The Porno Set Mystery Ch. 03

"She has a crowbar." I replied. "And there's a reason for that."

"I try, Jack, but I'll never be a Troy." Cindy replied. "Don, you did say there were four points?"

"Oh yes," I said, "and the third point ties into the second: why the legal beagles were working so hard for these perps. I think they were hired and paid exceptionally well behind-the-scenes to help these people. Maybe they hoped to have any possible case break down so that it would all go away, and Superior Bloodlines and the West financiers would be protected. In any case, that legal beagle was working wayyyyy too hard to just be wanting to help against the Police."

"And the fourth item," I said, "is something for us local cops on the beat to glance into. Betsy said that Sharples was West's contact for renting the building for illicit purposes, that he was the one West rented from. However, the building belongs to another name familiar to us... Thomas P. Cook, of the Town & County Council, and from whom the Police Force bought the First Precinct building. There's much to infer from these facts, n'est pas?"

"Wow, yes." Cindy said. "Maybe the lawyer was working hard on Thomas Cook's behalf?"

"Could well be." I said. "And what else?"

"Sharples is working for Cook?" Cindy continued.

"Possibly. Even likely." I said agreeably. "And what else?"

"I..." Cindy said, thinking about it. "I guess I'm not seeing it."

"The Eightfold Fence." I said, referring to the ancient Japanese poem, but I knew Cindy would get it.

"Ohhhhh." she said, getting it. "Mr. Cook was one of the eight people in the room."

"Uhhh... do I get clued in on this?" asked Jack Muscone, not understanding.

I said "Cook was one of the people in the room when I talked about putting in the servers at Precinct Two... which led to that night that the Corrigan Boys were going to visit to wipe me out, except that Taichi-sama got in their way..."

"Ah, I see." said Jack. "So maybe this Thomas P. Cook bears watching?"

"Indeed, Agent Lestrade, indeed." Cindy said. That got both of us a 'look' from Jack's small but penetrating eyes.

"She said it, not me." I said, but both Cindy and I were chuckling. Jack just finished the rest of his delicious double cheeseburger.

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

The final Town & County Council meeting of the year was wrapping up on the evening of Tuesday, December 30th. As Councilman Thomas P. Cook gathered his papers and put on his coat, he was approached by Councilman Reginald B.F. Lewis, who was black and representing the primarily black district of the Town.

"Nice deal you got for that building for the First Precinct, Thomas." Lewis said.

"Yes, it was." said Cook. "Of course, you're the one who drove precincts into happening, Reginald, especially the Second Precinct for your district. That's going to bring a lot of plums your way."

"True, true." said Lewis. "I have to admit, I didn't think the Police Commander would be so... receptive to precincts, but he went along with it, and he's even making a good faith effort to work with my people on police-related matters."

"Yes, but be very careful about that." said Cook. "The Iron Crowbar has a reputation of seeing much farther than most people. Griswold was a dumb fuck, he couldn't handle what was going on in this County, and what's really going on in this County now. But the Iron Crowbar? He scares me, Reginald. He really does have me looking over my shoulder."

"And well you should be." Reginald Lewis said, then dropped his voice. "And that's what I want to mention to you, just between us... be very, very careful about that fat cop Sharples doing that side work for you. The Iron Crowbar is watching him, and worse, Sharples is really hated among my people. He's made some deals with my people, took money, then turned around and arrested them. And not like a sting operation, either; Sharples is pocketing the money and denying he was given anything.

Lewis dropped his voice even more as he continued: "He's playing both ends, and he's going to pay for that one day. I can't hold my people back if they get pissed off enough, even if Sharples *is* a cop and it would bring down the wrath of the Crowbar."

"So why are you telling me this, Reginald?" Cook asked.

"Just to let you know, Thomas." said Lewis. "Sharples is dirty, but he's stupid, too. Don't let him cause you problems. I'd even go so far to suggest, friend to friend, that you disassociate from him completely."

"I appreciate you mentioning that to me." said Cook. "I'm already taking steps to do that, too. You're right that Sharples is no help, and could actually cause my operations trouble." He then said more loudly as others approached them "But enough of that, Reginald. Let's head on out with everyone else."

As they joined the other Council Members in exiting the building, Lewis said to Cook "Have a great New Year, Thomas! It's going to be a big year in this County, a big year!"

"You got that right, Reginald!" said Thomas P. Cook. "A big year, indeed!" Yes indeed, he thought to himself, a year like nobody would believe if I told them now...

Finis... for now.