Witness for the Prosecution Ch. 01

"I invited him." growled Sheriff Griswold, looking hard at Daniel Allgood, in the manner of a pure challenge.

"And if it's about me, and we all know it is, then I am going to be here." I said equally strongly. Daniel Allgood looked peeved, and looked as if he was considering just calling the meeting off.

Edward R. Steele said "I agree. Commander Troy should be here. I'm stunned that you didn't invite him, Mr. Mayor." I noticed the formality with which Edward spoke to Daniel. It told me volumes.

"He might as well be here, Mr. Mayor." said Edgar Silas. "He ain't gonna act any differently if he's not." The Chief nodded vigorously in agreement with both men.

"Okay, then." Allgood said as the Sheriff sat down next to Silas, and I sat down to the Sheriff's left. "What this meeting is about is the lawsuit filed by the family of Anthony Wilson for $20 million, which was served to the Council at last night's public meeting. As usual, we've sent it to City Attorney Garland for review and a recommendation on how to proceed moving forward. Mr. Garland?"

Dennis Garland was middle-aged, short, gaining weight, and looked more like a harassed professor or school teacher than the attorney he really was. And he had once been forced to take a leave of absence and undergo rehab for alcoholism as well as therapy for mental and emotional stress. (Author's note: 'Woman In Love', Ch. 02; 'Consequences', Ch. 01, 03.)

"Thank you, Mr. Mayor." said Garland. "Per your request, I'd already looked at the lawsuit after it was filed in Superior Court. Now that it's been officially received, I can give you recommendations and take action as the Council directs. And my recommendation is that the County drops all criminal charges against Mr. Wilson, and settles with him and his family."

"What?!" exploded Chief Moynahan before I could say anything. "Are you saying the Police are at fault?"

Garland said "No, but I am saying that Commander Troy used excessive force to subdue an unarmed black man. There's no point wasting time and money trying to fight a lawsuit that we will end up losing."

Daniel Allgood took it up. "You have to understand, Chief. Not only will we lose if we fight this in Court, the Press will be attacking us with everything they've got. The optics on this are terrible for us."

"You gotta be kidding." I said, my voice cold enough to freeze blood. "Wilson was arrested after assaulting not one but two Police Officers, injuring Kalsu and very narrowly missing me. He wasn't unarmed in that he was using his arms, and his fists, to inflict physical harm upon Police Officers."

"Furthermore to this point, you want to talk about (air quotes) 'excessive force'?" I continued. "After the injuries Wilson inflicted upon my Officer, by rights I could have just taken out my service weapon and blown his fucking head clean off. That would have been justifiable and not excessive, but I did not even use my crowbar on that would-be murderer. I instead subdued him with weaponless tactics."

"You just don't get it, do you, Troy!" Edgar Silas yelled, his restraint breaking down completely. "That is not what we saw! We saw a WHITE cop severely injure an UNARMED black man, a PEACEFUL protester crying for justice for Our People! Do you not even consider the optics of what you did?"

"Optics?! OPTICS?!" I fired back. "You wanna talk optics?! Have you even seen the video in evidence?" When Silas said nothing, "Have you?" I reached for my iPad. "I'll show you the video. Will you look at it? Will you watch it?"

"I already saw what happened... with my own eyes." Silas replied.

"Let's watch it together, Edgar." Edward R. Steele said. "Let's see what really happened. Our eyes could have lied to us. The tape never lies."

"All right." Silas conceded. I quickly pressed the button that caused the wall in back with the Great Seal of the Town & County to slide sideways behind the wall to the left, revealing the large monitor screen behind it. I connected my Police iPad by Wifi to it, called up the right file, and began playing it.

"Okay," I said, "this is before I arrived. Robert Kalsu was a Ranger in the U.S. Army, and has seen combat in Afghanistan. He was highly trained then, and further trained as one of our best SWAT Team members. But as you can see here, when he went up to arrest Wilson, Wilson punched him in the face. Wilson is a professional boxer, and the power of his blow shattered Kalsu's plexiglass faceplate of his headgear, then shattered Kalsu's nose, which required surgery to fix."

Me: "If it had not been for the faceplate, that blow likely would have been fatal to Kalsu. And again, that's one of my best Officers in personal combat, and Wilson tore him apart. The danger to anyone trying to arrest him was literally existential."

Me: "Now let's fast-forward. Here's where I came in. You can hear me announcing my Office and telling Wilson that he is under arrest. Then, and I need you all to see this, Senior Deputy Louis Bailey grabs me by the collar and pull me back. Wilson was as surprised as everyone, and if he'd attacked us at that moment, he might have murdered both me and Bailey... unless someone shot Wilson dead."

Me: "As it was, after I pushed Bailey off of me, I handed my crowbar to Commander Croyle, then again told Wilson he was under arrest. He jabs twice at me with the left hand, then throws a haymaker with his right. He misses, I grab his arm, and with a weaponless martial arts move I subdue him. His shoulder separates as much from the force of his own punch he threw as anything I did, and I can have martial arts experts testify to that."

I turned off the video and said "Now those are my optics, Mr. Silas. I don't care what color Anthony Wilson was; I'm going to defend myself when I'm attacked. I don't care what color he is when he has already assaulted and injured one of my Police Officers; I'm going to subdue and arrest him for his actions, not the color of his skin."

"You're just not going to stop, are you?" Silas said, his voice almost a whisper. "You're just not going to stop exercising physical violence against my People, are you?"

"And you're just not going to stop throwing the race card, even though you know damn well I was justified, and that this is not about race. Are you?" I replied.

"You just don't see it, do you? You just refuse to see it." Silas said, almost more to himself than me.

"On the contrary, I do see it. As well or better than you do." I replied. "Your problem is that I am not going to let you shame nor intimidate me into not doing my job, and stopping criminals regardless of their ethnicity."

Silas glared at me, then saw that the Sheriff, who was between us, was peering just as hard at him. They engaged in a 'blink' contest for a long minute. The Sheriff won; Silas turned back to face the Mayor.

"It doesn't matter." Daniel Allgood said, his voice cutting through the tense silence. "I've already talked to Mr. Garland, as well as most of the Members of the Council. I agree with Mr. Garland that we should settle. And unless a majority of the Council votes to fight the lawsuit, then my tiebreaking vote will go to settling, preferably without any admission of wrongdoing on the County's part."

Dennis Garland said "And once that happens, you will need to drop your countersuit, Commander Troy."

"And if I don't?" I replied, my voice low and menacing.

"Then you could lose your indemnity." Garland said. "You'd be on your own, with no help nor support from the Town & County."

"I have no support from you now, obviously." I replied.

"You could also be fired if the Council's motion to settle includes ordering you to drop the countersuit." said Daniel Allgood. "Oh, I know, you can retire since you're a Medal of Valor recipient. But the point is that you'll put your job on the line if you fight us."

"And I don't mean that as a threat," the Mayor said, "but Mr. Silas is partially correct, here. Perception is the reality, and the reality is that the optics of your continued strong-armed tactics are becoming unacceptable."

I fired back: "You were whining when I didn't take your phone call and go down and do (air quotes) 'strong-armed tactics' the first time. Now you're whining when I did use reasonable force to subdue a dangerous criminal. Which way do you want it, Allgood?"

"Mind your tone with me, Commander." Allgood growled. The Sheriff stopped me as I was rising to my feet to confront him.

"Mind yours, Allgood." growled Griswold. "You ain't the boss of him... unless you think you can whip his ass in personal combat. My money's on the Iron Crowbar on that one."

Allgood glared at the Sheriff, then looked over at the Chief, who said "Take your best shot, Mr. Mayor. But put your affairs in orrrr-derrrr first."

Edward R. Steele said "Don, it's not a done deal that the Council is going to capitulate to the 'woke' mobs and the Agitators pulling their strings. I can pretty much assure you that at least half the Council will vote to fight this lawsuit in Court to the last ditch. And we may even have bipartisan support to do so. Chances are, the Mayor won't have to make a 'career decision' vote on it."

"We'll see about that." growled Edgar Silas as Daniel Allgood glared at Edward. Edgar stood up, then turned to face me and said "I'll give you this much, Commander Crowbar... the tape shows your actions to be reasonable if not correct. But that is not going to matter."

Silas: "We're still going to vote to settle, and even accept blame. And we're going to do that to put you in your place as much as anything else. And we will do it again, and again, and again, until you stop or until we have gotten rid of you. Mr. Mayor, gentlemen..." With that, he exited the room.

I broke the silence of the room by saying "Gentlemen, would you give me a moment alone with the Mayor?"

"Are you kidding?" Garland gasped. "Leave him alone with you? And armed?"

"I'm not afraid of him." Daniel Allgood said.

"You should be." Chief Moynahan said in his best 'Jedi Master Yoda' voice. "You should be.

"I'm not going to hurt him." I said. "And the Sheriff can stay, as a witness, and as his bodyguard."

The others left. I went and sat in the chair vacated by Silas, next to Allgood, looked him in they eyes, and said "Are you trying to get rid of me?"

"What I'm trying to do is---" Allgood started.

"IT'S A GODDAMNED YES-OR-NO QUESTION!" I yelled. Allgood just stared at me for a long moment, until the silence got awkward.

"No, I'm not trying to get rid of you!" he finally fired back. "But I am trying to put you in your fucking place! Goddammit, Don! you have got to lighten up! Silas is right; the optics are killing us! The US DOJ is coming in, and the Democrats both here and in the State Legislature are hell-bent on ripping our Town and County apart... and all just to get at YOU! And then there's next year's Elections. If the Democrats win, especially the Mayor's position, it is all over for this Town & County."

"So your answer is to get rid of me?" I said accusingly. "Your answer is to appease the 'woke' thugs, and try to get the Media on your side? You think that'll save you in the next race for Mayor? Don't you know by now, Allgood, that standing up to them is why you've won to this point, and is your only hope of winning in the future?"

Daniel said nothing. I stood up and nodded to the Sheriff that it was time to go. As he stood up, I said "Just one more thing. I won't drop the countersuit, and Kalsu might even file his own suit against Anthony Wilson. So you'll get your chance to get rid of me."

Then I lowered my voice and said "But if you vote to settle that lawsuit, and not fight it to the very last ditch, get ready to lose your next election, no matter what it is. You see, I was married to Melina for eight years, and I know how she feels about Blacks. And you, Mr. Allgood, you were TCPD Internal Affairs while Captain Harold Malone was systematically using the Police Force to intimidate Blacks, to arrest and falsely accuse them of crimes they didn't commit. And that doesn't even include the drug operations."

"Oh yes." I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "It doesn't matter if you are a racist in your heart like Melina is. You are, but it doesn't matter. If and when Bettina and KXTC, and Eldrick X. Weaver and Lionel Carmela start asking why you didn't stop Harold Malone as TCPD I.A... well, it's just like Silas said, the truth won't matter."

I stood up straight. "So take your best shot at me, if you think that'll save you and Myrtle L. James and the White Community in this County. It won't be me that gets hurt. I'll know your answer when you vote on the resolution."

I walked towards the door. As the Sheriff walked by Daniel Allgood, he emitted a low whistle, and shook his head in both sorrow and disbelief...

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

"You are one hardcore son of a... gun." the Sheriff said when we got back to his office. "You are as tough as a Klingon, and as Machiavellian as any Romulan could ever hope to be. But I don't think I've ever seen you quite like that."

"I'm sorry you had to see that, Sheriff." I replied. "And I'm almost sorry I had to do it. But I had to do it."

The Sheriff grunted his agreement, then said "So you really think Daniel is trying to get rid of you?"

"What other explanation for all this fits?" I asked. "Yeah, Garland is a coward that can't stand having to do his job and fight the 'woke' thugs in Court. But remember how upset Allgood was when I didn't respond to his messages, and didn't come down? Why? Especially since the Police handled it."

Griswold said "And then he filed that complaint with the I.G., and wanted a Board of Inquest. So he's going to run on some kind of 'Police accountability' platform?"

I said "I dunno, but it's clear to me he's trying to create space between himself and our strong-law-enforcement policies."

Griswold said: "Well, why don't we discuss it over lunch at the Cop Bar."

I said "Sorry, sir, but I have a lunch date with my wife. And she's one hell of a lot prettier than you are."

"Har! You got that right, Crowbar." the Sheriff said, his mustaches quivering with merriment. "Oh, that reminds me... I got some more Tokay for your wife." He picked up a large wooden box and handed it to me. "Would you mind delivering this to her for me?"

"Sure, sir." I said. Then I grinned and said "Very cute, Sheriff. Now everyone will see me carrying this wine down the hallway. What am I supposed to tell them?"

"Just say it's evidence of a crrrimmme, Mister Crowbar." the Sheriff drawled. "Evidence of a crime..."

Part 5 - Scoop From The Sisters

11:45am, Wednesday, November 17th. I met Laura at the Soup & Salad place. She had reserved the table at the window that overlooked the little man-made lake, the building that was a reception hall, and the veranda where we'd exchanged our marriage vows. (Author's note: 'Interlude', Ch. 07.)

"I was going to call you, but you beat me to it." Laura said after we went through the salad bar and the soup bar... me for the first but not last time. "I suspect you want to talk to me about the same thing I need to talk to you about."

"The Toyota Gang?" I asked. Laura nodded, and I said "Yes, but we can go to the higher security location of your office on Campus after lunch to talk about that. And after I called you, something happened that you need to be made aware of."

I gave the details of the disastrous meeting with Mayor Allgood, et. al. Laura was totally shocked. "Daniel wants to settle?!" she gasped. "And you think he's trying to get you pushed out of the TCPD? What the hell is he thinking?"

I was tempted to say we should have Carole ask them and then read his mind, but that would be the wrong thing to say. I'd had to tell Carole to not 'anticipate' her mother's requests for things, and let Laura ask for them out loud. But I digress...

I said "My first sense was that it was an ego thing for him, when I didn't respond to his call, when he was kept out of the loop on security issues. But now... it's gotta be something more, something deeper. Maybe he was promised something. Maybe he was threatened."

Me: "But either way, I don't think he has clearly thought it out. If he thinks me going away will solve the problems or take the pressure off, he's got another think coming. If anything, it'll be even worse, where the US DOJ is concerned. They won't back off; they'll feel energized and will double down on the Council structure as well as the TCPD."

Me: "And if he thinks anyone, especially the Democrats, will keep any promise made to him?" I shook my head with mock sadness. "Well, he'll get what's coming to him for that folly."

Laura nodded. "I'll talk to Melina, though I suspect she isn't aware of what's going on with Daniel..."

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

In Laura's office, she was wearing her Kerr pumps with the rubber soles, so her feet were not slipping from the edge of the desk. I was standing in front of her, pumping my throbbing cock in and out of her sopping wet snatch.

"Oh, God, your cock feels so good inside me!" my wife gasped as she tightened the grip of her arms wrapped around my neck, our left cheeks pressing together as I pounded her pussy with hard, stabbing thrusts.

"God, I love fucking your tight, wet pussy!" I whispered as I relentlessly gyrated my hips back and forth, propelling my cock deep into her heavenly vagina. "Geez! you are so fucking hot!" My hands were on her back just above her dress-covered asscheeks, pulling her into me as I pushed into her again and again.

Our dirty words to each other matched our lewd actions as we rutted lustily, the depraved, spontaneity of our mating adding to the intense pleasure. Laura began moaning into my ear, and I felt her pussy clamp down hard on my invading 'little crowbar', followed by a gush of slippery liquid wetness coating my cock and balls.

"Unnh!" I gasped. "I'm going to come. I'm going to fucking come in your cunt!" I felt the intense pain build up, then the explosive release as spurt after spurt of hot semen fired into her spasming depths.

After a moment to catch our breaths, we separated. I took a step back and Laura slipped off the desk and sat in her chair. She pulled me to her, and used her lips and tongue to clean our combined juices off my cock, balls, and loins.

"That was good." Laura said as I pulled my pants back up and fastened them, then put my gunbelt back on. I pulled a chair from the front of her desk around to sit close to her. We talked softly, even though her bug-killer was on, and it was already the most secure room in all the Town & County.

Laura started: "I've been touching base with a lot of my contacts about the Toyota Gang perps that the DEA came in and stole from you. The Hispanic Team has been of interest to me for a long time, because of their Cartel interests and the problem of Red Chinese activity in Central and South America."

Laura: "The current Regime in Washington not only doesn't care about that, but they may have been compromised by the Chinese, especially those from that sewer Wilmington, Delaware. But there are some in the Intelligence Community that aren't as corrupt as others, and they are watching the world situation with great concern."

Laura: "So I want to find out where the perps were taken, for my people's interest if nothing else. I haven't found out exactly where they are, but I did get a tip that they may have been split up and taken to different places. The Asian team may never be found again... until they turn up in the People's Republic of China when the Corrupted Ones turn them over to them."