Teresa's Christmas Finale Ch. 03

"I wasn't aware I needed to prove it." I said. "I guess you can ask my wife if I was there with her all night." We both knew that spousal privilege would keep Laura from having to answer anything if she didn't want to... and even if she did answer it, it didn't prove nor disprove anything. It was a stalemate: Mullen would have to prove I was not at home, and he had no way of doing that, either... unless he was far more brilliant than I thought he was.

"Why did you go to your home on the mountainside, rather than your main home closer to the University."

"My wife and I wanted some 'alone time'." I said.

"What does that mean?" asked Mullen.

"It means, Mr. Mullen," I said, "that I wanted to have sex with my wife without anyone else there." Mullen turned red-faced. The Chief barked a laugh, but IG Wellman laughed more loudly. The Union Rep smiled.

"No need to be so uncouth about it." Mullen muttered.

"That wasn't uncouth." said Mike Todd. "If you want a demonstration of 'uncouth', I'm sure the Commander can arrange one for you."

"No doubt." I said. "Do you have any more questions, Mr. Mullen?"

"Just one." said Mullen. "Will you take a lie detector test for these and further questions?"

"No." I said. "I don't believe in them. They're not admissible in Court, and I don't allow them to be used for suspects in my investigations of them. Therefore, I refuse to be subjected to them myself."

"He's right about that." said Chief Moynahan. "He will not let the TCPD use lie detectors, and never has."

"So why should I believe you if you won't take the lie detector test?" asked Mullen, almost shouting.

"He just told you." said Mike G. Todd. "They're not admissible, and if you're not believing him without taking one, you won't believe him if he does take one. I'm advising my client to not take a lie detector test, as well, and if you attempt to use that refusal against him in any way, we'll take this to the Court system immediately."

"Well," said Mullen, "there's no point in asking further questions, since I'm being stonewalled."

"Mr. Mullen," I said, "if you're as biased against me as you sound right now, you should recuse yourself from this investigation."

"Are you saying I'm biased?" Mullen all but shouted, his face beet red.

Mike Todd said "Don't answer that." To Mullen he said "This interview is over. And at this point, get a warrant if you want to question him further."

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

"I'm glad you called me in." Mike said as we sat in his office. "I think you're right about that Mullen guy; he's biased. He's trying to play the edges, you being alone with your wife, trying to browbeat you into taking a lie detector test."

"You think he's a problem?" I asked.

"I doubt it." said Mike. "The Press was doing all they could to catch you trying to do something... and ended up being your alibi themselves. I guess he can make things sound bad for you if he's really out to rip you, but my guess is that IG Wellman isn't going to play that game and will shut him down, I'll keep on their tails about it.


"Thanks." I said. "Now, let's talk about something else, and this is not billable hours, okay?"

"All right." said Mike.

"Have you ever thought of running for District Attorney?"

Part 21 - Twists And Turns

Friday, December 29th. A huge eruption of applause burst out from the crowd on the front lawn of University Hospital as Teresa Croyle was wheeled out of the front entrance by her fiancé Todd Burke. She was wearing all black, with a golden necklace with a pendant of six red diamonds shooting from the center around her neck, and her right arm in a sling, keeping it immobilized.

She waved to the crowd, then was helped into a Police cruiser driven by Lt. Irwin. The vehicle drove down the road, past the rows of buildings of the southern part of Campus, and onto University Avenue.

"Where are we going?" asked Teresa as Lt. Irwin turned onto the road that led up to The Cabin.

"Commander Troy asked me to take you up to his house." said Irwin. "He said something about a dog missing you."

"Awww." said Teresa. When they got there, I was there to greet them. And so were two outstanding dogs.

To my surprise, Buddy did not have an 'accident'. But he jumped up and put his front paws on Teresa's leg to get her attention.

"Hey, Buddy!" Teresa said to the very happy dog. "I'm okay. I'm here." She went and sat down on a sofa in the greatroom. Buddy jumped up on one side of her, and Bowser on the other. Bowser was showing some love and gratitude, as well.

I showed Lt. Irwin around the The Cabin while Teresa petted and talked to the dogs for a long time. A good long time...

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

When she walked into MCD, Teresa received another huge ovation from the very full room of Detectives, Officers, and their Leadership. There was a cake for her that said "Welcome Home!".

"Yes, this is home." she said as she read it. "I'm very happy to be back. I need to go downstairs and qualify with my gun left-handed."

"So sorry!" I said. "The range is closed today, by order of the Police Commander. You can do that next week. Right now, you are on Restricted Duty for Medical Reasons. Sit back and relax... and do paperwork." That last part got a lot of laughter from the crowd.

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

"This is Bettina Wurtzburg, KXTC Fox Two News!" shouted the lovely redheaded reporter at 7:00am, Tuesday, January 2d, from in front of City Hall. "Fox Two News has learned that the investigation into the death of reporter John Hardwood has taken an unexpected turn! Roll tape."

Tape rolled, and Robert Mullen was shown making a statement: "Commander Donald Troy is not cooperating with our investigation. He has refused to answer our questions and has taken the Fifth. We are being stonewalled, and I am recommending that Commander Troy be suspended until he cooperates fully."

Bettina: "That statement got strong responses from several persons. Roll tape." Tape rolled.

Chief Moynahan: "Commander Troy never took the Fifth; that was an outright lie by Mullen. Commander Troy did answer the I.G.'s questions. I was there, and what Mullen said is an outright fabrication.

Sheriff Allgood: "What Mr. Mullen says contradicts what my Police Chief and the Inspector General themselves reported to me. I've asked I.G. Wellman to assign someone else to this investigation."

I.G. Wellman: "Mr. Mullen is being asked to take a step back, and will be reassigned to other tasks. His comments were not correct. Commander Troy never took the Fifth and he did answer questions regarding the Hardwood case."

Back to Bettina: "Several formal complaints were made to the State's Office of Ethics and Review by Social Justice groups. The Citizens for Police Accountability, the State Organization for Women, the Committee of Concerned Citizens, and Senator Maxine Watts's new group, 'Black Voices Raised', have all made formal complaints that Mr. Muller was removed from the investigation to protect Commander Troy from criminal prosecution!"

Bettina went on: "When asked what evidence there was against Commander Troy, Jay Swenson of the CFPA said this. Roll tape."

Swenson: "Mr. Mullen was getting that evidence when his voice was silenced. But it's not just the evidence. It's the optics of impropriety on Commander Troy's part, and the seriousness of the charges that requires an independent investigation."

Back to Bettina. "And let's go to Nick Eastwood for the Sports report. Nick!"

"Thank you, Bettina!" said Nick Eastwood from in front of the University Athletic Complex. "The University Bulldogs beat Northwestern University 59-3 in the Gator Bowl yesterday, and Coach Ted Thrasher has faced an avalanche of criticism! When reporters asked about him running up the score, he said this. Roll tape."

Coach Thrasher: "I could say that it's up to their defense to stop our offense. And we did play just about everyone on our roster, including some Freshmen. Only redshirted players didn't play. But the fact is, ladies and gentlemen, is that we should've been in a better bowl, and no disrespect to Northwestern, but we should've been playing a higher level of competition. I ask again why we weren't in the Cotton Bowl or one of the bigger bowls in Florida."

"Then why did you accept the Gator Bowl bid?" asked a reporter.

"We had no choice." said Coach Thrasher. "We were told that was the only bowl we could attend, and if we didn't go we wouldn't have the extra practices. I'm not going to harm our program by not having those extra practices. It's an insidious trap. We were in a Catch-22."

Back to Nick: "Coach Thrasher's remarks did not go over well with Gator Bowl officials, who complained for days that the Bulldogs did not attend functions and did not encourage their fans to come to the game. There were only 3,000 people in the stands, one of the most poorly attended bowls this year. And the Wildcats beat Texas A&M 17-16, so why Coach Thrasher thinks the Bulldogs should've been there isn't immediately understood."

Bettina said "Nick, any truth to the not attending functions?"

Nick replied "When pressed, the Gator Bowl officials said that the team attended all official team and bowl functions. But there are extra, unofficial charity events that players are asked to attend, and Bowl officials said University players boycotted them, which the players deny was an actual boycott. It's semantics and 'he said, he said', but some bad blood has been brewed."

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

"Coach Thrasher is right about the Gator Bowl." Cindy said bitterly as we drove to Nextdoor County for Molly's promotion ceremony. "That was a joke, and everyone has egg on their faces now."

"Couldn't agree more." I said placatingly.

"Well, it's overwith." said Teresa, who was in the backseat, her right arm still in a sling. "I'm more worried about the way the Haters and the Press are trying to convict Commander Troy of murdering John Hardwood in the Media. Speaking of all that, Commander... what did you do with Thomas P. Cook?"

"I have no idea about him." I said, truthfully. No news of Cook had come up at all, and I had no idea what Elizabeth and Kathy had done with him. I then said "But you know... I have an idea...

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

The ceremony was at the Nextdoor County Athletic Complex gymnasium. It was well-attended, as it was the retirement ceremony for the popular longtime Chief Malden. Then came Molly Evans's promotion to Police Chief, and Lt. Paul Price was promoted to Captain and Assistant Chief.

Lots of photos were taken, including some at Molly's request that included me and Cindy, then a couple of Molly and her boys with me... that would be a 'family photo', and I was proud to have a copy of that photo in my office in The Cabin.

The Press showed up in larger-than-normal numbers, and that was so that they could ambush me. So I used them for my own purposes and came to the gaggle outside in the cold.

"Commander, why did you take the Fifth?" asked Diane William of KCTY.

"I didn't take the Fifth, and that's been verified multiple times over." I said. "It's outright libel if you keep saying I did."

"Commander, who killed John Hardwood?" asked Priya Ajmani. Ah, the opening I was looking for... and I didn't mean Priya's pussy.

"We all know," I said, "that Thomas Cook and John Hardwood were last seen together in the limousine, then they both disappeared from the vehicle, and near where Hardwood was found dead. So logic would have to dictate that Thomas P. Cook is the one involved in Hardwood's death. Maybe Cook murdered Hardwood and then made his own escape."

"Do you really believe that, Commander?" asked Bettina skeptically.

"It's more plausible than you Press guys trying as hard as you can to convince people that I did it." I said.

And to my surprise, it worked. The Press did not show me accusing them of fake news bias, so all they showed were my comments that maybe Cook was the culprit.

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

And what happened to Thomas P. Cook?

On the night of December 27th, somewhere north of the City, a woman came into her office... and screamed. Aides rushed into the room.

A tenterhook had been attached to a chain that was secured to a beam in the ceiling. Hanging from the tenterhook was the naked body of a man, his hands manacled behind him. His penis and testicles were cut off and stuffed into his mouth, and secured by his necktie being used as a gag. He had been disemboweled by being cut open from his groin to his sternum, and his organs and a mass of blood, feces, and tissue were on the floor. He had been executed here.

"That's... that's Thomas Cook!" shouted one man, his voice quivering in fear.

"Yezzz, it is." said the woman, having gotten over her initial shock. "So who did this?"

An aide made her way to the desk, taking the long way around the pool of blood. "There's a mask and a note on the desk, ma'am." the aide said.

It was a Guy Fawkes mask, that 'Anonymous' wears these days. And under the mask was a note, which said: "We are Legion. We do not forgive. We do not forget. Expect us."

"Ohhhhh, shiiiiiiit." gasped the woman.

"Ma'am," said the aide, "this note reeks of perfume." She brought it over and the woman sniffed it.

"This..." she said, "is the perfume of the Iron Crowbar's sister. She betrayed Pastor Raymond Westboro, helped her brother murder him."

"What do you want to do?" asked the man.

"Dispose of the body." said the woman. "Clean this shit up... no, wait. They know where we are, and who I am. We're evacuating to Location Delta. After everything is cleared, burn the building down..."

Part 22 - Night of January 16th

*BANG!* *BANG!* *BANG!* *BANG!*

Whhhirrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr...

As the echoes of the shots faded away, the targets began flying back towards the bay. It was clear to all that Teresa had easily re-qualified with her gun left-handed. But right-handed was going to be a close call. It was Thursday, January 4th.

"Left hand is perfect. Right hand is good, but barely." said the Armorer, wearing his trademark gray baseball cap as he examined the target of the right-hand shooting. I was also watching, and agreed.

"Pretty ragged with the right hand, there, Croyle." I said teasingly. "So... would you rather have range time, or desk duty?"

"Range time, sir." Teresa said, flat deadpan. "At least I get to shoot things."

"Well, you're qualified to return to full duty." said the Chief as the Armorer certified the qualification.

We went upstairs, and of course had a little party in MCD, with lots of doughnuts and coffee.

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

There is an adage that 'no good deed goes unpunished'. Not even the most heroic ones.

"Okayyyyy," said the Chief as my Angels and myself came into the Chief's Conference Room thirty minutes later. "Unfortunately, we have a full Board of Inquiry concerning Captain Croyle's rescue of young Carole. It will be on January 16th."

"What are the issues?" I asked.

"The big one that has been raised is whether or not Captain Croyle violated Commander Troy's orders by going into the warehouse." said the Chief. "The second one is whether or not Commander Troy should've allowed Captain Croyle to be anywhere but at her desk, especially with regard to her penchant for collecting Purple Orders, and due to her previous Christmas Eve isssssssuuuuuuues."

"Sheesh." I said. "No regard to the fact that she saved a four-year-old child, whether or not it was my child."

"This is ridiculous." said Cindy. "I've already been deposed. Everyone in or near MCD heard what you told Teresa, Commander. She did not violate your orders..."

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

Friday, January 5th. As I came into my office at 6:00am, I was stunned to see that someone was inside, waiting for me. It was none other than Takaki Misaki. Todd and Misaki's eldest son were in the anteroom, and alerted me.

"Misaki-sama!" I said as I came into the office. I bowed correctly. "I'm honored to see you, though very surprised."

"I apologize for intruding, and at such an unusual hour," said Misaki, whose movements were very secret. "I wanted to give you something. I should have destroyed this, but I believe that it is in everyone's best interest that you see it." He extended his hand, which contained a scroll. I took it formally, opened it and read it. It was Teresa's death poem. It said:

"Asked on that darkest Christmas Eve,

why couldn't it have been me?

I give my answer in blood this Christmas Eve,

and go forth to meet my Destiny."

"Thank you for showing me this, Misaki-sama." I said.

"Please keep it." said Misaki. "And I also came to tell you that all is in readiness for January 27th." With that, Misaki made his formal goodbyes, and left with Todd and his son attending him.

I was near tears as I re-read Teresa's death poem. Her pain had not been in the death of her sister. It had all centered on those words of her father, a father that mentally abandoned her in the worst moment of her life.

And then I remembered Carole's words. She had seen it that I had come for her, had not abandoned her. And I resolved then to be sure to be there for my daughters and sons, whatever it took...

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

10:00am, Tuesday, January 16th. A large crowd was gathered to witness the proceedings of the Board of Inquiry.

Mr. Silas, the older black man, was the presiding Commissioner. Mr. Fitzgerald and Mr. Finneran were also on the Board. It was Finneran, who hated Police, and hated me personally, that had raised the issues concerning Teresa's actions.

Teresa was sitting at the table to the side, the Captain Union's Rep with her. I had been asked to sit with them; technically, this Board of Inquiry was about my actions as well as Teresa's. Cindy and the Chief were on the first row, and we were all in our Duty Dress uniforms. Todd Burke was also sitting with Cindy, as was Laura.

"This Board of Inquiry is convened." said Commissioner Silas. "There are two major issues that this public hearing is convened to determine. First, did Captain Teresa Croyle disobey orders when she entered the Ward Harvester warehouse, however heroically, and however happy the result was; and second, should Captain Croyle have been ordered to remain at Police Headquarters, given her previous issues during the Christmas season and her record of five Purple Orders, which is alarmingly high."

I was called up first. And Finneran was hell-bent on giving me hell.

"Commander Troy," he said, "did you order Captain Croyle to not enter the Ward Harvester warehouse without your explicit permission?"

"Those were not my instructions to Captain Croyle." I said.

"Are you sure?" asked Finneran. "You are under oath, Commander."

"I am sure." I said. "And if you're insinuating I'm lying by reminding me I'm under oath, then you either prove me wrong or apologize for your baseless insult."

"We'll see if you're lying or not." said Finneran.

"So what did you order Captain Croyle to do?" said Mr. Fitzgerald, trying to get the Inquiry moving along.

"I instructed her to take charge of her SpecOps teams, which she did." I said. "I told her to deploy them west of Ward Harvester, which she did. I instructed her to not to send any of them in without my permission, and she didn't. But to be clear, those instructions did not extend to her."

"Why not?" growled Finneran. "Isn't she one of them?"

"No." I said. "She's Captain of Operations. Whole different thing."

"Is it?" snarled Finneran. "Aren't you picking nits? Obscuring the facts with semantics?"

"I'm not obscuring anything." I said. "And you're picking the nits. But the semantics are very important, because they prove me right and you wrong."