Woman in Love Ch. 01

Muscone: "First, though, and especially for the TCPD's ears, the issue with Jocelyn Moran, including her being shot and killed, is considered a closed case by the OPR, the Deputy Director of the FBI, and the Attorney General. And SSA Allgood has been fully exonerated, and the incident declared a 'good shoot' on her part."

"Yayyyy." Teresa said, a little more loudly than she should have. Everyone chuckled, though a bit quietly.

EAD Owen Lange stood up and said "Don't celebrate too much. Elements of the USDOJ Civil Rights Division are bitter about it, as is DNI Brendan Chapel. Why don't I go ahead with my briefing."

He took a small fob that controlled a laptop computer, and a presentation came up on the screen. "First of all," he started, "the incident in Wilmington, Delaware seems to be genuine. The Sergeant that stepped on that unarmed man's neck had a history with that man. The fourth Officer, that tried stop Sergeant and was kept back by the other Officers, is also being charged with the full complement of crimes by the District Attorney there. The Judge, whose rulings tend to be on the side of the Left, refused a Motion to Sever, which is being appealed. I'll just say that Wilmington, Delaware has become a center of sleaze and corruption in this country." Many of us nodded vigorously in agreement.

"Second," said Owen Lange, "we cannot find any traces of any money being given to McCombs, be it through wire transfers or cash deposits, nor could we find anything on that white Officer who shot that black man in the City. Now I am in the Iron Crowbar's camp on the unlikelihood of coincidences, but we haven't found any connection yet."

"Third," said Owen Lange, "we've arrested and interrogated leaders of these anarchist groups that we're seeing on video ginning up the unrest. We've made some good headway showing that it's organized, but except for the photos the TCPD took of KXTC reporters talking to agitators, we have a ways to go to show just how organized it is, and how far up the ladders of Power in Washington as well as the Media that the collusion goes. I need not add that the Swamp Frogs are fighting us the whole way; Dr. Robin Isley has shut down two investigations already, and at the direct order of Director of National Intelligence Brendan Chapel. Jack?"

"Thank you, sir." said Jack Muscone. "And now Dwight Stevens of the DEA will be giving a report."

"Thank you, sir." said Dwight Stevens, coming up and fiddling with the laptop until another presentation appeared. "One thing we've been trying to investigate is how the people organizing these insurrections are being paid. We're looking into drug deals where the money is being diverted, as well as drug deals that provide the financing. Our super-computers are collating data in an attempt to connect names of drug dealers with these political activists."

Stevens: "One other thing we've looked at is international drug trade money being brought into this country to support the orchestrated unrest. The Media likes to blame the Russians for everything, but we're also looking at Iranian and Red Chinese interests being behind the seditionists. We are working with the CIA on the foreign aspects of this, and Marla Hanson, who some of you know, has been working with me out of Langley." (Author's note: 'Unresolved', Ch. 03, for Marla Hanson.)

"Any idea how they're piping that money into this country?" asked Owen Lange.

"We have some general ideas, sir, but no specifics." replied Stevens. "One common way is for someone in Europe to deposit money to an account in the Caymans, or one of the many British-held Caribbean islands, then someone here reaches in and grabs it. Someone in the U.S. Government may be helping cover it up, too." Several people nodded.

After Dwight Stevens was finished, Jack Muscone got up. "We're basing out of here right now, because the Leftwing seditionists have been attacking Federal Buildings and Courthouses. Portland, Oregon was particularly hard hit, and the political leaders there refuse to protect the property nor allow the Federal Government to protect it. It's a different political climate here in this County."

"You got that right." I said, a little more loudly than I should have. There were some chuckles in the room.

"Okay." said Muscone. "This local Federal Building is being very helpful to us and providing us space, here and in the Old Post Office right behind this building. The TCPD has also offered us space in the Old Mill, along the lines of the EMPTY QUIVER event all those months ago. And Dr. Fredricson will be working out of her office on Campus, and we can have a couple of people there."

Muscone: "Here are your assignments. Cardigan, I'd like you and Lindy to keep doing what you're doing, just do it from here, not the City. I understand we're fully equipped here to handle your cyber-researches." Cardigan nodded.

Muscone: "Ted Crenshaw, you're our point man for Southport, just working from here. There's space in the Old Post Office or at The Old Mill for you. Julius, I'll need you to liaison with the Midtown PD, and be my point man for Midtown. If you have to go down there, that's fine, just let me know. And Tim Jenkins, I want you to be my liaison to the CIA. Work with Ms. Carrington at Dr. Fredricson's office." Eyes went wide at that, and it seemed that an uncomfortable silence was slowly filling the room.

"What?" asked Muscone, looking around. "Is there a problem?"

"Uh, no sir." Tim Jenkins said. Callie said nothing.

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

As the meeting was breaking up, I went up to Dwight Stevens. "I've got a question for you, about McCombs." I said. "Have y'all looked to see if he had any cash inflows to pay for creating that racial situation?"

"We didn't." said Dwight Stevens. "EAD Lange had his financial people working on it. We work with them all the time, but we haven't on these so-called 'peaceful protests'."

I nodded. "Do me a favor. If I send you what the TCPD had on that drug bust McCombs made, do you think it might help find any money McCombs was being paid?"

"You know, that's not a bad thought." said Stevens. "I'll have my guys check into that, but don't get your hopes up. Most drug deals like that are cash transactions."

"And the guys McCombs busted had the drugs on 'em, not cash." I said. "Well, it may come to nothing..."

"Jack warned me about you saying things like that." said Stevens. "Your 'maybe nothings' become 'definite somethings'. I'll take a look..."

Part 4 - Good For The Soul

When I got back to my office, my lovely assistant Helena handed me a note. "Corporal Hicks called and asked you to contact him by any means as quickly as possible. He said it was urgent, and it was about a blood spill."

"Okay, thanks." I said. "What time did he call?"

"About fifteen minutes ago." Helena said. I thanked her and went on into my office, shut the door, and speed-dialed Hicks on my Police iPhone. The words 'blood spill' were Blood Order code. Something big was going on.

"Yes sir, thanks for calling me back, sir." said Hicks. "Can you come up to County Jail, sir?"

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

With Teresa in tow, I headed up to County Jail. Corporal Hicks just happened to be outside, waiting for us, and a distance from the guardhouse at the gate and the building itself.

"What's it about, Hicks?" I asked. He gave the Blood Order sign, which Teresa and I properly responded to.

"Sir," he said quietly, "you remember 'Jesus Freak', one of the four that McCombs arrested with those drugs?" I nodded, and Hicks said "He got me to come to the door of his cell he's sharing with 'Mr. Handsome'. He whispered he needed to talk to you, sir, and said the words 'It's a blood pool thing.'."

"I see." I said. "Okay, go inside, bring J.F. to the 'Confessional' room, and make sure no one else is around. Commander Croyle will be my lookout."

"Yes sir." said Hicks, who moved out smartly to execute the mission.

I'd long ago made a deal with The Teacher, that if any of his people were in my jails, and used the words 'blood pool' to a Blood Order member, they'd get word to me, and I'd try to help the perp if I could... in exchange for important information, of course. It was the kind of thing to be done in as much secrecy as possible, to keep people from being killed. The Teacher, and everyone he gave the code words to, knew this was something not to be taken lightly, nor abused.

The 'Confessional' was just that: a real confessional, with a room for a priest on the other side. It had a small table and chairs, and inmates could confer with their lawyers there if the other Interrogation Rooms were busy. It had no microphones nor listening devices, and of course I could ensure 'privacy', anyway.

After getting a text saying 'Confession is good for the soul.', I went through the priest's entrance into that chamber, then stepped on out into the room. 'Jesus Freak', a.k.a. J.F., was sitting at the table.

I pulled the other chair to the side and close, so that our left knees were almost touching. "Whassup, J.F.?" I asked quietly.

"Did you really have to bring me into a Catholic confessional room?" said 'Jesus Freak'.

"Sorry about that." I replied. "But it's the only safe place in County Jail, especially for you. So, whaddya need?"

"If I tell you something, something big," said J.F., "will you get that gun charge dropped for all of us?"

"You don't want me to get you off the hook, and somewhere far from here where you'll be safe?" I asked. "Or make you a C.I., and you can get paid by us 10% of any drug busts we make based on your info?"

"Naw, it's cool. I just want that false charge dropped." said J.F. "For all of us."

"It's already in the Court system," I said, "but I'll move heaven and earth to make it happen, short of killing someone. And if I can't get the charge dropped immediately, I'll pay your bail and get you out."

'Jesus Freak' considered the words, then said "Okay, here's the deal. We were told to drive that car down that road with those drugs in the trunk. We knew they were there, and we knew that cop was going to pull us over."

"Okayyyy..." I said, waiting for more.

"We also had cash in the car." said J.F. "Two McDonald's bags of it."

"How much was in the bags?" I said, trying hard not to make a University of Tennessee comment.

"Nobody told me," said J.F., "but from my experience of the way the bags were, about $200k in all. The deal was that we'd go along with getting busted for the drugs, then we'd skip bail and get out of the State. And if we didn't get bail, the lawyer said he'd get a plea deal where we'd go to Twin Cities Correctional for eight months, maybe 5 months with good behavior, make connections, and be ready to make some serious coin when we got out."

"And the cop kept the cash?" I said, beginning to see the light.

"Yeah." said J.F. "He made us get out of the car, then he took the bags out of the backseat and put them in his cop car trunk. A few minutes later the other cops came up. One of those bastards planted the gun in the glove compartment. And that dumb blonde A.D.A. is pressing the gun charges, so that plea deal is totally fucked."

I nodded. "Yeah." I said. "So the Sergeant made you get out of the car, confiscated the cash, and then waited for the others, right?" J.F. nodded.

"And then the other cop 'found' (air quotes) the gun." I went on. "Tell me... how did that Sergeant react when the Officer came up with the gun?"

"I don't really remember." said J.F. "We were all reacting when that dirty Pig pulled that gun out."

"So who gave you the orders to walk into that arrest?" I asked. "Not Jacquez Wilson?"

"Oh hell no." said J.F. "That man wouldn't work with the Pigs to save his mother's life. He totally hates you Pigs." He then stopped talking.

"Come on, J.F." I said, after the pause had become long enough. "They didn't bail you out. They planted a gun on you to keep the plea deal from going down, which means they're trying to put you away for fifteen years. What is it they don't want you telling me?"

J.F. considered my words for a full minute, then finally said: "This whole thing was Toddler's joint. We're his boys. He's Jacquez's boy, but he does some things on his own, and we back him up and we get paid. I can see Jacquez bailing him out but not us, but I don't understand why Toddler didn't get us bailed out."

J.F.: "I'm not sure who hired Toddler to do this, but it was a lawyer that arranged it and handed Toddler the cash. The same guy who came in here and said he was our Public Defender."

"Hunter Harris." I said.

J.F. nodded. "Yeah, I thought when he showed up, he was gonna take care of us. But he hasn't shown up for days! He's just left us in this shithole, like Toddler left us in this shithole."

I nodded. "Okay, I'm going to see about getting that gun charge dropped. And I'm going to do what I can to get you a plea deal, or at least bailed out until your trial. Thanks for everything. Stay here a minute."

I got up and went out the 'Father Romano' way, then texted Hicks to come get J.F. and take him back to his cell.

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

"Wow." Teresa said as we talked in my office when we got back. We were going through all the video evidence and various reports of the McCombs arrest of the four. "So what exactly is your thesis here?"

"That McCombs was paid to gin up that racial incident," I replied, "and the method of payment was that cash in the perps's car that McCombs confiscated before anyone else got out there."

"So that wasn't to expose Ice Cube Perry?" Teresa asked.

"No, it was that, also." I said. "But things that didn't make sense before are starting to make sense now."

"There was no video prior to Hendricks and Hatch getting there." said Teresa. "So I doubt you'll find anything about McCombs getting the cash."

"I'm not looking for that." I said. "I'm looking to see if Hatch went and got one of the sacks of money. There were two sacks. One was for McCombs, and if my guess is right, the other was for Hatch, for planting the gun."

Teresa said "And why pay Hatch to do that?"

I replied "So that whoever set this up could renege on the deal with Toddler and his crew. The gun charge kills any hope of the plea deal or light sentences they were promised; it adds as much as fifteen years to their sentences, and that's fifteen years of hard time at Jacksonville, not easy duty at Twin Cities Correctional. And yes, they would've been pissed about the gun being planted anyway, but now we know why they were berserk about it."

"And not nearly as upset at the drugs being found." said Teresa, starting to connect the dots. "They didn't get upset over the drugs because they expected them to be found."

"Exactly." I said as I typed on my computer. "Okay, I'm texting Wes 'Coldiron' Masters of City I.A. and Dwight Stevens of the DEA, and asking them to look into City PD Sergeant Thomas Chauvin, who shot Kenneth Taylor in the City. I specifically want to know if Chauvin's bank accounts got richer, and if he had any drug busts just prior to shooting Taylor in cold blood."

Teresa said "Maybe we need to do the same for McElwane. After all, he almost started an incident, and only Buchannan being there defused it."

"True." I said. "And McElwane demanding Union representation if we so much as look in his direction starts to make sense when viewed through this new lens. But to your point, I did look into McElwane's activities, and he hasn't made nor been part of a drug deal bust or anything where significant money was involved."

"I just have one question, one thing I'm just not seeing." Teresa said. "Why? Why is McCombs trying to agitate blacks, which ultimately helps blacks, when McCombs is a racist himself? And who is behind it all?... because it can't be Jacquez Wilson."

"I agree." I said. "I don't think Wilson was or is a player in this particular game. Toddler is doing it because he's being paid a lot of money as well as being able to set up his own drug rings, and get away from being under Wilson. Hunter Harris is a Public Defender, and they're usually, not always but usually, Leftwing in their political views. But it's not even him that's behind this."

"Who then?" Teresa asked.

"Think about it." I said. "Politically Leftist, as these riots are just what the Leftwing Democrat politicians can take advantage of. Who fits that bill?"

"Dr. Lionel Carmela." said Teresa.

"Ye-es." I said. "But this one may be even deeper, and dirtier, than what Lionel Carmela likes to do. Carmela wants to overthrow the Constitution and have pure Socialism, like Venezuela is now. This... is just to create political unrest in the here and now. And chaos."

"If the Consultant of Crime were alive," Teresa said, "I'd say it was him. Complex operation, creates chaos, even anarchy, all the while he's behind the scenes amassing money, drug connections, political power..."

"But he's not alive, thank God." I said, with feeling. "Having said that, you're close enough that I won't keep you in suspense. I suspect that we are seeing... a new Consultant of Crime coming out of the Shadows..."

Part 5 - With Friends Like These...

"We have a meeting with the Union Officials at 2:00pm at the Sheriff's Office." said Chief Moynahan as we stood in his office, me in front of his desk, him behind it. "Why don't we see the D.A. thennnnn?"

"Because, Chief," I said, "time is of the essence. We need to speak to D.A. Walters and get her to go to Folsom and get those gun charge dropped against Toddler's crew. And it would be most very good for our case against the Union to be able to tell them the charges are dropped at today's meeting."

"I just hearrrrd your discussion about McCombs and Hatch, Mr. Crowbarrrr," said the Chief, "but I don't see how that's going to affect the Union meeting."

"Sir," I said, trying to keep my patience, "the Union jerks actually barged into my office whining about me looking into that McCombs bust. They're defending McCombs to the last ditch when he tried to murder a man. I tell them the gun charges against those four perps are dropped, and they'll be eager to drop McCombs like a hot potato."

"I don't under-stannnnd it," drawled the Chief, "but I'll play along." He picked up the phone to call Miriam Walters...

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

11:00am, Tuesday, May 19th. The Chief and I were ushered into the office of District Attorney Miriam Walters. "Gentlemen," she said, rising to her feet and walking out from behind her desk, making a hand gesture for us to sit at the conference table in front of the desk. "You wanted to see me?"

"Yezzzz." said Chief Moynahan as we sat down, "and thank you for seeing us. Commander?"

"What's it about?" Miriam asked, wanting to get to the point quickly.

"Ms. Walters," I said, "I am here to appeal to you to drop those gun charges against Toddler's crew."

"Why should I do that?" said Miriam, fixing her beady black eyes upon me.

"First," I said, "because the case is flimsy to the point of unwinnable. Second, it will ratchet down the racial tensions in this County. It might even be seen as a goodwill gesture. And third... I've developed intelligence information from a C.I. whose name I will not share that implicates a dirty cop, and dropping those charges will help us nail him to the wall."

"One moment." said Miriam. She picked up the phone and said "Savannah, can you come into my office---"

"Mizz Walters," interjected the Chief, "we were hoping to speak with you a-loooone about this?"

"Come on in, Savannah." said Miriam emphatically, and hung up the phone. Seconds later, the door opened and ADA Savannah Fineman came in. Yep, that was pre-planned, I observed.