the way around as Cindy pulled up an extra table so they could sit with us.

"We're almost finished," I said, "but we can hang around and talk with you."

"Okay, son." said Phyllis. "I'll be right back."

"I'll come with you." said Cindy, after asking Tanya what she wanted from the buffet.

After they left, Callie turned to me, her eyes sparkling. "Damn, Don, so that's where you get your good looks! You have the hottest mom, you lucky dog!" Eddy laughed and even Teresa chuckled at that one.

"Yeah, she's a hot MILF." I said right back, making Callie's eyes sparkle even more.

When my mother and Cindy got back, Teresa said "I'll sneak these two instigators out of here for you, and you can stay and talk about that other case your mom wants to talk about."

"You're getting good at observation and deduction." I said.

"I have to, to keep up with all you guys." Teresa replied. She, Callie, and Eddy made their goodbyes and left.

"Well, Mom," I said, "Callie thinks you're a hot mom. She has no idea how right she is. So, what's going on?"

My mother began telling the story as she handed me her iPad. As I looked at the photos and all the evidence, she recounted what she and Tanya had done, then told us that Jeremy was deemed brain-dead.

I grimaced. "That's too bad." I said. "So Ferrell didn't have any pitbulls at the scene, stopping you from investigating?"

"No, son." said Phyllis. "There were a couple of Campus Police student officers watching the crime scene, but they knew who Lt. Perlman was and left us alone. And we are, so far, the only LEOs to have spoken with the parents and the girls that were at the hospital."

"Mmm hmm." I said. "And it appears that Jeremy took a few shots to the face before he got whacked on the back of the head." Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Tanya grin, and I knew she was thinking 'Like mother, like son.' on that.

"So you're going to talk to the young men that were in this play?" I asked my mom and Tanya.

"And the Director." said my mom. "There is no doubt he is an important figure in this case, as well."

"Okay, then." I said. "Well, if you ladies will excuse me, Captain Ross and I have a few things to do. And I need to talk to Chief Moynahan."

"You're going to do it?!" Cindy exclaimed. "Shut the front door!"

"Yeah, Teresa made a convincing argument." I said as I slowly stood up, my back protesting all the way. "And we have not had the successes we've had by holding back and not taking risks. I'm concerned about our C.I.s, of course, but more concerned about what my Vice Lieutenant will permit herself to do if we are not overseeing her."

"Sounds like she needs a talking-to, from someone experienced in those things." said my mother. Her words struck me, and I just nodded back.

And of course, when I went to pay everyone's bill, Jack Colby said "Hand me a one dollar bill, please." I did so, and he said "Paid in full for everyone." I didn't protest; this was an 'okay' perk.

Part 10 - Man and MILF

Auxiliary Detective Phillis Troy knocked on the door of the dorm room. She was escorted by a Campus Police student officer.

"Who is it?" shouted a voice from inside.

"Campus Police." said the young man.

After a moment the door flew open, and a young blondish man with a good physique opened the door. "What do you-------" Then he saw Phyllis, and said "What's going on?"

Phyllis asked if the young man was Carl, and he said he was... as his eyes gave her luscious body a good once-over. For herself, Phyllis could see the beautiful blonde woman in the bottom bunk bed, and realized she'd just interrupted Carl having some really good sex. "I'm sorry to disturb you, Carl, but could you please come downstairs and speak to us? The SBI Lieutenant is wheelchair-bound, and there's no elevator in these old dorms.

Carl got a shirt and put it on, and they made their way down the stairs. Phyllis could feel the handsome young man's eyes on her ass as they walked. Tanya was waiting at the lobby desk, and when they arrived, she led them into the study room nearby.

"I am Lieutenant Tanya Perlman of the SBI, investigating the attack upon your friend Jeremy. This is Detective Phyllis Troy, who is consulting with me on this case." Tanya said once they were behind closed doors.

"What attack are you talking about?" asked Carl, whose face assumed a skeptical, wary posture.

"Jeremy was found badly injured near the Theater Building last night." said Phyllis. "You have not heard of this?

"No, I haven't. That punk ran out of the theater last night while we were rehearsing, and I haven't seen him since." Carl said. "And I'll just tell you right now, he's no friend of mine, either."

"Oh?" asked Phyllis. "Problems between you two?'

"Let me put it this way." said Carl. "I have zero respect for that piece of crap. He's a wimp, a turd."

"Okay, I think we have that part established." said Tanya, with no small amount of biting sarcasm. "So what happened last night, Carl? When was the last time you saw Jeremy?"

"Do you know who the other people in the cast are?" Carl asked. Both Tanya and Phyllis nodded. "Okay. Stella and I were rehearsing our love scene. We were on the bed on the stage, and I was fucking her. It's supposed to be simulated during the play, but we got hot and I penetrated her and we just went with it."

"Just for the rehearsal?" Phyllis asked drily.

"Officially, yes." said Carl. "Stella was hot for me, but I don't know if she was going to do it during the actual shows, with an audience. Anyway, I was pumping her when Jeremy ran in and started whining at us. They're engaged to be married, and if it'd been me, I'd have done whatever it took to whip the guy's ass if he was fucking------- er, banging my girl. But Jeremy, it was like he was watching it while screaming at us. Then he ran away, like the little shit he is."

"So you and Stella were having intercourse?" Phyllis asked. "When Jeremy came in, did you disengage? Did you let her up?"

"No, I kept fucking her, right there in front of that cuck boyfriend of hers." replied Carl, his face showing his enjoyment of the memory of that entire situation. "I let her up after Jeremy had run out, and Ken, the director, had also run out after Jeremy."

"Did Stella ask or tell you to stop having sex with her?" asked Tanya.

"Yes, and I did." said Carl. "So don't try any rape crap on me. It was consentual all the way."

"All right." said Phyllis. "So you'd have a lot of motive to attack Jeremy, to stop him from exposing the fact that you were having sex for this play."

"What?" Carl asked. "With all due respect, are you kidding? Look Detective, er, Troy... you're obviously a woman of the world, and a very beautiful woman. You know it would greatly enhance my reputation if everyone knew I was actually scoring with Stella, even if it was under the covers. I had no reason to stop Jeremy from telling the world about it, especially since the world would know I was making him the little cuckold that he is."

"Yes, that's a point." said Phyllis, with a knowing look at the handsome young man. "So the director Ken, he went after Jeremy?"

"Yeah, but he was back within half a minute, saying Jeremy was nowhere to be seen." Carl replied. "Stella and I were still getting dressed when he came back in, then she ran out after Jeremy."

"What happened then?" asked Tanya.

"We got out of there." Carl said. "We decided to go meet Pam and Adam at the Tavern, which is off-campus. Ken said he was going to stop by his dorm room first, so Stella and I met up with Pam and Adam, had some supper, then went back home."

"Did Stella go home with you, or you with her?" asked Phyllis.

"No, Pam and Stella went to their dorm, so I went back to Town and hooked up with that blonde babe you were looking at in my room." Carl said. "I fucked her all night."

"Detective, do you have any more questions?" asked Tanya. Phyllis shook her head, no. "Okay, Carl, you're required to stay in this County as a material witness to the assault crime against Jeremy. If you try to leave, you'll be arrested and possibly held without bail. Let us or the Campus Police know if you do go anywhere."

"Sure." said Carl. "Since I'm grounded, can I take you ladies out for a cup of coffee? Get to know you on much better terms than this?"

"I think we're going to have to take a raincheck on that." said Phyllis. "Keep in touch, Carl, and I mean that in a professional way..."

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

"Oh my goodness." said Chief Sean Moynahan, sitting in his chair behind his desk. Sitting on the other side of the desk was me, Your Iron Crowbar.

"So let me see if I get this straight." said the Chief, looking at the file folder in front of him. "You'll let Eddy and Callie go to this party, and if there is gambling there, the TCPD will come in and raid the place. And if there is no gambling there, they'll get out of there, and you'll stand down."

"Yes sir." I said.

"And then there's the 'in between'... if people are there, and they just kill these two when they walk in the door..." said the Chief.

"It's always a possibility, Chief." I said. "But to prevent that, Paulina will get us a warrant from Judge Watts if we ask for it. Last night's party was sufficient 'probable cause'. We're going to case the hell out of the joint with the technology we have before letting them go in. All they have to do is walk in the door, see a setup, then they run out and behind our lines, and we go in and fuck up the operation------ sir?" I noticed that Chief Moynahan was peering hard at me.

"Commander, you are an outstanding leader." said the Chief. "You don't put it on your subordinates, you don't throw them under the bus. You stand in front, you take the lead. And that's good. So tell me honestly, Don... this isn't your idea, is it?"

I smiled wryly, and nodded. "I admit that I was... 'persuaded' to consider going through with it, Chief. But I would not be here in front of you if I was not willing to do it... and to take the consequences for whatever happens."

"I'm nowhere near your level as a Detective." said Moynahan. "But I didn't get to be a Midtown Police Captain, and now Chief here, without being able to see a few things. This is Lieutenant Croyle's idea. She's already planned it down to the SWAT Team in the tunnels below the streets, and she intends to lead the raid personally, is that not right?"

"I have considered benching her, and putting Sergeant Charles in charge of the SWAT ops." I said. "And then Captain Ross will get some practice for next year's Police Boxing Matches, as well as revenge for being drugged and not allowed to take out Westboro... because Teresa will be as mad as a Hornet." I might have left off the 'Green' part of that Hornet title...

"And once we're through this..." said the Chief, "... who do you recommend to evaluate Lt. Croyle to see if she is able to continue in her position?"

If I had not known this question was coming, I would've been shocked. And the Chief was right. But I knew the question was coming, and I had the answer.

"Sir," I said, "She's going to get talked to. And by possibly the only person who can give her that talk. I'll just ask you to trust me on that one."

"You've earned that trust." Moynahan said. "But don't ever abuse it with me." He picked up his pen and signed the document to authorize the operation. "Okay, I'll have your back on this. Good luck, Mr. Crowbar."

"Thank you, sir." I collected the file folder and hastened out of the room. I had several phone calls to make.

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

The Director, Ken, was sitting at the table in Campus Police Headquarters. Lt. Perlman, Detective Troy, and Lt. Bill Hanson were in the Interrogation Room with him. On the other side was the Court-appointed lawyer, Dexter Epstein.

Ken had tried to make himself hard to find. He was not in his dorm on Campus, he was not at the Theater Building, and he was not answering his cellphone. Phyllis had had Tanya make one call to FBI Special Agent In Charge Jack Muscone, to get the FBI's help finding Jeremy's phone. Then Phyllis had called Professor Sonnmore of the Theater Department, letting him know that finding Ken was very important.