Kane could barely contain himself. He rose from his desk and circled the room.
“Let me begin at the beginning, for those of you who may not have grasped the basic concept. We are not seceding from the union. It’s not every state for itself.”
“We don’t know what you mean, Mr. Kane,” the Delaware governor said.
Kane ignored the comment. “States are like businesses. They each have a special skill, trait, or characteristic, a core competency in the parlance of B-schools that they can exploit. A way that they can make a living, so to speak. Hawaii makes its money through tourism, pineapples, and coffee. California through the movie and TV industry, as well as farming. Soon it will be oil. Each state brings something to the table. That’s the only way that our new idea will work.
“Each state must have its own way of bringing in money, independent of any other state or the federal government. Its citizens are stockholders, and they expect to get a return on their investment in the form of services and infrastructure improvements. Citizens of this country are tired of the partisan bickering, the fights. They want a new way, and we’re going to give it to them.
“To sum it all up, we’re talking about a system that melds capitalism with humanity. So when I see states fighting over borderlines, or anything else, I get a tad irritated. It means that they don’t have the proper attitude, and they’re not ready to move to the next level. We are going to run economies for the sake of citizens. Have I made myself clear?”
The governors looked at each other, confused by what they just heard.
“I sense that you’re not understanding me,” Kane said with a sarcastic tone. He turned back to serious. “At the risk of putting too fine a point on it, we are not competitors—we are cooperators. I believe the basis of nature is cooperation, not competition. Consider the works of Charles Darwin. Most high-school and college students are aware of his theory of natural selection, the survival of the fittest. However, science has come a long way since then, and while the mechanical underpinnings of natural selection are true, it does not preclude altruism and cooperation. Even Darwin acknowledged this, but his message has gotten lost in the dog-eat-dog takeaway that most people embrace. Now, modern scientists are discovering that the most successful social structures in humans and animals are based on cooperation, not competition.
“Evolutionary biologist Robert Trivers has shown that natural selection favors reciprocal altruism. Before him, Pyotr Alexeyevich Kropotkin, a Russian zoologist, said that cooperation is as much a factor in evolution as competition, and that cooperating cultures are more successful. The list goes on. As for people you know, how about Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr., Nelson Mandela, the Dalai Lama? These people are often thought of as smart but weak, out of touch, because most of mankind prefers to go to war, to compete, because it’s easier than cooperating. Cooperation requires bravery and a lack of fear. As a species, we’re not over our fears.
“I’m sure you know the famous line in the movie Wall Street, where Gordon Gekko stands before a room of shareholders and says, ‘Greed, for lack of a better word, is good.’ I am here to tell you that’s wrong. Greed is not good. Greed is bad.
“I know that most us, myself included, were not taught cooperation except when it benefited us directly, as in a merger. I was taught individualism and competition. Beat the other guy. It’s the American way. But I’m here to tell you that while individualism is a driving force in our nation’s success—because anything worthwhile begins with the thoughts of one person—so is cooperation. Unfortunately, we’re not seeing cooperation among our politicians. That’s why our country is in the sad situation that it’s in. We will change this.”
Kane poured himself a glass of water from the pitcher on his desk.
“Mr. Kane,” said the Pennsylvania governor, “I can assure you that we’ve done nothing wrong in regards to your plan. We’re in full agreement with the concept, and we’re right now, as we speak, making plans to shore up our financial ledgers to meet your standards. Our preparation to become financially independent of federal aid is proceeding. No, we’re not like Hawaii or California. We don’t have just one or two major sources of revenue that outshine the rest. We’re diverse, and we believe that’s a strength, not a weakness. More importantly, and to your point, we have not hurt or injured anyone else along the way.”
The other governors told of similar plans for bolstering their books, with the governor of Maryland ending the round by saying, “We have Chesapeake Bay fishing and tourism. Great ocean beaches. And Annapolis is the undisputed sailing capital of the country. Baltimore has some of the best hospitals around, and world-class professional sports teams. I can assure you, Mr. Kane, that we can hold our own, financially and otherwise. We have abundance. And, like my Pennsylvania colleague, I have not hurt anyone.”
“And the murders of federal employees along the Mason–Dixon Line? The killing of the crew and another federal worker in Delaware Bay?” Kane looked at the Delaware governor. He didn’t expect full confessions, but he did expect the governors to at least admit to knowing about the murders.
The Pennsylvania governor said, “I know about these cases but, speaking for myself, I don’t know any more than what my state police commanders tell me.”
The Delaware governor looked pained. “I know the case in my state that you’re talking about, too. It happened on a fishing boat that was found adrift near Lewes. The FBI is keeping my staff updated on their investigation. I haven’t heard any more about it. Have you, Mr. Kane?”
Kane was nonplussed. He always thought of himself as an excellent reader of people’s faces and body language, but he couldn’t tell if they were lying or not. If they were, they were certainly convincing. And if they weren’t …
Chapter 28
Mike didn’t worry about anyone tracking him now. The FBI knew where he’d just been—beating up several of their agents in a coastguard warehouse—so he had no concern about using his mobile phone for a little while longer.
His plan was to run south to Ocean City, hole up in the Shipwreck Club until he could figure out how to get the FBI off his back about the murder of James Feldstein. Clearly, his movements would be followed. He would be arrested, with prejudice, if they spotted him.
He called Burke.
“Where are you, Mike?”
“I can’t tell you right now. I’m in a bit of trouble.”
“What kind of trouble?”
Mike watched for snags along the surf. Every once in a while, he doglegged around logs left over from the spring storms. He was still running dark, no lights.
“Hearst thinks I killed someone in revenge for Marilyn’s murder.” The patrol boat heaved from a portside wave.
“Did you?”
Mike didn’t answer. “The victim worked for a company called Telecommunications Associates International. They’re in New York. I’m sure that they’re mixed up in this.”
“What’s the connection?” Burke asked.
“I don’t know yet, but there are too many coincidences.” Mike told Burke about his visit to the Atlantic Twin and how the boat was contracted by the company to find gravel.
“Gravel?”
Mike had to shout into the phone as the wind picked up. “They tell me that it’s a valuable resource, and the quarries are being pushed out to the rural areas far from where they need it. Finding a source of gravel close to cities, where it can be barged in, would make someone a lot of money. At least, that’s what the state of Delaware thinks.”
“We’re talking rocks, right?”
“It’s more complicated than that. Gravel is just loose rocks, and you mix it with cement and sand to make concrete. You can use it to build almost anything. And gravel is valuable by itself. Depending upon the size of the rocks, it’s used to make roads. There are more roads in the world made of gravel than concrete.”
“You know your rocks,” Burke said.
“Just learning about it,” Mike said.
<
br /> “Why not make gravel from bigger rocks?”
“My guy says you can blast it and crush it from large rocks, but it’s expensive, noisy, and dangerous, because you have to use explosives and heavy machinery. If you can find a cheap source of native gravel, it’s like printing money.”
“Appreciate the geology class, but what happens now?”
“I want to know why a telecommunications company is interested in gravel.”
“It might just be a holding company.”
“Could be. Find out what you can, and I’ll be back in touch. I’m going to be off the grid for a little while.”
“Mike,” Burke said, “did you ice that guy?”
“You know better than that, Burke. If I had, the FBI wouldn’t know anything about it. And by the way, if you hear anything about a NOAA special agent visiting some governors, don’t pay any attention.”
“What the hell—”
Mike cut off Burke’s comment by throwing his phone over the side. He watched its light get dimmer and dimmer as it sank beneath the waves. He revved the engines back to max and enjoyed the nighttime ocean air.
Chapter 29
“I need to borrow a few things, Charlie,” Mike said.
“What kind of mess are you mixed up in this time?” the captain of the Fire Bush asked.
The two were sitting around a cable spool table in the scallopers’ clandestine tavern, drinking beers. Charlie brought out a few shot glasses and poured each of them some whiskey.
“They’re making some fine hooch these days. Artisanal, they call ’em,” Charlie said, giving Mike the down-the-hatch sign. They downed the shots and had two more. “My daughter gave me this,” he said, holding up the bottle. “She lives in New York City. Can you believe it? They’re making whiskey in Brooklyn.”
“Smooth,” Mike said. He told Charlie about the two men who’d killed Marilyn, Captain Weatherhill, and the boat crew.
“I’ll be damned. Mafia types?”
“More like professional mercenaries.”
The two sat in silence and had a few more shots before Mike told him about the three FBI agents and the condition he’d left them at their last meeting.
“I have a feeling that the less I know, the better off I am. What do you need?”
“I’d like to use your phone for a while. Mine fell overboard.”
Charlie laughed. “Yeah, I’m sure you’re a regular butterfingers on the water. I’ll do you one better. I have a prepaid phone that one of my deckhands left behind when he had to leave the area in a hurry. It’s yours. Ditch it when you’re done. What else?”
“I just need a place to stay for a few days while I sort things out.”
“No problem. You can stay at my place. The wife would be happy to have you as a houseguest.”
“I was thinking about staying here. My patrol boat is a tad warm, and I need to keep it close. Might need a quick getaway. I snugged it up in the shallows. You can’t see it from the Bay, and there’s cover from helicopters. But you never know.”
“Helicopters? You got some shit going on, don’t you?”
“You could say that.”
“How are you fixed for firepower?”
“A shotgun might come in handy.”
“Have one on my boat. You’re welcome to it. There’s food in the cooler. Tap a new keg if you want. The generator has plenty of fuel.”
Charlie brought Mike a sleeping bag, a mobile phone, and a shotgun. “Anything else?”
Mike pointed to two doors leaning against a tree. “Those doors. Are they the same size as those on the Judy Bee?”
“My boat and the Bee are the same make, model, and size. We carry the same size nets and doors. Why?”
“Got a tape measure?”
Charlie reached into his toolbox, pulled out a retracting metal tape measure, and tossed it to Mike. He drew out the yellow tape and held it against the width of the doors.
“Three feet and three inches,” he announced before letting it snap back. “Charlie, why would a fishing boat pull doors along the bottom?”
He gave a confused look. “You mean really along the bottom, flat, not flying along the bottom on their edges, a few inches off the seafloor, holding the nets open?”
“Exactly.”
“No reason I can think of unless you never got over a childhood interest in pull toys.”
“It would ruin the doors, right?”
“For sure. It would abrade the hell out of them. Do I want to know why you’re asking?”
“Maybe not. Thanks, Charlie. See you tomorrow.”
“We’re all fishing tomorrow.” He opened his arms out to the side as if he were introducing prizes to a TV game-show audience. “All of this,” he said, of the shabby, salvaged furniture, “is yours for the next several days. Be sure to use coasters under your drinks, and I’ll see you when I get back.”
Mike had a few more fingers of whiskey as he listened to Charlie’s skiff leave. The spring air was still chilly, but Mike decided to sleep out in the open in his sleeping bag. As he settled in, he checked the safety on his pistol and put it under the towel that served as his pillow. A few drops of rain hit his face, but Mike was either too drunk or too tired to care.
Chapter 30
“Let’s put our cards on the table, Sam,” Texas Governor Rusty Pike said.
“Why not? Honor among thieves, and all that,” California Governor Sam Rennert replied. “You know all my secrets anyway.”
“And you know mine,” Pike replied quickly.
They sat outside his mansion in Austin. The daffodils were just sprouting, the first signs of spring in the Southwest.
“I didn’t like what I heard at the meeting the other day. It sounds like Kane is having trouble with some of the East Coast governors. Have you spoken to any of them?”
“No.”
“Me neither. I’m wondering if we should.”
“We’ve done a good job of getting our ducks in a row, but if the other states aren’t doing their part, this whole thing could fall apart. If it does, we’ll both have some explaining to do.”
“We’re being honest here, right?”
Rennert nodded.
“I’ve spent about half a million dollars in audits, surveys, and administrative actions to prepare for this change. If it doesn’t come to fruition, I may have to cover the costs from my own personal account. I have no idea how I’ll explain the movement of funds if it comes to that. So far, I’ve kept it on the quiet, and only a handful of my closest people know what’s going on. Even so, they don’t know the full story.”
“Same here,” Rennert said. “Only a few of my most trusted people in Sacramento are helping me. Some of them are getting suspicious about all the boundary surveys, the geologic studies, and the top-to-bottom audit of every commission, department, and agency in the state. Not to mention the travel. They’re asking questions, and so far I’ve come up with seemingly legitimate reasons, but I don’t like lying to them. I don’t like all the secrecy, all the subterfuge. It’s like cheating on my wife.”
Pike laughed. “I wouldn’t know.”
“Yeah, you would,” Rennert said, smiling. “You think my people haven’t learned about you and that Amazonian general? Look, I really don’t give a crap about that. It just happened to come up during a routine check.”
“Routine, my ass. I thought you were just looking at my state business, not my personal life.”
“Oh, really,” Rennert said. “And you didn’t have a hot lady PI pump one of my best men about the CalPERS chief and then follow me to my meeting with the Federal Reserve head from New York? You think I don’t know about that? What if I was dallying around on my wife instead of getting financial advice? You’d know that, too, wouldn’t you?”
Nothing was said for several minutes as they drank their beers.
“This is what Kane was talking about,” Pike said.
“At least we haven’t killed anyone,” Rennert said. “You hav
en’t, have you?”
“No. You?”
“Of course not.”
“So where does this leave us?” Pike asked. “What if this all goes south? What’s our move?”
“If the other states don’t get on board, we might be sunk.”
“Hmm. Maybe not,” Pike said. “Think about it. Kane is right about the voters. They’re sick and tired of the fighting in Washington, and if we can present our constituents with another way, a legal way that makes financial and social sense, they’ll go for it. Okay, let’s assume that the East Coast states can’t get their shit together. They’re sneaky asshole bastards anyway. So let’s say they’re out of the picture. What about the middle states? Are they still in?”
“They could go either way. Midwesterners hate what’s going on in Washington, but they’re also reluctant to change,” Rennert said.
“So let’s say it’s just us, California and Texas. Can we go it alone if we have to?”
“We both have a history of leading the nation. Maybe this is just another instance.”
“Can you imagine if the rest of the nation saw our two states working together on something this big, agreeing on a new model?” Rennert was moving his hands wildly.
“Romeo and Juliet,” Pike said.
“I was thinking more like Yin and Yang. Complementary sides, not star-crossed lovers trying to make it work despite their two cultures.”
“You are so California.”
“And you’re so fucking Texas.”
Chapter 31
“Good morning, Señor Kane.”
“Buenos días, Guillermo. I see that you’ve mastered Skype.”
Guillermo laughed. “My daughter, she gives me some help.”
“Did you receive the money that I sent?”
“Yes, Señor Kane.”
“I want to be clear on this, Guillermo, so let’s make sure we’re on the same page.”
The man in Mexico City cocked his head.
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