Louis Norton's arrival at the Viggo Pederson campaign kickoff put a damper on the evening. Most of the guests made their way to the door. Those who remained were either very loyal to Pederson or were of the under-thirty crowd taking full advantage of the open bar, endless buffet, and chocolate fountains.
Paul Cooley stuck around. He figured it was what Artie would expect him to do.
After John Blake and his security crew removed Louis Norton from the Swann Club, a woman whisked Alicia Webb away for another private meeting with Viggo Pederson. For the second time that night, Paul Cooley found himself on his own in a room full of strangers. If not for the comradery of Pinnebog News ace reporter Jessica Robbins he would have been miserable.
"So, what's the story on your little friend?" Robbins asked.
Cooley shrugged. "Don't really know her. Like I said, Artie was going to use them as a way to get in here tonight."
"Where is Artie?"
Cooley shrugged again. "Last I saw him he was leaving the Taconite to follow a lead. He told me to come here with Miss Webb and keep my eyes open."
"For what?"
"For anything."
"I'd say you saw it." Robbins looked around the room. "The heads of state don't look too happy with what they saw."
Cooley looked up. Not far from their table sat some of the mansion dwellers along the coast of Tip Town. Old families, older money, older ideals. They weren't at all pleased with Mayor Jeannine Tibbets' sweeping re-imagining of Port Pinnebog. Their plan, it seemed to Cooley, was to replace her with Viggo Pederson, not exactly a legacy name in Port Pinnebog, but certainly, someone who shared their philosophies.
These were the long-established families of Port Pinnebopg. Families that included Finley Dawson whose family built its fortune in lumber. With Dawson sat George Laporte whose great-great-great-grandfather sold furs, pick-axes, shovels, anything settlers needed to build their homes. Mariam Weathersby, who came from a long line of bankers and investors and venture capitalists eager for job creation, made the rounds, catching potential donors as they headed to the doors.
With that heritage came suspicion, maybe a little resentment. It would be foolish to run anyone connected to the family lineage. The younger generations of the founding families were too busy living the partygencia life to be concerned about maintaining what early generations had earned. The money was there, would always be there. They lived by the creed, 'Les sez le bon temps roule!' Let the good times roll.
What the families needed was someone the people could get behind and they felt that someone was Viggo Pederson. It came with a price. Pederson attracted a certain element the families weren't accustomed to. Elements like Joey Marbles, the kid with the glass eye. Rico Adonis, quiet, observant, mute from an earlier altercation; Adonis lost his tongue but his assailant lost more. The final member was the handsome Eldon Plum, born with one hand stricken by ectrodactyly; he refused to view this as a hindrance and considered it an advantage.
Cooley knew what the families knew: They had to take the bad to get the votes. As long as they didn't attract negative attention, didn't distract from the campaign, they were more than welcome to stay. At least until after Pederson won.
"Maybe the families should talk to your psychic friend," Jessica Robbins said.
"I don't think she predicts the future. I think she is a conduit for the deceased to speak to the living."
"See, I find that pointless," Robbins said. "You had your whole life to talk to me. Now you want to bend my ear now that you're dead? Why?"
"Maybe I want to tell you something I couldn't when I was alive."
Robbins leaned closer. "Tell me now, Cooley."
He felt the toe of her shoe slide up the back of his leg.
"Maybe tomorrow, Robbins."
The shoe kicked his shin. "It's always tomorrow with you."
He was going to tell her that wasn't true. He was on the job, she had to understand he couldn't abandon Alicia. Before he could tell her any of this, she kicked him. Cooley bent down to massage his ankle. He had a wider view of the room from this angle. From this level he could see events unfolding at one of the many bars.
Corrine Lara stood at the rail talking to Eldon Plum. They leaned close. Their eyes darted between staring at one another and searching the room. A crowd began to gather around them. Corrine Lara was used to gawking fans.
Eldon Plum not so much.
"You're going to be glad you stuck around," Cooley said.
"Am I?"
"Take a look at the bar." Cooley lifted his chin in the direction he wanted Robbins to look.
Under the sign of a black swan, Eldon Plum was in a shoving, shouting match with one of the founding families' younger descendants.
"The lady happens to be having a private conversation, pal."
"We're just asking for an autograph."
"She's busy."
"Eldon," Corrine Lara said. "It's all right."
"No, it's not. He has no business interrupting us."
Neither man was backing away from the confrontation. Both had to save face in front of their parties. Their women.
Paul Cooley sat back. "Get ready for the Brickhouse Boys." He took a pull of his drink.
"Is that the next band?"
"Funny, Robbins." Cooley swirled the ice in his glass. "It means they all did time together at Pinnebog Penitentiary."
Over at the Black Swan bar, Joey Marbles and Rico Adonis stood on either side of Eldon Plum.
The angry fan stared at the three men. He remained defiant. "You got something to say?"
"I think you've said enough," Joey Marbles said.
"I don't give a rip what you think." The angry fan looked at Rico Adonis. "What about you? You got something to say?"
Rico Adonis pointed a finger himself.
"Yeah," the angry descendant said. "You. What's the matter? Cat got your tongue?"
Rico Adonis laughed silently. He slapped Joey Marbles in the arm. In a swift motion, Adonis caught the angry man by his necktie and pulled him to within an eyelash of the point of his switchblade.
Oliver Swann's voice bellowed over the hush of the crowd.
"That's it, the party is over! Everyone out. You stay, you can talk to the cops. They're on their way."
The crowd made its way out of the Swann Club.
"Guess that's our cue," Robbins said. "You coming?"
"I have to wait for Ailcia Webb."
"Do you?"
"It's just business, Jess."
The woman who escorted Alicia Webb from the ballroom approached Cooley. She was alone.
"Mr. Cooley."
"Yes?"
"Miss Webb has made other arrangements for the evening. She is no longer in need of your services."
"What are these other arrangements?"
"Mr. Pederson will be seeing her home."
"She lives in Edgeville. The last train of the night leaves in an hour."
"Mr. Pederson is aware of the train schedule."
"I'd like to confirm this new arrangement with Miss Webb."
"I am the confirmation, Mr. Cooley. Miss Webb has already left the building."
"I'm sorry. You are?"
"Mrs. Filch. Tilda Filch. Chief liaison for Mr. Pederson."
"Tilda Filch. Well, Mrs. Filch, I think you should know--"
Mrs. Filch raised an eyebrow. "Yes, Mr. Cooley?"
Someone took Cooley by the arm. When he turned he saw Jessica Robbins holding his elbow.
"Time to go, Cooley."
Cooley agreed. Alicia Webb wasn't a child. There was nothing more he could do.
AUTHOR'S NOTE
I needed this chapter to come from Paul Cooley to drop more exposition surrounding the history of Port Pinnebog. It's like a trail of breadcrumbs: mention Tip Town here, mention it again later, bring it up again to give it some permanence with the reader.
At the same time, I needed to separate Viggo Pederson from the 1% of Port Pinnebog. He probably has more money than the five founding families have combined. (I've only mentioned three, there will be two more.) It's all part of Pederson looking for inclusion in the dynamics of Port Pinnebog and the three families establishing a puppet regime.
This chapter also brought out new faces. The Brickhouse Boys, three founding families-whoa! Just had a lightning bolt of an idea who one of the other two families will be! It's a game-changer. Mrs. Filch, who came in at the eleventh hour.
Jessica Robbins, Paul Cooley, Corinne Lara grew. Oliver Swann is still pretty flat. He may have peaked.
I think I'm at about 15k for total word count.
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