Cop Stories

MONTHLY COMSTAT MEETING-POLICE HEADQUARTERS

Sissy hated these meetings...As did almost every Lieutenant and Sgt. on the force...The meetings were set up to gauge progress and offer areas of improvement throughout the police department...Instead some unlucky Lieutenant or Sgt. wound up being put on blast for his units shortcomings and latest failure....

What made her even more angry was that the main person running the meeting was the person who least should be criticizing anyone..Lt. Arthur Tragg.

She knew that he got the job simply because of senority!

He had just finished pilloring two newly minted Sgt's and a veteran Lieutenant...

Sissy knew she was going to hear it..She knew she wasn't going to get out of this meeting unscathed..

"Lieutenant Van Buren...I understand your much hailed Criminal Investigation Unit has three open murders....that have been open for now 11 days isn't it? Would you like to speak on that?" said Lt. Tragg with a superior smirk..

The other Lieutenants felt sorry for Sissy..Seemed like she was always the target of Lt. Tragg's most virulient barbs...Most suspected he was jealous because her detectives usually had 100 percent clearence ..No cold cases...No open murders and her unit closed big high profile cases...And unlike him,made few Television appearences or press conferences...

Sissy stood up...She bravely stated her case..

"My detectives have been working all three of these cases very hard..They have have cross referenced their credit and debit card purchases and charges...and they've interviewed family, friends and co-workers and determined these three girls paths never crossed.

"Robbery can be ruled out as a motive in all three cases...All three girls had good credit cards, money in the bank and had at least a grand in their purses at the time of death..

" They all worked for three separate Escort services that was nowhere near each other...They interviewed all of their known johns and cleared every last one of them..

My detectives cross referenced and interviewed everybody that was at all locations that they could round up and checked every customer that made a credit card purchase and cleared all of them...."

One description of a man seen with two of the girls was a young blonde white male with aviator shades...We've been looking at hours of Street Cam, Traffic Cam and Business cam footage as well as camera footage from the establishments...but we haven't been able to locate any man that fits this description yet....They've been by the hotels the girls used and the girl's apartments and talked with the staff and other tenents ..but so far nothing...We are working with additional detectives from Special Victims Unit and Vice and of course the FBI."

said Sissy.

"Yesterday we picked up a pimp....Larry "Sugar Daddy" Bonner...He's the only common denominator that the three girls had...They all once worked for him..

We were satisfied that he was not a suspect..."said Sissy.

''So that leaves you where?" asked Lt. Tragg..

"We are still working..."said Sissy...

''Still working huh?  Giving this serial killer a chance to strike again! Using up man power from two different agencies plus the FBI...All of this and this great investigation has turned up bupkis.."smirked Lt. Tragg...

''Lieutenant, Why are you so concerned with MY  DETECTIVES cases??  Let's talk about some of YOUR latest cases... See My detectives make arrests when they have thoroughly gathered evidence...and it has always resulted in a conviction...Unlike you..Defense Attorneys and their Investigators don't solve our cases."said Sissy..

 alluding to several cases he had that were actually solved by Attorney Olivia Bennett-Alexander and Beverly West and staff  while defending their clients..Olivia's husband, Donnie Ray Alexander, her investigator was a former Homicide Detective...

as well as a few people he arrested, who were defended by Attorney Yvette Jones and her staff of young attorneys and her investigator..a former Homicide Detective also..

"We don't initiate senseless feuds against Private Investigators..Especially when they can actually help us with an investigation.."Sissy added...

Speaking of his recent attempt to jail Private Investigator Kevin Morris and take his license...both efforts of which failed and Kevin winding up actually solving the murder he himself had been working on...

And we work with the M.E.'s office, We don't antagonize them....Tell me, Are you allowed to go over there yet?" she asked..

 Whether he was or not...Hazel and her staff despised him and were as cold as Ice the times he did show up...

This was met by raucous laughter...

"Now...Now..Now..Wait just a minute!"said Lt. Tragg, who could sense that he was losing control of the meeting....

"And THANK YOU SO MUCH for calling a press conference and announcing to the whole world that we have a serial killer...We wanted to keep that quiet...Now you just tipped whoever this is off...and ruined three open investigations...THANK YOU VERY MUCH!" said Sissy...

This was met by groans from the Lieutenants and Sergeants who knew all too well how much Lt. Tragg loved hearing himself talk and giving interviews on the Television...

"Great job you did arresting two girls...Two petite women who didn't weigh 200 pounds between them and charging them with murdering, strangling a big six foot three man.. I'll give you credit...You did kill the real killer some time later...It cost you a good suit didn't it?" said Sissy.

"Now...Now..Now..Wait just a minute!"said Lt. Tragg, who could sense that he was losing control of the meeting....The laughter was deafening...

"Oh yeah and you arrested that Attorney,

The guy in all those TV commercials ,charged him with murder and the real killer was a former ADA ,

who you were having drinks with...Wonder why the ADA pointed you to the Attorney he was trying to frame?" asked Sissy..  "What I mean to say Lieutenant, don't throw rocks at me , while you are living in a glass house yourself.."said Sissy, who got up...

"I've had enough of this farce...I'm going and investigate my three open murders.....Real police work...Not sitting here in your Kangaroo court." she said..

The room full of Police Lieutenants and Sergeants stood up and applauded and whistled...Sissy was their hero...

On cue , they all filed out behind her...

Lieutenant Tragg was as red as a beet....

"WAIT A MINUTE, I HAVEN'T DISMISSED THE MEETING YET!!" he said..but it was too late, everybody was leaving..

I was there, standing in the back ,laughing my head off......

The new Police Commissioner was also in the back...She shook her head and walked out herself..The Deputy Commissioner shook his head in disgust and he walked out too...

Lt. Tragg stood in the foyer by himself...

A Janitor who witnessed the whole thing walked by...

"Well, that sure got away from you didn't it?  A word of advice...Leave that woman alone...She's got your number."he said and laughed and was about to walk away.

''When I want your opinion old man I'll ask for it." he growled.

"Yeah, see right there..That's your problem....Arrogant....It backfired on you today, didn't it?" said the old man who laughed and walked away again.......

Lt. Tragg gritted his teeth and stomped his foot in dismay..


II-

Back at headquarters..

Carlotta greeted Sissy..

"You're back early Boss Lady.." she said..

"Yeah, I had all of that ,that I could take..I might not even go next month.."said Sissy..

"Aren't they mandatory?" asked Sharon...

"Yeah, supposedly.."sighed Sissy...

"Jimmy and I went on the local news Siss."said Tyriq..

"We cleared it with the Deputy of Operations...We offered a $10,000.00 reward for information relating to the deaths of the three girls..We hope you don't mind.." said Jimmy..

"No,I don't care...Right now that's the only move we have to make..Maybe we'll get lucky...But whoever calls, Check their information out thoroughly before you make any moves...We don't want to wind up like someone else we all know..."said Sissy...

I smiled..

"Hey, where is everyone else?" I asked..

"I'm over here..I think I got something..."said Duke..  This cop...Ralph Carter., a uniform....He's detailed to Vice...He arrested all three of these girls...multiple times...back when they were street walkers..I mean it's nothing, but we should question him...He might know something that can help us...He was out there on the streets...He knows the players, The Drug crews...The Working girls.."said Duke..

"I looked him up...Good Cop...Sterling record...He's not a uniform anymore..He just made Detective..

He's still over in Vice and he might be coming over here soon.To help with the task force." said Angie..

Jimmy looked at his photo..

"Ohhhh,I know Ralphie Boy....He's Sgt Vince Carter's son...I remember when he said he was going to the Academy..." said Jimmy...

"I remember Sgt. Vince Carter.....He was a tough cop...and a very good detective.....Shame about what happened to him."said Sissy..

"What happened to him?  Is he dead?" I asked..

"Oh Yes...It happened when I was still a uniform police officer myself.."said Sissy..

"Oh my god...Was any of us born yet?" joked Tyriq...

"Ouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu"laughed Sissy..."Rico, you are so wrong..."said Sissy..

Tyriq hugged Sissy and kissed her on the cheek... The affection for her was real...Sissy was a young Detective ,when he

 Duke and Angie were fresh recruits out of the academy...She was the one who saw something in the three of them and suggested they take the detectives exam...She sat up with them and made them study....and was there when all three passed the Detectives test and put on their gold shields..

He owed his career to her...She was the godmother to two of his

and Sirena's three children...He loved Sissy and he loved ribbing her..

''Don't mind him...What happened Boss lady..?" asked Carlotta.

"Anyway...I was a young uniformed officer...Detective Sgt. Vince Carter and his wife had broken up...She caught him with a prostitute in a love nest downtown..She put him out...Apparently, he had fallen in love with this prostitute...He moved in with her...They got into some altercation and she shot him, killed him and then shot and killed herself... It was a mess..

His wife got his pension...He died on good terms with the department..I remember his son, Ralph was 11 or 12...He took it very hard..Very hard...He had therapy I believe...

I heard he went in the academy...I was surprised...He graduated with honors... And from looking at his record.....He's been an exemplary officer... Much like all of you....He aced the Detectives test...

I can't wait for him to get over here...He can give us tremendous insight as to what was going on on that street..."said Sissy...

III-

Sirena and Hop were the only two detectives who weren't at headquarters....The reason why was because they were at a tony condo in midtown...A foul odor had been reported ...They entered the condo only to discover a gruesome scene..

Two bodies...A man and a woman, hanging from the ceiling..

The woman in the living room...

"Oh My god...take your photos...and then cut her down.."Sirena

said to the uniforms and the CSI
people looking on...The smell was devestating...

"Partner....come here....There's another one...And it's someone we know.."said Hop...

A man was hanging  from the ceiling, a room away...

"Oh My God...That's Sugar Daddy....Call Siss and Hazel.." said Sirena....

Hazel, Sissy and I rushed to the scene immediately...Two Police cars were already there...Keeping the small crowd away..

 "Oh My God....Sugar Daddy!" said Hazel, who took pulses and body temperature..

"This girl has been dead for two days... Body temperature tells me he died last night.."said Hazel.

 "Cut them both down."said Sissy..

"Oh My god...Sugar Daddy....Dead? Why??" I asked..

"He had a key to this place." said Hop...

"Hey...I was the duty officer the night you guys had him in the fishbowl...I drove him here..after you guys cut him loose..He said he had a girl who lived here and that he crashed with her.."said the officer...

"Her name is Arlene Tucker, 28....I just checked her fingerprints...She was a working girl too..She had three arrests...No convictions...but they are from ten years ago..Nothing recently...I checked her purse... She worked at a nursing home...She was out of the life..."said Sirena..

"Guys...Neither of their necks were broken...Take a deep breath....The almondy smell.."said Hazel..

"Cyanide..?" said Sissy..

"Yes.."said Hazel....

"I smell Bleach.....Somebody was cleaning up.....Doubt we'll find any fingerprints or DNA...

I wonder if our killer murdered her and then doubled back and an unsuspecting Sugar Daddy walked in on him?" I said..

"That's a thought.."said Sissy...

"They were both poisoned and dead before they were strung up and hung...This is our killer at work again.."said Hazel..

"Oh wow...As if we don't have enough, with three open murders...Now we've got a double.."said Hop..

"Not to mention an unwanted visitor..."said Sirena pointing to Lt. Tragg and two uniformed officers walking up the stairs..

"What have we got here?" he asked, looking at the bodies...

"That's Leroy Bonner, AKA Sugar Daddy...The Pimp we picked up the other day and released and the girl is Arlene Tucker...His girlfriend, a former hooker..."said Sissy...

He sniffed...

''Smells like Cyanide. Looks like your killer attempted to change up a bit.."said Lt. Tragg..

Sissy was silent...

"Now you've got five open murders Siss...The Deputy Of Operations isn't going to like this..I happen to know he wants action on this fast....Now if you and your guys can't handle this...Maybe some fresh eyes might do a better job.." said Lt. Tragg...

"Like Yours right?" said Sissy sarcastically...

"We are done here Siss."said Sirena..

"Hazel, you can release the body...

"Okay...pack em up boys!" said Hazel..

We watched as both bodies were carted off....

Sissy turned to Lt. Tragg...

"Please don't go to the press with this and don't interfere with my detectives case..."she said..

"Those two now have three open cases by themselves...You sure they are the ones to work this?  Hopkins is a young detective and I don't know much about Harris other than she's Rico's wife.."said Lt. Tragg..

"They're just fine...Both are good detectives..."said Sissy..

"Carrying three of your five open murders." added Lt. Tragg..

"Whatever! Don't interfere in their cases."warned Sissy.

We left and headed back to headquarters...It was going to be a long night...

IV-

Some Hours Later.,...We were all back at our headquarters..

Sissy's Husband, Eddie C. and Duke

 had grilled some Bratwurst and Onions...

and prepared some garnished Brats for us...

We were ready to chow down....

"Please tell me you two didn't catch another murder."said Carlotta , who had already heard that Sirena and Hop had caught a double...

"It was Sugar Daddy and a girl.."said Sirena..

"We found em both hung in a condo...but they were poisoned with cyanide..BEFORE they were hung..Our killer changed up a bit...No rooftops this time."said Hop.

"That gives you guys Three open murders.."stated Jimmy as he passed them both Brats...

"Yes Lt. Tragg reminded us of that."said Sissy..

"He was there?  "said Tyriq..

"Isn't he always around when real detectives are trying to work a case..?" said Hazel..

"Come on guys, rest, relax...We always come through eventually....Whoever this guy or gal is...They'll slip up eventually...They always do..."said Duke..

"But how many more people have to lose their lives before that happens?" asked Angie..

"That's a sobering thought.."said Sharon...

There was plenty of good food and Beer to match....As we chowed down...Eddie C. asked me a question..

"What's on your mind counselor?"

"I'm just wondering who did this? And Why?"


(TO BE CONTINUED)