Grantville Gazette, Volume XII

by Eric Flint

  He looked at the stack of reports, then looked out the window at the leaves just budding on the trees. His mind started to wander. As he read the same sentence for the third time, Jürgen wondered if he could get a little time off to try out the up-time fishing rod he had purchased last week. His thoughts of trout jumping in the Saale were interrupted when he looked up and saw Mimi Rowland, the day dispatcher, looking out of the radio room into the hall where his desk sat.

  "Jürgen, come here a minute, you should hear this. I have patrolmen Smith and Kramer on a missing child report."

  Jürgen moved to join Mimi. Jonathan Smith, despite his name, was not an up-timer, but an Englishman. He and his partner, Wilhelm Kramer, had been mercenaries in Tilly's army before joining the police. Both had been on the night shift and had just transferred to days.

  "What's the problem, Mimi?"

  "Well, first off they're using a handi-talkie. Either there's a dead spot where they are or the batteries weren't fully charged, because I'm only getting one word in four."

  Jürgen nodded. The handi-talkies were great in town, but without the booster in a cruiser radio they sometimes gave spotty communications.

  Jürgen listened in as Mimi tried to talk to the patrolmen. "Base to Patrol Four, Base to Patrol Four, repeat your last traffic. I was unable to hear you."

  "Squawk . . . Sputter . . . invest . . . reported . . . sputter . . . a kidnapping . . . hissss . . ."

  "See what I mean, Jürgen? I think they want you and Marvin to investigate a kidnapping, but it isn't that clear."

  "Do you have a location on them?"

  "The original call came from the Cooper's, Mrs. Gladys Cooper. She wanted to report her granddaughter and grandson were missing. She was hysterical on the phone and didn't give any details, so I sent Smith and Kramer to check it out. Now the radio is on the fritz."

  "Well, it seems like they can hear you, so tell Smith and Kramer we're on our way. I'll go get Marvin; he's in a conference with the chief."

  Jürgen walked across the hall and tapped on the office door. From within, he heard the chief's voice, "Mimi, I told you no interruptions." Jürgen knocked again. "Come in."

  When the chief saw it was Jürgen in the door he commented, "Oh, it's you, Neubert. I thought it was Mimi. What's so important that you need to interrupt our meeting?"

  "Chief, we have a situation. Smith and Kramer are on a missing child report and we think they want to handle it as a kidnapping."

  "A kidnapping!" Chief Frost turned to Marvin. "Tipton, you and Neubert get out there right now. I want to be kept informed. If you need more men for a search, I'll call in the night shift early. Now move it."

  While Jürgen and Marvin ran to the cruiser and headed for the Coopers, Jürgen had to ask. "Well, did you take the job?"

  Marvin never took his eyes off the road. "What job is that?"

  "What job? What job has everyone been talking about? The new police chief when Chief Frost retires. That job."

  Marvin chuckled. "Partner, the last time I checked the police chief was hired by the mayor and town council. It's not something passed on from one chief to the next."

  "Marvin, I didn't just get into town yesterday. I know that the council is going to hire whoever Chief Frost recommends. Did he ask you?"

  Marvin relented. He knew Jürgen was worried about a new partner. "No. I wasn't offered the job as chief. You need to keep it under your hat until the announcement, but Preston Richards is going to be the next chief."

  "They should have offered you the job. You're the senior man in the department."

  "Actually, I'm not. Oh, I've been a cop longer than Press, but I moved around a lot when I was younger. I worked a couple of years for Morgantown and a couple in Fairmont. I even did four years with the sheriff's department until the politics changed. So Press has been with the Grantville department about a year longer than I have. Besides, he has more education, two years of college and the F.B.I. course at Quantico. I did the F.B.I. course, but I never went to college."

  "Oh . . . well, what was the meeting about then, if you're not going to be chief?"

  Marvin chuckled again, "You're just full of questions. Chief Frost was just making sure Press and me were on the same page. He's heard all the rumors going around, just like you have. He didn't want to leave any problems behind, so he wanted to know if Chief Richards and me could work together. And, by the way, we both better start thinking of him as Chief Richards from now on."

  "What would Chief Frost have done if you had any problems working for Chief Richards?"

  Marvin thought for a moment, "Well, I guess I did get a job offer. Chief Frost is going to open a consulting business, helping set up modern police forces for towns in the USE. He offered to take me with him."

  "Oh."

  "I turned him down. I like it here just fine."

  * * *

  The sight that greeted them in the Cooper's driveway was enough to drive the thoughts of the new chief out of Jürgen's mind. There was Gladys Cooper, all ninety pounds of her, chasing two burly policemen with a broom. Old Tommy, her husband, was hanging on to her from behind. Even though he was twice her weight, he was unable to restrain her. Every time Smith or Kramer stopped moving, Gladys would lash out with the broom. If it wasn't so serious a situation, Jürgen would have burst out laughing. Old Tommy had a bad case of black lung, and he could hear the old man wheezing from across the yard. From the looks on their faces, Smith and Kramer were about to lose their tempers.

  Luckily for all concerned, Marvin was able to keep his laughter under control. "Smith, Kramer, go over to the car," he yelled. "Mrs. Cooper, put down that broom. You look silly. And you're about to give Tommy a heart attack."

  Gladys stopped trying to get at the two policemen, but didn't put down her broom. And it was obvious she was still angry. "Marvin, I want those two fired. They insulted my granddaughter and they won't do their job. The poor little girl is missing and all they can do is insult her."

  "Why don't you tell me what's going on? I'll deal with Smith and Kramer later." Marvin turned back to the car. "Jürgen, talk to those two and find out what they know. With that he started talking to the Coopers, and Gladys soon lowered her broom.

  Jürgen went to talk to the other officers. Smith had an obvious red mark on his head and there was straw from the broom stuck on the shoulders of Kramer's uniform. Gladys must have scored more than once with the broom. "Men, what happened?"

  "Jürgen, I don't know what set her off. She was telling us her granddaughter didn't show up this morning. Then suddenly she was trying to hit us with the broom." Smith shook. "The woman is crazy."

  "Ja," Kramer commented, "I just asked if the girl might have gone off with a boyfriend, then, whoomp, she started hitting me."

  Jürgen thought for a moment then asked, "Which girl is missing? They have three granddaughters."

  Kramer whipped out his notebook. "Crystal Cooper. She's sixteen. She and her brother Zachary, who is fourteen, were supposed to be here this morning"

  Jürgen saw why Mrs. Cooper had lost her temper. "Guys, you just came off night shift so I know you have heard of Tiffany Cooper."

  Smith smiled and Kramer nodded and said, "I guess Tiffany is one of the other granddaughters. She is little better than a whore."

  Jürgen nodded. "Ja. Tiffany is Crystal's sister, so when you asked if she had a boyfriend, Mrs. Cooper thought you were saying Crystal was the same as her sister. And do not use the word whore. She is not, according to the morals of the Americans. She's just a little non-selective in her bed partners."

  Kramer looked at his partner thoughtfully; then he turned back to Jürgen. "But I never suggested that to the crazy woman. I was polite. I didn't know who her other granddaughter was."

  "I believe you. Just stay here by the car, we might need you later. I think Marvin will calm them down, but let us deal with the Coopers."

  Gladys was in fine voice when he walked up. "Crystal and Zachary always come to sta
y with me on Saturdays. They've been kidnapped. They wouldn't run off without telling me. Now, do something. I thought the police were supposed to help."

  Jürgen was surprised at how Marvin stayed so calm. "Mrs. Cooper, we're trying to help, but we needed to get all the facts." Then Marvin turned and shouted, "Smith, put out a BOLO on the kids."

  Soon Jürgen heard Mimi's voice over the speaker. "Base to all units. Base to all units. Be on the look out for two juveniles. One is Crystal Cooper, a sixteen-year-old female, five-four, 110 pounds, brown and green. The other is Zachary Cooper, a fourteen-year-old male, five-three, 120 pounds, brown and blue. Be aware that this is a potential kidnapping."

  Marvin turned back to the Coopers, "Now we wait. I'll talk to Patrolmen Smith and Kramer. I'm sure they won't want to file assault charges against you."

  Gladys was shocked speechless, but not her husband. Old Tommy reared up to his full height. "File charges against Gladys," he yelled. "Why, those krauts started it. Gladys was just defending Crystal's good name. I knew the world was going to hell when they put krauts on the police department. They don't understand Americans."

  Something snapped in Jürgen. "Herr Cooper, Patrolman Smith is not German, he is English. And if you say the word kraut to me again, you better be referring to cabbage, or else I will file the assault charges."

  Old Tommy stepped back, but Gladys said in a lower voice, "Officer Neubert, he wasn't talking about you. We know you're a good German. Everyone knows you could have shot my boy G. C. when you arrested him. I just wish you could have put that witch he is married to in jail."

  "Frau Cooper, when you or your husband uses the word kraut to refer to any German, you are talking about me." Jürgen realized the old woman didn't think she was insulting him, but sometimes it was hard not to lash out.

  Just then Marvin tapped his arm. "Another country heard from." Jürgen looked around and saw that Marvin was pointing toward two people clearly heading for the Cooper house. "The Craigs. Peggy is the other grandmother and Marty is Connie's brother."

  Marty was the custodian of the middle school and one of the nicest people Jürgen had ever met. He'd gotten to know him while attending night school just after coming to Grantville. Peggy, he knew, was the chief cook of the school system.

  The Coopers had also spotted them. "There she is, the witch's mother. Coming to gloat about how she does a better job of watching the kids than I do," Gladys stormed.

  "Yeah, and she has her half-wit son with her. If you ask me I think they kept the after birth and threw away the baby," Old Tommy added.

  Marvin gave a sigh. "Folks, we're not here to listen to you put down your neighbors."

  But Old Tommy missed the look in his eye. "Marvin, it's true. Their daddy, Buford, must have been throwing bad seed. Look at what he got . . . an idiot and a murderess."

  "That's right. That witch butchered Tommy Jr. like a pig. And you police did nothing about it. She even tricked G. C. into trying to hide her killing. I'm glad he threw her out."

  Jürgen could tell Marvin had reached his limit so wasn't surprised when he said, "Tommy, Gladys, get on the porch and stay there. I'll talk to the Craigs." Then, tapping Jürgen shoulder, he added, "Keep them on the porch. The last thing we need is a neighborhood fight."

  * * *

  "Hey, Ape. Listen to this." Ape Hart looked up from the account book he was working on. His brother Monkey was standing at the end of the Club 250 bar listening to the police scanner. "What's up?"

  "Listen. It sounds like someone has taken Connie Cooper's two youngest kids. The cops are having some radio trouble, but it sure sounds like a kidnapping. Marvin and Neubert just radioed they were at the Cooper's. Then some kraut was on, telling Mimi it was a kidnapping."

  The scanner then confirmed Monkey's words. "Base to all units. Base to all units. Be on the look out for two juveniles. One is Crystal Cooper, a sixteen-year-old female, five-four, 110 pounds, brown and green. The other is Zachary Cooper, a fourteen-year-old male, five-three, 120 pounds, brown and blue. Be aware this is a possible kidnapping."

  Everyone in the bar started talking at once.

  Ape drained his beer. "Monkey, get on the phone and call all the boys who ain't here. Tell them to meet at the Cooper's." He climbed on a chair and yelled, "Shut up, everyone. We need to get organized. Me and Monkey are going out to the Cooper's to help. Who's going with us?"

  A general cry of agreement came from the crowd. Followed by a rush of men headed for the bar to stock up.

  Ape waved Monkey over. "I bet some kraut is behind this, so be ready for anything. Come on people, let's get moving." Ape noted Ronnie Murray, Francis Murphy and Curtis Maggard had full cases of beer as they headed for Monkey's truck. Good, he thought. Someone was thinking ahead.

  * * *

  After hearing what the Craigs had to say, Marvin turned to walk back toward the Coopers. As he passed the cruiser, he waved Smith and Kramer over. They need to hear this.

  Gladys and Tommy watched them approach with expectant looks on their faces. "Well? What did the witch's mother have to say?" Tommy asked.

  Instead of answering him, Marvin turned to Gladys, "Mrs. Cooper, did your daughter-in-law tell you anything about the children's plans for today?"

  Gladys puffed herself up. "I don't talk to Connie. If I did, she wouldn't like what I had to say. She leaves notes in the mail box, like I don't know how to take care of kids. I know what the kids need better than she does, so I have Tommy tear them up."

  "You should have read the one she left this morning," Marvin said. "Then you'd have known about the school field trip that Zachary has today. And, you'd have known that Crystal was going along to help Miss Jenkins fix lunch for the kids."

  "But . . . but . . ." Gladys sputtered.

  Marvin almost hoped the Coopers missed the disgust in his voice, but he really didn't care that much. "If you'd read the note, you'd have known this. And you wouldn't have wasted our time. In case you haven't noticed in the last year and a half, we're not in West Virginia any more. Grantville is ten times as big as it was and we have real work to do."

  Marvin watched a wave of comprehension sweep across theirs faces. "Oh," he continued, "we'll run down to where they are having the field trip just to be sure, but I think we've cleared this case."

  Marvin gathered the other policemen with a wave of his hand and started back to the cruiser. "Smith, Kramer, this is your case, but Jürgen and I will run down to the creek where the field trip was going. We can get there quicker and let you two get back to work."

  "That is fine with me." Patrolman Smith untied his horse from the mail box at the end of the Cooper driveway. "And thank you, Sergeant, for getting the old woman under control. I was . . . It was hard to keep my temper under control."

  Marvin patted Smith's shoulder. "But you did. I've known the Coopers for years and they still get me riled up sometimes, so I know where you're coming from."

  Marvin turned to Jürgen. "Well, partner, let's go check on the field trip." He tossed Jürgen the car keys. "You drive. I'm so fired up, I'd break half a dozen speed limits if I did." Marvin slid into the car and grabbed the microphone. "Investigator one to base, show us and Patrol Four clear and in service. The children are on a school field trip. Repeat, no missing children, no kidnapping. They're on a school field trip."

  Mimi's voice sounded relieved, "Clear, Investigator one."

  "Where to, Marvin?" Jürgen asked.

  "According to the Craigs, the class is on a field trip right where Buffalo Creek leaves the Ring of Fire. We should see them from the road." Then, just to stir Jürgen up, he added, "It'll give you a chance to talk to your girlfriend."

  Marvin thought he detected a note of wistfulness in Jürgen's voice when he said, "I don't have a girlfriend."

  "It must have been some other tall, German policeman I saw walking with Dawn Jenkins the other day." Marvin answered. "You sure looked friendly to me."

  "Fraulein Jenkins helps me find things in the libr
ary. I was just helping her carry her books and walking her home."

  "If you say so. But the two of you were in an awful close conversation."

  This time Marvin was sure he heard the wistfulness in Jürgen's answer. "Ah, Marvin. She knows so much and is interesting to talk to."

  Yep, he's got it bad, Marvin thought. "Jürgen, there's nothing that says you can't ask her out on a date. After all, you're an interesting guy yourself, when you try to be."

  Jürgen shook his head. "No, Marvin, I cannot ask her out. She is a school teacher, an educated woman, and I am a simple farmer—and soldier—who became a policeman. Besides, she has a boyfriend. She told me she is dating Toby Snell."

  "Toby Snell? If he's who I think, he's a short fellow and he's in the army right now. Is that the guy?"

  "Never met the man. I don't know how tall he is, but it might be the same one, since Dawn said he was in the army."

  "Well, are they engaged? If they aren't, you could ask her out. She might surprise you and say yes," Marvin offered. "You've met my wife Elsie. She was dating someone else when I asked her out the first time."