Another Day in the Life Ch. 02

"So what do we have?" asked Jerome Davis.

"I'll make the case that Dennis Ridley is the one." Joanne said. "For that, we have a guy who has been trying to shelter his money in the event of a divorce, and seems really concerned about the effects a divorce would have on him. In addition, he's mentioned the double standard and unfairness of divorce law towards men, and if he wants custody of his son, he may think bumping off his wife is the better way to make that happen."

"Heck of a risk to take, though." said Theo. "If Patricia had taken a capsule and had died, that would've been for naught. He'd be in jail."

"And we're back to a winnable Court case." said Joanne. "It'd be easier... Patricia wouldn't be a suspect because she's dead... but there's still a lot of reasonable doubt, there."

"Agreed." said Jerome. "I'd add this... Susan Carrera. She absolutely would have benefitted if Patricia had died. She gets Dennis Ridley and Zack, the family she never had to this point."

"And then there's Zack." said Teddy Parker. "It's not likely, but we truly can't rule him out, especially if he might've been manipulated by his father or something like that."

"I'm still not buying that." said Joanne. "But the point about Patricia dying is a good one... it's better for Dennis that it's playing out like it is now. And Patricia did get a whiff of that cyanate compound, which Commander Troy said was malodorous and would tip her off."

"Okay," said Theo, "I'll make the case that Dennis is right, and that Patricia is doing this as a set-up. She all but guarantees to win a divorce case, and keep Zack and the house, and probably get some alimony. And she needs that, because right now she has her own financial issues. And who knows, maybe Dennis would be prosecuted and convicted, and that would really get him out of her life."

"But does she really want that to happen?" asked Joanne. "I mean, she wants to keep Zack, I'd think, but if Dennis loses his job, he's not paying alimony... and Patricia is going to need his alimony payments, especially if... or more like when... she gets fired from her job. A conviction means he's fired, maybe in jail for a while, and he's not making any payments, for sure."

"So, Theo," said Teddy Parker, "you think she's setting him up? You don't think he did it?"

"I admit I'm leaning that way." said Theo. "But I dunno. It's a mess."

"We don't need the Iron Crowbar, we need iron shovels to dig through this pile of crap." said Jerome. "And right there in the middle of all of it is a twelve-year-old kid."

"That doesn't see anything of the world beyond his video game." said a voice. It was followed by Your Iron Crowbar coming into the room from the back hall doorway, which was nearest to where the whiteboards were.

"I heard some of what you guys were saying." I said. "I like it that you're not letting theories twist your facts. Speculating and discussing is fine... but just be sure to not get so entrenched in your theory that you're starting to defend it in spite of facts that are slapping you in the face. Every theory but one is going to be wrong, so don't fall in love with any of them, and respect the facts."

"Anything you can help us with on this, sir?" asked Jerome Davis.

"Nope." I said. "First of all, y'all are doing fine. You don't need me on this. Second, I don't see or know anything you don't. I'm waiting to see what shakes out. We need more data------"

"And I may have that data for you!" said an excited Myron Milton as he flew into the room.

He began to explain: "I've been going back year after year on the Ridleys, getting everything I can... financially, work-related, health-related. Susan Carrera was hospitalized for a few days about 14 years ago, when she was in her early twenties. It was at City Hospital, and I only have the record of her being admitted, but not the reason. I'll have to search some more."

"But that's not the big news!" Myron went on. "Something came up from Dennis and Patricia's medical records. When Patricia was carrying Zack, the doctors were concerned about some issue she had during the pregnancy. They had some O-Negative blood ready during the birth... for her if she had bleeding, and for the baby if he needed it. As such, after he was born, they typed him. Zack is B-Positive. Patricia is O-Positive."

"Ahhhhhhh!" I said in a falsetto voice, immediately understanding. "And the punch line is Dennis's blood type. What is it, Myron?"

"Dennis is A-Negative... just like you're A-Negative, Commander." said Myron. "There is virtually no way Zack is Dennis's biological son!"

Part 14 - Seeking Council

"The De-tec-tives were very shocked at Mr. Milton's news." said the Chief as I drove him to City Hall for the Council Meeting.

"Yes sir, they were." I said. "Their suppositions were altered, for sure."

"So, does it help solve this case?" asked the Chief.

"It goes a ways, in my mind." I said as I parked in the designated slot at City Hall. We got out and went inside...

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

At the public Council meeting, there were a number of black activists that one-by-one took to the microphone to denounce Your Iron Crowbar for racism in using a helicopter to stop criminal activity. The Mayor would shut down each one of them in turn, saying the matter had been dealt with. Then came normal persons with normal issues, and the subpoenas for those suing the Town & County were submitted, as usual.

Then came the executive session. Along with me, Chief Moynahan and Chief Emeritus Griswold, Fire Chief Quinlin and Assistant Fire Chief Davies were at the meeting, to make all their promotions and medal proposals. The Fire Department guys went first, as there were almost no promotions; their slots were pretty well filled, and stable. They had some medals they wanted to award, but their big issue was a desire for more and better equipment.

Then came Chief Moynahan. He started at the bottom and worked his way towards the top: "And we are proposing to promote Precinct Captain Thompson to full Captain, and he will become our Public Relations Officer. He's a very articulate and capable speaker, and I tease the Iron Crowbar that no matter how hard he tries, Captain Thompson's uniform always manages to look even better." Council members chuckled at that; I gave a brief smile.

"Mary Mahoney Milton graduated first in her class at Police Academy Advanced Course." said Moynahan. "And what some of you may not know is that she worked in Midtown P.D. in their Vice Squad while I was down there. Very capable woman, and don't let the Goth look fool you. She will make an excellent Vice Lieutenant."

"And finally," said Chief Moynahan, "we've had a very worthy application for the Deputy Chief position; in fact, it is the only application I would even consider. Captain Cindy Ross is ready for this job, and will do an outstanding job in it."

"Wait a minute." said Kelly Carnes. "Does she have the financial understanding to do a job like that?"

"She is going to be earning her BBA at the end of this semester." said the Chief.

"And," I said, speaking up from my chair, "she's been working with her father, for the day she inherits his self-help empire. The Police Force accounting is simple in comparison."

"And that's an issue I have." said Susan Weston, trying hard to not show too much disdain at the promotion proposal. "How long will she be with the Force?"

"Her father is in good health and can live for years and years." I said. "And she may not actively run it even after he passes on. My point is that she'll do fine with the Police accounting and paperwork and supply, etc. etc."

"And Captain Ross loves the Police Force" said Moynahan. "One reason she's applied for this position is because she feels she can serve the Force in this capacity, and help make it even better than it is now. I a-greeeee with that."

"And if she's promoted," said Kelly Carnes, "just who is going to be Captain of Detectives?"

"Commander Troy will be directly overseeing them." said the Chief. The Council did not seem to like that.

"No disrespect to the Commander," said John Colby of all people, "but that's a load to bear. A battalion commander does not also directly run a company."

"Commander, I know that you and Chief Griswold and Chief Moynahan are great teachers." said Edward R. Steele, "but you're all busy with your own jobs, especially if Grizz here is elected Sheriff in November."

And these were the guys on my side, I thought to myself.

"Some very cogent arguments." said Chief Moynahan. "So, Commander Troy, do you have a plan to address these issues?"

"Yes sir, I do." I said.

"Then would you please come up here and tell the Council that plan?" said Moynahan as we went through our pre-prepared repartee.

"I thought you'd never ask, Chief." I said, standing up as fast as my back brace would permit, and walking up to the podium...

To be continued.

Who put the drugs in the Tylenol bottle? How will the Iron Crowbar make a provable case? And what is the Iron Crowbar's Master Plan for his Police Force structure? Tune in next chapter... same Crowbar time, same Crowbar channel...