Fire in the Embers Ch. 02

I laughed, but realized inwardly that The Intendent could indeed make that 'threat' come true...

Part 11 - Parting of Ways

It was late in the afternoon. I was coming down the hallway towards my office when I saw Donna, who was Chief Bennett's secretary, walking out of the anteroom to his office and down the back hall with a box in her arms. When I got to the door of my office's anteroom, I saw that the woman was just coming out of Deputy Chief Brownlee's office area.

"What's up with her?" I asked Helena.

"Oh, she's going to work for Deputy Chief Brownlee until they can find her a position somewhere in City Hall or the Courthouse." Helena said. "And Commander... Chief Bennett has been cleaning out his office today, as well."

"Hmmmm." I said as Helena and I looked at each other meaningfully.

I saw Donna heading down the hall with another box, and I slipped into the anteroom and to the Chief's door. He was inside, packing up the last of his personal effects.

"Hello, Chief." I said. "Packing up?"

Bennett looked up at me, a little bit balefully, then said "Not much gets by you, Commander." And he was more correct that he realized; I noted that the painting of the deer in the woods that I'd given him remained hanging on the wall, and that he was not going to be taking it with him.

"By the way," he said, handing me a sheet of paper, "this is your authorization as Acting Chief until my replacement is sworn in on December 1st." I noted that Sheriff Allgood had been the one issuing and signing the document.

"Well, so much for the surprise farewell party." I said. "But I hope you'll enjoy the Regional Manager job you're taking."

"It'll keep me busy." said Benton. After a pause he said "Look, I'm not going to pretend to be happy about this. The Sheriff let me know my resignation timeframe was being moved up. If you'd wanted me gone so fast, you could've come to me about it first."

"I could also tell you that I wasn't the one who initiated speeding up the action." I said, which was mostly true, and Daniel had beaten me to the punch in starting these wheels in motion. "But it doesn't matter. I'm sorry if you feel slighted in this, and I really do hope you'll find happiness in your next position." I turned to go.

"Wait, Commander." Bennett said. He came up to me and extended his hand. I shook it as he said "Look, you're a brilliant Detective. Incredibly brilliant. This Police Force is not enough for your talents, even as its Commander, or its Chief. I only hope... that you won't be betrayed by those lesser than you."

I peered at Bennett, who quickly said "No, I don't mean her. She worships the ground you walk upon. But there are others, inside this Force, inside the Public Safety Department, within the halls of the local Government, that hate you with a monstrosity I've never realized humans could feel. But they do. I'm not one of them, but they're there. Just watch your back, Commander."

"I will. Thanks for the advice. Again, good luck." I said. I turned and left, wondering what he knew that he wasn't telling me...

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

The dinner was being held in a small conference room at the Hyatt Hotel in the northern part of Town, paid for by the taxpayers of the State. It was hosted by State Senator Katherine Woodburn. Attending were Town & County Councilpersons Malinda Adams, Kelly Carnes, Pastor Raymond Westboro, Thomas P. Cook, and Reginald B.F. Lewis.

"I appreciate you all coming today," said the host, Katherine Woodburn, "and keeping me informed of what the Council is doing so that I can support you at the State level." There was a murmur of acknowledgement, then Katherine said "So what do we need to coordinate upon now?"

"Two things are coming." said Kelly Carnes. "First are going to be the budget cuts for next year. That's not coming up right away, and I only bring it up so that we can begin preliminary discussions about it. The second thing is what requires much faster action, should that be desired, and that is the new Police Chief situation."

"Why is that an issue?" asked Katherine. "You just approved Sean Moynahan from Midtown. How can you go back on that?"

"By using the Second Reading of the Bill." replied Cook.

"Refresh my memory." said Woodburn. "How does this 'Second Reading' go?"

Kelly Carnes said "Once a bill is passed, it's brought back up again the next week. If a majority votes again to pass, it's passed. Often that happens by voice vote. But if someone asks for a recorded vote, and then a majority vote against the bill, the bill is opened again for debate as if it had never been passed.

She continued: "One caveat of it is that if five of the ten Council Members vote against, i.e. to revisit the bill, and it's a tie vote, the Mayor is obligated to vote to revisit the bill. The reason for the Second Reading is in case something new came up in the week since the first passage, or if public sentiment suddenly turns in large numbers after hearing about the first passage. It's a fail-safe, rarely used, but it gives us a 'do-over' if needed."

"I see." said Katherine. "And you want to use this to stop the hire of Moynahan?"

"Yes." said Cook. "The offer to him was not a wholly popular move, and some of us would still like to see Robert Brownlee promoted to the position."

"Which would force the Iron Crowbar to leave." said Reginald B.F. Lewis. One could not tell from his inflection whether or not he considered that to be a good or bad thing.

"It would not force him to leave." said Cook. "But if he knows what is good for him, he'll resign quickly rather than be brought up on charges of various kinds and then fired."

"I'm not sure that is an action we wish to happen." said Malinda Adams in her prim way. "Commander Troy has been much more accommodative to placing women in positions of responsibility in the Police Force than Griswold or Bennett ever were. I am also sure that Robert Brownlee would not be very good about that. He actually hit a woman police officer, used physical violence against her."

"Which nearly got him killed by that Officer's cousin, the Iron Crowbar." said Katherine, remembering. "What I want to ask, and I hope you'll consider... what exactly are the benefits, to us, of having Robert Brownlee as your Police Chief?"

Thomas Cook said "Robert Brownlee is a man we can work with. He was eager to follow the law and Court rulings to give those Burke tapes names to the SBI. He also will work with us to make sure that Law Enforcement in this County goes... smoothly... instead of being at the center of disruptions in which the Iron Crowbar always finds himself centered. Again, Robert Brownlee is a man we can work with to ensure harmonious cooperation."

"Just how harmonious is it going to be," said Reginald B.F. Lewis, who was black, "when the Iron Crowbar leaves and joins the FBI; Captain Ross leaves with him to join the FBI; Lieutenant Croyle, who has just led two huge Vice busts, leaves the Force; and Lieutenant Perlman goes to the SBI Inspector's office? Police officers will be subjected to the whims of Robert Brownlee, who my people believe has no regard for them. At the least, the Iron Crowbar has been fair to us, as well as to women." Malinda Adams smiled.

"I would welcome the Iron Crowbar leaving," said Thomas P. Cook, "and never coming back. No matter the fallout, no matter the consequences."

"As would I." said Kelly Carnes. "But Mr. Lewis makes a decent point. If it meant the Iron Crowbar was the only one to go, I'd say make Brownlee our Chief in ten seconds flat. But the Iron Crowbar won't be the only one to go, and Robert Brownlee cannot handle a Police Force that loses its best people."

"So let me ask again," said Katherine Woodburn, "why did you even bother offering Moynahan the job in the first place?"

"We are not the only persons on the Council, Senator." said Pastor Westboro, speaking for the first time. "J.P. Goldman and Edward R. Steele are wealthy and formidable antagonists, as is John Colby. And Captain Moynahan is a very experienced policeman. He will teach our young Police Force many things he has learned from his vast experience. Even the Iron Crowbar admits that he will learn from Moynahan."

Westboro continued: "So let us just say... that we covered our bases, and now are deciding whether or not to go through with naming Moynahan to the Chief position. But if we reverse ourselves, that means the Iron Crowbar himself will again be Acting Chief for weeks... maybe months more."

"If I may, Pastor... let's get to the core of this." said Thomas P. Cook. "Senator, we're asking your input on Robert Brownlee. If you'd like to see him in the Chief's chair, working with us and also with you as our State Senator, then it will go a long way towards our decision. If you don't... no harm, no foul, and we continue with Moynahan."

Katherine said "I see. Okay, guys, here's what I'd like to see happen..."

To be continued.