Chapter 27: Unexpected Effects

June,1985

In the morning, I gave Greg the diagram for the Atrium before we each left for work. Linda came out, gave me a kiss and made sure it was still okay to be late. I assured her it was and she should just come to Larry’s office when she was done.

At work, Larry, Sam and I decided we needed to contact Brian Dunphy and make sure we could get all the special order steel, since we needed it all the way up. Waiting just didn’t make sense. How much the cost would increase did cause us some concern. We feared the overall price tag could go up over 1.5 million dollars.

We felt it best to get Tim Hansen here for the call, since Brian had told him he would help. I flashed Greg, and he said they would be here by 8:30. Sam asked if we thought about who we wanted. We told him Morgan, the structural tech, Allison, the draftsman and of course, Linda. He agreed, saying that they would have been his choices too.

Tim and Greg met us in the conference room to call Dunphy Steel. Brian’s secretary, Marian answered and put Brian on the line. Brian sounded very upbeat, for someone who recently discovered so many trusted employees had been arrested for embezzling tens of millions of dollars from him.

Tim told him we wanted to go up all 12 floors with the special order steel, because we discovered that the flakey ‘conversion’ on the 3^rd/4^th floors simply wasn’t going to work.

Brian started laughing and said he was glad we discovered that. He had found a set of our plans under Frank’s desk, and had been studying them, trying to assess what we were possibly going to need. He agreed, that at this point, using Jacks 2^nd floor and going all the way up would work.

He chuckled. “Just make sure you reorient all of the verticals 90°, because the dumb bastard had them oriented wrong!

We were all grinning trying to stifle a laugh, as Brian continued, “Tim, I told you I was gonna help you do this right and I have every intention of keeping my word. I found Frank’s bid for the total amount of steel needed for the job and for right now, all you need to know is your cost, including shipping, will not exceed the total amount of the bid.”

We all gasped.

Larry said, “Mr Dunphy, you’ll have to excuse us a second, we’re all trying to understand exactly what this means.”

Brian started laughing. “It means I’d like to have my company’s name put on the dedication plaque of that building when you’re finished! Let’s not talk numbers right now, just suffice it to say I’m going to be invoicing each and every shipment myself, personally. I just want you to pay what’s on each invoice, not a penny more. I promise when it’s all said and done, it will not exceed the total amount of the bid. That’s all I can say for right now, but you have my word and hopefully that’s enough for you guys to get going again.”

Sam asked him, “This is very generous of you Brian. None of what’s going on was your fault. I’m just curious, if you don’t mind telling us, why are you being so generous?”

Brian cleared his throat. “It’s because, someone named Charlie, who I guess works for you, was instrumental in bringing down my CFO, Frank and his embezzlement scheme that he’s been running on me for the last five years. Agent Johnson and his friend, Lenny, told me they both owe him, his brother and his friend, Greg their lives! It seems that Frank had ties to the Skinhead Gang here in Pittsburgh. The Skinheads captured both of them and were planning on killing them as soon as Frank got his brother back.

“They wouldn’t tell me the details, but I guess the three of them risked their lives to help the FBI not only free them, but also to bring Frank’s entire crooked empire crashing to the ground. The FBI also discovered, that Frank had four people here in this plant in collusion with him. They are now all under arrest. Frank also had four people in each of my other two plants, one near Philadelphia and one in West Virginia doing the same things. The FBI is arresting those people right now as we speak.

“The FBI’s forensic accountants, as well as my own accountants, have discovered that over the past five years, Frank had stolen in the neighborhood of $95 million from me. Somehow Agent Johnson and Lenny said they were able to decipher Frank’s ‘little black book’ and came up with a dozen numbered bank accounts in the Cayman Islands. The FBI, using that information was able to recover nearly $88 million, that I will get back in the next couple of months. That in large part, is why today is such a glorious day for me. Therefore, I feel justified in making it glorious for you too.

“Lenny told me that if it wasn’t for Charlie, none of this might’ve ever been discovered. I’m not sure if you’re aware, but if Frank’s idiot brother, Jack, hadn’t screwed up the plans and they would’ve actually gotten up past the fourth floor, it would have been scary. By the time they reached the sixth or seventh floor that entire building would’ve collapsed! I don’t have to tell you what a catastrophe that would’ve been. Someday, I’m going to shake that man’s hand and give him one hell of a hug.

“I want you all to know that as soon as I possibly can, I’m flying out there to personally thank him, his brother and Greg, properly. Sam and Tim, I hope you take care of these boys, because young men like them are hard to find. They are also bona fide heroes! ... I know you gentlemen have a lot to do, so I won’t keep you any longer. I look forward to taking everyone to dinner when I come out there. Be sure to call me if you have any more questions. Have a great day. Goodbye.”

The line went dead and everyone was looking at me and Greg. Tim said, “I just knew you were going to be late yesterday, Greg. Now I find out you’re a HERO?”

“I’m not really a hero, that was mostly Charlie and Bob. I was really just there for moral support.”

“BULLSHIT. My humble friend’s special talents are just as important as mine or my brother, Bob’s. Tim, between your crane operator, your welder and your surveyor, whose job is the most important?”

Tim was deep in thought. “All three. I couldn’t put up steel if I didn’t trust all three to do their jobs.”

“EXACTLY! Bob and I might do the ‘heavy lifting’, but we had to trust that Greg’s special communication abilities had our backs or we could have been killed in Pittsburgh. I’m sorry I can’t go into more detail, but that’s the truth. As a matter of fact, Greg’s the one who was instrumental in locating my Dad and TJ while we were still on the plane! The FBI had no clue where they were being held.”

“Wow, I was wondering how Greg knew you wanted to have this meeting, because, the phone never rang!”

Sam and Larry were both grinning and zipping their lips.

Tim was still stunned, “I don’t suppose you can tell me more?”

“The FBI has everything we did Classified as ‘Top Secret’. Maybe someday we can tell you, but for now, we can’t. Sam and Larry saw more than I wished they had, but it couldn’t be helped.”

“So, Sam and Larry saw you in action? What was it like?”

Sam was grinning, “INCREDIBLE.”

“Well, I guess I better take my ‘Hero’ and make sure they get those new piers dug in the right spots. See you guys later,” Tim chuckled as he and a smirking Greg went back to work.

So did Larry and I.

We took the 2^nd floor drawing, along with the ‘spec sheets’ from Dunphy, then ‘red-lined’ every column and rotation. We added through all the dimensions, ensuring we had perfect dimensions between columns. With asymmetrical vertical beams, the rotation was critical. It took us almost two hours, but we were absolutely certain we had it right. Once we had a parts list, we could replicate that for all 12 floors. We added in the needed steel for the atrium and felt relief at having the final totals for Brian Dunphy.

Larry asked, quizzically, “Where’s Linda? I haven’t seen her all morning. I was just thinking we should get this drawn up.”

“Uhh, sorry Lar, I told Linda I would cover for her so she could take care of something this morning.”

“Oh, that’s fine, she just never takes time off. I really can’t believe I didn’t miss her till now.” What did she have to do?”

A giggling Linda poked her head in the door, “I had to keep Bob from falling on the floor!”

“Did he pass out?” I asked.

Linda screwed up her face, “Who said ‘too’?”

I felt Greg snickering, “Ask Charlie about his visit to ‘Nurse Ratchet’!”

“Dammit!”

“That’s Greg’s line.” Jamie flashed.

Linda was giggling out loud. “Did my Boss pass out?”

“Oh yeah! But, not till he saw me get stuck,” Greg snickered.

Poor Larry looked like a ‘Bobble-head’. “Who ... what ... Bob? You mean Charlie’s brother?”

Linda was bubbling. “Yes, last night I discovered he’s my soulmate. And I love him! He was so cute this morning ... I don’t think he likes needles.” she smirked.

“Wait a minute! ... BACK UP ... I thought you were falling in love with Charlie?”

“I still am! But, Bob, Bob is a dreamboat. My dreamboat.” Linda said with an enchanted expression on her face.

Larry was doing the ‘Bobble-head’ thing again. “Whoa, I’m still lost. Who were you just talking to, besides Charlie?”

“Oh, that, ... Greg and Jamie. They were teasing Charlie. He doesn’t like needles either!”

“WAIT A MINUTE! You can communicate like Charlie and Greg? When did this happen?”

“Yesterday, silly. And with Bob, Mary and Jamie too. Ooops!”

Larry grinned at me, “So, all six of you are ‘Top Secret’? I didn’t know about Mary and Jamie?”

I was trying to frown at Linda, “And you wouldn’t have if ‘Tinkerbell’ here hadn’t just blabbed.”

That got me slapped on the arm and Larry was laughing.

Linda lamented, “That was supposed to be a secret Charlie!”

“And so are our special abilities! You’re lucky Larry’s on the ‘safe’ list. We have to keep this a secret.”

“Tinkerbell, I like that. It fits you, Linda.”

“That’s ‘Classified’ too Larry,” I scolded, chuckling.

“It won’t leave this room!” Larry zipped his lips, grinning.

Linda smiled at us, “Thanks. Now what’s on the agenda?”

Larry started. “First off, Linda, we need you to take the sheet that Charlie and I did showing all the corrections and checks, then use it to create a base drawing. Leave the title blocks blank and just show the column line dimensions and overall dimensions. You can then take that and make a couple of vellums which we’ll use to create plan sheets for each floor. By creating a base drawing, you won’t have to redraw the entire sheet every time.”

Linda looked at our redlined sheet and said, “Okay, that will take me about an hour. What then?”

I chuckled, “One hour, really? That would’ve taken me at least three. Anyway, Al and Sam are having a company meeting at noon where they will announce the rest of our team. Just so you know, we’re going to add Allison and Morgan.”

Linda smiled, “That sounds great, I get along really well with Allison, and Morgan’s a good guy, even though he is a bit quiet.”

Linda picked up our redlined sheet and asked, “What about that atrium? I saw you give the sketch to Greg this morning, boss.”

“Yes, we’ll need to add that too, but only to the first three floors. Don’t make that part of your base drawing, but just leave room for it, if you can.”

“Gotcha boss!” She smiled at us as she headed back to her cubicle.

Shortly after she left Larry had a concerned look on his face and asked, “So Linda really is in love with your brother?”

“Yes she is, and Bob is even more over the moon with her, if you can believe that.”

“I really hope he doesn’t break her heart, Charlie. Linda hasn’t had much luck with boyfriends. Her last one, Carmine was a ‘grade A’ asshole.”

“I can assure you, Larry, that won’t happen. I had a premonition about her and Bob more than two weeks ago. We’re moving her out of her apartment first thing Saturday. She and Bob are moving into our spare bedroom, at least temporarily.”

Larry chuckled, “I believe you, and I’m glad to hear she won’t be living in that apartment alone anymore. To me, Linda’s like my little sister, I tend to be a bit protective of her. I just wonder when my soulmate will come around?”

Larry was looking wistful.

“Give me your hand Larry.”

Larry looked at me cautiously, then slowly gave me his hand. I immediately had a vision.

“What? Why are you smiling like that Charlie?”

“Your day is coming Larry. Unlike Linda, I honestly don’t know who she is, but she’s looking for you. I can’t tell you when, but keep your heart open. It’ll be worth the wait, I promise.”

Larry started looking wistfully, “God Charlie, you don’t know how bad I want to believe you. Did you really see something?”

“Yes buddy, trust me I wouldn’t ‘Jack’ you around about something like this.”

We both busted up laughing and Larry chuckled, “Well, ‘Jacking’ is about all I’ve done lately. ‘Sally Five Fingers’ is really getting old! Oh, and if you guys need any help Saturday, let me know. Carmine can be a real asshole. If he starts to cause trouble, I wouldn’t mind being there to help.”

I told him we had it covered and planned on getting a truck Friday night, so we could get to her apartment early, hopefully avoiding Carmine altogether.

Sam announced on the intercom that there would be a ‘lunch meeting’ at noon, to fill everyone in on the latest news about Jack.

***

A few seconds later, Linda flashed, “Charlie, oh my God, Herman is freaking out! He just called you more swear words in 2 seconds than I could count. Now he’s calling somebody ... he’s saying how he’s going to get even with you for getting his cousins arrested ... He just shut his door, darn, so now I can’t hear what he’s saying.”

I asked Larry who Herman was. “Oh shit”, Larry gasped, “he was good friends with Jack! They often went to lunch together and neither of them ever went to McGillicuddy’s with us. You don’t think... ?”

Linda suddenly screamed and sounded terrified.

Everyone was running towards her scream and we saw Herman holding a razor knife to her throat, right by his office.

“Were you spying on me? You little bitch,” Herman shouted. “Were you gonna rat me out to Mr. Wonderful here?”

He was menacingly staring at me. “Not so tough NOW are you? Uh, uh, one step closer and I cut her from ear-to-ear. You’re not pulling that Ninja shit on me!”

Bob flashed in hysterics, “Help her Charlie, God Dammit, KILL THAT MOTHER-FUCKER!”

I had to be careful. He had already nicked her and she was bleeding, dangerously close to her jugular.

“Oh God Charlie! Help me! Don’t let him kill me!” Linda desperately cried.

“Herman, let her go. It’s me you want.”

“You got that right, I wanna see you suffer when I kill your little sweetie here. She refused to work with Jack, so he got stuck with you, you bastard, and you RUINED EVERYTHING!”

Just then, Herman sliced her deeper, and I had no choice. I focused on his wrist and slowly pulled it away from Linda’s neck. As soon as it was clear I snapped it back like a twig, shattering his elbow.