Environmental Hazards Ch. 01

This story is part of an ongoing series. The chronological order of my stories is now 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, 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.

Part 1 - Prologue

"This is Bettina Wurtzburg, KXTC Channel Two News!" shouted the lovely redheaded reporterette at 7:00am, Thursday, March 23d, from in front of the State Office Building. "Channel Two News has learned that a compromise Budget bill has been worked out in the nick of time!"

Bettina continued: "With the Legislative session set to end on March 31st, there was little time left to get the budget done. Once again, Senators Moe Molinari and Jimmy Cerone brought Republican and Democrat leaders together to hammer out a compromise bill. Although Governor Val Jared will not be getting more money for law enforcement to round up undocumented workers to hand over to ICE for deportation, he is getting the desired draconian cuts in the State EPA.

"Senator Katherine Woodburn, who was not part of the bipartisan group known as the 'Foodie Group' that worked out the compromise budget over several dinners, had this to say about the budget. Roll tape."

The tape rolled, showing Katherine Woodburn yelling furiously to a crowd of supporters: "And thanks to Governor Val Jared and the Republicans, your children will be drinking dirty water and breathing dirty air! The Republicans cut the State EPA because they want your children to drink dirty water! And the Republicans have no shame in ignoring the threat of global climate change! The science is settled! Global climate change is a tremendous threat to us, but Governor Val Jared doesn't care about the environment nor the People of this State!"

"That's bullshit." I said. "So-called 'climate change' is settled, all right... it's fraudulent. The science is fraudulent and rigged. I speak as a Chemistry major and a chemist."

"So why do the Democrats keep pushing it?" asked Joanne Warner.

"A lot of it is money. But it's also to harm free enterprise, capitalism." I said. "It's 'watermelon' politics: green on the outside, Communist red on the inside."

"You don't believe in Conservation, Commander?" asked Theo Washington.

"There's a difference between Conservation and Environmentalism." I replied. "I have no problem with conserving resources, using only what we need, and it's more economical as well as environmentally better to clean up as we go instead of letting waste accumulate. But Environmentalism at the expense of quality of life, and being used to destroy businesses and Free Enterprise, I have problems with. And the adherents of Environmentalism, especially those throwing 'climate change' in our faces, resort to lies and fraud, then force and violence, to impose their agenda."

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

"This is Priya Ajmani, KSTD Five-Alive News in the Morning!" shouted the gorgeous Indian reporterette at 8:00am, Thursday, March 23d. "Five-Alive News has learned that the Proactive Citizens of Greenworld, the PCGW, has announced they will protest the Pine Valley Development Project!"

"This development is south of us, along the River before it gets to Midtown." Priya explained as a map of the location of the development showed on the screen. "Critics claim that the project will cause environmental damage to the River, which is Midtown's main water supply. The project's developers, M&C Project Development Corp., says that and environmental impact study as well as soil and water testing has been done, and there is no danger to Midtown or the Public."

As Priya went on to news we'd already heard from Bettina, Cindy managed to tear her eyes away from the beautiful Indian reporterette and look at me. "It's interesting," she said, "that the PCGW finds a reason to come back into the State just as the Legislature guts the State EPA."

"I'm not sure 'interesting' is the word for it." I said. "But 'curious', maybe." Then I said "Well, give me the inside scoop on the Angels meeting before it starts."

Cindy said "Teresa is out of the Hospital, but I told Todd to tie her up if he had to in order to make her rest and get well. Todd said something about tying Teresa up sounding like fun, and Teresa told him not to get kinky with her. And there's really not a whole lot else going on. We're still following up on where Jerry Saint's wife has disappeared to, and I've been working with Lindy Linares on where Dick Ferrell might have gone. Anyone who delivers Ferrell to Jack Muscone's personal custody will get double cheeseburger lunches for life."

"That'll get the heart doctors looking for Ferrell, for sure." I said with a grin. "So, Lindy say anything about the FBI's issues?" By that, I meant Special Agent in Charge Les Craig.

"No, it's calmed down." Cindy said. "Craig and Sandra aren't sleeping together anymore, at least not that the rest of them know of. Just a physical fling, I guess. Jack and Martin are pretty much keeping to themselves as they work on the Superior Bloodlines stuff. Their boss, the DepDirector, has been having to stay in Washington more and more, and Lindy thinks he's working with other powerful people to root out some people who may be disloyal at best and double agents at worst."

"Okay, sounds like things are calming down." I said. "Maybe we can have a routine week or two around here, and I can catch up on paperwork."

"Which you keep generating by solving all these cases no one else has a clue about." Cindy said with a smile. I think she was surprised by my reaction, which was dour.

"Just between you, me, and the Crowbars," I said, "I'm beginning to worry about that. I think our Detectives are pretty good people, but I also think they need to solve some crimes without my help. They also need to see the clues, and see things brewing ahead of time. This is not a criticism of you, nor of their work ethic. But they need to know that I'm not going to be there as a crutch on every occasion."

"I was just talking about that with Molly and Teresa." Cindy said. "We were wondering if maybe one Detective a week should be assigned to review cold cases, like your mom and I did when I was on light duty."

"That might sharpen their skills a little bit." I said. "Okay, do that. I'll be curious to see what they come up with."

Part 2 - The Crime Scene

At 10:15am I was called into Chief Moynahan's office. He had Chief Frank Soltis of the Midtown Police Department on speaker phone.

"We have a murder down here." said Chief Soltis. "Young man, 29 years old. Someone broke into his home and shot him multiple times, including a coup de grâce to the back of the head. Nothing taken from his apartment. It might be a good training exercise for the SBI Reserve Inspector to teach my young Detectives some things. And of course, it's right up Commander Troy's alley as the unusual."

"Why is it unusual?" I asked.

"The guy worked for Forbes Environmental National Laboratories," said Soltis, "subsidiary of Forbes & Sehgal Engineering, who were the ones doing that study on the Pine Valley project... which, by coincidence, is starting to make the news in a big way."

"Coincidence. Yeah, right." I said acerbically. "With my Chief's permission," I continued, looking at Chief Moynahan who just nodded vigorously, "we'll come right down."

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

West and southwest of Coltrane County is Rivers County, which is mostly farms and stretches west to the State Line. South of Rivers County is Farmdale County, where the nuclear power plant is. South of Coltrane County on the highway to Midtown is Hamilton County. And south of Farmdale County and southwest of Hamilton County is Benning County.

Benning County is longer east and west than it is north and south, creating a rectangle that extends from the University-Midtown Highway west to the State Line. It is often called 'the land that God forgot', as the west side is barely good farmland, and the east side slightly rolling hills that was used for growing pine forests for logs and paper. There had been a sawmill and paper mill not far from the highway, but those had been abandoned decades before.

There was also a plant that had made camera film and other chemical products, but it also had shut down. It was just north of the 'Pine Valley' area, which was to be developed into a residential community with a golf course as the centerpiece. This community would be on the outer edges of what would be considered Midtown's suburbs.

As Cindy and I drove down the highway through that area towards Midtown, she pointed out some of those landmarks. "Midtown's getting big." she said.

"Yes." I said. "After the City and its metro area, Midtown is the second largest city in our State. Madison County used to be well east and considered a separate population zone, but now it's becoming a suburb county."

It wasn't long before we arrived at the apartment complex that contained the scene of the crime. The area was becoming popular with younger people, and was called the 'Riverhead' District. The apartment in question was towards the back of the complex, in the furthest-back building, the apartment itself on the back side of the building, facing the fence and the scrub woods on the other side.

"Hello, Chief." I said to Chief Soltis, who was supervising a crime lab team and a couple of youngish Detectives.

"Hi, Commander, Hi Captain Ross." said Soltis. "Good to see you both. Hey Ruger! Wesson! Come over here." When the two plainclothes Detectives came over, Soltis introduced them.

"This is Steve Ruger and Kimberly Wesson." said Soltis. "Young and new, but promising. Guys, this is SBI Reserve Inspector Don Troy and Captain Cindy Ross."

"The Iron Crowbar?" asked Wesson with a gasp.

"Don't believe all the bad rumors you hear." I said, shaking her hand. "Good to meet you both." I shook Steve's hand. He was about 5'10" tall, light brown hair, light brown eyes that seemed to be penetrating, medium build. Kimberly Wesson was about 5'6" tall, darker brown hair, brown eyes that seemed introspective, and a fairly athletic-looking body.

After introducing Cindy, I said "Okay, what do you guys have?" We were led to the only bedroom of the one-bedroom apartment. On the floor next to the queen size bed was the dead man, lying face down, wearing only underwear. He was very slender, pretty much 'skinny', tall, and his hair color was the merest shade darker red than my own titian hair. His eyes were open and they were blue. I could see where the final bullet was fired into his head just above the ear, and I saw two exit wounds in the middle of his back.

"His name is James Shell, nickname 'Jim' or 'Jimmy'." said Ruger, "He's an employee of Forbes Environmental National Laboratories. Has a dual degree in Chemistry and Chemical Engineering from State Tech."

"There but for the Grace of God go I, Captain Ross." I said. "Redheaded chemist."

"You've had your near-misses, sir." Cindy replied.

"So who called this in?" I asked. "How was he found?"

"He didn't show up for work," said Soltis, "and he wasn't answering his cellphone. So the Precinct got a call from the Forbes Labs asking to check up on him. His car is parked out front, so we got a warrant to enter the apartment, and our guys found him just like you see him here."

"Hmm, interesting." I said, which caused Cindy's ice blue eyes to cut in my direction.

"We think he heard the door being kicked in." said Detective Steve Ruger, "He started to get up out of bed, and the perp or perps came into the room and shot him immediately."

"The bullets went through him." I said. "Where did they end up?"

"You can see the mark on the closet door, sir." said Wesson. "We've found one bullet inside the closet, and we're still looking for the other one."

If one entered the room from the front left, the closet doors were the type that folded and had slats, and the closet was along the back wall. The bathroom vanity was to the back left and the toilet and tub shower were behind the closet. The headboard of the bed was against the right side wall.

"Okay," I said, "so if the perp came in the door, and fired at him immediately, that's one heck of a ricochet for the bullet to turn left and hit the closet door." The Detectives nodded, surprised. The crime lab people began to stop what they were doing and pay attention.

"So," I said, "maybe he was a little further out of bed and closer to the door. He was shot at very close range, and that bullet hit the closet door and is likely the one you found in the closet. So Mr. Shell staggered back and possibly down, then was shot a second time, again at pretty close range. I'd look for a bullet hole in the mattress or box springs of the bed, and the bullet will likely be in the mattress, box springs, or the floor underneath the bed."

There were murmurs of understanding and approval.

"Have you found his cellphone yet?" I asked.

"No, Inspector." said a crime lab tech. "The physical device is not here nor in Shell's car, which is outside in the parking lot. Also, his car keys were found inside the car."

"No surprise there." I said. "The perp or perps took the keys to search the car or empty it out, then left the keys in the car and locked it manually."

"As to the cellphone, I've got my electronic tech people trying to get a ping on it." said Chief Soltis.

"Good. It will help if we can find it." I said. "But if we know the number, your data miners should be able to get his records. The 'probable cause' for the warrant is that dead body lying on the floor." Everyone nodded. "Speaking of which, was his wallet taken?"

"No sir." said a tech. "His wallet was on the bedside table. Drivers license, two credit cards and $60 in cash in the wallet, but it was lying open on the table, so the killer may have gone through it." I nodded.

"Okay, why don't we go look at the rest of the apartment." I said. Ruger and Wesson followed me into the front room. The front door was on the left as one came in from the outside. The sofa was the right side wall, and a chair was in front of the window. A television on a table was near the door to the bedroom. The room was fairly clean, and there were no magazines, books, or other things that suggested a lived-in dwelling.

To the left was a breakfast nook, and behind it to the rear was the kitchen area, and behind the kitchen more folding, slatted doors that hid the washer and dryer. The kitchen was clean. There was some milk (fresh) and beer in the refrigerator, and some frozen pizzas and a frozen loaf of bread in the freezer.

"What was in the kitchen trash?" I asked a crime lab tech. She showed me what had been bagged. Some frozen pizza boxes, an empty milk carton, and an empty can of Spam were all that had been in the kitchen trash. There were some paper plates and plastic cups, and some plastic forks and spoons, as well.

"So," I asked as we got back to the bedroom door, "did James Shell own a gun?"

"Yes, he did." said a voice from the front door. MPD Lieutenant David Krueger came in.

"Hello, David." I said cheerfully. "I didn't expect to see you again this soon. How are things going?"

"Just fine, sir." said Krueger, shaking my hand and Cindy's hand politely, his voice confident but polite.

"This man has been a godsend." said Chief Soltis. "I cannot thank you enough for letting me steal him from you."

"Good, I hope you guys can bust some perps' heads." I said.

Krueger said "To answer your question, sir, James Shell bought a nine millimeter Beretta about six months ago, and he's had a concealed carry license for over a year."

"We have not found a firearm in the apartment, sir." said one of the crime lab techs.

"Is this James Shell's primary residence?" I asked, somewhat to everyone's surprise.

"The apartment is in his name, Commander." said Krueger. "And has been for the last eight months. His drivers license address is just north of Westphalia, near the City, and not far from the main offices of Forbes Environmental National Laboratories."

"Mighty long commute." said Chief Soltis.

"What happened, Chief," said Krueger, "is that FENL set up a lab a few miles north of here, especially for the Pine Valley project. Shell and four others came down and rented apartments, and the company is paying for them. Or the Pine Valley developers, ultimately."

"Wow." I said. "This must be a big project."

"We'll talk about that at Headquarters." Soltis said quietly to me, the tone of his voice connoting his desire not to discuss it publicly. I nodded my understanding.

"So the other employees live in this apartment complex?" I asked.

"Three of them do, sir, but their apartments are nearer the front of the complex." said Krueger. "The other employee lives in a weekly-rate hotel room."

"So, Captain Ross," I said, "Anything of interest to your eye?"

"My question on the the sterility of this apartment just got answered." said Cindy. "This was a temporary place for him to live. His gun, if it was here, was taken, and so was his cellphone. But apparently nothing else was. I would say this is some kind of pro hit... except for taking the cellphone, which suggests trying to conceal something."

I nodded. "Until we get further data, I would tend to agree."

"Lieutenant Krueger," said Chief Soltis, "work us up a really good package on Mr. Shell, on FENL, and the Pine Valley project."

"Yes sir." said Krueger. "If you'll excuse me?" With that he took his leave of us.

"So what's next for your Detectives, Chief?" I asked Soltis.

"They'll canvass the apartment complex, get any video that might be available." he said. "And they'll go and talk to Mr. Shell's co-workers and see if we can get any idea if he knew he was in danger..."

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

Chief Soltis had us follow him to the Precinct Headquarters, which was a small building if compared to the TCPD's larger ones, but was efficient and sufficient for Midtown's structure. As the Chief introduced us as SBI Reservists, no one was fooled; everyone knew who the Iron Crowbar and his partner were.

We went into a conference/interrogation room, where the Chief had us sit down. "I didn't want to talk about this in front of everyone." he said. "We still have leaks like sieves, and not to the Press but to the Southport Mob." Cindy and I nodded understanding. It is possible that Cindy's bug-killer was on, also.

"Pine Valley is one of the biggest projects in this part of the State in years." said Soltis. "The Valley Villages project was barely successful, and some of the same people wanted to try again in a better location. The Pine Valley location is close enough to Midtown to be a potential suburban hub, but far enough away from everything to promise a quiet, rural life. They are intending to literally build a new town out of that pine forest, with a championship-level golf course as the main feature attraction. They've got plans for a mall, other shops, theaters, a hotel, the works."

Soltis went on: "So yes, there is big money, huge money in this project. And we believe that there may be some Mob backing. They've tried to avoid detection through dummy corporations, but they made a mistake... a lot of the financing came from First State Bank of Midtown."

"Ahhhhhh," I said in my 'falsetto' voice, "Jerry Morelli."

"We think it's very possible." Frank Soltis said. "Another financial backer is called 'Dakota Partners Trust, LLC.'. They were formed out of Michael Miller's 'MMVC' venture capital firm and Dakota Funding." (Author's note: see 'The Hot Date Mystery'.) "The thing is... there has to be more, a lot more. This project is too big for just a couple of banks and backers."