With This Ring

By

Retta Michaels

Preface

Notes From Retta:

Dear Reader,

In a lot of my writing, I've never felt the need to write a preface. With this story, I want you to know what to expect. For me, the story is a mixture of a whole lot of truth and a whole lot of fiction.

For me to explain it, I must sit and tell you what my conceptual plans were for the novel

IN LIFE, we are not given a set list of directions and plans how to complete it. Some people don't like the unknown, so they don't take any foreign steps into different territories. With others, they know no structure.

Rather than having a nameless character out there who could sue the fuck out of me for even inferring they're a member of the mafia, I chose to go personal and use my own name. It's a lot less messy and a lot more friendly for my lawyer.

I am not a member of the mafia. I will not say I do not know a lot of the family members from several cities, but I am not a member myself.

I will state at one time I was with a man named Gino who headed a crime family. He's since passed and this story has been released with permission and editing done by his son who is still a dear friend of mine. (Thanks Dave.)

The names I've used in the story besides my own are ficticious. The names have been changed to protect everyone. Where names weren't important, I have not used them.

I have given enough references to who the person is so if you can read between the lines, you can see who they are. With that said, I will not say more about the characters.

The story is made up. It is totally ficticious. None of the incidents happened, and nothing of the sort ever occurred. If you choose to believe it did happen, and if you choose to believe it's true, then that's on you. I will state now if I receive an email asking me if such and such part is true, I'll be polite and refer you to the Preface and leave it at that.

The reason I'm writing this preface is because I want people to know when I write, I write fiction with an air of the style of writing used by the National Enquirer or the Sun. There's an air of truth in there someplace, but it's actually fiction. If you choose to believe it's truth, then do so...I've got about twenty acres of swamp land I'll sell you and someplace on that land is a complimentary Iphone. If you can find it, it's yours.

With that said, I'll now state the characters of this story will probably be used time and time again. I think I've found a niche in this style of writing. I'll tell you now, it's done in the style of Mack Bolan “The Executioner”, James Bond, or Scarface.

“With This Ring” is the first book of the saga. It shows how someone can go from leading a normal life wanting to lead a normal life to being thrown into a complex cast of characters which require him to be more and more of what he doesn't want to be.

I hope you enjoy the story.

Disclaimer:

If you are dumb enough to believe this story is true, please stop, shut off your computer, and go to the nearest mirror to repeatedly slap yourself back into reality. You'll thank yourself afterward, I assure you.

IF you are below the age of 18, please don't read the stories on here. Your presence jeopardizes those of us who do so legally.

Personal Disclaimer:

People, places, events, and locations in this story are fictitious. If you believe them to be true, please go to the first paragraph up under the disclaimer section and do so thrice.

Now, please enjoy.

With This Ring

Chapter Fourteen:

“You guys ready to go?”

“We're waiting on grandma.” said Robert.

“Ok”

Steve was watching them replay the bust. A commentator was giving a step by step progression through the place. I watched and was immediately aghast at what I was seeing.

“Hon, it's fake as hell. I'm surprised they're not ripping it to shreds.”

“Why?”

“Look at the fucking irrigation hoses. They're flat! The fucking pots which have the grow solution in them are empty! Where's the thermometers on the wall? The lights, they only have metal halide. Where's the sodium vapor?”

“Damn, you sound like the foremost expert on growing!”

“I've grown. Fuck. My garage over at Moberly was full of the stuff! The walls don't even have aluminum foil on them for chrissake! And where's the plastic sheeting on the floors?”

“What else is wrong?”

“All the plants are the same age. Anyone seeing this who is into manufacturing knows you have them in weekly stages. That way you get them in weekly harvests.

This place here would have you going in once every nine weeks. By then, those troughs would be empty! AND, your plants would be dead!

Where's the area where you trim the plants?”

Steve was smiling. “Hon, it's staged!”

“And everyone out there who has ever grown is going to know it's fake. I'm surprised the feds didn't run out of the place laughing.”

I went upstairs to little John's room. As soon as I walked in, “Don't say a thing. I'm as pissed about it as you. I could hear you raising hell about it clear up here. I've already got the phone call in to find out who the hell set the place up.”

“I'll use him going in and then some shots of them carrying out the plants, but tell CNN to stop showing it already!”

He smiled. “Rhette, the folks in bread and butter America don't know it's fake. True, even I could tell it's fake, but....”

I was frantic “Puhleaze call CNN! Tell them to cut it down to him entering and carrying out the plants. We'll be the laughing stock of the nation!”

He laughed and said, “Rhette, I'm sorry. It's just funny watching you carry on in that get up. You look like my Italian mama throwing your hands around like that.”

I started laughing as the mental picture was too much.

“Ok, just save our asses here. I should have went over and took a look at it.”

“I should have too. It's an embarrassment, but we'll save the bacon here.”

“Thanks. I love you. I know you tried, but it's clear we're not in the growing business.”

David walked in and clearly didn't look happy. “Who was it who set up that house? I just saw five seconds of the footage.”

I turned to him and said, “The calls are already made. I'm up here carrying on like an Italian mother he says.”

Little John started laughing and imitating me which got David laughing. “Ok, call someone on the carpet.”

He looked at me and said, “You ready to go to a funeral Rhettilda?”

“Oh fuck you!”

David laughed and said, “You're cute all dressed up like that. I can see you about sixty in that same dress with gray hair and little white pearls on your ears.”

“David!”

He started laughing harder.

We walked out into the hallway and Rose came up. She clearly didn't look happy. “I've seen Bad Boys Bad Boys and that's clearly not a grow house!”

David and I started laughing. “Rose, someone's already being called on the carpet over it. Both of us have been in to see him.”

She smiled and said, “What are you going to do?”

“We're going to cut the footage back to them entering and carrying out plants. That way none of the fake stuff is seen anymore.”

“Thank goodness. That place looked like someone just set plants up in there and forgot to do the rest of it.”

“I know. I found about fifteen things wrong with it just viewing it the first time. It's clearly an amateur job.”

We went down the stairs and into the living room. Right in the middle of showing the footage again, they yanked it off the air. The announcer looked stunned. He sputtered and then started carrying on a conversation with his co-anchor. “We were just told the film broke. While we re-edit, we'll be taking a short break.”

We all started laughing. JT and Kevin walked in. Kevin walked over to me and said, “We have to talk fast!”

“We know Kevin.”

“You know the house is a fake!”

“Yeah. All I had to do was see it once to know it was a bad fake. Even Rose knows it's a fake. They just yanked the film off the air and are going to edit it down to Steve busting in and then carrying out plants.”

“Good. That was horrible!”

Dave smiled and said, “Kev, someone's getting called on the carpet. If it ever comes out during his campaign, we'll just say someone very clearly was an amateur but fortunately, we got the place before it yielded anything.”

Kevin smiled and said, “Most of America is calling the rest of America to tell them to watch CNN.”

“I know. During the run through, I was calling out everything I saw which was messed up.”

JT came over. “Damn sis, you look the knock out.”

“Thanks hon, you two look awesome yourselves. I've really got to get my guys up to Frederique's to get him to suit them up.”

Kevin said, “If you can get past Frederique feeling you up, it's fine.”

Steve came over whistling, “Damn, those suits look expensive.”

Kevin said, “No, this one was $400. It came off the rack. If you have to have them custom sewn, they cost six hundred but those are the most expensive ones he has.”

I asked, “JT and Kevin, would you guys go up and show little John your suits and ask him how much he thinks they cost? I mean, his dad was the foremost buyer of expensive suits. He'll probably be way off and immediately want to know where the suits were made.”

JT said, “Come on Kevin. I want to hear what he thinks.”

They ran up the steps and Rose said. “Those suits look like they're way more expensive than that.”

“Yeah, Frederique is a whiz with a sewing machine. When we go, we're taking you and we're going to get some dresses sewn.

If you can see what that man can do with satin, you'll be amazed. He made my mama's wedding dress for her when she married my dad and you'd've thought it was a fifteen thousand dollar dress. He only charged her a hundred and fifty.”

“Really!”

“His regular dresses only cost $50 and down depending upon the material choice.”

“We'll have to go!”

“Yeah, I want the guys to all have matching suits for yours and David's wedding. I think it'd look lovely.”

She smiled and said, “I hope Randy makes it today. I know his youngest is in the hospital, but we really should have everyone there.”

Kevin and JT came thundering down the steps. JT looked excited and said, “He says suits like this now in New York City cost in the neighborhood of between $20 and $25 thousand dollars!”

Kevin said, “He wants to know where we got them. He said he could dress like this all the time with someone making suits so cheap.”

“I'll tell him we can go there as a group. I'd like to have him make me a whole wardrobe.”

Rose said, “I'll go for one too. It'd be nice to seen as one of the most fashionable ladies in town.”

I smiled and said, “Come with me. We'll look good walking together. Robert, get her other arm and throw the suit jacket over your shoulder.

Steve said, “You're practicing for the camera!”

“Hon, when we come out, I want you on her arm and Robert with me. That way they'll get the shots they'll need and then can leave everyone alone.”

Rose said to me. “I'm glad you're doing this. It's going to be harder on me later, but right now, I'm not feeling much.”

“I know. It's like you buried him a while back. Fortunately, you'll have David.”

We went down the steps of the house and I said, “Steve, remind me I need to ask you a question about the house when we get in the car.”

“I've already told the man yes.”

“Ok babe.”

“He never recognized you and came in upset thinking we'd added an architect to the crew.”

I laughed and said, “Hon, I only asked him about one thing. Why'd he think I was an architect?”

“He said he'd worked with someone who looked like you on a project who was the most nagging bitch he'd ever worked with.”

“Well, tell him I'll have her beat.”

Rose laughed and said, “Hon, I think I'm going to give her a run for the money. I've got it set in my mind how I want everything to look and it's not going to be done any other way.”

“I know. There are things about my house I truly hate, but since Kevin and JT are going to be living there, I think it should be them who makes those choices.”

She nodded and said, “You change what you want about the big house. I want you happy in it.”

“Ok, I'll get it done.” I turned to David and said, “Dave, I need the kitchen and the freezers up at Gino's photographed at all angles.”

Rose said, “That decision got made fast.”

“Hon, don't do a thing to your kitchen until you see that one. It is the only kitchen I've been in which everything is perfect. Mine in the little house up home was close to perfect, but there's about a half a step off that just feels wrong.”

“We'll have to go see it when we go. You've spoken so much about that kitchen, I just know it's got to be nice.”

David laughed and said, “Hon, my dad rebuilt that kitchen five times before he got it perfect as he said. He'd still complain, but said if it's good enough for Rhette, then he'd accept it as it was.”

She smiled and said, “What would you change about that one there Rhette?”

“The walk in cooler, the freezer, and the wine cooler were all too far away. They were down a hall. As big as they were, they had to be as they were, but I'd have the walk in about half as big and the wine cooler and the freezer a quarter of the size.

The wine cooler would be under the cabinet instead of a huge room. I know why he had a big room, but I'm not the connoisseur he was. What I'll do here is I'll bring some of the wines from that cellar here and then we'll have them when we've got a good Italian meal cooked.”

David said, “Rhette learned all my Dad's recipes. He cooks authentic Italian better than anyone I know.”

“Well, I learned Meemaw's recipe's too. She'd use more sweet garlic and less Oregano than Gino. I've learned I loved her Fettucini Alfredo better than his and her Fried Ravioli better than his. I loved his red sauces more, but her white ones were the best.”

Robert said, “You've made me hungry.”

We all laughed and got into the Rolls. Robert sat to the side behind Steve and Rose sat in the middle with Dave off behind me.”

JT and Kevin pulled up next to us in JT's new Rolls. The two cars were identical. JT led the way and we followed.

Rose said, “This car's seats are comfortable anywhere you sit. I love the feel of them.”

“Yes,” said Dave, “I'm learning I'm getting spoiled riding in this car.”

When we got to the funeral home, we found parking spots reserved for us. David began chuckling and said, “A little munching of the arse and amazing results happen.”

“I've not begun, Dave.”

“Oh, but I have!” he said chuckling.

“Thanks.”

“No, I fully expect you to continue. They need to know there's a succession of chewings and then, I expect you to keep your word about what you're doing.”

“Ok”

When I got out, I folded the seat forward and was amazed by the amount of room the exit afforded. Dave got out and guided Rose. Robert had gotten out behind Steve.

We took our formations and then walked towards the funeral home. To my left, I could hear the snap whir of cameras and announcers doing their voice overs.

We got to the door and went in. The funeral director came over and asked to take our shawls. I took Rose's and then Steve took mine off. We handed them to him and he casually threw them over metal hangars.

I stepped back and said, “Ok, I'll show you this one time. It's details which either make or break this place. You use two hangars and whatever you do, get rid of the metal ones. Either get wood, or plastic. You put the shawl up over and then you put that tab right there over the neck of the hangar. It stays on and then, you don't have it on the floor as someone else is sliding the hangars back and forth.”

“I never knew that!”

“Well now you do. I ran one of these for six months for a drunk. By the time I got done, the place was ship shape.”

“Why didn't you go into the business?”

“If I had, I'd been a basket case. Lets just say if I told you about the 25 bodies which were my internship, you'd be pulling your hair out. Not a one of them was a natural death.

Suicides, car wrecks, murders, accidental shootings, and accidental drownings. The man who was running the school apologized because he knew I was burned out after those.”

“Where'd you go to school?”

“Gupton Jones in Nashville for the immediate training, but I went to Kirksville, Missouri for my pre-requisites. My cosmetology was done through Quincy School of Cosmetology.”

“Normally, we get all our schooling under one roof.”

“My lover committed suicide shortly before I started to school. I was a mess.

Rather than staying long in one spot, I was already on the run from myself emotionally. I finished, but now all I do is renew my license and go to seminars.”

“You're welcome to work here if you'd like.”

“I keep telling myself if I ever get back into it, I've surely got the ability to get a job somewhere else. It's something I've just not the desire to do.”

“Why'd you pick that for a profession?”

“It was the only profession I knew where I could write off driving a Cadillac. Lord knows I'd never thought of limo driver.” I said chuckling.

He smiled and said, “Pretty drastic step.”

“Yeah, but as I said, I really wasn't mentally prepared for it. Now if you'd excuse me.”

I paused and said, “When I'm done here today, remind me I've got an ass chewing to give you.”

“Why?”

“Let me just say you've made a reputation for yourself by letting everyone know you're in my organization. Let me tell you now I'm seriously thinking about putting your ass out.”

“But...But....”

“As I said, you've got an ass chewing coming. Under all these fucking clothes is a man who is the head. Why don't you call Charleston's head and ask who's over him and then ask him how I handle things.”

He looked surprised and I said, “Rhette Michaels. Remember the name because I'm coming back to step off in it.”

The man grew pale by the second.

I walked into the family parlor and immediately went over and straightened a wall sconce. Steve whispered, “Rhette, you're not working. Remember?”

“Ok, but it would have bugged me. Sloppy is as sloppy does.”

I went over and sat down. The organ music playing was obviously a recording on a tape which had seen better days. I rolled my eyes and gritted my teeth and finally held Steve's hand.

“No one is noticing except you.”

“Did I say anything?”

“Hon, I can tell you're obviously upset about something.”

I leaned over and whispered in his ear. “Listen to that tape drag it's way through this music and see if you can stand it any more than me.”

“I thought we paid for an organist!”

“Obviously she never made it.”

He listened and then turned to me looking horrified. “You notice the little things. This's terrible!”

“See!”

“Hon, I've got to go find an organist and get her here. Everyone's going to notice.”

He got up and went into the other room. I heard Steve's voice faintly sounding agitated and then, I heard rather loudly, “You get her here! And get that thing shut down until she's here!”

Rose looked at me and I slid over. “The taped music is dragging. You paid for an organist.”

“He's trying to shirk us!”

David leaned over to me and said, “Rhette, you know how to play the organ, right?” <Smile> <Smile>

“Yeah, the few songs I know are for services like this. I'll fill in while the organist can get here.”

I went out into the lobby and said, “I'll fill in while the organist gets here. Show me the booth and we'll make it as pleasant as we can. My advice is to get a CD player and put some money into the system.”

The man looked agitated. “Listen, I sat in there gritting my teeth through the Old Rugged Cross sound like the Awel Ruoohged Croaesss. Throw the tape away and get something which won't stop halfway through a service and clog up your machine. Now, show me the booth and I'll get you some songs played until she gets here.”

“She's not coming.”

“You get your ass on the phone and you get me someone here pronto motherfucker! I'm not going to have my family's name become a laughing stock over your apparent willingness to save a few dollars. If I have my way about it, you'll be ordered to shut this place down afterwards and my organization will take it over. Now, do you want me severely pissed off? or do you want me happy?”

He looked at me and said, “I've not even made my phone call to verify who the fuck you are. For all I know, you could be trying to piss me off.”

“Ok, let's see...” I flipped out my cell phone and pulled up Charleston's head. He came on the phone. “Hi Rhette, where are you at?”

“Im at this funeral home getting ready to bury my father in law. Where are you?”

“About to walk in the front door.”

“Ok, I'll drag this motherfucker up there and then we'll get this man made aware of who the hell I am.”

I grabbed the man and said, “If you try to pull away from me asshole, I'll have your ass feeding fish before the day is out.”

He walked with me and I walked up to Charleston's head. “Hi. This man is trying to short shift our family out of money we're paying for the funeral. I'm about to order him to shut this place down. Do you want to let him know who I am so he's made plenty aware?”

The man came over and said, “Rhette's head of all the families in our organization. He's soon to take over the entire country.

The things this man could do to you would make Sammy crawl under a rock in fear. I've heard some of what he's done to people in Miami and you're God damned lucky he's not real pissed right now. If he says to get it shaped up, then my suggestion is you get a fucking loan from him and you ask him what the hell needs improved. He's done surgeries on his fucking kitchen table for crying out loud!”

The guy turned around and I said, “Either get me an organist here, or else I'll have your balls drawn and brought up to serve as ear rings. Now move!”

The man literally ran to the back. Charleston smiled and said, “You're looking nice!”

“Don't fuck with me!” He smiled and I said, “That man's mouth has enough looseness to it, I'm amazed you've not been brought before the feds yet.”

“I've heard it”

“Then why haven't you done anything about it?”

“He...ah...takes care of things for us.”

“And the price you could pay for that could be your freedom. I certainly hope he's good.

Get him lined out, or I'll get it done. If he needs a loan, tell him I have a blueprint of a funeral home which he'd find himself making a very nice living.”

“Get him the money and the blueprint and I'll make him the offer of take it or else.”

“Ok”

I went to the back and met Steve. “Hon, the tape just stopped.”

“Machine is probably tired. I'll go get on the organ.”

I went to the back and said, “Where's the organ. Your tape just broke.”

“The organ is in here.”

I went in and the dust in the room was terrible. Cobwebs filling the corners.

He turned it on and I began playing “Peace in the valley.” The man reached over me and flipped a switch. I heard the music hit the overhead speakers and knew I hadn't been heard until then.

By my fifth song, the organist arrived. She clearly didn't look happy. “Hon, don't worry, I'm paying you. The little bit he's paying you clearly couldn't pay me to come in either.”

She smiled and I said, “He's been shafting people. The end of the line was today.”

“I'd tell you what I know, there's nothing anyone can do. He's in the....” she whispered. “mafia”.

“Really! Well, my boyfriend is the Sheriff. Let's see if I can get him to arrest him.”

She smiled and said, “He's shorting all sorts of things. The bodies aren't really embalmed well and those caskets are the cheapest grade you can buy.”

“I thought my mother in law picked that one ou! I'll ask her to show me what she was charged. If I find out she's been shafted, the man is about to do a refund.”

She smiled and said, “It happens all too often.”

“This was his last funeral service. I'll guarantee you that.”

I left the booth and walked up to the man. “This funeral is on the house. Refund the fucking money and make it your last. You're shut down.”

“What!”

“I'd invest money in here, but if you're deliberately shafting people on the caskets and embalming, we don't need you. Sorry, but this was the last funeral you'll ever do. Fuck with me and I could make yours the next one.”

I went out and sat next to Steve. He pulled a cobweb off my shoulder. “You don't look happy.”

“Oh, I'm not.”

Rose leaned over and said, “What's wrong!”

“This funeral is going to be refunded. That man is going to hand you a check back for the full amount.”

“It's not that bad.”

“Rose, if I tell you what I know, you'll be up there letting everyone know what he does. Let me just say you didn't get the funeral you paid for.”

“I didn't!”

“No. I'll leave it at that and just let you know it's free.”

Steve said, “If there's fraud, I want to know.”

“Oh, there is. You'd have to pull all of his order forms and then the sales receipts to prove how many others he's done it to.

The caskets aren't what people are paying for. There's two grades of metal. He's charging for the thicker and giving the thinner. That can be proven.

The other thing is he's shirking people on the embalming. I can't prove it, but I can based upon how many bottles of fluid he orders versus the number of funerals he does. You'd find out how many other funeral homes use for the same number of funerals and they'd tell you more bottles of fluid. The only other way is to exhume bodies and check for decomposition.”

He looked enraged and stood up. JT, come with me!”

Rose smiled and said, “Rhette, you clearly didn't count on him getting as upset as you thought I'd be.”

“He'll arrest the man and I'll have to shut this place down.”

She chuckled and said, “Hon, this has been a do it yourself funeral since we got here. I thought I would get better than this. “

Dave leaned forward and said, “There's no way of saving it?”

“Dave, if there were, I'd salvage it. There's not. The man is a thief and a con artist.”

“Fuck!” He got up and went after Steve. Dave had his cell phone pulled and was already making calls.

Rose leaned over and said, “Rhette, thanks. I know James would thank you. You've got all my men fighting on the same side of the law at once.”

Kevin leaned forward and asked, “Is it safe to say something is wrong?”

I started chuckling and Rose said, “Kevin, I know your personality is comic relief but that one really nearly made me bust out laughing.”

He whispered. “Rhette, what's wrong?”

“Kevin, you remember years ago how I told you that one funeral home was up home?”

“Yeah”

“This one is the same.”

“Son of a bitch!”

“Yeah, but this guy works under me.”

Robert said, “Grandma, hold my hand and I'll be here for you.”

She said, “Baby, thank you.”

Kev asked, “He getting arrested? Or killed?”

I'm not sure. Steve's wanting to take it one way and Dave's wanting to take it another. I think what they should do is try the man publicly and make him do time.”

“Can you prove it?”

“We're about to get into his files and do it. When I do, I'll know how bad it is.”

Rose stood up and went over and hugged someone. “I'd like you to meet my new future son in law.”

She came over to me and I held out my hand. “This is Randy's mom and my brother. “

I stood up and hugged her. “I've heard a lot about you!” I turned to him and held out my hand. He didn't take it. “Fucking faggot don't you touch me!”

“I'll touch you sir. Come to the back...now.”

He followed me and Kevin followed him. When we got into the room, I turned and said, “Sir, lose the bigot routine. I'm trying to put your fucking family back together. If you want to throw attitude, I can throw it a lot harder. Believe me, when I'm done throwing it, your life will be ruined. Now, do you want to apologize or do we begin a game of pitch and catch.”

“Who you are doesn't mean one fucking thing to me. I've not been allowed out to the farm since....”

“Since you beat the man up. Thank you for it, but let's see.....I thought you did it for your sister. Apparently, since the man is dead and you don't want to go out there, it must be because you want to hurt her feelings. Is that it?”

“No, but I won't be associated with the likes of you!”

“Because I'm gay?”

“You're a fucking fruitcake.”

“Dude, you don't know how butch I can get. This get up is to get your nephew in the Governor's mansion.

Do you think I want to be in a dress? Fuck no! I'd rather be in a pair of jeans kicking your ass right now, but excuse me all to hell if love makes us do some strange things. You go out there and apologize to Rose and I'll settle my shit with you.”

He looked at me and said, “Tell me again why you're in a dress?”

“Steve's running for Governor. We're gay, yes. BUT, do you think he'd get elected if we were gay publicly? Fuck no. So, I'll wear a dress if it's what it takes to give him what he wants and I'll campaign as his wife to get him there.”

“You're a feisty little shit, I'll tell you that!”

Kevin said, “Problem solved?”

“Yeah, I think so Kev.”

The guy looked at Kevin and Kevin shook his hand so the tattooed knuckled clearly showed Boom. The guy looked at the tattoo and said, “Who are you?”

“I'm your other nephew's boyfriend. That one over there and I knew each other in prison. He's not tattooed. He doesn't need to advertise he's tough. He'll sneak up and have you seeing the lights go out before you even know what hit you.”

He looked back over and me and said, “You dress out of dresses?”

“Oh hell yeah....when I'm at home. Since I've got to play a part, I'll be doing it in public while I'm in South Carolina.”

“What does that mean?”

“Dude, I run the biggest organized crime family in the world as my day job, what do you do?'

“What city do you run?”

“City? I run the state of Florida, Missouri, and soon, I'll have Ohio, Texas, and Arkansas. Why?”

“I know the guy who runs Charleston.”

“He's out there. He's already made this man who runs this place a believer today, I can call him back if you'd like.”

“No...no...no...If you say that's what you are and this man here isn't telling me different, I can believe it. What happened to John?”

“Little John is out at the farm as we speak with about two hundred of our guys. He got shot yesterday in a little war we threw in St. Louis.”

“Really!”

“Really about the war or little John?”

“Both.”

“Yeah, you a member?”

“No.”

“Wanna be?”

Kevin chuckled and said, “Rhette is trying to get his roles up. I just can't believe he's pitching his membership in a funeral home.”

“So you're Rhette Michaels! I've heard about you!”

“From which direction?”

“You bought my son a house.”

“Yeah, but it's a nice house.”

“I'd say! You got that deal and it was sweet. He told me you'd gotten it and had those people thinking you were great for making them take two hudred grand less!”

“Well....”

“Well hell! I've seen the house. It's worth it.”

“Yeah, but I knew they'd take less. It's been on the market a while.”

He laughed and said, “I'll be damned. I've heard the stories already about you and now I get to meet you.”

Kevin said, “Rhette, I'll go see if they need anything.”

He went out of the room and the guy said, “If you ever need anything, you give me a yell. The things you're doing for MY son is enough.”

“Ok, but don't be a stranger out at the house anymore. You've not met Rose's soon to be fiance and I think you're going to like him.”

“She's found someone already!”

“Yes, but don't think badly. There's no real love was lost with James passing. She's found someone who will worship the ground she walks on and will give her the world.”

“One of your guys?”

“Yes, but don't hold it against him. He's been running Kansas City for the last eighteen years.”

“David!”

“You know him?”

“No.”

“Bullshit dude. You're calling these guys by name. Either you're a fucking fed or you're a friend.”

“Let's say I know them. I've done some work for them.”

“You retired?”

“No, but what line of work I do isn't widely needed anymore.”

“What's that?”

“Safe cracking.”

“Let's see...'Ears'?”

“How'd you know?”

“I've met you about eighteen or nineteen years ago when you did a safe for us up in Kansas City. It was over in the old candy factory. You remember it?”

“Jesus. There were two guys there. Gino and a little guy that was real young.”

“The little guy was me.”

“Your face don't look the same.”

“It's all plastic surgery from a beating I took a couple years ago. Let's go in and get the funeral started. The guy who runs this place is either getting arrested now or is getting killed. I'm not sure.”

“Why?”

“James is in there laying with about either half the embalming fluid in him he needs and that casket is made of the lesser grade of metal than what they paid for. That's why.”

“Son of a bitch!”

“The man was trying to short us every way he could and the only thing he didn't know was I'm a funeral director myself.”

“So you got to do it now since he's not going to be here?”

“I'm not seeing any help. I have no clue who he was planning on driving the hearse but with the one man show he's got going, I'd say he was. Now I'll have to do it and that's going to look funny as hell with all the press out there.”

“I'll do it. You get my wife a ride to the grave yard and we'll get this thing done.”

“Ok, I'd appreciate it.”

“It's the least I can do. If James hadn't been such a horse's ass, I'd not gotten the woman I did. She's been a lot better to me because of the way he was.”

“Well, I really thank you for what you've done. Randy's a nice guy and I really love his family. Did they make it today?”

“They're about to lose their little girl.”

“Why?”

“I'm not sure. They gave her some medicine and it was the wrong dosage or something.”

“Oh my God! Let me make a phone call and get her to a good hospital. If we don'tm she'll die.”

“She's about gone now.”

“Sir, if she gets detoxified and her blood gets transfused, she'll most likely make it. Have they done the transfusion yet?”

“No, not that I know.”

“Oh Lord. Let me make a phone call.”

“Let me call Randy and tell him you'll be getting her transferred.”

“Tell him to get to the airport and get on the 737 out there. I'll have my pilots get them to the hospital in Miami.”

“That's a helluva long way.”

“It's my hospital. They'll not see a bill out of this.”

“Ok, it'll mean the world to them.”

“You tell them so I don't have to. I don't want credit for this. I'll get their bill up here settled.”

He looked at me and said, “That's already a lot of money.”

“I imagine. Just the same, it's not the price, but whether we get to keep the little angel that matters.”

I flipped open my phone and called the pilot. “Hi, We're going to have a family arrive who needs to get to the hospital in Miami. You make that thing scoot and don't take shit off the control tower in Miami. You tell them it's an angel of mercy flight and if they have any questions they're to take them up with me. I'll shut that thing down until I'm able to get there to see what their issue is and believe me they'll listen.”

“Ok”

“Thanks.”

“No probs.”

I hung up and called Miami Mercy. “Hi, Rhette here.”

“Mr Michaels!”

“Rhette please. Mr Michaels is dead.”

“Ok Rhette.”

“I've got a kid being flown in that has had a medicine given in the wrong dosage. She's toxic. They've not done a transfusion and she's about gone.”

“Heparin”

“I think.”

“Fuck!”

“I hear ya. If you need blood, I'll have you an army there to take it from. Whatever you do, this family isn't to see a bill. I'll have it drawn from our accounts.”

“Don't worry about it. I'll just pull it from our payment.”

“Ok, I'm not sure when they'll be in, but I want that private ICU for them, you hear?”

“Ok”

I rang off and called Beck “Hi hon. I've got a family coming in on my jet. They're Steve's brother and kids. They need put up at the port Mansion while their daughter is in the hospital. You get them anything they need and make sure they take it. Ok?”

“I'll be their long lost aunt.”

“Thanks babe.”

I rang off and said, “What's the hospital's number up here?”

He looked at me and said the number. I dialed and asked, “Administrator please.”

“One moment.”

“Who may I ask is calling?”

“Rhette Michaels. If I can't get through, believe me, they'll wish I had.”

The man standing in front of me chuckled.

“Hello?”

“Rhette Michaels here. I'm having Randy Jackson's daughter flown out. I'm to be sent the bills and will not be suing your asses off for incompetent care. You contact your board and tell them I'll be in to give them an offer on the purchase of that motherfucker later today.”

“I don't know who you are sir.”

“Randy is headed your direction now. His daughter has been given the wrong dosage of meds and she's toxic. She's getting out of there because your doctor hasn't attempted to save her. She's being flown to my hospital Miami Mercy. You prepare her and I don't give a fuck if she's stable or not. You'll kill her and she'll definitely be stable then.

Tell that doctor treating her Life Staff is my next call and to prepare for an airlift. Don't give me any shit and I won't have a battery of lawyers all over your asses on this.”

“Sir, I'm about three seconds from hanging up.”

“Then I'm about three seconds from pulling every nurse I have and every housekeeping person I've got out of that motherfucker. Are we clear now?”

“Oh Lord!”

“Yes, you nearly killed the wrong girl. She's my niece you bitch!”

“I'll prepare her.”

“Get it done.”

I hung up and said, “Ok, everyone's moving.”

He smiled. And said, “You're used to mobilizing the troops, aren't you!”

“I'm learning fast. I've got to call that helicopter.”

I pulled out the phone book in the office and looked up Life Staff's number. I dialed and programmed it in. “Hello. Rhette Michaels here.”

“Hi, I fly for you on my off time.”

“Ok, we're about to do a transfer of my niece to Miami Mercy. You make that thing move and if you burn it up, I'll buy you another one.”

“We've got a jet for those. It's in Charleston.”

“Ok, get it in the air and send me the bill.”

“I'll get it took care of. No problem.”

“Ok, I'll owe you one. See to it however you can she's alive by the time you get there. Ok?”

“Will do.”

I hung up and said, “Ok, that's it. We've got a funeral to do.”

I went out and saw Steve coming in. He looked at me and said, “Rhette, I need you.”

I went over and said, “Yeah babe.”

“We just got the guy arrested. I've got no funeral director.”

“Don't arrest me for not being licensed in this state and I'll get the show on the road.”

He smiled and said, “Hon, you know you're safe in this state.”

“Let's hope.”

I went in and stood at the lectern. “Dearly beloved, family, friends, and associates, we're gathered together here today in memoriam of Sheriff James Jackson. Beloved father, devoted husband, and Sheriff. I'll read briefly from the obituary and then turn the service over to our pastor, Reverend Kyle T Eldon.”

I stepped back and then looked at the funeral flier I had in my hand. As the preacher spoke, I went over and sat with Steve. He patted my knee and kept his hand there.

When the preacher was finished, I went forward and said, “Usually, this is the end of our service. Today, I've chosen to do something I'm used where I'm from and it's allowing personal eulogies and remembrances. If you'd like, please come forward. We'll form line over on the left and feel free to say your kind words.”

Steve came forward and began to speak. The words he said were from the heart and filled with pain, sadness, acceptance, and memories of his father. When he was done, I know my make up was smeared.

JT came up next and began to speak. His voice trembled throughout the entire eulogy. His tears flowed. I could tell he'd lost one of his buddies and his words really moved me. When he stepped from the lectern, he hugged me and said, “Thank you.”

After that, the deputies, fellow politicians, friends, and acquaintances all eulogized him. When I saw no more, I stepped forward and said, “Before we end, I'd like to sing The Old Rugged Cross in finishing.”

I began and the crowd began to sing along. When we were through with the first stanza, I went over and moved the flowers to begin closing the casket. I shut the lid and then used the casket key to lock it. I moved the flowers back and then asked the pall bearers to come forward.

Normally, at this time, the flag would adorn the casket. The idiot which ran the funeral home already had it in the case. I went over and handed it to Rose. She stood up and hugged me whispering. “You're supposed to put it on the casket.”

“The idiot has that display case sealed. Look, it's glued!”

“Oh Lord.”

“I'm sorry.”

I went back to the lectern. “As you might've noticed, this has been a do it yourself funeral service for the family. The funeral director got himself arrested for attempting to defraud the family. I'd normally put the flag upon the casket at this time, but the man sealed it in that display case. Since I have no other, I hope you please forgive the oversight.”

A murmur went through the crowd. One of the deputies came forward and ripped his flag from his uniform. This one will do.”

Tears immediately came to my eyes just from the loyalty the man showed.

“Thank you.”

Steve walked forward and hugged the guy.

The pall bearers wheeled the casket out the front double doors. Randy's step dad had the hearse pulled up and they carried it out to the rear. I went over and opened the door meeting them. I slid out the casket rack and they placed it on. I slid it forward and locked it into place. When I shut the door, I told the pall bearers to put their cars in the line immediately after the two Rolls.

I went over and got into the Rolls and we waited for everyone to get in their cars.

Rose said, “You know. In life, James was difficult. I never once thought he'd be difficult in death.”

Steve smiled and said, “Mama, face it. This was the worst funeral I've ever attended. People will compare theirs to this one and will always know theirs was better.”

Rose said, “I'm thankful it was as nice as it was. If Rhette....”

“Rose, please don't give me any credit. I'm the one who told you all the bad things before hand which got it to snowballing downhill. I'm sorry.”

She leaned forward and said, “As I was sitting there, I thought one thing and it is I'm thankful you're rubbing off on us. You're the sort of person who takes care of something right now and we were the sort which was too polite. Now my men all do things right away as soon as they realize something's wrong. To me, that's the biggest compliment I can give.”

Dave said, “Steve, thank you for talking me out of what I was going to do.”

Steve said, “I think this is the best way. Your way would have the guy not having to face all those families and trial for what he did. This way will make him get a new charge for every count of fraud he's ever done.”

I said, “I'll need to get in there and get those files opened. We can only go back three years unless he's got the files someplace. I do know the county should have his death records, but he's not responsible for receipts.”

David said, “I think I can get some paperwork which will help. We're going to do all we can to get the man charges.”

I asked, “How do we break the story?”

Steve said, “I think we need to do it locally instead of nationally.”

Dave said, “Steve, I disagree. You've got a military base here who could have people which were victims. We need to break it both locally and nationally with both print and broadcast media.”

Steve nodded and said, “What I'll do is I'll call a press conference for this afternoon at four pm.”

Dave pulled out his phone and dialed. “We're having a press conference at four. Have everyone there.

Tell them the irregularities with the funeral were because we discovered the funeral director defrauding us. We need to ask everyone if they've had a funeral with this man and if they have their receipts.”

He paused and said, “Ok, tell them Sheriff Steve Jackson made the arrest and make sure you put in it he did so because his sense of justice weighed more than his familial responsibilities. Then, you put his family is very proud of him and joined together to do the service themselves. Whatever you do, do NOT put Rhette is a funeral director. They'll wonder what state and begin poking into his background.”

When we got to the cemetery, I got out and then Dave and Rose. Robert got out with Steve. He came around and stood to Rose's side as I went to the hearse and got the casket pulled out for the pall bearers. I took the end handle and lifted. We carried it to the grave site and I guided it onto the rollers of the bier.

I went over to the Reverend and said, “I'll say a few words, but you be ready to step in.”

I walked up to the casket and said, “This begins our graveside service. In the olden times, this was the original service. In modern times, we've gained the church memorial service. As you see, people follow the casket to the service because it's a traditional to follow the new service with the traditional.

Sheriff James Jackson was born at Jacksonland and he died there. He lived and he will live again in our hearts, minds, and memories. Remember the good times and know he'd appreciate it.

Immediately following this service, you'll hear Taps played upon a bugle. Our family has wished he receive a three volley salute in gratitude for his fine service to our city, county, state, and country..

I'm told we're having a meal provided immediately after the service at the church. Please come and be our guests and get to know us if you don't already.”

I turned it over to the Pastor and he did a beautiful grave side service. He pulled roses and gave them to family members. I'd seen this done before, but had never been a part of a service where I was given one.”

When the salute was given, the pastor asked the family to step forward and excused us first. We went over and waited for David to come with us. People came up to Rose and gave her condolences and then, dispersed.

We drove to the church and got out. The press were there and I went over to them. “Fellas, we're having a press conference at four pm. What happened today has me more hurt than pissed. I'm plenty pissed, so you best know I'm hurt. I'll not scoop anyone, but be there because we definitely need to get word out to other families who probably have been hurt.”

I turned around and a lot of questions followed me. I didn't answer any.

When we got inside, the pastor came over to me and said, “Ma'am, I'd like to ask for leniency.”

“IF the rest of the family sent you to me, it's because they know I'm the harshest one in the bunch. I'll not grant it sir. The man stole. And he's stolen more than what money can buy. He's stolen peace of mind and security. Those things money can't buy. Those things can't make people know their family member isn't laying out there in a grave yard rotting away without enough embalming fluid in them in caskets which are lesser grade than they paid.”

He nodded and said, “It's about justice.”

“No! It's about the golden rule. He broke commandments. He didn't honor our mother's and fathers and he stole. He's treated us worse than he'd treat himself and for that sir, he'll have to face and atone. He's not apparently worried, but he should be. He should.”

“You're well versed when you're living a lie.”

I turned around and said, “Sir, am I?”

“You're a man and I can tell.”

“Good. At least that's two of us. Now, do you want to go over and tell Rose, Steve, and my son I'm a man? I'm sure they'll gladly tell you they already know. Then, you go and tell the press. I'll admit it and then, I'll get to pull off this dress.

My lies sir help someone accomplish a dream. I lie to protect him from public embarrassment. Have you ever lied to do that? I bet not. Don't dare call me a hypocrite until you do it. Christ died on a cross to fulfill our dreams. He died not because he wanted to live, but to help yours and my lives be better. Live it before you preach it.”

He nodded and said, “You're doing this for him? Why?”

“He wants to be Governor. He'll be good. If he admits he's gay, he doesn't get him dream. I love him and I'll do it for him. Will you?”

I turned around and walked away. I went over and filled my plate. I nibbled and tasted and complimented. Robert came over and asked what was wrong.

“Hon, nothing's wrong. I'm tired. So much has happened and I'm so sorry Rose never got the funeral she deserved to send her husband away. Steve never got one and JT never got one.”

“My dad never got one.”

“That's different. Your dad was a member of an organization which if he'd died honorably and in good standing, he would have gotten a ruler's funeral. Instead, he got a traitor's.”

“I never thought of there being a difference.”

I looked at him and brushed the hair from his forehead. “You know, I'm going to tell you something. If it weren't for appearances, I imagine he would have gotten the funeral he deserved which wouldn't have been nearly as nice. The man was a traitor like your dad. He was a traitor to his wife, his children, his job, and his profession. His problem was he sold out to his own greed.”

“Can I ask you something?”

“Yes.”

“That woman who came up to Rose and hugged her. Was she married to him too?”

“No, she's one he was having an affair with once. She had a son with him.”

“Where's the son?”

“He's now in Miami. His daughter is very sick and could die.

That's what I was doing in that office was making phone calls to get her transferred there and the family down there. Then, I took care fo the hospital bill so they won't be charged for it.

Later this afternoon, I'll call the hospital's board and see if it's for sale. If it's not, I'll sue the hell out of them because of that error.”

“What'd they do?”

“They gave the wrong dosage of medicine.”

“Oh man”

“Yeah. One dose for a child is a lot less than what they give for an adult....like a hundred times less. They gave her the adult's dose.”

“Didn't they know better?!”

“Hon, I'll tell you. It's their fault, but it's not their fault. The medicine they gave her isn't real smart when it comes to being different enough people can tell.”

“What do you mean?”

“Ok, you know how you have a shirt on that looks like Steve's?”

“Yeah”

“Now, imagine if you're in a rush and you're grabbing that shirt out of the closet and it's right next to Steve's. You're in a hurry trying to save someone's life and you don't pay attention. Did you grab Steve's or did you grab yours?”

“Oh man!”

“That's the way it is. The bottle looks identical. The color on the label is the same and the only difference is one is labeled a hundred and one is a ten and that's the only difference. One is ten times stronger than the other.”

“What does the medicine do?”

“It thins your blood. If you're blood is too thin, then when it gets to your lungs, it doesn't grab oxygen as well and the rest of your body suffers. If it's too thin, when it gets to your cells, it doesn't grab toxins as easy and take them to the liver and kidneys to get rid of it.”

“She going to die?”

“I'm sending all my men there to give blood. If there's a way to save her, she'll be saved. I know one thing and that's the little girl won't have the heart of a gangster, but she's sure got the blood of them!”

He smiled and said, “My kind of girl.”

“We'll see. How did you do on your test today?”

“I shook hands with a lot of people and only messed up once.”

“And how was that?”

“I called the guy his twin's name.”

“Oh, ok. I've not got a good thing for twins. Sometimes it's hard to tell the difference.”

“He told me he had a mole next to his eye and his twin didn't. I know now.”

“Good. Here's the next test. What I want you to do is whenever we go somewhere, I want you to learn the names of people who serve us in some manner.”

“Why?”

“Because if you remember their names, they're most likely to remember you and bust their humps to give you special service.”

“What do you mean?”

“Ok, let's take the girl at the counter at the air terminal. She's got fifty people in line for her attention. You walk up and she knows your name because every time you walk up, you call her by name.

All these other people don't know her name and don't care to even attempt to know her name. She knows if she doesn't wait on you, you'll most likely be three hours in line waiting to take off. Does she wait on you? Or, does she make you wait?”

“She's going to wait on me.”

“That's why you do it. It's the same at restaurants and at anywhere you go. I'll tell you a story once and it's actually true.

Kevin and I went to a restaurant. We got there and really the only reason we go there is because they have homemade mashed potatoes. The rest of the food is generic, but I love the potatoes.

So, we sit down and when the girl come over, I called her by name and asked how her baby was doing since she had been pregnant once when we were there. She told us well and then took our order. I ordered Salmon and Kevin ordered Chicken or something. I can't remember.

Then, we saw the girl get over to a table that had been waiting longer than us. The man treated her like shit and when he asked for Salmon, she told him they were out. Right then and there, I knew she'd waited on us sooner because of us knowing her name and in doing so, she'd gotten me the last piece of salmon.”

He smiled. “You're showing me these things so I'll get treated better.”

“You'll get treated better, but people will look at you with more respect because you took the time to do it. Now, do you want to know what I'm going to do soon?”

“What?”

“I'm going to have you go into the kitchen of the restaurant we go to and speak to the cook. Ask him if the meat you're going to order is fresh and have him show you how he cooks it the way you order it.”

“Can I do that?”

“Let's say you can whereas most people don't.”

“Then what?”

“Afterwards, when you give a tip, you go into the kitchen and you tip the cook. After all, the service of the wait staff was only a part of your dining experience. It's the cook who made your meal.”

“Oh man!”

“You do the same at home. Why don't you do it at a restaurant?”

“What do you mean?”

“Don't you go over to the cooks or your mom and say, “Mom, this is good.”?”

“Yes”

“That's her tip. She made the meal good and her hearing it made her feel better.

It does the same to a cook. What I'll tell you now is the next time you come in and tell him you're there, the cook is going to ask you what table you're at. When your ticket comes to the window, it's going to get shuffled to the head of the line and it's going to be cooked with care. He'll do it for you because you made him feel special.”

“Really!”

“Hon, these are tricks you learn to compete and get the best treatment. I'll tell you now if you'll do it, when your ass is in a bind with time, they'll do all they can to help you better than someone else.”

He smiled, “I see why you're thought so well of by so many people.”

“Hon, I might be, but I do it because I've had some really shitty jobs where there was no thanks coming. I've also had jobs where people have given me compliments and I've given them discounts on their order. One time I even gave them my full employee discount because I knew they were poor, but they were rich in manners.”

He nodded and said, “From now on, I'll remember this.”

“That's why it's the first lesson I'm teaching you. It's the most important.”

“What's the next one?”

“I've already taught you it, but it's the next one too. It's never lying to anyone.”

“I know that.”

“It's damned hard not to do. There are multiple times daily I've got to do it and it's hard at times because someone you care about is asking you a question.”

“I've been there before.'

“Well, let me tell you a story. Ok?”

“Sure.”

“Back before I went to prison, I was a real alcoholic. Personally, I wasn' t taking care of myself well. I was in love with Chad, or so I thought, and one day we got up and went out to a place to do some shopping.

The whole time we were there, my hair was messed up and my shirt was on inside out. When I noticed, I asked him why he'd not told me. His remark was he hadn't noticed.

I'm sorry, but if I'm carrying on a conversation with you and your hair is all messed up, I'm going to tell you. 'Hey babe, your hair's messed up. OR, I'm going to reach over and fix it for you. And if your shirt is on inside out, I'm going to say, 'Hon, you dressed too fast. Your shirt is inside out.”

I'm sure not going to let you run around and have people wondering what the hell is going on with you.”

“I'd do that too.”

“Well, some people don't. To me, it told me he didn't give a fuck about me and I was with the wrong dude.”

“What if you've got someone works for us and is doing something wrong?”

“Like the funeral director?”

“He worked for us!”

“He works for Charleston who is under us.

With him, I tried. I was offering suggestions until we got to the point I knew even if we did a bail out, he'd still be robbing from his customers. That's when I stopped.

Sometimes, you can save a person, but if you can't save them from themselves, let them go.”

“Is that what you did with my dad?”

“Sad to say, but yes. The problem is when I was trying to help him, he was throwing attitude. Then, after the warnings, he got worse to the point he knew I was coming up here to try him and strip him of his authority. That's when he decided he could play the war card.”

“....And he lost.”

“Hon, if it could have been done differently, I would have done it. The problem is he was head strong and thinking I would back down. My problem is as much as I ever would have wanted to back down, I couldn't. My position is above his and the moment I would have backed down, he would think he could tell me what to do whenever wherever.”

“I understand.”

“Well, your job is to learn from me and know how to handle situations. HOWEVER, what you need to know is while you're running New York, you're going to be told things by me and I'll expect them done. You'll have to keep it in check until you take over my job. THEN, you can do as I did.”

“When's that?”

“What do you mean?”

“How long are you going to have the job?”

“God willing, I'll have it 20 years. When Steve leaves office, I'm going to leave. I'm turning it over to you and then, you'll have it for however long you do.”

“I'll be too old to do anything then!”

“You'll be my age. When I retire, I'll be David's age. With luck, that's how old you'll be when you retire and turn it over to hopefully, your son.”

He smiled and said, “Let's hope. I've got to find a girl first.”

“You being up for the head of the New York City family is going to have every member of the family slating for you to meet their daughter, grand daughter, niece, and girl next door. You'll be like Steve with all the free meals over to people's houses.”

He laughed and said, “Let's hope.”

“Hon, you say that, but I'm going to tell you how it will be. You're going to be dating nice Italian girls who have nice Italian mothers who like to cook their favorite and best. You'll eat so much pasta you're going to be sick of it. And, you're going to have some things which just taste awful. BUT, you'll have to paste on a smile and choke it down just to be nice.”

He smiled and said, “Like those one beans in there!”

“Yeah, it tasted like she never rinsed the dish out. Either that, or she wanted to give everyone diarrhea from the soap.”

“It tasted like straight soap.”

“The woman probably tried her best.”

“Yes, but it was awful.”

“I'll tell you a story. Back home, we have a Mexican restaurant which is tops in their food. They bring complimentary tortilla chips and salsa to the table. The chips are wonderful, however the salsa tastes like a cross between floor wax and soap. I can't say what it is, but it just tastes like they use the mop ringer bucket to make the stuff in.

What I do is when I go, I ask for refried beans and cheese for me to dip it in. My pay off is they give it to me just because I ask. The added benefit of it is the guys asses are so hot I enjoy watching them walk away from the table.”

“You're funny.”

“Hon, the guys know me. Let's say they pretend they know very little English while they're in the restaurant, but right behind my house and over one is their house. Those guys have a house at the end of the block too. In the alley, it's like a fucking fashion show of them walking back and forth when I'm in the yard working. “

He laughed. “Oh man!”

“Yeah, but Kevin and I were together, otherwise I'd be whistling and cheering.”

“Steve and you are together now.”

“Yeah, but we're not in that neighborhood. The problem now is I'd whistle and he'd walk out in the Sheriff's uniform and then that's be the last I'd ever see of them because they'd think we were going to deport them.”

“They illegal?”

“I'm not going to say they're illegal, and I'm not going to say they aren't. Let's just say they come in by way of U-haul and disappear when they do the deportation raids.”

He smiled. “That'd say they're illegal.”

“It's better to leave you to your own conclusions. I actually don't know. What I do know is one of them was legal, but he's responsible for my face being messed up, so I'm going to have his done equally as nice.”

“Why not just have him killed?”

“There are things worse than death. Walking around with your face not being the same as it was is one of them.”

The pastor walked up. “A cheek for a cheek?”

“And an eye for an eye. Mine was hanging out.”

He looked at my face. “I wouldn't have noticed if I hadn't heard the conversation.”

The pastor came over from behind a column.

“Sitting and lurking in the shadows. It's not becoming of a fella such as yourself.”

“I'm going to try to ask for leniency.”

“Sir, the man works under me. My position is to take care of those who are under me. Your God is in the same boat as me. Had he came and saw you screwing up like I found my guy, he'd pull you off the job too.

`Now, where you are with asking for leniency is fine. You're doing the Christian thing to do. BUT, say I grant it today. Then, tomorrow, we pull in several hundred drug dealers and you want to ask for leniency for them. Am I to do it because you asked? What I'll do is I'll tell you no now and save my time tomorrow because then it'll be 'fuck no'.”

The man looked shocked. “Your language!”

“Because you're a man of the cloth who thinks he should be respected? Sir, the man you're asking leniency probably has done this thousands of times through the years. Your God is going to drop kick the fucker right on out of Heaven on those merits alone.

You DO NOT take advantage of a person's grief. I don't do it in my line of work and you surely shouldn't do it in yours. He chose that line of work and he chose that option of screwing people when they're down. You might ask for leniency, but I'll tell you now the only reason I can see you asking is because you're getting a cut on the savings.”

“I'm not! How could you even insinuate?”

“I'm not insinuating shit. I'm trying to figure out why you're trying to come in waving a red flag and calling it a flag of truce. There's a reason you're coming up to me and I'll find out what it is.”

“They call me when a person doesn't have a preacher.”

“Ok, so you're whoring yourself out for fifty bucks a time and you're worried the gravy train is going to stop. I'll tell you what. That place of business isn't going to shut. We'll have someone in there and we'll have the services continue. When it happens, I'll get you the services. Deal?”

“Deal.”

“There, all you had to do was tell me the truth and it would have been better. Now, the man's ass is going to fry and your's is going to still get things as they were. The only difference will be things will be ran better.”

He nodded and looked at me. “What do you want for the favor?”

“Preach my wedding.”

“What!”

“Steve's going to pop the question. I'll go through with a service, but when it comes to filing the wedding license, we're not going to do it. You know as well as I do the people who attend a wedding don't ask to see the wedding license being filed, so they don't have to know it's not in this case. What we've got to do is make it look legitimate.”

“I can't do that!”

“Because we're gay?”

“My denomination won't allow it.”

“It's a shame when love has to be blind.”

He looked at me shaking his head, “I'm sorry.”

I looked at Robert and said, “Robert, look at the man apologize and hear his apology. In the future, I'll tell you an apology can mean hate and you'll know what I mean when I say it. This man knows the difference between right and wrong and he chooses to be told by others to hate.”

Robert looked at the guy an asked. “Would you kill them if they asked you to?”

“NO! OF couse not!”

“Hmmm, it sounds like the only difference between you and me is I will. You freely hate which you preach against and you freely step in front of someone who has been wronged for a dollar bill. I do it too. My only difference is you'll do so in the name of a religion and I do so because this man asks me. It's damned interesting.”

Robert turned and walked off. I looked at the man and said, “Sir, I'll get you that job preaching in the funeral home because I gave my word.

Don't expect another favor. None will be granted. IF you dare speak a word of what you know, I'll know it came from you and will make it so your only place of preaching will be that funeral home.”

He looked shocked. “You surely don't mean!”

“That I'll have you killed? No. Let's just say you can be found in compromising positions which photos can be taken. You'll find your congregation here will be mailed those photos. I think it'd be interesting what they'd say if you asked for leniency from them.

Don't ask me for any more favors. Your religion won't stand for it.” I spat out.

David came over and said to the preacher. “Your church has loans. Tomorrow, have them paid or I'll foreclose. The bank is mine.”

The preacher looked shocked.

Dave said, “Man, you had a choice. You chose to believe and spread hate. I'll spread it just as freely when he won't. Know it's from me instead of him when you have to explain it to your congregation tonight. I'll definitely let them know my reasons when they come to ask for that leniency.”

I looked at the parson and said, “Your leniency will beget mine. I'm not asking you for a church wedding. I'm asking you for your services.”

He nodded and said, “If I do, I'll lose my job.”

Dave said, “Man, without a building, your congregation is going to lose. You take it to them and see what they have to say. If you think just because you pay the loan off it will get us to retract the favor we expect, you're nuts. We'll burn the building.

The way I suggest you taking it to them is you'll be seen as the Governor's personal pastor. You'll be up there handing over the Bible when he's inaugurated. You'll preach his wedding and he'll be the one calling you for official state funerals. I imagine they'd pay some real decent dollars.”

“I'll ask them.”

“When you speak with your deacons, ask Brown how his teenage daughter is doing. That question should make him confess his relations with her. Ask Brother Brooks what his brother in law is going to do if he needs another job. That should tell him you're aware they're stealing from the shrimping company he works for. Ask Brother Estofan if he's got a problem with the bank. That should tell him you're onto the fact he's embezzled more than a million from it at last count.

You do all it and when you find out your back yard is dirtier than your own, you'll see they'll allow you to bend your principles. Their's are bent all to hell.”

I turned to Dave and said, “IF they don't bend, then I want you to prosecute on the whole mess. We'll start by cleaning things up we know about.”

Dave said, “Sir, I have a little old lady in your congregation who really loves cooking sherry. Your problem is she's your secretary. One of my fellas has her heart and the moment you think to tell her she can't see him, she'll tell you about some of your own misdeeds with an accounting method you use to pay for that car of yours.”

He looked shocked and Dave said, “Sir, people love to tell the damnedest secrets. It's amazing what you can find out if someone who knows wants to talk.”

I walked off. Dave came over and said, “Hon, we'll get you someone to make it look legit.”

“Dave, people want things and yet, they don't want to give anything to get.”

“Hon, you're going to find out it's the way it is in all things. I'll tell you one thing. If you watch the movie “Needful Things”, you'll understand the role of the man better. You have and they want. They'll do all sorts of things to get, but then, when it comes time to pay, suddenly you're the asshole.”

“I've seen it. I like a lot of what King does with his stories.”

“He's a realist. He takes certain reactions people have and makes them expanded with the 'what might be'.”

“True. A few of the story thoughts I have are based upon those principles, but if I wrote them all out, they'd think of me as a copycat.”

“Like what?”

“One is a story based upon the anti-aging drugs they have which are supposed to stop dementia and Alzheimer. What would happen if the FDA just happened to be in a rush and put through the medication even if there were side effects of people's brains enlarging and it sending grandma or grandpa into fits of rage that would kill everyone.”

“Oh man.”

“Yeah, they'd be drooling in their Cheerios and a prosecutor would be trying to say they did it.”

“Another one would be based upon an Asteroid coming and being a huge magnet. It doesn't have to come close to Earth. All it has to do is be out there enough that it draws everything made of metal to it. Look at what we have around us and think what would happen if all decided to go up and towards it at the same time.”

“You're really interesting with that stuff.”

“It's just taking a look at things and wondering 'what if'.”

He smiled and said, “What if someone came into the mafia and dated a guy and then thought he got out only to find out he was drug back in and going to lead it.”

“Not funny David. That's beyond horror.”

He chuckled and said, “It's consuming, isn't it?”

“It is, but I've got to get control of it and make it work for me.”

“I'm back around. I'll help.”

“What I need from you is a clear understanding of what you do with people and how they work for you. It seems like I have to take the long way of doing things to do yours which you make look effortless.”

“They do it for me because they're used to doing it for me. What you don't see is that man out there in Vegas cowing to you when he's been a real dick to me all along.”

“You're his boss. He needs to know it.”

“He's had issues with it.”

“Replace him. I bet when his ass is replaced, you can get someone in who will do his job to your standards.”

“Rhette, it's not that easy. The feds are all over those guys out there.”

“And we've got feds who are under us. So what?”

“You say 'so what', all it takes is one arrest and I've got a felony and those licenses can't be up under me.”

“ I can't own them with a felony on my record. You own them on paper?”

“Yeah.”

“Ok, so you do it and you let the man know you're not going to kiss his ass to get along with him. IF he thinks he can go to the feds, fight it and I'll have his ass disappear. It's called blackmail. You're bucking to it and he's got the power. Why don't you stop that shit?”

“You did.”

“It wasn't making sense. If your name is on the license, then rightfully, you've got a percentage coming. He can't hold any over your head and if the casino is paying the taxes on the money, you're free and clear.”

“You're better about cutting through the shit than I am about it. My problem is when someone gets spooked, I don't think calmly and rationally. I do the “Henny Penny Shuffle” saying the sky is falling.”

“Dave, I never knew that. I'll work with you on it, but with me, I'm used to having shit fall and then having to step back and reassess to do damage control. Your dad taught me that.”

“You got that side of him. It's sad to say, but I was the one he made accountable for problems. It's why I get paranoid when problems arise.”

“I'm sorry. I never knew. Is that why you're so diligent when it comes to business?”

“Some.”

“Well, let handle this thing as a team. I'll cover your ass if you'll cover ours with that diligence. What we will have to do is get Dom trained, but that should be no biggie.”

“I'm not sure what he knows and doesn't know.”

“True, and what he learned under your grandpa has to be forgotten. The second he tries pulling that shit on my men there, I'll be in stomping that old man's ass.”

Dave smiled and said, “Rhette, you'll look at him and think of dad. I'm afraid you could fall for him like you did dad.”

“The personalities are different. He looks identical, but I imagine things are way different.”

Dave smiled and said, “How close is the voice?”

“His is different. Gino's was lower with more brogue. His is higher with less....more like your Meemaw's.”

“I want him to learn the lower so I can use it on my sis.”

“What are you going to do with her?”

“Oh nothing. I just want her to think she saw dad and me together someplace and be going a little mental. Then, a few days later, I'll have her see us again and really have her thinking she's seeing things. Then, what I'll do is I'll have him call her and have her hear the voice and have the caller I.d. Telling her it came from dad's phone number.”

“You didn't have it changed over?”

“No. I pay the bill, but it's still the same as it ever was there.”

“That Rolls is still in the basement?”

“Yeah.”

“Oh man.”

“The look on your face.”

“I'll have to drive that car. It was the car love bought. He bought the car because he was going to leave all the men there and sneak off without them to come visit me in college.”

“Is that why he had it?”

“Yeah, but only one time in a year and a half did he do it.”

“Ooh, the hurt in your voice when you say that is telling me volumes.”

“Hon, if he had just visited and kept his word, I'd be there with him today. What he did was he damaged it to the point I went on. He was telling me to go on and yet, I was telling him I wanted to stay. Then, he neglected it to death by not coming.

After a while, it was to the point I was tired of the excuses. After a while, he stopped making excuses and I stopped thinking he cared.”

“The story of my childhood.”

“Really?”

“Rhette, he was always too busy. Yet, when it came time to give me hell, he had plenty of time. Meemaw would apologize for him and finally one day, she got told I knew he didn't care and to stop apologizing for him.

She slapped my face, but I told her to slap him around if he cared. I then asked why I was to be respectful of a man that wouldn't give me the time of day. She mumbled and then, I told her. IF HE CARES, you don't mention the next ball game and see if he comes. WHEN HE DOESN'T, I don't want to hear a thing. He won't remember because he doesn't care.”

“Dave, I'm sorry.”

“He did you the same way. It's not your fault.”

I hugged him. “Dave, your difference is you were trying to get him to love you and I knew he loved me. I loved him too, but I knew he put the family between us.”

“He put them between us too. It's pretty bad when everyone tells you what a wonderful father you have and you look at the man and wonder why it is you don't know him.”

“Things got better.”

“I know. BUT, it's like his affections could turn on when he knew I was above the age of college.”

“I wonder why that is?”

“I don't know, but it seems his worth of me measured in what I could do for the organization instead of as a person and his son.”

“Interesting.”

“Don't analyze it. I've tried. The nearest I can figure is he only had us kids to carry on the name and to be a part of the organization. I think if he'd had his way, we wouldn't have been born and he would have been able to be gay.”

“I don't know. If that's the case, I'm sure he would have already had someone by the time I came on the radar.”

“You were great for him.”

“Well, I know he loved you and had pride in you by the time I came on the scene.”

Dave said, “I'm glad to hear it, but I know I didn't matter.”

“Bullshit. The man worried over how you were going to look at him knowing we were together.”

“He never had to face it. The moment I knew was when you stepped forward in that trial and took that sledge from him. The way he looked at you was so full of love it just came as a shock to me. BUT, what everyone else saw was him handing the power over to you.”

“I never wanted it. What I was doing was helping a man who was so tired with a job I knew he had to do. It wasn't disrespect and it wasn't me wanting power. It was me helping him do the job....that's all it was.”

“Hon, you know it and I know it, but everyone else saw something else. Personally, everyone wanted to know what I thought and I told them until he made it official to not read more into it than what was said.”

“What I'm getting is you're telling me he handed over power at that moment and then you're saying he never told you?”

“I told people he handed over power so they'd view you as the power. It got me off the hook with making the decisions which were unpopular. I could always blame them on you.”

“So I never had power?”

“No, but yes.”

“Ok, then explain it to me because I'm feeling you've lied to me here.”

“He never formally handed over power to me. Then, we have you taking the sledge which is a power transfer. When the Will was read, all his power wasn't given, but all his worldly goods were given to you. It doesn't take a brilliant person to figure where he wanted the power given.”

“Dave, don't read into it more than what you have. To me, it said he loved me and knew I loved the house. Why he gave all the other property is beyond me, but I know why he gave the house.”

“He gave every building over every tunnel entrance to the underworld to you. Can you explain that?”

“Maybe he's giving you the power but telling you he and I's relationship needed to be accepted as a part of him in order for you to take the reins.”

“I did it. I accepted you to the point I made it where I looked like I worked for you and you got the power.”

“You boxed yourself in. I don't know why you do it, but when it comes to power, you work great when it's not yours, but when it's being given to you, you don't want it. You did it when he gave it to you and you've done so when I've given it to you.”

He smiled. “Rhette, I want to retire.”

“Yes, and I do too. Aren't we both in a mess!” I said giggling.

“Get the kid trained and get him going on things.”

“No, there's going to be twenty years he's going to be trained for this job. The power is such even I get amazed by the abilities I have. That's why I want you to be there for me to keep me in check.”

“You're doing well. Sometimes you come on a little strong and use a brick on the windows to wake someone up when a pebble will do, but the result is they're awake when you're done.”

“Dave, you see that man over there?” Pointing to Kevin.

“Yeah.”

“He said I passed all the classes he could teach but tactfulness. He said I got an F when it came to impulsive decisive behaviors to quote him.”

Dave laughed and said, “That's not all bad.”

“No, but what I learned was what I needed to do was think about the way we did things before and then do them the same way. It works and that's why I need you to show me how to do them.”

He smiled and said, “You're been going off how my dad has done them, haven't you?”

“For a large part, yes. What I've been doing is I've been going off what advice I get from little John, you, or others.”

“You're doing good.”

“Well, there's no manual on how to be a mafia head, so I've been winging it. We really need a manual.”

He smiled and chuckled. “Wouldn't the feds love that one!”

“They'd probably learn a thing or two, but the end result was I'd have something to work from.”

“Is that what was scaring you?”

“When?”

“When I was laying there in that hospital?”

“Yes, but no. For a large part, I was scared because I had no clue who to go to with questions I had about who to talk with. We really need to have those people aware we have people to go to.”

“I showed you the fail safes.”

“Yeah, with passwords which wouldn't mean a thing to me. Our password should be Gino.”

“Ok, I'll get those changed.”

“Dave, I'm not trying to be difficult. It's just when someone is expecting something from me and I have to really think about it... knowing if I fail, if they hang up and a never talk to me again, I panic. I need something which I'll think of on the fly.”

“I know.”

“Ok, let's work on this together.”

“What are your plans for the rest of the week?”

“Tomorrow is going to St. Louis. Robert has to go to his mom's and I've got to go visit the Cardinal and pick up Jeff. Then, I've got to high tail it here and get proposed to. Tomorrow night is open.”

“Ok”

“On Friday, I've got to do Miami, and get up to Dayton. I should get over to St. Louis, but I doubt if I get there.”

“You've got to get to Las Vegas too.”

“Ok, Friday night I'll go to Vegas.”

“Why don't you and Steve make it a nice weekend getaway out there and let Robert go home.”

“Ok, that sounds like a plan. All you had to say was you wanted alone time with Rose and I would have given it to you.”

He smiled. “No!”

“Yes!”

“Well, it's that, but that's not why I asked. What I'm looking at is you two having time alone to be yourselves without either one of you having anything expected of you.”

“Not possible unless I'm staying at a place which isn't ours. If it's ours, I'm going to be constantly judging and appraising it to what perfection I expect.”

“I understand. It's what we've been taught.”

“So what I've got to do is not stay there.”

“No, stay there and freely step off in their asses. What you don't know is I've already been there and you should be met with perfection.”

“Ok, if that's the case, it'll be refreshing.”

He smiled and paused, “Rhette, I'm not well liked there. I make those people work overtime on their attitudes. To me, every employee of the place should be everyone's concierge. What I expect is if I ask someone a question of where the ice machine is, I shouldn't have to go get my own ice. It should be a question of how fast I'll have it.”

“I understand, but that's mind reading to an extent.”

“True, but those people out there are getting better.”

“Let's hope, but don't knock them for not being totally perfect.”

“For a long time, I looked at that place as my ideal of a retirement spot. To me, it was a place to have it nice and have plenty of servants to cater to every whim, but still having privacy when a door was shut.”

“We do have those problems. I'm getting used to knowing I'm getting watched, but it's a headache.”

“What you need to do is have more confidence in your men's abilities. I hear you want a personal assistant when the question should be why you're not using the personal assistants you've already got.”

“Ok, but it's hard to work on something and aim a pistol at someone.”

“One of them can watch the one's back who is working for you, but the others should be watching yours.”

“It will take some getting used to. What I expect is they be outfitted with those phones so I can get a bunch of numbers stored on them.”

HE smiled. “Little John gets you spoiled with his number system.”

“Yeah!”

“I'll tell you how he does it. Up in the satellite sky, is a link up which he's got access to a database. What he does to pull a number is dials two numbers. The person's first initial and their last. It gives him options on his screen as to who could be and he has it within five button pushes.”

“Get that system for me.”

“It's on your phone. Here, take a look. Look for me. I'm DC, number 32 on your keypad. Ok, look there. I'm third down after Frederique and David from St. Louis.”

“Amazing.”

“Just bump down to highlight me and then press the green button. It dials me and I'm on the way.”

“Anything else neat about this?”

“You dial that phone and it rings me, it tells me exactly where you are via GPS. It also gives me access to dial your phone based upon your last coordinates in the past fifteen seconds.”

“Huh?”

“Look at my screen. You see if I push on your name, I get your GPS coordinates as to where we are right now. If I want, all I have to do is dial those coordinates into my phone and call whatever phone is at that position.”

“Cool, but what if it calls yours?”

“Me calling you from the same one is going to get you. Now, look over there. You see Steve's coordinates?”

“Yeah.”

“I can call there and get him. OR, if someone else sits down there, I can get them without knowing their number.”

“Amazing.”

“Yeah, the thing about it is if you ever need a person's phone number, you sit in every seat in a place and pull those coordinates. Then, when a function is happening, you dial their coordinates and it'll give you their phone number.”

“So you can get all sorts of people's numbers that way?”

“Yeah, but numbers are numbers unless they're used. Then, it's a situation of how they're used. Between you and I, I can use them to be of good use, or I can use them to be bad.”

“I know, but what we need to do is get the numbers of those judges and prosecutors here who are bad.”

“Done deal. In fact, I've got their meeting location so bugged it's like they're broadcasting for me when they are meeting. What's even more interesting is I've got their cars and houses so bugged, I know what they're doing before anyone else. I'll tell you one of the people are going to go down for having an illicit affair with the daughter of his buddy.”

“Huh?”

“She's fifteen. He's fifty three and married. His buddy, the judge has no clue he's banging the daughter. What he doesn't know is he's a creature of habit and gets the same motel room time after time after time.

What I've done is taken the time to get our men into that motel and get cameras all over that room. There are even three of them above the bed.”

“Anything good come from it?”

“A lot. He uses the girl as his pick up to do a lot of things. She gets money from him based upon what he gets picked up. If you didn't know what he was doing, you'd say he had learned a few things from us...he's got extortion down like you'd not believe.”

“Ok, what is is position and please don't tell me prosecuting attorney.”

“Close. He's the Magistrate Judge. His buddy is the Circuit Judge.”

“Is the prosecuting attorney dirty?”

“Yeah”

“What about the Attorney General. I don't want the man running for Governor off what we get done here.”

“The Attorney General is a man of many passions. One of them aspires to be Governor, but one of them aspires to dress in women's clothing and get spanked while he rolls around in lime jello. He's got enough dirt on him I can easily get him unelectable.”

“What's his power base?”

“His power base is a bunch of people up there in Charleston who are do gooders. They think because he quotes scripture he must be great, but I'll tell you the man quotes scripture when he's rolling in the jello getting spanked in his panties.”

“You have video of this?”

“Got it and a lot more.”

“Clear face shots?”

“Yeah.”

“Let him run against Steve all the way up to the week before election. Then, you have a media blitz which has those video shots. I want them ready so the second he attempts to use anything against us, we can have him visited and told this will be our next be advertising campaign.

You release the advertising and let it do the damage. I don't want the man to think he can back off and we'll back off.”

He smiled. “You get ruthless.”

“This is a tightrope walk through hell. The man's going to believe he can shake our rope and we'll stop and shake his. He'll think if he backs off, the we'll do the same.

My problem is if I have to pause to shake his rope, I'm going to want the fucker knocked off his so I don't have to pay attention to what he's doing again. He'll go down in a blaze of scandal and all he points fingers at after that will be ignored.”

“Shrewd.”

“So save the video and have it prepared to take him out. As long as we have knowledge of our opponent's weaknesses, we can use it.

Now, what about the Governor?”

“The Governor is a puppet. He's also working for the same bunch in Charleston. The bed there is so big it's like an orgy. The group is politically powerful, but it's also their achilles tendon...if we take them out, we take away the power.”

“Is it easily done?”

“No, they control media and news for most of the state. They're also behind the State Senator and they all protect each other.

What I do know is we've got them where we want them because their businesses are ran by our people. We'll know what they plan before they get it pulled on us and we'll have our people blow their stations, presses, and transmitters before it happens.”

“What are they doing about this here in regards to the Governor?”

“Little John made some calls. He threatened financial threats and they backed away. If they know Steve is coming banging on the door for the Governor's job, they'll get nasty and they'll do it fast. My thought is they'll lob a warning shot across our bow.”

“When they do it, you find the one with the most power and you blow his house to hell. If it's all electric, you have a gas explosion. If it's a natural gas furnace, you have a kerosene explosion. I want the man to know it wasn't an accident and the investigators to be scratching their heads.”

“Ok, but that will have them really out for blood.”

“Get the goods on them and the Governor. We've got him a black eye already with this down here.

Where my problem lays is me trying to get Steve looking strong using their media outlets. They've got to be brought into check and done so in a way they know we'll take it all out to get him into office.”

“My fear is they'll play along and then pull the plug when it gets too hot and heavy closer to the election.”

“You're forgetting one thing. We're using a warning shot of blowing up the big shot's house. They pull that shit and I'll have a million people brought in and have them handing out flyers asking why Steve's messages got shut off.

Then, what I'll do is I'll have all their houses blow at the same time when they're at a fundraiser. On the way home, I'll have a roadblock with a guy handing those people a flier for Steve. They'll know who it came from and they'll know to either turn things back on or the next shot will be the one that takes the whole bunch out.”

“You'll go that far”

“Here is the rule of war I'll take up. If they come in looking for a fist fight, I'll pull a ball bat. IF they bring a bat, I'll pull a pistol. They bring a pistol, I'll bring a bomb. They want to use a bomb on me, I'll take it nuclear.”

He smiled and said, “You got that from my dad.”

“Yes because it makes sense. What I also got from your dad was the switch up tactic. Lead them to think x is going to happen and then, have Y happen. It really screws with their brains.”

“Let me get the message sent we're going to run your boy and they're expected to contribute to the cause. Who knows, they might decide to fall into line and leave him be.”

“Miracles happen!”

“I doubt it. They've got too much to lose by pulling their boy. Besides, he's strong in this state. There's a reason we went with CNN being our main news outlet for this and that's it.”

“Ok, so what we need to do is get geared up to fight dirty.”

“Hon, it's not like it's going to be dirty all the time. Right now, we're giving them a lot of ammo which they'll use.

An aerial shot of the house out there will have lots of questions being asked. It's going to be hard to explain where the money for all the guys came from and who has access to an army of guys like us without being dirty.

Another thing we've got is you hiding in a dress. Sooner, or later, they're going to find out and it's going to be the most damaging item you've got. It's the proverbial elephant in the middle of the room and although Steve's a Republican, Dems don't like looking adoringly at elephants. You show them some ass and they'll gaze in awe, but I'll tell you now they're going to really have this blow up on you.”

“I know.”

“What you do is you've got to get a body double. You've got to get those pin up photos taken. In those photos, you've got to show them what you can and have them seeing what they want to see and if ever questioned seeing nothing there when they look.”

“So show them camel toe and not any chance of a bulge.”

“Yes, but at the same time, I want you spotted out in a bikini and those photos taken by paparazzi which makes it look like their spies couldn't even get you found out.

What we'll have is a few days notice before they break the story and we'll drop those photos and have them surface about the time they want to accuse you of being a guy. A photo in this case is going to blow their story out of the water as being false.”

“I can duct tape it only so tight, but I'll tell you now it'd take a miracle to give me that look.”

“Hon, you're not hearing me. We need a body double. We need someone who is going to be seen in a micro bikini bent over and telling her sexual history. BUT, I want it to look like she's got a C Section scar.”

“Why? I don't have one.”

“Because later, you can lift your shirt and laugh at the press for being idiots and telling them it's clearly not you.”

“You're sly. That's a hell of an idea.”

“Hon, what I want is their people to use the photos and think they're really showing something. What they're doing is playing into our hands down the road for the lawsuit you'll be sending their way.”

“We get them to clear me and then have them sued for clearing me. Is that wise?”

“It keeps them on their toes.”

“What I want is something we're going to have to get for ourselves.”

“What's that?”

“I want our guys to gradually start getting addresses of residence all over the state. What we're going to do is we're going to have them vote when it's time. I figure if we have to throw and election, the favor will be our direction.”

“Hon, you're acting like we could lose. The whole thing is not letting it get that far. What we need is a smooth progressive advance where you two do everything perfectly.

Tomorrow, you're doing it great by publicizing the proposal. We'll do it up right and then, we'll have the wedding being really public.

It's my thought with a huge proposal like that, we'll have a huge wedding and CNN wanting to be a part of it with some very big magazines showing the photos.”

“Can we manipulate the magazines like that?”

He smiled. “Hon, who do you think owns a lot of them? US!

When we run the story, it will be very complimentary. When we have those news programs running their stories to really make you two the couple of the century, they're going to be all the way down to the wedding license being signed and the photos taken with it. I'm going to have that wedding shot so many different angles, no one is going to say it's fake.”

I smiled and said, “Ok, now, what I want is Beck to be a bridesmaid. Rose is going to get a special honor of being the mother in law of the bride just like the mother of the bride will be my mom. We'll play this thing up and then, we'll have a lot of notables being invited.”

He smiled and said, “Hon, I just want the Who's who of South Carolina invited and feeling like they'll not get ahead professionally if they don't come.”

“What I want is for us to not get so involved with this we forget failure is right around the corner.”

“I know that.”

“Me too. That's why I'm going to have a photo of a pistol strapped to my thigh for when I'm lifting my dress for him to get the garter.”

He laughed and said, “You're putting your mind into the details in a big way.”

“It's the compromising position of the whole thing. They could fake the photo and have me with a boner and him on his knees. How would you handle it then?”

“We could refute it.”

“We can refute it with a pistol strapped there. If the pistol is distorted, then the photo is distorted. We go in suing and then, we don't back off.”

He nodded and said, “We need to get in there. The party is starting to break up.”

I got up and said, “Dave, just ride with me on this. I know it's a hard haul, but we'll get there and see it delivered.”

I went in and went over to Rose. Dave being with me got noticed. He coming over and standing so close to her really got noticed.

One woman asked Rose, “Who's your gentleman friend?”

“Oh David! He's a family friend I've had for a long time. Steve met him at a Sheriff's function about six years ago and through the years, he's been invaluable to me. When James got sick, I don't know what I would have done without those phone calls of encouragement.”

David's eyes were flashing and I knew he was upset by the deceit.

The woman said, “He's quite attractive. Is he single?”

Rose smiled looking at him and said, “I believe he's taken.”

David smiled and said, “My heart is devoted entirely to one person.” while looking at Rose.

“Oh dear, she's a lucky soul.” The woman said breathlessly.

I went over and hugged Steve. I knew this woman's questions were one of a gossip monger and the best way to feed the machine was to get positive thoughts in.

“Oh, look at Steve. I believe he's actually found love at last!”

He leaned back and looked at me. “Yes, I've found the love of my life. I hope it's not upsetting to all the womenfolk around here, but I'm not marrying a local girl.”

“Thanks God she's not a Yankee.”

I chuckled and Steve said, “Missouri was a southern sympathizer state, was it not?”

“I couldn't tell you. All I know was I wasn't born then.” I said giggling. “My son treats me like I should be that old, but he'll learn some day.”

Robert hearing his name came over. “Helen! There you are! I've been meaning to ask you about your rum balls.”

The woman said, “Honey, they're yours if you want them.”

“Thank you! They're the best I've ever tasted.”

“You're such a sweetheart. I'll have more made come Christmas.”

I turned. “It was you who brought them! I thought they were lovely myself.”

Rose said, “She also brought the bourbon chicken.”

“That chicken was amazing! I make bourbon chicken, but the way I was taught is strips. I love the littler pieces. It makes them stay upon the fork better.”

She smiled. “Oh dear, You do my heart good with your compliments.”

“Well, I had no idea who it was that brought it, but I was telling David outside just a moment ago I thought they were good.”

Dave nodded.

Robert came over and said, “Mom, is it ok if I have the rum balls, please?”

“Sure hon, but you can't have them all at once. We'll have to have you one a night.”

He nodded and said, “Thank you.”

“You're welcome hon. Did you thank everyone for coming?”

“Yes. I learned a lot of people's names.”

Helen said, “I'd say! The boy has a brain which just latches onto people's names. He's amazing with it. Why, I was overhearing how everyone thought he was an absolute delight.”

“He's a treasure to have with me. These past few weeks were most difficult, but I'm glad he's back.”

“Where was he?”

Robert looked at her and said, “My father passed back in Missouri. I was there with him. Mama insisted I be with him as she said I'd never forgive her if I weren't.”

“I agree. It might be hard, but it's something you'll be thankful for later. Your mother is a wise woman.” She looked at me and asked, “ARE there wedding bells in your future?”

“IF he asks, I'm sure I'll say yes. It's just finding the time. He's busy with this explosion and everything.”

She nodded. And said, “Steve, you going to propose?”

“Helen, I'd do it now, but sooner than you think I've got something really romantic planned. All I can say is stay tuned to CNN because when it happens, the country is going to be overwhelmed by how romantic I can be.”

“This isn't helping her to be surprised!” She said.

“We've talked about it enough I'm completely ready whenever he is. It's his first, so I'm going to do what I can to make it special for him. He's being a Godsend with accepting Robert.”

“How do you two get along?” She asked Steve.

Steve smiled and said, “Wonderfully. He's a great kid and we handle whatever comes up.”

Robert blushed and said, “Dad!”

She laughed and said, “You two are already close, I'm happy.”

“He's a great kid. His mom and dad did a great job with him. He's mannerly, polite, and a real good kid.”

“I'd say, normal kids would be out running around getting into trouble. I saw with my own two eyes him helping Bob Green carry his plate and get him into a seat. Then, he went over and helped Carol Nelson with her plate. The boy was actively attending to others in ways which brought him much respect from me.”

I hugged him to me and said, “Hon, I'm proud of you.”

“Mom, it's the least I can do. There was a lot of people who needed help, so I helped.”

Helen said, “Robert, that's what this country needs more.... Young people with your attitude.”

I turned to Steve and said, “Hon, we need to get ready to go. I've got a long day tomorrow and so do you.”

Helen asked, “Is Robert going to school here?”

“No, fortunately, we've got a home schooling plan which allows him to travel with me in my profession. His teacher will be flying with us on the jet and he'll be far more advanced than kids in the school.”

“But he doesn't get interaction with children his own age.”

“Yes, but his interaction is with people who appreciates him doing for them. As you can see, the rewards are much more beneficial.”

“Well, I guess so.”

“Robert's grades are already on the advanced level. With a little encouragement, I'd say he could be over New York City some day and not have a problem doing it.”

“Mom! My plan is the USA!”

“Well hon, you do that. We'll get your dad into the Governor's office and that way, you'll know you've got South Carolina behind you.”

She laughed and said, “And Missouri! I'm afraid they'll surely be missing you when you leave there.”

“I'm here now. I'll be sure to make time to come over and see you at Ridge Crest.”

“You've got Ridge Crest?”

“Yes, it's been my home for the last forty years.”

“A very beautiful home.”

“Where's your house dear?”

“My house is out at the Colleton Plantation development.”

“Oh, very beautiful homes.”

Steve said, “Helen, you remember the one the developer was showing the drawings of at that meeting we attended?”

“Oh yes!”

“Rhette bought that place. In fact, that's how we met!”

“Really?”

Steve told the story and she said, “Was a man by the name of Collins the real estate person who was so rude to you?”

“Yes.”

“I know of him. I've heard a lot of stories about him, but one of them is the buyer doesn't get what they pay for.”

“I'm wondering what he does with the things he takes?”

“Dear, I'll tell you the plan. He and a few of his buddies planned on selling those places and not getting them the memberships to the country club.

What they planned on doing was excluding the members one by one until they place didn't have the financial ability to stay afloat. Then, they'd buy it and develop another round of houses where the golf courses are.”

“That can't happen, that'd put a house withing a few hundred yards of mine!”

“Fortunately, you've got a membership. A lot of the people he's scammed don't.”

Steve said, “I'll begin looking into things. It's out and out fraud if the owner believes he's selling the membership with the house and the buyer isn't made aware. In my opinion, they're failing to realize the owner is still the owner of that membership.

What I'll do is make those people aware of it and get them to personally turn them over to the new owners of the houses. It should relieve Collins of his scam and publicly embarrass him since his former employer is moving to have his real estate license taken.”

She said, “I'm glad Rhette made the complaints he did.”

Steve said, “What I like is Rhette has a voice recorder on him at all times.”

Robert said, “It's what it took for her to get what she needed in the divorce from my father. Otherwise, he'd have lied more than he did.”

“Robert! Your father was a lovely man. Don't be exposing his flaws.”

He blushed and said, “Mama, you speak too kind of him. He was cruel and you know it.”

“Honey, civil tones are what you need to speak with in regards to him. How would you feel if someone spoke of me in those tones?”

“I'd put them in their place!”

“And remember at one time, I loved him and won't tolerate you speaking so unkindly about him. If you love me, you need to love him the same. It's hard, but it's what it takes.”

“Ok mom.”

Helen said, “I can tell your divorce wasn't amicable. It's nice you can speak of him with so much fondness.”

I looked dead off at Kevin and said, “I loved him once. It's not his fault things happened to take it away. Our relationship was built upon trust, but when it was gone, there wasn't going to be anything which held it together.”

“I agree.”

“I still love him and the memories I had, but going on, I'm building those memories with Steve.”

“And he loves you so much already.”

Rose said, “Rhette's grown to be a part of all our hearts as has Kevin.”

Helen turned to Kevin and said, “I didn't get to meet you too much, what's your story hon?”

“Not much. I'm a countless drifter who rolled in with the tide and settled upon the shore. JT was there and grabbed my heart.”

Helen said, “Those suits certainly cost more than a drifter could afford.”

I said, “Kevin, you might want to let her know you're easily worth a hundred million and that drifting was done in pretty comfortable surroundings.”

She grinned like a Cheshire cat. “So you were going to fail to tell me you were loaded.”

“Ma'am, I don't like people to know it. It changes their concept of me when they learn about it.”

She nodded and said, “Well, you found the right fella. I've known for a long time JT was that way. He might've thought he had everyone fooled, but I could see him gaze away when a fella was near.”

I smiled at JT and his blush was beet red.

Rose said, “Helen, you know I've supported both of my sons equally. When JT came to me, I told him it was what it took to make him happy, I'd support it.”

“His daddy never would have supported it though.”

“His daddy made his own way in life.” Rose said, “I believe it was you who once told me James had conquered more hearts than even I knew.

We all know he did so without loyalty to whom he had at home. All I wish for JT and for Steve is they do what they shall in life with love in their homes enough to keep them situated.”

When Rose was done, I saw Helen blanch. I knew what Rose had said was for a reason and I believe it was aimed at telling Helen she was aware she and James had been an item once.

Steve said, “For me, I know I've got the one for me.”

JT said, “Helen, you might or might not understand, but for me, I've looked in a lot of places for love and never found it. Then, I met Kevin and it was suddenly clear how foolish I'd been. I know a lot of people won't support us, but they're not the ones who ultimately keep us warm at night. I know as long as I'm true to him, we'll make it. “

I said, “It takes work on all sides as far as faithfulness goes. We all know that. “

Rose nodded and asked, “Wouldn't you agree Helen?”

“Of course!” I knew the way Rose was pinning Helen, the history was something directly related to Helen.

I turned and went over to get some of the Glad containers some kind people had provided.

The way things go is the wake is for those who come to the funeral. After the wake, the leftovers are to be taken home by the family of the deceased. It is almost an insistment with people because it's considered bad form to take leftovers home from a wake. BUT, based upon that form, it's also bad form to refuse to take leftovers home from a wake.”

Robert came over and said, “Grandma was hammering on Helen over there. I've heard a few things about old James today which all point directly to Helen being James' main squeeze after he broke it off with Uncle Randy's mom.”

“Oh really!”

“Yeah, old Helen told a lot of people she's more woman than what James had at home. She also said Rose wasn't very much a woman because she couldn't control her man.”

“Did they say old James only had half a dick when he was banging Helen because Rose shot off the other part?”

“Really!”

“Yeah. So, I'd say Rose knew how to take care of the problem thereby making Helen half a cock sucker.”

“Mama! Your language in church appalls me!”

“Son, you really must tell me more of what you heard.”

“Oh, I will! IT seems like people talk an awful lot at a wake and it's not all in good terms about the dead.”

“True. I told you that.”

“Yes, but there are things we're going to have to cover soon, I'm afraid.”

“As in how soon?”

“Soon soon. There's some property over on Hilton Head and Bull Head which apparently the family doesn't know about which James was in partnership with some of the people whom are wanting to develop it.”

“Oh really!”

“Yeah, the talk is they're trying to figure out a way for the family to give up rights to it without knowing they've even got it. They're talking about sneaking paperwork on the Sheriff's desk and having him sign it with a bunch of paperwork.”

“Ok, I'm sure your father will appreciate knowing this.”

He winked and said, “Mama, there's more.”

“Ok, bad or good?”

“Depends.”

“Depends is an undergarment worn by old people. If you're wearing them, you could be in a shitty mess.”

He smiled and said, “James has a good portion of a coal mine up on the border. They're really bad on the environment. What they want to do is to disguise the payments to the family in such a way so when the election comes, it can be used to blow up in Dad's face and damage him politically. It'd be hard for him to say he knows nothing about it when he's taking the checks and cashing them.”

“Why wouldn't they expose it and just buy him out?”

“From what I heard, it's a considerable portion of the place...like controlling interest. The person speaking thought they couldn't afford to buy them out if they chose to sell it.”

“Ok, so what I'll do is I'll speak to David. We'll do a buy out of their share and then Steve's in the clear. In regards to David, it's going to be messy. He's going to be developing the port and will be buying the mine. Both are harmful to the environment, but both are going to be doing things for the economy in the state.”

“Mama, have one of the cities buy it. Put it on their books and that way the money trail doesn't point at us.”

“I want it to be seen someone local owns it so the tax trail gets shown to be here.”

“Ok, put it into my name and then adopt me. The money trail will point to my old name and with me being a minor, they can't say a thing.”

“Hon, that's good. We'll ask Steve.”

“I've got more things than you can shake a stick at in my name already. You should know having a kid is a tax shelter.”

“What's in your name already?”

“If I told you, you'd be pissed.”

“Hon, if you hide it from me and I find out, I'm going to be more than pissed.”

“My dad put things into my name.”

“Ok, what things?”

“A lot of funds which aren't supposed to be found. A large part of it is the missing money.”

“How long has it been in your name?”

“I know he started doing it when I was little. I know for my sixth birthday, I was over the million dollar limit.”

“Does your mom know this?”

“I don't know. I'm sure she does because my dad wasn't a bit shy about talking to others about it.”

“Ok, what I'll do is I'll get a list of what's in your names. He might have been smart, or he might have been dumb for you kids' sake.”

“What do you mean?”

“Listen to this. You sit on something and you don't pay taxes on it. Then, when you find out the funds are in your name, wham! You owe a lot of taxes and something which might really fuck you with the feds. OR, it could be something brilliant which might have worked without you telling me.”

“What do you want me to do?”

“I want you and I to sit down with David. We'll find out what is in your name and we'll find out how good or bad it is. Since it's in your name, I'd say there's not much we can do.

What it doesn't do is count for the fact that it's called theft and it's just about as bad as using a baby to shoplift. In this case, we've got Bear over there wanting to adopt your brothers and sisters and us over here wanting to adopt you. IF you lose your last name, does that mess up the fund? Does it even matter?” I shrugged, “What I don't know is if the other kids have anything in their names, or not.”

“I'm not sure. I know it's in my name, but I never heard dad say anything about anyone else. Besides, how can you find out?”

“Easy, the feds have a trace they can do to see what is in someone's names. The paper trails are endless when something is put in someone's name.

The only way you can really do something without a paper trail is paying cash. I'll tell you now with the way your dad was with that account, it sure wasn't cash. I'd say it either came in from payoffs he was receiving, or came from the account.”

We stacked the plastic tubs and then, I went in and started doing the dishes we'd emptied.

“Mama, why are you doing the dishes?”

“Because I'm not going to have those people come back here and think we're slobs. Who knows, they might come in on Sunday and pick them up after church? Don't you think that would sort of really stink by then?

“Yeah”

“So, I'll wash them and then, we'll have people thinking kindly of us.”

“Move over and let me help dry.”

“Ok, there's not many and most of the dishes aren't cooked in with things stuck.”

“What do you mean?”

“Those pans there with the baked beans. If you cooked the beans in the pan, they'd stick. The only way you can make it not stick is to line with aluminum foil. So, in order to make things look nice, what you do is you transfer from the pan you cooked in into a pan where it makes you look brilliant and not have stuck baked beans.”

He smiled and said, “I was wondering why theirs didn't stick and my mama's did.”

“Your mama was practical. These people were trying to make others think better of them.”

“I learned a lot about people today.”

“Good.”

“If we do this long enough, I'll have the goods on most of the state.”

“My advice is to start making files so you can cross reference. When you get up in New York City, you'll have a lot of people who live in different boroughs which could be known by a wide variety of people.”

“What's a borough?”

“It's a part of the city...kind of like neighborhood, but not as big as a precinct.”

“That's confusing.”

“Ok, up on the hill in St. Louis is a borough. We call it the hill, but others from New York would call it 'the hill borough'. 'The loop' is a section of the city which is bigger, but covers a lot of town. I'd say it's a borough too. The 'inner loop' is another. 'South City' is a borough even though it's a lot of towns and precincts.”

“Ok, I'm getting you. Like 'West County' and 'North County'...'The depressed section' and the uptown section. U City and Webster.”

“You got it. It's basicly neighborhoods differentiated by something notable in their area. Like when I lived in St. Louis, the area I was at was Lafayette Park.”

“That's a nice area.”

“Wasn't when I lived there. I bought a whole block of those houses and then rehabbed them.”

“You had to be rich!”

“Hon, I bought the whole block of the houses for about a tenth of what one of those houses is worth now. I gutted them and then, put in new widows, plumbing and electrical and then, I sold each one for a quarter of a million each.”

“That's still cheap. I know some people who just paid almost a million for one.”

“The ones I rehabbed are way up there because they're on the nice side of the park.”

He smiled and said, “Mama, there's no bad side of the park anymore.”

“No, but to me, the side towards Jefferson is the nicest. That's the side I had. I still rent a place out there I own.”

“Ok, the side with the funeral home on it?”

“Yeah.”

He smiled and said, “My dad has people who run that funeral home.'

“I know. Your dad paid me the money for it through the lawyer he did business with. That sale is what paid for the whole block of houses.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. I wasn't supposed to know it was your dad, but he had a hard time me not recognizing his sexy ass down there looking at the building.”

Robert smiled and said, “You really thought my dad was hot?”

“Hon, let me say I've known your dad for a long long time. Not one time in the entire time I've known him did he ever look bad to me. He's so hot he'd walk into the ocean and the shrimpers would be complaining about the shrimp all being boiled.”

He laughed and said, “Your eyes light up when you talk about him.”

“Hon, if he'd been there sooner in my life, it would have been amazing. Instead, it was a great disappointment.”

“He says a lot about you in those files.”

“What's in the files?”

“A lot of things.”

“Why'd you have them up there in your room?”

“I wanted to see you and study up on you. I knew if my dad loved you, then I wanted to know what you were like.”

“Well, you know what I'm like. There's not much more about me really.”

We finished up the dishes and I said, “Let's wipe down the tables so they're not sticky.”

“There's a lot of them.”

“Hon, you don't see anyone else wiping them down. Because they're not wiped doesn't mean they're clean. Those little tasty morsels could be left and germs left to fester and then, when you have a little brother or sister here with us, they decide to gum the corner and get food poisoning off of it.”

“Gross”

“Yeah, so let's clean them and keep other kids from having a rough way to go.”

He smiled and said, “Mom, you think of people in ways normal people don't.”

“I can't help it if people are slobs. I'm not going to raise you thinking you can be one. When you have a function someplace, you can know to direct someone to clean the tables and know your young ones will not get sick.”

We wiped tables and when we were done, David came over and said, “Hon, we're supposed to fold them.”

“Ok, they're clean now, so folding them will be fine. I just don't want anyone here to be thought of as slobs.”

He nodded and said, “You've done a good job.”

“Thanks. It's about time for us to go.”

“Rose was really letting Helen have it over there without saying a bad thing!”

“Still!”

“She moved on, but I really got the message she was sending. I'd say Helen knew too.”

“Hon, Robert told me word is Helen was James' woman after the affair with Randy's mom was over.”

“Oh really!”

“Yeah.”

“Interesting. Now I know why she's hammering on her.”

“I thought you'd catch on.”

“Yeah, but after this long, I'd say it's time to rescue Helen and take Rose home.”

“What time is it?”

“About three.”

“We need to go to the funeral home and lock it up and get some proof for the press conference.”

“What sort of proof.”

“Immediately, I'd say billing invoices. It's easy to show those. The part with the embalming is going to be harder.”

“How will you be able to do it?”

“Based upon the number of funerals versus the number of bottles of embalming solution. It's a bit more complex than that, but we'd have to have weights of all the deceased and then do the formula to get the number of bottles they should have used.”

“How much is it normally?”

“Varies. A heavy person will use the same as a light person because the amount of blood in them is the same.. Someone with internal damage will use more than someone who doesn't. With someone who has drowned, or an Amish person, you won't use any. So, it's all a variable.”

“You're telling me it's going to be hard to prove.”

“I'm saying it's prove-able. But it's not etched in stone it was done with everyone and only exhumation could prove it.”

“Ok, so we're looking at either an open case or a shut case.”

“Hon, this case could keep rearing it's ugly head each time someone has a suspicion something wasn't right. A hundred and fifty years from now, our great great grandchildren might want to dig up James and find him totally messed up.”

“What would he look like normally?”

“Varies. The key to embalming and sealed caskets is to protect the corpse and to slow the decomposition. There have been cases where someone that's been buried twenty years has been exhumed and they look like they've just been buried. BUT, there have been cases where the same person if done wrong will be dug up and be a skeleton with the casket looking like it's had an explosion in it.”

“What from?”

“Gases and decomposition. A body blows up and gets real gelatinous when it's done wrong. You put a stomach in there with a lot of gases which holds pressure and gel around it and when it pops, it'll really make a mess.”

“Gross.”

“Not a pretty sight. The bad thing there is it messes up an investigation if someone is investigating a murder.”

“I never realized that.”

“What's interesting is this. You'll see probably fifty exhumations in your life on television. I'll tell you one is about all a coroner will see in his entire career and most likely that isn't likely going to happen.”

“What's the main cause for exhumations? A murder investigation?”

“You're going to laugh, but I'll tell you my first thought is flood or natural. Those cans are sealed and they're full of air. The ground gets wet and they float up. There are situations where you could have lot of rain and go out and see a bunch of vault tops in a grave yard.”

“Interesting”

“Hon, they put them in concrete boxes for a reason. It's supposed to be so heavy the water can't get in. That doesn't mean it won't happen. I've known situations where the guys putting the vault tops on just dropped them down in the hole. It cracked the box and in instances really messed up a casket. They didn't care because they thought they'd not get caught.”

“How'd they get caught?”

“The dam was being built up there and they moved graveyards and everything. When they did, they came across the new graves with all this damage done to them and all the fingers point to the same people....the vault provider. When they did more investigating, it came down to two people always being on that truck.”

“What happened?”

“Officially, they hushed it up. Unofficially, the vault company was made to provide new vaults to replace those which were damaged. In the case of the casket which was ruined, they had to pay for it too..

The end result, the two guys are probably looking for work still because the way things went was word got to the local Chamber of Commerce which made their firing a topic of conversation for one of their weekly dinners. The result being they wanted everyone to know who the guys were and what their names were so they couldn't get a job locally.”

“Why?”

“Look at it. Their job is pretty much an easy job. You put a vault bottom in the ground and then, you go sit in the truck while the funeral happens at the grave side. Then, you back the truck up and you put the topper on the hoist and you lower it down. Hell, they even have power hoists now, so it's not hard.

When you're done, you drive off and you go home. Cha-ching, you made five hundred dollars or two fifty for you and two fifty for your friend.”

“That's not a bad paycheck.”

“Not considering most of the time it's only one company in an area. You might have several of them a day to do.”

“How do you do that?”

“You run around and put the bottoms on and then, you run back around and put the tops on. You might do several in a day, but that's pretty decent money.”

“I've never thought about that.” he smiled.

“Not many people do.”

We went over and Dave said, “Rose, we're done. Your ready to go home?”

“Sure hon.”

Helen smiled. “Will I be invited to the wedding?”

Rose nodded and said, “Sure, I'll invite you. We'll need an organist....considering you were used to working with half the band, it might be different for you to get your hands on a whole keyboard.”

I smiled and said, “Helen, it's been a pleasure to meet you. I hope when Steve runs we can count on your continued support.”

“Oh, I'd do it for him.”

“He won't be running as a Republican.”

“He won't!”

“Just so you know, we're going to be running him under the American party. It's the middle ground between the two.”

She looked at me strangely and said, “You know. I think that's going to be good. I tend to lean that way myself and think a lot more people would rather say they're there than with either the Red or the Blue.”

“Yes, but with Steve running, I couldn't support him if he stayed with the Republicans.”

“You a Democrat?”

“No, I vote for whomever works for a living. If they get into office and don't do anything, I vote to get them out.”

“We have a Senator here who just won't get out.”

“Steve might be able to help with that, but I think JT will probably run for that spot.”

“I don't think he'd get it.”

“I don't know. I think it'll be time for someone who's honest and if JT's honestly telling others about him, I think they'll vote him in.”

“You might be right.”

“Hon, could I ask a question of you?”

“If I can answer it, yes.”

“I'm not beating up on you and I think you and I both know you were closer to James than you're admitting What I've got to ask is how much does he have hidden away we're not finding?”

“I can't answer that.”

“Ok, let me cut to the chase and be quite frank here. We know about the land on Bull Head and Hilton Head and the mine up on the border. We discovered it today.

We're going investigating and I'll tell you now if your name is co-owner of it, I'll sue you for slander on behalf of the whole family promising you a disgrace which is more polite than Rose was being over there.”

“She knows?”

“Yes, and she's been very polite...way more polite than I'd have been. It seems James was a rounder and a lot of women were impressed with the equipment, but stealing from another woman isn't where I call my strengths.”

“His equipment wasn't all that impressive.”

“If you'd paid attention, you would have seen half of it was gone. She shot him and took it off.”

She looked startled. “So that's the reason he was unable to perform most of the time.”

“I couldn't tell you that. I know Steve is very capable and JT is even more capable from what I hear.”

She nodded and said, “I know about the land, but my name isn't on it.”

“All I'm asking is if you know of land we might not know, please let us know. James kept secrets and Lord knows he wasn't good at keeping them hidden for long.

Now, what I'd like to ask is you to forget him. You've made a lot of comments through the years to a lot of people by bragging you were more woman than Rose. I'll tell you it takes more woman than me not to want to rip any woman's head off who cheats with my man. Be fortunate it was her instead of me.”

“I have a feeling women won't stop just because you want them too. It seems the more powerful a man is, the more powerful their desires are to get him.”

“I'm able to keep him.”

“Don't be so sure.”

“Hon, any time he wants to go, he's free to go. The moment he leaves, he'll find he's without and my children with him will be with. He'll find I've turned into one of the most expensive experiences in his life and he's left with very little but the bills.”

“Is that how you got to be as wealthy as you are?”

“My money came from a trust fund, yes. BUT not from Robert's father. IF truth be known, that man left our accounts nearly bankrupt.”

“Then where did you get your money?”

“I developed a program for advertising which a lot of companies use. For each program, they pay me four hundred grand. Since last October, I've made between fifty and seventy million dollars. That is how I'm doing so well.”

“You need to save it hon and invest in land.”

“I probably will, but I'll do so with Steve. I believe we'll be together for the rest of our lives.”

She smiled and nodded. “He's a good looking man.”

“Yes, and as sweet as they come.”

“He's got a lot of corruption in his department.”

“He knows. They've been quietly been getting arrested for the past few days. It's not made the news, but tomorrow it will hit.”

“Do you know when he's going to propose?”

“He's asked me to clear my schedule for tomorrow afternoon along sundown. I've got to be in Missouri in the morning and then hightail it back here, but I'll be here.”

“Your business takes you all over, doesn't it?”

“Yes, but hopefully, it will calm down.”

“There must be a lot of money in advertising for people to want to pay so much for the program.”

“The program helps them make twenty million for a two year contract. The investment is about four million and all the rest is profit. They get repaid.”

“I'd say! I'd be willing to invest in something like that.”

“You might talk to Kevin over there. He's just sold his advertising agency in Missouri and most likely will be starting one up here.”

“Is that how he made his fortune?”

“Yes as well as some of my money.”

“You two know each other then.”

“He's one of the closest friends I've had for the past fifteen years.”

“That's commendable to say.”

“I'd trust him with my life.”

“He looks sweet.”

“He is, but what I'm happy about is he's got a new start with JT.”

“Did you introduce them?”

“Yes. I met Steve and as soon as I met JT, I knew he was the one for Kevin.”

“Kevin is quite attractive.”

“Yes, it makes it nice for him to go get business with him being so attractive. His personality is such he could sell ice to an Eskimo and have them asking for a snow cone right afterwards.”

“You compliment him a lot.”

“I try. I hope he does likewise.”

“Your son sure does.”

“He's a labor of love. One day, he'll be amounting to something and I'll know the work paid off.”

“You say that with some bitterness. Because of his father?”

“His father wasn't the best man. He was the best looking, but not the best. Steve has more integrity and more honesty in his little finger, but in front of my son, I will say good things.”

“You're honest.”

“I try for him. The stories are horror stories and the feelings aren't good.”

“You deserve happiness. I'm glad you got him.”

I smiled. “Yes, me too.”

She said, “Can I tell you something without you being upset?”

“Sure.”

“If you suspect Steve of sleeping around, don't assume it's another woman.”

“Oh really!”

“Yes, I've seen him look like JT has. The only difference between the two was Steve didn't date half the female population of this entire area.”

“That's good. I've heard about JT.”

She laughed and said, “His daddy did the same thing, but only did so when he was married.”

“I've heard that too. It's a shame.”

“There's another child out there. You need to look towards Louisville, Kentucky. The last name isn't Jackson, but is Brown. I'm not sure, but I believe he said the boy's first name is Canton.”

“Canton?”

“Don't ask me. He told me when he was intoxicated.”

“When was the boy born?”

“Back in the early 70's.”

“Ok, I'll get my people to looking for him. I'll know him because they've all got James' eyes.”

She nodded and said, “It's amazing because I saw that too.”

“Thanks, but I've got to go. They're motioning me at the door.”

She patted my arm and said, “Good luck hon.”

“Thanks.”

I went over and Steve put his arm around me, “What'd she have to say?”

“Long story made short is I've got to find a man by the name of Canton Brown.”

“Ok, why?”

“He's a brother to you, JT, and Randy.”

He looked shocked. “She said this?”

“Yes, your daddy told her. He was born sometime in the early seventies. I'm to look towards Louisville, Kentucky.”

“That's a ways away.”

“Yeah, but I'll find him.”

“Anything else?”

“I asked a lot of questions because Robert discovered some things as he went around. Since they're his discoveries, I'll have him tell you.”

“Good? Bad?”

“Good, but I'm glad we found out what they were because your opposition was planning on letting one blow up in your face.”

“Ok, what is it?”

“Hon, I can't tell you. Robert discovered them but I told him I'd ask you for one of them for him.”

“Puppies?”

“No!”

He laughed and said, “Kittens?”

“NO!”

“He wants a bike?”

“Honey, it's way bigger.”

“A motorcycle?”

“No, just have patience.”

“You know I have a hard time being patient.”

“Honey, we're ten feet from the car. Let's go on a trip over to Hilton Head. Do you think you could get us on the causeway?”

“Yeah, why?”

“One of the things is over there.”

“Really?”

We got to the car and I got in the passenger seat. Steve closed the door and went around. When he got in, he said, “Ok Robert, what did you learn because Rhette won't tell me.”

I turned to Robert and said, “Speak slowly so it takes him a long time to hear it. He can't stand not being told things immediately.”

Rose really started laughing and I said, “I'm going to make a phone call real fast.”

I dialed in and called little John. “Yeah”

“Find me everything you can on a man named Canton Brown living near Louisville, Kentucky. He was born in the early seventies.”

“Ok, why?”

“Tangled webs.....it's a boy!”

“Huh?”

“I can't tell you the whole story right now, but read between the lines.”

“Ok, OH! He had another kid!”

“Yeah.”

“Ok, I'll find out what I can. How deep do you want to go?”

“You dig and I'll tell you when I've got enough.”

“Ok”

I hung up and I saw Steve chewing the inside of his lip really hard. From the back seat, I heard, “So Mr. Edmonds said, “Yeah, he really did look nice.” And I said “I imagine because I never knew him.”

I looked at Rose who seemed to be hanging on Robert's every word.

“Can I interrupt your story Robert?”

“Yes.”

“Ok, although I'm sure we'd love to hear about things, the reason I wanted you to tell Steve instead of me was I thought it'd be better than me telling him.

The way it is, Steve's up here really chewing that lip like it was his last meal. That tells me he's on that last ounce of reserve strength he has before he gets upset. I've seen him there and I tend to get called names when that happens, so let's get to the part where you heard about Bullhead and Hilton Head Island.”

“Oh that!” Robert said smiling. “Why didn't you just tell me to say that part!”

Rose apparently caught onto Robert being up to no good and started chuckling.

Robert continued. “Well, Grandpa James apparently has land over here on Hilton and Bullhead which he owns with some company that wants to develop the land.”

Steve looked at me and said, “Over there?”

“Yeah, and down there?”

Rose said, “I didn't know anything about that.”

Robert said, “It was bought and there's ownership of Grandpa James owning the main portion of the land. That's the way it is for the mine.”

Steve pulled over and stopped. “What mine?”

“UP on the border. It's a coal mine which is on the border. You apparently get checks now and they get signed. They come in once a month.

What they're going to do is send you the checks and hope you keep on signing them. They're afraid you'll find out what it is and then will want to sell out. If you do that, they don't have enough money to pay you, so it'd be a problem. However, what they were talking about is waiting to get you more towards the Governor's election and then drop the bombshell of you owning a mine and cashing the checks. Then they'd have you with your signature on the checks.”

Steve looked at me and said, “Ok, Einstein, how do I get my tit out of the ringer?”

“Well, there's two ways of doing it. One way is to sell out to an outside interest instead of the mine for a cash agreement which would be nice. However, David probably would offer you more than anyone and that could look to be embarrassing since he'll be developing the port and it'd look like you were ditching the environmentally unfriendly things upon him...your father in law.

OR, you could give it to Robert before he gets adopted and then, after the name change, they'd not find it. The checks could be signed by him, but until he's 18, it'd not be an embarrassment.”

“It could be worth a lot of money.”

“Yes, or it could be bankrupt if they're made to buy you out. You owning the considerable portion of it wouldn't be good on the share price.”

Steve looked in the rear view mirror. “Mom?”

“Hon, I didn't know anything about this. I'd say if your father received checks every month, he was putting money into accounts which I didn't know anything about.”

Dave said, “Steve, let me do some checking. It seems we're in a good position because no one knows we know yet and no one would think differently if you divested now.

If you did that more towards the election, you'd have a problem. My advice is to look to see where the land is located on Bullhead and Hilton Head and let me do some searching on the mine. Do you have a clue what the name of the company is Robert?”

“Yeah, they kept mentioning the Pea Trunk and the Pea Main Mine.”

I turned to David and said, “One mine on this planet does that and even I know what it is.”

David said, “Steve, I'm going to get on the phone now.”

Steve looked at me with surprise, “That thing is huge!”

“Hon, I didn't know it was what it was when I tried talking you into giving it to Robert.”

He laughed and said, “That might be the best thing. We'll wait and see.”

I turned to Dave and he was saying “I want the owners of the Pea Main and the Pea Trunk mine. IF they're separate from the parent corporation, I want to know. IF they're not, I want to know. I want the ownership lists and I want their percentages. I want the stock value and I want to know the buy out values for each of the owners.”

He paused and then I heard, “I need it now damn it! Not yesterday, not tomorrow, but now! I'll wait.”

Apparently, whomever it was came on the line and started reading the things David asked.

“You're telling me the corporation is owned by sixteen people and those mines are owned by the corporate parent.”

He paused and said, “Ok, tell me those owners.......So, he's owner of seventy one percent. What is that valued at?” Another pause. “Holy Fuck! Ok, now what I need to know is when he bought it and what it was valued at when purchased. Yes, I'll wait.”

He put his hand over and said, “Seventy one percent. It's worth about several hundred million to several hundred billion depending upon if there's ownership in the parental head which owns a lot of mines around the world.”

“Ok, so there's been no significant ownership changes with him since it was inherited and he's not made any investments into the company? No, I don't blame him either. He owned most of it.”

He paused and then said, “I'd say he's probably owner of the main corporation too. I've not heard anyone being owner of a subsidiary and not a main unit. Get me the information and I'll be waiting on that call.”

He got off the phone and said, “Steve, the only person who could probably buy you out would be Rhette. He's got that sort of money down in the Miami account, but even then, he'd have to buy only part of it and leverage to get the rest.”

“So what are you saying?”

“If you liquidated at appraised stock value, you'd be worth a whole lot. Now depending upon how the will is, it could be up to your mom, JT, and yourself.”

Steve said, “This is going to really hurt me in the election.”

I looked at him and said, “Steve, between you and I, it'd be ridiculous to attempt to hide it. What I'd do is tell people you inherited it and the whole of the sum is if you attempted to sell out, it'd bankrupt the company putting a lot of people out of work.”

“My position would mean I'd be saying I'm for the environment and raping it by supporting the company.”

“Hon, you didn't buy the company. From what I hear, your dad inherited it which probably meant sometime they bought the amount as a very little money invested thing. Now you're looking at a huge multinational corporation which probably does send your dad dividend checks. I imagine those are very very nice.”

Steve looked at Rose and said, “You had no idea about this?”

“No hon, I'm sure I would have been made aware. It doesn't make sense why he'd keep it quiet all this time.”

“Ok, maybe he's getting checks and everyone is just assuming it's more trees and income from those. Could that be what it is?”

“No, because those are Pacific companies.”

“Ok, Dave is the parent owned by another corporation?”

“No, it's owned by themselves and the shares are owned in that percentage. It seems James never attended stock holder's meetings and never did anything other than sign the checks.”

I said, “Dave, something doesn't sound right. You and I own big corporations and this one is clearly way bigger than the ones we own. Don't you think if you were getting checks and signing them you'd know what they were for?”

“Yeah, unless I was told they were something different. Then, I'd not know.”

“Wouldn't you get invitations to the corporate retreats and the annual shareholder's meetings?”

“I'd think.”

“So he knew and didn't say anything.”

Steve said, “Why wasn't it in the will if he inherited it?”

“I don't know but it not being in the Will really will mess things up.”

Dave said, “Rhette, you're not helping to get him worried about things.”

“Dave, he's got to wait a year to probate it. That will make it a year until the election which definitely will make it be huge news.”

Dave put his hand upon my shoulder and said, “Get on the phone with little John and ask what the reserves are for all over.”

“Ok”

I called little John as the car headed out over the causeway to Hilton Head. “Yeah”

“Ok, this is going to sound strange, but I need to know what the account balances are of the entire nation.”

“You don't want much, do you kid?”

“We're finding out something and no matter how it looks, it's not comfortable for Steve.”

“What about?”

“Do an internet search on James Jackson and see what he owns or is a major shareholder of in corporations.”

“Hang on.”

I heard clicking and then he said, “Ok, I'm seeing Georgia Pacific. Louisiana Pacific Peabody and a variety of the other Pacifics. Why?”

“You just made things worse. I'm sorry I asked.”

“What do you mean?”

“Hon, I was having you do a search for one and you handed me back a stack of them. Let's just say Steve's dad was James Jackson.”

“Holy Sheeee attttt”

“That seems to be the phrase of the day. Now I've got to break it to him about the others. Can you get me numbers as to percentages of ownership with those?”

“Hard to do, but I'll try. Why?”

“What would you do if you were running for election and you had all those?”

“Oh man, that's not a popular ticket.”

“Nope, and selling out isn't possible. Well, tell me what you find out because he sure didn't know they owned those.”

“Ok”

I got off the phone and said, “Dave, your connection gets better numbers faster than little John. Could you get them to find out how much ownership they have of the Pacifics.”

“What do you mean?” Steve asked.

“Little John just did a search of your dad and found out his ownership is stocks all over the Pacifics.”

“You mean the lumber companies?”

“Yeah, all of them seem to have ownership with him.”

Rose said, “Oh man!”

Steve had tears in his eyes.

“Steve, it's not that bad. Yes, it's a mountain because it's a lot, but we'll hike it together and see what we've got.”

He looked at me and said, “Hon, you don't understand. My mom will tell you we heard about 'that fucking Georgia Pacific' fucking us over all of our lives. Now, I'm finding out my dad was owner in it and was talking out his neck to even us. It's lies stacked upon fibs resting upon mistruths.”

Rose said, “Steve, not one time did that man ever say he owned any of it.”

“But we saw those checks. Even us kids got those checks mama.”

She nodded and said, “I got the checks too. We were told they were for the trees.”

“Mama, we were damned idiots. How many years did we get checks even when there weren't any trees cut upon our lands?”

“Oh”

“Mama, politically everything I've got is in the ringer. You might want to call JT and tell him.”

She said, “No! It looks bad, but we're not going to throw in the towel yet. Let's look at things and see how we can do them. Rhette had an idea and it might be the best way for you to go about doing them.”

“What?”

“Robert here. If you throw everything into a trust for your kids, then you're not a part of that. Politically, they do it every day. Appoint someone independent over it and then leave it be.”

“Who could I appoint?”

She looked at me and said, “I'm not sure if Rhette can be the person, but I imagine Rhette's mom would easily be able to do it. You know her and trust her and her income isn't going to be affected by it at all.”

“Mom, that's a lot of money.”

“Hon, I know, but someone's got to do it and what we're hearing is we should have been a lot better off than we were and your daddy hid it. What we've got to do now is see how he did it and how we're going to get ourselves out of this mess.”

Robert asked, “Why's it a mess?”

I looked at him and said, “Robert, remember what I told you could happen with you? It turns out Steve's dad did it to him too. Right now, we're looking at things and seeing how bad they are. It doesn't look good.”

Steve looked at me with shock and asked, “What did that mean my dad did to me what his dad did to him?”

“Apparently, Michael really thought his kids were the best tax shelter he could have. By the age of six, Robert had over a million worth of investments stuffed into his name. We've got to check out all the kids, but apparently, some of those investments might have been from the account in St. Louis.”

“What happens if they are?”

“Dave and I'll have to look and see. It could be bad, or it could be not so bad. What we have to find out is doing everything with a fed check to see what the taxes look like and the banking looks like for the kid's social security numbers.”

Dave heard and immediately dialed the phone. “Robert, what's your SS#?”

Robert gave it to him and Dave typed it into his keypad. He spoke briefly and then, got through to his connection.

“Hi, I need to do a account check on this social security number.”

He listened and said, “I'm aware it's for a kid! Jeez, he's sitting here next to me.”

“Yeah, I'm aware of who his dad was......yes, I said was. The man's dead!”

A brief pause. “Yes, it happened yesterday. No, no one called you because we weren't aware we were supposed to. You get the mother checks cut for the kids, but Rhette gets the one for Robert.”

Another pause. “Rhette is raising him. They're about to adopt him and..... NO, that measley little sum isn't going to keep Rhette from adopting him. What I want to know is the accounts which are under the kid's name. Yeah, I'll wait.”

He said, “Rhette, you'll get a check until you adopt him, but once he's adopted, they'll stop unless you can show financial need.”

I looked at Dave and he smiled. “Dave, me trucking around in a 737 which burns more fuel than that check per flight is not going to show me in need. The kid eating that much per week in groceries isn't going to show me in need. Just tell them to keep the check or to mail it to him and leave my name off it.”

He smiled and said, “The kid's way richer than that.”

He started writing and said, “Ok, I'll get those accounts opened and we'll look into those. By chance, would you be able to find out his siblings if they have accounts?”

He listened and said, “Ok, I'll do what I can to get their socials.”

He got off the phone and said, “Ok, the good news is there are accounts with his date of birth being the passwords and the account numbers being the users. From immediate scan, there's over thirty of them. They all originate and that's from the same bank we do business with in Las Vegas.

Personally, I'd say there are going to be a lot of accounts and it all points to Michael having ownership in a hotel/casino out in Vegas.”

“Ok, so, find it and get it to Alex.”

“That's not that easy. We don't know the amount of ownership and we don't know if there's still any ownership.”

“Ok, can you call that bank and get the activity with the accounts?”

“Let me call little John. He'll be able to do more with them than I will.”

“Why?”

“It's who you know out there.”

“Hang on. What's the name of the bank out there?”

“Canyon Bank”

“Ok, who is their head?”

He told me and I dialed. “Yes, I need to speak with Jared.”

The voice asked. “Who is calling.”

“Tell him it's Rhette Michaels.”

I waited and then I heard a voice. “Rhette Michaels, how the hell are you?”

“Doing well. What I need to know is if you're willing to work with me or not. I'm not going to fuck with you if you're not, but I'll quickly have all my moneys pulled if that's the case.”

“Rhette, what moneys do you have in our bank?”

“What I have is a wide variety of accounts. Those accounts little John has are mine and what's mine are mine. What's brought in from St. Louis are mine and any from Florida are mine. As you can see, if I start shooting you account numbers, we'll be here all friggin' day. What I need to know is if I need to bankrupt your bank getting my money out of there.”

“No, hell no!”

“Ok, then what I want is straight business without a lot of extra bullshit on the toppings. Ok?”

“Yeah.”

“What we're going to do is I'm going to do some consolidating of accounts so when I ask you what is in an account, we're not doing a fucking hide and seek game. It makes more sense to me and it makes more sense to those that are entitled to the money.”

“Ok, I can duck and dodge the feds.”

“They're on our payroll. They'll fucking play the game. Now, what I need to know is these accounts and find out what I've got in them.”

I read the list of accounts

“Those accounts were opened by Michael in yearly installments of a million each. All they have was a million each and on the same day, he'd put a new account with a million.”

“Ok, so let's combine them and let's let the interest ride. If you can get me over five percent on the interest, then you mail that check to Robert and we'll get a check cashed for him.

Now, I've got a question you might or might not know. Did Michael do it with each of his kids?”

“I can't answer that. Michael's business is his own”

“He's dead. What was his is now mine.”

“I wasn't told that.”

“I'll send little John out there to get our moneys out of that bank. I thought you wanted to do business.”

“Hang on!”

“No, you hold on. I'm talking about little accounts here. We're not even to the big ones yet and we're to the point I'm telling you I'm not going to get fucked and you're steadily lubing up. Why the fuck don't you turn around and we'll see how you can deal with it?”

“Ok, I'll see what I can do.”

“Dude, that sounded like you were a virgin dancing around with me. I'll call little John and see how much I have to grease you up before you feel fucked.”

David handed me his phone. I spoke into it. “Little John, I've got Jared out at the bank in Vegas asking him why I can't get some respect. He steadily is trying to fuck me, but doesn't seem to want to play hide the pickle when it's my turn. How far can I take him before I tell him we're done fucking with him.”

I heard laughter and heard. “Let me call him. He'll find out you're good for whatever I've got.”

“It's not that. We're finding out we've got accounts all over the place and a lot has been hid.”

“Where?”

“Michael moved a lot there. Each year, each kid got a million for a birthday present. The interest is accruing and that's fine. The kids can have it.

What I want is the accounts besides that to all be moved to central accounts. One for St. Louis. One for Kansas City. One for Miami. One for Tampa. One for Springfield. And so on and so forth instead of a stack for each.”

“Makes sense. They don't like doing it that way, but I think I can speak to our people at the feds and get them to look the other way on that.”

“Ok, let's simplify that. You gonna call him?”

“Yeah, you hang on the line and I'll call his other one.”

I went back to my phone and said, “Jared, little John's calling you. You bend over now because he's about to slip the Mack up your crack.”

Dave started giggling Robert really was losing it. Steve was biting his finger and Rose just had watery eyes trying not to laugh.

Jared's voice came on and he said, “Rhette, do you have a password you'd like to use?”

“Yeah, Fist. I'd love to reach out and touch your ass with it. You're really irking the hell out of me. Why don't you memorize my voice and you just let it etch striations upon the inside of that fucking hollow skull of yours. Then, you let me call you back and you see if the echo matches. Ok?”

“You didn't have to get upset.”

“No, I'm not upset. I'm irked. Me being upset is my hauling out my 737 and flying out there to do personal damage instead of playing with your head over the phone. Me being damned mad is when it gets beyond personal and I'm installing a new board at that bank because your ass just disappeared. As you can see, it's ok to be irked.”

“Rhette, I got told to kiss your ass so hard my nose is sniffing tomorrow's lunch. What I've got to do is get all these accounts moved and let you know what the totals are.”

“I need to have totals for each kid. I need to give one to each kid and know what the account is for St. Louis. IF there's activity on those accounts from a hotel/casino for St. Louis, I need to know where and what casino it's coming from. I'm told their account is bankrupt there and yet, it seems to have money coming in out there. Amazing, isn't it.”

“He's got money coming in out here. None apparently gets used except for a personal debit card used my a Samantha Graves there in St. Louis. It's used to pay bills, shop, and play slots at a casino there. Other than that, the account gets a million a year taken for each kid and that's it.”

“Let's see. What I want to know is what Hotel/Casino it is. We'll be pulling that over to us. It's the Golden Triangle. It's not that big.”

“Is it owned entirely by St. Louis?”

“It's not telling me. The money doesn't get broken up and since it's not leaving the account, I'd say it's their own.”

“I'll do some investigating, but you get all the moneys moved to one account and leave the kid's as they are.”

“I'll get it done. You'll be calling back?”

“Jared, let's just say I'll call when you least want me to and it'll be as refreshing as a hammer to your thumb. Ok?”

“I'll be waiting.”

I rang off and said, “Dave, that's how you deal with them. That man now thinks I'm the Vlassic pickle factory and he's the buns of a Wendy's sandwich.”

Dave laughed and said, “Rhette, you have a way of turning on the charm.”

Steve started laughing and said, “Dave, that's not charm. There's no charm school for what that is....they've got treatment plants, but not schools.”

Robert said, “What's about the accounts?”

“Your dad put a million a year into your accounts. Rather than putting it into the same account, he opened new accounts every year on your birthday. It's drawing interest and that's what I know.

I'm thinking he did it for each of you kids because that seems to be the only thing he's doing with the money except it's being used by a Samantha Graves for her personal use.”

Robert said, “Sammy?”

“IS that what he called her?”

“She was his lady who worked for the office. She was there and then disappeared. I thought he'd had her killed.”

“Well, apparently, that's his girlfriend. She's got a debit card and pulls money from the accounts.”

Robert shook his head and said, “Rhette, she's nothing compared to you. Heck, compared to my mom, she's nothing.”

“Hon, why guys pick the ones they want to screw around with, I'll never know. What matters is they do.

Now, you forget her and I'll do what I can to get her a job someplace which has her earning her living instead of laying in one spot too long.”

I flipped open my phone and called St. Louis. Alex answered. “Yeah Rhette.”

“Hi hon, I've got you accounts and you're either owner of or partial owner of the Golden Triangle out there in Vegas.”

“You don't know?”

“Michael had it. I'm just finding out you've got it. There are accounts, but I'm leaving the kids' accounts alone. The main ones are yours, but they're going to be moved to one central account.

What I need to tell you is you need to call Samantha Graves and tell her you need the house and her debit card back.

Offer the girl a job someplace, but tell her Michael is dead and not likely going to bed her down any more.”

“Ok, I appreciate it. It sounds like you're doing a bang up job. You call and I get the sounds of cash registers ringing.”

“Thanks. At least you know I'm trying. What's new there?”

“Not much. I've got your papers done and she's fine. She and Bear are going out tonight and I'm babysitting.”

“Have your guards around.”

“I think I can handle eight kids.”

“Are you going to handle them and protect them all at the same time?”

He laughed and said, “Rhette, how bad can it be?”

“Ok, do me a favor. You have them station themselves down the street half a block. Then, you tell them to put a stop watch on you seeing how fast it takes for you to call them begging for help. I'll give it an hour and forty minutes.”

“You have no strength.”

“Just do what I asked. We'll see.”

I hung up and Rose said, “You figured it about correct. He's actually not going to have help?”

“Yes, and even well behaved kids when they don't have a parent around try to get things they'd normally don't.”

Robert said, “Hand me your phone. I'll stack the deck a little.”

Rose said, “Robert! How could you! Here, use David's.”

I chuckled and slid over next to Steve. We drove up to an area undeveloped and Steve said, “This is the area. That sign there is familiar to me. I've seen envelopes at home with that logo on it.”

“The land looks like it's a good sized lot.”

“Hon, that's the whole rest of the island back there. There's enough land there to build at least two hundred more houses. Considering they'd ask a million each on the lot, I'd say it'd be a good pay off for my dad.”

“That's you and JT's now along with your mom.”

“It's hard for me to even fathom I'd have that sort of money.”

“Hon, my advice it to develop this. Depending upon the portion you own, I'd tell them you want your percentage to be whatever percentage there is of each neighborhood. If it's twenty five percent, then take a quarter of the ocean facing, and a quarter of the interior and then a quarter of the back and back interior. However, you tell them that whole tip is going to be one huge piece of property and I want to buy that.”

“Why?”

“I've got an idea. Let's just say it'll be the most popular desination on the East Coast.”

“What do you mean?”

“Hon, exclusive is in. We set up a camp where there are about thirty cabins. The only way you can get to it is by ocean and boat. We have boats go in and out and they have people dropped off. From that moment, they're not going to be called and they're not going to worry about their jobs until that week is up.”

“Ok, that sounds like fantasy island.”

“Yeah, it does, but just because I'm short doesn't mean I'm going to be out there saying, “Da plane da plane.”

Dave, Steve, and Rose laughed but Robert looked at me like I was stupid.

“Robert, there was a show on tv....oh forget it.”

He smiled and said, “If you say so.”

Dave said, “Rhette, I think it's a good plan. People usually go to the Bahamas or to Hawaii to get that. You having it closer is going to make it more popular. Whatever you were thinking, charge double that per week.”

“Ok, that's going to be fifty grand per week.”

Steve said, “Sheesh”

“Hon, look at it. I was thinking twenty five grand a week. That's three grand a day, but it's everything from spa treatments to whatever they want. They get to forget their problems and no one holds who they are against them.

Right now, if I could get you alone for that length of time, I'd pay that and more. Instead, what we have is scheduled and not convenient to us being a couple.”

He said, “Rhette, I'll tell them I want that piece of land. It says there are seventeen hundred acres there. If we own half or a quarter, I'll tell them I want the portion to be that piece of land up there. What we'll do is we'll fence it off and that's going to be it' We'll figure out what to do, but what they'll have to do is to build a road to the fence line and have it so we can get emergency personnel there, but the fence should stop most civilians.”

“Ok, now what about Bullhead?”

“I'm not sure what's there. I'll check, but it's something I don't know.”

Dave got on his phone. “HI, I want the corporate directors and phone numbers for the JaLaMa corporation. It's in South Carolina. Ok, I'll wait.”

His person got on the phone and he repeated. “Jackson Land Management. Corporate directors are James Jackson, Rose Jackson, Steven Jackson, and James Jackson Jr. Ok, thanks.”

Steve looked at me and said, “You're telling me I own this and didn't know a thing about it?”

Rose said, “Steve, I'm sorry, I never knew anything either. This seems to be your father's doings.”

Steve said, “IF that's the case, then who are the people who are going to try sneaking the paperwork in on my desk to get the signatures?”

Robert said, “It was Thad Jenkins which works at the bank who was speaking about it. It was in a hushed tone so I had a hard time hearing him.”

Steve asked, “Who was he speaking with?”

“Ron Harrell from the County Collector's office. They were talking about the land owned here and on Bull Head.”

Rose asked, “Steve can we go down to Bull Head and check to see if the land is as big as this?”

“Sure mama, but it's been a while even since I've been to Bull Head. Most of it's state park.”

Rose said, “I was under the assumption it was all state park.”

“No, they had private ownership there, but had talked about buying them all out after Hugo. I imagine daddy went in and bought them thinking he'd get them bought so the state would pay him more for them.”

“Steve, what does Bull Head look like?”

“Hon, ancient years ago, Hilton Head looked like Bull Head. They improved the causeway and then a group of people got with the state and decided to open it up for developement. When they did it, they decided to open it for exclusive development as there was a private development up near Charleston which got taken over by bikers.”

I said, “You know, I remember that. It's strange, but we went out over that bridge at Charleston and out to an island that looked like all the houses had gotten blown off of it. The only thing open in the entire town was a place that looked like an amusement park bumper car building. Out in front was a whole bunch of bikes.”

Steve said, “You've got an excellent memory.”

“Hon, it's the only place my dad knowingly ran a stop sign in front of us kids. I think they were all scared to stop, but us kids were in the back just waving like you wouldn't believe at them.”

He laughed and said, “I bet that was a picture.”

“What's interesting is we went to a certain place and stopped. I mean you have a lot of concrete pads and nothing on a street, and we stopped at a specific place.”

“A lot of people bought pieces of property there for $50 a lot. If they still have them, they're sitting on a gold mine because the state forgave the delinquent taxes upon that island.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, they did it so the land owners would come in and get restarted on the rebuild.”

“Is there a way you can check if my parent's owned land there?”

“It'd be on the land plat and the tax roles.”

“Hmmm, that'd be interesting. My dad did a lot of that stuff. Usually, they were houses which we had to help tear down, but he had a lot of vacant lots like that.”

Rose asked, “What did he do with them?”

“He and my mom got divorced and I think he sold them. He moved out of the area and then later died.”

“You need to check into that. You could be sitting on some money you don't know about.”

“It's probably too late. They probably went back for taxes.”

Steve said, “Hon, this one here doesn't expire.”

“Is there a way we can contact other owners and buy them up?”

“Possibly, but it'd be a mess to clean up.”

“If we bought enough to make it worthwhile, then it wouldn't be bad. We could come over and do a clean up and then put it up for sale.”

Robert said, “Can I buy some of the land? I could get it and eventually have a lot of land for that price.”

“Hon, let's work and get a owner roster. Then, we'll contact them and see if they want to sell.”

He smiled and said, “It'd be cool if I could buy up half the island. I'd have my own private compound.”

Steve said, “It'd be a lot of money. That's a lot of land.”

“Hon, let the boy dream. You're looking at being a multi billionaire and pissing all over his parade.”

“I'll help him, it's just going to cost a lot of money.”

“The way it's going, I'd say he's got a sound plan. If he can fly out and in and have a secure location where people are going to be seen trying to enter, then it works for me.”

Steve smiled and said, “I don't want to think about getting rid of him yet!”

I smiled and said, “Robert, that's your dad's way of saying he likes you.”

He smiled and said, “I like him too.”

Rose asked, “Steve, do a search of that office again when we get home. If we're owners in this land purchase thing, I'm wondering if we're owners in that mine too...without knowing it.”

Steve asked, “Mama, do you think you could have inadvertently signed something with daddy when us kids were younger and don't remember it?”

“Hon, the only thing I can remember is those passbook savings and the savings accounts at the bank. On those occasions, we went together and filled out the paperwork. I know what I filled out because I'm familiar with the signature card and nothing looked out of order.”

“Did he ever get us life insurance or something and have you fill out paperwork?”

“Only one time and that was a Life & Casualty man that came to the house. I know it was him because their logo was on that satchel he carried.

Honey, please believe me when I tell you I don't think he brought anything to the house for us to sign.”

“Mom, I think I've got it. The only time I ever signed papers with you two was when I ran for Sheriff. Remember when he had all those papers at the kitchen table?”

“Oh yes. There were a lot of papers.”

“He had JT sign a paper then too.”

Rose said, “Hon, I bet that's when it happened. If we could find the paperwork which was signed, and the date, I bet we'd see that's when it was signed.”

“Mama, why didn't he just say that's what it was and not keep it a secret?”

“Honey, your daddy did things secretive as a matter of the way he did business.”

Dave said, “Steve, what I'm seeing from an outsider's perspective is your mom laying down the law to him and him knowing he was going to have to retire. He sure didn't plan to lay down easily, which we now know was because he was involved with Helen.

I'd say if he had come up to your mama then and said, “I've got a business deal I want you to sign papers with me on, she would have gotten suspicious of him. I'd say he knew it, so he wanted to get it snuck by. Apparently it worked.”

Steve nodded and said, “What's bad is this is something we have to face in my bid for Governor and I'm not sure how the voters will look at it.”

“Hon, the difference is you're now in that realm of being super rich running for public office. Look at how you view them running for office and you'll see how people look at you running.

You know the reasons you're running. Have they changed?”

“No”

“Then what I'd say is keep the course of what you want and don't let anyone sway you from it.”

He reached over and held my hand. “Thanks dear.”

“No problem. Sometimes you get to looking out into the woods and you're not seeing the rattlesnakes for all the friggin' trees.”

He laughed and said, “You're never going to forget them snakes.”

“Nope. That was way too many for me.”

Robert asked about the snakes and we told him. When we were done telling him, he said, “Wow!”

“Yeah, so when I tell you to not go to the woods, that's what I mean.”

“Can I shoot a shotgun?”

“Have your grandma show you. She's a better shot than most.”

Steve pouted and said, “Hey, I'm a good shot.”

“I know dear, but your mama has better form.”

He laughed and Rose said, “Robert, listen to Rhette. He knows what he's talking about.”

We pulled across the causeway to Bullhead. Now for me to say the causeway is scary is beyond scary. This is a old bridge which has a wooden floor. It's one car lane wide and probably half a mile to three quarters long. Occasionally, there are missing boards and nothing separates you from going off the side except the lack of a good gust of wind.

The way you do it is you honk your horn and then proceed across. The person who is first on the thing gets priority. If you don't see the other end, you back up.

We got over to the other side and the road was way better. It's not asphalt, but it's a real heavily compacted gravel. The trees are really grown over and occasionally, there are mud holes which cover the road.

My idea of mud bogging it doesn't include a Rolls Royce. Usually in my equation is a term called 4 x 4 or four wheel drive. A low slung heavy car doesn't even begin to want to hop a puddle.

We went through the roads of the island and got to a point where we saw a Y in the road. Steve took the right and we kept driving approximately three miles. At some point, we saw the ocean. The view was very tropical and hidden from bright sunlight from the overgrowth of trees.

The squawks and sounds of all the birds in the trees were deafening. It was nice outside, but I'm just glad we had the top up.

We got to the Y in the road and I saw we'd done a huge loop. It took us a while to get back to the road to the causeway, but when we got there, we kept on going.

We got to a point in the road where there was a tree blocking the road. Steve got out and motioned for me to get out too. I got out and felt heels on my Mary Janes sinking fast in the mud.

I went up and Steve said, “Take a look at that sign.”

I looked down and saw. JaLaMa no trespassing.

He said, “Hon, that's more than two miles up to the end of the island. If he bought all that, this is a helluva piece of land.”

Robert came up and said, “What's the problem?”

“The road's blocked to keep away trespassers. Steve thinks the rest of the island up there is theirs.”

“Cool!”

Steve smiled and ruffled Robert's hair. “Sport, let's make a deal. You keep this island free from commercialism and heavy traffic and help build up that causeway and I'll talk to your Uncle and Grandmother and give you this land.”

Robert hugged Steve and said, “Thanks Dad!”

Steve smiled and said, “Hon, you heard the deal. He's got to help build that causeway up.”

I said, “Robert, what you need to do when we get home is you've got to call Missouri and find a good cedar mill. You need to get some good cedar planks which are at least four inches thick and ten feet wide.

I think those are eight feet wide, but we're going to put a bump strip on each side to keep people on the thing.”

Steve said, “Here's my advice. You talk to your Uncle JT and you tell him the causeway is about to fall down. Then, you get that lumber here and they'll certainly help you.”

“Dad, can I see how much a good bridge will cost?”

“Hon, I'll tell you right now wouldn't be the time to ask the state for anything. First of all, they don't have the extra money and second of all, my name being attached to a favor isn't going to be good.”

I turned to Robert and said, “Robert, let me give you a pointer. Your dad tends to look at the negative in a situation. Don't fault him for it, but now do you hear what I heard him say when he said the state doesn't have the money?”

“What?”

“I heard, “IF you offer the state enough money for the rest of the island, they'll probably take it. They don't want to be liable for the upkeep of that bridge and now is as good of a time as any to lock it up.”

Robert chuckled and said, “Thanks.”

Steve laughed and said, “Well, that too.”

“Hon, when we work on things for him, know we're going to do things a certain way which will probably have us doing a draw bridge out there so people just can't run across that causeway.”

“You're really locked into security.”

“Hon, this island is beautiful. Yes, it's overgrown, but I think it'd be a great opportunity to have him a place he can start putting together for his own. If he does it right, he'll have whatever he wants here and a beautiful plantation.”

Steve smiled and said, “I'll see what I can do with the phone calls. The plus side of it is the road there isn't going to be made better. Not many people want to develop something from scratch anymore. They expect the county and state to do it all for them.”

“Ok, what we'll do is we'll find a way to get construction equipment over here and get a place for him built.”

Steve smiled, “Hon, it doesn't have to be done all in one day.”

I winked at him and said, “No, I'm busy tomorrow.”

He laughed and said, “Rhette, you are obsessive about things.”

“I am in my love for you. Now, let's get to going.”

“You drive. I want to sit and stare at you for a while.”

“Yeah, get me into a spot I have to drive backwards three miles down the road and then decide it's time for me to drive.”

He laughed and said, “I'll guide you back.”

“Ok, would you look at the top of my car! It looks like I've been in a snow storm.”

“Hon, it's probably the only time in those birds lives they could drop one on a vehicle here. They decided to make good while they had a chance.”

“We've got to get a car wash on the way back.”

“Ok”

He guided me back to a wide spot in the road and we turned the car around. When we were headed in the right direction, Dave said, “Tell the guys you want an improved causeway and road over here before they leave. They might as well be doing it while we've got the extra help.”

“Ok, I'd like to see a causeway which will hold up some construction equipment. My thought right now is if we put a dozer out on it, it'd end up in the water.”

Rose said, “My thought is we definitely need toilet facilities out there.”

“Oh, I'm sorry. We'll get a move on.”

I put the car in scoot and when I went around the corner to go up over the causeway, the car fishtailed. All three of them in the back seat went “Whoo!”

and Steve's eyes got big.

“Hon, mom will go a lot sooner if you drive like JT.”

I started chuckling and said, “Seriously, that corner was slick.”

He smiled and said, “Hon, I can tell your roots are in NASCAR.”

“You know I'd love to do it, but I'd have to stop to watch them guy's butts.”

“Which ones?”

“That 48 car and the 24 car.”

He smiled and said, “You really watch them, don't you?”

“Hon, let me tell you something and you'll see how loyal I am to someone who supports his family while in prison.

When I was in prison, there was a guy who was Rusty Wallace's cousin in there. Now, for Rusty to send his cousin money is one thing, but they knew if he sent autographed photos, it'd be worth a lot more than money in there. They did it and the kid lived nice.

It didn't cost Rusty anything because it as a write off, but to his cousin, it meant the world.”

Steve looked at me with tears in his eyes and said, “Man, that's something else.”

“Yeah. Most of the time, our families wrote us off. To those of them who stood by me, they'll have my undying gratitude. To those who turned away from me, I wouldn't piss on them if they were on fire.”

“You mean that, don't you?”

“Yeah. When I got out, my mom and I developed a code word of Billy Goat which told her someone was near me I wouldn't speak to.

What was bad was I told everyone at a family get together my feelings on it and one cousin attempted to claim writing to me. I looked at her and said, “If the letter you wrote telling me you couldn't support what I did because I'm gay counts, I guess you did.” She shut her pie hole real fast and since then, I've attempted to be nice to her twice and she's slammed it back in my face.

Now mind you this is a woman who had no qualms about letting me buy her groceries for weeks and weeks before I went to prison.”

“Huh!”

“Yeah, you heard me right. I made a hundred and forty grand and of it there was approximately fifty three thousand which was spent upon family, friends, and acquaintances. Anything and everything from rent, to groceries, to their kids school clothes. If they needed it, I gave it. And you see the thanks I got.

Of those 43 people who were upon the gravy train, only one associated with me all the way through it. Two other family members whom I didn't associate with started associating with me and one of my mom's friends who recently died.”

“Oh man. You sound hurt.”

“Hurt, bitter, and sick to my stomach of the waste. Now, when it comes to family, I'm going to get something in order to give. The hand outs are no more.”

Dave said, “Rhette has me to hate the most of that whole ordeal.”

“Dave, I'm not blaming you on a thing. Don't get yourself down over it. What you did was something which hurt, but it also helped find all the other things out.”

Rose said, “Rhette forgave you Dave. Now when that's been done, it means you've got to go on and get over it.”

I could tell by looking at Dave's face he wasn't about to let it go.

“Dave, listen. We'll talk about this later. We don't need you getting down. Let's find a way of getting all of us up and getting on with the day.”

Robert said, “Swenson's.”

I smiled and Rose said, “Swenson's it is. Just as soon as Rhette gets this car to sliding around a few more corners, we'll be there.”

Once we hit the main road, we were back in Beaufort in no time at all. The Rolls looked like it really needed a bath, but we stopped at Swenson's first. When everyone had eaten, we got back in the car and headed towards the plantation.

Steve said, “What are you going to do when you get home?”

“Get out of this dress, into some jeans, and go up in a helicopter.”

“Why?”

“I want to go see that island from the air.”

Robert asked, “Can I go?”

“Sure. Ask your dad if he wants to go and we'll get ready.”

We pulled up the drive and in front of the plantation house. When we got out, we went in and to our room to change. Without thinking, I shucked the dress and everything right in front of Robert. Steve turned around and said, “Hon, Robert's in the room.”

“And he'll be in the room when my naked ass gets into that bed.”

“If he's going to be living here, then get them to give up a room.”

“Ok”

I went next door and knocked buck assed naked. The door opened and I said, “You guys are going to have to find a place to stay, my kid needs a room.”

“Ok”

I went back and said, “Robert, they'll have your room ready in a moment.”

He laughed and said, “Steve, is that obsessive when he forgets to put clothes on first?”

Steve just shook his head and said, “No, that's making a point to me that I should have done it.”

By the time they were through talking about me, I was already pulling on my jeans. As quick as a wink, I had my Nike jersey pulled over. I slipped on my flip flops and stood there waiting. “Guys, I'm waiting!”

Steve said, “There's less of you to get into your clothes. It takes us longer.”

“Hon, there's only one thing on you which is longer than me, otherwise there's all the same parts.”

He blushed and said, “Hon, I'll be ready in a second.”

Robert said, “I've just got to put my shoes on and I'll be ready.”

“While I'm waiting, I'll go get us a chopper and get that construction foreman to fly with us.”

Steve looked at me and said, “Why?”

“He'll be the one building that causeway. I think he should know what's ahead of him.”

I went out and down the steps. On the way out the front door, I called the project manager and asked, “You available to go up in a chopper with ut?”

“Sure, what's on your mind?”

“A little building project. You'll probably need to take a roll wheel.”

“A roll wheel?”

“Yeah, one of those things which measures distance.”

“Oh-kay, a little project?”

“Yeah, but the other part of the project is going to require you going there and driving with someone on the back of a pickup pulling that roll wheel. If you have asphalt machinery, we'll need to use it for a helluva job.”

“Sounds bigger that little.”

I chuckled and said, “You ever built a bridge?”

“How big of a bridge?”

“I dunno, probably three quarters of a mile at the most.”

“Does Dave know about this?”

“He's the one that wants you to do it. Why does Dave have to approve something I want done?”

“He said to ask him because you'd have me rebuilding everything.”

“Oh, so he's got dibs on you guys?”

“Kind of.”

“Ok, you guys going to be building the port?”

“That's what he's afraid you'll have us doing.”

“Can you?”

He laughed and said, “You're instructed to speak to Dave. It's something to do with local jobs and politics.”

“Ok, damn. I thought I was going to be able to get it built before I die.”

He laughed and said, “Well, you will, but we have to have a business which states we're local and established.”

“Ok, so do we have one?”

“Rhette, I'm standing right behind you. Do I have to keep talking on the phone.”

“No.”

“Ok”

I turned around and hung up. “You look better out of the dress.”

“I bet you say that to all the guys.”

He smirked and said, “If you were all the guys, I'd be sending you flying over that remark.”

“Then that says to me you're a bit insecure about your sexuality. Get over it and deal with me as a human being.”

He looked at me rather sharply and said, “I'm secure in my sexuality.”

“Ok, listen to my point and then you'll settle. Can I make you go gay?”

“NO”

“Do I make you want to go gay?”

“No”

“Have you ever thought about going gay?”

“Once, but that was because I was wondering what you found in it.”

“That doesn't count. What I see is it appears you're secure. It seems you're insecure with the fact a woman could be your supervisor.”

“Not happening in this world.”

“I beg to differ. I've already got a head over Miami and one coming up for Boston. When you're there, you'll be respectful to them and I'm not going to hear otherwise. The problem you'll have is Beck will probably blow your head off if you give her shit and Pam will probably beat your ass.”

He didn't look happy. “And before you tell me the guys won't go for it, think again. In this world it's where your reputation takes you. If you're weak, you're thought of as weak and couldn't buy respect. Beck down there has already killed someone to protect me and killed someone very influential in this world because I ordered it.”

“Michael?”

“He moved. He was told if he moved, she'd kill him. He did and now he's gone.”

“You were taking him to trial, he would have died anyway.”

“He had to be brought to trial in order to die. With him, it was all about pushing the envelope and seeing what he was allowed. He found out I wasn't going to let him sneak up on me and get killed. She made sure it never happened.”

He snarled. “IF you'd placed a man in that position, he'd done the same.”

“Her blowing a nurse's brains out in a hospital was a pure gut reaction. There were guards and not one of them did it. She saw the pistol pulled and aimed at me and she alone sent that woman's head off across the room.

Don't downplay a woman's importance. It was Meemaw who really ran Kansas City while she was alive and it was her knowledge of the way people were who figured out there was a takeover about to happen. Gino's might have stopped it, but it was her who sent people over to check out by way of the man's housekeeper.”

He shrugged and said, “Any other bits of news?”

“The only other one I have is me trying to figure out how far you'll make it with the bigot routine you've got going. Dave might manage his people by kissing tail and putting up with egos and attitudes, but for me to think of your loyalty oath you made and then wonder if you think there's a doubled standard is a bit more than I'm willing to allow. You might think about it too and let me know. IF there is, let me know and I'll get someone in here who is going to work over and under women equally and someone who won't go out and sit at a bar and say, “My boss is ok, but he's a fag.”

“I wouldn't say that.”

“I imagine not. You'd hear a lot of flack about working under a homosexual. Your position is to be loyal to whomever wherever.”

“I know that.”

“Then try to not have me thinking it's an act.”

He rolled his eyes and I nearly exploded. “Sir, where would you be now without this organization?”

“Probably in a highway job paving.”

“And was that company under us?”

“No.”

“Then I'd say it probably would be working for them but they'd be under us by now. Are they?”

“Yeah.”

“Then like it or not, the owner of that company as well as all the rest of them across this country are about to go under a gay man.

Should it matter to anyone who I sleep with? Or should it be me based upon my merits of the job? I'll tell you when you stop basing your thoughts of me based upon whom I sleep with, you'll get ahead in this motherfucker.”

Steve came up and said, “When you get done dressing him down, you'll realize the whole camp is probably hearing you.”

I turned to him and said, “Honey, right now isn't the time to tell me I'm yelling. If David could hear me, he should have his ass out here. He's not, so I'd say there's a reason.”

“David said he'd be here in a moment.”

“By then, we'll be in the air, but what I'm NOT doing is putting this man on another project where the safety and security of my family is in question.”

Steve looked at him and said, “You just got the whole thing there in a nutshell. You question and he loses trust. It doesn't matter if you work for the organization or not, if he can't trust you with the lives of those he loves, he's not going to trust you with those he doesn't.”

The guy looked at me and said, “I might be required to listen to your ass chewing, but I'm not going to listen to his.”

“Steve, go to the chopper, I'll have this man packing his bags in about five seconds.”

I turned tot the man and said, “Go pack. I'll tell David you're not fit for our jobs any longer.”

I flipped out my phone and called David. “I'm on my way.”

“No need. Get us another construction manager and get this man off our property. That's all that's needed.”

“What's going on.”

“He's a bigot and although he's entitled to his opinion, he's not going to give it to me or about me again in this organization.”

“You'll find that with a lot of men here.”

“And they can keep it to themselves. I'm not running a fucking preschool, I'm running something with adults and they can act like it.”

“I'll be right there.”

“Dave, this is not a situation requiring a go between, this man is going to have to adjust or get out. I'm not going to have men's only clubs ran along side co-ed. This place has gone co-ed and he should learn it's going to be that way, with or with out him.”

Dave came out the front door and walked towards us. “Go ahead and go. I'll have this situation taken care of.”

“Dave, something is irking me here. The man said he spoke to you and you were circumventing me. Is that true?”

“No.”

“Ok, so why am I getting that feeling you're doing this now? Am I going to find a hidden trailer back in the back forty with this man in it where he's directing the activities later?”

“Rhette, he's getting pulled. I'm sending him back home. You need to realize he's not under you yet and he's from New York. This man is going to go home and he's going to broadcast what he's learned all over the fucking plance and you're going to be left holding the bag. My opinion is you can deal with him here a whole lot better than you can elsewhere.”

“How many more men in this organization are bigots?”

“I don't know.”

“Then either we retrain them, or we get rid of them. You calculate the cost and figure out what's the best direction. The extent I'm willing to take this is to have a retraining school with gays, blacks, and women running it and those guys having to answer to them in order to stay in.

It pisses me off because they're putting bullshit in front of loyalty.....but, if you ask this man, he'd say he's loyal and that I'm insisting on too much from him.”

Dave said, “Probably.”

“And yet, he'd go out and die for his straight buddies but when asked to die for a fag, he'd tell you to get fucked. You think about that because I've got a stack of men who just died being more of a man to me than this one.”

Dave said, “Rhette, you count on more from that loyalty pledge than most.”

“My life counts on it! My family's lives count on it. If they've got an issue, I want it squared away now instead of when they're facing a bullet because I'll tell you and this man, the moment this man or any bigot turns around, I'm going to put that bullet through their skull.”

I turned to the man and said, “I'll need that fucking roll wheel. I'll measure the son of a bitch myself. Contrary to your opinion, my limp wrist can hold the son of a bitch.”

Dave snickered and said, “He's pissed.”

The guy said, “I gathered that.”

Dave said, “I'll give you a clue about Rhette, when the word motherfucker starts rolling off his tongue, he's at that last notch before the explosion. You've not seen that point yet, but I have...it's not pretty....and before you even say he couldn't do much, you're thinking about size instead of abilities. The man is lethal. My advice is to go get on that chopper with him and you attempt to get him to forget about what pissed him off. It's not fair to his family to deal with what you started.”

“Is that what you want me to do?”

My hand hit my hip and I turned to David.

David said, “What I want you to do is to follow his directives. You're under him like it or not, because if I call little John, he'll probably hobble himself out here and then kick your ass with his good leg while he's telling you he's planning on retiring and handing this whole thing over to Rhette.”

“So that's what is going to happen?”

“Between you, me, and Rhette, yes. He's saying it more and more to a lot more influential people and that's telling me it's not going to be in five years, but probably in five months.”

The guy turned to me and stuck out his hand. “Forgive me?”

“I'll forgive if you'll do an attitude exchange at Toys R Us for one more your age.”

He laughed and said, “You can be a sarcastic person.”

“You can be a bigot. Let's see if we can get over this.”

“Let me get my roll wheel.”

I turned to David and said, “Your job in the next few days is to get these men aware your intervention right now was the last one I'll tolerate. That's bullshit and if you think otherwise, ask yourself how much of it y our father would have allowed.”

He looked at me and said, “Rhette, I'm sorry.”

“I know. We're going to say it to each other a lot. Thank God I love you.”

The guy came back from the trailer with his roll wheel. We went to the chopper and got in. Steve was sitting up front and Robert was sitting in back shotgun. The guy got in on my side and fastened in. I shut the door and then got in mine. I fastened in and said, “Steve, I'll fly sane.”

He smiled and said, “Hon, I've already told Robert to be ready for a roller coaster of a ride.”

I smiled. “Not with him wanting to learn. If I do, he'll think the first time he's solo he can do it.”

He nodded and I lifted off. As I flew, I asked, “Everybody's headsets working?”

I got back affirmatives.

“We're flying down and what I'll do is attempt to find a landing zone so we can measure the causeway.”

As we flew, I got up far enough I could get a gage of distance with the cameras.

From behind me, I heard, “That island is about eight miles long and about a mile wide. In acres, I'd say it's probably forty five maybe forty six hundred.”

“You know your distances.”

“I had to get used to doing that when measuring for asphalt.”

“Well, we're going to asphalt that road down there. What we'll do is make it wide enough to have two lanes, but I want it so it's a zig zag all along this island. We're not going to have a straight line where someone can use a propelled rocket and get a clear shot.”

“My advice is to leave in the trees and make the road where it is except go wider. You'll have the overgrowth which will keep aerial attacks and strafing down and you'll have a lot more obstacles which can be hit rather than a vehicle if they shoot from the ground.”

I asked, “Robert? Does that sound good?”

“Sure, I'm not sure what I want, but I know I want someplace which won't be attacked.”

“This island is the kid's?

“A large part of it is, but we're going to try to get the rest of it for him. Just the same, that causeway has to be improved for us to get construction equipment over there.”

“Let's measure the causeway.”

“I'm looking for a landing zone. The only one I see is up there at that intersection and on the causeway itself.”

Steve said, “Take it down on the causeway. As narrow as it is, it might be a squeeze walking along side the chopper.”

“I'll land it broadside. We can get out and go through it.”

I brought it down and Steve said, “That's not a very big footprint.”

“Hon, I once took a chopper into a bed of a dump truck. I can get this down there.”

I landed and said, “See!”

He smiled and said, “Man, you're accurate with it.”

“I'd like to say experience, but it's more about remaining level on the controls.”

We got out and the guy said, “Man, this is beat up!”

“We drove the Rolls across it not once but twice. It's sturdy enough, but I'd hate to put a semi on it with a D-9.”

He smiled and said, “How deep is that water?”

Steve said, “I think the deepest is probably forty feet.”

“So we'll need supports probably seventy feet at the tallest to navigate traffic.”

I asked, “Steve when the tide's in, how tall is it up on the supports?”

“The tide is coming in now. I'd say it'll be up another three feet and that will be the highest.”

“What if we built up a concrete box with a center span that allows navigable traffic and then had a draw bridge, would the state approve that?”

“I imagine, but that draw bridge would be expensive.” The man said.

“It'd be an obstacle which couldn't be gone over if the controls were from the house. Money isn't going to be an obstacle. Who you're working for there is not only my son, but the future leader of New York.”

“Why is he going to be living down here?”

“You see where my house is? You see where this island is? That boy isn't going to be running the city but for twenty years. When I retire, he's taking over the country. Between us, this country isn't going to be getting safer until after armageddon. Rather than think it will and hope, I'd rather over prepare for the future and find I was wrong rather than have my son in a battle where he's dead and I'm out to kill anything which moves.”

The guy looked at me and said, “You'd go into battle?”

“Hey, the other day I went into battle and killed between four and eight people. I'm not sure of the number but I definitely know I killed four. The other four were clean up. I can hold my own in those conditions. Just because I'm gay doesn't mean I can't hold a rifle and aim.”

“You sure get your back up easy.”

“Let me show you something. Steve, let me see your service revolver.”

Steve handed it to me. “You see this pistol. It's a 38 Special. It's heavier than the Beretta he probably should have, but it was his daddy's so he's carrying it. You see that egret over there?”

“Where, there's a bunch of them.”

“The one walking along the shore. Fuck it, the one that falls is the one that I was talking about. You watch, because I'm going to face away and then, I'm going to turn, get my aim, and shoot in split second.”

I faced away, spun around, aimed, and squeezed. The egret blew fell and I nearly did so.

“That is how it's done. In real life situations, you don't get to have a perfect aim where you're getting to draw that bead and get the perfect shot. You've got to think, you've got to get that aim, and you've got to get it before you get your ass killed. I can do it with a pistol, rifle, and with a cannon on the side of a chopper. It's not about who I sleep with.”

The guy said, “You sure dropped him.”

“If you care to walk over there, you'll see that bird was dropped because I blew it's head off. The only reason it didn't flop around was because it's leg is in a hole in the sand.”

Robert went to walking and made his way over to the bird which was a good five hundred yards away. As he walked, I said, “You find out how much this causeway costs and do it up right. I want a concrete box filled with gravel and capped with concrete which will have a super strong guard rail system. Go with concrete with that instead of metal, however, zig zag the sides so any ricochets get put up and out.”

“You think about the details. We did that down in the tunnels a long time ago.”

“I thought of it. We had a dumb fuck who discharged a weapon and it blew out the back window of a car a mile down the way after it ricocheted several times. After that, I told Gino I thought we should sculpt those walls so they stop anything where they hit.”

“It was a good choice. It also made the sound dissipate a lot better.”

“With the money we've spent upon those tunnels, it certainly should be the best in the world.”

“I'd say! When I started, it really looked like a dungeon and reminded me of what we found over in 'nam. Now, I'd say it's as good as any underground military installation our government has.”

“One thing I don't like about those tunnels is the inability to stop vehicular traffic down there. I think we need to have hydraulic stops, but they tell me it's a directional thing.”

“Not really. They've got those solid post hydraulic rams which could lift a tank and stop a train. We could use those.”

“Find out how much they cost to have them installed every tenth of a mile and get back with me on them. I'll approve them if they don't cost an arm and a leg.”

Steve heard the conversation and said, “How big are these tunnels? I was thinking small and you're talking like it's huge!”

I looked at the guy and said, “Steve, they used to be probably fifteen feet tall. Then, we got one of those chunnel digging things and I believe their thirty two feet up from the floor to ceiling. We have flat floors which are three car lanes wide.”

Steve asked, “How long are they?”

The guy said, “We've probably got thirty miles down there so far. David is wanting us to get a grid down there where we've got most of the major areas of the city gone under.”

Steve asked, “Ok, this is definitely a lot bigger than I thought. How do they get vehicles down there?”

I said, “Steve, have you seen underground warehouses?”

“No.”

“Well, back home, our water table isn't as low as it it here. We've got limestone underneath which has caves and can be tunnelled into. They use them to store goods under ground which need refrigerated but not frozen.”

“Like what?”

“Wines, cheeses, chocolate....well, a lot of foods and a lot of chemicals. There's even factories under ground which require a cool environment.”

He looked at me and asked, “like what?”

“One that I know of immediately is a company that makes the pull levers with the white markings on them for your emergency brake and hoods in your cars. The process requires it be cool in the room when they do it.

Another thing they have down there is a paint manufacturing company which makes a major brand of latex house paint. They do it down there because the process is a chemical reaction and it puts off a lot of heat. Apparently, they had a plant above ground and it was unbearable to work in, so they went underground and it's nice.”

“Ok, so you go under ground in a man made cave and just drive into the tunnels?”

“Yeah, there are guard points, but that's the jest of it.”

“It has to be huge.”

“Hon, they have their own electric railroad down there. Over in the underground warehouse area, they've got that thing going for miles and miles in a huge grid. It's over in our area where we've got it just started.”

The foreman said, “What we've done is we've got an agreement with the underground warehouse company which has us using the chunnelling equipment and them buying it. One of the machines cost like a billion dollars, so we provide them security and operators for the thing.

`One thing David wants to do is to chunnel three tunnels from Kansas City to St. Louis to Chicago and back to Kansas City so we can put in a high speed rail system. When we go to do it, it'll most likely take a year to get done, but we'll have a fast way of getting our ordinances in and out of the cities.”

I nodded and said, “I'd agree to that. It'd be a cost benefit because we could get the hardware to whatever city needs it within a matter of a couple of hours. We usually know when something is going to kick off, so it'd be a cost savings to not duplicate the ordinances.”

Steve looked at me and shrugged. “When you go to Kansas City, I'm going to take the day off. I'd like to see everything.”

“Ok, we'll fly out there one day later this week.”

“I'll be off next week too. I'm going to take the bereavement time.”

“Ok, you can fly all over and see all of the operations. It'd get you a good clear idea of what I'm working with.”

Robert yelled, “That bird is stuck in the ground and it doesn't have a head.”

The guy looked at me and smiled. “I was trained by the best. You'd see Kansas City didn't shirk when it came to providing the money for training.”

He said, “You guys spent money good out there. It's the best in our entire organization from what I can tell. That's why when I saw that underground operation over there, I thought it was yours.”

I looked at him and asked, “Have you been out there?”

“No, why?”

“Steve, get this man out there. We've got another lab in south Florida which is underground too. You're entirely correct in thinking we are the best.

Until you said something, I'd not thought about it but Miami doesn't have the skills to go underground like we do. That means they had to hire them from someone. I'd say Tampa hired them because the man was close to our operation. I'd like to know who they hired and if the man is still working under us.

IF he is, that means he's probably hired himself out to others and soon enough, all the arrows will point back to Kansas City.”

The guy asked, “You're thinking it could be a red flag to the feds, aren't you?”

“Yeah. We've got to see if it's one of ours and get him stopped. Well, for that matter, it doesn't matter who it is, he's got to be stopped.”

“If you're thinking it's a man, couldn't it be a woman?”

“We didn't go co-ed until I started it. However, I'm glad you're thinking that way.”

Robert came running up and said, “Can you teach me to shoot like that?”

“Yeah, we'll practice. What we'll need to do is get you to the target range in Kansas City and get you some skills taught before we get you to sharpshooter's school.”

“Cool!”

We did a wheel measure and came up with nineteen hundred and forty feet long for the causeway itself. The guy said he'd bring down some divers and a dredge barge and begin getting the concrete poured which would make the base of the causeway.

Steve said, “Hon, don't do anything until I get it approved.”

I smiled and said, “Hon, you go your direction and get approvals and we'll do the underwater work so when you're approved, we'll only have to go up with it.”

He smiled and said, “What if they don't approve it?”

“I'd say we'd have to take it to a level they had no choice. When that happens, I'll probably be sitting in the Governor's office with those papers myself. One thing I know is it's not going to take forever to get this done.”

I looked at the guy and said, “Longest estimate of time?”

“Barring an early season direct hit hurricane, I'd say we'll have it done by late August.”

“And that road?”

“Consider the road already done at that time. I can float the equipment over there.”

“How are you going to get the asphalt there?”

“We'll go aerial with the deliveries. We've got a helicopter we can use for that. We've done it a time or two in South America for air strips up on top of mountains.”

“Drug running?”

“No, let's just say we've got operations there which are different than what we have stateside.”

“I'll have to ask little John about them.”

“He'll kill me for sure.”

“Why, was it top secret?”

“Everyone swore a death oath. Right now, I'm supposed to be committing suicide. I figure if you never knew, you probably should.”

“Is it drugs?”

“No. It's a friggin' chain of monasteries.”

“Huh?”

“You heard me. Little John went to school in a monastery and in repayment, he's built a string of monasteries all along the Andes.”

“Well, I'll be damned. I had no idea.”

“No one does and that's why he wanted it to be secret.”

“Ok, you're never to tell another soul. I'm not forgiving the fact you told me, but I'm glad you did. It gives me insight into the man which is more than what I had.”

We prepared for lift off and got strapped in. On a whim, I went South and over the Southern end of the island. The area was more unprotected from the ocean and the trees looked to be more wind whipped. “Find out how much it'd cost to get four of those huge wind turbines down on this end. Those trees look like those up in Missouri which are growing with constant wind.”

Robert said, “They look spooky.”

“That's because they have a lot of wind moving them all the time. My thought is we put turbines in and make the island self sufficient except for what you sell off. If we get you making more money than what you spent here, then it'd be a lot better than not.”

“I want that beach right there to be my front yard.” He was pointing down and towards the northern end of the island.

“Ok, but I want a dock to sweep out there so boats can tie up. What I'd like to see is you have a progression of steps all along there on the three sides which are built up to a yard which is up high enough to keep a tidal surge from really messing things up should a hurricane come.”

The guy asked, “What sort of house?”

Robert said, “I'll show you. We had a place out in Hawaii which I really liked.”

Steve smiled and said, “Hon, I think he'll do good there and be happy.”

“We need to get those approvals and the sale done. What I think I'll do is I'll promise no direct swipes at the Governor until next year.”

“In return for him selling it to us?”

“To Robert. I don't want it to look like it was a deal between you and he.”

“Why not?”

“It'd look suspect and another opponent could utilize it. If it's to our son, the press will back off due to his age.”

“You think so?”

“Hon, you need to know what you've got sitting behind us in regards to power. He's going to be head of New York City. Should he tell any network they can not operate and can not have a transmitter there, they'll have to suddenly go to Jersey. The press isn't likely going to want to piss him off.”

“That's something else.”

“Yeah, so look at it and tell yourself how easily we could pull it into something in the future and have that kid running for President.”

Steve smiled and said, “I'd not envy him the job.”

“Me neither, but should he want it, we'll push for him”

As we flew northward, Steve reached over and held my hand. “Hon, I love you.”

“I love you too. We've got to get to bed early tonight as I've got to be up and flying early.”

He smiled and said, “We'll go to bed extra early.”

I smiled and said, “Ok” ignoring the fact our headsets were live.

When we landed, we got out and went inside. Robert said, “I'm going down to see what they've got to eat.”

Steve and I went in and saw David on the phone. He made a motion for me to come close and said, “Steve, I'd hate to ruin your day, but you own more than those things. It looks like your dad was taking profits from the mining and lumbers and putting them into land all over the place.”

Steve shook his head and said, “How bad is it?”

“Bad? If you look at it politically, I can't even register it on a scale. ON the terms of investing, he's done some amazing things.”

David spoke briefly into his phone and said, “Get back with me on the numbers.” He hung up and said, “You need to sit down on this one.”

A chill went down my spine and I said, “Ok, do we need to call JT and Rose in?”

“No, it's bad, but collectively it's not going to be absorbed any better.”

Steve said, “Ok, what are we looking at?”

“Mining is one thing. You've got a lot of the mining operations across our country. IF it were your problem, I'd tell you it was enough to probably drop you with a nut kick in a campaign. Where you're going to be staggered is an environmentalist will have you over a barrel and there's nothing you can do.”

“Because of the mining?” I asked.

“No, what James was doing was investing in a lot of the Brazilian rain forest and operating a logging operation down there. Then either he used it to farm agriculture, or he use it to mine minerally. The toll on that scale is if there were one person on the planet who would be deemed an environmental terrorist, you're it.”

Steve looked stunned. “How much land is it?”

“He bought land down there for roughly thirty cents an acre and spent millions annually for the last forty years, as I'm understanding. The millions of acres of land you're owning is bigger than a lot of states.”

Steve said, “Ok, any way to distance myself from it?”

“Yes, and no. What you can do is to attempt damage control, but I'll tell you that country down there will see you selling and it'll be a panic on their end which will shut down their economy. They'll think you're ceasing the operations which get their beef into our country and the grain which goes world wide.”

I said, “Ok, now, what if we sign it over to being operated by trusted advisors?”

“It's a really no win situation Rhette. He can't ignore it and he can't acknowledge it because either way, he's screwed.”

“Ok, so my advice is to take that knowledge and just run like hell with it. We've got a press conference to do yet, so we can just proclaim it and let the world know what he inherited. If they see we're up front and honest about it, then it doesn't make him look like a politician who hides problems.”

Steve turned to me and smiled. “Hon, this is overwhelming.”

“Yes, and when a problem is this big, we treat it like the elephant we've got to eat. We'll do it together, but it's going to have to be a bite at a time.”

He held my hand and said, “This press conference. Where are we going to hold it?”

“I think we should do it in front of the funeral home. That's the issue and this issue can be tied in because it's regarding your dad's death.”

“I think I need mom and JT with me when I go out and tell the world, I'm discovering how much I've inherited.”

“Hon, when it comes to making the statement, I think it'd be best if I do it. The women are behind me and if you do it, I think it'd be you proclaiming yourself to be king of the world. What I don't like is I've got to get into a fucking dress.”

“No, you just go as you are. The down home look right now is going to be what we'll need.” Dave said. “They need to know this is a problem you're dealing with on a personal level instead of professional.”

“Ok, what I want is something better than a statement that includes 'Oh My God!' A lot.”

He smiled and said, “Rhette, what I'll do is I'll get you a white board. You draw a map of South America and you do a diagram of Brazil. Then, you take and make a pie chart and you make that pie chart reflect about one third. Then you tell them that's how much of the agricultural land your other half now owns.”

“Jesus Christ!”

Steve said, “Hon, I think I'm going to be sick.”

I said, “Dave, get me a number of the acres and I'll try to spin it so I can even try to make it into something which we can believe ourselves.”

“They're getting me numbers. The income is so large you're going to be made to look like you're wanting to be Governor as a hobby.”

“No, what I'm going to do is I'm going to step forward and say I'm going to get some managers in there to handle it. The numbers just aren 't going to be small in hopes of thing getting better. We need to look unknowing, but we've got to be smart when we make those decisions.”

Dave smiled and said, “Hon, what you've got is a man who went from knowing he was well to do with a lot of land here to probably being wealthier on a scale than most people are on the planet and that includes the oil sheiks. That land has gone from thirty cents an acre to nearly nine hundred now.”

“It's worth a lot more here. Why's it so much of a difference?” I asked.

“Supply and demand. Up here, there's a lot of people who want it. Down there, the only one that wanted it for a long time was James and when he was buying it was so gradual and slow, no one realized what he had until he had it. Now, they're using it and they're making it worth more because they're exploiting it to the full scale of what they can do with it.”

“Ok, so who's running it. It sure doesn't sound like I need a manager.”

“With the ag land, it's a whole other thing. Steve owns not only the land, but he owns grain facilities and the means to transport it to port. Usually, that's rail, but there's some trucking and barge too.”

“So he owns all of it?”

“It's a whole economy. If he said down there he was going to provide those hundred thousand jobs, they'd laugh and tell him he's already done that.”

Steve looked at me and said, “Like they won't use it against me.”

“Hon, you didn't know. I'm damned sure if your mom knew, she'd be driving something more than a Pinto for chrissake.”

He smiled and said, “What I'm thinking is how bad this would have gotten should she have ever sued him for divorce. You'd seen something blow up way more than you could even imagine.”

“I understand. Now we've got to keep the same explosion contained and moved to a direction which there will be the least amount of damage.”

He came over and hugged me, “Rhette, most people would be happier than ever about what we've learned. It'd be better than a lottery. We should be thankful.”

“We will be. It's a lot to handle. Most people aren't concerned about winning an election.”

“Maybe I shouldn't run. Maybe I can do all the things I set out to do without running.”

I looked at him and said, “If that's your choice, then so be it. We'll run that direction.

What you need to know is I just got involved with the mafia to pull in protection and favors. In doing so, I've got to fulfill my end of the agreement. It's not an on/off switch where we happily walk away. You might, but not me.

Now, are you going to up and resign your job as Sheriff since you can suddenly afford to retire without the money? Should all the promises you made to your people suddenly not be fulfilled because you can afford to do without the job?”

“Wow, you really hit below the belt.”

“No, I've not begun to work myself up into the great piss off I'm thinking about. Instead, I'm going up and getting my son and I'm going to get the fuck away from you. I'll see you tomorrow afternoon and when you do that proposal, you remember you don't have to do it anymore because the camera doesn't need to be there.”

I stepped back and flipped out my cell phone. “Get my jet ready.”

I went upstairs and took out three outfits. I put them into a suitcase and then went over to Robert's room. “Get some clothes ready, we're about to leave for a few days.”

“Why?”

“Your dad has issues he needs to resolve. We're giving him some space to do it.”

“Ok, I'll be ready in a few moments.”

I went back to our room and threw shoes and accessories into the suitcase. Somewhere along the line, I realized I was packing both dresses and pants. I threw the dresses out and left only pants.

From behind me I heard, “Rhette, don't do this.”

“Sell out on someone else's time. I've got to get a commitment and it's not that answer. You promised and now it's suddenly not something you choose to deliver. When you step outside, you take a look at those men. You take a look at the lives which got thrown into a turmoil because we had a moment where you needed them. Then you remember you can afford to pay them to make up for it. You do that and then, you think about the lives they left and the time they wasted here because you can't give them back that time.

They came here because they were asked to do something they believe in. Something more than an “I quit”. More than an “I can afford to do without it.” And certainly more than “I'm a fucking hypocrite.”

I grabbed my suitcase and left the room. “Rhette, I never lied to you.”

“Let's see if I believe that.” I said over my shoulder.

I knocked on Robert's door and said, “Ready?”

“Yeah.”

“Ok”

We went down the steps and were met by Dave. “David, you speak to him and then you lay out the cost of what our time here has been. IF he can suddenly afford to throw little John out of that room, you break his fucking leg and make it so he has to take little John's place.

I'm going back to Missouri. I'm going to do what I need to do there tomorrow and I'll call to see if I'm needed to make an appearance here. If I'm not and you've had to disband the camp, then do what you can to keep your relationship.

She's a wonderful woman. I don't think the money will sway who she is.”

“Rhette, don't run far too fast. I'm sure he'll come back to his senses.”

“I don't know. He's sounding pretty stupid to me about now. You get him to keep his word to Robert about that island. If he thinks he can afford to fucking lie to him, then let me know and his problems will be taken to a personal level.”

“They won't.” I heard from the top of the stairs.

“See it doesn't happen.”

I went out the door and across the porch. Robert looked at me and asked, “What happened?”

“He found out he's got a lot of money. Suddenly, he can afford to do things on his own and forget his promises he made to people at CNN.”

“So he's not going to run for Governor?”

“He doesn't need to. He's rich now.” I said with venom.

“Hold up a second. I'll be right back.”

He went back in the house and I heard him yell. “You lied to kids. You never cared about them. All it was to you was a speech to play them. You're as bad as the drug dealers. You build them up and then shut them out when it's time to give them something more.”

He came back out and across the porch to the steps. I was already walking across the sidewalk to the gate. He picked up his suitcase and came trotting along.

“Rhette, as soon as he chooses not to run, a thousand dope dealers are going to head this way. They'll know it's safe and this is the place to set up growing and production.”

“Let me do him a favor and call JT. If anyone can talk to him, it'll be him.”

I called the house. “Hello?”

“Kev, would you put JT on?”

“Sure, one second.”

“Hi Rhette.”

“JT, you need to speak to your brother. I'm to my car and I'm leaving to go back to Missouri. He's decided since he's rich, he doesn't need to run for Governor and doesn't need to fulfill his promises to anyone.”

“What!”

“He's rich, he doesn't need to keep his word. Maybe you feel the same, but maybe you don't. You're rich too. What do you think?”

“Hold up, what the fuck's going on?”

“You guys are way richer than you thought. Your dad invested heavily in Brasilian lands and like a third of the agricultural land is your family's. That puts you on the stratosphere of rich people on the planet.

Since Steve can now afford to become a liar and a hypocrite, he's chosen to do so. What he's forgotten is other people have upset their lives because they believed in him. Well, I'm out and on my way to the jet.

If you can, you put some sense into his head and get him to seeing what he's doing.”

“Rhette, don't go.”

“Nothing for me to stay for. I've got a job to do and people who need me. Contrary to your brother's beliefs, I do know what it means when I give someone my word.”

“Where's he having the press conference?”

“I don't know even if he's going to have it now or not. There's no need since he's able to afford not being Governor.”

I started the car and began to drive.

“You're driving?”

“Yeah, I've got to get to the jet.”

“Did he try to stop you?”

“No, all he told me was he was going to keep his word to Robert. That's it.”

“So he totally sold out on everything. I'll be right there to kick his ass.”

“JT, when you've got him down, you let him know I loved him, but I won't co-sign to a sellout.”

“Neither would I.”

I hung up and looked over to Robert. He said, “I can't believe he'd do that!”

“Hon, money does weird things to people. Some people would rather do what they can to help others. Some people would hoard it. Some people wouldn't help their own mother if she was down and out. It's strange what people will or won't do when they find out they've got it.”

“Maybe you need to take it from him.”

“No, I thought about that. It's tough to say, but the position he's in can do more damage to me if I try to do anything. I think he knows it and that's why he let us walk out of that house.”

“Maybe you still having an army made a difference.”

“Maybe, but it could be pretty embarrassing to him too.”

“Then use it. Make him see he's being stupid.”

“Hon, you know the spot I'm in right now is just like I was with your dad. He wouldn't listen to me, your mom, his Cardinal, or anyone. He was lost in his own mind and the only hope I have left is Steve's not that far gone. If he is, then I wish him well wherever he goes.”

“Do you think he'll try to go up against you?”

“No. He's got other things he'd want to do “

“Like what?”

“I don't know. The nearest I can figure is he wants to remodel the house. Everything else suddenly isn't what he wanted.”

We drove on and I saw JT's truck fly by. My cell phone rang.

“Yeah”

“Rhette” It was Kevin's voice.

“Yeah”

“I'm sorry.”

“It's nothing you did this time. Fate just doesn't deal me very good cards. Even when you think you've got all the Aces, the poker table can burn down. Don't ever forget it.”

“You don't sound good.”

“Hon, I thought I had it going in the right direction. Now I find out I've got four flat tires.

I'll be fine as soon as I can get to the jet. I'll regroup and then I'll be better tomorrow.”

“Don't be a stranger.”

“I won't. Just do your best to be the best to JT. If he gets nuts, then take him to Mabel's and let her work him over.”

He laughed and said, “You should do that to Steve”

“JT's on his way there. That's the best I can do.”

“Ok, give us calls.”

“I will.”

I snapped the phone shut and drove on. Robert looked at me and said, “Why were you and Kevin together?”

“I loved him.”

“You two don't look like you belong together.”

“Why, because I'm not good looking enough?”

“No, he's rough around the edges and just has an air about him which you don't. He tried to get people to laugh when he's at his most vulnerable. I can see it and then I look at you and it's like seeing a high quality diamond.”

“Hon, you're over selling me. This diamond isn't without flaws. This one here is lucky to be industrial grade.

What I want you to understand is at the time, Kevin was the metal to my stone. He was the setting which made me look my best. He might've not been the best, but I felt my best with him. I still love him as much as he screwed up. Don't forget that.”

“You can't forgive?”

“Sure. I'll forgive a lot. What I won't do is continually forgive. If I do it, then it's me that's got the problem instead of him. I've become an enabler instead of being supportive.”

“Ok, so what changed?”

“I'll tell you something. When my mom divorced my real dad, he was an abusive motherfucker. He was mean, arrogant, and he was just a real good old fashioned prick. He thought he was all that and she had the strength to lay it down to him He wasn't.

To him, that was a giant wake up call. He suddenly found himself without and he had to get out and do some good old fashioned ass kissing to gain back what he lost.”

“What happened?”

“For me, it wasn't ass kissing. It took me not talking to him for two years and then, when we did, it was distant. Then one day, he exploded and tried the old abusive role on me again. I blew up and grabbed a tire iron. He suddenly discovered underneath the surface was the monster he'd created in his image. I hid it well.”

“I don't think you are.”

“Hon, there are three times I've ever went to that zone with anyone. I hope to never go to that zone again. It's primal and it's downright scary.”

“What do you mean?”

“In prison, I had a fight with someone where I was locked into the cell with them. For two hours, I beat the guy. I hit him so much my hands were all puffed up and hurting and then I switched to my forearms and elbows. I kicked and I kneed him and what happened was during all this, I was telling him to stay still. He'd move and I'd beat him some more.”

“Man, did he die?”

“No, but he wasn't doing so hot when they finally popped the doors to let everyone out for rec. A bunch of inmates went into the cell and one of them had been a paramedic out on the streets. He found the guy to have broken ribs, a nose, and a lot of bruises and cuts.”

“Man, you didn't get caught?”

“No.”

“You were lucky.”

“I realize that. What you don't know hon is it's a zone which I now recognize when I see it.”

“Where do you see it?”

“On television when the cops are beating someone. The person moves and they beat some more. What they don't realize is pain makes someone move. It's a reaction to nerves and muscles being bruised.”

“Man, so you thought his moving was a threat and it was just a natural reaction?”

“Yeah, so as I said, I've been there three times. Instant compulsive anger which I hit a primal zone. I did it at that fight, I did it with my dad, and I did it with a woman at Hardee's one day.”

“Huh?”

“Right after I got out of prison, my mom and I went to Hardee's for breakfast. This old lady was a smart ass and the whole order she was giving me shit. I maintained my composure and when she rung it up, she told me the total. I told her it was wrong. She got really assinine with me and started speaking to me really slow and loud like I was retarded or something. Then she hit the total button and showed me the total was the same. What happened next was me hitting that level.

I had a coupon. I'd told the woman I had a coupon. She chose to ignore it and be a bitch. Then, she chose to hit the level of treating me like I'm retarded. I told her, “listen up bitch, I told you I have a coupon.” She hit attitude again and said, “You never told me any such thing.” That's when she found her ass getting drug across the counter.

I looked her in the face and said, “Listen up grandma, I've had about as much of your shit as I'm going to take. The customer is always right and believe me when I'll be right all the way to jail.”

“What happened!”

She went back across the counter and my mom was yelling at me that she couldn't take me anywhere. The manager came and I told him, “your woman just cost you a customer. Not only will I walk out of this motherfucker, I'll pay for full page ads in the newspaper telling what you have working for you, but I'll never take a billboard ad from you again.”

“Holy Shit! What'd he do?”

“He took a deep breath and looked at my mom. He asked my mom what happened and my mom told him the truth. He heard about what the lady did, but he also heard what I did.”

“And?”

“He got me my breakfast free and my mom's free and then told the lady to go home as she had the day off. When I left, he told me not to come in the store again.”

“Have you?”

“Yeah, but every time I've went in, that woman makes herself scarce.”

“Man!”

“Here's the other side of the story though. The man believing what I told him about advertising with us didn't call us.

When Kevin went knocking upon their door, he got told the story and told the man wouldn't advertise with us. Kevin called us in together and we had a sit down. Kevin told the man about us being out of prison and that's how you treat someone in there who treated me the way the lady was treating me. He then told the guy I'd been in there since and the woman hadn't bothered me. The guy decided to advertise and since then, they've been a regular customer of ours.”

“So Kevin got him to do it.”

“Yeah, because personally I didn't give a shit if he advertised with us or not. It was himself he was hurting and not me.”

“Steve's doing that now.”

“And JT's there to get him to wake up.”

“And Kevin.”

“Yeah, but I don't know how well it will go. Kevin will probably give Steve an ass chewing like he's never had before.”

We drove through town to the airport. As we were pulling up to the airport, I got a phone call.

“Yeah”

“Rhette, JT here. Don't leave. I'm on my way there in the helicopter and Steve's going with you. Kevin and I've chewed into his ass and he's feeling about an inch tall right now.”

“Hon, it's not what he needs. He needs some D Cell batteries because his flashlight went out and he's in the dark.”

He chuckled. “Well, your problem is you were to share yours. He upset you and I had to use mine to give him a spankin' like you'd never believe..”

“Ok, well, he's going to be gone until tomorrow because I have a life to live with or without him. He needs to know I can do so without him quite well on my own.”

“Let him know that. Let him know he'll never be so rich he can get honest love.”

“Well, you can get it, but it's just a lot more expensive.”

He laughed. “We talked to him. What made a world of difference was Mom finding out what he did.”

“Well, I told Dave not to give up on her.”

“She knows that. She also told Steve he better wake up and smell the coffee because she'd personally see to it he never saw a penny of that money if he chose to be a fool.”

“I don't think she can do that.”

“I don't think so either, but it got through to him.”

“Ok, I don't know whether to say thanks, or not. I hear the chopper coming.”

“We'll be here if you need us.”

“Ok, I'll tell him to give you a call.”

The chopper landed and Steve got out. He came over and said, “Rhette, I owe you an apology.”

“Get up the steps. I'm waiting on you.”

He looked at me. “Steve, my life is going on. This plane is still flying. Either you get on, or you don't. I've made up my mind if you can live without me, then you'll do so but that I can live without you too. So, I'm going to Missouri TO KEEP MY WORD and I'm going to fulfill everything I've said to people TO KEEP MY WORD. What I won't do is listen to lies and be a co-signer to lies. If you can't KEEP YOUR WORD, then you'll have to do that yourself.”

“Rhette, I'm trying to say I'm sorry.”

“Ok, now, which part are you sorry for because there's a long list.”

We were up to the top of the steps and on the plane.

“Would you just wait so we can go back home?”

“You might want to go over there and sit because this plane is about to take off. You were told we're flying and it's not stopping until Missouri. The good thing is it's got fast engines, so the trip won't be that long.”

“Why are we going to Missouri?”

“I have to be there tomorrow. Like it or not, I've got to take physical possession of Jeff.”

“What are you going to do with him?”

“Well, I had plans on asking my Sheriff boyfriend to put him in detox, but he lies to people. Instead, I guess I'll take him to Miami and lock him in an apartment where he can't be heard detoxing and getting sober.”

“Hon, coming off drugs isn't that easy. He'll need something for it.”

“Bullshit. You're believing a stack of lies. People come down cold turkey all the time.

It's called not having the money for a fix. Yeah it's not so nice, but I believe it's the best way for someone to get clean and sober. It leaves memories which the person doesn't forget.”

“It can also kill them.”

“And? Because if they stay on the stuff they're going to die, so tell me something I'm missing here. And, why the fuck should you care? You're rich enough to not have a problem with the little people who are on drugs.”

He looked at me and said, “Rhette, I'm sorry. Can't you let me be with that?”

“No because somewhere along the line I'm only getting you're sorry you made yourself get caught in the lie rather than the sentiments behind them. I hear you still quite content on giving up the Sheriff job and fucking all the people you were content in helping. I hear you giving up on your dream of being Governor and I hear you just being a sell out.”

“Would you shut up for a second and let me talk?”

“Sure. Which second of my day would you like? Because I've already wasted enough of them on someone named you. Another second would be one too many if that's what you're doing.”

Robert said, “Rhette, I'm going into the back bedroom. You two stay out here and do whatever two idiots who love each other do when they're trying to make each other miserable.”

He went down the hall and I looked at Steve. “Ready to make me miserable?”

He laughed and said, “Ok, you ready to make me miserable?”

“I don't know. I won't do it with a sellout at any price.”

“Ok, listen to me. I'm sorry. I'll keep my word to everyone and I'll do my best to be someone you can be proud of.”

“Hon, I just don't want it to be fake. If you're doing this because people stepped off in your ass, you're not doing it because of the right reasons. How do I get you to just be what you are without thinking it's all about money?”

He turned and looked at me directly. “Rhette, you are someone who has all this money and it doesn't really affect you as a person. It got to my head and I can't explain it.”

“Ok, I'll explain it to you. Then, you need to listen because I'll not repeat myself again.

When I was with Tony, I learned money didn't really affect the really monied people. His parents were billionaires and if you knew them, you'd think they were just as dysfunctional as people who had no incomes.

Then, I met Steve and moved to Texas. His dad owned a oil company and bought a friggin' movie studio so he'd have a hobby for crying out loud. His mom shopped all day long and had a three story closet which is bigger than any department story I've seen in a long time.

What I did see with Steve is he had the ability to love someone and his parents knew the word love beyond anyone I knew. It taught me billionaires are people too and you can have gutter trash billionaires or high class depending upon the person underneath.”

“What happened with you?”

“In between, I met Gino. The man probably had as much money at his disposal as either bunch. He taught me life was as much fun as you make it. You can be deadbeat broke, or you can have a bank of money at your disposal, but if you're not yourself, you're nothing. So, since then, I've had good days with money and I've had bad days. Through it all, I've had good times because I'm still me no matter what.”

“What do you think about me with the money?”

“I know in reality the Governorship doesn't matter to you. I know in reality, nothing matters to you including me. We're all expendable and you can stay at home and tell yourself in front of the mirror you're damned good. The only admirable thing you did in your little episode was you kept your word to Robert, so I'll give you a point for that.”

“I'm still a lot of points down, aren't I?”

“Oh yeah. Now, if you were a stock, I'd buy up as much of you as I could because I know it's good when you're at your best. But, if I'm buying the bullshit routine you just went through, I'll tell you now I'd not buy a penny's worth and I'll gladly divest myself of the rest.”

He laughed. “Would you forgive me?”

“I will, but don't do it again.”

“What if I'm as rich as they say I am?”

“We deal with it. Now, what we've got to do is we've got to keep our commitment to the public with you as Sheriff for the next few years.”

“Hon, do you want me to run for Governor?”

“Is that what you think...is I want you to run?”

“I don't know what you think anymore.”

“Let's lay things out. What would you do if you didn't have the money?”

“I'd run.”

“Why?”

“Because there's a lot of things I can do to make the state better.”

“What changed all that simply because you got money?”

“Oh.” He looked confused. “I've been being a jackass, haven't I?”

“To a lot of people.”

“What should I do?”

“Well, with the exception of the press conference, you go along for the ride with me to St. Louis because that's where we're headed.”

“Can we go to Kansas City?”

“You want to go there tonight? We can. I'm not expected in St. Louis until tomorrow.”

“It's up to you.”

“What I'll do is I'll tell the pilots to take us on to Kansas City and we'll do the tour tonight.”

“Do you mind?”

“All I've got to do is have someone pick us up and get us to Gino's. From what I hear, the Rolls is still there and it'd be nice to drive it again.

We can go to the underground and you can see it and then, for giggles and grins, I'll take you and Robert to the stockyard for a late night dinner.”

“Huh?”

“Robert hon....the kid has a hollow leg. They've got a steak there they'll offer to you free if you can finish it. It's like 8 pounds of meat.”

“Oh man.”

“Let me get the plane going to Kansas City.”

I got up and went to the cockpit. When I entered, the pilot turned. “Rhette, you have a phone you can call to tell us things.”

“Yeah, and I've got the hours to fly this too. Just the same, God gave me two legs so I can walk up here to see you personally. What we'd like to do is to go on to Kansas City and then go to St. Louis in the morning. Ok?”

“Sure.”

“I appreciate it. You do have experience landing at KCI, don't you?”

“It's been a while.”

“If you want, I can land it. It's tricky.”

He smiled and said, “You pay me, remember?”

“Yeah, and just remember I don't sign paychecks until the plane lands. If I arrive dead, it comes out of your paycheck.”

He laughed and I said, “Ok, you guys stay safe and I'll do the same.”

I left the cockpit and snapped open my phone. I called Dave. “Hi, we're going on to Kansas City. I'm going to give him the tour and stay at the big house. I'll probably drive the Rolls.”

“Ok, it's licensed. It might not run all that good because I think the gas in it is from when it was still less than a dollar a gallon, but I'm sure you can get it to slide around a few corners.

How's the old boy doing?”

“He's forgiven.”

“His mama chewed him a new one and put him on that chopper.”

“Thank her for me.”

He laughed and said, “I should be thanking you. I know how to tow the line now with her because I sure don't want her to hit that tone of voice with me.”

“Bad?”

“Oh man, let's say your mom and she are too much alike.”

“Ok, now I've got a question.”

“Go ahead.”

“Are the staff people still there at the house?”

“Yeah, I'm in and out so infrequently I never know when I'll be there and when I'm not. Rather than get rid of them, I keep them on. Your allowance covers them.”

“Ok, which bars are mine in the gay world?”

“All of them you're used to. There's not that much of a change except the Dixie Bell has moved.”

“Not planning on going there. I was thinking about the Windjammer.”

“You taking Robert?”

“Yeah, he'll be fine.”

“Ok, I've not been there, so I couldn't tell you.”

“It's a big old bank with a dance floor. Not much out of sorts there.”

“Ok, well, have a good evening.”

“Dave, tell CNN Steve's taken a day of bereavement and plans on making the press conference tomorrow afternoon.”

“Should I drop hints?”

“No, what I'd do is ask them to do a lot of look ups for quotes and figures for funeral home fraud across the country. There's not that many that often, but we'll be going for the jugular on this one.”

“I need to call Charleston and speak with them.”

“Ask little John to get us someone from across the country and if we don't have one, you call someone up from a school and get them up under us. Tell them we'll make good on getting a better more up to date and modern facility, but we've got to have someone.”

He affirmed and said, “I'll get on it. You two have a nice evening.”

“Ok, you too.”

We rung off and I went back to the back bedroom to see Robert. He was watching television.

“You two getting along better?”

“Yeah, you want to come in?”

“No. I'll watch television. Why don't you use the time to make up and get all sucky faced.” He said smiling.

“Ok, but we're flying on to Kansas City instead of St. Louis. Is that ok?”

“Yeah, I'd like to see things over there. I can still go home tomorrow, can't I?”

“Yeah.”

He smiled and said, “I'll get your file when I go.”

I smiled and said, “Yeah because I'd like to see what he had on me. Well, I'll let you watch television. What's on?”

“They've got a good satellite system. It's real cool.”

“Good. I'm not aware what's on satellite. Don't be watching a bunch of pornos or anything.”

“You have to pay for that. I'm watching some of the things I like to watch on Spike.”

“Ok, I'm not familiar with it.”

He smiled and said, “It's ok”

“I'll trust you.”

I went out and into the living room. “We have permission to get all sucky faced.” I smiled.

He smiled and said, “One thing I definitely want more of is kids. He's great, but I want more.”

“I know. You're a good dad.”

“It's interesting how fast I took to him.”

“I know. I'm proud of the way you've done it.”

I sat down and eased into his arms. “I need to make a phone call otherwise they won't pick us up at the airport.”

“Who you calling?”

“The household staff. There's a limo downstairs they can use. No one is to drive the Rolls except for Gino or myself.”

“Kind of a waste.”

“Yeah, but those were Gino's orders.”

I called and said, “This is Rhette. I'm on my way to the city. Would you or someone be so kind to bring the limo out and meet us at the airport?”

“Ok, will you be staying here?”

“Yes. It's only for tonight, but we're going to probably be back on Friday.”

“Ok, I'll get provisions brought in for breakfast in the morning.”

“Thank you.”

“What would you like?”

“Let me ask, but I know I want hash browns, a country fried steak with white gravy, biscuits and jelly, and a western omelet.”

I looked at Steve and said, “What do you want for breakfast?”

“Oh, what you said sounds great.”

“Ok, make that enough for three. If you have a teen ager sized bowl for a really sweet cereal, I'm sure he'd appreciate it. Other than that, you might want to make that about five times a normal person because he'll probably eat enough for three.”

I heard chuckling. “I remember someone else eating like that.”

“Who?”

“Rhette, I was here when you were younger. I remember.”

“Man, shouldn't you be retired!”

He laughed and said, “This job makes me feel retired. Why would I retire?”

“Ok, I'll have to come there more often.”

“Ok, anything else I can do to make your evening excellent?”

“Have the fire going in the fireplaces.”

“They'll be.”

“Other than that, I'll need a couple loaves of french bread if there aren't. I'll probably cook something in the kitchen just to feel like I'm home again.”

“Oh man, that will be wonderful. May I have leftovers?”

“Sure. You might get me about seven chicken breasts which are grilled from down at Bates. That way I don't have to take the time to do that. Also when you call, tell them I'll roll up and come in to get them. Tell them to have my table waiting and some grilled peppers and vegetables. They know if I ask, how to make them.”

“You going out on the town this evening?”

“Yeah, like old times. I doubt if we stay anywhere long, but we'll be making the rounds.”

“I'll let the guards know.”

“Tell them I'm going out in the Rolls and they're to follow. I'll not be with an entourage and one of the main places I'm going is to the underground to give a tour.”

“I'll let them know.”

“Any ill affects from the war?”

“None. A lot of sad people, but they know we were victorious and those responsible are dead. You'll probably be treated to a hero's welcome because you're back but you're also bringing us glory over being over St. Louis. People have long memories of what happened.”

“Good. I was worried what I'd face.”

“No ill affects. They're sad, but they know we won.”

“Ok. Give word we'll have a memorial service on Friday.”

“Ok, where are you located now?”

“In the sky someplace between South Carolina and home, I'd say we're probably over Kentucky about now so I should talk like I have a chaw.”

He laughed and said, “Ok, you've never had a chaw in your life.”

“I have about three times. All of them I couldn't stand, but I thought the guy was hot enough I'd try it. Boy was that a mistake. Well, I'll let you know when we're fifteen out.”

“No, let me know when you're a half out. It'd be better at the airport that way.”

“Ok, I'll ask the pilot to let us know. Bye now.”

I hung up. Steve asked, “You know him?”

“He's Gino's butler from when I was around before.”

“Man, that's a long time.”

“I said so too. He said the job is like being retired, so why should he retire?”

Steve smiled and said, “You sounded like you were going home when you were talking to him.”

“Hon, you'll see the house and fall in love. For the matter, you'll see Meemaw's and fall in love. What's going to be hard is I'm not going to know how to see her house without expecting to see her in her support hose sitting in her chair. That's going to be rough.”

“Is there that much of a difference between the two houses?”

“Oh Lord. Day and night difference. Gino's is very masculine. It's very old world antiques. Things from castles and shit.

Meemaw's is a typical Italian grandma's house. What you'll find is when you see Meemaw's, you'll see what I took as decorating ideas when I did the little house in Hannibal.”

“Really?”

“Oh yeah, except I tried taking Gino's kitchen over to the little house which didn't work.”

“You love that kitchen.”

“Oh yeah. What I want you to do is I want you to cook with me in that kitchen tomorrow or Friday. You'll see everything is placed perfectly and it's even perfect down to the number of steps you walk to get to things. It's not half steps but perfection.”

“I can hardly wait to see it.”

“When you see it, you're going to be looking at our kitchen in South Carolina. The only difference is I'm going with copper tiles instead of solid copper.”

I called up to the cockpit. “Hi, would you give me a ring when we get half an hour out? They want that long so they can roll out the limo from that basement.”

I heard chuckling. “It's probably been a long time since they rolled it out.”

“Not since Gino was alive. So, I imagine it's going to be a feat.”

I hung up and said, “Hon, let me tell you the way they drive that car into the basement so you're not having a heart attack.”

“Ok”

“They roll the car up to the house at thirty miles an hour. They do NOT hit the brakes until they're in the basement. Then it's a controlled crash.”

“What?”

“You heard me. It's a controlled crash. They slam on the brakes. It locks up and theres a thing on the floor which stops us. It's like a giant treadmill, but at the same time, it's got a turnstile which turns that limo around in the basement.”

“Sounds interesting.”

“I figured I'd let you know because the first few times they did it with me in the car, I was having a conniption.”

“I bet!”

“Don't say anything to Robert about what happens and see what he does.”

“You're bad.”

“He'll have a cow.”

“Why do they do it that way?”

“Gino wanted the car moving at speed because he thought it was the place they'd ambush him.”

“Nowhere else?”

“Hon, when you're paranoid it's going to happen, you don't question the everyday things you do day after day after day which could get you killed. With him, it was the driveway. With me, I'd have a helipad on the roof. With you, it'd probably be something else.”

“I understand. So we're going to the house first?”

“Yes, we've got to go there to get the Rolls and let the guards drive around in the limo chasing us.”

“You're fine with that?”

“Tonight I am. My reason is we'll be going on an abbreviated round and you'll see what it was like for Gino and I every night. What you'll see though is me getting a hero's welcome because of the war.”

“Huh?”

“The city is really happy about how it went and although they're sad about the dead, they're making me a hero because I brought St. Louis into the fold.”

“That's going to be hard on Robert.”

“I doubt if anyone gets that obvious with their remarks. It's the sentiment in the background.”

“Ok”

“We'll go to Bate's bar- b- que for sure. Save space for their bar- b- que because it's the best in the city with the exception of Kansas City Masterpiece.”

“Kansas City Masterpiece is all over.”

“Hon, we're going to Rich's place which is the real place....not some chain restaurant. This is the man's actual back yard.”

“Really!”

“Yeah, what you don't know is the man was a shrink and loved to bar- b- que. He built a garage in the back yard where other people would have a swimming pool. There, he had like four different styles of grills. He made up sauces they've not even let out on the market yet. When they do, you'll find yourself craving each one.”

“I like the original.”

“The original is good, but wait until you get the white dill which he puts on bar- b- q'ued carp.”

“Huh? Carp's a gold fish.”

“No, it's a big fish like a gold fish, but it gets huge in the river. You filet that thing off and you put it in aluminum foil and you pour the white dill sauce to it and you let that baby steam on the bar- b- que. When it's done, you open it up and you eat like you've never eaten before.”

“Sounds good.”

“Oh man, the man should be a millionaire just off that sauce, but he's rich off the sweet one which is the original.”

“How many does he have?”

“Seven. He's the one that developed combinations like honey & mustard and the Rosemary for chicken. He has one called Muschup which is a mix of Catsup and Mustard. He's also got dilled Muschup which has dill in it. They're not bad, but do take some getting used to.

The man cooked every day and his wife didn't have to do anything but be there to try his latest creation.”

“Sounds nice.”

“Yeah, I loved them people.”

“How'd you meet them?”

“They lived right across the street from Tony's parents. We'd ride go carts over at his house on the guard paths and when it was time to go over to eat, we'd go over to the bar- b- que shack.”

“And the guy let you?”

“He couldn't stop us! We found a path which led us right through all the infrareds of his outdoor alarm system.”

“What!”

“The dogs could see the infrared, so they walked between them. They wore a path across the yard and we followed the path. So when we showed up, the guy asked us how we got there and we told him. He appreciated us being willing subjects for the test of his sauces and we sure ate it up.”

“So you were there before he started the restaurants.”

“Yeah. The restaurants didn't get started until later. By then, we had our favorites, but by then, Tony was dead.”

“Oh, so you're wanting to go there?”

“Probably not tonight, but I'll call and see about Friday.”

“Will they let you?”

“Hon, I'm like one of their children. What you don't know is I helped make the man rich.”

“How?”

“He signed the contract with Clorox to sell the bar- b- que sauce. In return, they were going to give him x amount of the bottles of the stuff.

First of all, the stuff they sell and the real stuff doesn't taste the same. Second of all, the guy was told he couldn't even bar- b- que in his own back yard anymore. He did, but it was a violation of the contract.”

“Ok, so how'd he get rich?”

“He was really down about it and what we did was I looked at the contracts and saw immediately they had in the contract the exclusive rights to sell and package it for home use and they even labeled the ounces they would be packaging.

What he didn't see was the loop hole he could shove a chain of restaurants through and that was he could package it in half gallon, gallon, five gallon, and fifty five gallon drums.”

“Oh man.”

“I told him what I saw and he checked it out with his attorney and low and behold, he was told it was his right. So, he packaged it up in the bulk packages and opened the restaurants.”

“Interesting.”

“Yeah, Clorox was pissed, but they couldn't do anything to him about it.”

“So there's still a restaurant there with the name on it?”

“Yeah, but we're going to the man's house. What you don't know is the house will be mine when he ever goes to get rid of it.”

“Why?”

“It's a deal Gino and I made with the man. What we did was we bought the house from him with the contingency he lives in it until he dies. Then, the house goes to me.”

“Why?”

“Because I want the right to own the houses looking at theirs. If I do it right, I'll have them all bought and will have pink curtains in all the windows.”

He smiled and said, “Sounds like you're spending a lot to piss them off.”

“No, not now. The old guy is dead. His son still remains, but I don't have a problem with Douglas. Just the same, I own the house.”

“What are you going to do with it?”

“Hell, I'll sell it and make a fortune. I paid a hundred and fifty grand for it and back then, that was a fortune. Now, the houses are all million and up and I'm sitting with a house that I paid a hundred and fifty for.”

“Sound investment.”

“Yeah, that's why when I call and tell him I'm coming, they roll out the carpet and fire up the grill. They're getting rent free and my money is paying to keep the house up in value.”

“Does it cost a lot to maintain it?”

“No, it's a fifties style ranch with cedar shingles. Sometime while I was in prison, they had to have a new roof put on, but other than that, there's a maintenance company which keeps it well maintained.”

“Ok, I'd hate to see you really looking at a shack for what you paid.”

“No, it's the neighborhood. It's a street called State Line Drive. On one side is Missouri and on the other is Kansas.”

“Which is better to live on?”

“Both sides are crowded but there's a golf course on the Kansas side.

What I'd like to do is take you out to the OP house and show it to you.”

“What's the OP house?”

“My house in Overland Park that I had with Tony.”

“You've still got it?”

“Oh yeah, I'll have that house until the day I die.”

“What's it like?”

“Beautiful. I helped design and build the house. The only thing different is the wall downstairs isn't there”

“I bet that makes you sad.”

“Used to be awful, but the last time I was there, I wasn't as affected by it. I was more affected by being in the city after Gino's death and not being able to go see him.”

“That had to be rough.”

He looked at me and said, “What was David saying earlier about you should be hating him.”

“Hon, let it go. I am.”

“What?”

“Let's not go there. It'd only cause hurt feelings and I'm not going to let it happen.”

“Must be bad.'

“It was, but I understand why he did it and I'm not going to complain about it. What happened probably did me a favor, so I'm not going to look at it negatively.”

“Ok, I'll trust you to tell me some day.”

“I'll trust you to think I forgot about it and not ask.”

“Ok, you really want it to be let go of.”

“If I held onto the grudge, I'd be a bitch. I'm not...so there.”

“Do you want to go to the OP house tonight?”

“We'll probably wait until Friday. I do get you the whole day Friday, right?”

“Yes.”

“Ok, what we'll do is we'll do our appearance in South Carolina and we'll go to Kansas City so I can wake up there and have the whole day planned.”

“You're excited about this.”

“Hon, let me explain something to you. Here's how I look at going to the house in Kansas City.

You know how you have orange juice that's home made and you have orange juice that they say is home made, but it's just Tang?”

“Yeah.”

“Every place else is Tang. Going home to Kansas City is the real stuff.”

He smiled and said, “You love the house that much?”

“Yeah. It's the whole experience.”

“I've never looked at Kansas City as someplace I really thought I'd want to travel to as a destination.”

“Me neither. It's home and all other places are destinations.” I said smiling.

“He laughed and asked, so it's going to be a regular stop for us I guess.”

“Hon, what I'd like to do is ask you a question, but I'm not sure if now is the time to do so or not.”

“What?”

“When we have kids, I'd like to be able to raise them in Kansas City.”

“Why?”

“Well, they'll get a normal life there.”

“They'd get a normal life in South Carolina.”

“NOT!”

“What do you mean?”

“What do you consider to be normal about our kids playmates giving them privileges because their daddy is the Governor?”

“You think they'd do that?”

“Yeah...didn't you get special treatment because your daddy was the Sheriff?”

“I don't think so.”

“Duh, you're blind then. JT freely admits he did and does because you're his brother. He doesn't get it at Mabel's but you do.”

“You do too. She loves you.”

“I know. That's what's funny is how she treats me. I think she's feeling young because she sees me as being as tall has her and having you.”

“What do you mean?”

“Hon, she might be an old chick, but the girl has the hots for you. She puts up with JT, but let's just say she gives you the look like she wishes she was forty years younger.”

“I never knew.”

“You never caught her staring at you?”

“No!”

“She looks at your ass more than I do!”

He smiled, “I really never knew.”

“I'll tell you what. You want to see the old girl blush, you put a thing in one pocket which says Hi and in the other have it say Mabel and you'll see her read it and really blush.”

“No, that'd be mean.” he said giggling.

“Ok, then do something to let her know you're onto her and then go up and give her a great big smooch afterwards. It'll make her day.”

“You're sweet.”

“Hon, if she was forty years younger, I'd not be as sweet. I'd be competing to save my man from her wanton clutches.”

“You think?”

“Oh hell, you've got to be blind. Everyone laughs about it. JT is the one who turned me onto it. Then, he told your mom and Dave about it and your mom really got a kick out of it. She kept going. “She's looking again!”

Steve really laughed and said, “Is that why you all were laughing when I got up to refill my plate?”

“Yeah.”

“I thought it was because I was eating a lot.”

“No! It was us making jokes about Mabel looking at your buttocks like Biscuits fresh out of the oven and her holding a jar of jam and a knife.”

He laughed and said, “You're for real about this!”

“Oh yeah! How do you think I was able to get the sandwiches out of her?”

“I thought she just liked you.”

“She'd like to be me!”

“You're funny about this.”

“I think it's sweet.”

“How are things going to be when we do our rounds?”

“The way things go is we go in and I'll introduce you and I'll introduce Robert. I'll ask how business is going and you'll probably see me get paid off a lot. They'll tell me business is wonderful, but you'll also hear people complaining.

If they complain, you best believe I'll be listening and getting the problems rectified right away. Then, after that, we'll go to the kitchen if it's a restaurant and if it is, they'll insist we try things. You'll have to ask for a glass of water because you'll have some of the hottest food you'll ever taste.”

“Why?”

“Hon, they're cooking it when you're tasting it. The stuff will scald your taste buds!”

“How do you do it?”

“For a long time, I put up with it until one night I was just spitting blistered skin from the top of my mouth. When Gino saw it, he said, “Rhette, you should drink cold water right before you taste.”

I tried, but I discovered the reason I was still with a burnt mouth was I was swallowing the water. I was supposed to keep enough in my mouth so when the scalding stuff hit my mouth the coolness of the water would mix with it and not scald my mouth.”

“I never knew that!”

“Do it with water and ice cubes. Put the ice cubes on the sides by your cheeks and also keep a crust of French bread close at hand.”

“What's that for?”

“Some of the food isn't going to be the best we've ever tasted. In fact, you're going to taste some things you'll wonder how they ever sell the stuff.”

“Like what?”

“Stuff with anchovies. To me, they're disgusting and the taste is hideous. It's one taste I just can't get out of my mouth.”

He smiled. “Any others?”

“Herring. Pickled Herring and Smoked. Both are God awful. Just the thought of it is enough to make me wanna gag.”

“Italians cook with it?”

“Not that often at all. That's more in Greek or German or Scandinavian countries. I know the Russians eat the stuff up.”

“How do you know about it?”

“Let's say my mom and my brothers go nuts for the stuff.

My mom and I went to a deli once and I got crab meat salad. She got both pickled and smoked herring. I was driving my 'vette and was trying to eat and drive. She wanted to try some of mine, so I agreed to try some of hers. She popped the stuff into my mouth and before I could get to the center turn lane, my door was open and I was gagging out it.”

“Really!”

“Oh man, that stuff was so bad I couldn't wipe the taste off my tongue with anything.”

He laughed. “You poor thing! I hate to tell you, but I'm one of them who loves caviar and those fishy tasting concoctions.”

“Ick”

“I'm sure there are things you'll like which I probably can't stand.”

“Like what?”

“Liver. I can't stand the stuff.”

“Oh, well I like it all the ways I've tried it. I think that's because as a little kid, my mom kept it fried up and on a plate in the fridge for me to eat.”

“Why?”

“I was anemic, so they had me eat it so my iron was up.”

“Really!”

“Yeah, little kid with a little body, plus I was a twin.”

“Really!”

“Yeah, I never told you?”

“No. Where's he at?”

“He died when we were four. Mom put us down for a nap one day and I woke up with him being cold. I told mom and she checked on him to find him dead. They said it was the same thing as crib death.”

“Interesting.”

“Yeah, what is interesting is I was like the smallest of us two and he was the mouthy one. Lord knows I made up for it.”

He laughed and said, “I bet he was cute as hell too.”

“Probably, mom doesn't get out the photo albums often because of it.”

“I won't mention it.”

“What I'll do is get those photo albums scanned so I've got a copy and my brothers do too.”

“That's what I should do for JT and I.”

“We'll work on it together some time.”

“Ok, tell me more about what we'll be doing?”

“It varies. Whatever you do, be prepared to drink a lot of wine.”

“Why?”

“Gino was a wine lover. Wherever we went, they'd bring out the wine and he'd have to taste it.”

“Ok, so they'll continue the tradition?”

“I imagine they will. What they do for me is they ice that wine down to the point of freezing because I'm not one who likes wine at room temperature.”

“Interesting, I've never really drank a lot of wine, so I don't know how I like it.”

“Well, what I like is the sweeter wines instead of dry wines. The dry is just too ick for me. I like the sweet.”

“What's the difference?”

“Ok, let me tell you about making wine. When you make wine, you take fruit juice and you mix it with sugar and you ferment it. That's your basic dry wine.

To get a sweeter wine, they clean out all the pulps and strain it through a paper or a real fine cloth. It cleans it up so it's really clear. Then, they put more sugar to it. It ups the alcohol content in it and it makes it more sweeter.”

“Ok, I never knew that.”

“What else I'll tell you is a way I learned to make it which cheats all that.”

“Huh? You make wine?”

“Yeah! You should see my basement at the little house. You'll see I've got my stuff together when it comes to wine making.”

“You surprise me.”

“Nah, you'll love strawberry wine.”

“Really?”

“Oh man, the stuff is awesome, but let me tell you how you cheat and make wine.”

“Ok”

“You take a bunch of canning jars and you go get grapes. Any grapes will do, but you should just get grapes. Then, You take a cup of sugar and a cup of grapes and you put them into a canning jar. You boil water and you put the water over the grapes and the sugar. What it will do is the scalding hotness of the water will poach the grapes. They'll sluff the skins and they'll leave just the meats of the grapes with the sugar.

What you do then is you put the rings on the canning jars and you put them on a shelf upside down. Any gases in the jars go up into the jars and as they make their sweetness, the grapes settle and disintegrate.”

“How long do you wait?”

“If you want grape juice, you can wait a week and drink it. It's wonderful. If you want the smarter stuff, you wait a year and drink last years batch.”

“Is it good?”

“Oh man. Yeah it's good. Now, let me tell you how you make strawberry real fast and then we've got to go check on Robert.”

“Ok, how do you make it.”

“As you are aware, the seeds on strawberries are super tiny.”

“Yeah”

“They're also what will ruin a batch of strawberry wine because they make it bitter.”

“Ok, I wasn't aware of that, but I don't think I've ever tasted strawberry wine.”

“Ok, well what you do is you throw a bunch of them into a blender or one of the juicing machines. The juicing machines work better because they strain out the seeds. What you're left with is the juice. You take equal parts of the juice and sugar and you put them in a five gallon bucket. You put the lid on the bucket and you put in a winemaker's stopper and a fermenting cap.

What you do is you let it sit there for a week and you stir it and add in another pound of suger per gallon. You let it sit there for another week and then, you bring it out and you take a mister coffee filter and a strainer from a coffee pot. You fill that paper filter with ice and you pour the mix through to another five gallon bucket. When you're done, you let it sit there and ferment for another two weeks.

Some people add more sugar before that final two weeks, but I don't because with Strawberry, it comes out really syrupy.”

“Then you bottle it?”

“Oh, no! You put it into quart containers and you throw it into a deep freeze.”

“Ok, then what?”

“You wait a day and when you pull them out, you invite everyone over and you take a drill with a new drill bit and you drill into the ice. You pour out what's left in the middle into a jar and you then eat the ice.

When you're done with the ice, you're doing real good, but the stuff you poured out is what is your ice wine. What it is, is pure strawberry alcohol.”

“Man! I never knew that!”

“Yeah, what you'll get with strawberry wine is a real sweet wine which is wonderful. I'm sure you'll have some tonight.”

“Let me know when so I can tell the difference.”

“Ok. Now, what I need to tell you hon is this. When someone offers you something to eat, it'll be in the kitchen of the restaurant. What you'll see me do is get a small small bowl which is a Sherbet bowl. I'll put some in it and that'll be all I'll eat. What I'll do for you is I'll do the same. We'll go around and we'll have a lot of stops. By the eighth or ninth stop, you'll be thankful I never fed us platters of the stuff.”

“You have to let the kid eat a platter everywhere we go.”

“He'll hate us.”

“Yeah, but he'll think we're being wusses and by the end, he'll think we're brilliant.”

“What I'll do is I'll start us out at Bates and we'll eat a big platter there. Their ribs are to die for and they've got these KC strips which are heaven on a stick.”

“What!”

“They know I eat a lot when I'm out doing rounds. They also know I will rave about a lot of places cooking, but when I go home, I'm only taking bags and bags of theirs. What they do for me is they'll pack me KC Strip steaks on shish ka bob sticks and bar- b- que them so when I reach in a sack, I can grab one and not get a real mess going at the house.”

“So they know what you eat and don't?”

“I'm going to let you know something. Bates and Bryant are two bunches which Gino used to let into the house. He respected them and they loved the kitchen.”

“You lost me. You've mentioned Bates. Who is Bryant.”

“It's a mess. I'll tell you the story, but you can't take it from me because I wasn't there. So it's a rumor.”

“Ok”

“What happened is Bates worked for the Golden Ox at the stockyard. He got to be famous for his bar- b- que sauce.

The thing about it is all he did different from the ginger, brown sugar, and ketchup was adding mollasses. It was good, so he went and opened a restaurant in the jazz section.

Bryant worked for Bates. What he did was he didn't like being yelled at all the time for adding too much mollasses to the mix, so he made his own and opened his own restaurant. So the only difference was more mollasses.”

“Interesting.”

“What you have different with Kansas City Master Piece is it's thicker which means they use tomato paste added to the mix. You also have the mollasses and you've also got ginger. What he did was he also added liquid smoke.”

“Ok, I'm learning something.”

“What I do is I've made bar- b- que sauce, but I'll tell you when I do, I make it really thick. Mine comes out like cake batter it's so thick.”

“Why?”

“The sugars and the molasses haven't broken down. You mix it with the tomato paste and you'll end up with something which has got to age.”

“So they age it.”

“Yeah, when we go into some of the places, you'll see gallon jars of the stuff in the front window aging.”

“Really!”

“Yeah, it adds to the smell of the place and makes you hungier as soon as you walk through the door.”

“I guess you're right.”

“What we'll do is we're going to be going to a lot of places. All of the places will give us free food. You'll see me with a bunch of sacks at Bates. You'll see me with a few sacks at Bryant's. If you like one place more than the other, you feel free to ask for a sack of whatever you like. I'll tell you now, I'll walk out with a huge sack of pulled pork tonight.”

“Really!”

“Oh yeah. If I can, I'm going to have them get me five gallons of the stuff.”

“Why?”

“Hon, you look and you listen. Me coming to Kansas City and going back to South Carolina without it would be like me walking in the door and slappin' yo' mama. Those guys would string me up.”

“Really!”

“Yeah, they love the stuff and me not bringing it to them when they know I get it for free would be just stupid.”

“We'll have to get a bunch.”

“If you like it, you get a few tubs of it yourself.”

He laughed and said, “So I'm on my own at these places.”

“What you do is I introduce you and it's on your own. They'll move over and let you sample it right off the grill or whatever.”

“I'm learning a lot here.”

“What you're going to learn a lot about tonight is how I can eat a lot and not get fat. What you'll see is that boy in there chucking stuff away until he's sick. Then, I bet you he takes go bags.

BUT, when we get to the Golden Ox, you'll see me do something which is just legendary for me.”

“What's that?”

“When I walk in the door, I drop to my knees and kiss the floor.”

“Why?”

“It's something I heard once and you'll learn it in a history lesson.

One of the New York family members knew one local place in particular was noted for being a place to go eat good food but getting whacked.. Well, the guy would walk in and drop to his knees at the place and he'd never get whacked.

So, what I did was I'd walk into the Ox and I'd drop to my knees and kiss the floor. They'd all laugh, but it's became a trademark of mine there.”

“That's funny.”

“It's funny because they thought they'd be cute and put a gold ox up there in hopes of me kissing the damned thing. I still drop to the floor and kiss it.”

“That's got to be a sight.”

“It is, but they'll know it's me when I walk in because I'm the only one who does it. What it does is it gets us food like you wouldn't believe free.”

“Is that the place with the huge steak?”

“Yeah. What they also have is a treat which you'll see me mowing down in the kitchen.”

“What is it?”

“There are several of those things, but the favorite of mine is the deep fried baked potatoes What they do is they take left over bakers and they slice them up into long spears. Then, they deep fry them.”

“Sounds good.”

“They are. Also, what you'll see me munching away at is the baked sweet potatoes.”

“Oh man.”

“Yeah, what they do is they make them up and they put the brown sugar and the marshmallows in with the butter before they wrap the foil and bake them. Then, they serve them hot and just cracked open. You'll see me mowing one down.”

“You're funny about this.”

“Hon, I'll nibble nibble nibble all night. When I really like something, you'll see me just going like Pac-man.”

He laughed and said, “That's funny.”

“You'll think it's funny because I'll really be complimenting everyone on everything, but you'll see me really scarfing the stuff which is real good.

Oh, one thing you'll see me do is you'll see me begging big sack fulls of bread up off of a place down towards the plaza. The place is a place that's an institution in itself because of it's soups, but I couldn't care less about it. It's their bread which really has my attention.”

“Why?”

“You ever had Hawaiian sweet bread?”

“I don't think so. What is it?”

“Ok, I'll give you a crash course and then I've got to check the kid.

Years ago, Kentucky Fried Chicken had these really shitty dinner rolls that were the size of a quarter.”

“I remember them.”

“Well, that was a variant of sweet bread, but not. In your grocery store at the deli department you'll see King's Hawaiian Sweet bread.

What it is, is a bread where they mix their bread dough with the sugar, yeast, and honey. They'll marry that into cake flour rather than bread flour. The difference is a light airy bread which is not coarse. Because of the added sugar in the honey, you get a yellowish color to the bread. It's sweet and that's how they get the difference in the taste.”

“I never knew it, but now I know what you're talking about.”

“Ok, the way the Hawaiians got the sweet bread going out there was they used the juice from the sugar extractions before it got cooked down. The sugar content was there, but that's what they did.”

“You're teaching me a lot about cooking.”

“Well, listen up because what I'm about to tell you about this place will blow your socks off.”

“Ok”

“This place makes sweet bread like that, but instead of the white flour, they use that seven grain flour they use for that seven grain bread you buy in the store.

What it does is it rises up due to the glutens in it like Amish bread. You'll see a loaf of that bread looking like the bottom was in a loaf pan, but the top of it is as big as a basketball.”

“You've got to be kidding me.”

“No, what they do there is it's their gimmick. They'll make you a sandwich on the bread and you'll think you really got a helluva sandwich because they take a platter and cover it with a slice of that bread.

What you're getting is a slice of bread and no more meat than you'd get on a step mom's sandwich.”

“A what!”

“A step mom's sandwich. Haven't you heard of it before?”

“No.”

“Let me school you. You have a sandwich you'd make yourself which is a real Dagwood style of thing. Then you have a mom's sandwich which your mom makes you because she loves you. Then there's the step mom's sandwich which is a little wisp of a sandwich that barely has anything on it.”

“Like the sandwiches we used to get years ago at the deli at Kmart. They'd charge like $3.00 for the things and you got like 4 of them, but all you were getting was four hoagie rolls with a dream of a sandwich. JT and I used to call them hope sandwiches because you hoped there was some meat in it.”

“Yup, that's a step mom's sandwich. That's what they serve there. The bread is awesome, but the sandwiches suck and the soup is nothing to brag about except it comes out of a can and they can read a label to add the right amount of water.”

He laughed, “You're terrible.”

“No, what was terrible was Gino would go in and rave about the place and they'd pay him $3 out of the till. He'd grab loaves of bread and then we'd leave.

By the time we were to the car, Gino was cussing them and saying he rued the day he ever signed them up for janitorial services.”

Steve laughed and said, “Why?”

“The place was that tight with a penny. They paid huge rent, were a landmark business, and they had customers which were just clawing to get in the door and they'd pay their people none too well and their thought of paying their percentage was three bucks.”

“Oh man.”

“So, what we did was we'd go in and take loaves of bread like we were thieves. They'd scream like we'd slit their throats and we'd pocket the three bucks and leave.”

“Do you think they've been paying David?”

“I doubt it. Dave's probably too embarrassed to go in and bother the people. Me, I'll go knock the place over just to get the bread.”

“You're funny.”

“Hon, let me tell you something. There's a huge part of me that's Italian.

When it comes to good bread, I'm like my mom being German. I can smell it a mile away and will be there with butter and a knife for when it comes out of the oven.”

“Oh man, you're making me hungry.”

“I know. Let's go check on the kid.”

We got up and went to the back bedroom. I opened the door and he lay there asleep. Steve said, “Oh man, he's already asleep.”

“Well, he'll be rested and ready to eat when we get to the city.”

“You think it's safe to unleash him on an unsuspecting city like that?”

“Yeah, he'll eat and make memories which will last and then they'll compare him to me.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, when I liked the food, I really ate it. When I didn't, I really hated it and you couldn't pry my mouth open. Gino used to tell me, “You could at least pretend you like it!” I'd laugh and we'd go to the next place.”

“So going and doing the rounds are just one long trip through town treating every place like a buffet.”

“Yeah, except I'll be taking pay offs.”

“What's your favorite Italian restaurant there?”

“You had to ask and I've got to be honest. So what I'll do is break it down to pasta and pizza. The pasta place I like the most is the Spaghetti Factory. It's wonderful.

The pizza place is a little hole in the wall place which almost all the Italians love called Romi's. What it is, is like the old Godfather's style deep dish pizzas. Their crust is home made and they throw stuff at a pizza like you were family or something.

Their small one is the size of most other places large ones. I believe it's like fourteen inch crust. What I love for them to do is let me into the kitchen and let me make my own. Then, we fold that puppy over and we seal it up. A lot of places do that now, but what you don't see them doing is concentrating upon making it taste wonderful. What we'd do was we took basil and the juices off the sweet bell peppers and mixed egg yolk with it. Then, we'd coat the crust with that so it came out really tasting awesome.”

“Oh man, I bet that was good. I've had what you've mentioned, but my turn off was the crust being too much crust. I bet if if were flavored, it'd make it wonderful.”

“Yeah”

My phone beeped by the sofa and I answered it. “We're half an hour out.”

“I'll call them.”

He nodded and said, “I'll go get Robert awake.”

“Make sure he's got that hollow leg emptied and ready to fill it.”

I called and said, “We're a half our out.”

“I've got everybody called. When I called Bates, they let out a yell like they've been missing you fierce.”

“Good, that's the first place I'm going to go with them. Would you do me a favor and tell Bryant's I'm going to want five gallons of the pulled pork to take back to the fellas?”

“I'll see they're expecting it.”

“Also, you call that little place up there by the plaza with the big bread and tell them I'm coming in. You tell them I know we've not been getting any payments and I'm expecting at least 20 loaves of bread. If they can't give me that, I'll really be upset.”

“You're really going to be doing the rounds then.”

“Yes, but an abbreviated tour. We'll do the full tour some other night.”

“Any other places you want me to call?”

“Absolutely do NOT call the Golden Ox. I want them people to be surprised to see me.”

“Oh, they'll be surprised. It's been too long.”

“Yes, but my next treat I'm going to have will be my choice for who I'm going to have head the city.”

“Oh really!”

“Yes, it's going to really shock everyone.”

“Your boyfriend?”

“No, that would be a shock, but it'd be more of a shock to him than us.”

“Why?”

“He's a Sheriff.”

“Oh man!”

“It'd be a shock to him.”

“Do I know this person?”

“How long have you been with the household?”

“Since Gino was in his early twenties.”

“Damn! That's nearly sixty years then!”

He chuckled. “You're making me older than I am.”

“My lips are sealed. Did you know Dominic?”

“Who?”

“That's what I thought. He was gone by the time you were there.”

“I'm sure I've never heard mention of anyone by that name...especially in the house.”

“I believe you, but through the years, I came to learn Gino had a twin. It was perplexing because I'd never heard mention of the other twin, so I thought it was something like a death.

Well, I found out he's alive and well and in St. Louis. He was banned by their father because he left and married someone over there. I met him and heard the story. It's interesting.

What's amazing is his looks. He's identical to Gino.”

“Really!”

“Yes, you're going to be floored. I met him and was a basket case. It was so strange.”

“I bet you were deeply moved. You loved him so much.”

“Yes, so what I did was I talked with him and told him I wanted him back, but I'd ask David's opinion. David didn't even know it all, so when I told him, he's really just as moved as me. He's not met him, but he's wanting to train him.”

“That's going to be interesting. IS he moving into this house?”

“No, he doesn't want it, so what I'm going to do is get the house on the other side of Meemaw's prepared and tie in a tunnel to the basement like we have between the two houses. What we'll do is put his daughter and her children in the house next to him and that way, we've got the four houses with all of the family together.”

“His daughter is coming?”

“Yes, I've introduced her to Bear and they've really hit it off.”

“Can I stop you there?”

“If you're going to tell me you know who the daughter is, after you've let me ramble on, then no, you can not stop me, nor will I let you.”

“I've heard rumors.”

“Let me confront it so you can do damage control. The rumors might be true, but he was banished and tried.

HE's deceased and she was made a member due to her loyalty when I needed her. She's given me something more than I'd give someone and for that, she deserves my ability to get the damage controlled.

What I expect from you is to let everyone know she's most likely going to marry Bear and they'll be given full rights as anyone else.

IF I ever hear she's treated wrongly because of her past, I'll probably step off in someone's ass so severely, they'll have a real problem getting back in my good graces. If it's a business, they better hope they've got a lot of apologies for an employee when I get there. If it's an owner, I'll probably own a business when I'm done.”

“You feel strongly about this.”

“It's Gino's niece. I don't care who she was married to, it's blood and she's got more loyalty coming because of her blood than who she married. He's now dead and she now moving on.”

“I didn't want you to have problems.”

“I'm raising his son as my own. If anyone dare insults the boy, I'll rip them a new asshole with rusty barbed wire and it doesn't matter who they are....friend or foe.”

“Thank you for preparing me.”

“You prepare Mr Bates and Bryant. I respect them enough to forewarn them.”

“Ok, I'll do so.”

“You better get a move on. We're probably down to twenty minutes.”

“I'll be there.”

With This Ring

ab

Notes From Retta:

I've got a few recipes I'm throwing at you at the end of the chapters which tie in with the food segments in this story. I can NOT use the name of Gates in conjunction with Bar B Q sauce later, so I've changed it to Bates. Keep this in mind because I don't have permission to use that name.

Yes, it's that good!.

Dave has been kind enough to read the entire story. He's sent me back notes and has said he thinks I have glamorized things too much. Go figure. LOL It's a fuckin' romance Dave! Get a clue...romance...hint hint!

“From My Keyboard To Your Heart”,

Retta

RettaMichaels@Gmail.com

Copyright Notice – Copyright 2008 by RettaMichaels

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“From My Keyboard To Your Heart”, “ 'Retta”, “RettaMichaels”, “Retta”, “Rhett”, “Rhette”, “Vonn Michaels”, “VonnMichaels”, and “Vonn Michael's Stud Service Night Club” are all trademarks of the RettaVonnMichaels L.L.C.. None of these trademarks may be used, or authorized without consent.

Disclaimer: All individuals depicted in this story are fictional. Any resemblance to real persons, characters, locations, or incidents is purely coincidental.