Chapter 33: The Cherokee Bar And Grill

Jim Talbot called me the next afternoon and told me that there was a lively discussion after I left, but that they hadn’t blown me off. I was still being considered by most of the council. He also told me that one of the other candidates had dropped out, citing the council’s inability to get its shit together. That cut it down to me and one other candidate. Sometime next week would be another interview, though that one would be in a smaller setting. What that meant wasn’t specified, but I suspected that it meant that Alderdyce and Pendergast wouldn’t be involved. Everybody knew Pendergast wouldn’t vote for anything, and Alderdyce wouldn’t vote for me.

That next meeting was on Tuesday afternoon and was smaller; it was Talbot, Thadwicket, and me. We met in the County Executive’s office, but Thadwicket was running the meeting.

“Thank you for coming back in, Doctor Reaper,” she said.

“Call me Grim, please.”

“Grim? The Grim Reaper?”

“It’s an old family joke and nickname. My given name is Graham, but my baby brother couldn’t figure it out and called me Grim. It stuck,” I answered, smiling.

“In more ways than one,” she commented. “I’ve seen your page on Wikipedia. I don’t think I’ve ever met anybody who’s had a page on Wikipedia.”

“I think it’s automatic for anybody who receives the Medal of Honor. After that, well, it’s simply a matter of having somebody update it. Besides, if you know the Lieutenant Governor, you’ll find he has a Wikipedia page as well.” Might as well toss Bo Effner into the mix. Most every politician at that level or higher has a page.

Talbot decided to weigh in at that point. “Grim, the reason we asked you here this afternoon was to go into some more details about what would be involved in fixing the department. The State Police out of Atlanta are investigating some citizen complaints and making noises about forcing some changes. We want to make a decision this week if at all possible.”

“Grim, I did some checking of my own on you.”, said Thadwicket. I eyed her curiously and she continued, “I called some of the people in Atlanta who have been complaining to us about the situation with the MPD. When I mentioned your name as one of the candidates, it was like a total change in tone about the problem. I got the impression that if we picked you, they would be happy to shut up and let you fix the problem. You want to explain that?”

“Who’d you talk to? The Staties or the Feds?”, I asked.

“The State Patrol, but the woman I spoke to said you had a good reputation with the FBI as well.”

I nodded. “I’ve worked with both the Georgia State Patrol and the FBI for years. I’ve been a guest lecturer and instructor in both the Georgia police academy system and occasionally with the Bureau. I’ve even done some speaking at Quantico. As a consultant, I frequently deal with the State Patrol. If you want, I can give you a few names to talk to at both the State Patrol and the Bureau.”

I gave them a few names, then asked, “Have you talked to the other candidate yet? Has he had a second interview as well?”

“Yesterday afternoon. He couldn’t travel so Jim and I did a video conference call,” said Thadwicket.

“Well, if you are still talking to me, that means he too must have told you that fixing this place would take time and money,” I said.

She gave me a sharp look at that but nodded and agreed. “The numbers he mentioned were in line with what you mentioned. If anything, they were a bit higher.”

Talbot said, “To be fair, he did say that he wouldn’t be able to really sort out final numbers until he was actually here and could see what was involved up close and personal.”

I nodded. “I can’t argue with him on that. I’m closer so I have a better feel for what’s involved, but even my numbers might need revision after I get involved.”

“Explain that. What exactly would be involved?” Sue asked.

“Step One is to simply improve on discipline and morale. Dress code. Regulations. It’s like any outfit. Things won’t get better until people start behaving, and they won’t behave until they are told to behave and believe there will be consequences if they don’t. If anything, things will get worse before they get better. There will be some officers who decide they don’t like the new chief and will quit. That will cut the numbers even more. Same with training. Training has been cut to almost zero. Even an average training level will pull officers off patrol and away from investigations, cutting manpower levels on the streets even further. So, we are going to have fewer active officers and higher costs, at least for a period.”

“Tremendous.”

“There’s more. In most departments, police cars and trucks are replaced after three years. They get a lot of mileage and abuse. The last few chiefs have extended that, first to four years and now to five. We’re going to need to replace most of our cruisers, and probably with better models, too. The same goes with other equipment and expendables. Even things like bullets. With the reduced training, nobody’s been practicing down at the gun club.” Both Talbot and Thadwicket looked at me curiously. “I know Bill Holly, the manager. He told me.”

Talbot groaned and Thadwicket sighed. “How long is this going to take?” she asked.

“Like I said, it’s going to get worse before it gets better. It will probably bottom out in the next year. It will be three years before you can sit back and say things are better than they were. Five before it’s obvious.”

“That’s why you wanted a three-year contract, isn’t it?” asked Talbot.

I nodded. “Partly, anyhow. I can’t do the job if I have to worry about whether I am getting canned before I can fix things. And don’t forget, I am going to have to close my business. I can’t be acting as a police consultant at the same time as I’m the chief of police. The same goes with budgets. I am going to submit budgets to the council for years ahead, not just the next fiscal year. On the plus side, at least you don’t have to pay my moving expenses to come here.”

We talked for about another half hour, with them questioning what I planned to do and what would be involved. I warned them that I would continue writing, at least at night and my off hours, that I had a book coming out in a couple of months, and that I was involved in a documentary that would be coming out in the fall. Then we broke apart, with my being sent on my way and the other two promising to let me know what happened, one way or the other.

That happened Thursday night. I got a call about half past nine from Jim Talbot. I was sitting at home watching television with Kelly and Riley; Seamus was playing a video game in his room with Barney. Barney was probably sleeping; I didn’t think he was playing the video game. Anyway, at 2130 the phone rang, and Kelly grabbed it.

“Hello ... yes, he’s here, hold on.” She handed the phone across to me. “It’s for you?”

“If it’s a robocall, you’re in trouble.”

Kelly laughed. “No, it’s a human. Answer it!”

I took the phone. “Hello?”

“Grim, it’s Jim Talbot.”

“Yes, hello, Jim. What’s up?”

“We had our meeting tonight and voted. You still want the job, right? You’d better, ‘cause they voted for you.”

“Huh. Yeah, I still want it, though I will probably curse myself for saying so. What was the vote?”

Jim hemmed and hawed for a minute before saying, “That’s confidential, Grim.”

“Jim, it was either five to two or four to three. Alderdyce and Pendergast wouldn’t have voted for me if I was Jesus walking across Lake Matucket to bring them free whiskey and barbecue. I just need to know if they convinced somebody else to vote with them or not.”

“It was five to two.”

“Thank you. What’s next?”

“Mostly paperwork. Come on down to the office tomorrow and we can talk some more.”

“I’ll be there about ten or so, alright?”

“That will be fine. Talk tomorrow, Grim.”

“Take care.”

We hung up and I handed Kelly the phone. Both she and Riley were looking at me. “Well?” asked my wife.

“What’s going on?” asked Riley.

“I got the job. They just had the vote. I go downtown tomorrow to go over the details.”

“You got a new client, here, in Matucket? At this time of night?” asked Riley.

Kelly laughed as I snorted. She said, “Not precisely. Your father has been interviewing with the county council for the job of chief of police.”

Riley stared. “The chief of police? Here? In Matucket?”

“Yep,” I admitted.

“In Matucket!” I smiled and nodded. Kelly was trying to hold in her laughter.

“Is there a problem?” I asked. I knew there would be.

“My father is going to be the chief of police my senior year in high school! You don’t think that’s going to be a problem?”

“It won’t be a problem for me,” I told her.

“Not for me, either,” added Kelly, openly laughing.

“Shit!” Riley at least had the decency to look embarrassed after saying that. “Sorry.”

“That’s alright. You’ll hardly notice the change.” I waited a few seconds and added, “Well, except maybe Friday and Saturday nights, you know, the nights you can go out on dates. And maybe we have a stronger police presence during school dances and such. Just a few minor changes. Nothing big.”

“DADDY!” Riley let out a frustrated scream at that, and Barney came wandering down the hallway to investigate. “My life is ruined!”

“Riley, just what were you planning on doing that the police would interfere with?” asked her mother.

“Not you, too, Mom!” Barney went over to the door, so Riley stood and grabbed his leash. “Come on, Barney, we’re running away from home.” Barney gave a happy bark, and they went outside.

Kelly looked over at me. “I think you put a crimp in her plans.”

“Plans for what? Last I heard she was still applying to the Coast Guard. They don’t take hardened criminals.” Riley’s grades and SAT scores were everything the Coast Guard dreamed about. We were already planning on an official school visit in the fall.

“Maybe her friends have plans,” she said. “Maybe she’s afraid some cop is going to find her parking with some boy.”

“You are just making my day, babe.” I glanced at the door. “Think she and Barney actually ran away? It’d be a lot quieter.”

“Without her phone? Impossible!”

At that, the door opened, and Riley brought Barney back inside. She unhooked his leash, and he followed her back down the hall to her bedroom. Kelly and I looked at each other and just shook our heads and smiled. She said she would talk to the kids at some point soon. I told her to make sure Seamus knew the police were going to be tailing him around day and night, which got Kelly laughing loudly. We both wondered what a 24/7 tail on him would uncover and wondered about the level of illegality involved. National security came to mind.

Friday morning, I went down to the county office building and went up to Talbot’s office. It was a quick conversation. Like every other police chief, I would be a county employee, not an employee of the police department. There would be a contract, and it would be typed up by the beginning of the week. I simply asked that it be emailed to me, since I would have my lawyer review it. I could sign it afterwards. I figured to have not just my regular lawyer look at it, the guy who vetted the contracts for RSC but also I would send a copy to Bobbie Joe up in Philly. Between the two of them I should be able to find any possible loopholes and buried time bombs.