Ricky Ng’s office resembled nothing so much as a 1940s -tyle warehouse, in really bad condition. In fact, the phrase fire trap usually went through the minds of everyone who saw it for the first time. There were two-foot high stacks of paper on every available horizontal surface except for the massive oaken desk behind which he churned out his daily lists of instructions for all his employees.
The lists were always handwritten, always long – frequently multiple pages – and always nearly illegible. They typically contained cryptic demands for updates on things he’d just discussed with the actors involved.
On one side of his desk was a plastic tray filled with rubber stamps. Those employees always knew when his instructions were ready, because they could hear his stamps thumping on his desktop.
Every single item on every list was stamped: “Critical”, “Important”, or “Confidential”. It was a common saying around his office (but always behind his back) that if everything on the list was an emergency, then nothing was. “It all goes back to the original priority,” his office manager would remark to new employees, of whom there were a lot.
Not many people liked to work for a demanding, crotchety old tyrant … and the staff turnovers were legendary.
Ricky looked across that desk at his son and daughter. His eyes narrowed, he glared at them for a moment, then turned his attention to the piles of paper on the credenza behind him. Grabbing a double handful, he pivoted toward them again.
“I wish you were more aggressive. I have to tell you everything, and you never seem to learn! Why can’t you show some backbone? “
Chester and Esther stared straight ahead, and neither displayed any emotion at all. Chester said, “It makes little sense to initiate activities in this company, when you insist on coming up with the ideas, dictating all the terms, and then micro-managing the staff until they’re afraid to make a move without prior approval. You’ve brought this on yourself, Dad.”
“What?” Ng slammed his hands on the desk. “You don’t have the brains God gave a rock, and you think you can tell me how to run my business? I built this company from…”
“From the ground up. Yes, Dad, we’ve heard it all before. Hundreds of times.”
“Thousands,” Esther corrected. “You’ve scared the staff into a near-paralysis. You know it to be true. Mother tried to tell you that, too, but you wouldn’t listen to her.”
Ricky ground his teeth. “You dare! You dare to confront me on this matter? Don’t you realize how important this is? Time is of the essence, you know!”
Chester stared at Ricky impassively. “Yes, Dad, and now everyone in the building knows it, too. You’re shouting again.”
“Ye gods, of course I’m shouting!”
Esther began again. “Dad, you must stop shouting. You don’t want everyone else knowing your business. It’s hard enough keeping secrets in a business community as close-knit as Anchorage, without letting the entire staff in on your disagreements.”
“I don’t care what they think! I don’t care what anyone thinks. I have enemies that need to be misled –”
“Getting rid of your competition is my job,” Esther said sedately. “You leave that to me. In the meantime, Chester and I have some … arrangements to discuss.”
The old man grunted. “You go talk. You’ll be back here to get my advice before lunchtime. Ye gods, how did my children turn out to be so stupid?”
The brother and sister left the senior Ng’s office, and headed down the back stairs. Outside, several APD officers were waiting for them, and arrested them without incident.
* * * * *
“Where did you say Rebecca went?”
Rick looked up at Hatch. “She decided it was time to involve the State troopers. The idiots in that truck were shooting a rifle on the highway, in heavy traffic, and if they can prove a connection to the Ngs, then so much the better. So remind me again what all you were going to do with that magic box and all those fancy electronics?”
“I thought we could find out what the bad guys were up to, but they’re not as high tech as I thought. I’ve been thinking about that, too.”
“You’ve been thinking? That’s a dangerous pastime, buddy.”
Hatch grinned. “I know, but it pays off once in awhile. So what I was thinking is that we know they wanted to eavesdrop on the Muni radio chatter, and that’s hard to detect. But you mentioned the transmitter from that ‘Frisco company … and it might be easier to track that signal, if we know generally where they intend to use it.”
“I thought those things were impossible to trace, unless the button is being pushed at the time.”
“Not so much with the type that Fujita sells. I checked their website & looked at what they stock. The type they sell has a nasty habit of leaking.”
“Leaking?”
Hatch explained. “They’re cheaply made, and tend to generate a low-level carrier wave that can be detected from a couple hundred feet away, IF you know what to look for. It runs the batteries down, and a lot of companies that use wireless detonators won’t use the Fujita type because of that. Besides, the carrier could set off the explosives package, if the transmitter gets too close – even without pressing the ‘fire’ button. That kind of accident, you don’t need. And that’s why most reputable companies won’t go near the things. But it doesn’t surprise me that the Ngs would use them. Like I said, they’re cheap.”
“So are the Ngs.”
“True enough. So where’s the most likely place to find them in action?”
“If we can find out whether the old man has made any bids on properties lately, there’s likely to be something. What about that burned lot in Wasilla?”
“You think he’d try to burn out the neighboring properties, too?”
Rick nodded. “I don’t put anything past the old guy. Not after what’s happened lately.”
* * * * *
Rebecca had been busy that morning. Her visit to the State Troopers HQ in Palmer generated a bit of excitement, as the major in charge of the bomb & arson detail grew quite animated throughout the recitation of events leading up to Rebecca’s visit.
Major Capshaw was on the phone with APD within minutes of her arrival, talking to them about what was about to unfold. “We’ve got enough probable cause to hold all three of them, so see what you can do. I’ll have the paperwork to your office in a few … what? Okay, let me know.”
Capshaw looked at Rebecca and said, “That was Lt. Christakos. He’s their point of contact for anything regarding the Ng family. I won’t be surprised if we have the lot of them in holding before dinner.”
She nodded. “Yes, we’ve spoken, and my partner Rick has met with Christakos several times. He seems like a good guy to work with.”
Capshaw agreed. “APD isn’t all wine and roses, but there are a lot of good folks over there. They don’t all agree with the direction that department has taken in recent years, and we’re hopeful they’ll convince the chief and City Hall that not all police officers have to be dressed like storm troopers.”
“Just the same, Major, I'm happy to work with you folks here. Seems like a healthier environment, all ‘round.”
She then called on her supervisor at Borough headquarters, and he had some surprising news.
“You may be interested to know,” he told her, “that Juneau PD found the guy who took those potshots at your friend. They didn’t much care for a roof-top sniper firing rounds in front of the State legislature.”
“Imagine that.”
“Uh, yes. The shooter is an Alaska Native who’s been living in California for the last 20 years, and just came back at the beginning of the year.”
“So what’s his beef? Why did he try to kill Rick?”
“It seems he works for the guy our Governor just appointed over Economic Development.”
Rebecca was surprised. “But he seemed like such a nice old man.”
“Sure, unless you do some digging. It seems his background was scrubbed before he was nominated. But we have old paper records on microfiche – and they tell a different story from what was in the papers. It seems the old guy’s opponents have a habit of disappearing suddenly. He was investigated on multiple occasions, but no one could ever connect him officially to the disappearances.”
“And he’s a big deal within the Native community, isn’t he?”
“You could say that. He was instrumental in pulling all the tribes together to form the Alaska Cultural Center in Anchorage. Most agree that it would never have happened without his input. But we’re off-topic. The point is, the Commissioner has just been arrested for conspiracy to commit a capital offense, and conspiracy to defraud.”
“Fraud?” Rebecca asked. “What’s that about?”
“It seems he was planning to appoint Esther Ng as his chief deputy, with an inside deal to Ricky and the whole Ng family to acquire their real estate holdings.”
“What would that have accomplished, exactly?”
“The Ngs get a metric boatload of State payoffs and tax credits … what’s that line from The Maltese Falcon? ‘Beyond the dreams of avarice.’ But it doesn’t matter now. He’s been arrested, along with his California friend, and they’re both in Juneau’s jail awaiting arraignment.”
Rebecca smiled at him. “Rick should be relieved to know there’s one less person shooting at him, now.”
Her boss looked surprised. “One less? Are there others?”
She told him about the black truck and the shots fired on the highway.
“So when all this excitement is over, are you going to want to come back to our little borough?”
“Boss, it’s over 20,000 square miles. I think that’s enough for me to be concerned about.”
* * * * *
Ten miles to the west of Palmer, a small blue car pulled into a narrow opening in a treeline, and parked out of sight. Ricky Ng got out slowly, but walked deliberately into the woods behind the car, where a tall gray-haired man was waiting for him.
“Jackson. Have you done what I asked?” he barked.
“Yes, Mr. Ng. The incendiary is attached to the back wall, behind the dumpster. Since the place is empty, there’s no trash service, so no one would be looking back there.”
“Well, don’t keep me waiting. Time is of the essence, you know.”
Al Jackson pulled a transmitter out of his vest pocket, and flipped open the cover. “Okay, here goes.”
At that moment, several State troopers stood up from places where they had been concealed, awaiting Ng’s arrival. “Freeze! Put your hands up! Drop that device! DO IT NOW!”
Ng snorted with derision. “Don’t move, but put your hands up while dropping the transmitter. Stupid.”
Bobby, towering over the old man in his trooper uniform, looked down at Ricky Ng. “Sir, you’re under arrest for arson, attempted arson, kidnapping, conspiracy, and attempted murder.”
Ng laughed again. Jackson, nearly as tall as Bobby, was disgusted. He looked back and forth between the old man and the huge trooper, then made a sudden turn toward Bobby. As he pulled back his fist, Bobby’s own fist connected with Jackson’s chin. It sounded like an axe hitting a tree trunk. For his part, Jackson was stretched out in the snow.
While Bobby was occupied, Ricky pulled an ancient revolver out of his coat pocket and began waving it in the air. “You can’t arrest me. You don’t know who you’re dealing with!”
As the other troopers began to draw their weapons, Bobby’s much larger hand reached out and enveloped Ng’s hand and revolver. “Mr. Ng, don’t make me hit you, too. You could get hurt, waving that thing around.” He squeezed a little harder.
Tears appeared in the old man’s eyes. “I have connections. You don’t know …”
“Yes, I do,” Bobby said with a smile. “The Commission of Economic Development is in jail in Juneau, and your son and daughter are in jail in Anchorage. Oh yes, your two flunkies with the black truck were arrested outside of Wasilla about an hour ago. Now you’re going to join them in jail in Palmer. Isn’t that nice? A big, state-wide affair. As for you, you have the right to remain silent. Anything you say …”
Bobby finished the Miranda statement, but Ng said nothing else. Troopers handcuffed him and Jackson, who still looked dazed, and put them in the back seat of the police van.
Hatch got out of a trooper’s patrol and walked over to where Bobby and the others were moving the dumpster out of the way.
“Bobby? I wouldn’t get any closer to that thing, unless you left the transmitter back there, somewhere.” He waved vaguely in the direction of their vehicles.
“Don’t worry, Hatch. Rick and Rebecca were very clear about your warning of the ‘dirty’ transmitter.”
Hatch smiled like a kid. “Then can I watch your bomb and arson guys detach it from the building? Can I?”
“Sure, man, but they’ll want you to suit up, first.”
“Yes!” Hatch pumped his fist in the air. “Just like in the big city!” He trotted toward the squad’s van.
Bobby watched him go, and smiled to himself. Outside folks are funny, he thought.
* * * * *
Rick, Rebecca, Jamie, Bobby, and Hatch sat around a big table at O’Meara’s Steak House, downtown Anchorage.
“Friends,” Rebecca said with a flourish, “we’re here to celebrate the successful conclusion of a very troubling time.”
“Troubling? Isn’t that an understatement?” Rick asked with a grin.
“Okay, the last couple of weeks have been pretty tough. But with the help of good friends, we came through it okay. I picked this place for our celebration because the staff will pamper us nicely. And I think we can all use some pampering, right about now.”
Glasses clinked together, as several of them said, “Hear, hear.”
Jamie batted her big green eyes at Rick. “So, Midwest boy, you heading back down to the Lower 48?”
Rick shook his head and said, “No. I'm staying right here.”
“Really?” Jamie, Hatch, and Rebecca asked simultaneously.
“My company thinks it needs a permanent rep in Alaska, and they think I'm it.” He grinned wider. “And I’ve got a reason to stay, now.”
He got down on one knee in front of Rebecca. “Rebecca, I know I'm just a dumb Cheechako, but will you marry me?”
She gasped, and Jamie’s elbow dug a hole in Bobby’s ribs. “You hear that, you big goof?” she said softly to him. “Yeah, but hush for a minute,” he replied with a big grin of his own.
Rebecca was almost as red as Jamie’s hair as she said Yes. A cheer went up around their table, and other diners began to applaud.
Bobby stood up and waved at the crowd. “Two things, folks. One, a toast to the new couple: long may they wave!”
“You big goof!” Jamie said loudly, to a round of laughter.
“And second,” Bobby continued. “We need to make it a double. Jamie Kavanagh, will you marry me?”
Jamie sat with her mouth open and eyes wide. Rebecca leaned over and said, “Say something, Jamie. He’s holding his breath.”
“Okay. I mean yes!” she said.
Hatch looked around the table. “You guys are fun. But can we eat now? I'm starving.”
The room dissolved in laughter once more, and then the low hum of conversation and dishes clinking softly took over.
* * * * *
The next morning, Dawn answered the phone in the St. Louis office. She buzzed her boss on the intercom. “William? There’s a call from Alaska on line 1.”
“Rick already?”
“No, sir. It’s the department of public works in Nome. They want to know if we can get their city communications up to snuff. Do you want to take it, or should I give them Rick’s number?”
“I’ll take it. Let’s give the boy the weekend to celebrate; he can get back to work on Monday.”
He picked up the phone. “This is William Patterson. How may I help you?”
Copyright 2011 - all rights reserved.
Term Meaning
Going Outside: Leaving the state for any reason.
Lower 48: The 48 states south of here. (We don't know how to refer to Hawaii)
Cheechako: Anyone new to Alaska
Sourdough: Anyone old to Alaska
Ice Fog: A dense, winter fog of suspended ice particles that can sparkle all around you if there's a little sun coming through. It also builds up quickly on windows and headlights of moving vehicles.
Bear Insurance: Handguns - .357 or better, a 12 gauge shotgun .... or small, handheld, nuclear weapons - if you can get 'em. (checkout www.my-ultimate-protection.com.)
Snowmachine / Tin Dog: A snowmobile.
Musher: A person who travels in winter by dog sled. Yells 'mush' a lot.
Bear Insurance #2: It's the best protection of all ......... always always always be with someone you can outrun.
The Bush: Villages, mountains, and valleys you can only reach by boat or plane. That amounts to almost the entire state.
Termination Dust: The first, light dusting of snow; on the very tips of the mountains. It's a warning. The first, big snow is just around the corner. This of course, triggers a huge shopping frenzy.
Cabin Fever: When Alaskans start bouncing off the walls ... from being inside those walls, way too long in winter.
Ditch Divers: Those who own 4-wheel-drive vehicles - learning the hard way - that one needs to drive slow on ice and snow .... just like the rest of us!
Breakup: The process by which all snow and ice finally melts away - but all at once. Real sloppy for about 2-3 weeks. For Alaskans, it means the end of winter and the beginning of tourist season.
Borough: Alaska's answer to the "county". We have to be different, don't you know.
Two Seasons: We have two seasons - winter and road construction. Actually it's more like "road fixing" construction. We don't get many new roads here.
1 comment:
That was a fun read! Thanks for sharing!
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