The chronological order of my stories is as follows:
Todd I’ve really gotten dependent on Myron and Mary…”
“That’s because your own considerable talents lie elsewhere.” Laura said. “So, before I drag you off to bed to take advantage of some of those talents, what have you found?… if anything.”
“Not much. On two occasions, the burglar wrote the word ‘Silverfish’ in addition to the fish loop symbol: one time was one of the very first heists, the other time was the very last one, in Jacksonville, when he wrote ‘Silverfish bids you adieu’. He may have known he had enough to meet his ten million dollar goal, and so he wrote that.”
“That makes sense for the last one.” Laura said. “But what about the first one?”
“Not sure.” I said. “Except I suspect the perp wanted to establish his identity, maybe to goad the Police and FBI when he committed future crimes. As to the places and timing, it’s not any kind of logical pattern, no smooth city-to-city lines; but at the same time, it’s not wild and crazy, and it slowly travels from upper left to lower right on the map. The time between heists is fairly even, but sometimes there would be crimes in back-to-back weeks, sometimes almost two months between hits.”
“Any around the Holidays?” Laura asked.
“None right on a holiday, but there was one the Saturday before Memorial Day…” I said, pointing to one of the dots on the computer monitor screen.
Laura looked at the monitor for a few minutes, but after I played the simulation for her, she said she didn’t see any particular pattern, either. “And I suspect the FBI’s best analysts have already covered this ground, don’t you think?”
“I’m sure they have.” I said. “But it was good practice to do it myself, not to mention figure out a few lines of code to graph it.” I realized how tired I was. “But now I’m exhausted.”
“I’m not surprised.” Laura said. “You haven’t eaten a thing all day. There’s hamburger patties and hot dogs in the refrigerator for you to heat and eat… and then I’m going to take you to bed and feast on your big… thick… hot dog…” I felt her kiss my neck as her arms encircled my shoulders. I did not need further coaxing.
“Mmmm, let’s go.” I said.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Jack Muscone entered the Cattleman’s Club restaurant and bar on Saturday evening and headed to the bar. The restaurant was very busy as the food was good, but the bar was relatively quiet as it served a more upscale clientele than those looking for a party atmosphere.
He was very surprised at who he saw at the far end of the bar as he approached, illegal bahis and he headed over to the empty seat next to her.
?”Can I buy a girl a drink?” Muscone asked.
“Sure.” Tanya Perlman said. “How are you doing, Jack?”
“Good.” Muscone replied. He ordered a drink for himself and for Tanya another round of what she was having, then said “How about you? How’s the baby doing?”
“He’s good.” Tanya said. “Pete’s mom is keeping him tonight, and Don’s mom is staying over and helping. Phyllis loves babies, and I needed an evening to myself.” She then added “But don’t let that make you think I want to be alone.”
They moved to a booth in the corner of the bar room. “So how is MCD doing?” Jack asked after they sat down.
“It’s okay.” said Tanya. “The people are good, but I think they’re bored. Don keeps looking for things to keep their minds occupied. As for me, I want to take a crowbar, or better yet a sledgehammer, and knock down a couple of the walls in that shithole office I have to sit in.” Muscone laughed at the look on Tanya’s face when she said that.
“So, are you happy there?” Jack asked, reading some wistfulness in Tanya’s cherubic face.
Tanya sighed. “Yes… and to be honest, sometimes no. On the one hand, there’s no better place to be, and no better person to work for than Commander Troy. On the other hand, I feel like I’m the fourth wheel of a tricycle.”
Jack said “Well, I happen to know that Don thinks very, very highly of you. He says that if you weren’t in charge of MCD and able to run it without him, he wouldn’t feel nearly as comfortable going on his consulting trips for the FBI.”
“That’s sweet of you to tell me.” said Tanya, smiling at the FBI agent.
“Don’t tell him I said this,” said Jack, “but if you really step up and show him you’ve got MCD well managed, and then let him know you do, things for both you and he will work out very well.”
“Maybe,” said Tanya, then broke into her playful grin, “but don’t get any hopes up about Don leaving us for the FBI full time. I know for a fact he doesn’t want to go anywhere else.”
“Ah, you’re catching on to me.” Jack said.
“Let’s change the subject,” Tanya said, “and get out of here. What I really need right now is a big FBI agent’s cock, and you look like you could use a good release… or two or three.”
“I see the Iron Crowbar has taught you mindreading, among your other… considerable talents.” Jack replied…
Part 4 – Turf Wars
On Monday morning, March 9th, I assembled a team in Classroom ‘E’. It consisted of Detective Teddy Parker, Detective Joanne illegal bahis siteleri Cummings, Detective Julie Newton of Vice, Master Technician Myron Milton and Senior Technician Mary Mahoney. Sitting in were Lieutenants Tanya Perlman and Cindy Ross, and ADA Paulina Patterson.
“Okay, guys,” I said, “this is a synopsis of the information of the Silverfish bank heists. As local law enforcement, you’re supposed to concentrate only on the local crime at Second National Bank, which is considered a cold case– yes, Myron?”
“Sir,” said Myron Milton, “the Federal Statute of Limitations for bank robbery is five years, and our State’s Statute of Limitations is seven years. We’re past that.” I turned to Paulina.
“You’re right about that,” Paulina said, “but that doesn’t stop you from investigating and finding the identity of the criminal. And once you have that, there are some things we can do at the State level, but also which the U.S. Attorneys can do at their level. If we find out who it is, then find they continued to commit other crimes, we often can attach these crimes to the more recent ones. It’s called ‘continuing misconduct’.”
“Yes, thank you, Ms. Patterson.” I said. “Basically, guys, it’s a relatively quiet time, and we’re doing this as an exercise, so–“
Just then, the door opened with a violent push, and Deputy Chief Robert Brownlee strode in. “Milton, Mahoney,” he called out, “you’re not supposed to be in here. You work for I.T., and that means you work for me.”
“Bull shit.” I said, standing up to confront Brownlee. “They’re part of MCD, they are Detectives. Qualified to use guns, too.”
“That doesn’t matter, Troy.” Brownlee said confrontationally. “They’re I.T., they work for me, and you can’t use them without my say so.”
“Again, you’re full of shit.” I replied. “Cindy, keep the meeting going. Myron, Mary, I’m giving you a direct order to stay here, and to not listen to Brownlee. I’m still I.T. Supervisor, not to mention in command of all officers. You do not work for him, now or ever.”
I turned to Brownlee, “Okay Paper Pusher, let’s go talk to the Sheriff.”
“Who are you calling a ‘paper pusher’, dipshit?” Brownlee replied, not moving. At that, a red crowbar came out… and so did a blue one. Cindy Ross stood up, also, and was absolutely ready to beat the shit out of Brownlee. I had people loyal to me; Brownlee was not popular with anyone save a few crooked Union reps.
“What are you going to do, hit me?” Brownlee sneered.
“Yes.” I said. “And you know how it works on the Force, Paper Pusher… nobody will see a thing.”
It canlı bahis siteleri was dead quiet for the next few seconds, then Brownlee relented, his gambit failing. “Let’s do go see the Sheriff. He’ll tell you to shove that crowbar up your fucking ass.”
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
“For God’s sake, Robert,” said Sheriff Daniel Allgood. We were in the Police Chief’s office, Daniel sitting behind the desk, myself and Brownlee standing before it. “You could’ve have used the least little bit of tact; instead you went in like a bull in a china shop and looked like a jerk in front of the Commander’s most loyal people.”
“Sheriff,” said Brownlee, “we had this discussion: I.T. is Properties, it’s administration… and it’s my area. And speaking of tact, Sheriff, Troy has no tact at all, and won’t do the right thing unless the issue is forced. We’ve already had this discussion, and I thought we were agreed on this.”
“We didn’t agree for you to go roaring into an MCD meeting and be so confrontational about it.” retorted Allgood. “Okay, both of you, sit down. Sit!” ordered Allgood. Brownlee and I sat down, wary of each other. We were near physical confrontation, and everyone in the room knew it.
“Don, what’s your side of this?” asked Sheriff Allgood. I realized I was being ‘set up’ in that this was a guided conversation. But I tried to remain calm.
“Well, Sheriff,” I said, “first of all, Milton and Mahoney are actually Detectives, and are qualified with guns, just as Newton is. They’re actually a part of MCD, as far as I’m concerned, just as Newton is with Vice. And second, I’m still I.T. Supervisor from the first day I walked into this Police Headquarters. I never gave that up.”
“What about Lainie and Sonali?” asked Allgood. “What are they?”
“Data miners, part of MCD or Vice. I.T. in and of itself are the people that handle the servers, install software, fix or replace broken computer equipment.” I said, then said with alacrity: “Sheriff, the bottom line is that no Detective should have to get permission from this paper pusher to get information from the data people.”
“Call me a paper pusher again, asshole…” said Brownlee, menacingly.
“Or what… ‘paper pusher’? Or what?” After an uncomfortable several seconds of silence, I said “If you’re going to make a threat, Brownlee, you damn well better be able to back it up. I don’t think you have the guts to try to whip me, asswipe.” My body was tense and ready to rise to meet any attack. I was praying that Brownlee would try something. “And ‘paper pusher’ is right: that’s all you are, a paper pusher. You’ve never done a day of real police work in your life.”
“Ease up, both of you.” said the Sheriff, rescuing Brownlee, who looked both furious and helpless at the same time as I called him out and called him the coward that he was.