Jeremy has spent some time with John but is frustrated and decides that it is time to move on. ‘Thank you John’ and saying goodbye he finds his own way out, takes the lift down to ground level and wanders the grounds before walking back down Dawson Parade. Jeremy looks up at the impressive tower and John’s penthouse that remains well-lit before focusing on Larry Charlesworth, the Insurance assessor. No sooner in his mind and Jeremy is walking down a narrow road that quickly brings him to the door of a small home in a relatively modest inner Chicago suburb. The door opens before Jeremy has time to consider knocking and he is greeted by a very broad smiling Larry Charlesworth. ‘Hello Jeremy. Do come in. My wife and family are down the other end of the house, but we can chat in here,’ gesturing with his arm in the direction of a small and somewhat messy sitting room just in from the front door.
‘Thank you Larry’ Jeremy smiles as he acknowledges Larry. ‘So still working Larry? The great Chicago fire must have been early in your career then?’ he asks. ‘Yes, it was one of my first big assignments and not long after I got a promotion in the company,’ Larry proudly replies. ‘It’s hard to fully understand why Stevens, Walker and Sunderland would all decide to move on. You know I remember them all way back then, and I wouldn’t really have thought they would do that, but they must have consciously decided that was what they wanted.’ Larry answers. ‘What makes you come to that conclusion? A bemused Jeremy asks. ‘Well the insurance monies were collected so that would suggest that they collectively decided it was what they wanted’, Larry again quickly replies. Jeremy is taken back, pauses and ponders his next question briefly before asking, ‘So they all collected the monies before leaving Chicago?’
‘Well not exactly like that. In fact because the fire was such a large claim it was subject of a Police investigation and the Police insisted that the monies were firstly handed over to them. But shortly after all three cheques were negotiated and paid. ‘John explains. ‘So Larry you do not think there was anything untoward?’ Jeremy pointedly asks. Larry shakes his head, smiles and adds ‘NO. NO, I would have no reason to think there was anything untoward. I mean when three men receive cheques amounting to several million dollars and you consider that they were young men, and all had similar relationship problems……….NO, I do not consider anything untoward.’ Jeremy looks at Larry and can see that behind his broad happy go lucky smile, Larry genuinely believes that what occurred was simply what was publicised.
After bidding good night to Larry, Jeremy decides that it is time for him to retire to bed also. It has been a big night and he is content with his discussions with both John Mason and Larry Charlesworth. He is starting to get a picture of events and already starts to harbor views as to what transpired. He needs to research more.
Chapter 4
Jeremy’s day starts like most others although today is to be a busy one, and he is distracted as he goes about his routine. A quick trip to the Corner Store where he picks up his paper and chats briefly with James Walter, and then he hurriedly walks over to the Old Coffee Stop where he hopes to see Tara. Sitting just inside the door is Tara and she smiles as she gives Jeremy a quick kiss on the cheek. Sorry Tara, Jeremy quickly adds ‘I can’t stop for coffee and have to be on the run as I have a big day at work.’ ‘I was hoping you would come over tonight and we could have dinner……nothing flash, but just a curry and say a bottle of wine? ‘Tara excitedly offers as she looks into Jeremy’s eyes. ‘Sure. What time?’ Jeremy asks. ‘See you around 6.00?’ Tara asks. Jeremy nods and says, “I’ll look forward to it.’ And with a take-away coffee in hand he quickly rushes out the door and heads to the office.
Jeremy organises his work station and prepares for his scheduled meeting with his boss Matthew Warren. Today is the big day and hopefully their organising skills will pay off. They go over notes, equipment and catering in readiness for the presentation to the firm by Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department Ryan Golding. They have been planning the meeting for weeks and Matthew is clearly nervous. He goes over things several times and Jeremy tries to be as understanding as he can and ignores the fact that his boss is being repetitive.
The firms’ lawyers are the first to file into the large conference room, followed by partners and Senior Partner Brian Topping who leaps forward to welcome Superintendent Ryan Golding. Matthew is centre stage and after everyone is seated he welcomes everybody and gives an introductory overview of the Superintendent’s resume and purpose for his presentation. He is nervous and Jeremy looks on knowing that what has taken three weeks to plan will be over in less than an hour or so before the luncheon platters are brought in. He can see that Matthew is nervous but considers he does a pretty good job for his first assignment as a new partner of the firm.
The presentation goes smoothly and as the other partners and lawyers file out of the conference room Jeremy and Matthew share some small talk with the Superintendent. Jeremy is taken back how easy it is to chat with Superintendent Golding, and they exchange some light banter and share discussion around basketball, as Matthew excuses himself to wrap up matters with other partners. Matthew smiles as he looks over at Jeremy entertaining the senior policeman. Superintendent Golding hands his business card to both Matthew and Jeremy and thanks them for the courtesy of being invited to present to the firm.
It has been a rewarding day and Jeremy is keen to meet with Tara. He rushes home showers and excitedly hurries down the road towards Tara’s apartment. As always Jeremy is early but he knows that Tara won’t mind. He knocks on the door and a beaming Tara greets him and invites him inside. He is taken back and with a look of surprise, smiles and says ‘Hello, Mrs. Dooley…….I um wasn’t expecting to see you here.’ He adds. Tara interrupts before the old lady can barely greet Jeremy adding, ‘Grandma wasn’t doing anything tonight Jeremy and I knew you wouldn’t mind her joining with us for dinner.’ Jeremy smiles at both Tara and Mrs. Dooley. He doesn’t mind, he really doesn’t as he likes Mrs. Dooley and is genuinely pleased that Tara and her grandmother have united. Mrs. Dooley smiles and adds ‘Thank you Jeremy, I am delighted to be able to join you both, and was excited when Tara invited me over.’
Jeremy pours a glass of wine for the three as they sit around the small dining room table. Tara occasionally hops up to tend to the curry that is gently simmering on the stove top. She starts the conversation ‘I have been thinking more about visiting my real father in prison.’ She looks at Mrs. Dooley and then Jeremy for support. ‘What do you both think?’ Mrs. Dooley thinks long and hard and pauses as Jeremy and Tara look on knowing that she is about to speak. ‘I never thought that my son would end up in prison, although I always feared that he was involved in the jewellery heist. I will come with you Tara, when you go to visit your father.’ Both Jeremy and Tara were surprised to hear of Mrs. Dooley’s willingness to see her son, and Tara’s father but Tara nonetheless couldn’t hide her excitement that her grandmother would join her.
Dinner is wonderful and the conversation continues around visiting Tara’s real father Tony Draper. ‘I would be quite nervous!’ Tara adds. ‘Apart from the court case where we talked very briefly, I really have never known him. It’s funny in some ways given that I always thought that my father was Michael Tsari and he was imprisoned for ten years whilst my real father roamed free. Ironically, I really have never known either of them.’ Tara is sad and both Mrs. Dooley and Jeremy look at each other, before Jeremy gets up and hugs Tara before giving her a soft kiss on her forehead. ‘Cheer up. We can’t change what we can’t change. Look on the positive side Tara, you now know who your father is and besides you have the company of your grandma as well.’ Jeremy smiles as he puts his spin on things and Tara looks up smiles and rubs Mrs. Dooley’s arm acknowledging her.
It was a good evening and Jeremy decides that he will accompany Mrs. Dooley home as her apartment is not out of his way, and the two say farewell to Tara and slowly walk the well-lit street to retire for the evening.
Chapter 5
Jeremy is
not long home and he focusses upon the evening ahead. There remain a number of things that don’t quite make sense and he is determined to get to the bottom of things. He focusses and thinks of Scott Dawson the Property Developer who eventually developed Lincoln Square following the fire. As he had done many times before he focusses hard until he finds himself walking down a familiar street. He looks up at the street sign. It reads Dawson Parade. Not far from the retired Police Sergeant John Mason’s penthouse, but a more humble home just off from the adjoining tower is Scott Dawson’s house. The house stands alone from the development of units and apartments and a barking Rottweiler can be heard as Jeremy approaches.
Jeremy knocks on the front door as the Rottweiler continues to announce his presence. The door opens and Jeremy is greeted by a smiling Scott Dawson. ‘Hello Jeremy, how are you?’ Scott asks. Jeremy replies politely ‘I am fine Scott, thank you for meeting with me.’ Scott invites Jeremy in and the pair sit down in the lounge area that overlooks a dimly lit park area. Jeremy is impressed with the house which is modern, albeit that it is now some twenty years old, but he can’t help but think that it is not as impressive as the retired Police Sergeant John Mason’s penthouse.
‘Scott the Lincoln Square development took place immediately after the great Chicago fire. Was it opportune for you to develop it or was there a lot of pressure upon those that owned the allotment?’ Jeremy was direct and wasted little time directing his questions. Scott paused and looked almost through Jeremy as he replied, ‘I suppose everything is opportune for a developer. That is what you do. You make the most of the opportunities that come along.’
‘But I am led to believe that the sellers, the land owners were reluctant to sell? Did you have to persuade them?’ Jeremy asks. Again Scott pauses, ponders and almost seems to calculate his reply. ‘It’s not uncommon for a seller to be reluctant to sell. But often and I suppose as was the case here, eventually they come around to seeing the merits in a sale and the monies that can be made when they sell.’ Scott replies. Jeremy can sense that Scott is not overly receptive to the line of questioning and he senses too that he is defensive.
‘Scott it must cost an awful lot of money to fund a project as big as Lincoln Square. I mean that allotment spanned some twenty acres, so the cost to purchase and construct would have been considerable.’ Jeremy asks. Scott is quick to respond and merely adds in a low tone, ‘Jeremy all developments are costly. And I have been doing this for many years. My Bank Manager takes me out to lunch regularly so I dare say he must like that I borrow from the bank a lot. And my overdraft will tell you that any developer needs to have deep pockets too. With some projects I will have investors, sometime partners, so again it’s what a developer does. If I was scared of the cost ….well, Jeremy I would be in the wrong business wouldn’t I? ’ Scott’s face has a little more emotion and he laughs as he again stares down Jeremy.
‘What do you believe happened to Thomas Stevens, Richard Walker and John Sunderland? Jeremy nervously asks. He thinks that it is a bold question but also knows that most individuals he summons will always provide honest answers. Well until now that has been the case. It is almost as if Jeremy is anticipating the response and nervously looks at Scott. Scott Dawson shrugs his shoulders ‘How would I know. From what everyone tells me, the three of them decided to count their winnings and leave town. What do you think happened to them?’ Dawson bluntly replies and asks of Jeremy. ‘I don’t know. I really don’t. It does seem odd though that three businessmen would suddenly leave town.’ Jeremy adds. Still staring at Jeremy, Scott laughs as he adds, ‘Well I would have said the same, but my missus decided that she would leave town with the local Realtor, so don’t be too surprised!’
Jeremy decides that it’s time to move on and he is keen to meet with Ron McIntyre the Sergeant of Police that took over from John Mason, before it gets too late. He says good night and Scott sees him to the door and bids him farewell. As Jeremy walks down Dawson Parade he looks up and can see the well-lit penthouse that John Mason owns. He is in awe of the property and the views that it commands. He focusses his attention on Ron McIntyre and almost in a blink of an eye lid he is walking down a street that is near Chicago River on the northwest side of the city. He soon faces a door attached to a neat home. He knocks and the door is quickly answered. He is greeted with, ‘Hello. Jeremy. I am Ron McIntyre, how are you?’ Jeremy smiles and replies ‘I am good thank you,’ as Ron ushers him into the large home and they sit down in the sitting room.
Jeremy wastes no time and immediately begins his line of questioning. ‘Tell me Ron, what was it like to take over as Sergeant, shortly after the great Chicago fire? It must have been a real initiation into your new role, after taking over from John Mason? ‘Yes, well in some ways, but then again I had worked under Mason for over five years.’ He then laughs as he adds, ‘I suppose I was the one that was fixing up his mistakes, keeping the troops happy when he couldn’t, and I was being groomed to take over ultimately so I had a fair bit of flexibility in what I did.’ He adds. Jeremy is surprised and asks, ‘So are you saying that John Mason was not popular?’ ‘Not popular! Not popular!’ Ron laughs loudly as he adds quickly, ‘Let’s just say that he was overdue to retire, well overdue! He kept to himself and left me to deal with the station and personnel and had as much personality as a goldfish.’
Jeremy is quite shocked at what he is hearing. ‘So how much did he have to do with the Chicago fire and do you believe that everything came out that should have?’ he asks. ‘Well he was the Sergeant in charge, so if anything was bumbled he would be the one to do it.’ Ron again laughs. ‘There was a lot at stake when you consider that three businessmen go missing and a new development emerges, despite their strong opposition to it and reluctance to sell.’ Jeremy almost enquiringly adds. ‘Well quite often people resist but are eventually persuaded to sell. Besides Mason seems to have landed on his feet with his flash pad.’ Ron again laughs as he throws more dirt on his predecessor.
‘It is funny, in some ways but in other ways hardly surprising that he decided to retire early and immediately after the fire,’ Ron adds. ‘Funny? What do you mean funny?’ Jeremy asks enquiringly. ‘He was due to retire in December but said the fire investigation drained him so he decided to retire immediately after. He surprised everyone and retired in the July immediately after the fire which was in the June. As I said I was doing most of his work anyway so the transition was hardly an issue, I think it suited the troops who were more respectful of me by that stage,’ he boasts. Jeremy nods and smiles not really knowing what else to add.
Jeremy thanks Ron, bids him farewell and then slowly wanders home, walking along the river as he contemplates the events of the evening. He cannot help but think of Stevens, Walker and Sunderland. If he could summon them and question their motives for leaving town then he would glean a better insight into what took place. He focusses on Thomas Stevens as he had done previously, clears his mind and focusses hard. Jeremy opens his eyes and again looks around at the familiar surroundings of his own apartment. He ponders. He thinks he knows the answer and decides to focus on Richard Walker. Jeremy again goes through the same routine of focusing on his subject………but nothing. He remains in his apartment. He decides to do the same, this time focusing on Tony Sunderland. He believes that he knows the answer but nonetheless focusses on his subject. He focusses but again when he opens his eyes he is still in his own apartment and is unable to summon the three men. He is hardly surprised. Jeremy thinks long and hard. He says out loud………’they are dead. That is why I cannot summon them.’ Jeremy ponders the powers he has been gifted and in his mind he rationalises that he can enter the dream of someone living, but clearly if someone is deceased then that would not be possible. Jeremy is convinced that Stevens, Walker and Sunderland are dead.
Chapter 6
Jeremy had spent a long time the night before planning his day. He knows what has to be investigated and decides that he will waste no time setting about to unlock the
mystery. He knows that there is more to the great Chicago fire than what has come out, and commits himself to unlocking the facts to help those like Julie Nancarrow who want answers.
Carter Gibson has a number of commercial matters that need property searches at the Cook County Recorder of Deeds. Normally Jeremy would find the commercial side of law a little mundane but today he decides to use his time wisely, and he wants to again look at the property transfers that took place with respect to the Lincoln Square industrial estate. He takes a lot more notes than when he last visited the Cook County office, and notices that there are a number of transfers in succession both before and after the fire. Jeremy is curious and writes down the names of the private companies so that he can do company searches when he is back in his office. Before he leaves Jeremy decides to search the property ownership of John Mason. He is curious and notes that the property was purchased for a sizeable sum of money.
No sooner back in the office and Jeremy starts to go over the lengthy list of private companies that relate to the transfer of owners of the Lincoln Square industrial estate. There are transfers between several related companies, and the ownership of some companies has a common thread, but there is one name that is detailed that Jeremy knows. He ponders and believes that he is starting to slowly get a better picture of what may have taken place. Jeremy also notices something that he had previously overlooked. Stevens, Walker and Sunderland had leases for their respective businesses, yet both Steven’s daughter Julie Nancarrow and Sunderland’s wife Lauren Wilks clearly stated that the three businessmen owned the land. A transfer of land is recorded and in exchange leases were raised in their names which were later cancelled when the new development went up. Jeremy sits back and stares at the ceiling in the small office he has locked himself in. His notes and company searches are spread out on the large desk in the office and he occasionally looks down at them, as he cups his chin in his hand, smiles and ponders what he has discovered.
After Dark: Chicago Fire (Science Fiction Anthalogies Book 2) Page 2