Gods and Crowbars Ch. 02

Lindy Linares said "We are thinking that he's just trying to raise some cash, then will hand off that drug pipeline to others. We also have reason to believe he's associated himself with elements of Superior Bloodlines, and that's beyond anything he had to do with Kevin Greeley's death."

"I can tell you right now," Laura said, "that my husband does not agree with that. He believes Ferrell took part in the Greeley murder to establish bona fides with the White Roots people, but his lodestone is not white supremacy. He's working at another level, a higher level."

"Why does he believe that?" asked the DepDirector.

"Jeanine Burke." said Laura. "And Ferrell being a product of Yarborough's eugenics breeding experiments. My husband believes Ferrell's loyalties lie with the rogue cell involved with that."

"You know..." mused Jack Muscone, "I just hate it when a bunch of us are agreed on something and have worked it out... and then the Iron Crowbar comes in with something tangential or completely different... and it turns out that he was right and we were all wrong, all along."

"He doesn't think you're wrong on all of this." Cindy said. "He just thinks Ferrell's motives are not simple white supremacy, but something deeper and uglier."

"His back is broken, not his brain." said Lindy Linares. Cindy gave Lindy a thumbs-up.

"What are your thoughts on all of this, Agent Chow?" asked the DepDirector.

"Sir," said Chow, "if Ferrell is trying to set up a drug pipeline... maybe we should help him."

"Oooooo, that's Iron Crowbar thinking, there." said Cindy.

"Yesssss..." said the DepDirector. "And why do I get the feeling that this has already gone beyond the 'thoughts' phase?"

"It has." said Norm Chow. "The TCPD is doing it. They discovered that SBI Lieutenant Mills and Ferrell may have been using Lt. Perlman's van to pass messages along. That's a sideline I'm working on, but they've made contact with Ferrell through Mills to set up a drug buy."

"Okay, then." said the DepDirector. "Let's see if Chief Griswold successfully taught his people how to catch fish. And this one... is a mighty big fish."

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

As everyone was dismissed, Laura asked Jack Muscone to stay a moment. They were alone in the conference room. It is possible Laura had her bug-killer turned full on.

"Jack," she said as they sat at one corner of the table, "this is part professional and part personal. How do you feel about capturing Richard Ferrell?"

"Professionally," said Muscone, "I'll be happy to get a murdering, racist bastard off the streets. Personally... well, maybe I should reserve comment."

"It's privileged, as I am asking to evaluate you psychologically." Laura said. "But I do need to know your state of mind in this. Off the record, I know of that previous situation where you took out your half-brother, the guy who killed Teresa's sister in that car collision. How does this compare?" (Author's note: 'Dark Side of The Force, Ch. 05')

Muscone sighed, then said "After what Ferrell did to Tanya, not to mention being part of that dragging death... I don't know... I just don't know. I don't want to step over the line, but if I'm the one to catch him..." He just shook his head and did not complete the sentence.

Laura nodded. "I understand. I'm going to ask your boss to hold you back, and make sure you're publicly visible for the next few days. Sometimes it's good to... let others handle things." Muscone peered at Laura for a moment, then just nodded.

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

We went through the ritual of Paulina reading my accomplishments and awards into the record, but only after the overruled objections of the Defense counsel. And then Paulina spoon-fed the case to the jury. Those who have never been on a jury or seen a Court case may not realize how slowly, carefully, and simply the Prosecution has to go while getting the case laid out. It's ritualistic, formulaic, and leads to a long and tiring day.

We worked through the murder of Scrawny Haskins, which other witnesses would corroborate in the following days. Then we worked through the attempted murder on me at Point Hollow.

At 4:00pm, Judge Folsom said 'We will be in recess until 9:00am tomorrow morning. Commander Troy, you will still be under oath when we return." With that, he banged his gavel. Everyone rose as the Jury was escorted out, then the Judge exited. I was also escorted out by Deputies before everyone else was allowed to leave, ostensibly to keep people from having contact with me while in the Courtroom.

Part 8 - Plan of Action

Cindy was also going to be a witness in the Sharples trial, so while I was officially on the stand she did not come up to visit me at the Mountain Nest. The DepDirector's joke wasn't: Laura really did fill me in on the FBI meeting at the dinner table. We were eating hamburgers and potato chips, so Carole did not feed Bowser anything. Jim ate an entire half a hamburger, to his father's stunned amazement. (Double cheeseburger plates of the future, beware!)

I did have visitors after supper: Captain Teresa Croyle, Lt. Wes 'Coldiron' Masters, Detective Grubby Paul, Detective Roy McGhillie, Lieutenant Irwin and Sergeant Rudistan. We carried chairs to the backyard, and I walked down the stairs backward, as that was much more manageable and less painful than going down stairs forward.

After settling down with soft drinks in hand, and Buddy firmly ensconced on Teresa's lap and being petted by her, they filled me in on what they'd learned about Ferrell's drug operation.

"You were right, Commander," said 'Coldiron' Masters, "that Ferrell might've been around Lt. Perlman's van to get a note that might've been hidden on it. The Mouseketeers reviewed some tape from the University Stadium's security cameras. Do you know who an SBI Lieutenant Leon Mills is, sir?"

"Oh... yeah." I said. "He was Gaston's main assistant before Gaston became a Regional Director. He's one of the dirty ones I'd like to see cleaned out."

"Yes sir, that's him." said Coldiron. "He was seen on tape around Lt. Perlman's van. Can't really tell if he's leaving a note or anything, but it's as you like to say: it was easy to find the solution once we had the answer."

"That's good work, guys." I said. "We also know that someone was driving the car Ferrell dived into when he was spotted by Tanya and Joanne. Any idea on that?"

"No sir." said Teresa. "We don't think it was Mills... why would he drive Ferrell to the van where he left a note for Ferrell? He'd just give it directly to Ferrell."

"Iron Crowbar thinking there." I said. "Captain Croyle, sure you don't want to start carrying a crowbar?"

"Don't need it, sir." Teresa said.

"Slender Man would disagree, ma'am." said Rudistan, with his usual joviality. That earned him a 'Teresa Cunt' glare, but my laugh rescued Rudistan.

"Okay," I said, "so is Mills part of Ferrell's drug operations?"

"We don't think so, sir." said Roy McGhillie. "We're not getting anything on Mills from any C.I.s."

"Ferrell is using go-betweens to set up a pipeline, because the regular boys know he was once NTF and they don't trust him at all." said 'Coldiron' Masters. "And those go-betweens don't really know who the players are around here. So we're slipping people in as contacts. Unless he already knows them, we think he's fallen for it"

"Yes sir, he has." said Grubby Paul, who along with J.J. 'Ice Cube' Perry was the heart and soul of the TCPD's undercover operations. "We're setting up a meeting between our C.I. and the go-betweens tonight, at one of the bars along University Avenue. If we can make it happen tomorrow night, that'll be good. If we have to wait until Thursday, we can do that, though it's more risk and less chance of full success."

"Sounds good." I said. "But I'd like you to consider suggesting doing it during daylight hours. While I'm sitting in Court. You can have your guy tell the go-between that doing it while the Iron Crowbar is in Court, unavailable, and everyone else more concerned about Court security than looking for drug deals, will give you a better chance to complete the deal undetected."

"We can do that." said Grubby Paul. "Word is that Ferrell wants a fast deal; he's hard-up for money. We'll tell him we can get him a small supply to sell, then a bigger supply on Friday. But he won't make that meeting if he comes to the one tomorrow."

"Where's it going to go down?" I asked.

"Strip mall on the northwest side of Town." said Roy McGhillie, who gave the full address. "We're going to bring in a fake SPS delivery truck."

"What time?" I asked.

"We'll shoot for 2:30pm." said Grubby Paul.

"Okay, good enough. Captain Croyle will give the final go-ahead." I said. "And speaking of Captain Croyle, I need to talk with her and Sergeant Rudistan for a moment. Everyone else, thanks for coming, and I won't keep you up any later." They took it as the dismissal it was, and left.

After they were gone, Laura brought someone else to our little group before going back inside to babysit. It was my nephew Todd. I noticed Laura's lipstick was practically gone, and her hair was mussed up. The easy conclusion was that my stud nephew had been making out with my beautiful wife while waiting to come out.

"So, Mr. Rudistan," I said quietly in the darkening night, "you worked with Lt. Perlman. How do you feel about what Ferrell did to her?"

"Makes me mad to think about it, sir." said Rudistan. "I'm still mad about our buddy Pete Feeley, and the attempt on their kid, too. I probably should not go on the arrest... I might get carried away."

"I hear that." I said. "So, Todd, I can't prove beyond a reasonable doubt the bastard helped murder the mother of your son, but how do you feel about it?"

"Like you do, Uncle Don." said Todd. "Our souls cry for Justice."

"Teresa?" I asked.

"Tanya was my friend, and still is." said Teresa. "Ferrell attacked my fiancé's grandmother, too. And there's... well, there's another reason... So, Commander... what about you?"

"I am sure," I said, "that while I'm sitting in Court, I'll be idly thinking that when Ferrell is going through the prison system after his arrest tomorrow, that it would be only 'meet and right"... and just... that he learn just what it means to be wheelchair-bound... paralyzed from the waist down... see how he likes it..."

Buddy raised his head to look up at Teresa, who looked back at him and petted him. Todd and Rudistan just nodded as they contemplated my concept of 'Justice' for Richard 'Dick' Ferrell...

Part 9 - Backbreaking Work

"This is Bettina Wurtzburg, KXTC Channel Two News!" shouted the lovely redheaded MILF reporterette at 7:00am, Wednesday, April 12th. "Channel Two News has learned that former SBI Agent Richard Ferrell, who is wanted for several crimes, has been spotted in our Town and County over the weekend!"

A tape of Ferrell attacking Tanya Perlman in the State Crime Lab Building, and throwing Tanya's wheelchair on her legs, was shown repeatedly as Bettina said "As this video footage shows, former Agent Ferrell attacked SBI Lieutenant Tanya Perlman after her State Crime Lab discovered the use of synthetic chemicals in the death of Jeremy Moreland."

Bettina went on: "Agent Ferrell is also wanted in connection with other crimes, including possible participation in the dragging death of Kevin Greeley, a.k.a. 'The Metrosexual', who owned the clubs 'Pink' and 'Punk' here in Town. Mr. Ferrell may be a part of white supremacy groups, and he is also allegedly involved in the drug related deaths of two University students at the 'Punk' club some weeks ago."

"The TCPD has intensified their search for former Director Ferrell," said Bettina, "and sources tell Channel Two News that the FBI and SBI are also participating in the manhunt for Mr. Ferrell, who they consider to be extremely dangerous. The TCPD Vice Squad is concentrating on former Agent Ferrell's possible narcotics ties, and sources tell Channel Two News that Ferrell might be starting up drug operations in this County."

"In other news," continued Bettina, "the death penalty trail of former TCPD Detective Leonard Sharples continues today. Commander Donald Troy was on the stand all day yesterday. The defense counsel made over thirty objections to his testimony, and it is expected that their cross-examination will be very thorough and will take the entire day."

"Good grief." said Joanne Warner as the MCD Detectives drank their coffee. "Is it just me, or is Bettina outright trying to make it sound like Commander Troy is lying on the stand?"

"The Press is out of control." said Teddy Parker. "They no longer report the news, they create it for agenda-driven purposes."

"What about you, Theo?" asked Joanne. "You think the Press is dishonest?"

"I always come back to the question of 'Why would they lie?'." said Theo.

"And I have the answer for you." said Cindy Ross, coming into the room. "Like the Commander likes to say: 'Follow the money'. They're not going to sell advertising or get more viewers talking about what a great job the Police are doing, or that black and white people worked together on the Ronald Reagan Park beautification project. They sell drama and conflict."

"I agree, ma'am," said Teddy Parker, "but the last few years they've taken it a lot farther. They suppress news that doesn't correspond to a certain agenda and political ideology. Bettina's story this morning was just short of outright lying, and some national outlets are putting out factually false stories, and once again all favoring one particular political ideology."

"And their hostility towards Christians borders on outright media jihad." Joanne added.

"Well," said Theo, "as the Commander also says, we can't have our Constitutional Republic without a Free Press protected by the First Amendment."

"Are they really a 'Free' Press?" Joanne asked back. "Reporters want to get paid, and they won't get paid unless they parrot what their editors want to hear---"

"All right guys," interrupted Cindy, "let's get back to Police work. I'm going to go talk to the Vice guys and see if Bettina's reporting has damaged their plans to capture Ferrell. In the meantime, what are you guys doing?"

"Ferrell. Ferrell. Ferrell." said Parker, sounding bored.

"I'm cleaning up some loose ends on the Forbes & Sehgal case," said Theo Washington, "and the plane crash that killed Mr. Steinhart. Sonali and I have been looking for financial issues with their office up here in our County."

"Cool." said Cindy. She then turned to Joanne.

"Ma'am, I'm still peeking at this cold case." said the lovely blonde Detective Warner. "Jason Rutledge was the Class President of that Class, and a woman named Susan Gurley is the Vice President. She is the one who sets up these reunion gatherings and stuff, so I'm going to interview her about the reunion ten years ago."

"Okay, but not until Ferrell is busted." said Cindy. "Which I hope happens today. But Ferrell is our end-all mission."

"Yes ma'am." said Joanne, feeling as if she'd been chastised.

"Ma'am," said Theo, "what about SBI Chaplain Ikea? And his possible connections to Ferrell. They were great friends once before; some even say they were butt-buddies. Shouldn't we be checking up on him?"

"He's a Chaplain, a man of the Lord." said Joanne, taking Theo's bait hook, line and sinker. "Why would you investigate him?"

"O-kayyyyy" said Cindy. "I have your new mission, Joanne. You are to get on that computer and thoroughly read up on Steven Ikea, including internal Police reports of his physical assault upon Jeanine Burke, his assault upon Commander Troy's mother, which almost got Ikea murdered on the spot, and his attempt to frame a University football coach. I will be asking you a lot of questions about 'man of the Lord' Steven Ikea, Detective Warner, and you'd better have well-researched answers. Okay, folks, get started."

With that, Cindy exited the MCD room, leaving a stunned Joanne Warner behind her. "Did Chaplain Ikea really do all those things?"

"And more, Joanne." said Teddy Parker. "He was Captain Malone's right-hand man here, when Malone was corrupting this Police Force. Ikea was a bad, bad seed."

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

Captain Ross entered the Vice Room. It was rare for everyone to be at their desks this early in the morning; Vice Detectives often were up and out during evening and night-time hours, and would come in later in the mornings if they needed to get at least four hours of sleep per 24-hour period. That edict had come down from the Police Commander... who had simply read the edict of then-Lieutenant Teresa Croyle.

But they were all here this morning. "Hi folks!" Cindy called out. "Did you guys catch Bettina's broadcast?"

"Yes ma'am." said Christopher Purvis. "She might as well have advertised that we're going after Ferrell today."

"And that's why I'm here." said Cindy. "Does this harm your operation to get him?"

"No ma'am." said Grubby Paul. "In fact, Ms. Wurtzburg might be upset to know that it might actually help us. Our contact met with Ferrell last night, and reported that Ferrell could not hide his anxiousness to get the deal done as quickly as possible. He was very amenable to our moved-up timetable, and we are a 'Go' for 2:30pm, if Captain Croyle gives the green light."

"Good." said Cindy. "Okay, guys, I could get called to be a witness at the Courthouse any time today, especially after lunch. So Grubby, take the lead on this. And best of luck to your success today."

"Thank you, Captain." said Grubby Paul.

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

I'd expected the cross-examination to be tough. And I was right. H.J. Lynch was doing his damnedest best to make it sound like I'd murdered Scrawny Haskins and tried to kill myself.

He started by asking me "How are you feeling this morning, Commander?" It wasn't a friendly, casual question; he was trying to establish that I was not up to giving this testimony. Paulina immediately objected to the question, and Folsom sustained it. The Jury looked confused, and Folsom got upset. He had the Jury go out for ten minutes, then brought the lawyers to the Bench.

"Defense counsel," barked Folsom, anger in his voice, "I will not tolerate shenanigans like that. You keep it up, and I'll hammer you. If this case goes to mistrial for any action of yours, I'll have you in Contempt, and I'll have you disbarred. Do you understand?"

"I... I just asked the Commander how he was feeling, Your Honor. Just like saying hello---"

"Your Honor," cut in Paulina sharply, "we're not fools here, and we see what the Defense counsel is trying to do. We've long since established that Commander Troy is fit to give testimony today. I am lodging a protest that the Defense counsel is intentionally trying to waste our time in an effort to harass the witness."

"And I'll take that under advisement, Prosecutor." said Folsom. "No more b.s. tricks, Counselor."

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

It was still a long, long day. Lynch was trying every trick in the legal book. Judge Watts would've shut him down, and hard, long before now, but Judge Folsom tended to give more leeway in his Courtroom.

Lynch pushed against every single thing he could, trying to impeach my testimony. Several times he said things like "Are you sure you don't want to refer to your notes?" as if I was contradicting my Police reports. Paulina objected and Judge Folsom sustained every time, so Lynch's attempts to make the Jury think I was saying anything wrong was mitigated.

Then Lynch played his last card with me. He tried to say our sting capturing Sharples at Point Hollow was 'entrapment'. Now Paulina had spent most of the day before laying the groundwork that it was a sting, that it showed the same pattern that was used in the murder of Scrawny Haskins, and that it was legitimate in every way. But Lynch went for an attempt to rebut that.