Chapter 11: Return to the Fold

Headlines

For the first time, Axel was happy with the new rule requiring reporter bylines, and that he had a new owner who would make the tough decisions. Unable to reach Karen all day, he had taken the call from Savage Sand and Gravel and had interviewed Pàl Savage. The story was much different than the one slipped through the mail slot in the mid-afternoon.

“Do we go with the interview or the supposedly official press release?” Axel asked. The young man reading over the stories pushed back in his chair.

“The press release confirms two salient points from the interview. First, the board of directors was ousted. Second, Pàl Savage has returned to run his company,” Cameron said. “None of the rest of the press release has anything other than innuendo. Go with the story of your interview with Pàl Savage, but simply indicate that the press release confirmed details. Be sure you spell his name correctly. There’s a grave accent over the ‘a’. You can put in parenthesis that most in Rosebud Falls pronounce it the same as ‘Paul.’ Otherwise, your story is good.”

“Now what about this piece from Karen Weisman?” Axel asked. Cameron returned to the screen.

“She certainly is a mama-bear when it comes to Gee Evars, isn’t she?” the young attorney who now owned The Elmont Mirror laughed. “I think she has it right, but I want her name on it. I’ll write an ‘official release’ as a sidebar that simply recounts that there is an ongoing investigation being conducted by both the police and the sheriff’s office. I wish I knew her ‘confidential sources’ and could confirm them. If I could, I’d validate the story on behalf of the Families.”

“How did she get an anonymous source inside the church and access to the Coroner’s report?” Axel asked. “If there’s one thing I do know about her—aside from the fact she’s been a pain in the ass ever since she came to work here—it’s that she always has legitimate sources. Your parents make sure of that.”

“Yes, but that is not available even to me. The information is under attorney-client privilege and as an officer of the court, my father can simply attest that the sources were valid. Put it on the front page, but below the fold. There must have been a hundred cameras that caught that fall and I would love to know how she got this photo of the blade in the tree. I just don’t want people to see that picture on the newsstand when they glance at the paper,” Cameron said. “I think you made all the right choices here, Axel. Thank you for checking in with me.”

“Mr. LaCoe, I admit that I was upset when you took over and changed policies, but I also confess that you’ve been fair,” Axel said slowly. “What worries me is that we’ve always maintained a politically neutral position and we seem to be ... becoming more biased.”

“I appreciate your concern, Axel. Really. But in a time of war, the media can’t be seen as supporting the enemy. It has to take a stand.”

“War?”

“The events of Saturday and Sunday were acts of terror against the City, the Forest, and our people. Make no mistake about it, Axel. The preacher and members of that church have declared war against the Families, and we will not let up on them until they surrender. Or are destroyed.”

“Terrorist Disrupts Closing Harvest Ceremony,” Gee read from Tuesday’s newspaper. “Isn’t that a little strong?”

“You think I should have used the politically correct conservative line and said a mentally ill man succumbed to pressures in his head and disturbed the peace?” Karen asked sarcastically. “I could have ended the piece in the next sentence by saying, ‘Our thoughts and prayers are with those who were inconvenienced.’”

“I was more concerned about you and what this could do to your standing among the Families,” Gee said softly. “Karen, don’t you know how much I worry about you?”

“Yes, I do, love. But the story wouldn’t have been published without Cameron’s approval. Even with my byline.”

“Cameron? The baritone in the quartet?”

“The son of your lawyers and suddenly heir-apparent to the Nussbaum Family leadership,” Karen corrected him. “And the new owner of The Elmont Mirror.”

“He is?”

“He doesn’t know I know, so please don’t just blurt that out in public. Technically, the newspaper is owned by the Rosebud Free Writers Trust, a trust that was recently transferred to four cousins and of which Cameron LaCoe is the trustee.”

“Wow! Is Cameron trying to take control of the Families?”

“Strangely enough,” Karen mused, “I have a lot of faith in him. He has much more to lose in this rodeo than to gain.”

“What does that mean?”

“Old research. It’s not important right now. Finish reading my brilliant writing. You sound so smart when you read my words,” she giggled. He scowled at her from the ‘old person’ chair where he sat. He wanted to complain about his enforced immobility, but when he tried to move, his ribs made him thankful for the chair with a lift.

“A white male, approximately thirty-five years old, planted a sharp blade in the Harvest wedding tree, intent on causing injury or death to the shaker who climbed it. Police indicate that the incident is still ‘under investigation’ but confirmed that the blade held clear fingerprints that match the suspect. The blade was further coated with the drug Lustre Plus, a known hallucinogen that could easily have caused the shaker to ‘feel like flying’ if he had been cut by the blade instead of having his safety line severed.

“The suspect has also been linked to both distribution and heavy usage of the drug and is suspected in two attempted kidnappings which had put him on the Rosebud Falls’ Police Department Most Wanted list.

“The suspect was apprehended by police, thanks to the quick thinking and action of children in second grade, waiting to gather the nuts under the wedding tree. While in custody and being transported to the county jail, the prisoner suffered a ruptured appendix and was pronounced dead on arrival at Poltanys Memorial Hospital.

“A court-ordered autopsy revealed a previously unknown side-effect of prolonged use of the drug. The outer walls of several of the terrorist’s organs had thinned to the point that imminent death was almost certain. Affected organs included the heart, liver, kidneys, spleen, and even stomach.”

Gee looked up at his girlfriend, setting aside the newspaper for a minute.

“How did you get hold of the autopsy so quickly?” he asked.

“I have sources,” Karen said. She held her lover’s eyes with hers and eventually looked away. “Honestly, I think it was intentionally leaked. Did you know that all police bands are recorded and are a part of the public record? For some reason, Dr. Gaston chose to radio his findings to Detective Oliver rather than calling him or delivering the written report in a secure manner. When asked for confirmation, Dr. Gaston said that it was a common practice to use the police radio to communicate findings before the official report was drafted. Detective Oliver flew into a well-staged snit over the use of an unsecured channel and swore that such a breach would never occur again.”

“There goes a reliable source,” Gee chuckled. Karen walked over to him with a sultry sway to her hips and kissed him softly.

“I haf other vays,” she declared. “Keep reading.”

“Victim blaming raises its ugly head. According to a witness who asked to remain anonymous, Pastor Lance Beck ‘whipped his congregation to a frenzy’ prior to loosing them on Sunday’s Harvest Parade. After hearing their pastor, a known affiliate of the dead terrorist, compare injured shaker George Evars to Lucifer, the Seven Families to the seven-headed beast of Revelation, and the children who apprehended the terrorist to demon spawn, congregants assaulted Evars (known as Gee to all in Rosebud Falls) with insults and a hail of acorns thrown at the shaker and the children accompanying him on the parade route,” Gee read. “Acorns?”

“I conceded that it wouldn’t be a good idea to let the public know that the assailants had access to hickory nuts,” Karen replied. “I can’t believe Alex called and asked me to accept the change. Those imbeciles actually tried to blame the children!” Karen exploded. Even though she had written the words, she acted almost as if it was the first time she had heard them.

“Who was on the inside? That must truly gall the minister,” Gee said.

“Rena went to church Sunday.”

“Oh no. It must have been very hard on her to come to you with that story. I know that even though she associates Brother Reef with the church, she really likes her pastor,” Gee said. “It makes me sad.”

“It wasn’t Rena,” Karen said. “She is still in treatment and was accompanied by her chaperone. Liz was shocked speechless and called me first thing Monday morning. There is a lot to be discovered in that church and I plan to get to the bottom of it.”

Gee finished reading the story and put the newspaper down. He nodded thoughtfully and then turned to Karen. “This isn’t going to end it, you know.”

“I know.”

“And calling them ‘outsiders’ with no relationship to the City is going to call attention to the Families.”

“Yes and no. I have positive ID on fourteen of the protesters and none of them live in the city limits nor in South Rosebud. They have no vote in the election but are campaigning to stop the annexation. I’m not going to let up. Next week, I’ll hit them again. The City has not been mobilized by the Families since the Seven Heroes. Calvary Tabernacle may very well face protests itself.”

“Be careful, my love. Your byline on this story paints a target on you.”

“I love you, Gee. I’ll be careful.”

The Prodigal Returns

“This meeting of the War Orphans is now called to order,” Heinz said as he rapped the deck of cards on the table and began to deal.

“You’d think that he’d get tired of that line after seventy years,” Dee Poltanys Warren said.

“Good old dependable Heinz,” Celia sighed.

“Who made him chairman, anyway?” Coretta asked. “How are you doing, dear?” she said turning to Celia. “This has to have been an exciting week for you.”

“It’s taken a little wind out of my sails,” Celia said. “But nothing has really changed. You have all been my friends, my brother and sisters, regardless of how others viewed me.”

“How are you going to spend your millions?” Heinz asked. “Round-the-world cruise? That’s what Gerta’s after me about.”

“I could be convinced if you were all going,” Celia said. “But why would an old woman go off around the world alone?”

“You’d attract someone, dear. Strong, handsome...”

“Forty years younger,” Dee interrupted Coretta.

“Younger that what?”

“Heinz,” all three women chorused.

“Did you know Leah came by?” Celia asked. “She offered to drive me out to the Jewish cemetery so I could spit on her—our—grandfather’s grave instead of the war memorial?” The four laughed at the ridiculous situation. “Really, I’ve directed her to put it all in Jo’s name. I have everything I’ve ever wanted. I don’t see a reason to need new wills and codicils or what have you.”

“You’ve always had us,” Heinz said softly.

“And I love each of you,” Celia smiled. “I just wish Henry, Ewan, and Pàl were with us, rest their souls.”

“Speaking of which,” Heinz said, glancing at his watch. There was a light knock on the door of the retirement home card room.

“Ah, our weekly card bunch is here. You see, Mr. Savage, we are not a stuffy place where you get confined to your room. This is a retirement village, not a nursing home,” the staffer said.

“I don’t know. These folks look awfully old to me,” the man said grinning as he stepped into the room.

“Pàl?” Dee exclaimed. “Pàl Savage?” The four card players all stood and Heinz stepped back so the women could embrace their one-time play fellow.

“What are you doing here?” Celia asked. “I mean, I’m so glad you are here, Pàl. But why?”

“I came to celebrate with you,” Pàl said. “And to help my grandson navigate the tricky waters of Rosebud Falls.”

“And to take over Savage Sand and Gravel,” Heinz added.

“Sit here between Celia and Dee,” Coretta said. “I’m married.”

“Which is why she sits by good old safe and very married Heinz,” the elder Nussbaum laughed. Pàl took the proffered seat.

“Are you responsible for engineering the takeover of SSG?” Dee asked.

“I helped. But the real work was done by Wayne and his silent partner. That’s why I’m really here. Neither of them needs to be in the spotlight about this.”

“There wasn’t anything in the paper about a partnership or about Wayne at all,” Celia said. “It just said a well-orchestrated shareholder revolt.”

“Well, we hoped to show that there was dissension among the shareholders. The truth is that my grandfather engineered the takeover sixty years ago, before we left town.”

“How so?” Coretta asked.

“I’m told that you all receive a distribution from a sealed trust,” Pàl said.

“There were times when that was the only thing that kept me going,” Celia answered.

“Well, the trust was set up at the same time that Savage Sand and Gravel went public as a corporation,” Pàl said. “Your trusts were funded with one hundred thousand shares of SSG stock that my grandfather set up.”

“No!”

“Someone found out what was in the trusts. That someone arranged for this very nice man, about the same age as my grandson, to vote the proxy for those shares at the company’s annual meeting. Heinz?” Pàl said.

“My grandson,” Heinz admitted. “He came to me with the information and I suggested that the City Champion vote the shares.”

“That sounds good, Pàl, but I can do the math. Six hundred thousand out of five million shares, as the paper cited, isn’t enough to control the company by itself. Was it just enough to put you in the majority?” Dee asked.

“That is where my grandfather hid a surprise. For sixty years, your shares lay silent until Mr. Evars voted them at the meeting last Thursday. We’d hoped to hold enough shares to influence the company policies. What we discovered was that the shares granda set up for you were of a class that could control the company. So, in spite of having only five million shares, there are ten million four hundred thousand votes, and between your trusts and my shares, we control seven million of those votes. That’s what changed the game last week and brought me back to Rosebud Falls.”

“Are you back to stay, Pàl?” Celia asked softly. He smiled at her.

“As I told that nice young staff person who was showing me around, I’m thinking this might be a good place for me to retire. Florida is nice and sunny, but any state where the unofficial state bird is the vulture is no place for old people.”

“You haven’t lost any of your old sense of humor,” Coretta laughed.

“Yep. As bad as ever,” Heinz said.

“Should we do something about the proxies for our shares?” Coretta asked. Her brow was creased in worry. “I like that nice young shaker, but should he really have so much power?”

“If we each take control of our own shares, we stand the risk of being divided again,” Heinz said. “When Cameron brought the shares to light, he wanted to hold the proxies. I told him no. I don’t think the power should transfer to one of the Families.”

“I agree,” Pàl said. “In fact, I am turning the proxy for my million shares over to the City Champion as well. He has nothing to gain or to lose, no matter what comes of the company. He has no ownership. As long as he is controlled by his connection to the City and the Forest, he will make good decisions.”

“We need Gee to talk to David Lazorack and to Collin Meagher,” Heinz said. “If we five are agreed to maintain the proxy as is, we would still have less than a majority if they withdrew from the alliance.”

“Hmm. I think I will talk with my grandson-in-law,” Coretta mused. “My interest will pass to his wife as David’s will ultimately pass to him. And he is a good friend of our City Champion.”

“If we have business out of the way,” Celia said, “can we just spend time catching up with Pàl? When did you start wearing a kilt?”

The Game

“There’s going to be a rally before the football game tomorrow night,” Karen said. “The Nussbaum Quartet will perform, so even though you missed their second performance during Harvest, you’ll get another chance tomorrow.”

“Ahhh, that’s great,” Gee moaned. He wasn’t sure if he was responding to her words or the gentle massage of his shoulder with the liniment. He’d had a long soak in the bath salts Coretta had given him after confirming with Dr. Poltanys that it wouldn’t hurt his stitches. He’d never had so many stitches in his life as since he came to Rosebud Falls.

Hmm. That was a new data point. He’d had stitches before, but not as many or as frequently as since he got to Rosebud Falls. When he told Karen his discovery, she reached for her notebook and jotted it down.

“What’s tomorrow’s news today?” he asked as they cuddled in bed together after his massage.

“I’ve let that preacher know that I am following up on the events during the Harvest parade with a full investigative report on his background as a minister and as a youth deprogrammer. I asked nicely for an interview, but he declined. I discovered, however, that in two other communities where he operated in the past, he was accused of kidnapping. The accusations didn’t stick as the parents of the teens involved held that it was their right to commit their child to the pastor’s care for conversion therapy.”

“What happened to the kids?”

“One committed suicide. The other, after having been cured of his homosexuality, returned to his parents’ home and was reported to have married a neighbor girl when they turned eighteen.”

“That drug, Karen. Lustre? Can it be used to control a person?”

“That’s a truly frightening prospect, Gee. People blindly obeying commands. They’d be like...”

“Slaves.”

“Slaves that could be used for anything.”

“Assassins. Nut-pickers. Sex slaves.”

“Hey, guy. Have a seat. Karen, you look lovely as always,” Wayne said. He was in a good mood and looking forward to the game, but also to the introduction he was about to make. “Gee, Karen, I’d like you to meet my grandfather, Pàl Savage.” The older gentleman reached over to take Gee’s offered hand.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you in person, Mr. Savage,” Gee said. “I’m sorry I haven’t been up to accepting invitations the past couple weeks.”

“Wayne has told me much about his two friends and I’ve been following your stories closely since I arrived in town. You are both very influential,” Pàl said.

“Influence is Karen’s bailiwick. I just jump—or fall—into ridiculous situations without thinking,” Gee said.

“Perhaps you don’t know how much that raises your level of influence,” Pàl laughed. “Ms. Weisman, I would very much like to talk to you about your impressions of the current ... ah ... political environment here in Rosebud Falls.”

“Please, just Karen,” she said. “I’d be delighted to have a discussion, though I, too, doubt my level of influence. Especially lately.”

“Ah, Karen, that is not what my friends say. Though they seem to believe you could have accomplished such things with a little less panache, they all agree that you are the person responsible for helping a very dear old friend of mine.”

“Really, Mr. Savage?”

“Please, if you are Karen, I am Pàl. The difference between the English and Scottish pronunciations are so small as to make it a moot point.”

“Thank you, Pàl. I’m glad I could help in whatever way I have.”

“You set Celia Eberhardt’s mind at rest at long last,” Pàl said. “And through your actions, made her granddaughter very wealthy. I hope you will not withdraw your influence from young Jo. She admires you greatly.”

“I think she’s extremely sweet.”

“We continue to need your help, Karen.”

“What can I do?”

“In two weeks here in Rosebud Falls, I have become even more concerned about the activities of my former board of directors and CEO,” Pàl said. “You have been stirring a hornets’ nest with your continued pressure on the church located near the quarry. Among the hornets are the former CEO, who is also the chairman of the board of deacons for Calvary Tabernacle. I find that all the former board members of SSG were also members of that church. That seems ... out of the ordinary for a publicly held company to me.”

“I share your unease. I have long believed that something is going on there that is not quite right. For example, how did the church become situated on that plot of land in the first place?”

“A matter for further investigation, don’t you think?” Pàl said. “But I believe our conversation this evening must come to an end as we enjoy the festivities about to begin.”

The music of The Nussbaum Quartet washed over Gee. It was special—vibrant. None of her cousins were quite the musician Elaine was, but their support made her voice twice as powerful. Karen gripped his hand, apparently just as lost in the music.

“Isn’t it great to have The Nussbaum Quartet back with us for this rally?” newspaper editor Axel Hunter asked the cheering fans. “And who is the team of the evening?”

“Fireflies!”

“That’s right,” Axel continued. “The Mirror has always been a strong supporter of Harvest and of our two local schools. As a result, we want to recognize the students of Rosebud High School and invite its senior class officers to the stage. And, even though their team is in Manchester tonight, we also have the senior class officers of Flor del Día here with us. These two school are formidable foes on the gridiron. But in the Forest, they take it to a whole new level of both competition and cooperation.” The class officers of the two schools approached from opposite ends of the platform and shook hands in the middle.

“It is a new tradition that we are starting tonight to have two scholarships awarded. Each scholarship is for one thousand dollars and will go to the senior chosen by his or her classmates as most valuable harvester. Remember that without the nearly 700 students of these two schools, our Harvest would last until snow flies. Flor del Día, who will receive the scholarship as MVH for your school?” Axel asked the student on his left.

“Thank you, Mr. Hunter. Flor del Día is honored to participate in the annual Harvest. Rosebud Falls is home to our student body. We live practically in the Forest and students walk there every day. One of those students has been a harvester every year since she arrived at Flor del Día as a seventh-grade orphan almost six years ago. The student body is happy to announce its choice of Norma Smith as our MVH and recipient of this scholarship,” the student concluded to enthusiastic applause.

“And now turning to Rosebud High School. Who has been elected as your most valuable harvester?”

“Mr. Hunter, you will see two cousins leading the Fireflies on the field tonight. They are co-captains of our offensive team. Center Viktor Nussbaum is a senior and James Nussbaum is a junior and our varsity quarterback. They proved as fast a combination in the Forest as they are on the football field and the student body had no difficulty choosing Victor as our senior MVH,” the student announced.

“So, Viktor Nussbaum will receive the thousand-dollar scholarship.”

“No, sir,” the student representative continued. “Viktor has respectfully declined the scholarship. He has a full-ride scholarship at Rutgers next fall and he has said his family would never want him to receive money that was better used by someone else. Viktor requested, and the student body ratified his decision, that the thousand-dollar scholarship be presented to the MVH from Flor del Día to double her award.”

The crowd erupted as the quartet rose in volume behind the group on stage. The student wasn’t quite finished.

“We are crosstown rivals on the gridiron, but we are all partners in the love of our Forest and our commitment to Harvest. Will you accept this additional scholarship on behalf of your MVH?”

“On behalf of Norma Smith and Flor del Día, we accept the scholarship and your friendship. Thank you, your school, and your MVH for this consideration. May we always be trusted friends ... except on the football field!”

After the applause died down and the class officers shook hands again, Axel continued as the quartet stepped back up to their microphones.

“It’s the amazing spirit of this town and its willingness to reach across borders and that makes us what we are,” Axel says. “That’s why The Elmont Mirror is officially supporting the annexation of South Rosebud so we can extend our community, our services, and our spirit. Now let’s stand for our National Anthem and get ready to play football!”

The crowd stood to join Elaine’s beautiful voice in the anthem.

“Forgive me for this presumption, Gee,” Pàl said as the group walked to the gates after the game. Gee was still using his hickory staff as he walked, but it was more to keep people from getting too close and jostling him than for real support. Karen protected his injured right side, holding his hand.

“What is that, Mr. Savage?”

“I’d like you to take this.”

“What is it?” Gee said, hesitantly taking the envelope Pàl held out to him.

“It is the proxy for the Savage Family one million class A shares of SSG stock.”

“But you’re here! Why would you want me to act as proxy for your shares?”

“When my grandfather took the company public, he set trusts up with a hundred thousand shares of class B stock, one that would benefit each of the other war orphans. No trust was set up for me because he held one million shares that I would inherit. You hold the proxy for the six trusts. It’s only appropriate that you hold mine as well.”

“But surely, they’ll all take control of their own now,” Gee said. “They didn’t give me permanent control or anything.”

“Now that I have added my voice to theirs, they are unlikely to retract them. All the seven ever wanted was to bring Rosebud Falls together and protect the Forest. Now, I’m confident that we will succeed.”

First Family

“Surprise!” Jessie said. “We’re back!”

“Already? You guys didn’t take a very long honeymoon,” Gee said.

“Really? It seemed like forever,” Jessie sighed as she stepped aside so Gee and Karen could come into her in-laws’ home.

“Jessie! I can’t believe you got bored with him already!” Karen laughed.

“Are you kidding? That part of the honeymoon was great! But we could have done that in the Forest and not had to travel all the way to Niagara Falls. We have a waterfall right here in Rosebud Falls.”

“Aww. That’s sweet,” Karen said. She glanced at Gee. “You know, I’m beginning to feel the same way.”

“Gee. Karen,” David Lazorack said as Jonathon brought the couple into the spacious sitting room where his father was mixing drinks. “Welcome to our home.”

“It’s good to see you, Mr. Lazorack,” Gee said.

“Mmm. I feel better now that I can see you are healthy. Karen, my apologies for having been abrupt with you the last time we met,” David said.

“I understand the stress Harvest puts on you, David,” she said. “I just hope this year’s events don’t force any changes on our annual celebration.”

“It’s almost inevitable,” he answered. “We’ll try to make the changes as subtle as possible, but I foresee as much as doubling the number of foresters we have in the next year. Ah. Here’s Rebecca. Becky, I don’t think you’ve been properly introduced to Gee Evars. And I think you know Karen Weisman. Gee, my wife Rebecca.”

“It’s a pleasure, ma’am.”

“It’s nice to see you again, Rebecca.”

“I hoped to meet you after the wedding, but circumstances prevented things,” Rebecca said. “I’m so glad to see you up and recovering.”

“Mom! Dad! We’re here!” a woman’s voice rang from the kitchen.

“In here, Laura,” Rebecca responded. A young woman with dirty blonde hair, dark rimmed glasses, and a perpetually sad expression on her face entered, followed by a thin man with black curly hair and a tightly-cropped black beard. “Gee, I’d like you to meet my daughter Laura and her fiancé, Jude Roth-Augello,” Rebecca said. “I’m sorry, Karen. I should include you in these introductions, but I know you already all know each other. Laura and Jude, meet Karen’s friend, Gee Evars of tree-climbing fame.”

“I’m afraid tree-falling fame is more like it,” Gee laughed as he reached for Jude’s outstretched hand and then turned to Laura. Tears sparkled in Laura’s eyes as she tensed up and, for a moment, Gee thought she was going to strike him.

“Why did you live?” she demanded. “Why didn’t my grandfather live?”

“Laura,” David said softly. “It’s not Gee’s fault that Dad died.”

“Sorry,” Laura said glancing at Gee but focusing on Karen. “Too much dying.”

“Well, let’s go into the dining room now that everyone is here,” Rebecca said brightly. “Dinner is ready. Laura, would you help me set it on the table, please?”