and began pacing the floor. “You know the history in Lake County; all the construction up there is a piece of shit because the job is bid and the contractors take away the cost of the graft right off the top of the project, the profit they want to make comes out next, the balance goes to overhead and cost of construction. And then they cut corners where they can’t be seen. The problem for us, is this project, as envisioned, will have our name on it, from top to bottom. If the project doesn’t come in as designed and there is a failure, the customers stop paying, the investors who purchased the bonds don’t get paid, and there is a foreclosure. Guess who eats the loss? I say if you… we, are going to do business in Lake County we must control the project or lose our destiny, our business, and our reputation. I think it is too much to risk…I could not be more emphatic on this point, but I am in a minority position here…and I must add, not an engineer…moreover, when Prolano came to me with the opportunity to start something that we could all take pride in and build for the future…I must confess that at times I have felt as though I was a free loader…with the two of you doing all the work…what I contributed, the money, the building…trite in my mind, but now…this is different…this is truly historic…I see my role here and I must lean on the two of you to tuff this out…you will not be sorry that you did!” Hamilton said.
“Thad, please don’t downplay the significance and/or your role in the development of this company…it has been most important and Dr. Belini and I have the utmost confidence and faith in you…we are in this together…and we are in for the long term” Prolano said
“What do you think, Mr. Pearlman?” Belini asked.
“I tend to agree with Thad, but I am sorry to say I have no solution short of giving up the selection process. I do have a call from the Attorney General’s office to return this morning and one from the council to the Governor; but whatever you decide, remember the clock is ticking.”
“My God!” Dr. Belini said, slumping into the sofa, “I’m beginning to feel like Custer at the Little Big Horn, they are circling the wagons, and have brought in the heavy artillery!”
“I’ll go to the noon session and touch base with all of you this afternoon,” Thad said.
As the others walked on toward the lobby, Pearlman took Thad’s arm. “These are tough guys, they will not be bluffing, and perhaps you should take one of our private detectives just to be near-by?”
“Good idea, Michael, I believe Eleanor would agree to that as well!”
“Good, I’ll have John Wayne contact you before the meeting on your office phone. He’s an ex-cop, knows the business, and you can trust him.”
Hamilton felt the handshake was more than cursory business; it was like those he’d felt in Vietnam. Thad’s attorney had become his trench buddy.
A STRANGER VISITS
The Capitol Rotunda was alive with noontime activity. At least two schools had troops of middle schoolers chirping in the excitement of a field trip. Not so much over the history of the state but just being out of school with all your friends. Just as well, Hamilton thought, better they learn the real business of government at a later date or hopefully they will select a line of work which doesn’t expose them to the rot, corruption and business as usual.
Hamilton thought he could use a couple of friends. Thank goodness for John Wayne who was looking like one of the Greek columns, heavily disguised? Thad took a seat on a bench as far from the children and the noise as possible. He had brought a sandwich and a Sprite to mesh with the noontime crowd. In addition, the luncheon look gave him cover in case the wire he was wearing made some noise. He glanced around to spot the guy Wayne had brought along to video the event.
A man sat down beside Thad, took out a cigar and offered one to Thad.
“No thanks,” Thad said when he could get his throat wet.
“Guess I’d better take advantage, I hear there are those trying to outlaw smoking in all public buildings. It will soon be a thing of the past!”
This wasn’t the same voice as the one making the call last evening. Thank goodness for that.
“As will be the tactics of your friends!” Thad said to the courier.
“This isn’t a pleasant occasion for me either, Mr. Hamilton!”
“I’m just a businessman trying to make a living. What do you want from me?” Hamilton asked.
“You know northern Indiana, because of the heavy industry, steel and chemical plants… the sins of the fathers, so to speak. Well, it is and may always be the armpit of the State of Indiana. It’s not a pleasant place to live or to be, Mr. Hamilton. We are sort of the ‘red-head step-child’, and, because of the economic difficulty… there is also a lot of in-fighting, you know turf wars among our politicians and community leadership. Whenever we come to the state capitol, we are always prepared to do battle, to get our share of the taxes… which our citizens pay out in large numbers. All the little counties out in the state, which control the legislative body, despise us, and fear us at the same time! Whichever… doesn’t matter, because we always wind up paying the most taxes and getting the least return, percentage wise? Because of this history, sir, we become far less socially well intentioned. In the big picture we are like an abused pit bull… on a short shank. Can you imagine that kind of existence, Mr. Hamilton? Always on guard, someone ready to tear off the arm that feeds you? Your arm, Mr. Hamilton?”
The man went on, “I just wish that we could be given some room, give that pit bull a few decent meals, served in a dish with a cool bowl of water and give the poor fellow all he wants. I’d guess after a couple of weeks, a man could walk right up to that pit bull, remove the shank and sit down beside him while he dines! It doesn’t help that we are also right next door to Gary, a part of Lake County that no one wants to acknowledge… another group of people who have been tethered to a short-shank. I wouldn’t be surprised that it might take a full year of feeding before I’d sit down with that bulldog. They are an angry bunch of people over there, and got quite a reputation for violence. White man over there, well, let’s just say I’d take the long way around to Chicago. Mr. Hamilton, I believe you have offered our community a wonderful plan and we deserve this new plant. It could be a miracle for us, but the political bosses up there, they have a way of doing business. You’ve left them nothing to knaw on! Now some folks frown on political machines, but as the old saying goes, “when you are up to your ass in alligators you might forget that your original purpose for being in the swamp was to drain it!” We want to do this project; we want you to do it. And don’t forget, Mr. Hamilton, you came to us. Can you expect to teach us a new dance without a few lessons? They can be costly, Mr. Hamilton, or show us a few more steps…let us know that we can participate…that you are not going to demand to lead all the time…maybe we all could enjoy the dance?” he said.
There was a silence. Thad could almost hear the spool on the tape. He shook the bag with the sandwich and he popped the top on the Sprite.
“You asked me here, sir,” Thad said.
“We don’t want anything that’s not legal… that may shock you. Unfortunately, our reputation is like that of Billy the Kid… poor fellow, killed more people at the same time, in different places than you can imagine.” He laughed alone “Historically, the whole of Lake County’s political machine has taken 2% from the vendors and patronage workers. Your plan strips us of a million dollars, Mr. Hamilton.”
“We are willing to pay the 2% legally,” Thad said, looking directly into the eyes of the courier.
