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George Pollock State KidIssue 51
The Fat Lady Sings
From the street, Granite City School for Boys loomed as stolidly as ever. Behind the red- brick walls, however, was an institution that was but a remote resemblance to its former self.Captain O'Toole and Captain Morrill of the Fairview Police Department, along with their respective rank-and-file officers, were on duty but would be hard put to explain what theywere supposed to be doing. From their perspective, this was the mother of all muddy law-enforcement missions; they had to make up their role as they went along, while prayingfor orders they could all obey. No regular guard was to be seen. Carson had sent them home after Billy said to him,“Realistically, if the guards stay and there is shooting, we're both dead.” Billy had feareda guard-inmate war more than a police-inmate war. When the guards left, so did their guns and attitudes, which defused things on one dangerous front.Inmates were everywhere except in their cells, whose doors stayed flagrantly open. Theinmates were still armed and greatly outnumbered police officers; both were picking their way through a minefield not described in any police manual, nor ingrained in any inmateor gang code. Natural enemies, thrown artificially together, improvised a fragile co-existence -- while pressing for something more recognizable.A restive Captain Morrill pushed Captain O'Toole to move on the inmates, disarm themand restore order. Captain O'Toole, citing Conroy's agreements and the Friday hearing,resisted.“We can afford to wait until Friday,” Captain O'Toole said. “Why risk unnecessary bloodshed when we don't have to?”It was a position urged upon him ceaselessly and vigorously by Vera O'Toole.“We can't just sit here condoning an armed criminal uprising,” Captain Morrill said.“What kind of message does that send to other criminals? Grab guns and hostages anddeal your way out? Because the police are just going to stand by and let you do it?”It was a position favored by most of the police at Granite City School.Many inmates, certain that a Fed assault was only a matter of time, wanted to make adash for distant parts, while they still had a chance. Billy used every ounce of his persuasive powers to keep the inmates from running out the door. “Do it and you give back everything we have gained. You solve all
their 
problems and make your own worse.You might as well put a bullet in your head.”A status quo, mocking of all past experience and running counter to powerful instincts,strained to hold.***
 
“You know,” Billy said to Carson,” I'm impressed. You're a talented politician. I reallythink you have what it takes to be Governor of Massachusetts.”In the next breath,however, Billy informed Director Carson that it would be best if he stayed at the schooluntil everything was settled. “We need to stay in close communication. To avoidmisunderstandings. I'm sure you understand.”“I'm still a hostage?”“No. You could go home, but why would you?”“I have a wife and daughter.”“Then protect them. If you walk out of here, anything can happen. You leave yourself wide open to anybody who wants to take you down. You leave your fate to your enemies,to chance and to moral bankrupts like Conroy and desperate characters like me. Whowould pursue your interests? Me? Conroy? The pols? The police?”“You make me feel so wanted.”“Mr. Carson, stay the course. God willing, on Friday we'll both be happy. I'll be free andthe state will have a new political star -- you.”Director Carson did some quick political calculations, and called his wife. He told her that he needed to stay at the office for a few nights and she was not to worry. Thus beganthe most unlikely week ever for Granite City School for Boys ....***During this strange interlude, there was no lockdown, even at night. Inmates slept in their cells with the doors open and with inmate guards posted. Billy bunked in his old cell --with the door open and a master key in his pocket -- posting Johnson Johnson and BillyRuggieri outside in the hallway. Police officers slept on mattresses in the dining hall inalternate shifts. Carson slept on the couch in his office. Vera bunked down in the guards'room, with the doors locked and guarded through the night.During the day, Billy, Kali, Angel and Billy's inmate bodyguards roamed freelythroughout the facility. As a whole, the inmates were quiet; they had been made tounderstand that anyone causing trouble would get thrown into the shoe. Carson could nothelp but comment to Billy on the discipline shown by the inmates.“See, you don't need guards,” Billy said. “Fire them all. Save a fortune. Hire me. You cansit in your office and read novels in between running for Governor.”Carson tried not to smile, but did.With Billy's encouragement, Director Carson and Captain O'Toole carried on an ongoingdialogue with Mayor Harper, Chief Bronson, District Attorney Conroy, Director McFardle of DSS, Judge Salera and other officials.Billy explained, “Lines of communication must be kept open. Let them see that there isno immediate crisis and no need for drastic or hasty action and that reason now prevailshere. It's not over. Until it is, I must have no surprises. I must take no chances, assumenothing and know everything.”“You've had to grow up too fast,” Captain O'Toole said.Chief Bronson tried to persuade Captain O'Toole to withdraw, but the captain said the
 
situation was too unstable. The real reason, however, was Vera. She refused to leave. AndCaptain O'Toole would not leave without her. In effect, this gave Billy voluntary hostages-- which, to him, was a gift from heaven; outside assault checkmated, maybe.***Billy met with David Weatherall to talk business, meaning the book. They took a seat inthe corner of the cafeteria from where Billy had started his rise to power so many months before. Vera joined them. She now never left his side.“First off, before we get to the book,”Billy said, “are you back with your Dad?”“No. He won't talk to me. If I call, he hangs up. It's killing me.”“I'm sorry, David. We have to take care of this. I have some ideas. First ...”“Billy, your book. We have to talk about your book.”“To hell with the book. You're dying. We're going to work out a plan right now, together.”“Damn it, Billy,” Weatherall said. He took two checks out of a folder and placed them onthe table. Billy picked them up, took one look and said, “My God! Are they serious? Arethese checks real?”“We have multiple offers. The checks are from World Books in New York and RoyalBooks in Boston. They're real.”“Cool,” Vera said. “You're rich.”“Not only that,” Weatherall said, “but World Books says they'll go higher.”“Higher? They're crazy.”“I have these contracts all about this right and that right, this contingency and thatcontingency, page after page of legal gobbledygook. To be honest, I don't know have aclue what it all means.”Billy flipped through the contracts. “Greek, all Greek. But you can be sure of one thing.The whole purpose is to screw the author.”“What do you want to do?”“Give it to Royal.”“World will go higher.”“Yeah, but this would be a big break for Miss Casey. Imagine, me giving Miss Casey'snew career a big boost.”“What next?” Weatherall asked.“Cash the check,” Vera said. “Cash both of them.”“Vera. I'm trying to get
out 
of jail, not
in
jail. David, open up an account in my name anddeposit the Royal Books check. Send the World Book check back with regrets. I'll callMiss Casey. You call Nathan Silverman. Shame he spent all that money on lobsters. But,hey, business is business. The lobster was delish. First time in my life I ever had lobster.”“Hey, a lobster feast on Friday night,” Vera said as soon as the thought popped into her head. “Just the two of us. I know a great place.”
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