Valley of Decision
chapter eighteen
"POLICE ARREST THEIR OWN” read the San Rafael Independent headline the following morning.
“WHAT THE HELL’S GOING ON OVER THERE?” yelled the Mayor into his phone. The Chief of Police, groped for words on the other end. Unsatisfied with the garble he was hearing, he tossed his phone across the room, then, sitting at his desk, began ripping the newspaper to shreds.
The flying phone narrowly missed Miss Lucy Brown, his secretary, who nearly spilled her coffee taking her first sip. “Graft and corruption in the Police force?” he screamed at her. “Get the jackass back on the phone!” He screamed again into the air. Miss Brown turned on her heels and left the room.
Red was having a quiet breakfast in his room when he noticed a byline in the San Francisco Sun, San Rafael Police arrest their own. He didn’t know why, but he read the small article on the front page. Jumping up, he tore open the paper to page three. Focusing hard, he read, “Detective hampered from completing her duties, after finding bodies in van on highway 101.“
He just stood there in shock. No, it couldn’t be, this must be a coincidence? The desk rang at that very second. “We have a long-distance call, will you except the charges?”
“Yes!” snapped Red.
The voice of his body guard came on, “call on safe phone,” then hung up. He showered and got dressed. Phoned, his daughter and excused himself yet another time. He went out and dialed his body guard.
“Is it true?” Asked Red.
“You knew already?”
“Of course, I fucking knew. I’m the boss! What I wanna know is, how, and why!”
“I haven’t got all the details yet, but it looks like they were set up, and a bomb went off in the van, on the 101. Real professional looking?”
“Dam!”
“Some woman detective lost it, and after she ran into stalling and cover ups in her department had her boss arrested. A reporter just happened to be nearby when it all went down. It got into all the papers, and they have it all on video. She’s a local hero now. The public are on the warpath! That’s it, that’s all I got so far.”
“Great…its them again, the global cartel…I still can’t believe it. They had Mickey in their pockets? Our own little Mickey, almost a god father to my little girl?”
“I know. Ernie must have figured it out, and pulled his gun on Mick that day,” replied Red’s body guard.
“Ernie, geesus! And Jack as well, my top men!”
“I have to say this, or I wouldn’t be doing my job. You have to come in and be protected. They will be coming after you now. You know that…right?”
“Ya. I’ll be leaving for the Eyrie tomorrow evening.”
“Not soon enough. It has to be yesterday!”
“I can’t, it’s my daughters time now. I got to be a father for her. Especially now.”
“I really hate to say this, but you could also be a target for her. I don’t think the Eyrie is the best place either, to hold up. The other place, is better to control” said the concerned voice of his bodyguard?
“OK. In two days, sorry no sooner! Deal with this now, you know what to do,” commanded Red.
“Remember, they’re everywhere, and anyone!” warned the guard, and hung up. I send a crew in today to open up.
"Alert the old man first or, he'll start firing on ya.
Detective Swallwell woke early, and nearly died when she saw herself on morning TV. There on National TV, was her in the squad-room, everyone screaming, alarms ringing, guns waving, and her arresting her boss. She was mortified at the sight of her hair and makeup…and stood there with her mouth hanging open.
‘Detective used as punching bag by other detectives,’ said one TV announcer. ‘Sexual miscarriage of justice looms in San Rafael police force,’ said another TV reporter. ‘Women’s league wants a new Super Hero medal struck for woman police officers.’ On and on it went, her name mentioned, and plastered everywhere. She called the front desk at the police station. A woman’s voice answered, then muffling sounds, then a man’s voice came on the line and said, “stay home today Detective, don’t come in. It’s a circus here!” and hung up.
“Now I know why you keep going on about this Penny woman,” said the coroner’s wife, watching the TV. “She’s bloody gorgeous!”
“That’s “Detective Swallwell”, to you, my dear,” replied the coroner, sitting back, hands behind his head, and smirking proudly on his couch.
Penny heard noises outside and peeked through her sheer curtains, in her upstairs bedroom, to see a load of cars and trucks descending on her front lawn. They trample my Jazzmen bush I’ll shoot them too, she thought. Then she noticed Skidmore pulling up and being mobbed. “He seems to enjoy it?” she said out loud, pulling the curtains shut. “A little too much, I’m thinking,” as she pulled on her housecoat.
“Are you going to sue the Police Force?” yelled a female reporter, sticking out a microphone, from the crowd, as she quickly let the detective squeeze in the front door. “Is he your lover?” yelled another, as she slammed the door. Two San Rafael police cruisers pulled up and ushered the reporters off the lawn, admonishing them and ordering them to stay on the street.
“Hey! Nice place… not bad not bad,” said detective Skidmore. Looking around her kitchen.
“Thanks Doug. So?”
“So, I guess I’m your lover now then?” chuckled Doug.
“Well! beside that?” Penny snapped.
“Well, as you can imagine, it’s a nightmare down there!”
“Do I have to strangle it outta you?”
“There’s talk!” said Doug again, still teasing her.
“Fuck Doug!”
“It’s anything from Super hero, to, get her fucking head checked out. Pick one! I’d have to say however, most of the detectives are with you. "
"Seriously! "
"Actually, others are coming forward with obstruction complaints. Now that you have effectively opened a can of worms.”
“You the girl!” smirked Skidmore, spinning around and shooting from the hips at her, like six shooters with his fingers.
“Wow, help yourself,” pointing at the coffee maker. “I’m gonna get dressed.”
An unmarked police cruiser pulled up; Doug heard the gaggle of reporters fussing over somebody and peeked through the side kitchen window. He saw a high-ranking detective and a uniformed policewoman walking the gauntlet of reporters, toward the house. He recognized the man. “In coming,” he yelled up the staircase.
“Ya, I see them, thanks,” she replied. “Can you stall them? I’ll be down in a minute.”
“Sure, I’ll see what I can do,” and was there to open the door for them. Doug could see they were glad he had quickly opened the door. “Please come in. Welcome to grand central.”
The woman spoke first, although he out ranked her. Until Doug noticed she wasn't a real policewoman. “Morning Detective. I’m Lotte Lenya,” offering her hand. “And this is the Chief of Detectives, Frank Marshall.” The chief shook Doug’s hand. It was obvious they’d recognized each other.
“Please,” said Doug, motioning with his hand toward the living room, like he owned the place. "Coffee anyone?” They both shook their heads no. “Detective Swallwell will be down in a shortly,” offered Doug, gesturing for them to sit.
“May I say,” interjected Miss Lenya, “that, I’m proud to see you here, assisting your partner at such a troubling time?”
“Yes well, we’re partners, aren’t we,” answered Doug?
“You’d be surprised Detective, very surprised! I was worried for Miss Swallwell's well being," spoke Miss Lenya.
Detective Swallwell, came downstairs and watched and waited briefly at the doorway. It was obvious to her that this was all, a well planned and orchestrated meeting. “Good morning everyone!” They all stood, not realizing she was standing there. She stepped forward with her arm and hand out. Penny noticed the Chief allowed his companion, to shake hands first.
“I am very, very pleased to meet you, Miss Swallwell,” she said, shaking hands. “Its “Detective” Swallwell,” replied Penny.”
“Ah, yes, Detective Swallwell. Forgive me, I was warned about that!”
“Chief of Detectives, Frank Marshall,” he said, stepping forward and extending his arm.
“Yes, I’ve read your book sir, I found it brilliant Chief,” replied Penny.
Everyone looked shocked and unprepared. Her compliment seemed to have thrown a wrench into their plans? Even the chief was taken back momentarily.
“I wasn’t aware anyone had even read it?” he replied. “Thank you, I guess, is what you say at these times,” continued the Chief, looking somewhat red faced and embarrassed. She had hit a button, thought Penny.
“Interesting, I must get a copy,” interrupted Miss Lenya. “But unfortunately, we are here for very different reasons,” she continued. Penny could see that Lotte carried no rank and was probably a civilian, dressed in a police uniform. A Feminist I’d imagine, she was convinced now, that this was all a planned public event, at her and the chief’s expense. Anger rose within her. She felt the chief’s rank deserved better, and that this must be about women’s rights.
“Sorry, I don’t mean to be rude. But I have an investigation to perform, and time is of the essence, you can understand that, can’t you chief?”
“Yes, yes of course,” stammered the chief.
“After all, you are the ranking officer here, are you not?”
“Well yes, but we thought…”
“Yes?” Penny interrupted him. “You all thought it would be more politically correct to have a “woman” conduct business?”Spoke Penny, a citizen no doubt, without rank, meddling in Police affairs, wearing a Police uniform no less?
“Well yes!” replied the chief, confused now.
“May I interject a second?” asked Miss Lenya.
“No,” snapped Penny. “Chief, no offense meant. But am I under house arrest or being detained in any way, from performing my duties?”
“No, of course not, and no offense taken. We, I, just thought you’d like to take a break at this, well, at this messy time?”
“With all due respect Sir. MESSY for who?”
“I don’t think rudeness is necessary here Penny, “interjected Lotte.
“Detective Swallwell to you. Why can’t you understand that? If I were a male detective you wouldn’t dare call me by my first name!” she screamed into Lotte’s face. “You will show respect for my rank or get the hell outta my house! I’m on a Murder investigation. People have been brutally murdered, and you want me to sit around and drink tea with you?” snapped Penny. And more than likely use me as some political pawn, in what ever agenda your playing at.
[BTW, I’m the author, so I can call her Penny, if I choose to.]
“No Detective Swallwell,” spoke the chief of detectives. “There have been no, at least to my knowledge, no restrictions on your movements. This meeting was strictly to show our concern for your well being.”
“Thank you, I do appreciate your concern, however, Chief, allow me to ask you this.”
“Yes," dectecive Swallwell?
“If I were a man, would you be here right now?”
“Well,” said the Chief, thinking carefully. “Well, no. I don’t suppose I would.”
“Then why does the department, and probably the Mayors office,” she continued, looking over at a shocked looking Lotte. “Choose too embarrass me then?”
“If there isn’t anything else, my partner and I have work to do,” said Penny, reaching over to open the front door.
“Yes then,” replied the Chief, clearing his throat. “I do believe we’re finished here then,” added the Chief of detectives.
The Chief held the door for the angry looking Miss Lotte Lenya and winked at Penny as he turned back to look at her. “Oh,” said Penny to the Chief. “I read it twice!” The chief just stood there for a moment, looking at his feet, then continued walking up the path. “It should be required reading at the Academy!” She yelled, closing her door.
“He wrote a book?” asked Detective Skidmore. Who chose wisely to stay out of the conversation.
“Ya, he did!” answered Penny. “You should read it, there’s a copy of it on the book shelf over there. Obviously, the Mayor, or who ever sent those two, hasn’t read it!”
“Whys that?”
“Cuz, he strongly suggests in it, that any underling should always question their superior if they have strong reason to believe their orders to be insane. Or words to that effect!”
“Interesting!” muttered Detective Skidmore.
“What was it that he said in it? I memorized it, thought Penny. “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places”, “I think he was quoting from Ephesians?”
Dan Ger