Sting of the Scorpion Ch. 02

"The law excludes these tapes from the Open Records Act, Robert." said Chief Bennett, keeping his voice as even and nice as he could. "You're not a lawyer; the D.A. and his people are. It's their legal call."

"Peterson, you have my orders." said Brownlee. "Release the tapes to KSTD. Immediately. Either follow my direct, written orders, or submit your resignation. If you don't, you're suspended until a Board of Inquiry is convened to complete your firing."

"No, he's not suspended." Chief Bennett said, "Scott, step outside for a moment, will you?" Peterson left.

"Robert," said the Chief, "I actually defended you earlier today before the Sheriff. I can assure you I won't make that mistake again. Peterson has not been insubordinate, but you're on the verge of insubordination yourself. And let me be clear, Commander: if you even try to release those tapes, I'll suspend you and maybe even bring you up on evidence tampering charges."

"We'll see what the Union has to say about this!" snarled Brownlee. "You're already breaking the law, Chief Bennett. It's you that's going to be out of a job soon, and--"

"Even if I am fired," said Bennett, seeing through Brownlee's ruse, "don't get any ideas that you'll be my replacement. Commander Troy might just take the position next time, just to keep you out of it. Remember, Robert you ain't shit, especially compared to him. Now I don't want to hear another word about these tapes."

"You will, though." said Brownlee. "I'm grieving this to the Union." His words fell on Chief Bennett's back as the older man walked out the door, closing it hard behind him...

Part 7 - The Sting of Death, Pt. 1

At 10:30pm,Wednesday night, May 6th, Captain Cindy Ross and ADA Jenna Stiles came to the 2nd floor condo unit on the Northwest side of Town, just south of Ronald Reagan Park. Inside were Lt. Tanya Perlman, the Crime Lab CSI Team, the newly-appointed Chief Medical Examiner Martha, and Detective Theo Washington. Cindy thought to herself that she didn't fuck men, but if she did then 'movie star handsome' Theo would definitely be getting a piece of platinum blonde ass.

"Thanks for calling me, Lt. Perlman." Cindy said. "But why do you need me here?"

"Two reasons, ma'am." Tanya said, being formal in front of the other officers and Crime Lab personnel on the scene. "First, so that there is a second pair of eyes seeing this for when Commander Troy asks me one hundred million questions about it." Cindy smiled, and the chuckles of Crime Lab specialists Christina Cho and J.R. could be heard.

"Come out here a second." Tanya said, drawing Cindy into the hallway so no one else could hear. "The second reason is that Theo Washington was the first MCD Detective on the scene, but when he got here, Sharples was already here with Sergeant McCombs."

"McCombs?" Cindy said disdainfully. "He's a Vice cop, and he was assigned to Precinct 2. Why is he even around here, much less with Sharples?"

"Dunno." Tanya said. "Theo essentially ran them off, but Sharples was going around with the Crime Lab people, telling them what the stuff they're finding meant. Fat Boy is full of shit if you ask me, but I wanted you to know about it."

"Thanks." said Cindy. "Never the wrong thing to do when that fat ass is involved. You know... I like that: Fat Boy. That's what Sharples' new nickname should be: the Fat Boy." Tanya laughed as they went back inside. Tanya showed Cindy the crime scene.

A woman in her early 30s, maybe a bit older, lay dead on the bed of the master bedroom, which was to the back left of the condo. She was naked and had been shot in the face and upper chest several times. The kitchen was to the left of the condo as one walked into the front door, and next to the master bedroom. On the right was a smaller bedroom, empty. A desk was against the back wall of the main room upon which the front door opened, and to the left of the desk was a window in the back wall, which was open.

Evidence markings for photographers showed that bullets had struck the wall to the right of the window, between the window and the desk. There were several expended cartridge shells on the floor, and several more in the bedroom.

"M.E. says time of death was recent, within the last hour or so." said Tanya. "Called in by an anonymous tipster claiming to have heard gunfire. Uniforms are going door-to-door."

"Good." Cindy said.

"There's blood coming from the bedroom to this window." Tanya said, pointing out several large drops that left a trail. "The M.E. has already done a full kit on the woman, and there's semen in her vagina. No signs of a struggle, though."

"Whose condo is this, and who is our victim, here?" Cindy asked as she looked around, trying to see things and think as the Iron Crowbar would. Her blue crowbar in her hand would not speak to her, though.

"The woman is named Jennifer Morris." Tanya said. "Her husband is Ricky Morris, and he's an employee of J.P. Goldman Bank. Her former husband is Justin Madoff, now a State Representative from the City."

"Oh, I remember hearing his name." said Cindy. Cindy remembered the Iron Crowbar telling her that Madoff was a deeply corrupt politician in league with Katherine Woodburn, Jimmy 'Coffin' Cerone, and Richard Langdon.

"Ricky Morris and Bradley Hazleton were college buddies," Tanya continued, "and worked together at J.P. Goldman Bank before that bitch Harlan murdered Hazleton." Cindy nodded, remembering that victim of the Black Widow as she listened to the woman that had exterminated Angela Harlan. And speaking of 'widows', Cindy suddenly thought to herself...

"Captain?" Tanya asked. "Captain?"

"Oh, sorry." Cindy said. "Something just hit me. You were saying... Morris was Hazleton's friend?"

"Yes ma'am." said Tanya, who then broke into mischievous grin and said "Doing the Iron Crowbar reverie thing, are you? Bad habit to get into."

"No doubt about that." Cindy said, forcing a wan smile onto her face. "So, did any neighbors hear gunshots?"

"No ma'am." said Sergeant Rudistan, coming up to them. "We just canvassed everyone in the area. No one heard any gunshots, or anything like car backfire or slamming doors."

"No arguing between people?" Cindy asked.

"Not that anyone heard." said Rudistan. "There is some blood outside, leading away from the building. We've called for Sergeant Grover." Grover was the Police Force's human-scent-tracing dog.

Just then Detective Washington came up to them. "Good evening, Captain, glad you could join the party. The Crime Lab guys just dug out two bullets from the wall by the window. The M.E. is going to expedite getting the bullets out of the dead woman that she (the M.E.) says never exited. The shell casings are all .22 Magnum."

"Hmm, popular caliber around these parts." said Cindy. "I think that's what Ned shot Don with at Ward Harvester."

"Yes ma'am, it was." said Tanya. "It's come up on other occasions, as well."

"Okay, so what happened here?" Cindy asked.

Theo started: "Sharples said he thinks the husband came home, found the wife in bed with another man, began shooting at both of them, killed the wife but the lover got out the window. There are some footprints of a naked foot on the dirt below leading away, and as Sergeant Rudistan just said, blood leading away."

"So if lover boy jumped out of here naked, where are his clothes?" asked Cindy.

"My guess is: mixed in with the laundry." said Theo. "We've bagged all the laundry and are going through to check sizes. If we find something different, and any DNA matches the semen, then that'll confirm that hypothesis."

"What do you think, Perlman?" asked Cindy.

"I think there are more holes than swiss cheese in Sharples' theory." said Tanya. "The 'pixie sticks' that our guys put in the wall showing the bullet paths, before the bullets were dug out, showed those bullets were fired from right here in the front doorway. The several casings here show that, also. It was a semi-auto .22 WMR pistol, too, since the shells were ejected."

Tanya added "So the guy supposedly shot the lover from the doorway, then went into the bedroom and shot the woman. Why does that not make sense, Theo?"

Theo thought for a moment, then said "Oh... blood trail from the bedroom, among other things."

"Yeah, I see what you two are getting at." said Cindy. "If the lover is trying to escape by the window and is shot while going through the window from the doorway, how did he trail blood from the bedroom?"

"I'd add to it," Theo said, "that if I were trying to escape, I'd try to get through the bedroom window, not run out here right into the face of the gunfire."

"Yeah." said Cindy. "Your objections make sense. I'm not a Troy, but I can see it's not likely. One would think the husband would come home, hear something the bedroom, go investigate, find a guy banging his wife, maybe consentual, maybe rape. Grabs a gun, shoots lover boy, maybe shoots wife accidentally or on purpose. Lover boy runs to the window... but then if hubby is chasing the guy, he wouldn't be firing from the front doorway."

"Unless he ran to cut off lover boy from the door," said Theo, "then lover boy goes for the window and hubby shoots at him some more."

"Why not just shoot lover boy in the back, then?" Jenna Stiles said. She'd been looking everywhere with avid interest. "It's already more than self-defense, might as well go whole-hog."

"He wasn't thinking straight." said Tanya.

"We're not thinking straight." Cindy replied. "We're theorizing without complete data. The Commander would fail us on the spot for that."

Just then Rudistan's voice came over the police radio. "Grover is here. He already has a scent."

"Let's go follow them." said Cindy.

She, Tanya, and Theo raced downstairs to catch up as Sergeant Grover led the gaggle of officers west, towards the River. They crossed through a subdivision, then along the back of another into a field. Suddenly, Grover stopped short and barked.

"He's got something." said Rudistan. Everyone came up. Grover had sat down next to the body he'd discovered.

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

"Name is Ken Konnichi." said Tanya as she and Cindy sat in Cindy's office at 12:30am. "Chinese father, Japanese mother, but claims Japanese nationality. Works for Ichimoku Industries in Japan, lives in the City working as their rep, and was supposedly over here for an industrial research convention at the University... of which I can find no record of happening. His wife is Asian but an American citizen, she's in the City now."

Tanya continued: "He was shot in the chest at point blank range. Footprint under the window is his, so he apparently went out the window and ran, getting as far as he did before bleeding out and dropping dead where Sergeant Grover found him. We're running the semen sample against his DNA; I'm betting it'll match."

"The husband? Ricky Morris? Where is he?" Cindy asked.

"We've got an APB out on him." Tanya replied. "According to Selena Steele, who I called, he usually has a Lions Club meeting on Wednesday nights. Those normally finish up around 10:00pm, but I haven't confirmed that with any actual attendees yet."

"I don't even need to tell you what Theo's next priority is, besides finding Ken Konnichi, and that is to interview Lions Club members." Cindy said, telling her anyway. Just then there was a knock on her door, and the Duty Desk Sergeant popped his head around the corner.

"Ma'am, officer-involved shooting." said the Duty Desk Sergeant. He gave the address, which was the road leading to the condo of the recent murder but several blocks away.

"Call Internal Affairs." said Cindy. "Have them send someone to the scene immediately." The Sergeant acknowledged and withdrew as Cindy and Tanya got up to go.

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

Brilliant blue, red and white LED lights were flashing everywhere, lighting up the scene like some sort of macabre carnival. There was a silver BMW on the side of the road, whose driver side door was open. Next to it, as if he'd just gotten out of the car, was a man in his late twenties to early thirties, dead. Behind the car was the Police cruiser that had pulled the car over. Standing by that car was Detective Leonard Sergeant Sharples, wearing his 'wilted' trenchcoat and a fedora-type hat. Next to him was Sergeant McCombs, in plainclothes suit and tie.

"It's Ricky Morris." said Sergeant Rudistan, coming up. "Sharples said he and McCombs pulled the guy over after hearing the APB go out. Said the guy pulled a gun on McCombs and Sharples had to shoot him. McCombs said the same thing."

"Withhold my surprise at that." said Cindy. "You got Sharples's gun?"

"Yes, ma'am." said Rudistan. "He just handed it to me, said 'I know the drill by now.' when Morton and I pulled up."

"Give it to I.A. when they get here." Cindy said. "What about the dead guy's gun?"

Senior Patrolman Morton came up with a bagged pistol. "It's a .22 WMR semi-automatic, ma'am." Tanya reached for the bag.

"Ma'am, I'll personally get this to the Crime Lab." Tanya said. "I want to check it to see if a silencer was attached. No one heard anything, yet at least eight shots fired, and I'm betting that's what happened. I'll also check the magazine, internals, and cartridges for other fingerprints, just in case somebody did something stupid to help us out."

"You are reading my mind." Cindy said, understanding that Tanya was as dissatisfied and suspicious about all this as she, Cindy, was. Tanya left with a young Patrol Officer, maintaining two-man control of the evidence.

"Okay Rudistan," Cindy said, "show me exactly where you found the gun." Rudistan led her to the pulled-over car, Morris's crumpled body still lying beside it.

"The gun was right next to the guy's right hand here." said Rudistan. "Lab guys checked for prints; this guy's prints were the only ones on it. No expended shells anywhere, so he didn't actually fire it at McCombs, and both he and Sharples said the guy didn't fire, just drew the gun."

Rudistan then added with malicious joviality: "So what is the solution, Captain Iron Crowbar?"

Cindy glared at Rudistan for a moment, then said what she was thinking. "Micah, how much do you want to bet the Media gives Sharples all the credit for 'solving' this case?"

"Oh, I won't bet against that, ma'am." said Rudistan. "I won't bet against that at all. I think the Commander Iron Crowbar would agree with you, too..."

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

"This is Priya Ajmani, KSTD Five-Alive News!" shouted the gorgeous reporterette Thursday morning, May 7th at 8:00am. Cindy was watching with lust in her eyes for the hot Indian woman; everyone else was just listening to the broadcast.

Ajmani reported: "Detective Leonard 'Sergeant' Sharples solved the double murder of Jennifer Morris and Ken Konnichi last night when he moved to apprehend Mrs. Morris's husband, Ricky Morris. Morris resisted arrest and pulled a gun on Police Sergeant McCombs, and Sharples saved his officer's life by reluctantly having to shoot Morris. Deputy Chief Robert Brownlee issued a statement of praise for Detective Sharples' fast work in moving to apprehend the murderer, as well as for taking the action to save his fellow police officer from harm."

Priya continued: "Morris was an employee at J.P. Goldman Bank. Chief Operating Officer Selena Steele issued a statement expressing shock at the events that occurred, and condolences for the families involved."

Part 8 - The Sting of Death, Pt. 2

Thursday morning, May 7th. It was early morning, and I was being escorted around Arlington National Cemetery by an Army Major. He had been a Staff officer for Laura's husband, the late General, and was here for the funeral.

I'd never been to this place before, and I could feel the solemnity in the vast quiet of the many grave markers. The property had belonged to the family of the wife of General Robert E. Lee. During the Civil War, the North seized the estate and began burying soldiers there. After the War, they refused to give the property back, and it subsequently became the most well-known of the Nation's national cemeteries. I saw the Tombs of the Unknown Soldiers with their guards, and later saw the eternal flame at the site of President Kennedy's grave. And I saw other graves. A lot of graves.

The funeral service was at 10:00am. We'd gotten to Washington late Tuesday night and simply gone to bed at the hotel. On Wednesday, Laura met with Colonel Gloriman about the funeral arrangements, then she went to Langley for meetings. For myself, I tried to get a bit of tourism of the Nation's capitol, but was soon asked to tour the insides of the FBI building... and the office of a certain Deputy Director. In his own office, the sense of his power and authority in his bearing were even stronger than the other times I'd been in his presence.

"Please give your wife my condolences." the Director said. "I can't tell you much about what he did for the Nation, but it was a lot."

"Yes, sir, I'm sure it was." I said, mainly to be polite. I did know that the General had been actively involved in intelligence operations for the military and CIA... but I also had learned of some of the uglier side of the man's life.

Apparently subordinate officers to this General found that their careers progressed as long as the General was able to fuck their wives and satisfy his libidinous cravings. I'd think that being married to Laura would've and should've more than satisfied those cravings, but apparently the man was motivated more by power over others than anything else.

One woman had refused to have sex with the General, and her husband, a Captain, soon found himself getting poor evaluations and being separated from the Army. Their complaints to the I.G. were squashed, and their lawsuit was also suppressed. Another woman claimed that the General had forcibly raped her, and the base hospital had even obtained evidence by using a rape kit. But that evidence somehow disappeared, and then the couple, both husband and wife, were killed in a car accident shortly afterwards.

I always wondered if Laura's split with Britt Maxwell over Vicki Oldeeds's rape evidence had had anything to do with the General's evidence disappearing... similar circumstances, though Britt and Todd were both still alive...

"So," said the FBI DepDirector, bringing me back to the present, "I asked you to come here for two reasons. First, to show you this office, which one day could easily become yours... if you fully join the FBI now."

I grinned. "It's a very nice office, sir." I said. "But how are you going to get it physically moved out of Washington, D.C.?"

The DepDirector nodded, acknowledging my point. He knew I hated bullshit politics and both political parties quite a lot, and that I would never move to Washington, D.C.

"Yes, but one day, Mister Troy..." he said. "One day I will have you on my team."

"You've got a lot of me now, sir." I said. "So, what was the other reason you wanted me to come in?" That was a bit rude, but I really wanted to end this other line of conversation.

I think he understood as he said: "Special Agent Muscone wanted me to tell you that there has been no recent activity from Michael Burke, and he hasn't made any airline reservations." said the DepDirector. "Henry Wargrave has been out of the country the past few days, so maybe that's the reason."

"Possibly, sir," I said, "but I suspect he has someone looking into something for him. I'm not sure I can say any more, though."

The Director gave his pursed smile and said quietly "Look Don, you know who I am. This room was swept for bugs just before you walked in here. And your wife has talked with me about Michael Burke and his obsession with the woman whose now-married name is Ivy Sanders, and that you spotted that woman in the town where your colleague Ms. Croyle grew up."