The Other World Ch. 02

"So entered." said Folsom. The Bailiff gave the Court Reporter the copy of the medical report.

Paulina led me through having the dog brought in to trace Marie's path, which led back to the home.

"And why did you make the decision to enter the home?" Paulina asked.

"I feared that there might be other minor children in the home who were in danger." I said. "I also looked through the windows of the front door and saw the parents using drugs."

"And once inside, you saw from photographs that it was indeed where Marie lived?"

"Yes." I said.

"And what else did you find there?" Paulina said.

"Marie's parents, under the influence of drugs, and other drugs and paraphernalia at the scene." I said.

But then H.J. Lynch got his shot. And he relished every moment as he made the most of it.

"So, Commander," he said, "you made no effort to obtain a warrant to enter the home?"

"Not at that time." I replied.

"What evidence did you have, or observe, that suggested there was another child at the home?"

"Nothing specific, but I considered that it was possible, having found one child already."

"But before entering the home, you had nothing that positively showed another child at the location?"

"No." I said. "But I had to consider the possibility."

"And when you did break into the home and enter it, did you find another child?"

"No." I said.

"Did you find any evidence of children other than the one your dog found in the ditch?"

"No." I said.

"When you looked through the door window and saw the defendant and her husband, were you on the front porch?"

"Yes." I said.

"No more questions." said Lynch. He moved back to the table. "Your Honor, I move that all evidence found in this illegal search be excluded, and that all charges be dropped, based upon this Police Officer's illegal, warrantless search of the defendant's home. I also ask that the defendant's daughter be returned to her."

"I strongly object, Your Honor." said Paulina.

"I'll tell you right now," said Folsom, "that she is not getting that child back. Your client is lucky she's not facing manslaughter charges right now. As to the drug evidence and related charges, I'll have a decision in an hour."

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

An hour and fifteen minutes later, Paulina and I were sitting in Judge Folsom's Chambers. Also there was Judge Rodney K. Watts.

"I didn't have much choice in the ruling, Commander." said Folsom. "I consulted with Judge Watts, and he agreed."

"Yes, it's pretty clear." said Watts, who was normally very law-and-order and friendly to Police. "There was a gun rights case some years back, which established that the front porch is part of the home and not the front yard. That was good for gun-rights advocates, but it bit you in this case. Because you did not observe the drug use from outside the home but on the porch, your observation was considered to be from inside the home, and therefore technically happened after you entered the home."

Folsom said "The child neglect charges were upheld, there's absolutely no doubt about that. And Jeremy Saint's confession that he put the girl out on the back porch will hold up, I think. But when you entered the home on the grounds of another child being in danger... which was pretty thin as it was... that wasn't enough to establish probable cause for the drugs themselves. As you know, warrants are specific; even if you'd had one, the drug charges would be in some danger of being thrown out. Without a warrant... it is better just to stop here than try to push this through to the trial stage."

I nodded. "I understand, Your Honor."

"The good news is that you can't be sued." said Watts. "The child neglect will hold up, so you did not violate their rights in that regard. But it was a case of damned-if-you-do, damned-if-you-don't."

Part 8 - Information and Plans

"This is Bettina Wurtzburg, KXTC Channel Two News!" shouted the redheaded reporterette at 7:00am, Thursday, March 2d, from in front of the Courthouse complex on the east end of Courthouse Square. "Channel Two News has learned that all drug charges have been dropped against Jerry and Linda Saint!"

"In yet another disastrous setback for Police Commander Donald Troy, Judge Patrick R. Folsom ruled that he and his Police Force collected the drug evidence without a proper warrant, and must be excluded. The drug charges against the Saints have been dismissed."

"That fucking bitch." Cindy whispered as we drank coffee in MCD.

"Let's listen to this." I said.

"And in other news," Bettina continued, "the FBI continues to search for Asylum escapee Leonard Lotz. There have been no sightings of Lotz since he escape, but the FBI warns that he may be in the area, and that he is a very dangerous man. Roll tape."

The tape showed Bettina interviewing Les Craig of the FBI. "Lotz is a very dangerous man." he said. "And he may be in this area. We ask that anyone seeing him call the FBI immediately." A photo of Lotz was displayed as Bettina gave the FBI's phone number.

"But not 9-1-1." Cindy astutely observed.

"And in State news," said Bettina, "Governor Val Jared threatened to veto the Budget bill if it did not include significant resources to track down and arrest Illegal Aliens in the State so they can be turned over to the Federal Government for deportation. The Democrats are fighting the Governor, saying that Immigration is a Federal enforcement issue, and that Illegal Immigrants have a right to stay here once they are here, and should even be given the right to vote. And even the Republicans are opposed to the Governor's harsh rhetoric towards immigrants, saying that the Party must reach out to minorities and work with them."

"Don't look at me." I said as Cindy looked at me. "I've done my part to help those idiots in the Legislature."

"Sir," said Joanne Warner. "That's not right, what Bettina said about the Saints and about you. She didn't mention that the child endangerment charges remain. She made it sound like you screwed up and let them go free."

"Yes, she definitely tried to give the worst impression of me." I said. "Looks like she wants Priya to get the exclusive interview with Bowser." There was some muted chuckling at that.

"I don't know what is up with her," Cindy said, "but I'm getting really sick and tired of it. Maybe KXTC needs to be excluded from the Press Room?"

"Hell, I'd exclude every last member of the Press from the Press Room if I could." I said. "But yeah, Bettina is really getting hostile."

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

At lunchtime I was surprised to see FBI Special Agent In Charge Jack Muscone come into my office.

"Hi Jack." I said. "I thought you guys weren't speaking to us anymore."

"If Les Craig had his way, we wouldn't be." said Muscone. "But he's not the boss of me, and I'll have lunch with my friends if I want to. How about you and Captain Ross meet me and Tanya at the Cop Bar for lunch?"

"Sounds like a plan."

"It sure does." said Cindy Ross, coming into the office behind us. She quickly and nimbly moved aside as Tanya drove in, her wheelchair being driven at high speed then stopping on a dime.

"Nice offices your Captains have." said Tanya. "Glad I don't have reason to be jealous of them."

"No, you absolutely don't." I said, not even going there with Tanya. "Okay, the double cheeseburgers await Mr. Muscone, who has lost too much weight by my observation."

"Oooh, but he's is such good shape." Tanya said with a wicked grin. "I think he could make it through two rounds of the Police Boxing Matches."

"It's going to be a tough competition." I said. "Many of my Officers are training hard for it."

"And it won't matter." said Cindy. "I'm on a mission."

"A mission from God." I said, making Jack and Tanya laugh at my Blues Brothers imitation. Cindy, however, was not amused...

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

"Mmm, how I have missed these!" exclaimed Jack as he enjoyed his double cheeseburger. We had the back room of the Cop Bar to ourselves. "By the way, I was sorry to hear about them dropping those drug charges against those worthless child abusers."

"Yeah, that was unfortunate." I said. "But what interested me is who came in to defend Jerry Saint... Nathan Masterson, of Gresham & Mason, P.C."

"Now that will interest my boss." said Jack. "He's been in Washington ever since you solved the George Aurus case. By the way, Cindy, you feeling okay? Those were some powerful sedatives they hit you with."

"I'm fine." said Cindy. "They delayed my Board of Inquiry on it, though. Not sure why."

"Maybe they just want the publicity to die down and go away." Tanya said. I nodded vigorously, but did not say anything.

"So, Jack," I said, "how are things going with you and your FBI team?"

"Better." said Jack. "Les Craig doesn't show up much when my boss isn't there; Craig knows I'll play 'Iron Crowbar' and fuck him up physically if he doesn't have protection. My team had a 'Come to Jesus' meeting about everything, as well. We're not sure what our futures are, but any issues of distrust have been worked out."

"Martin and Sandra?" Cindy asked.

"That was some of it, but they've handled their breakup pretty well." said Jack. "It was Lindy and Eduardo that had trust issues with Sandra after she, Sandra, began sleeping with Les Craig. I think that's all worked out, but I've heard rumors that Eduardo and his wife might transfer to Texas or California... where their Hispanic heritage, knowledge of the language, and their abilities in general are highly sought."

"And then you could hire Norm Chow to replace Eduardo on your team." I said, then nonchalantly took a bite of my double cheeseburger.

"Stop that." said Jack, who then added: "I need one of those anti-bugging devices that stops you from reading my mind." The women laughed.

"He'd be an asset to you." I said. "But I'm hoping he'll become an asset for the SBI that we can rebuild that organization around, along with a few others. So, Jack... why are you really here?"

Jack looked sideways at me, then said "You mentioned it already: Nathan Masterson. My boss wanted me to touch base with you on that, and in a quiet way that won't be noticed by Les Craig."

I nodded. "I understand completely."

"My boss also wanted me to talk to you about this drug business." said Muscone. "Kevin Greeley's main backer is Jerry Morelli, the Number Three man in Southport Organized Crime, after Jimmy Cerone and Orrin B. Taggart."

"Ah, so that's who it is." I said. "Are Jay Swenson and Ken Eidex the middlemen?"

"That's one thing we're trying to find out." said Muscone. "We're also looking to see if Morelli has ever been involved in White Supremacy, but so far we're not getting anything on that, nor has Morelli ever come onto our radar screens regarding racial issues."

"Anything new on Leonard Lotz?" I asked.

"You'll have to ask Les Craig." Jack said, his beady black eyes twinkling at the joke. "Seriously, Leonard Lotz has disappeared completely. The FBI is not getting any trace of him at all. We're even checking to make sure he didn't do a 'Ned' trick and hide as an employee in the Asylum or somewhere else. Craig thinks he might've gone to The Vision, but..." He stopped.

"But you've been watching that place and didn't see him come in." I finished. Yep, Cindy's face betrayed her anger.

"Y'all are watching my father's place?" she asked venomously.

"Not me, I'm not a part of that." said Muscone. "And your father knows they're watching; he toys with them from time to time. He's also destroyed two drones Craig had sent up to observe the grounds."

"I can't wait to see the warrant that was issued for this." Cindy replied.

"Cindy, Jack's not part of it." I said. "It's all Les Craig and Dana Fox."

"You know about this?" asked Cindy.

"And I told your father everything I knew." I said, looking more at Jack than at Cindy.

"Well then, Jack," Cindy said, no small amount of venom in her voice, "you can send your people a message: any warrantless surveillance on my father and The Vision compound had better stop... and had better stop by the time I get back to Police Headquarters."

"I'm not going to do a thing." said Jack. "Between us and the lamp-posts, it'd be better if you made a public scene about it, to embarrass the guys doing it."

That sort of hit Cindy, and she realized that Jack was on our side. She went back to eating her massive steak Caesar salad.

"To answer your question, Jack." I said, "No. I don't think Dr. Eckhart wants an over-sexed lech like Leonard Lotz around the young people he's working with, so I doubt Lotz is at The Vision."

"Well, he's nowhere else, either." said Muscone. "And I don't understand it, myself. To escape with no money, probably no clothes other than what he was wearing, and no one on the outside that we know of that he could contact... well, how can he have not been seen somewhere?"

"What about his sister?" I asked. "The one he mentioned in his interview with me."

"Craig's been trying to find her. Working his boys like dogs to find her." said Muscone. "But no trace of her. We're not even sure he really has a sister... he may have said that just to fuck with you, Don."

"Hmmm, could be." I said. After a pause, I said "This case is really growing on me."

"Which one?" asked Jack. I just turned and looked at him.

"They're all one case, Jack."

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

Within minutes of arriving back at my office, a platinum blonde tornado tore through the door.

"No public warrant to do surveillance on my father's property." said Cindy. "I made a direct inquiry to the FISA Court, also, and haven't heard back. But what the fuck is the FBI doing watching my father's place?"

"Here." I said, handing her the cellphone, upon which I'd been talking.

Cindy took the phone. "Oh, hello Father... yes... yes, I'm furious... no sir, I must respectfully disagree... no, it's about our Constitutional rights, they have no right to do this... yes, Father... okay. I love you, too. Bye."

Handing me back my phone, she said "I can understand him wanting to toy with them. But this is about right and wrong. And I don't want him ending up on a torture table like you did."

I nodded. "So is he going to shut them down now?"

"You may be getting a call soon, SBI Inspector Troy..." Cindy replied. I smiled; not at her implied message, but at the fact she may have persuaded her father to change his mind. That didn't happen often with P. Harvey Eckhart, founder and great leader of 'The Vision'.

And, for once, Cindy was understanding why our Constitutional rights superseded 'assumption of guilt'...

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

SBI Inspector Brittany M. Maxwell entered my office. She looked stunningly gorgeous in a gray jacket and skirt, black mock turtleneck sweater that strained to contain her breasts, sheer black stockings that strained to contain her marvelous legs, and high heel patent leather pumps. I felt my loins stir, as I always did when I saw Britt.

Cindy got off the sofa and gave her former roommate a very warm hug, which was returned. "You look great!" Cindy said.

"You too." Britt said. She turned to hug me as I came around from behind my desk. Yep, my little crowbar was definitely getting aroused as we warmly hugged.

"Congratulations on the promotion, 'Inspector' Troy." Britt said.

"Thank you, Inspector Maxwell." I said. "Have a seat on the sofa." Britt and Cindy sat down together and I brought up one of the hot chairs to talk to them. "So what brings you back to this corner of the State?" Britt had been part of the Campus Police before becoming SBI Inspector, but rarely visited this area after beginning her feud with my wife Laura.

"Several things." said Britt. "I've been leading the investigation of Leonard Lotz's escape from The Asylum. The FBI has been hammering me about it, and I've had to tell them to back off a couple of times."

"Les Craig?" I asked.

"Not much gets by you, Inspector Troy." Britt said with her beautiful smile.

"Not only that," I said, "I'll bet you've found out, but have not publicly revealed, that Leonard Lotz did not escape... he was let out." Both Cindy and Britt stared at me, their mouths gaping with shock.

"Are you kidding?" asked Cindy.

"How... how did you know?" Britt asked. "Yes, that's pretty much the conclusion that my team has drawn, but we're keeping it quiet because we don't know who actually helped him yet. But really, Don, how did you know?"

"It's been a nagging little thought in my head for a while." I said. "In his interview with me, he said he was good at prison breaks. I began realizing that he was hinting that he'd be getting out soon. George Aurus said he would kill Lotz if he saw him at The Asylum, and Lotz knew I was on Aurus's track."

"Then it's a matter of what we have not heard... any trace of Leonard Lotz." I continued. "Now if he'd escaped and had no help on the outside, he'd have been found again, and soon. Without money, food, shelter, or transportation, there's just no way this guy can stay free. Ergo, he had help from the moment he got out. And for that to happen, the timing of his leaving was known on the outside, but would have to be known on the inside, too."

"Flawlessly logical, Mr. Spock." Cindy said.

I made the Vulcan "V" sign with my right hand. "Live long and prosper, fellow Canadian." Leonard Nimoy was Canadian, a source of pride to our neighbors to the Great White North. Cindy smiled at that.

"Wow." Britt said. "Instead of spending days investigating, I should've just asked you."

"No, you did correctly. We need to know who helped Lotz. Also, I got the last pieces of the Lotz puzzle just today, at lunch." I said. "It -is- interesting, though. So what else is going on with the SBI?"

"The SBI Bill you got Molinari and Cerone to work out," said Britt, "is having a tremendous effect on the SBI. Agents know their jobs are now on the line, and are cleaning up their acts. We're getting some sporadic calls in, from lawyers representing anonymous Agents, wanting to snitch on other agents in exchange for immunity. But none of those involve Ferrell, Ikea, or Lewis, so I don't bother. Also, I've been working with Frank Soltis in Midtown, who worked with me before becoming MPD Police Chief, to help him clean out the corruption down there."

"Good." I said. "I might be glancing into that to help y'all out, as well."

"Like you don't have enough to do?" Cindy said with some sarcasm.

"Well, I've got a Captain of Detectives up here who is doing so well that I'd just be twiddling my thumbs if I didn't go looking for things to occupy my time." I replied. Britt punched Cindy on the shoulder to reinforce my compliment of her.

"So," Britt said, "what can you tell me about this drug shipment coming in?"

Cindy peered at Britt. "We're just getting our ducks in a row about that now. What do you know, and when did you know it?" I chuckled.

"There's something up with this guy Jerry Morelli." Britt said. "He's on my radar screen because we believe Morelli paid Dick Ferrell bribes to look the other way while Morelli smuggled drugs for 'Coffin' Cerone and then for Orrin Taggart. FBI Special Agent Les Craig never could get much on Morelli, and contacted me with the idea that Ferrell was running interference for Morelli."

"Don," Cindy said, "you think that's for real? Or is Craig putting that out as an excuse for his own failure?"

"Or Craig is on the take, too." I added. "But I am curious that Morelli's name is coming up so prominently and frequently, and that everyone and their SBI sister knows about this drug shipment. If I ever go into crime, and may God have mercy on all of you if I do, I would have long since shut this one down so I could live to ship drugs another day."