Chapter 9 Endings and Beginnings (Part II)
It was the middle of March. Paul found himself seated on an airliner next to Ted Wilson on their way to Chicago. They had two items on their agenda that day. First, was the signing of the dismissal agreement on the Peoria lawsuit. It had gone as planned between Paul and Leonard Raines five weeks before. A small flap developed when the plaintiff's side asked for a 'hold harmless' clause. It had been due to Paul's mention of Harry Carmichael's company's losses on account of the suit. For that reason Harry would be there to sign off, too. Ted had initially been suspicious, but decided in the end to accept the concession. It was worth it to put the episode at an end. Paul didn't mind Ted's circumspection. It was his job.
The second piece of business was to sign a new contract with Harry Carmichael's company for the Peoria construction.
As the plane bumped across the thermal updrafts over Lake Michigan, Paul thought about all those who should have been asked to sign the 'hold harmless' agreement. He thought of Glenda and her job, of his lost stock options. Of course Audrey had been hurt the worst. Even Craig Morehead was a victim in a sense. Most of those touched had survived. All had been scarred.
"Who are you going to put in charge of the project, now that it's back on?" Ted interrupted him.
"Jim Spencer." Paul answered. "He's in Europe right now on the Engineering Standards Project. When he comes back, I'll tell him to start handing that off to Harlow, piece by piece. After the plant is complete, I'm going to try to have him installed as Plant Manager. It would be just the right job for him at this stage of his career. It will give him a chance to get away from HQ for a few years and stand on his own two feet."
Ted nodded in approval. "I don't know who you're going to get to replace him."
"I thought that I would start to bring Harlow along. He's a good engineer, but he needs to work on his leadership skills. I'm hoping to bring him in closer and give him some tutoring." The conversation energized Paul. It was one of the parts of his job that he liked.
"I don't want to rain on your parade." Ted went on. "Your name came in front of the Ethics Committee again last week."
"Oh, no!" cried Paul. He looked around the plane. He knew that the other passengers must have heard him over the sound of the jet engines. He lowered his voice. "What about this time?"
"I'm not supposed to tell you, so don't quote me. It has something to do with photographs you received of Hopkins and Judson. They tabled it for now. They'll decide later whether to take it up."
Paul told Ted the story of the photographs of Hopkins and Judson in their homosexual embrace.
"I shredded them!" Paul declared. "How can that be unethical?"
"They'll probably say that you should have reported it. Don't tell me where you got the photos. Then I'll have to tell them if they ask me." Ted advised. "I can tell you that Allison Greene is the one pushing it."
Paul had already guessed that, but kept silent on his observation of Allison's wanderings between Richardson's and her hotel rooms.
"This Ethics Committee is getting to be a real Gestapo." Paul declared.
"I would have to say that's true." Ted agreed as the plane bumped down on the runway.
The agreement signing was a somber affair. The lawyers took on the persona of bureaucrats, signing and notarizing. Hopkins was present; Judson wasn't. He had his usual dour expression painted on his face beneath his beard.
Larry Wilton showed up, flanked by an honor guard of attorneys. It irked Paul that he failed to ask about Audrey. Paul told him anyway. Wilton told him that Craig Morehead's case had cooled off. The court psychologist had declared him unfit for trial. Nothing had been done to extradite Grafton. Without Morehead's cooperation, it would never happen. Even if Morehead were so disposed, he was now mentally incompetent to testify credibly.
Paul made a note to ask Ted to write to the DA in Springfield to make sure that Morehead didn't make bail. He thought that it was essential for Audrey's safety. Normally, he would have asked Wilton to attend to it, but he didn't trust him to do so.
Harry Carmichael, the only one without a lawyer to guard him, was the last to sign. Everyone shook hands and prepared to leave.
"Paul, wait a minute." Hopkins called out as everyone was leaving the room.
Paul didn't really want to meet with Hopkins, but couldn't find a way to avoid it. The two kept silent until all had left the room.
"Well, you won." Hopkins said.
"Are you saying that I won because you didn't?" Paul challenged him.
"I guess so." he answered.
"I have higher standards than that, Arthur." Paul declared. "No one won. It cost everyone involved. For some, it cost a lot."
"Your company can afford it. It was pocket change." Hopkins countered.
"Is that all you can see, Arthur?" Paul snarled. "What about a young woman who was raped by one of your flunkies. How about people with no jobs? How about Glenda?"
"What about Glenda?" Hopkins asked flippantly. "She's got a new job—better than her old one. She should thank me!"
"You chased her out the job that was her life. You made her a prisoner in her own home. You spied on us at the lake. I wouldn't say that she's better off."
"What about you, Paul? I heard you lost some big money. Of course, you lost your little romance with Glenda." Hopkins sneered.
"Did you keep me in here just to rub it in, Arthur? If you did, I think that we're finished." Paul was angry, struggling to stay in control of himself. "I should have published those pictures of you. It would have served you right."
"You really did shred them. I never believed you." Hopkins said. "You're a boy scout at heart, Paul. That's why we could never be friends."
"Is that all, Arthur? I'm losing interest." retorted Paul.
"No, in fact it isn't." Hopkins said, turning serious. "I wanted to tell you something. You'll be the first to know."
"I'm listening." Paul sighed.
"None of this matters to me anymore, Paul." Hopkins turned melancholy. "I had a test last week and found out ... I have AIDS. I never even knew I had the virus. I don't even know where I got it."
"Does Judson know?" Paul asked.
Hopkins shook his head.
"I hope you enjoy telling him." Paul taunted him.
Before he left, Paul had one more thing to say to his old enemy. He knew that he should have kept it to himself, but he let it out anyway.
"Arthur, I should say that I'm sorry for you—but I just can't."
Paul turned and left, leaving the downcast Hopkins in the room.
*************
April was surrendering to May. Paul looked forward to the warm weather. He had neglected his golf game the prior year. He was determined not to let that happen again. His handicap had ballooned to twelve. He had a full plate at work. He was without the aid of Jim Spencer who was spending more time in Peoria. Bert Loehman had retired. He hadn't found a suitable replacement. He was thinking that a reorganization might be the right way to go. Nothing had come of the Ethics Committee warning given him by Ted Wilson a few months ago. He stopped worrying about it.
Harry Carmichael had requested a meeting with Paul to go over a phase of the construction plan. Jim Spencer had briefed Paul already. Harry wanted to step up the pace, but he needed overtime money and wanted Paul to approve an add-on to the contact. Normally, Paul would rely on Spencer to make the call, but it was his first time so Paul decided to sit in. He asked them to meet him in Chicago. He would lay over for a night on his return from his East Coast trip. He had Marge set it up. Paul and Jim would drive up the next morning.
Paul landed at O'Hare at three in the afternoon on the appointed day. He was beat. The New Jersey facilities were complex and there were many issues stemming from a recent operational audit. One plant engineer was retiring in November and another was on shaky ground. He was thinking that he should have saved Spencer for one of those jobs. There was a lot to do. He thought that he would change into some old clothes and just eat in the room and watch the baseball game on the television.
The taxi dropped Paul off at the Drake. A bellman ran up to take his bags, but Paul turned him down.
"I've got them." he told him.
The Drake was expensive, but Paul thought that it was worth it. It was an easy cab ride to the airport, and they had small meeting rooms available to guests. It would do fine.
"You have a message, Sir!" the woman tending the desk handed his an envelope. Paul decided to open it when he got to his room. He refused the bellman again and made his way to his room.
The contents of the envelope were a mystery. Paul had his cell phone with him. Marge could have reached him with anything important. After he set his bags down, he tore the envelope open. There was a note inside it, and a ticket to the Cubs game later that evening. Paul read the note. It was typewritten, which struck Paul as odd.
"I thought that you would like to see a game. I'll meet you there.
Harry
Going to the game ran counter to Paul's original plan, but it was a welcome change. The Cubs were playing the Dodgers. The game was at seven. Paul had plenty of time to shower and get a cab to Wrigley Field. While he was showering, he thought that he would razz Harry about spending money for ball games and then asking for overrun money on the same trip.
Paul arrived at the Wrigley Field at six-thirty.
"This world is in a sorry state when we have night games at Wrigley." He joked to the usher as he showed him to his seat. They both laughed. Paul knew that the older man would understand the joke, so he didn't mind dating himself.
Harry had gone all-out and bought box seats on the third-base side. It was the best side if there were close plays at the plate. Paul assumed that Jim Spencer and Harry would show up together, but so far they hadn't. Paul settled in and waited for the hot dog and beer vendors to come by.
Infield practice was finished; the players lined up at the dugouts for the national anthem. Paul stood as it played over the loud speaker. He was wondering where Carmichael and Spencer were. He wasn't worried. With or without them, he was looking forward to the game. He was hungry. Over his left shoulder he heard the vendor barking.
"Hot Daawgs HERE! Get your hot dogs here!"
