POLICE FORCE UNDER SIEGE

CHAPTER FOUR

 

 

Judge Able drove from Stella’s to the police firing range where she scheduled some time with a trainer to get her shooting skills back up to par for her weapons qualification. He checked out a weapon to her to assess her skills and decided it wouldn’t be long before she was ready to qualify.  She shot for about an hour getting used to handling the weapon again and then went home for a quiet evening. 

She was relaxing after a light dinner when the phone rang and, Robert Morales said hello.

“Councilman, a pleasure,” she said. 

“Call me Robert,” he said.

“I tried you this afternoon but you were unavailable,” he said.

“Sorry, Robert, I was at the firing range getting ready for my weapons qualification,” she told him.

“That’s right you were a homicide detective, chief.”

“It’s a job requirement,” she said.

“Very productive lunch, I think,” he said.

“I think we’re forging the group together nicely and we will be able to focus on the issues,” she said, “I had talked to Stella the day of the shooting so that’s why I decided to invite her to join us, Ann Montejo is her neighbor,” the judge explained.

“How long have you known Stella, judge?” he asked.

“I gave the eulogy at her husband’s funeral,” she said, “Jose Juarez was a friend for years.”

“That’s right I seem to remember reading about his death in the newspaper,” he said.

 “So these weren’t people you dug up at the last minute to snow Sanchez and me?”

“The original lunch was only with Father Sanchez and when you called I invited you at the last minute and decided the ladies would be a good addition.  We arranged to get there early and celebrate my new job,” she admitted.

“I’m glad, chief, forgive my suspicions.”

“No problem, Robert, lots of dirty politics in this city.  I prefer playing it straight,” she said.

“Glad we have that cleared up between us, how do you want to handle the meeting?” he asked.

“I think we should let the parents speak first and then as a pattern emerges we can use a blackboard to make a list of proposals.  I’d like most of the ideas to come from them and not us,” she said.

“That’s a good idea, it is their neighborhood.”

She laughed, “And we will see what Father Sanchez has to say, he is interested in sports activities at the church but is worried about personnel to run the activities.  There will be a request for volunteers in Sunday’s bulletin and I think he will bring it up from the pulpit.”

“Listen, I play soccer with a bunch of guys on Saturdays.  I’ll talk to them about some soccer supervision and coaching.”

“Now that’s the best proposal I’ve heard so far,” the judge said with approval in her voice, “That’s the kind of thing that can nip this growing gang threat in the bud,” she said.

“Grassroots movement, is it chief?”

“The people should flex their muscles more often,” she said, “Their acquiescence or opposition is what will tip the scales in our fight against gangs.”

“Promise me you’ll never run for office in my district judge,” he said.

“Good night, Robert,” she said and disconnected. 

Before going to bed the judge dug out her old police radio and turned it on very low in the background.  Might as well get used to it she decided and fell asleep listening to dispatch.

She got her paper the next morning and made coffee before opening it to the front page and saw pictures someone had taken of her lunch group at Casper’s.  She sipped her coffee and scanned the front page stories.  They stuck to the bare facts pretty much but when she got to the editorial page it started getting ugly.  One opinion piece read, “Will Mexican Coalition Run the PD?” and the letters to the editor got even nastier.  She threw the paper aside and began to pace. 

She grabbed the phone and dialed her secretary at the courthouse.  “Ruth, this is Judge Able,” she said when her secretary answered, “Is your niece still free lancing here in town?”

“Congratulations, Judge,” Ruth said, and answered, “Yes, she’s staying with me at my townhouse and getting articles published in most of the local papers.”

“She wrote a great article about me for her university newspaper,” the judge said. 

Ruth laughed, “Yes, you were one of the few white folks included.”

“I’d like to talk to her about doing an in depth on my plans for the city as Police Chief,” the judge said.

“I’m sure she’ll be excited and Ruth gave her the number to call.”

“I haven’t had time to call you Ruth,” Beth said, “Are you interested in joining me at the Police Department?” she asked.

“You think I want to stay here and break in another cranky judge?” she asked sarcastically.

“Get packing, Ruth, I’ll see you later,” she disconnected.

Beth decided to visit her new office that morning and to greet some of her old friends on the force.  Her goal was to test the waters and see how her appointment was going over with the men.  Their support was important to her, far more than the politicians or other people in high places. 

The chief took her on a tour and many of the veterans were pleased to see her and happy with her appointment.  She recognized many policemen from the serial killer case and greeted their familiar faces.  It went well the judge thought other than a few who thought the job should have been theirs or resented a woman in the position.  She decided she could work with it.

Requisitioning a weapon pending her qualification and a police equipped car for the first of the month she went back to her office and picked out the paint she wanted on the walls and decided she would bring her carpet and desk from her chambers in the courthouse.  Requesting an American and a State flag on staffs to be placed in her office she said she would send the desk and carpet over when the painting was completed and the office was cleaned.

Details settled she called Matt and asked him to meet her at Kelly’s for a steak.  When she walked in several of her old homicide buddies were there at a table drinking to her success. They stood and cheered when she entered and she went over and had shots with them until Matt came in.

Everyone recognized Matt and he pulled up a chair and downed one of Beth’s shots to catch up with them.  It was a rowdy group reminiscing and looking forward to working with Detective Able again. The young ones watched the party and several from the serial killer case told their buddies that she had nerves of steel that night in the hotel.

The judge finally said she had to eat something or she’d be hauled in on a DUI.  They all laughed and she and Matt retreated to a small table and when Beth and Matt ordered porterhouse steaks and baked potatoes Beth added plenty of horseradish, lots of coffee and then she sent a bottle of Jameson over to the rowdy table of veterans and they raise their glasses in another toast.

Hungrily, they dug right into the food and didn’t talk until they had finished and were full and sipping coffee.

“Hard day?” Matt asked.

“Picky little details,” she said, “like getting measured for a new uniform and picking out colors for my office.”

Matt laughed out loud, “Fashion and decorating? It doesn’t sound like my old partner,” he said.

She tossed her balled up napkin at him and yawned. 

“Go home and get some sleep,” he told her.

At about three am she woke up and there was a call on dispatch of shots fired in the area of Alta Vista Grammar School.  She showered, dressed and listened to the radio chatter.

The disturbance at the junior high turned out to be shots fired and an attempted break in at the school.  She wanted to go in and nose around to find out the assignments for that night but decided to wait to ask the chief.

© August 2013 by Karen MacEanruig