The Children's Corner
Chapter 39
"Still hasn't come out?" Dana asks as Alexis scrolls through the articles in the Ledger.
"No. There's not even a blurb suggesting an upcoming release. The report is complete. Osnitz signed off on it. So did the chief M.E. The public should know."
Dana grabs his phone from his jacket pocket. "Maybe it's on the city's website. No. There's nothing. All mention of the fire's been scrubbed, too. You and my clients may have been right, Alexis. Someone could be pulling a cover-up."
"Dad said something about Mayor Weldon wanting the information out there. So who would have that much clout?"
"The City Council, maybe," Dana guesses.
"But that would bring in the City Advocate," Alexis argues. "She should push to get it out."
"Maybe she got out-voted," Dana suggests.
Alexis slams the lid of her laptop. "It's got to be about money. Dad said Stephen Cannell told him there are only three motives for murder: love, money, or to cover up another crime. And this may be slow-moving murder. I know you couldn't give me your results, and I couldn't give you mine. But I doubt they're much different. We both know what we're talking about. It's obvious no love is involved, so we have money or to cover up another crime."
Closing his eyes, Dana nods his head. "Or both."
"What's wrong, Babe?" Kate asks as the blue of Rick's eyes grays with anger.
"I just had a conversation with Bob Weldon. But it was one of those talks where he tried to say something without really saying anything. I could tell he was trying to get a message out but without ending up with his ass in a sling."
"What message?"
"That the city won't have any more to say about the consequences of the Queens fire on the surrounding area."
"How can that be? Alexis told us Osnitz finished putting together a report on the lab's analyses. She couldn't give us any details, but just from the tone of her voice, that document doesn't say anything good."
"You're right," Rick agrees. "I've only heard that tone a few times over the years. And it was always related to imminent catastrophe. So if Bob Weldon is under pressure to hold back, someone is hanging something extremely weighty over his head. I'm going to put out some feelers and see what I can find out."
"Well, if Weldon won't tell you, good luck."
"There's always another angle," Rick asserts. "And it usually has to do with the almighty dollar. My business manager keeps his ears open about all manner of financial misdealings. I can start with finding out what he's heard."
"We can't just let this go, Bob," Trish Jones, the City Advocate, insists behind the tightly closed door of the mayor's private office.
"What do you propose we do?" Weldon demands. "When the city borrowed money to pay off the ransom demand, it wasn't through municipal bonds. We didn't have time for that. And chances are that selling that many would have been impossible anyway. If we release the truth about the potential long-term impact of that fire, they will call the note. The city will go into bankruptcy, and we won't be able to do anything for the residents of the fire zone or anyone else. Anything beyond immediate essential services will be at a standstill. And even those could experience slowdowns. We'll be paralyzed."
Trish sinks into a chair. "So, what can we do?"
"Anything we can keep below the radar. But that won't be much. What we could really use is a way to strike back at the source of the problem. We need something on the Arkady Syndicate, something heavy enough to make them back off."
"How are you going to get it?" Trish presses. "If you turn this over to law enforcement, something will leak. It always does."
"I don't know," Weldon admits. "But when it comes to dreaming up crazy ideas, I have an idea who to ask."
Rick notes the I.D. of Bob Weldon's private line. "Mr. Mayor, I didn't expect to hear from you again so soon."
"Look, Rick, I don't have time to play any more games, and I think we both know I'm not talking about poker."
Rick leans forward in his chair. "I'm listening, Bob."
"The city's in a mess."
"Someone is holding you up for money," Rick states flatly. "Probably a Russian syndicate."
"How the hell did you…? Never mind. My question is what to do about it."
"When someone is extorting you, the most straightforward thing to do is have them arrested," Rick points out.
"Except that in this case, they aren't doing anything to be arrested for. Arkady can legally call the debt at any time. With the seconds ticking away, that was the only deal we could get. And even with that, the interest rate is exorbitant."
"Which helps to explain why the N.Y.P.D. and every other city entity is shaving every nickel. But if Arkady stands to make that much money off the debt, the only reason to turn off the money stream would be if they stood to lose more elsewhere," Rick surmises.
"That's true," Weldon realizes.
"So," Rick continues. "You need to find out what Arkady stands to lose if the city releases the report on the true extent of the contamination from the Queens fire."
"Except that I don't know how to do that without something getting out. Arkady approached us before the public knew anything about why the subways came to a halt. They made it clear that they have eyes and ears throughout city government and in every New York institution."
"No doubt they were indulging in hyperbole," Rick figures. "But you're right to be paranoid about leaks. So you need someone you can be sure the Russians don't have their claws into."
"You have a source?" Weldon questions.
"I may. I'll need at least 24 hours to be sure. In the meantime, Kate and I can begin sifting through publically and not so publically available data and see what we can find. The Russians are fond of hiding their treasure like a toy in nesting dolls. But if you get through enough of the set, sometimes you reach paydirt."
"I'm not even going to ask how you know that," Weldon responds. "All right. Twenty-four hours, Rick. Every minute that goes by could further endanger lives."
"I hear you, Bob."
Rick drums his fingers on his desk. If anyone would have an ear to the Russian ground, it would be Jack. Rick has no idea if his father is anywhere near New York or even in the country. But if he's able, he will monitor Rick's messages. Somehow he always does. Rick starts composing his ad.
Out of habit, Jack checks the personals in the Ledger. One immediately catches his eye. Before the ceremony, Richard put in a short post hinting at Alexis' graduation. Jack had been keeping tabs on his older granddaughter anyway but felt a hint of warmth that Richard bothered. Jack was in the area, watching through a scope and listening through an earpiece patched into the sound system. He had no right to be proud, but he was anyway.
The phrasing of Richard's new message implies urgent importance. Jack will make the meet, but he has no idea what he'll be able to do. ISIS is revving up in Mozambique, and the deadly operative is due there in three days to take out the local cell leader.