Moonlight Shadow Ch. 01

"No blood on the ground anywhere near these footprints, as far as I can tell." said Teddy Parker, who was carefully moving parallel to the footprints, using towels on the ground so that he would not mar the ground with his own boot prints. Chief Griswold had taught all of us that little 'trick'.

A moment later, Parker came back to us. "The tracks end abruptly just short of the disc golf teepad." he said. "No fresh mud on the teepad itself. No further lines of footprints going anywhere, and the River is about 75 feet further west."

I nodded. "Well, Jerome," I said, "I think this qualifies as a 'strangeness', would you agree?"

"Yes sir, absolutely." said Jerome as we backed out of the way to permit Martha the M.E. access to the body.

"Well, Commander Cobra," Martha said acerbically, "want to save me some work and tell me what the time of death is?" I knew she was teasing me.

"I'll let Detective Davis do that." I said. "Pretty obvious, isn't it, Detective?"

Jerome looked around. "Oh! The dewfall. It's wet on the ground, but not on his clothing. So he hasn't been here long."

"Outstanding!" I exclaimed. "Excellent observation! Here, hold this." I handed him the red crowbar. "Okay, what about the body temperature?"

"Ah... still relatively warm." said Jerome.

"Yes, it is." said Martha. "You're right, he has not been dead very long at all." She began testing the body. "No rigor yet. Well under an hour ago."

"They must've found him not long after he died." said Cindy.

"Which brings into play my very favorite first question at a crime scene." I said. "Which is?"

"Who called it in." said Jerome. "I asked the Duty Desk that as we were leaving. We have the number, but I haven't had a chance to run it yet."

Just then, my own Police iPhone rang. "Hello, Chief." I said after answering. "Yes, we're at the crime scene... wha?... now?... But sir, we're just getting started..."

Cindy's Police iPhone chimed and she read the incoming text. She came over to me. "It's serious, Commander. You better go."

"Okay, Chief, I'm coming in now." I said. As I hung up, I said "Wow, the Chief said drop everything and come back to Headquarters. Sorry, Jerome, but I've got to get the crowbar back."

"No problem, sir, I'll earn a blue one." said Jerome as he handed me the red crowbar back.

"Take measurements of these footprints, how far they are from each other." I said. "Put down some kind of yardstick or something so I can measure the relative distance in photographs." I then touched my hand to my cap and made my way away from the scene."

"Wilco, sir." said Cindy Ross. She turned to Connie the photographer and said "Take one hell of a lot of pictures, of every little thing. So the Commander can at least see those..."

A moment later, she heard the wail of a Police siren. In a fit of pique, I cut on the lightbar and siren of my Police SUV, and tore down Riverside Drive to Headquarters.

Part 3 - Inquiries and Investigations

When I came into Headquarters via the side door that serviced the fenced-in employees parking lot, the Officer at the desk said "Sir, the Chief asked that you go straight to his office."

"Okay, thanks." I said. Going down the hallway, I heard my assistant Helena giggle. As I passed by the door to my office anteroom, I saw Helena at her desk. In the chair by my door was my attorney, Mike G. Todd. He was flirting with the lovely Helena, giving her bright smiles and making her giggle with some story.

"Oh, Commander!" Mike called out when he saw me. He hustled into the hallway. "You have to go to the Chief's office. He's going to take you into the Conference Room. When he does, I'll come in with you."

"That bad, huh?" I asked sourly.

"And maybe worse." said Mike. "IG Wellman is in there, with the IG attorney Robert Mullen."

"Okay." I said. "Thanks. I'll see you in a minute." I left Mike to his flirtations with Helena, and went into the anteroom of the Chief's office.

"I'll buzz him for you, Commander." said the Chief's secretary, who was a tall, slender, pretty girl named Cassie. Wow, formality in every way, I thought to myself as Cassie buzzed the Chief, told him I was here, then went to open the door and escort me in, then closed the door behind me.

"Have a seat, Commander." said Chief Moynahan as he finished signing a document. At least I didn't have to stand up for this, I thought to myself.

"Yes, I can tell you are upset that I called you out of a crime scene." said the Chief as he looked up at me. "Believe me, Commander, I would not do that unless I considered it very urgent."

"Sir, I don't know what could be more urgent than investigating a murder scene," I said, "unless something has happened to my wife or children."

"No, nothing like that." said the Chief. He exhaled, then said "IG Wellman and the IG Attorney Robert Mullen are in the main Conference Room. They are already opening an investigation of you for using the Cobra last night."

"Are you kidding me, sir?" I asked, nearly jumping out of my chair. "Two Officers were down, half the Force under fire, and they're--"

"I know, I know." the Chief said, holding up his hands palms outward and interrupting me. "Look, your lawyer is here, too. Let's go in, see what's going on, then you can go back to the investigation. Besides... it would do your Detectives good to not have you at a crime scene, even if it means something was missed." The Chief could see by the look on my face that I was not buying that for a minute.

"Okay, let's go." he said, getting up. I followed him out the door, and as he went to the Conference Room door I stepped over and interrupted Mike's conversation with Helena, regretting have to stop his considerable progress with her. Mike told Helena he'd talk to her later, and I couldn't help but grin as we went down the hall... and Helena had noticed that I'd noticed...

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

"Bringing in an attorney already?" said Inspector General Horace S. Wellman, whose uncanny resemblance to his non-twin brother, University President Sidney P. Wellman, always unnerved me a bit. Same sinister smile, too.

"Bringing in the IG attorney already?" I retorted. Wellman grinned in understanding. I was not grinning. At all.

Then I said "Inspector, I once said that I would never speak to Mullen here without my attorney present. That applies now, and any other time I would ever have to speak to him." Mullen glared balefully at me, and I stared right back down at him.

"Have a seat, Commander." said the Chief, sitting in his seat at the near end of the table. I was to his right, my back to the door, with Mike to my right. Wellman was to the Chief's left, and Mullen to his left.

"This inquiry," said Wellman, "concerns your use of a Cobra helicopter gunship to engage criminals during a drug operation. We have read your police report, and we have some questions for 'clarification'."

"You've taken me away from investigating a murder scene." I said. "So get on with it."

"I'll take whatever time I need to get to the truth." snarled Mullen.

"Then I'll advise my client to have you submit questions in writing to me, and then tell him to leave and go back to his investigation." said Mike. "And let me state, for the record, that my client and I already believe you are biased against him after previous encounters, we continue to believe you are not impartial, and that you are interfering with a murder investigation if you stall in any way." Mullen was red-faced with anger.

"Let's get to it, Mullen." said Chief Moynahan.

"Inspector," said Mullen, "maybe we should just suspend Troy now. Then he'll have all the time he needs to cooperate with our investigation."

"No." said the Chief. "I won't tolerate that. Horace, curb your dog. Now."

"Just get on with it, Mullen." said Wellman, no longer smiling his sinister smile as the mood in the room got uglier.

"Commander Troy," said Mullen, "who authorized you to use the Cobra in last night's drug bust operation?"

"Myself." I said.

"The Commander has the authority to make those decisions." said Chief Moynahan. "He doesn't have to get permission for every little thing he does. This is the TCPD, not the German Army."

That was a reference to the German Army on D-Day in 1944... they had to get Hitler's specific permission to commit the reserves to attack the American Army wading onto the shore at Normandy... permission that never came. Meanwhile, the American Army's authority had devolved from Supreme Allied Commander Dwight D. Eisenhower to the Captains, Lieutenants, and Sergeants leading the attack on the beaches.

"Commander," said Mullen, "did you consider that there might be innocent persons in the park?"

"Yes, I considered it." I said. "As I put in my report, which is augmented by Supervisor Myron Milton's report, we used an infrared drone to locate the perps and any other persons in the area. There were no other persons in the park; everyone there was a perp, firing at Police, firing at the drone, and firing at me in the Cobra."

"Additionally," I said, "My goggles have infrared capability, enabling me to clearly spot the perps in the dark, therefore enabling me to accurately shoot at my target. My fire was not indiscriminate, but very directed, and only in amounts needed to neutralize the shooters."

"Commander," said Mullen, "there are many in this County who believe your use of a helicopter gunship, a weapon of war, was excessive use of force. They believe you could've found other ways to take down those perps. What is your answer to that?"

"Why don't you go to the Hospital and ask those two wounded Officers if they thought my use of the Cobra was 'excessive' as they lay bleeding in a ditch." I replied.

"So what is your answer?" persisted Mullen. "Do you not consider the use of the gunship excessive?"

"I'll say it another way: I had two Officers wounded and under persistent fire. I had the rest of my Police Force under fire by assault weapons illegally modified to deliver fully automatic fire. To save and rescue my Officers, I came in with all the power I could muster, and it was effective in ending the gun battle, taking the perps into custody, and rescuing my Officers. So no, I don't consider it excessive at all."

"And I would've done the same damn thing to rescue my Officers." said Moynahan. "Make sure to put that in your report, also. I stand with Commander Troy in his decision to use the power of the helicopter to bring the incident to a successful conclusion."

"And one more thing." I added. "You say the helicopter is a weapon of war? That's exactly what we're facing with these drug perps: an all-out, full-blown war. They're shooting at us with military-grade weaponry and none of you mealy-mouthed Leftist lawyers complain one bit. But when we shoot back, all hell breaks loose, as if we Police Officers are the criminals."

"Okay, Mr. Crowbar..." said the Chief, trying to contain me before I really started ranting.

"I'll ask again." said Mullen. "Did you not consider any other way to end the conflict and rescue your Officers?"

"Yes I did." I said. "And in my experienced judgement, the helicopter was the fastest, most efficient way, and the safest for my Officers."

"Safest?" Mullen almost yelled. "Firing a helicopter into a pitch-dark public park?"

"My client has already explained about the use of infrared." said Mike Todd. "You're wasting our time by refusing to take that into consideration in making your last statement." Mullen glared at Mike G. Todd with deep hatred. Mike G. Todd glared back.

"Yes, safest." I replied anyway. "For my Police Officers, anyway."

"Any more questions?" asked the Chief.

"No." said Mullen. "Inspector, I believe we should suspend Commander Troy with half pay until the Board of Inquiry can make a ruling."

"No, that won't be necessary." said Wellman.

"Fully restricted duty, then?" persisted Mullen. "And he's definitely grounded from flying any helicopters."

"Bull SHIT!" I yelled out. Everyone looked at me in shock. "I own that Cobra, it is my property, and I have the license to fly it. You have neither the authority nor the right to tell me I cannot fly my own aircraft, I'll fly it whenever I damn well please, and if you don't like that, Mr. Mullen, you can go shove this crowbar up your ass and spin on it!"

"Easy, Commander." said Chief Moynahan as Mullen looked at me with shock and hatred clearly visibly on his face. To Mullen the Chief said: "He's right. It's his bird."

"All right, all right." said Horace Wellman, trying to find a middle ground. "How about this: please refrain from flying the Cobra on Police raids while this is being investigated. And while desk duty would normally be indicated when determining if this is a good shoot or not, I won't have the Sheriff impose that yet... but do be advised that you should stay in the background for the time being."

"Inspector," said Mullen, "this is highly irregular. I must insist on restrictions upon Commander Troy during my investigation of him, just as any other Officer would be restricted."

"Then I relieve you of responsibility for the investigation." said Wellman, before Mike G. Todd could speak. "Commander, that means the SBI-OER will be asked to come in and investigate."

"Bring 'em on." I said. "Chief, are we done here?"

"Yes." said Moynahan. "Go. Go." Mike and I got out of there.

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

"Damn," I said as Mike and I went into my office, "and it's only 8:30am."

"Don," said Mike, "why do they have the IG on you this fast? And to pull you out of a crime scene, just for that?"

"Well," I said, sitting down in my comfortable 'Command Chair' behind my desk, and indicating for Mike to sit down in a hot chair, "I think we can attribute this to two things: people running for local political offices, and my enemies thinking they have something on me for doing this."

Just then there was a knock on my door, and Captain Teresa Croyle barreled in. "Oh, sorry." she said when she saw Mike.

"Come on in!" I called out. Teresa returned. "You know my attorney, Mike G. Todd?" I said. Teresa and Mike shook hands. Mike flashed her a smile. Teresa flashed her engagement ring, stopping all that.

"So the IG is already here?" Teresa asked as she and Mike sat down.

"Political season." I said. "Dontcha love it?" Teresa gave me a 'Teresa Cunt' look, which I correctly deduced to mean that she did not care for 'political season'.

"You had two Officers wounded, others under fire." said Teresa.

"And lousy politicians that just hate it when we have the ability to overwhelm bad guys." I replied.

"I think you're right, sir." said Teresa. "What I came to tell you was that as I was going home after leaving the Hospital last night, my normal route took me by County Democrat Headquarters. Four o'clock in the morning, and it was lit up like a Christmas tree in there. And statements already out by the time Bettina hit the airwaves at seven a.m. I don't need a red crowbar to know they were already working the angles on this." I nodded.

After a few more minutes of chatter, which Mike used to get Teresa's story of the raid, he excused himself and left. "Okay, whassup?" I asked my Captain of Operations.

Teresa said "First, I came to apologize for the raid's failure. I should have anticipated a possible ambush."

"It was a successful raid." I said. "We got the perps, we got the drugs, we got the cash, we got guns, guns illegally modified to deliver fully automatic fire... but yes, we got two wounded Officers. I accept your apologies, though they're not needed. Sometimes things don't go perfectly right. And we learned a lot from it."

"Yes sir, we did." said Teresa. "Anyway, they're all NS-14 gang members. Several are wanted in Los Angeles. Lt. Claire Michaels has already called me about possible extradition, then said she and Lorena Rose would fly here if we'd allow them to work with us on it."

"That'd be great!" I said, then grinned as I added: "And I get the idea they also just want to come visit their old friends here at the TCPD, as well."

"Not much gets by you." Teresa said with what was for her a teasing grin. "So... will this thing with the Cobra blow over, pun not intended? Or are we in for a real shit storm?"

"A real shit storm." I said. "Politically, anyway."

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

When one went into the main door to Laura's office suite, they were confronted by her assistant sitting behind her desk straight ahead. One turned right to go into Laura's office. If one went left, one went into a room with six cubicles. The one nearest the door was walled off with a door. It was this little space that was Callie Carrington's little corner of the world, where she did her research for Laura... both in sexual matters, and doing CIA-related research.

As a well-trained 'Company' employee, as well as a semi-famous porn starlet that might draw unwanted attention from obsessed male fans, Callie was always looking around as she got out of her car, which was parked in her designated space next to Laura's. As she looked up the shaded, tree-lined avenue that went up (and past) the Pharmacy Building, Callie noticed a black Audi parked there, a car she had not seen before. The windows were tinted, so she could not see if anyone was in the car, but she had a foreboding feeling that someone was... and was watching her.

Going inside, she knocked on the 'back door', the hallway door that went straight into Laura's office. She heard Laura call out 'Come in!', and she went in.

"Whose black Audi is that up by the Pharmacy Building?" Callie asked.

"I didn't see a black Audi when I came in." Laura said. "Here, let me plug into the cameras on this building and the Pharmacy Building." She brought up the app on her computer, and a moment later had a visual on the car.

"Hmmm," Laura said, as she zoomed the Pharmacy Building camera onto the car. "Florida tag." She sent an email to her husband and to Captain Ross, asking them to investigate the tag. Then she said "Let's call the Campus Police to come check out the car." Picking up the phone, she said "Can I speak to Lt. Hanson, please?..."

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

Just before 9:00am, the Detectives all trickled back into Headquarters and MCD. The Chief of Detectives came to my office.

"We took as much video and photographs as we could," Cindy said after I had her get some coffee and sit down in a hot chair, "so you can look at them. Not sure there's much there that you didn't see while you were there. Martha says the bullets were likely 9mmP rounds."

"Nine millimeter is .355 caliber." I said. "She's sure it's not .357 Magnum or .38 Special, which are a very close .357 caliber?"

"They could be," replied Cindy, "but Martha said the bullets were expanding types, and these got pretty deep before really expanding. So she's thinking it was the more powerful round that would come from a semi-auto pistol. The Crime Lab will do ballistics, of course, if they find any rounds still in the body."

"Good enough." I said, really wishing I'd been there to examine those wounds along with Martha.

Cindy continued: "Jerome is consumed about the backwards footprints. Definitely made by the shoes the man was wearing, but no tracks in the ground showing that he turned around nor how he got to the place at the west end to start the trail of prints. The ground around the disc golf teepad is soft, and there are no fresh prints anywhere around it. Also, no mud on his socks that would suggest he changed shoes."

"He wasn't walking backwards, either." I said. "The heel-to-foot weight transfer was walking forwards. Walking backwards makes a different print. I should make some prints and take photos for everyone some day. You guys took measurements?"