Frozen Mothballs Ch. 03

"Would you please elaborate?"

The lawyer stepped in: "Again, ask specific questions that are not open-ended. I'm advising my client to not answer that last question."

"Would you say the concepts of your thesis were in alignment with Dr. Yarborough's teachings? asked Krueger, a bit more strongly. "Or were they tangential?"

"That's an open-ended question." said Meadows.

"But specific." said Krueger. "So please answer it."

"Dr. Yarborough had many ideas, as did I." said Meadows. "The correlation of them would be speculation, and I won't give grounds for you to say I was lying over what would be a difference of opinion."

I could see on the tape that Krueger was getting frustrated. Parker forged ahead along different lines:

"Sir," said Parker, "do you know of any of Dr. Yarborough's students that seemed to be unusual, or have extreme variations of his ideas?"

"No, none that I can think of." said Meadows.

"Did you know a George Aurus?" asked Krueger.

"No, that name is not familiar to me." said Headmaster Meadows.

"We now have to ask you some questions that are more personal and probing in nature." said Detective Parker. "Where were you from the 24-hour period from about noon on February 2d to noon, February 3d?"

"When Lenora Holmes and Rob Dortmund died." said Headmaster Meadows.

"Where were you during that timeframe?" repeated Parker.

"I was at the School during school hours, of course." said Meadows. "The rest of the time I was at home."

"Can anyone verify that?" asked Parker.

"I don't know." said Meadows.

"What about your wife, sir?"

"Gentlemen," interrupted the lawyer. "A wife cannot be compelled to testify against her husband, nor a husband against his wife. Your questions infringes upon that, and I am instructing my client to not answer this line further."

"So you don't have an alibi for that timeframe, Mr. Meadows?"

"I wasn't aware I needed one." replied Meadows curtly. "And I wish to confer privately with my lawyer at this time."

After the conference, the lawyer demanded that Meadows either be formally arrested, or that he (the lawyer) was escorting Meadows out of the building. The latter is what happened, though Parker did tell Meadows to stay in Town and to inform the Police if he intended to leave the jurisdiction.

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

I called Cindy and Teddy Parker into Classroom 'E'. Once they were there and seated, I said "Just to be clear, here: I recused myself from investigating Walnut Prep over sexual improprieties. I have not recused myself from investigating the Black Velvet murders. So, let's talk about this situation. Parker, what did you think of that interview?"

"I felt like he was playing his cards close to the vest, sir." said Kruger. "He answered our questions with only the minimum amount of information possible, giving us no lines to expand upon. He seemed evasive." I looked at Krueger.

"Sir," said Parker, "I know he has the overhanging cloud of the sex scandal over his school, which I believe is destroying his school, and could possibly lead to criminal charges or civil lawsuits. So I understand the evasiveness there. I also got the feeling that, for right or wrong, he felt like our questions were trying to trap him into a contradiction... the 'Scooter Libby' treatment, as it's called."

I nodded. "Yes, that is true. I got a similar impression while watching the tape. You both did well in the interview, by the way. I know you were frustrated by his answers, but you gave him no legal loopholes at all, which is one of the most important things in suspect interrogation."

"Sir," said Cindy, "he was very evasive about his whereabouts during the time of Lenora and Rob's capture and deaths."

"One day I am going to make you write a thesis paper on the assumption of guilt, Captain." I said. That earned me a dark look from Cindy.

"Sir," she persisted, "he also has strong motive, at least for the Lenora Holmes and Ron Dortmund murders. He could've known about the previous Black Velvet killings, and imitated them to get rid of Lenora and Rob, all the while making it look to us like part of a larger serial killer spree." The other Detectives agreed.

"Yes, that is very true." I conceded. It really was a good point. "What you've suggested does not contradict the evidence we have in any way. So yes, Headmaster Meadows has given us no reason to discontinue considering him as a suspect."

"Sir, could he have done them all?" asked Teddy Parker.

"Yes." I said. "But I'm not seeing good reasons right now. In the meantime, I know that the Mouseketeers are working on finding out about George Aurus. So let's keep plodding along."

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

"This is a disaster." said State Senator Katherine Woodburn, sitting in her Senate office in Midtown. "Why the hell didn't someone tell me?"

"I didn't know, either." said State Rep. Justin Madoff. "They just sprang it on us."

Members of Katherine's staff were sitting in various chairs, waiting for the inevitable explosion from their boss. She looked around at each of them, her eyes penetrating into theirs, or so they felt. A sense of gloom filled the room... and then was interrupted:

"I'll tell you exactly what is going on, Senator Woodburn." said Senator Jimmy 'Coffin' Cerone, walking into the room without invitation, as if he were the Mob Overlord he once was. "Would you like to speak privately?"

"Yes." said Katherine. "Everyone, go. You too, Madoff. You are worse than useless to me."

"Hey, wait!--" Madoff protested, but cut it off when he saw Cerone glaring at him. He got out, glaring at both of them.

"Yes, I admit, I owe you a good lunch." said Cerone, sitting down in the chair just vacated by Madoff. "But we kept you out of the loop for two reasons, Katherine: one, to give you plausible deniability. You can tell your constituents in your District as well as the women of the State that you had nothing to do with this. Two, we had to get this done. It was hurting us far more than it was hurting the Governor, and Wilson Hammond's credibility with the Republicans was being totally destroyed. If we didn't compromise, then the Iron Crowbar's plan was going to be implemented."

"We had a strong bloc that would've stopped anything the Iron Crowbar wanted." said Katherine, working hard to keep her voice calm. "We had the fucking Republicans by the short hairs."

"Take my word for it, Katherine... you did not." said Cerone. "And I came here to offer you a consolation prize, in addition to being preserved as the Democrats' brick wall in the Senate. A lot of extra money is going to the University, to the State Crime Lab up there, and to the State Office Building improvements. There will be increased means of watching the Iron Crowbar and his activities, and of course some of that money will be funneled into your pockets. I know what you're trying to do up there, what you're trying to build, and we're going to help you as much as we can... without getting caught, of course."

"And I'll throw in one extra favor," said Cerone, "a personal one, just between you and me, as a personal apology and my thanks for your understanding. One day, that little piece of shit Councilman Thomas P. Cook will have to be dealt with. When you need that to happen, just give me the word... and it will happen."

Katherine's eyes peered at Cerone as she considered many ramifications. And she decided.

"You have a deal, Senator Cerone." she said. "Oh... and dinner at Luigi's is on you."

Part 12 - Thawing Mothballs

"This is Bettina Wurtzburg, KXTC Channel Two News!" blared the lovely redheaded reporterette from in front of the Federal Building on Courthouse Square at 7:00am, Monday, February 20th. "Channel Two News has learned that the FBI is taking a larger role in the serial killings dubbed the 'Black Velvet' murders!"

"The Black Velvet crimes are reaching every level of Government, from local to Federal." Bettina continued. "At the local level, the investigation into Walnut Preparatory School and possible improprieties between teachers and students is ongoing. Police say that they have no evidence of illegal or improper sexual contacts, and may soon close the investigation. However, Channel Two News has learned that the Town & County Police consider Walnut Prep Headmaster John Meadows to be a material witness in the Black Velvet crimes. The Police have refused comment, and have also declined to reveal the connection between Meadows and the case."

I was shaking my head in anger as Bettina went on: "And in a related case, two persons were found dead at King & Ebenezer Food Industries over the weekend. One of the victims has been identified as Wayne LaCroix, an attorney for the Board of Commissioners who was recently arrested for using bugs to listen in on privileged conversations. The other victim has not yet been identified. Police say they have not found any motive for these murders, nor do they have any suspects."

"Also," said Bettina, "the FBI is looking into allegations that a nerve gas compound was brought into the County last week. Multiple sources tell Channel Two News that the TCPD discovered the deadly agents and informed the FBI of the nature of the chemicals. Neither the FBI nor TCPD will comment on this situation, but Police Chief Sean Moynahan issued a statement that the allegations are just rumors, and that there is no danger to the Public."

The MCD room was totally silent, seeing how red my face and neck had gotten, to the point that my titian hair was almost glowing in contrast. And Bettina was nowhere near finished:

"And in State news, there were shocking developments in the Legislature as a compromise SBI bill was stealthily written by legislators, then hurriedly passed and signed by the Governor." said Bettina. The secrecy and speed of the bill's passage has upset some people. Roll tape."

The tape rolled, first showing Katherine Woodburn: "This poorly written bill was rammed through the Legislature too hastily. The SBI and our ability to protect our children from drugs and predators has been nearly destroyed by the unholy zeal of Governor Val Jared and his Republican allies!"

Wilson Hammonds was then shown: "I believe that some of my colleagues were too hasty in accepting the Cerone-Molinari bill. We should've had a reasonable time for debate and amendments."

Bettina went on to outline what was in the SBI Bill, then called in 'experts' to tell us exactly what to think about it. That was my cue to exit to the privacy of my office, where I could utter unprintable curses at Bettina's reporting without bothering anyone except the matchstick Trojan Horse...

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

"So why do you think they'll have to re-do the SBI in a couple of years?" I asked Cindy. She had given me three minutes to vent, then came right on into my office.

"I think there are going to be a lot of conflicts with the SDOJ." said Cindy. "Chief Bennett up here, Robert Gaston in Southport..." She sighed, then added "It's going to be a political mess, and that'll give Senator Woodburn a chance to come in and try to 'reunify' the SBI, so to speak."

I nodded. "Well, right now, my worry is what Bettina is doing in her reporting of those mothballs we found. That was just downright irresponsible. I also want to know where the leak is that gave her that information in the first place."

"My guess is that it's somewhere in the State Crime Lab or our regional SDOJ office." said Cindy. "Tanya, we trust. Her people, well-qualified but we don't know them. Harold Bennett... well, you know how I feel about that homophobe."

I chuckled. "Ah, the word 'homophobe' is yet another misnomer, a word improperly used. I'll just have to send you to Walton Prep for remedial instruction."

"Give me a night with Claire Meadows, and you have a deal. Cindy said. "She is smoking hot. But I'm afraid she plays on your team, not mine."

"I think you're right." I said. "Okay, let's change the subject and talk about actual Police business. How's McGhillie doing in Vice?"

"Very well, sir." Cindy said. "Coldiron thinks he's going to be good in white-collar crimes and things like that. McGhillie has some connections through his father and his father's Council status--"

Just then the phone rang. It was Chief Moynahan...

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

It was one of the biggest regional FBI pow-wows in recent memory. The conference room at the FBI offices in the City's Federal Building contained the DepDirector, Special Agents in Charge Jack Muscone, Clark Webster, Les Craig, and Dana Fox; and Special Agents Miles Winters (who worked with Les Craig), Julius Jefferson (who worked Homeland Security issues with Dana Fox), Martin Nash, Sandra Speer, and Lindy Linares.

There were two FBI Consultants in the room, as well. You get one guess who they were. Hint: they carry crowbars.

"All right," said the DepDirector, "let's get started. First, I appreciate Consultants Troy and Ross coming in so quickly and on such short notice, and I appreciate their Chief's patience with me even more. The first part of this meeting is about the Black Velvet serial killings, and related issues. Jack?"

"Thank you, sir." said Muscone. "We just got information from the Westphalia State Crime Lab that some of the bodies recently found have been identified. Don, Cindy, I just emailed you those reports. Lindy, would you give us a rundown?"

"Yes sir." said Lindy Linares. "A City University student named Grant Leslie, male, 20 years old at the time he disappeared, was one of the victims. He'd joined the Army when he was 17, dishonorably discharged after being caught having sex with a Second Lieutenant's wife... she initially had claimed he was raping her when they got caught, but she recanted that charge pretty soon afterwards, as her other affairs came out. For those reasons, his DNA was on file and we got a match."

"One of the females was identified as Honey Parker, age 34 at the time she disappeared. She was married, two small children. Worked as an H.R. consultant in the City." continued Lindy. "Her family provided a hair brush from which we got a DNA profile, and we got a match with one of the bodies. Mr. Webster's Missing Person's Bureau is now looking at other people reported as missing from that timeframe, and trying to get some kind of DNA samples to test for more matches." Clark Webster nodded. I caught Les Craig seeming to smirk before he realized I was looking in his direction.

"What were the professions of these victims' families?" I asked.

Lindy said "Honey Parker's husband was, and still is, a lawyer. Traditional ambulance chaser type. Grant Leslie's father works in the City Court system, custodian of records and staff duties. His mother was... a reporter. KSB." I nodded thoughtfully.

"Thank you, Lindy." said Jack Muscone. "In addition to that, some of the autopsies aren't of much value, as the bodies were decomposed, but some of the bodies showed knife cuts to the neck or upper back, and some showed cuts to the lower back or to abdomen from the front."

"So the gist of this," said the DepDirector, "is we've got people our Missing Persons Bureau have been looking for, that are now showing up as victims of this Black Velvet killer. Technically, once they're found, they become the State's jurisdiction, but I've asked the Governor and SBI Director Conlan to allow us to work more closely with SBI Inspector Troy and his people on this. Clark, I want you, Martin, and Lindy to work with them as well as that county's law enforcement and see how many other missing persons we can get off your rolls."

"Okay," said the DepDirector, "I need for Muscone, Craig, Fox, and Troy to stay; the rest of you can go."

"Ross stays, too." I said. I don't know what the man had been thinking, but my Green Crowbar was staying where I was staying.

"Uh... okay, Ross, too." said the DepDirector, choosing wisely.

"Sir," said Les Craig, "Should Captain Ross be staying? We're going to be discussing sensitive information, and she's Canadian."

That got a huge glare from a pair of ice blue eyes underneath a platinum blonde head, and generated gasps from a number of people. It also made a certain gray-eyed redhead sit up and turn his full attention onto Les Craig.

"She's a natural-born American Citizen." I thundered. "She has a Top Secret clearance, as well. What's your problem, Agent Craig?"

"She also has Canadian citizenship." said Craig. "I question her loyalties." More gasps from the room. It was Cindy herself that prevented me from standing up.

"The Deputy Director knows my loyalties." Cindy said. "It's up to him if I stay or go."

"So to whom are you loyal, Ross?" asked Craig. "The Queen, or the Constitution?"

"The Queen is awesome. I love the Queen." Cindy said with alacrity. "She's a wartime military veteran, a status you cannot claim, Mr. Craig. But my oaths of loyalty have never been to anything but the United States Constitution."

"And to the Iron Crowbar?" sneered Craig.

"That's enough, Craig." said Jack Muscone, who was senior to Les Craig. "These are both good people, and they're the wrong people to pick fights with."

"I agree." said the DepDirector. "Ross can stay. Those of you who have been excused should already be out of here..."

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

I swept the room for bugs, finding none... except the FBI's own microphones. The DepDirector had a team come in behind me and make a sweep for bugs. They found none, and conveeeniently didn't find the FBI microphones.

Of course, paperwork came out... we were about to talk about highly classified information.

"What this is about," said the DepDirector, "is those so-called 'mothballs' that the TCPD found. The nerve agents were very similar to VX, but sublime at much lower temperatures. I'll just repeat what the FBI Director said: 'This is scary shit.'." We all nodded soberly.

"Commander Troy, your Police report has been pulled and classified, and I do appreciate you having written it personally and kept it under seal. I'll need you to inform your Police Department that further discussion of it should not happen."

"I will, sir, but it's the Press you need to talk to." I said. "Bettina Wurtzburg won't shut her trap about it, and it hasn't been for lack of asking them. My Chief personally asked them to stop discussing it, but they told him to 'fuck off', and that was a direct and literal quote."

"Why the hostility?" asked the Deputy Director?

"I don't know." I said. "KXTC is usually more cooperative than KSTD about these things, but in this case it's KSTD who is not reporting directly on the nerve agents while KXTC can't seem to talk enough about it."

"Well, we sent a couple of Special Agents to talk to Burt West and Bettina Wurtzburg." said the DepDirector. "They tried to throw the First Amendment in our faces, but we've told them there are limits to Press Freedoms once they've been told something is classified, and that we'll be happy to use them as a first demonstration to go through the Courts. They seem to be defiant and willing to pick a fight, and like you said, Commander, I am not sure why."

I just shrugged my shoulders, as did Cindy.

"Okay," said the DepDirector, "these guys that brought in the nerve agents. One of them, the one called 'Speedy', seemed to know what the drugs were. The others did not have a true idea of it. But these guys really had nothing to tell, not any names. Speedy only knew of a contact by cell phone, which is a burner number... God! I hate burners! Speedy picked up the package at the Midtown Bus Station, and he and his boys drove it up here."

"Don, we should've checked those guys for Black Badges." Cindy said quietly.

"I did." I replied. "No such badges in their clothes, belongings, or in their vehicle."