Chapter 23
New Players
The next morning I was up and out the door by seven. If needed, I would nap later. Right now, I wanted to speak with Elise about whatever was so special it should not be discussed over a cell phone. The same guy was waiting for me when I got to the provincial offices, but this time when we got to the basement conference room, the cast was different. There were three guys in the room. One was the local cop who had interviewed me the previous night, one was government-guy number 2 from the previous morning, and one was “Charles” who mentioned some obscure government office, but sat like a soldier and had a haircut to match. He was wearing a cheap suit that seemed stretched across his chest. I didn’t think I would be too confused about what he really did for a living.
On the line was Elise at one location, and several other people who also seemed to be from obscure government offices, all of whom had voices that sounded like they could be heard across a parade ground.
“Good morning, Elise,” I managed to get in while the last couple men connected in.
“Hi, Shawn. Still doing ok?”
“No Problem. It’s a bit cold here…” At this point I was interrupted.
“If we could get started.” It was a voice from another site. Apparently he would be running the meeting. “Professor Murphy, since we are being joined by several people who may not know you, might you say a word or two about your background and your recent travels?”
“Sure. I am currently a visiting professor at the National University, and I arrived here about two weeks ago to do some historical research.” I then described what I saw in the villages. There were no interruptions as I spoke, and no questions when I was done. I suspected they already knew everything I had just told them.
“Thank you. We also understand you have some knowledge of Tilden Foster. Could you explain that?”
I gave them the three minute version of my contacts over the previous summer, and then described the recent conversations more fully. When I got to my midnight conversation last night, there suddenly seemed to be some interest in what I had to say.
“Could you try to repeat his words as accurately as you can remember them?”
“Yes, when I told him he would need more men if he was going to attack the Sioux, he said he did not intend to attack them. It was the government’s job to pursue murderers. He and his men were just there to ensure the government did its job.”
“Those are his words?”
“Pretty close.”
“Thank you. Charles, you have been there less than a day, but how would you describe the situation?”
“By my count there are now 120 men who have gathered under Foster’s guidance. There is only one hotel in town, and they have largely taken it over. There are constant meetings between Foster and these men. At any time about twenty are outside the hotel either walking the streets or driving in their trucks. I do not know if they are doing formal sentry duty or if they are just bored and restless. If they leave the hotel, they stay on the main street here, or within a block of it. They seem to avoid the west side of town. That is the side of town that has a largely Sioux population.”
“Thank you. Professor Murphy, do you have anything to add to that description?”
“Yes. In meetings with people here, there is talk of leaving. Frankly, they are nervous about having so many armed men in town. Those with children seem especially concerned. I would expect families to start leaving soon.”
“Charles, do you agree?”
“Yes. People are filling their cars with gas, stocking up on groceries, doing the sort of things people do before traveling.”
“That might create an opportunity. Charles, I would like you to talk with one of these families about renting their home for a short time. It might be a good place to locate your team.”
“Will do.” Charles looked at me as he answered, apparently not happy that I had heard the comment about a “team.” “I wonder if we have taken up enough of Professor Murphy’s time. I would not want to inconvenience him, and I am sure he has many other things to do.” Pretty classy way of telling me to get out of the meeting, don’t you think? But I wasn’t quite ready to go.
“Before I go, I have a suggestion. I was talking with one of the outsiders last night and he claimed he was here to protect hunting rights. Apparently they are being given some story about denied permits. I wonder if it would help if someone from the right office went over to the hotel with a pad of hunting permit forms so people could see hunting is perfectly legal.”
“I doubt that will make these men go away.” Charles was still not happy with me.
“I agree. My experience has been that some men like to be angry. They will always find some reason for it. But even if just five or six get a permit and decide they have achieved some kind of moral victory, that will be five or six we won’t have to deal with later, right?”
“I like that plan,” said a voice on the phone. “Director Gaugin, you can do that, can you not?”
“I think I could get some forms together in a couple days…” said government guy number two.
“This afternoon, Director.” Said the phone voice. Gaugin had a funny change of expressions on his face. First he seemed to scrunch up his face like he was going to object, and then some other thought occurred to him and he became this obedient puppy. More used to giving orders than taking them, maybe he realized the voice on the phone was even more used to having orders followed.
“Yes, sir. I will handle it myself.”
Apparently done with my portion of the meeting, I stood to leave. “Thank you for involving me in the meeting.”
“Thank you for joining us,” said phone voice. Then he added, “You may also be interested to know there is a new payroll system going in for provincial offices. Most employees will be invited to St. Paul for computer training in the next day or two. We think the training will take about a week.”
I had to smile at that. What a great lie. “I am sure they will be very bored – and very grateful.” And with that, I left.
My next stop was the restaurant a few doors down – the one where I had eaten lunch the day before. It was largely empty. I didn’t know if that was normal for breakfast here, or if office folks were already hitting the highway. I put my cell phone on the table near me, hoping Elise would call me as soon as the official meeting broke up and we could talk about more personal matters.
As it turned out though, my next conversation was with “Charles.” I had barely started on my buffalo omelet when he walked in, saw me and sat down across from me.
“I hope you don’t mind if I join you.” I didn’t , but I had to admit I found myself suppressing a laugh. He sat so straight and held his head so firmly, he obviously spent his life in uniform, and no amount of civilian clothing would even begin to hide his true profession.
“Not at all. I suspect we have much to talk about.”
“Let’s start there. You have many contacts, and I understand you have talked with reporters and were a kind of celebrity last summer. I am wondering how much you are talking now.”
“I am talking to lots of people about lots of things, but I think I am capable of exercising some discretion.” As I spoke, he was giving me the senior officer stare, or maybe it was the staff sergeant stare, but the intent was clear. I was to understand he was now in charge and I was to do as he wished. Actually, I was fine with that. I hoped he really was in charge and had a plan to end this thing before people got hurt.
“I understand you were the first to suggest getting people out of town. Your basic strategy is one I approve. The fewer people in town, the fewer casualties. But it is best to be careful how that strategy is presented.”
“And I assume you also want some care in who knows that while some people are leaving town, others are arriving?”
“Yes, that is especially important.” The stare intensified. Okay, I got it. And I
approved. If soldiers were arriving, it was best if no one knew, especially Foster, who seemed to be waiting for them.
“Since a police officer was in the room this morning, I assume local officials are aware. I can think of no reason why anyone else needs to know.”
“Good. Just one more thing. Foster. What’s his mental state?” Wow. There was a question.
“He is very bright, but he is arrogant. At least at the moment he thinks his plan – whatever that might be – is working. He holds court in the hotel lobby as if he were royalty. What is his mental state? Confidence, arrogance, near certainty. He is a chess master playing with novices. That is his mental state.”
“Sometimes it is best to shake an adversary’s confidence; sometime it is best to leave him confident to the end.”
“I saw this man walk off a burning ship with complete confidence, even though he was responsible for everything that went wrong with that outing. You won’t shake his confidence.”
“That is important to know.”
“Have you thought about just deporting him? He is a foreigner, after all.”
“Sometimes it is best to have an adversary close by, where you can keep an eye on him.” And with that he was up and gone. I went back to my buffalo omelet. How many ways could you cook buffalo? And did any of them result in meat that was actually tasty? Meanwhile, a few people left the restaurant, and a few people arrived. If this was the typical breakfast crowd, I wasn’t sure the place was covering its costs.
I was on my third cup of coffee, just killing time, when Elise finally called.
“Sorry to take so long to call,” she began. “I wanted to get some place quiet. Are you sure you are safe there?”
“Yes. They all carry guns, but nobody has used one. I think many of them just carry a rifle because it is expected, like a weird fashion item. Or like some little kids carry a blanket around – you know, a security blanket.”
“Fashion items don’t kill people.”
“Did I ever tell you how fast I can run?”
“I know how fast you can run – not nearly fast enough.”
“So how are things going on your end? How is the charm offensive?”
“People are minding their manners. We do still sign their paychecks. I was visiting a college pretty far south in Arkansas and found people to be pretty friendly.”
“Elise, the devil himself would be charmed by you.”
“You sound like a man who will be happy to see me again.”
“You have no idea.”
“Yes I do. Let’s try to make it days from now, not weeks, okay?”
“Amen to that.” We signed off pretty quickly after that. She was off to yet another agricultural experiment that would change the future of food. I was off to, well, I wasn’t too sure what.
The Canadian Civil War: Volume 3 - West to the Wall Page 23