Woman in Love Ch. 02

This story is part of an ongoing series. The chronological order of my stories is listed in WifeWatchman's biography.

Feedback and constructive criticism is very much appreciated, and I encourage feedback for ideas.

This story contains graphic scenes, language and actions that might be extremely offensive to some people. These scenes, words and actions are used only for the literary purposes of this story. The author does not condone murder, racism, racial language, violence, rape or violence against women, and any depictions of any of these in this story should not be construed as acceptance of the above.

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Part 10 - Truth and Optics

"Hello and welcome to Fox University Sunrise!" said Catrina Pierce at 8:00am, Wednesday, May 20th, in the KFXU studios. I"m Catrina Pierce, and with me as always is Meredith Peller. Good morning, Meredith."

"Good morning, Catrina. Good morning everyone." said Meredith Peller. "Here's what's in the news. Riots, looting, and burning continues in the City, as well as other cities in the Nation, all of them controlled by Democrat Mayors. In The City, Democrat Mayor Lucian Phelps has refused to allow State assets such as State Troopers and the National Guard to assist the City Police in controlling the riots, and he has ordered City Police to not breach the 'Police-free zone' in the Ferguson Park and Badlands districts south and southwest of the Airport."

Catrina: "The number of sick-out calls within the City Police reached 700 over the weekend, and nearly 500 yesterday. Additionally, the number of retirement applications within the City Police in the last four weeks alone has exceeded the total number of retirement applications in any full year in City Police history."

Meredith: "In Midtown, Police continue to contain the violence to the Inner Midtown district, which is represented in the State House by Democrat Tasheeka Harris. Last night, two people were killed as violence erupted, when the Midtown District Attorney announced that there would be no charge against the Police Officers who executed a drug raid at a home in Inner Midtown. Officers returned fire after one of them was shot and injured, and their gunfire killed a woman who was sitting next to the wanted drug offender that fired the first shot."

Catrina: "In Southport, attempts to bring riots and violence to the docks and business districts has been quelled by Police and what are described as 'security forces', believed to be in the employ of the OBT Rail & Shipping company. Most of the violence there has been confined to the poorest blighted areas of Southport."

Meredith: "Governor Val Jared has condemned the looters as violent anarchists, and he also condemned the Democrat politicians that are refusing to support their Police and help stop the violence. He is threatening to send the National Guard into the City over the objections of Mayor Phelps if the Mayor does not take action to restore the Rule of Law."

Meredith: "In other news, the Police Union representing the Town & County has filed suit against the Police Department, and also has demanded a Board of Inquest against Police Commander Donald Troy for allegedly assaulting Town & County Police Sergeant McCombs during a stop-and-frisk procedure. The Union is demanding Commander Troy be fired."

Catrina: "However, unlike what our competitor KXTC has reported, there is another side to this story. We are now joined by Police Commander Donald Troy. Thank you for joining us today, Commander."

"Thank you for having me, Catrina and Meredith." I said as those watching saw me join the show on a split-screen. I was in the Press Interview Room at Police Headquarters.

"Commander," said Catrina, "what really happened during that stop?"

I said "The Police got a call that a tender-aged child had been abducted, and the description of the clothing matched a boy that was seen walking near Al Sharpton Elementary School. The Police investigated, and found that the man with the boy was the boy's father, and that no crime had taken place."

Your Iron Crowbar: "Although several other Officers were around, Sergeant McCombs ordered the man, whose hands were raised, to get on his knees. That is not only not normal procedure, but is considered to be racially offensive, and the entire TCPD was told to not do that just days before."

Your Iron Crowbar: "Sergeant McCombs ordered the man to get to his knees, then called the man the n-word. We have that on video from multiple dashcams and Officer-cams. I ordered McCombs to stand down and lower his weapon, and McCombs not only disobeyed my orders, he used some offensive language towards me and then began counting down to shoot the man. I swung my crowbar upward to knock the gun up, so that when McCombs fired, the bullet fortunately went over the unarmed man's head."

Me: "I then attempted to arrest McCombs, and he fought back, which brings further criminal charges against him. I subdued him, and he was taken to jail and booked. And again, we have all this on several dashcams and Officer-cams, as well as the eyewitness testimony of multiple Officers."

Meredith: "Commander, your version of events is in direct contradiction with the position of the Union, that McCombs was making a lawful stop and that your action constituted an assault of a Police Officer just doing his job. What do you say to that?"

Me: "I say that McCombs using the n-word and counting down to shoot an unarmed man whose hands were in the air is neither a lawful stop nor normal Police procedure. And we'll see what happens in McCombs's trial for attempted murder."

Catrina: "Commander, some say that what you're telling us now will result in the TCPD being liable for the assault on that unarmed black man. What do you say to that?"

I said: "What you just heard me say is what a Jury is going to hear me say under oath. So the liability, if there is any, would come out anyway, and we cannot and should not sweep that under the rug. But I also don't think the TCPD is liable... I think one rogue, dirty, racist cop is liable, especially after he is stripped of any indemnity he may have had..."

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

When I got back to my office, I found three absolutely stunned Angels seated there. I went around to my place behind my desk and sat down. "Any questions?" I asked jovially.

"Just one, sir." said Teresa. "Did the Chief know you were going to do that?"

I said "Yes. Yes he did. While Owen Lange was talking to Tanya and trying to recruit her into the FBI..."

Everyone looked at Tanya, who blushed, then I continued "... I went into the Chief's office, and we said out loud what we did not say in the coffee klatch. When I told him that the liability couldn't be avoided because I was going to testify to it anyway, he realized the dam was going to break. so he said he wouldn't try to stop me if I spoke to the Press. I don't think he realized how quickly I'd speak to them, though."

Teresa said "And you had to do it. You had to hit back at Bettina."

"She'll just double down." said Cindy. "And Lester Holder will find a new way to call Tasha a name, then openly challenge Don to do something about it."

Tanya said "I am scared to death that someone is going to cap Penis Holder and try to blame Don for it------"

Just then there was a knock on my door, and the Sheriff appeared. "Those of you with stars on your shoulders, you're wanted in the Main Conference Room."

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

Cindy and I entered the Main Conference Room to find the Chief, the Mayor, and City Attorney Dennis Garland. Garland normally looked composed, like what you'd expect a lawyer to look like, or maybe a brokerage consultant. But right now, the man looked as if his eyes were going to burst out of his head, and his hair and beard looked unkempt.

Daniel Allgood pretty much took over the meeting. "Okay, Don, what was that interview you gave KFXU about?"

"It was a response to the lies and smears by KXTC." I said. "I'm getting tired of being accused of being the bad guy in all that. And I sure as hell don't see anyone else defending me nor taking my side."

"Do you realize you just told the world that a TCPD Officer assaulted unarmed black man?" Dennis Garland almost shouted. "The Town & County is now liable, and will lose a Court case to the tune of millions of dollars... because you just told them that!"

"Bullshit!" I said. In the silence that followed, I went on: "I just have one question. Serious question, and I want a serious answer. What were you going to do, Mr. Garland, when I was called to the stand and swore on the Bible to tell the truth? Because what I am going to say under oath, at McCombs's trial, my own Inquest, and in any lawsuits, is the truth: that a TCPD Officer, that being McCombs, did assault an unarmed man in front of multiple witnesses and on video cameras. Did you think the truth was not going to come out? Did you expect me to lie on the stand?"

After a long moment of silence, I said again: "I'm waiting for your answer, Mr. Garland... did you expect me to lie on the stand? Because I'm not going to lie on the stand. It's going to come out anyway. So I've given nothing away, not a damn thing, by defending myself against filthy lying journalists and telling the truth to the world!"

Garland said nothing, and I pressed on: "What you need to be doing, Mr. Garland, as City Attorney, is preparing to fight the lawsuit by showing that McCombs was rogue, insubordinate, committed a hate crime, and was murderous in his intent, and that the TCPD was not the one that was liable------"

"ARE YOU KIDDING ME?" Garland yelled, his voice cracking. "You really want ME to go out there and fight a lawsuit by an unarmed BLACK man against the TCPD and a WHITE Officer? Are you kidding? They will crucify me! And you better get ready for REAL riots when the shit hits the fan, when the Media tells the Black Community that the TCPD is fighting a lawsuit by a black man who was assaulted by white Police!"

I peered at Garland, making observations. "Mr. Garland," I said, almost softly, "are you being threatened? Or blackmailed?" Garland almost jumped out of his skin, then looked at me as if I were the Devil Incarnate.

"NO!" he shouted back at me.

"Dennis," said Mayor Allgood, before I could say anything else, "why don't you go on back to your office. I'll talk to you later."

"Let me have an Officer walk you out." I said, reaching for my Police iPhone.

"I'll do it." said the Mayor. "I'll be back in a minute." After they left, the Sheriff and the Chief were staring at me; the Chief in shock, the Sheriff in awe.

"What?" I said. "Just look at the man. He's about to come apart at the seams."

"He doezzz have a point, though, Mr. Crowbarrrr." said the Chief. "I know you don't care about optics, and I often agree that you shouldn't. But in this case, bad optics can lead to bad results. Really bad result, like burning buildings and looted businesses."

A moment later, Daniel Allgood returned to the silent room and sat down. "I asked an Officer to drive Mr. Garland home rather than to his office, and told him to get some sleep. He was literally breaking down in front of me as we walked down the hall. You might well be right, Don, that something was done to him to put him in that condition."

I nodded. "Well, I was hoping he'd say something, and then we could help him. But until he does, we can't."

Daniel Allgood said "He seemed genuinely frightened about having to defend a lawsuit by a black person against the TCPD."

Chief Moynahan said "We were just discussing that, Mr. Mayorrrr. Mr. Garland has a point that the optics are terribullll. But enough to go insane over?"

I said "Even if it's not external pressure, I'd say any ideas he had of a future run for District Attorney or a judgeship are now 'ovah', at least in his mind."

"He could be right." said the Chief. He then said to me: "So what would you dooooo, if you were in Mr. Garland's position?"

"Settle." I said simply. "Tell the man he ain't gonna get rich to the tune of millions over that, but offer him a scholarship fund for his kid, and somewhere in the low-five-figures. Unless he's got some really bad people in his ear, he'll probably take it."

"That actually sounds reasonable." said Daniel Allgood. "The optics look a hell of a lot better if we're doing something for the kid, too..."

"That's a great idea, Crowbar." said the Sheriff. Then he peered at me and said "You okay, Crowbar?"

"I'm just tired, Sheriff." I said, feeling as physically tired as I'd felt in a long, long time. "Maybe I'm coming down with something..."

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

Meanwhile...

At the Federal Building, EAD Owen Lange was leading a meeting.

"Okay," he said, "we're putting together pieces of a coordinated effort to gin up the unrest we're seeing. Don't get me wrong; there are a lot of genuinely angry people out there, and there's been a lot of tensions building up over the years, especially between the Black Community and the Police. However, the unrest is being stirred up and made worse deliberately. It only takes a few people to get the genuinely angry people behind them and fired up, and then you see what we're beginning to see now."

Owen Lange: "What we are seeing are people with political motives, such as radical college professors, staffers for politicians, and well-funded advocacy groups, the so-called 'social justice' groups, working hand-in-glove with the owners of the Mainstream Media companies to stir up as much unrest as possible, and then give cover by calling the protests 'peaceful' or 'justified by Police brutality'."

Owen Lange: "While many people within the FBI are working very hard to discover who is behind the riots and stop them, especially field agents up to Special Agents in Charge, there are elements within the upper echelons of Government agencies, which the American People call 'bureaucrats', that are working to stop the investigations and also use the unrest to their own advantage. Some of this is coming out of Washington, but some of it is originating out of Wilmington, Delaware, where that white Officer choked that restrained black man to death."

Owen Lange said "So you won't hear me discussing how Federal Agents are making arrests in Portland, Oregon. The rioting is far, far worse there than anything you're hearing about here, or even in The City. In Portland, I've heard that, hypothetically, Agents are pulling leaders off the streets, and you won't be seeing those radical seditionists again any time soon. And hypothetically, they're getting good information on the Swamp Frogs behind the unrest..."

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

I'd just returned to my office when Lt. Myron Milton came to see me, and was allowed past my watchdog, er... assistant, Helena. He had his ubiquitous tablet with him.

"Sir," Myron said, "an email came to your Police email account, and was flagged when it was routinely checked for viruses. So we checked it out, and there weren't any child porn pictures that some people try to send to frame you, but the contents were a jumble, and we feared malicious code or malware."

"And you checked that out?" I asked.

"Yes sir." said Myron. "We're convinced it's not malware, but we checked to see if it's a cipher, as the first letters contained the phrase 'odd +4'. So we ran our software on it, and +4 didn't decode it, nor did -4 nor +3, et cetera. And we tried the odd-numbered letters and applied the same treatment. No joy."

"Who did it claim to be from?" I asked.

"It was wired through the Dark Web, so chances of tracing it back are slim." said Myron. "The header said 'Shalom', which is what got it flagged in the first place."

I grinned. "So that vaunted Federal Government decryption system didn't break the code?" I asked.

"No sir." said Myron. "Should it have?"

"I have just one question, Mr. Milton." I said. "Does that thirty-million-dollar program speak French?"

Myron was utterly shocked. "Uh, I don't know, sir."

"Let it come through." I said. Myron typed on his tablet, and a moment later my email chimed. I opened it, then copied the contents into a text editor, and applied a not-so-expensive decryption program to it."

"And this is what you got?" I asked, showing Myron the results.

"Yes sir." Myron said. "What is it?"

I said "It's French, without spaces... which I'll provide now." As I typed, I grinned and looked at Myron, and said "Amazing how easy it is to get around the Federal Government, wouldn't you say?"

"Oui, mon Commandant." Myron astutely replied, making me laugh. "But who is sending you coded French messages? Or should I not ask?"

"My sister." I replied. "We both speak French, and she speaks it like a native, so she sends her letters to me in French. It's probably driving the Swamp Frogs nuts. Okay, thanks Myron. I'll take this from here." Myron was disappointed to be dismissed, but he took it in stride and left.

Part 11 - Relationships

"Life is a moment to space
When the dream is gone
It's a lonelier place

I kiss the morning goodbye
But down inside
You know we never know why..."

------ Barbra Streisand, 'Woman In Love'

11:30am, Wednesday, May 20th. Laura came back into her office to find Callie and Tim Jenkins working at their stations. She made observations in the silence of the room, seeing Callie studiously looking at her monitor, and Tim sitting very uncomfortably.

"Anything new?" Laura asked.

"No ma'am." said Tim Jenkins. "I think Don was right... this whole Claisson thing might've been planted to distract us. Other than that one reference we found, there's nothing else there regarding him."

"You agree, Callie?" Laura said, to try to get Callie into the conversation.

"I guess." Callie said disinterestedly. Then she said "I've been looking into the money trail into the U.S. It pretty much ends at a subsidiary of WorldBankTrust in the U.S. Virgin Islands. After that, money just disappears into the Cloud, it seems. WorldBankTrust could easily be laundering it, and if the Treasury Department or the Intelligence Community chose to help them cover it up, then it'll be covered up and we won't break through."

"WorldBankTrust, eh?" Laura said. "Swamp Frog alert. Okay, you guys have been working hard on this. Why don't I take the two of you to lunch?"

"Thanks," said Callie, "but I've got some errands to run."

"O-kayyy." Laura said, having not expected that. "Tim, I just upgraded to the Cattleman's Club for lunch."

"Sure, ma'am." Tim said.

"Oh, and there's the downgrade back to Mickey D's." Laura said. "I'm kidding, but stop calling me 'ma'am'. I'm not that old... well, at least so my husband tells me..." She noticed that Callie didn't react to the joke at all, not even the merest change of facial expression...

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

At the Cattleman's Club, Laura said "How are you liking it in Southport?"

"It's good, really good... as far as being an FBI Agent is concerned." said Tim. "But it's a dirty, grimy town if you're in the wrong part of it."

Laura nodded, then said "So how is working with Callie?"

"Ugh! You don't beat around the bush, do you?" Tim said. "Look, I know you're Cindy's gynecologist and Callie's boss here. And because I'm the father of Cindy's baby, Callie has a... healthy distrust of me, to put it nicely. I've tried to be nice to her, and to work professionally with her, but I can't break through that ice wall. And it's hurting our mission, in my opinion. I was going to take lunch to go talk to Jack Muscone about it, but then you asked us to lunch."

Laura said "Yes, I can see that it's not working very well. I'll call Jack if you want me to Orrrrr... you can go check in with Jack and his people at the Federal Building, and I'll talk to Callie and get her head out of her ass on this..."