2 march 2025, @mariannewest's Freewrite Writing Prompt Day 2663: the freshman

Image by Walter Frehner from Pixabay

“Yes, dear, I am eating my two bananas before the meeting – as soon as I get off the phone. Yes, I will take my blood pressure right after the meeting and I do have my quick-drop regime ready. Thank you, darling, for remembering.”

Henry Halleck VII smiled, savoring the warmth of his wife's loving concern and willing himself to forget how weird he felt wearing her makeup – but she had done a great job keeping her husband looking good under fire.

“So my choices were to look like Bozo the Clown or Casper the Friendly Ghost after I found out we basically don't even have a retirement fund for the Big Loft Police Department, and I chose Bozo because this is some 'Send in the Clowns' prime territory!” he had said on a call to his colleague in Richmond as he sat in the car before taking his wife's call. “I've done 15 conservatorships and you've done nine of them with me – I have never in my life been looking like the freshman who shows up on the first day of university for class and finds out he is not even at the right campus, much less the right building! At this point I need to find out who has an old Civil War bone to pick with me as a Halleck in the state house and is trying to get me put out by steering this my way – or at least who has been playing hot potato and lobbed it over here for me to catch!”

But for the moment, Mr. Halleck ate his two bananas, which had more calming power than a Valium because of the potassium in them, made sure his blood pressure things were in the kit he had in his suitcase, closed the suitcase, and went to the FBI briefing about the fund manager from 2009 that with his cronies still inside had walked off with all but nine months of the BLPD retirement fund. The good news was that with asset seizure and the like, a lot of the money was still available to be recovered, because … .

“They didn't think they would ever get caught, and they loved looking at their fat bank accounts and real estate and having the rank-and-file drive past, not knowing their retirements were being flaunted right in front of them,” Mr. Halleck said in the meeting as understanding came to him. “They ought to be glad they are in federal custody – I could not guarantee their safety in the hands of the men they casually sought to ruin in old age!”

The other good news … .

“You're in Lofton County,” the FBI officer running the briefing said. “It's probably going to take longer than nine months to recover as much as possible, but the Lofton Trust probably would consider at least loaning the department the money – I mean, isn't Big Loft named for Major Lofton's old plantation?”

“You're asking me? I'm new here, too,” Mr. Halleck said. “But I'll have the answers for you before we do our joint press conference – believe that.”

Sure enough …

“Yes, and probably yes,” Mr. Halleck said. “Old Big Loft is still a vast public park, fortunately upwind of the Ridgeline Fire, and yes, the Lofton Trust does exist and does backstop some public emergencies – I think having a whole police department becoming disgruntled officers would qualify!”

So, on to the press conference, and the projection of calm confidence and cooperation while political Big Loft was on fire all around BLPD … but for the moment, the police department was quietly the calm within the storm, and Mr. Halleck intended to keep it that way.

“Yes, dear, I did – my blood pressure topped out at 145/95, but started coming back down when I got two pieces of good news: looks like the majority of the money will be recovered, and the state will kick in some and I might be able to ask the Lofton Trust for a loan since BLPD is a Lofton County institution. I just wish I knew someone who could get me a good introduction and hearing. Oh, really? Capt. Lee is the newest trustee? Well, that takes care of that! Do thank your friend Margie for the heads up she didn't know she was giving!

But Margie did know. Mrs. Margie Lee was married to Hopkins Lee, first cousin to Capt. Lee.

“When your name is Halleck, and Lee has you surrounded, and you don't even know it!” Lt. Carter of Special Investigations said as Special Investigations and the Blue Ridge Precinct had their big laugh of the day, for Capt. Lee had just walked through on his phone to his office, just as mild-mannered and demure ...

“Yes, Mr. Halleck, I think I can encourage the trustees to meet with you on Zoom next week once you know what the department will still need after the state has had its say. I of course will have to recuse myself from that vote because I am an officer at BLPD, but I think the other trustees, understanding the situation, will be amenable. Yes, sir. Of course, sir. Just let me know.”