Fathers And Sons Ch 03

This story is part of an ongoing series.

The chronological order of my stories is listed in WifeWatchman's biography, which is currently not updating. Stories after Music Box Dancer are:

Return To Apple Grove, Media Matters, Swamp Frogs, Man of God, Fathers and Sons.

Feedback and

constructive

criticism is very much appreciated, and I encourage feedback for ideas.

This story contains graphic scenes, language and actions that might be extremely offensive to some people. These scenes, words and actions are used only for the literary purposes of this story. The author does not condone murder, racial language, violence, rape or violence against women, and any depictions of any of these in this story should not be construed as acceptance of the above.

Part 16 - Continuing the Investigation

"This is Bettina Wurtzburg, KXTC Fox Two News!" shouted the redheaded MILF reporterette at 7:00am, Wednesday, August 8th, from in front of the Federal Building off Courthouse Square. "Fox Two News has learned that wanted fugitive Jack King was arrested at City Airport by the FBI last night."

Bettina began: "The FBI is crediting Charlie Griswold, quadriplegic son of Sheriff candidate Antonio Griswold, for discovering information that the led the FBI to the capture of Jack King, who had escaped prison and was believed to be hiding in France or Russia. Charlie Griswold, who was discovered to be able to communicate by blinking his eyes in Morse Code, was working with Police to decode several encrypted files."

"In a related story, TCPD Detectives reviewing young Griswold's case re-examined the car he crashed into a bridge support near the bypass over a decade ago, and they found definitive evidence that the car was tampered with. Detective Jerome Davis briefly spoke to reporters last night. Roll tape."

Tape rolled. "It was amazing that Charlie Griswold was able to prevent his car from killing innocent people." said Detective Davis outside the Hospital, the dark of night in the background. "He had no brakes, they were cut, and he was trying to get the car to the West expressway and to empty farms. I'd call him a hero for doing all he could to keep others from being hurt."

Back to Bettina live: "Those sentiments were shared by superstar rapper T-Square, who visited Charlie at University Hospital yesterday. Charlie said he was a big T-Square fan, and was excited by the visit. As these pictures show, Charlie and T-Square posed in trademark 'T-Square shades' during the visit." A photo, provided by T-Square's publicist, showed him posing with Charlie.

"And in State news," said Bettina, "Robert Mullen has issued more subpoenas. Alan Davidson and Steve Fuqua, aides to Governor Jared, have been ordered to appear before the Independent State Counsel to answer questions. Dave Smigelski, also a Jared aide, is expected to testify before the Special Grand Jury soon, but Fox Two News has learned that his testimony does not implicate Commander Donald Troy. Political

experts

believe that Mr. Mullen is on track to bring charges against Governor Jared, perhaps by mid-October."

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

"That was so cool, seeing Charlie and T-Square in shades like that." said Joanne Warner.

"Nice of T-Square to visit Charlie, too." said Theo Washington. "Charlie's a cop's son, and T-Square doesn't like cops too much."

"How did he find out Charlie liked his music?" asked Teddy Parker. After a few seconds, all eyes came to rest upon Your Iron Crowbar.

"Yeah, Charlie told me, and I told T-Square." I said. "Invited him to go visit, I did. Good press for T-Square. And he respects Chief Griswold more than you might realize."

"I'll tell you who the one Police Officer that T-Square respects is." said Cindy Ross. "If you need a hint: he's in this room now."

"What's going on with Jack King?" asked Teresa Croyle, who had been around long enough to remember the culprit behind the 'Black Badge' case. (

Author's note: 'Case of the Black Badge', also 'Seriously Inconvenienced', Ch. 02, for the escape.

)

"His father, Conrad King," I said, "spirited him out of America after we busted him several years ago. He was over in France, drinking the good wine and eating the good food, then for some silly reason decided to come back... just as his name showed up on one of the files Charlie decoded."

"By the way, Detective Davis" said Teresa, "that was good work yesterday, interviewing Charlie. Showed compassion while still asking the hard questions and getting the painful answers."

"Your dad was impressed, too." said Cindy. "He didn't show much on his face, but I could see in his eyes that he was interested in how you conducted the questions."

"Thank you, ma'am." said Jerome. "And the stories of whoever swerved into him and made him go into the bridge support... well, I can tell them today that it wasn't them. Charlie's car was going into that bridge support no matter what. He said the car just lurched towards it and he couldn't swerve it at all..."

Just then the Mighty Miltons, Myron and Mary, came into MCD, both looking straight at me. I excused myself and led them to my office.

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

"Okay, so you were able to trace those URLs?" I asked as we sat down in my office.

"Yes sir." said Myron. "They go back to basic GoDaddy accounts, which were created in Queenie's name. They connected to pages that were sitting on the servers of the State Legislature."

"Katherine Woodburn's?" I asked.

"We weren't able to get that granular, sir." said Mary. "The pages are on a section of servers that are part of the general Legislature pages and files. Their hired I.T. people maintain them. This is the area where bills are stored. You remember, sir, those bills that were changed to add this County to sites for State Crime Labs? Those were in that area when they were hacked."

"So it was pretty much easy for anyone to put them there and get to them." I said. The Miltons nodded in agreement.

"Did you get any information on who has accessed those files?"

"You, recently, sir." Mary said. "Obviously when decoding the Queenie Files. Before that, they hadn't been accessed in nearly a year, at least. The meta data is sketchy, at best, and there's no real hope to find out who accessed the data and trace it back to a real live person."

I nodded. "Can anyone besides Legislators get into those servers?"

"The Executive Branch departments all have different servers, and no access to the Legislative servers, and vice versa." said Myron, looking at notes. "The State Supreme Court and the entire State's Court system documents have their own servers, as well. It is very unlikely anyone but Legislators, aides, staffers, employees, and such, have access to the Legislature servers, though of course they could be hacked."

"Well..." I said, "we're that far. And it'll be the contents that are important, more than the origins. You guys did a great job, as always."

"We did do one other thing, sir." said Myron. "I broke into every State Government server running, and looked for web addresses that were strange, like the 'https://509503' address. There's a bunch of them, and I'll have to go through them as well as narrow the search parameters. But we'll see if we find anything."

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

"Get out of my Police Station." ordered Chief Sean Moynahan.

"Sir?" I asked as I stood in front of his desk.

"There is going to be a Press conference by the FBI at 11:00am." said the Chief. "In the City. Special Agent In Charge Muscone will be briefing the world on the Jack King arrest. You will not be expected to speak or take questions at it, but you might get some information from it."

"Yes sir." I said.

"Take Deputy Chief Ross with you." said Moynahan. "She needs a break from the budget work she's been doing. Her bleary eyes are making my eyes feel bleary."

I smiled. "Yes sir." I said. "Mr. Davis is putting the Charlie Griswold transcripts into proper order, and Jerome will put it all into the servers. After that, we'll need to find new work for Charlie to do."

"I think you'll find that is taken care of when you get to the City." said the Chief, somewhat cryptically. "Okay, go. Dismissed." I moved out smartly.

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

Cindy and I came into MCD before leaving. "Sir!" called out Jerome Davis, seeing me. "I've got something for you."

I went up to his desk. The other Detectives were listening, though of course they pretended that they were not listening. Jonathan Davis was at the empty desk near the coffee machine, filling in all the small details on the Charlie transcripts.

"Whaddya got?" I asked.

"When I saw the electronics used on Charlie's car, something triggered a memory in me." said Jerome. "I checked, and they're the same types the electronics that were used in your cars when the Consultant burned down your old Cabin, made by the same company." (

Author's note: 'Seriously Inconvenienced', Ch. 04.

) I winced at the memory as he handed me a file folder with some papers.

"Dayum, Detective Davis," I said, very impressed. "That is Iron Crowbar thinking there. Here, hold this." I handed him the red crowbar as I began to look at the file.

"Police Boxing Matches, Warner!" Jerome called out as he waved the crowbar at Joanne. "I'm taking you

down

next year!"

"You and what Army?" Joanne fired back.

"I think you mean 'what

Navy

'." interjected Theo Washington. Everyone was laughing by now. Even retired Sr. Chief Petty Officer Jonathan Davis could not resist a grin.

"Okay, this is great stuff, Jerome." I said. "Hold this for me, I'll get it when I get back. You guys keep at it." I handed Jerome the folder, got the red crowbar back, then Cindy and I headed out, Cindy giving Jerome a thumbs-up as she passed by his desk.

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

"A merit badge." Cindy said as we drove to the City in my Police SUV. "You earned a frickin' merit badge, what, 20 years ago, and then you notice a guy in a hospital bed blinking in Morse Code."

"Something like that." I said. "As your father says, there are no coincidences in the Universe."

"True." said Cindy. "And Charlie... lying there all those years, unable to move, knowing what was going on around him... well, the light sure is back on in his eyes... and his dad's."

"Yeah, it's been good for him, too." I said. "But Mrs. Griswold... she still looks haunted by it all."

We sped into the City and took the exit that would take us to the Federal Building. We were allowed into the parking deck, and then we made our way to the FBI offices.

"Ah, the Crowbar People have arrived." said Jack Muscone as we got to his office. "Come on in to my team's room." He led us into the large room, the FBI's equivalent of the MCD room. We were greeted enthusiastically by Team Lazarus. Sandra Speer had pictures of Greta, so guess where I went to. Meanwhile, Cindy talked with Martin Nash and Lindy Linares. Julius Jefferson and Ben Crenshaw joined me and Sandra in conversation after a moment.

"Great job with that Charlie guy." said Crenshaw. "And him cracking those puzzles was pretty solid. All our crypto guys were impressed."

"Yeah, he did great on that." I said. "So, what happened with Jack King?" That caused some 'unrest' to come into the atmosphere.

"We made the bust at City Airport." said Jefferson, "and then Homeland Security came and got him. We didn't even get a chance to talk to him, so I hope you weren't wanting to."

"Naaah." I said. "I'd be stunned if he has any knowledge of the stuff I'm dealing with." Seeing the looks of shock on their faces, I told the Special Agents: "They want him in Washington so they can find out what he was doing for France and Russia. He hasn't worried himself about what's been going on here since his father died."

"So why did he come back to America?" Sandra asked.

"My guess is that he was set up." I replied. "Someone asked him to come to the City, he stupidly did so, and there you guys were, waiting for him."

"Who would do that?" asked Julius Jefferson. "The person behind the Queenie Files? King's name was on the list, after all."

"True." I said. "I don't know for sure, but one thing caught my attention: it would have to be someone with international connections similar to King's, and someone he knew."

"CIA operative?" asked Martin Nash. He, Lindy, and Cindy had been listening in.

"That's a possibility." I said.

Just then, Jack's boss, the Executive Assistant Director (EAD) came to the door with Jack in tow. "Commander Troy," he said, "can we borrow you for a moment?"

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

We went into the room with the plexiglass cube on springs, the most secure room in the building against being bugged. Joining the EAD, Jack, and me was the retired Deputy Director of the FBI.

"Sir," I asked, "why did you bother retiring from the FBI? You're here all the time."

The DepDirector laughed. "By retiring, I can be here instead of in Washington. And I can just play consultant like you."

"So what am I consulting on today?" I asked.

The EAD said "First, congratulations to you and Charlie Griswold for that splendid job deciphering those files. Second, is there anything or anyone new that's popped up about them?"

"No sir." I said. "I'll say this much: there is still nothing that can help the Deputy Director,

nor anything that should worry him.

" I looked meaningfully at the DepDirector as I said that.

"I hope you're right." said the DepDirector. "That list of names you gave Jack was not a group of small potatoes. Weatherby, Blassingame... possible Superior Bloodlines leftovers."

"Establishment Elites, to be sure," I said, "but Superior Bloodlines is crushed, sir. You will not see them nor their ilk again in your lifetime."

"Any idea what connects those names you gave us?" asked the EAD, and I could sense him peering right through me.

"Well, sir," I said, "it looks like the names can be broken into three groups. There's the 'old school' group: Henry Wargrave, Austin Murphy, Jack King. Then there's the middle group: Jack Lewis, Leon Mills. Then there's the newer group: Conrad King, Mitt Willis, Weatherby, Blassingame, all Establishment Elitists and Capitalist Cronies. I'm placing Conrad King in that last group, though he was an associate of Wargrave and Jack King is his son."

"Of course," I continued, "some of those on the list are dead. Wargrave, Conrad King, and very recently Mitt Willis. But Willis died so recently that we can safely infer that the person behind the Queenie Files put his name on the list while he was alive."

"Conrad King died only a little over a year ago, also." said the DepDirector. "Maybe this Shadow Filemaker didn't know he was dead." That caused me to go into a brief reverie as something struck me.

"That's... a thought..." I said, mostly to myself, feeling myself staring forward into empty space. "What if the guy, or girl, didn't know that

any

of those persons were dead?"

"Well..." said the DepDirector, "it would be hard to understand how someone could do all this, put those names on the list, put the physical files in a safe deposit box in the City, but

not

know that Henry Wargrave was dead... but I've seen even stranger things involving the Iron Crowbar. So who knows?"

"Okay, Jack," said the EAD, "it's Press Conference time..."

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

"Thanks to the outstanding work of FBI Consultant Don Troy and our friend Charlie Griswold," Jack Muscone said to the gaggle of Press, "we were able to develop information that led to the arrest of wanted fugitive Jack King. We obtained the proper warrants, and made the arrest of Jack King at City Airport as he deplaned from a flight from France."

"Agent Muscone!" shouted Jenna James, "Jack King was arrested at the airport just hours after Charlie Griswold decoded files that had been recovered after months of being in hiding. What specific information led to being able to meet Mr. King's plane at the airport?" She glanced over at me after asking, and knew from my look at her that I was realizing she knew

far

more than she should.

"The case is still in progress with regards to other fugitives from the law." said Muscone. "So I'm not able to elaborate on that information at this time."

"With what is Mr. King being charged?" asked Bettina Wurtzburg.

"First of all, he escaped from prison," said Muscone, "so that and the previous charges would apply. All of that occurred in

your

County, Ms. Wurtzburg, so I'll refer your fellow reporters to

you

for more on that." There were some chuckles amongst the reporters, but Bettina was not amused.

"Agent Muscone," said Cynthia Freeman, KSTD's new reporterette, "a former coach at the University, Willy Gonzales, allegedly raped a student-athlete named Selena Martinez some years ago. Ms. Martinez was found murdered here in the City last year, and Gonzales was found dead before a game at (Wildcat School). My question is: what is the FBI's involvement in that case? Did you assist any of the local jurisdictions in investigating those murders?"

"I'll have to go back and check on all that." said Muscone. "It would be standard procedure in cases that cross State Lines for local jurisdictions to obtain the help of FBI assets where needed, but I can't speak to those specific cases standing here in front of you right now."

I had noticed that Cynthia, Jenna James, and Diane Williams had all looked over at me after the question was asked. I just stared back at each of them, unsure of the game they were playing.

"Agent Muscone," said Lester Holder, an edge of maliciousness in his voice, "will Commander Troy be made available for questions regarding the decoding of these files?"

"I don't know." said Muscone, looking over at me. "It's up to him." I just shook my head slightly, tapping the crowbar in my hand. My war with the Press was still full-on.

"Looks like a 'no' on that one, Holder." said Muscone. "Probably for the best for all of you Press guys." The collective eyes of the Press smoldered with hatred at that shot...

Part 17 - Violent Violations

"What do you want, Senator?" snarled Jayne Hallerton. The lovely blonde had been summoned to the Cannon Building and the penthouse office that had once been Henry Wargrave's. Now Senator Samuel Russell occupied it.

"I called you here," said Russell, "to reach an understanding on your relationship with my son."

"So you said on the phone." Jayne said. She had told Billy, the Senator's son, of the phone call. After a discussion of it, they decided to at least hear what Senator Russell had to say. Maybe he would at least accept the inevitable of Billy and Jayne's relationship.

"I want you to stop seeing my son." said Russell. "I want you to leave this State, go somewhere else, and never see my son again."

"You're full of shit." Jayne said. "Who the fuck are

you

to tell me who I can and can't see?"

"I'm a U.S. Senator, for one thing." said Russell. "And you are a whore and an embarrassment to my family name. I'll make you one final offer." He picked up an envelope. "Inside this envelope is a check for $100,000. Cash the check, do what you want with the money. In exchange, you will never attempt to see my son again."

Jayne took the envelope, and Russell thought he and won. Then she held it up in front of him and ripped it in two, then flipped the pieces into the air.

"I don't want your dirty money." Jayne snarled. "Fuck it, and fuck you!" She turned to go.

Russell flew from around his desk and grabbed her arm. "Listen, you little bitch..." he started. Jayne tried to pull away from him.

"Let me go!" she screamed loudly. "Let go of my arm!"

"You fucking cunt!" Russell roared. He swung his arm in a backhand slap, connecting solidly with the side of the blonde's beautiful face. She went down in a heap.