The Wolf and The Moon Ch. 01

"That's right, Bettina!" said the portly reporter, with the University President's Home in his background. "Channel Two News has learned that State Attorney General Gil Krasney has taken the side of University President Jerry Moore in his lawsuit against State Medical College President Laura Fredricson, and that A.G. Krasney will bring the full power of the State Department of Justice to the Courtroom on behalf of Dr. Moore."

Stellum: "The law creating the State Medical College gives University Hospital and its lands to the State Medical College, and also authorizes funds for the new School to acquire lands by eminent domain. However, Dr. Moore is challenging much of the claims of Dr. Fredricson, saying she's claiming University property that is not Hospital property."

Stellum: "He also is suing to regain ownership of Dr. Fredricson's home, which was part of a subdivision of housing created for University professors. Dr. Moore claims the University has the right to retake ownership, while Dr. Fredricson says the property is hers, and that the School has no rights of ownership, but only the right of first refusal should she put it up for sale... which she says she is not doing."

Stellum: "The upcoming hearing will be in the Courtroom of Senior Superior Court Judge Patrick R. Folsom, and could take place as early as next week. Asked for comment, State AG Krasney and University President Moore both have expressed confidence of total victory over Dr. Fredricson in Court. Dr. Fredricson has not responded to repeated requests by KXTC Channel Two News for comment. Back to you, Bettina!"

"Thank you, Pat." Bettina said quietly, almost sullenly, as the feed returned to her. "We are now joined by Karl Frazier of Public Policy Polling, who is a KXTC Channel Two News contributor. Karl, how are these primary races shaping up?"

The camera panned out to Karl Frazier, who was sitting behind the anchor desk with Bettina. He said "Bettina, that Teacher's Union endorsement is expected to really help Cori Bowman against Edna Carter, but it's too early to be reflected in our polling numbers, which still show a very tight race."

Bettina: "What about the 'Republican Dream Team' of Ryan Paulson, Ted Mason, and Louis Bailey, who are primarying incumbents Daniel Allgood, Miriam Walters, and Sheriff Griswold?"

Frazier: "Well, Bettina, their desires to be seen as a 'team' are not working out, at least as far as our polling shows. Ted Mason has a narrow lead over Miriam Walters, 46-44 percent with 10% undecided. However, Mayor Allgood has a narrow but persistent lead over Assemblyman Paulson for the Mayor nomination. And despite Louis Bailey attempting to get crossover votes, especially from Black voters, Sheriff Griswold is solidly ahead, 67-30 percent, with only a handful of undecideds."

Bettina: "What about the important Democrat nomination for the Solicitor's race?"

Frazier: "Bettina, attorney Alvin Whitner, who has the National and State Democrat party endorsements, and who is very well-financed, has a massive lead over former City Attorney Dennis Garland, 75-20 percent."

Bettina: "And to add to that, Karl, Channel Two News has learned that Dennis Garland, who was fired as City Attorney by the Town & County Council, may drop out of the primary race rather than continue for the next couple of weeks. Channel Two News will bring you any new developments as soon as we hear of them..."

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

"Only Bettina would try to make a case crossing State lines being taken over by the Feds into a negative on us, and especially you, Don." said Deputy Chief Tanya Perlman Muscone as she, Command Deputy Sheriff Cindy Ross, Lt. Commander Teresa Croyle, Sheriff Griswold, Commander Troy (me), ADA Paulina Patterson, and Chief Moynahan drank coffee and watched the Bettina propaganda-cast in the Chief's Conference Room.

I replied "Yeah, it was a cheap shot, but what really bothered me was how Amber added in that crap about Marquis Swift, trying to connect him to the Luna-Huntington murders... which KXTC only called 'deaths', I might add. I have yet to see or be shown that connection."

Paulina said "I also am noticing how KXTC gives the criminals titles like 'Mr.' or 'Ms.', but will only call good guys and political Conservatives by their last names. Whose side are they on?"

"Gil Krasney's." said Cindy with considerable asperity in her voice. She still hated Krasney from his days as Town & County District Attorney, and his treatment of Cindy's ex-fiancée Jenna Stiles. (Author's note: 'Hampered In His Plans'; 'Six Degrees'.)

"How's Laura holding up, Crowbar?" growled Sheriff Griswold.

I replied: "I think she loves the grinding, fast pace and the controlled chaos of starting up the State Medical College. But trying to start it up to have classes this Fall may have been a wee tad ambitious of her. Additionally, she's finishing her semester with her Psychology grad students and her undergrad class, and all that while that asshat Jerry Moore is making things as hard for her as possible. And now Gil Krasney is piling on."

"Is anything grabbing anyone's attention in the polling, and the races?" asked Cindy... who claims to be the political atheist in the room, I thought to myself. Yeah, right...

Paulina said "KXTC is getting solidly behind George-Schwartz-backed Alvin Whitner for the Solicitor post. But is Dennis Garland really going to drop out of the race before May 3rd?"

Sheriff Griswold said "Keep this in the room and under your Tilley Hats, people." He paused and took a sip of his coffee, then said "Garland is under tremendous pressure from the State Democrats and the Federal DNC to drop out now. I heard that they've offered to pay off his campaign debts -and- promised him a job if he gets out now and endorses Whitner. But he's nowhere near that radical, and he doesn't want to do it."

I said "Are they offering to pay off his Package Store bill?" That caused Our Sheriff to whirl around and face me.

"That is not funny, Crowbar." Griswold growled, rebuking me severely with his words, but even more with the tone of his voice.

"Yes sir." I said contritely, taking my medicine. "My apologies."

"But as usual, you're right, Crowbar." said the Sheriff. "Garland has fallen off the wagon again. And the Press are right there like hyenas, ready to tear into his carcass if he doesn't quit the race."

Tanya asked "Will the Union endorsement really help Cori Bowman against Edna Carter?"

Sheriff Griswold said "Not as much as you might think. Parents of -all- ethnicities are getting tired of the Union hampering their children's education... especially when they're told the schools and the Unions know better than the parents do."

"I have a question." Tanya said. "Why is Father Romano taking vacation this week?" That caused Teresa to whirl around and peer hard at her fellow Angel.

I said "Beats me. I approved it, but in the nearly ten years I've been part of this Police Force, he has never taken so much as one day of vacation. He always asks that the days of vacation he accrues be given to Officers that work over the Christmas Holidays."

Cindy said "I've been here longer than you, and I don't remember him taking time off."

Sheriff Griswold growled "I've been here longer than all of you, and since before he became a Chaplain, I don't think he's taken a single vacation day since he was ordained."

Looking at Teresa, I said "I wonder why now?"

Teresa shrugged. "Beats me. He never said a word to me that he was taking time off, much less why. But speaking of vacation, did I tell you that Todd... well, BOW Enterprises... bought that house in my hometown that we stayed in when we were there?" (Author's note: 'Centuries'.)

We all shook our heads 'no', and Teresa said "Well, he did. He's calling it 'The Gasthous'. And we'll be staying there again this weekend."

Cindy said "I can't bee-lieeeeve we're all going there, just for the opening of the new businesses."

"You don't have to go if you don't want to." Teresa replied, a bit acerbically.

"That's not what I meant." Cindy said. "And I know this is a big deal to Todd. But all of us? Even the Chief is going."

Tanya's eyes were sparkling as she said "The Chief is going to visit Teresa's hometown former Police Chief. Can't say I blame him for that. She's pretty hot."

"Heh heh heh heh." chuckled the Chief... rather happily, I might add.

I said "It's just for the weekend. Overnight, really. It's kind of like Christmas. Captain DeLong will be Acting Chief, and Chief Abram said he'll help out if needed. Captain Janice Holloway will pretend to do Tanya's job if anything comes up, and Captain Michaels will do the Captain Michaels things she always does with the Detectives. I anticipate no problems."

"Neither do Iiiiiii." drawled the Chief. "And if those excellent Captains cannot handle it for just one weekend, then we in this room have failed in -our- doo-teezzz."

"So why are we staying overnight?" Cindy said.

Teresa said "On Saturday, BOW Enterprises is opening their new electronic manufacturing facility out there. His silver mining and processing plant is also having their official grand opening, though they're already at work. The Midwest & Pacific Railroad is officially opening their new lines through there, and a lot of other support businesses, shopping centers, restaurants, and a bar or two, are going to have opening celebrations."

Teresa: "On Sunday, I'm told the newly refurbished and expanded Police and Sheriff Department Headquarters is going to be dedicated... and named after my father. I know that Admiral Cordell has busted his fourth point of contact to get the soldiers that served with my father to be there, and also the Green Berets that they saved on that mission where my father was wounded. But you're right, Cindy, I'm not sure why Todd and Admiral Cordell want all of us there."

I said "I did hear something, but don't tell Admiral Cordell I told you. The only Green Beret that died that day was named Sergeant Wilkins. He was from your hometown, Teresa, and his sister was one of your schoolteachers." I mentioned Mildred by her married name. (Author's note: 'Teresa's Christmas Story', 'Centuries', for more on Mildred.)

"Oh yeah, I remember her." Teresa said.

I said "It's my understanding that the library, which was already nice, is being expanded, so they're going to dedicate it to the Wilkins brother and sister. And Alison McFarland will be there, and she and Admiral Cordell may be conspiring to try to get Sergeant Wilkins a Medal of Honor, as he got your father one."

I then said "So that house Todd bought is large enough for all of us?"

Teresa said "Not all of us will be there; some will be in the new Hampton Inn or at the military base. As to the house, Todd told me he had it remodeled, and patterned it after the way you remodeled The Troy House in Apple Grove: keycard entry to the bedrooms, a common dining area. But we have to cook for ourselves or get takeout from somewhere."

"Or go out to one of those nice new restaurants." growled Sheriff Griswold. We all nodded vigorously in agreement.

"Also, Todd sold the BOW airplane that had those two... experiences." Teresa said. (Author's note: 'Who Watches The Watchers', Ch. 01-02; 'Teresa's Christmas Miracle'.) "BOW bought two new aircraft, both a bit bigger and nicer than the old one. One plane will be based here, the other out there for Teddy Franklin to use. I think Todd wants to show them off, so we'll be flying them out there..."

Part 3 - Go West, Young Man!

"Washington [D.C.] is not a place to live in. The rents are high, the food is bad, the dust is disgusting and the morals are deplorable. Go West, young man, go West and grow up with the country."
--- attributed to Horace Greeley, New York Daily Tribune, circa 1865.

6:30am, Saturday, April 23d. County Airport was rarely this busy, except during University Bulldogs home football games. On this early morning there were three small executive jets parked in a neat diagonal row near the Terminal Building. Two were owned by BOW Enterprises, and their livery (i.e. paint job) said so. The other jet was owned by the Federal Government.

Laura and I never flew together on the same plane (or helicopter) unless we absolutely had to. During her CIA days, Laura was concerned that someone might try to assassinate her by taking her plane down. We remembered the attempt by the Consultant of Crime to shoot her plane out of the sky, with her and our children aboard. (Author's note: 'Along Came A Spider', Ch. 04.)

Others were going to follow the same precautions. On my plane were myself, Carole, Ian, Tasha, and Marie. Also aboard were Teresa, her adopted son Jack Burke, Sheriff Griswold, Edward R. Steele, Maggie Ross, Callie Carrington, and Tanya and her son Pete.

On the second BOW plane were Todd, his sons Doug and Mike, Chief Moynahan, Cindy Ross and Betsy, Paulina, Stephanie Steele, and some other BOW employees that would be staying out west.

On the FBI plane were Laura, Jim and Ross, Molly Evans, Jack Muscone and his daughters Tiffany and Jennifer, Tim Jenkins and his (and Cindy's) son Benjamin, Admiral Leonard R. Cordell, and Alison McFarland.

After we were boarded and strapped in, the pilot came back and introduced himself to us as Dave. He was relatively young, in his late 20s. He asked Teresa if she would like to be named the co-pilot, to get some flying hours on this particular aircraft. She moved as swiftly to the cockpit as I would have to an aircraft to make an Airborne jump.

After the slight change of the flight plan to add Teresa's name to it (and, I later learned, Todd was doing the same thing on the aircraft he was on), we taxied out to the runway, followed by the other two aircraft. Dave was the Pilot Flying, and Teresa was the Pilot Monitoring.

"They never suspended her license after her Christmas life flight, did they?" the Sheriff asked me as we taxied to the end of the runway.

"No sir." I said. "They never could find anything she did wrong, and she did end up at the airport that was her destination."

Griswold growled "I just hope we won't encounter any of the same problems."

"We won't." said Carole, who was sitting in the window seat opposite us, that faced the rear of the aircraft. Pete was strapped in next to her. Carole went on: "Aunt Trreesa achieved her destiny, and the Universe is happy with her."

"Good." I said quietly to the Sheriff, who softly barked a laugh...

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

Once we were underway, the two flight attendants served us a Continental breakfast. The coffee was the best part of it for me. Carole liked the pastry very much. Ian wanted some bacon, as he had found the amounts of food less than filling. I asked for and received an extra little box of cereal for him and he wolfed that down. Hollow legs, my boys have.

Carole looked out the window with interest until we got over the cloud cover and there was nothing to see. She then made her way up to the cockpit, which should've been closed and locked, but this was a private plane and everyone was known to everyone.

It is very likely that eight-year-old children should not be in the cockpits of planes, but when Carole went up there, Teresa had her sit in the small chair facing sideways behind the pilot's seat, possibly meant for a flight attendant or extra pilot just along for the ride. Both Teresa and Pilot Dave explained the controls and instruments, and were peppered with some very astute questions. And Carole would not forget one word of what she was told.

Meanwhile, I went over and sat across from Tanya, whose wheelchair was locked into a special side nook next to the flight attendant's seat. Sheriff Griswold also came and sat with us, so we could talk 'shop'.

"Have either of you heard from or about the US DOJ Civil Rights Division?" growled Griswold.

"No sir." Tanya said. I also shook my head, then Tanya said "Jack thinks they won't give us any warning, that they'll just show up without any notice, and try to start tearing through us."

"Are we prepared?" the Sheriff queried. "Especially for anything they might try to ambush us with?"

Tanya said "We're as ready as we can be, Sheriff. And I'll put it this way: if it is an honest, fair audit, we should pass with flying colors, pun not intended. But I have no illusions, and neither does Jack; we think they are going to come in looking to fail us, and if they can't find a legitimate thing on us, they'll make something up."

Griswold growled "They'll make their intentions clear from the minute they walk in the door. And even if they intend to be legit, I want lawyers all over the place. They don't get to speak to anyone without a lawyer present. And let every Officer know that he or she is entitled to Union representation if any Agent wants to speak to them, at all, and that they should demand that representation."

"Better yet," I said, "let's put out a joint email ordering every Officer to have either Union or legal representation before speaking to anyone conducting the USDOJ audit or answering any questions by them."

Tanya: "Good idea, let's do that. Anyhoo, Sheriff, we have our lawyers all ready to go. The Madison & Ives Law Firm will drop everything and come running, and they'll bring in outside help, too. Bernadette Gillem, Michael T. McGill, Virginia Madison, and Agnes T. Spires are more than ready, they are eager to fight the USDOJ to the death. Mike G. Todd is also ready and willing to help, but we're not going to use him if we don't have to, so that he can be your attorney, Don. Like he already is."

I nodded, then said "I'm sure they'll try as hard as they can to keep Jack from finding out when they intend to come in and ambush us, but we're hoping someone will give us or one of our friends a 'heads up'. Admiral Cordell, Laura, Callie, Alison McFarland, or even the KFXU people might find something out and tell us."

The Sheriff said "Do you think they'll come in right on top of the primary elections? Just before, or at the same time?"

I said "They might, but my suspicion is that they'll wait and see who wins the primaries."

"What difference would that make?" Tanya asked. "Whether or not the Sheriff nor anyone else wins or loses shouldn't make a difference to them... should it?"

I shrugged, then said "And that sort of brings up the second part of my thesis of what they're planning to do. If their goal is to come in and fundamentally change the structure of the Town & County, maybe suing over the structure of the Council, it would really behoove them to see who the General Election will be about... especially if Alvin Whitner will be the favorite for Solicitor."

Me: "But if their goal is what I truly think it is, to destroy the Town & County Police Force, then they're going to come in specifically against us, and like Tanya said, it will be anything but honest and fair. And therefore they'll wait until after the Election for maximum publicity, which KXTC will be eager to give them."

Me: "In any case, if I were going to bet on it... and I'm not... I'd say they'll be here right after the University graduation at the end of May, but before the Summer season really gets under way."

"Right in the middle of the Police Boxing Matches." Tanya said with a twinkle in her eye. "Good, we can get some practice on them--- what?" She'd seen the look on my face.

"If we even -have- a Police Boxing Matches." I grumbled with considerable asperity.

"What do you mean?" growled Griswold. "What's going on?"

I said "I sent the 'loddy-doddy-everybody' email to sign up for the Police Boxing Matches last week. So far we have 18 entrants for the traditional Muhammed-Ali-Mike-Tyson boxing... and only 33 for the Freestyle division. That's half of last year, and way, way, down from past years, when we easily had over 100 entrants."