The Murdered Football Player Ch. 03

"So I apologize to each and every one of you for my mistake, and for you having to endure the consequences of that mistake. I also owe the parents of Jefferson Jackson an apology for allowing the investigation of their son's death to be run so poorly, and I want you, Captain Malone, to convey that apology to them on my behalf." Malone nodded.

"Folks, I cannot undo the damage and take back jurisdiction from the SBI. But I can release you from the moratoriums of not working on the case. Provided that you not interfere with the SBI's investigation, and provided that you share any information you find with your superior officers and with me, which will be shared with the SBI in as timely a manner as possible, you may now investigate leads pertaining to the Jackson case. Okay, that's all, I know you have work to finish up, and the Iron Crowbar and I must now endure the wrath of that news report you just saw tonight."

"Everyone, stay here." I said as Griswold and Malone left the room. Once they were gone, I addressed the group, as was my duty.

"Ladies and gentlemen," I said, "when I was in the Army, there was an old adage that a general never publicly apologizes for a mistake. What Chief Griswold did tonight to openly admit a mistake and apologize for it was not only an act of courage on his part, but it shows how much he has our backs. Every decision he makes, and there are many big ones, are with you in mind. He isn't perfect, none of us are, but he is behind us all the way, no matter what appearances are. And he just showed you how much he respects each and every one of you by apologizing to you the way he just did. I hope you understand what it took for him to do that, and he did it because he respects you."

"I'll just finish up with this: I don't know how long we will have Chief Griswold with us, he's nearing a well-deserved retirement. I am afraid that some of you will not realize just how lucky we are to have that man as our chief until he has retired and is no longer working with us. Please bear that in mind tonight and every day as you continue your duties in the incredibly wonderful and professional manner that you always do. MCD, you're dismissed. Vice, check with Captain Malone before bugging out."

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"So why do you think they sent me along with you on this ride?" Angela Harlan asked as Steven Ikea drove down the main highway towards County Road 2, just trying to start a conversation on what had been a silent ride to this point.

"I don't know." Ikea said, "but I just follow the Captain's orders. Why do you think they did?"

"Because I'm the football coach's cousin." Angela said. Ikea nodded; he had not thought of that, though it was obvious to Angela from the moment she was assigned the case.

"How does that make you feel?" Ikea asked. He was realizing he might have an inroad into 'turning' Detective Harlan to his side. He'd love to get her in Vice and that weirdo Sergeant Sharples out of Vice.

"It's understandable." Angela said. "I've been here less than a month and my cousin is the head football coach."

"Yeah, but if they hired you, they should trust you." Ikea said. "If they don't, then maybe you should come over to Vice, we're a rock-solid group."

"Oh really?" Angela said. That had not been what she had observed. "What kind of guy is Captain Malone?"

"He's good, damn good." Ikea said. "And he trusts, trains, and takes care of his people, too. He always has my back."

"What about you, Steven?" Angela asked, deciding to probe Ikea hard, "You haven't been promoted yet, and Don was promoted ahead of you."

"I can't help it if Loo-tenant Don is the Chief's favorite." Ikea said. "Captain Malone is working on getting me my rightful promotion. It won't be long before God's Justice is meted out to those who have been given more than they deserve, and those of us that deserve better receive His blessings."

"I'll tell you this, Harlan." Ikea said. "I've heard you were a good Detective in Texas, and I think you could have a real future with us. But next year, it gets dicey. There's going to be a Sheriff election as well as the Town & County Council up for re-elections. I'm hearing that some of them want Loo-tenant Don to run against Captain Malone. If Malone wins, you could go a long way with us. If Don wins, then you'll be sitting at the same desk for a long, long time."

"I'll make a bet with you, Steven: that Don won't run. Whaddya say?"

"Betting is a sin." Ikea said. "But you might be right, I don't insist upon it. Just keep in mind that you want to get on the right side of things now, before all the fun begins. Wait until too late, and if you're on the wrong side, it'll be ugly."

"I'll keep that in mind." Angela said, as Ikea turned onto County Road 2.

"By the way, are you close with your cousin, the football coach?" Ikea asked.

"We get along. Why?" Angela asked.

"I'm sure he's a good man." Ikea said. "But some SBI agents that are my friends have told me privately that while they think your cousin is a good man, at least one of his coaches may be giving some players drugs. You might want to let your cousin know and to keep his eyes peeled."

"Any idea who the bad coach is?" Harlan asked.

"The strength and conditioning coach. Marshall." Ikea said. "Keep this under your hat, as a measure of our mutual trust, that a warrant will be coming out for a search for PEDs soon."

"Thanks for the info." Angela said. "Here's where the body was found, you can see the police tape."

Ikea stopped the car. There was no one around. Getting out of the car, they looked around for fresh tire prints or footprints. The two uniformed officers that had been following them also looked around, finding nothing.

"Red herring." Angela said.

"Looks like a false report, anyway." said Ikea. "I don't think Captain Malone would send me on a wild goose chase." Angela said nothing.

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Part 17 - Standing Ground

Going into University President Wellman's home with our wives, Chief Griswold and I were dressed in our "duty dress" uniforms; navy blue pants with piping down the side, the Chief's yellow and mine light blue, white shirts and black ties, and navy blue uniform jackets with our badges over the left breast above the pocket and the metal-outlined ribbons of the Medals of Valor and Purple Orders, upon which we'd both been bestowed, over our nameplates.

The reception consisted of the Wellmans as hosts, myself, my wife Laura, Chief Griswold and his wife, Commissioner Robinson and Cpt. Britt Maxwell, Mr. and Mrs. Henry R. Wargrave, Mayor Larry Vaughn and his wife, and, to the surprise of most, Lieutenant Daniel Allgood and his lovely girlfriend Melina.

Commissioner Robinson was a widower, so it was natural that he and the unattached Britt Maxwell attend together. They both wore their Campus Police uniforms, having been forewarned by Laura. Daniel Allgood also wore his "duty dress" uniform.

No one from the SBI was present; Deputy Director Conlan had sent his regrets. No one present had any problem with that.

After some minutes of small talk, Sally Wellman took the wives into another room, where they would flutter like parakeets about something or other until our business was done. The rest of us went into what was called the library. I'd been in this room before with politicos breathing down my neck, and was prepared for this evening as well.

"You know, Henry," Dr. Wellman said, "I feel improperly dressed around all these police uniforms. We need to design suits of our own to match them."

"Yes, Dr. Wellman, but they've earned those uniforms... and the medals on them." Henry Wargrave said. I knew there was an underlying message in that praise, but didn't care to parse it with Mr. Wargrave now; he was too dangerous a man to fuck with, and his intent would become clear in time.

No one quite knew why Daniel Allgood was there as I made the point of introducing him to those who didn't know him. I waxed poetic on his story with the Midtown Police, of refusing bribes and evading assassination attempts, leading to high-level medals, accolades and ultimately the I.A. job with us and his subsequent promotion. Daniel blushed as he accepted the praise of the University representatives Wellman and Wargrave... he wasn't sure why he was here, either.

"It's my job to keep an eye on this guy." he said, meaning me. "Fortunately, it's not too hard of a job."

"Just keep him intact." Mr. Wargrave said. "He keeps getting in front of speeding bullets, and he is not faster than them." Hmm, another little message for me?

We sat down in a circle of chairs that had been placed for us, President Wellman at the left from the view of the door. To my surprise, I was asked to sit to his immediate right while Henry Wargrave sat to his left. The Chief was next to me, followed by Britt Maxwell, Commissioner Robinson and finally Daniel Allgood.

"Gentlemen," Dr. Wellman said, "I appreciate you coming tonight. I was hoping that Mr. Conlan would also be here, so that we could work out ways for the SBI and the local police departments to work better together. The Media has had a field day, an absolute orgy over these reports of the differing lab results. While I understand your desire not to be made fools of, Chief, Commissioner, we just cannot have that kind of issue in public. It undermines the trust of the people in the SBI as well as all of you."

"It also causes the University's alumni and friends to become very agitated." said Henry Wargrave. "They are deeply concerned that unwanted attention could be detrimental to the University. We all regret and mourn young Jeff Jackson's death, but rumors that it is something that it's really not are harmful and cannot be easily dispelled. I'm sure you understand, Don?"

That was my opening, it was my turn now. And I did what I needed to do.

"Mr. President," I said, addressing Dr. Wellman more directly than just to the group. "I want you to know that I have come to love this Town and County since coming here a year ago. In addition, I have no desire to see any harm come to the University nor its athletic programs. I am extremely fortunate to be married to one of the School's most celebrated professors, and I also understand the importance and value of the University and its athletic programs to the Town and County." Wellman nodded.

I continued. "Having said that... last Sunday I had to speak with a woman who drove through the night to get here and whose eyes were red from crying because her 20-year-old son was found dead and dumped in a ditch. The University and its football program will continue on no matter what, but Jeff Jackson's life will not continue. It is my job and my duty to seek justice for Jeff Jackson, and to be able to tell his grieving parents what happened to end their son's life. It does not matter to me what else happens, I will not back down from the pursuit of the Truth."

President Wellman stood up and offered his hand. I stood up and shook it. "I agree with you, young man, and you have my total support on that, no matter what the results may be."

Henry Wargrave also stood up and shook my hand, but I knew that Dr. Wellman's gesture and words and been sincere, but Wargrave's were much less so.

After some more talk about how to deal with the Media, the reception began to disperse. As we were in the hallway waiting for our wives, Commissioner Robinson surprised me by coming alongside me and putting his arm around me.

"Son," he said quietly, "what you did in there was the best thing in the world, and not because of this case, but for the future. You just may have saved this Town and County from years of corruption going forward. You are the man to fight this battle, and now everyone is totally sure of it."

"Thank you, Commissioner." I said, knowing that Dexter Robinson's vision had been as far as mine.

Part 18 - Taking Sides

The evening was not over. Back at Headquarters the Chief convened a meeting in the main conference room that consisted of Cindy Ross, Martin Nash, Tanya Perlman, Britt Maxwell, and myself. Pizzas had been brought in, courtesy of the Chief, and eagerly consumed.

"I just have two things tonight." said the Chief. "First of all, there is no doubt in my mind that the SBI is going to retaliate for what happened today. When SBI DD Conlan doesn't even bother to show up to a reception given by the University President... well, you don't need the Iron Crowbar to know something is going to go down."

"Second, and speaking of the Iron Crowbar, Don, I want you to give this trusted group whatever info you have and whatever you're theorizing, whether or not we yet have facts to back the theories up."

"Martin," I asked, "did you and the I.T. techs get those cameras installed?"

"Yes sir." said Detective Nash. "They're transmitting data to Myron right now."

"Fantastic." I said. "First, everyone, Martin and I have already taken steps for what I think the SBI's retaliation will be. If they do what I expect, then I am going to snare them in a trap and then I will hang them by their balls. So don't worry or panic about anything you hear happening tomorrow."

"Second, this is what I believe happened timeline-wise, based upon scraps of discussions, with little evidence to back it up, but here goes: On Friday night, Jefferson Jackson was one of about a dozen or more football players to attend a secret party with University alumni at the Lake Ocheekobee Country Club in Coltrane County. This is the kind of party where money changes hands, and where the wives of the alumni give sex to the players. This happens at every major university in the Nation, and it is what it is. However, last Friday night while at this party, Jeff Jackson was having sex with a woman and something happened, and Jeff Jackson died.

"It may have been just a heart attack, though I have some reason to believe foul play." I continued. "At any rate, the alumni there panicked. They got the players on the buses that brought them and sent them on their way, then sent the club's waiters home. After that, some of the alumni took Jackson's body and clothes and dumped them in the ditch in Coltrane County. Then, some time after that, someone else came along and moved the body into our County. That move was observed by Mr. Colburn, who called the police and we found the body. Meanwhile, the Coltrane County Sheriff was called in to find the body, only to find it had been moved... and out of his jurisdiction.

"This created a dilemma for those alumni. I believe they called in someone who attempted to clean up the problem, someone who's thugs ended up murdering the Coltrane County Sheriff to get Jackson's clothes. This 'Mr. Cleanup' also had to get us off the case, and to that end worked with alumni and University officials and politicians to have the case taken over by the SBI.

"In their zeal to get this case cleaned up, the elements of the SBI assigned to make this problem go away probably didn't even bother to run the samples we sent them, but just declared nothing was found. However, that caused a backlash when our lab results and the University's results came up positive for prescription drugs and alcohol. And now, by not simply dealing with the evidence and the facts, these guys have even bigger problems on their hands."

"I have discovered that my psychopath nephew Ned has been seen on the University campus in the last couple of days, and I've put out an APB to be on the lookout for him. I don't know for sure if he is involved in Jackson's death, but he was attempting to conduct a blackmailing operation over the death, an attempt which was rebuffed. That tells me that Ned is not only still in this area, but that he needs money. Hopefully these facts will guide us to finding out where he is... and bringing him to Justice."

No one in the room misunderstood what I meant by bringing Ned 'Justice'... and that it did not mean simply arresting him.

"As to getting proof for any of this, that is what I intend to work on tomorrow morning, along with making sure the SBI doesn't try to save their own useless reputations by destroying the reputations of innocent persons. Chief?"




"All right, folks, no questions." said the Chief. "Be here tomorrow morning ready to kick some ass tomorrow. We'll be playing it by ear, and I'd rather you be doing that after getting some sleep."

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It was well after midnight when I trudged back to The Cabin. Laura was still awake, wearing a hot peach teddy and reading a book in bed by lamplight. As I began to undress, I went over to the crib and looked at Carole, who was sleeping peacefully. Once again, I thanked God and the Universe that her mother and I had conceived such a wondrous and wonderful little being.

Laura was watching me as I admired my daughter and then turned to her.

"Hi Beautiful. You waited up?" I asked.

"Yes." she replied. "I thought we might talk for a few minutes... and that you might need a release after such a hard day."

"I certainly could." I said, stripping naked, letting Laura watch me. She lay back and spread her legs as I approached the bed. Easing onto it, I mounted my beautiful wife, leaving her teddy on. I began dryhumping her as we shared kisses, sliding my hardening cock up and down her wet slit.

"Mmmm, that feels good." she said. As I gently pistoned my cock back and forth, letting the shaft slide along her slit, wetting my cock down as it grew longer, thicker and harder, she asked, "What I wanted to know was, why did you ask me to have Daniel and Melina invited to Wellman's reception?"

I slid my hands under Laura's shoulders as I settled into a smooth rhythm of dryfucking, enjoying the feeling of her labes sliding along her slit but not penetrating her. This teasing kind of sex really made my wife hot and I enjoyed doing it to her. I kissed her mouth deeply, then nuzzled her neck.

"Oh yeah," I whispered into her ear as I nuzzled her neck. "First, I wanted Melina to meet some of the ladies. I'm sure you enjoyed introducing her."

"Oh yes, I did." Laura replied as I felt her hands sliding through the hair on the back of my head. We kissed again as I dryhumped her harder, feeling her legs spread a little bit more then wrap around me.

"I also wanted Daniel to get used to these receptions." I said. "He's going to be moving up with us over time, and I want them to get to know him."

"Oh, is that all?" Laura said, knowing there was more. We continued to make out, the heat of our shared kisses as I continued dryhumping her making me rabid with lust. My desire to penetrate my wife was intense, but I resisted as I continued to talk.

"No." I said. "I also wanted Daniel to hear my little speech to Wellman and Wargrave. Allgood now knows where I stand on things and that I'm willing to stand up to even the Big Boys. He's going to need to know that, especially when he has to take sides in the coming year."

"What do you mean?" Laura asked, pushing her loins up to meet my strokes as I dryhumped her even harder. She knew what I meant, but wanted me to say it.

"Daniel is a good guy and I think he's an honest cop, but he's been friendly with Malone and Ikea, too." I said. "But playing neutral or in the middle won't cut it, and if he knows where I am on things, I'm hoping he'll work with us and see the other side for what it is. Ummm, that's good..."

"Ohhhhh!" Laura gasped as I slid my cockhead down and sank it balls-deep into her soaking wet cunt. I stroked in and out of her several times until she told me to pull out.

"Turn over onto your back and let me suck you off." she said. "I'm not yet ready to have you start coming inside me."

I rolled off of Laura onto my back on my side of the bed. Laura turned and bent over and slid her mouth down my cock. I groaned as she began sucking me hard and deep, using her hand to pump the base of my shaft. It did not take very long before I erupted.