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Chapter 27: Star Detective? Psychic Detective?
Felton's local media seized on the Holt case with enthusiasm.
Newspaper, television, and radio reports centered on two main points.
First, Councilman Howard praised the Police Department's professionalism, emphasizing how the entire force had collaborated seamlessly to catch the murderer.
Second, Theodore and Bernie were spotlighted as the department's representatives, their names appearing in every piece lauding the Police Department's success.
Theodore especially caught the media's attention. Reporters dug up cases 600403 and 600511, hailing him as a 'Great Detective' with growing fervor.
While mainstream media maintained some semblance of factual reporting, tabloids and small radio stations abandoned facts entirely, spreading wild rumors that Theodore was a medium.
They dubbed him the 'Psychic Detective.'
The Felton Star News ran a front-page article titled "Psychic Detective Ends Bloody May!" and devoted several consecutive days to chronicling Theodore's solved cases.
The coverage proved wildly popular. Riding this wave, the Star News transformed from a community newsletter into a third-rate newspaper with thousands of subscribers, finally turning a profit.
To show their gratitude, the Star News fabricated even more elaborate legends about Theodore. In their latest reports, he'd somehow become a descendant of the famous vampire hunter Van Helsing.
The tabloids' exaggerations were nothing compared to unlicensed radio stations.
Using public information released by police, Midnight Radio wove the case details together with pure imagination, crafting supernatural stories from whole cloth.
In their version, Theodore dueled with Lucifer, sought Gabriel's aid, and ultimately, with divine assistance, arrested Cerberus, a hellhound rather than a human killer.
Building on this narrative, the late-night show began taking listener calls for interactive segments.
When Theodore tuned in to their reports, he seriously wondered if he was listening to stories about the Winchester brothers.
No matter how bizarre the coverage became, and regardless of whether Theodore and Bernie welcomed it, they had become star detectives.
Strangers began recognizing them on the streets. Many regarded them as representatives not just of the West District Branch, but of the entire Felton Police Department.
The public's perception of law enforcement had become inextricably linked to the two men.
The prostitutes on Rose Street were especially grateful, they thanked the pair for catching Holt, the prostitute killer, and praised them without reservation to their customers.
Many of the more outlandish legends about Theodore actually originated from these women.
This only amplified their reputation further. After all, this was Felton, how many men didn't visit Rose Street?
Police Department Headquarters quickly dispatched a Senior Police Supervisor to speak with them personally, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a positive public image.
At the conversation's end, the supervisor hinted that they'd already attracted attention from high-level officials.
After the supervisor left, Theodore and Bernie exchanged rueful smiles.
They both understood exactly how this attention had materialized, it was the calculated result of joint efforts by the city government and the Police Department.
Entering 1960, racial segregation and oppression had pushed social tensions to a breaking point. Large-scale demonstrations and protests erupted across the nation, with particularly volatile atmospheres in conservative Southern states.
Felton sat squarely in Texas, a conservative stronghold where many Black residents worked the lowest-paying jobs.
As protests and demonstrations grew more frequent nationwide, Felton couldn't escape the spreading unrest.
The city government needed to redirect citizens' attention, calm emotions, and rebuild confidence.
Councilman Howard needed votes for his upcoming mayoral campaign.
The Police Department needed to cultivate a positive image and maintain public support.
Naturally, Theodore and Bernie benefited considerably from this arrangement.
As the two rose to star detective status, the Police Department was bound to allocate more resources to them, treating them as priority training candidates.
Their career prospects would be smooth sailing from here.
On the weekend, Theodore accepted an invitation to visit Bernie's home.
He and Bernie were partners, and in this era, that term carried special weight, it represented an extraordinarily stable and reliable bond.
Should anything happen to Bernie in the future, Theodore would be obligated to care for his family, especially his children. Bernie's invitation served partly as an introduction to his household.
Bernie had one son and one daughter. His eldest, Little Sullivan, was eight years old, while his daughter was still an infant.
Little Sullivan proved to be an energetic child who immediately took to the toys Theodore brought. After warming up quickly, he pestered Theodore about seeing his service pistol, only quieting down after Bernie's stern warning.
Theodore discretely removed his gun, emptied the bullets, and handed it over for the boy to examine.
Bernie's wife was young and gracious, a dedicated housewife who kept their home immaculately maintained.
Judging from the couple's interactions, their affection ran deep.
Mrs. Sullivan showed tremendous enthusiasm, and upon learning Theodore was single, she immediately offered to introduce him to potential girlfriends.
Theodore smiled and promised he'd dress his best when the time came.
The Sullivan family treated Theodore to barbecue marinated in their secret family sauce, a flavor unlike anything he'd tasted elsewhere, and one that suited his palate perfectly.
After spending such a pleasant day with Bernie's family, Theodore's good mood carried through until Monday.
Monday morning brought detectives filtering in one by one, exchanging greetings and weekend stories in a harmonious, relaxed atmosphere.
Theodore found himself urgently trying to dissuade Bernie from a particular purchase for Little Sullivan.
The item in question was a science kit with the full name "Gilbert U-238 Atomic Energy Lab", heavily advertised on television lately.
The ads claimed it could boost children's intelligence, cultivate scientific interest, and guarantee that kids who played with it would grow up to become scientists.
Little Sullivan's friend owned a set, making the boy desperately envious.
Bernie adored his son, and despite the toy's steep price, he was prepared to grit his teeth and buy one.
He couldn't understand Theodore's vehement opposition.
Theodore liked Little Sullivan too much to let this slide.
This 'science kit' contained actual radioactive samples, plus equipment like cloud chambers and Geiger counters for children to observe radioactive decay.
Children's toys in this era were uniformly absurd. Beyond the 'science kit' with real radioactive sources, there were luminous watches containing radium, alarm clocks with thorium, toy soldiers made with lead, and chemistry sets equipped with concentrated sulfuric acid.
In short, people of this era were genuinely insane when they lost their minds.
Theodore launched into an extensive lecture about radioactivity, delivering a comprehensive science lesson to Bernie.
He talked until his throat went dry while Bernie listened until his eyes glazed over. Finally, Bernie couldn't take anymore and raised his hands in surrender.
"I get it! There's something in there that can kill people! I'm not buying it!"
Still unsatisfied, Theodore compiled a list of dangerous toys and consulted others in the group. As expected, many had purchased items from his 'dangerous' roster.
Theodore briefly explained each toy's hazards. Though the detectives remained skeptical about the science, concern for their children's safety prompted immediate action, they rushed to call home.
When Wenner entered, he found the entire group clustered around the telephone.
He'd just emerged from the Branch Chief's office, where Chief Weideke had consulted him about the Patrol Department supervisor position. The intention to replace Cahill had been unmistakably clear.
This development was inevitable.
As Theodore and Bernie received increasing attention and priority training, Weideke had no choice but to show their superior, Wenner, full respect, regardless of his personal feelings.
Moreover, Weideke harbored no reluctance whatsoever. He was entirely willing.
After all, Wenner was Bernie and Theodore's superior, but wasn't he Weideke's subordinate as well?
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