Chapter 1

Steve

Since our family returned from our sailing trip through the Panama Canal, up to Washington State, all the way to Alaska, and Hawaii, a lot had been going on. Dewey and I were spending more time talking on the phone than we talked in person during our vacation. Perhaps we bit off more than we could handle. We had purchased three resort complexes and an airfield in Hawaii, in addition to the hotels, and land for a new hotel, in Anchorage, Alaska.

We both think we were nuts to invest so much money while the rest of the economy is in the toilet. Dewey says that he isn't losing money on any of his investments right now and he wants to shore up and diversify. I would rather just buy land that we could plant a gigantic garden on and feed everyone. If we were to do that, Hawaii would be a good place to do it.

Personally, I think the management staff of the three resorts would keep them profitable even in the strange economy. There was work planned at all three, but everything was in place for it to be done. The airfield was going to be the long range project, as something like that has to be built from scratch. We had made a good deal, and I know in my heart that the trio of Dewey, my new friend, Chuck Johnson, and I would make the deal lucky and bring all of us a lot of satisfaction.

Crystal and Bear will be running the airfield and be the S&S contact in Hawaii, overseeing the construction of hangars, the new expanded operations building, and the Holiday Inn Express next to the field. We decided on a franchise hotel as it would be the easiest to find a manager for and it would not be concerned with tourist trade.

Dewey and I needed our own business representative in Hawaii. Someone to handle the day to day stuff at all of the venues we had there. Someone who could stay in constant contact with the various managers and to help get things moving when stagnation set in at one place or another. I know a guy that would be perfect, but he has so many commitments right now that it would be tough for him to do what we need.

Ruth and Tiny were going to travel with Crystal and Bear to help them set up their business office. Ruth would work on setting up personnel records that would be a part of the S&S database back here in Florida, and Tiny would work with the accounting firm to make sure all of the venues had the right kind of banking support without being underfoot.

Our little vacation in Hawaii added almost a thousand people to the payroll. The three new hotels up in Anchorage added another three hundred people, but that was almost an under the table deal. The owners had held the properties as an undisclosed asset and since it was not exceeding the original speculation numbers, they wanted to quietly unload it. Dewey thought the principals were probably laundering money, but the deal was too good to pass up, so Dewey now had more Alaskan properties, but this time with me and our Irish friend involved in the ownership group.

I was sitting, pondering whether I should try to withdraw from some of these investments when Chuck Johnson, my Deputy Marshal friend, sat down with me. Chuck said, "You look like you're wondering what to do with all of your new obligations in Hawaii."

Smiling, I answered, "You got it. We did go hog wild over there."

Chuck said, "You know, I can't believe I've actually bought into two huge hotel and resort complexes, complete with golf courses, plus an airfield. I just reviewed the blueprints of the airfield complex the way you have begun building it, and I'm in awe of what you are planning."

Chuck continued, "Where are we going to get the mechanics to fill the two huge maintenance hangars? Where are we going to get the customers to keep them busy? I'm just staggered over the cost projections over the next three years. I know we'll be receiving revenue well before then, but wow, Steve, that is a huge undertaking."

I said, "Don't fret over the airfield, Chuck. Remember that the Hawaiian Islands are spread out and the fastest way to commute is by air. Helicopters are easiest because they don't need runways but there are enough little fields all over the islands that we can be close to almost anywhere. More and more people will be using small planes to commute around the islands. We will become the training center for all those people who want to fly themselves. We will become the maintenance center where they have their planes repaired. We will be the airfield where you can rent an airplane. And soon, we will also be the dealer who sells airplanes to the public."

Chuck said, "There can't be that big of a market for new and used airplanes, you're not going to have that big of a turnover."

"You're right, Chuck, but we will also be selling and repairing helicopters. We will probably sell and maintain as many helicopters as fixed wing aircraft. We'll have to go to the customer sometime, but most of the work will be preventive maintenance and regularly scheduled service."

I said something that did get his attention, "We are going to market a full line of our carts in Hawaii and will have a warranty and maintenance facility at the airfield. In an effort to provide quick material transport between islands, we found a CV-2 or DHC-4 Caribou that will be our king sized toy over there. Jimmy's dad used to fly them in Viet Nam and is going to be the head of maintenance over there. We can use this cargo plane to haul several carts at a time to just about any location with fifteen hundred feet of clear space. The plane only needs twelve hundred feet to take off under load."

Chuck said, "I'll bet that thing was expensive."

I told Chuck, "It was, and the freight getting it over there is expensive too, but it will be worth it. They will have it here shortly and we will overhaul everything on it then take it apart for shipping. We'll have a lot of calls for emergency shipping of items between the islands when they just can't wait. It is kind of silly, but we figured on painting the plane like our S&S planes here and consider it an advertising expense."

Chuck looked at his watch and said, "Good, after five." He then went to the big converted fridge, pulled out two frosted mugs, and began drawing a couple of beers. When he had them filled, he brought both back and gave one to me.

I asked Chuck, "You weren't instantly called out to take care of problem somewhere. Is the world settling down?"

Chuck said, "I think it is settling down a little. We've locked down all of the federal prison areas so tight that even the open campuses would be difficult to escape from. The deputy who I have looking for whoever was sponsoring the escapees and why, says that he thinks he's real close to some answers and has sent me some interesting information. It reads as if we are close to what we want to find out."

I told Chuck, "It would be nice if you didn't have to be in danger quite so often. I know there will always be something, but you were going into dangerous situations constantly there for a while. Hell, you even had to do it in Alaska and Hawaii. I know I'm glad you aren't out getting into mischief, and I know the ladies are, as well."

Thinking of the ladies, I asked, "So what did all those women go out to get anyway?"

Chuck said, "My five ladies are remodeling their house for the arrival of three or four babies and the future arrival of at least two more. Their house is really big, making it easy to create some smaller rooms within the areas where the bedrooms are. Their place is in shambles right now and they've been staying with me. The girls are a lot of fun, but the more we're together, the more I feel as if we're going to be like a brother and sisters with kids, or something like that. They all say they love me and they all enjoy being with me, but they all want to make sure I know they will be staying together. I don't know, Steve, but I think I'm going to have a bunch of children who know me as dad, but will not be under my roof most of the time. The only thing I can think of is, we'll see."

I smiled at Chuck and said, "Perhaps you should move all of them to Hawaii and build a big house there for all of you. You could work on our projects there and oversee our holdings."

Sue and Mercy came into the patio carrying packages. Sue said, "Wow, that was fun. We haven't shopped for babies for a long time. Chuck, you won't believe it, we took Frieda to her sonogram appointment this afternoon. Wait until she shows you the pictures. You can already tell at only two months."

Mercy was looking at Chuck as if they were communicating. They did that a lot lately. The two of them just smiled as they went about whatever they were doing. Sue said, "You two, you are so bad the way you communicate. You smile and we don't have a clue as to why. It's almost rude."

Mercy said, "I asked him if he was ready for twins. He didn't answer, he just smiled."

"You were not supposed to tell him, Mercy," Sue said, sounding disgusted. "Frieda should be the one to tell him."

Chuck spoke up, "I figured it was twins anyway the way Frieda has been. She's been absolutely bubbly while she was a pretty serious personality before."

Sue admonished, "Just don't say anything, let her be the one to spring this on you. She's so excited about it that I'm surprised she's not already in here."

Kathy and Juanita came in and gave me a kiss, then went to sit with Chuck. They were bookending him when Frieda came in and sat on Chuck's lap. She said, "Honey, you've done a good job on me. You are going to be a dad," she paused a second, "and again." Frieda kissed Chuck and leaned back with a smile, "I'm having twins."

There was a mass transition as all five of the girls swarmed Frieda and Chuck at the announcement of twins. Nancy said, "I feel so inadequate, I'm only having one."

Judy was trying to wedge herself in closer to Chuck and said, "Me too, I'm only having one, but I'm so happy. I think I'll be a great mother."

Tiani and Brandy were sitting in chairs across from Chuck, grinning. When there was an opening, Tiani pushed her face up to Chuck's and said, "I'll be next when they get these on the ground. Brandy and I will be good mothers too."

As fast as the five had crowded around Chuck, they were gone, talking babies with the experienced women from the patio group.

Chuck was worn out from the intensity of everything he had been worried about and laid his head back. I don't know how, but he fell asleep in a rowdy patio while his ladies were commiserating with mine. Now that is someone who's beat.

My women and Chuck's women were really going into the planning that takes place when women consider babies. I let Chuck remain knocked out while I enjoyed my beer. Abe came in and joined me with a beer and said, "I'm planning a trip out west before it gets cold. I'm going up to Montana to visit with a couple of Indian reservations that have indicated they might be open to supplying labor for a manufacturing facility. If we were to create a cart factory up there, we could supply most of western Canada with carts. If it turns out we can only produce a limited amount and not expand, we'll build a plant in western Canada."

Tiny said, "Abe and I went over the logistics of a plant up near Helena and decided we could do this and it could manufacture twelve months a year. I think it would be good for our projections."

Chuck came out of his stupor and said, "I need to make sure the other girls know I'm here." He fished his cell phone out of his pocket and called. He was saying, "Glad I caught you, Lena, see if Tina is in and have her bring you out to the trailer park. We'll eat out here tonight. If Lisa is there, bring her too."