Chapter 24

She got in the truck and I drove her and Joan over to the building. I had already checked it out but didn't tell her. I cautioned her to be careful. I said, "Eve, the outside looks good but buildings around here show damage. We must be careful."

We went inside and inspected the building and found it in good shape. However, we started to leave the building to find crime tape was around it. Matt Long, one of Miss Emerson's assistants, was finishing up the taping. He had a sign showing the building as condemned to place on it. Joan was taping his work on her camera. I went to him and said, "Matt, this is my building. How is it condemned?"

He was uncomfortable but said, "Miss Emerson sent me here to do this."

"Matt, you are here. I know there has been no examination of the building by anyone but me. I will have an engineering report performed for insurance purposes. It will show no damage. I will sue the AEMA, you, and your boss if that tape is not removed within thirty minutes. Since you are being taped including this conversation, you might carefully consider your response. Your boss, Miss Emerson, should reconsider her instructions to you. Why don't you call her and let her know of her potential problems?"

He pulled his phone and called. "Miss Emerson, this is Matt. I'm at Bill Anderson's building. He is objecting to it being marked as condemned. We have not performed a survey in accordance with our procedures and they are filming me. Bill told me that I should take down the tape or he would sue the agency and each of us individually. I think we need to get the tape down." He started to say more but she interrupted him with some profanity. I reached for the phone and he handed it to me with a grateful look.

"Marjorie, you know me. This does not reflect well on you nor your agency. I didn't know about the interview you had with Eve until after it was over. You need to pick your fights. I plan to speak to the governor if this doesn't end right now."

She was flustered. "Mister Anderson, I'm within my rights and my employee will proceed as he has been instructed."

"Miss Emerson, you beyond your rights as director and will find your efforts soon to be curtailed. Have a nice life."

I handed the phone back to Matt who looked distinctly unhappy. I pulled my phone out of my pocket. I dialed. "Charles, this is Bill. Do you know what Marjorie is having Matt do at my building off Main?" He responded that he didn't. "You might find out because I'm going to talk to Willis about getting the state people out of here. I really don't want to have to include the county and the county EMA in my lawsuit over this."

Charles said, "Shit! Bill, let me talk to her. If she won't back down. I will go with you to talk to Willis."

"Okay, I'll meet you at Willis' office in five minutes."

We met and went into Willis' office. Charles said, "Miss Emerson is causing trouble, Willis. I want her and her people out of here. She is already taking action that oversteps her authority and will get us sued."

Willis didn't look happy. "Bill, are you involved?"

"I'm afraid so, Willis. You are probably aware that Eve Baylor and I have a relationship. She interviewed Miss Emerson and it didn't go well for Marjorie who walked out angry. She sent one of her assistants to condemn my building that will probably house Miss Baylor's new studio. There's nothing wrong with that building except for its probable eventual use. This was done from pure spite. No one from the AEMA has inspected the building. I will file a lawsuit if it isn't stopped. I will also talk to the governor. Miss Baylor will probably put all this on the air as soon as Monday since her assistant was at the building taping her employee/s action as he taped the building."

Willis looked at us and said, "Shit!" He thought for a moment. "Charles, at my direction, send her away. I will not involve the county in a war that we will lose legally and publicly. Then send one of your structural people to look at the building. If it is okay and I bet it is, mark it that way and remove the signs."

He sighed. "I've never liked her attitude. She has made no friends with the county commissioners in the state. Ben knows that, too. If there are any further problems, let me know." Charles nodded. We left. As we walked, I thought that I didn't realize that Willis was on a first name basis with the governor.

Charles said, "Come with me. I want you around when the shooting starts." He grinned. "Ain't love fun?"

I said, "Charles, I'm just a guilty bystander."

We chuckled at that as we walked the block to the center. We went inside to see nothing happening. The radios were not manned despite calls from police cars and two EMT units being made repeatedly. Charles was in shock. None of the local people were on duty and the people with Marjorie were gathered around her waiting. Charles said quietly, "Bill, get on the radios and get the calls handled. Get us some help." I had my identification in my pocket and clipped it on. I walked over to the radios and started working with the folks in the field.

He walked up to the state group. He said, "I don't know what you are doing but go do it somewhere else. There is work needing to be done here. Our county commissioner wants you gone."

Marjorie said, "You can't do that."

Charles said, "Our county commissioner can and he has spoken. If necessary, I will have him walk down here and tell you personally. I think he plans to talk to Ben about this problem. I know he will once I tell him that all operations had stopped while you were here."

Marjorie was in shock. Our local reporter had always been given access to the center area and was taking rapid notes. The state people began gathering their equipment and packing to leave. She was still speechless when they left with her.

Charles said, "Karen, you're taking notes for the paper. Please follow them to make sure they don't cause any trouble."

I had the radios under control and all issues handled. Two hams came on and asked if I needed help. I replied that they were needed as soon as they could arrive. As I was saying that, Willis walked in with Eve on his arm. He spoke to Charles and then they came to me. Eve slipped her arm from his and put her arms around my neck and kissed me. "I love you, Bill. Did you know that the governor knows you?" I nodded somewhat numbly. "Willis wants you to get the volunteers to volunteering again. How can I help, dear heart? I didn't mean to cause this trouble."

I replied, "I understand your reasoning in your interview. However, when you're dealing with children acting as grown-ups, there can be problems. This has been coming and finally came to a head. She overstepped her bounds and wasn't good with people. Sooner or later, it would have happened." I grinned. "Woman the radios while I talk to Charles. You will operate under my control and call sign."

She grinned. "I like operating 'under' your control." A call came in and she grabbed the correct mike and began to handle the call.

I went to Charles and asked, "What can I do?"

"Is your truck here?" I nodded. "Good. As soon as someone gets here to handle the radios, I want you on the road."

I nodded. "I have people on the road coming here to handle the radios. What about the other county departments?"

"I need to get them back. I have to figure that Marjorie had them sent away while I was gone. Bill, this is a mess. Why is she so determined not to use locals even those paid to work these issues?"

"Charles, I've never understood it but she has been consistent in the other counties. I don't think a pyramid that is all peak works very well.