The Saga Continues Ch. 01

"Yes, that might be a good point." I said. "I appreciate everything you've gotten for me. How about I buy lunch for you later today?"

Part 4 - Drones, Scones, and Hot Couplings

Wednesday, October 18th. Katherine Woodburn was escorted by the hostess to the table in the back of the small room of the Town & County's popular Luigi's restaurant. The man at the table rose to greet her.

"Thank you for coming, Ms. Woodburn." said State Senator Jimmy 'Coffin' Cerone.

"Thank you for inviting me." said Katherine, as they exchanged two-cheek kisses. "Luigi's is so much better than the tea-and-scones places like the Lilibet House. And please, let's drop the formality. Call me Katherine."

"Okay, and you can call me Jimmy, or whatever you like, just keep it clean." said Cerone. Katherine giggled and they sat down. After small talk and ordering, Katherine signaled her desire to come to the point.

"So, whatever you want to talk to me about must be important, Mr. Jimmy." she said, giving Cerone respect no matter how 'informal' he said she could get. "This is an excellent restaurant, but to come up here to Iron Crowbar country definitely gets my interest."

"Ah, the Iron Crowbar." said Cerone. "He's a big teddy bear, really, and I mean that as a compliment."

"Don't take this the wrong way," Katherine said, "but people are wondering why you and Senator Molinari are fawning over him so much. If only the rest of us had those pictures..."

Cerone chuckled, knowing Katherine was just teasing him. "Seriously, Katherine, there are no pictures. I'm clean now, just a humble State Senator, same as you. Mr. Molinari and I are no longer competing businessmen, but have many interests in common now. And the Iron Crowbar... Moe and I are where we are because we have the minds to understand some things. One thing we both understand is that the Iron Crowbar is a step ahead of us... of all of us."

Katherine held back a wince. "Well... I'm sure you didn't come up here to talk about the Iron Crowbar."

"No," said Cerone, "I came up to make sure my Luigi's here is meeting my standards, and I'm happy to say that it is."

Their food came, and they spent some time eating and chatting about inconsequential things. Once done, with dessert and coffee served, Cerone got down to business.

"What we need to talk about, Katherine," said Cerone, "is your 'Wall of Granite' bloc of Legislators."

"Yes, we're totally opposed to that scumbag Jared." said Katherine. "He's a humiliation to the State, don't you agree?"

"Actually, no I don't." said Cerone. "I understand the hatred of you and many Democrats, and especially the minorities, but once again, I'm looking at it from a much more practical perspective. Val Jared was elected fairly and cleanly, and by People of this State who are absolutely disgusted with 'politics as usual'. And these people are not the loudmouths and violent protesters; they are the people that make this State, and this Nation, work."

"And what I don't think most politicians of either Party are understanding," Cerone continued, "is that these People are getting tired of being insulted, told their vote was wrong. For them, voting for Jared was an act of desperation, a last chance to reform the system using the system. Desperate people begin lashing out when they have no other way to go. Eliminate Jared through impeachment, and these People might just decide they have no peaceful means left to restore America to its former greatness."

"So," finished Cerone, "we need for you to cooperate, and for your 'Wall of Granite' caucus to not derail us."

"I understand, Jimmy, I really do." said Katherine, who understood far more than just what Cerone was saying. By his coming here, she knew that he knew that she really did have the power to make serious trouble for the coalition that had struck the deal with Jared. "And you already do have our full cooperation."

"Say again?" said Cerone, not expecting that.

"Look," Katherine said, "Senator Maxine Watts started her rants and diatribes and found herself on television, getting publicity and all that. We're doing the same thing; we just don't look like batty nutcases in the process. Whenever I'm put on television, and the Press is just begging me to appear on their stations, I just rant about Jared and money just pours into my campaign fund and my SuperPACs. Leftwing groups are just throwing money at me."

"But," continued Katherine, "we all know that Jared is not going to be deposed, despite Graham Collins having wet dreams about being Governor. So we talk, give our constituents the red meat, collect the money, and in reality everything goes along like it always has."

Cerone nodded, impressed. "It is possible, my dear Senator Woodburn, that I have underestimated you. I think you do understand."

Katherine smiled and said "Thank you, sir. But I will say this: it's no joke that I'm pushing for our Democrat causes, and a big one for me still is having a strong SBI to rule over local law enforcement. I'm not backing down on that, at all. And I'll continue to whack Jared for his misogyny, his racism, and his sheer stupidity."

Cerone nodded. "Okay, then. We understand each other. By the way, that young man running this shift is my nephew. Nice young man, but he needs to learn about women. Maybe you can help him out, set him up for a date with one of the women on your staff."

Katherine had noted the young man, and she had just the woman to teach that young man to be a master of sex: herself. "I think I can help you out there, Senator Cerone." she said with a smile.

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

After lunch at the Cop Bar, where Jack Muscone ate three double cheeseburgers, while Lindy had the chicken Caesar salad and I had the new 'fried egg bacon burger' that I'd convinced Pops, the owner of the place, to add to his menu, I went up to The Cabin for a hot sexual rendezvous.

Bettina Wurtzburg was already there. She looked hot in her dress with orange, yellow, and red swirls, and shimmery green high heel sandals. We went inside, and I wasted little time taking the hot redhead MILF in my arms and kissing her mouth hard.

"Mmmm, I've missed that." she whispered as I nuzzled her neck, my hands moving along her back to undo her dress. Her hands were exploring my groin, unzipping my pants and reaching inside. Her dress fell to the floor.

"Why don't we take this upstairs." I said, picking up Bettina and carrying her to the master bedroom. I deposited her on the bed and lay down to her left side, still kissing her mouth and neck. My left slid down her firm belly and under her panties until my fingers found the swollen slit and the warm, wet hole beneath it.

"Ohhhhhhh, yeahhhhhh." said Bettina. "Oh, it's so good..." She relaxed into my right arm, which was cradling her shoulders. My mouth found hers again and we kissed deeply and sensuously for several long minutes...

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

My hands were cupping Bettina's firm asscheeks as I drove my iron-hard cock into her pussy again and again and again. Her legs were wrapped around me, and I could feel the bottoms of her feet and the high heels she was wearing pressing into my ass, just below where my back surgery had been.

"Ohhh, that's good!" said Bettina. "Even better than Nick Eastwood, though his cock is bigger than yours." I knew Bettina was saying this to tease me, to drive me to fuck her harder and deeper. "You know, Nick would rather have your wife Laura than his own mother... yeah, he's been fucking his own mother..."

"I don't blame him." I said. "They're both hot and beautiful."

"I heard... that you fucked your own mother." Bettina whispered as I nuzzled her neck, not letting her see my face. "But I don't know, and I don't want to know for sure."

"Right now I'm fucking you, baby." I grunted. "And I'm loving that tight wet cunt of yours." I drove my hips harder, undulating my ass faster as my cockshaft scraped along Bettina's vaginal walls. I felt my nut rising, and soon I would be firing my load into Bettina's quaking quim...

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

After cleaning up and getting dressed, Bettina and I sat in the greatroom, looking out of the huge windows at the Town. A train was coming out of the western horizon, sunlight glinting off its windows and silver wheels.

"So, I guess you want to know why I wanted to talk to you." Bettina said as we sat close together.

"Completely off the record." I said.

"For now." Bettina said. "After you hear what it's about, maybe you'll share your findings with me and I can use them for a story."

"Okay, shoot." I said.

"It's about our drones that were shot down when you were keeping those two helicopters from taking down Quint Danielson." Bettina said, which had happened during the recent 'Pink Panther' case. "One of the Press drones that was taken down was KSTD's. The other was Fox Midtown's, and they were sharing their camera footage with us, KXTC."

"They got too close to the nuclear power plant, didn't they?" I asked.

"No, Don, they didn't." said Bettina emphatically, almost angrily. "We were careful to avoid the power plant. We were following the flight of the TCPD helicopter with Quint and Chief Griswold in it, halfway expecting an attack upon it. And like the TCPD helicopter, our drones stayed well away from the power plant."

For Bettina to be admitting this was extraordinary, despite the deep, wet fuck I'd just thrown into her. This must be something big to her, and to her colleagues in the Press.

"Did you ask the FBI about it?" I asked, to get Bettina even more agitated and on a roll.

"Yes." said Bettina, practically huffing and puffing. "At first, they said the drones must've been too close to the power plant. When we showed them that wasn't the case, they tried to say 'Well, we'll have to look into it.' We didn't really accept that, pointing out to them that they'd been investigating the whole incident for days. At that point, they hemmed and hawed about it, and said they'd get back to us. To this point, not one word, and they're not taking our phone calls about it any more."

I nodded. "So what else happened? I'm sure enterprising journalists like yourselves didn't sit back and not investigate."

"Of course." Bettina said. "We sent reporter teams out there, and heavily armed, I might add. For the most part, we were left alone. But when we got close to the river that's the State Line, where our drones went down, military troops suddenly appeared seemingly out of the ground and the scrub around the river, and all but attacked us I mean they were pointing guns at our teams, and were going to confiscate our cameras. Our team pulled our guns and said they'd have to kill us all to get the cameras, and that we were transmitting back to our stations as we were speaking... which was true. The military leader, I'm not sure what his rank was, told us to get away from the river and back into this State, or they'd arrest us, and would kill us on camera if we tried to resist with our arms."

"Did you ever find your drones?" I asked.

"No, they've never been found." said Bettina. "We think the Federal Government confiscated them."

"What footage did the drones get, on the day they were shot down?"

"We got a little bit of some guy in a Cobra blowing one of the perp helicopters clean out of the sky with a missile." said Bettina, making me smile. "They got some footage of that perp chopper on the ground, burning. Then our drones went along the route that helicopter was flying, to see where it was going to. The signal wacked out, horizontal lines of static and a humming noise, then nothing. The drones were shot down soon after, and we know they were shot down because they were sending telemetry data information, mostly GPS location, and there was a sudden 'major malfunction' message right as we lost contact."

"Interesting." I nodded. "So, what do you want me to do?"

"Look into it." Bettina said. "Find out what really happened. I know this may not seem like much to you, Don, but I've got pretty good journalistic instincts when something is going on. Something's not right about all this."

"Okay, I'll see what I can find out." I said. "But don't be shocked if I don't find out anything because there's nothing to find out. Okay, now tell me what gossip your Aunt Elsie is finding out while she's having tea and scones with the ladies of High Society."

Bettina's grin turned into a laugh, then she said "It's becoming known that Daniel Allgood is not going to run for another term as our Sheriff, and that it's because you took him behind the woodshed, politically speaking. It's also becoming very well known that Della Harlow is laying groundwork to run for Sheriff, with the intent of getting rid of you if she wins."

"C'mon, give me something I don't know." I said, peering sideways at the lovely redheaded MILF.

"Okay." Bettina said. "Sidney Wellman was planning to announce his retirement, but suddenly changed his mind over the last few weeks. Some say his wife wanted him to continue, since she likes being the University's 'First Lady', so to speak. Others say it's because of Jan Camp and her lawsuit, which both sides are going 'scorched earth' over."

"You're borrrring meeeee..." I said half-mockingly.

"Well," Bettina said, "Aunt Elsie did hear that the Establishment Republicans want to accuse Governor Jared of sexual harassment for something he allegedly did 30 or 40 years ago. They were lining the women up, and then that suddenly fell apart, too. Maybe Molinari and Cerone threatened some people if they didn't keep the truce and leave Jared alone."

"That could be." I replied. "Who were the women?"

"No idea." said Bettina. "But I can tell you that they were going to be represented by Gwen Munson of Prodder, Ryder, and Reems, P.C. Elsie says Gwen fancies herself to be the 'Gloria Allred' of this State..."

"Now that," I said, "is interesting news..."

Part 5 - Hot and Cold (Cases)

"This is Bettina Wurtzburg, KXTC Fox Two News!" shouted the lovely redheaded reporterette at 7:00am, Friday, October 20th, from across the street from the University Bell Tower. "Fox Two News has learned that an important ruling has been made in the lawsuit by Dr. Jan Camp against the University!"

"Presiding Judge Patrick R. Folsom ruled last night that Dr. Camp did not sufficiently show why she should be given 'whistleblower' status." continued Bettina. "In fact, several professors deposed by the University's lawyers, including Dr. Laura Fredricson, head of the Psychology Department, testified that Dr. Camp's accusations only came after her efforts to gin up protests over the Kendra Luskin/Peter Gordon rape case were not successful and led to her termination."

"Dr. Camp's lawyers intend to appeal that decision, which allows the University to countersue in the ongoing case." said Bettina. "If she wins the appeal and is granted 'whistleblower' status, then the University's countersuit will be dismissed."

Bettina went on: "And Social Justice groups protested in front of the offices of State Senator Katherine Woodburn here in Town, and Senator Maxine Watts in the City, demanding that they lead the charge to impeach Governor Jared. The groups say that Jared's misogyny and disregard for women's rights is the true reason the University refuses to admit it treats athletes favorably and is fighting Dr. Camp so bitterly."

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

"I truly think if Jesus came back to Earth and walked on water to get here," Teresa Croyle said, "the Press would blame Governor Jared for not having already built a bridge."

"Hell," I said, "they'd blame Jared for the Crucifixion in the first place."

"By the way, sir," said Theo, "Jamaal is coming in about 10:00 this morning."

"Great!" I said. "I'll call Laura and see if we can get Carole over here at the same time."

"Way too many Wildcats around here today." Cindy said. "I wonder if we'll have as many showing up on Monday week."

"Can't speak for Jamaal," I said, "but Monday week is a work day for the Town & County Police Force, so Detective Washington and I will be right here... celebrating victory."

"That's what I love about you, sir." Cindy said. "Unfailingly optimistic, even in the face of hopeless odds."

"There is no such thing as truly hopeless odds." I replied...

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

Business before photo ops. At 9:00am, Captain Ross, Detectives Washington and Warner, and myself sat down in Classroom 'E'.

"Okay, Theo." Cindy said. "What's the cold case you want to look at?"

"A murder from twelve years ago." said Theo. "Young woman and her unborn child. Her name was Tammy Cochran--"

"Ohhhhhh, that one." Cindy said.

"Tell me about it." I said, as interested in Cindy's reaction as in the case.

"What I have so far, sir," said Theo, "is that twelve years ago an 18-year-old girl named Tammy Cochran went missing. She was a just-graduated Senior at Town High School, and she'd been dating a kid named Tommy McGill. No relation to our McGhillies, by the way. Tommy was also 18, just graduated from the vocational program at Town High."

"Tammy's parents were Benny and Dinah Cochran." continued Theo. "Benny was good with motors and worked at the Town Auto Repair shop, as well as fixing up and selling vacuum cleaners and washing machines. Dinah was a waitress, and word was she earned extra income on the side as a prostitute, though she was never arrested or charged with anything... anything at all. They were considered by many to be the 'white trash' couple."

"Tommy McGill's parents were and are J.G. McGill and Lorraine Karla McGill. She was the Superior Court Judge in Nextdoor County, and very powerful in the State. Everyone thought she's be appointed to the State Supreme Court, but instead she retired right about the time of the incident.

Theo went on: "J.G. McGill was involved in County politics for years before the Town and County merged. McGill bitterly opposed the merger, and was the main reason the merger did not happen years before it did happen. McGill had several businesses and was very wealthy and powerful in both politics and business in the County."

"Was?" I asked.

"He semi-retired when his wife retired from the Bench." Theo replied. "Sold all but one business, his real estate concern. He's still rich as of today."

"So what happened is that Tammy was dating Tommy," said Theo, "and she became pregnant. Word from the case files at the time said Tommy wanted to marry Tammy, but his parents wouldn't hear of it. Then in the summer, right after their high school graduation, Tammy disappeared, and she was eight months pregnant when she was last seen."

"The McGill's had property along the Nextdoor County line, on our side of the border. AGC Trucking wasn't on the Nextdoor County side of the line yet, and McGill owned some of the land on that side, which he used for beef and dairy farming. The house they lived in was south of a lake surrounded by thatches of pine trees, and kids at the time would gather at that lake for parties, probably smoking weed and sex."

"Nice assumption." I said.

"Based on some facts, sir." said Cindy. "County Police at the time snuck down there and made raids, and busted kids for drugs, underage drinking and such stuff. Kids from Nextdoor County would cross the line to party, and our County Police took some pleasure in busting them, too." I nodded.

"Nine years ago," Theo said, "McGill sold the Nextdoor County land, and Arnold Cash eventually bought it for his trucking company. Some years later, McGill also sold the parcel of land where the lake was, to the County in what the Iron Crowbar would describe as a 'strangeness' of a deal."

"Oh, they didn't have dirty politics then, did they, Captain?" I asked Cindy, no small amount of sarcasm in my voice.