Chapter ?
The New York Prosecutor’s office in Manhattan is located at 1 Hogan Place, Manhattan. The office had received several enquires and a few complaints about Whole World Securities over the last few months. An investigation had begun. That was Chad William’s father’s brokerage firm.
The complaint was regarding a “Pump and Dump” operation with a pharmaceutical company they had just taken public.
If they were giving false information on the pharmaceutical company’s value based on them buying stocks by them and others in concert, and then selling them, they were indeed running a pump and dump operation. Most of the family worked at Whole World Securities and owned shares in the company. It had been a publicly traded company for over a decade. The stock of the Whole World Securities Company had doubled a few times over that time.
Chad’s father had few qualms about whom he worked with or for. He felt he was protected by the laws of the state of New York which he claimed he knew and understood very well. Money laundering was one of the larger side avenues of work that the company did well. Being in one of the largest cities in the world made for great opportunities in that realm as did his many political connections.
Everyone in town with any money or connections had their hands in it and most New Yorkers knew that. “Why else does one go into politics,” one famous mayor had once said off the record. He didn’t get reelected when what he said was leaked. He was found in the trunk of a burned out car.
That was another common political move made quickly by his adversaries. Many working in the news business were working both sides of the street. Some news employees were on the federal or state payroll for being informers. Some were down right spies while others were working for the mob or for themselves. In any case, the media was tainted and perhaps always has been.
An application for a warrant was issued. A judge looked over the evidence placed in front of him by the prosecutor’s office and thought there was enough evidence for them to get a warrant. Several people were now working on the company’s records as well as slowly going over the records of the family that owned the company, the Williams. Susan knew none of this when she accepted Chad’s proposal.
Chad had a feeling that things were slowly going out of control at his company but was making so much money that it clouded his judgment. He thought that his father was better than that. He wasn’t. Chad hoped his younger brother Charles, who watched over the day to day office activities was looking over the father’s shoulder. He was but the money was to great. Chad’s parents seemed unaware of the investigation.
Several officials were looking over the small pile of data that had come in recently and didn’t like what they saw. Some thought that they were close to filing charges on all of the family members other than the mother. She seemed not to be working with the others, though that hadn’t been completely ruled out as of yet in the investigation.
The main problem now was the fact that Chad was about to leave the country on his long honeymoon. Would he come back? How much money had they already sent overseas? Was it enough for Chad to live away from the U.S. for an extended time or forever? Could the prosecutors office get him back if charges were to be filed?
The prosecutors office was in touch with the Securities and Exchange Commission and the FBI. The FBI wanted to contact Interpol.
Across town Joe gathered up his suitcase and backpack.
He had packed what he thought was just enough clothing and shoes for the trip. He knew that he always over packed and had been warned that a safari is one place not to do that. “Bring only as much as necessary,” was stressed often in communications with the tour company. They had provided a very short list of items to bring. It would be cool in the morning and warm in the afternoon and no suits or formal wear was needed. Most complied.
Joe pulled on his back pack and picked up his one suitcase. He had always only had one suitcase. Suzan had tried to make Joe buy a few more but he responded with, “where in the hell will I keep them. This apartment is already bursting at the seams with your stuff.”
He walked across his small bedroom in three steps and was immediately standing in the living room. He turned around in a circle looking over his soon to be empty room. His apartment was clean and organized. He hated coming home to a messy apartment, even just from a day of work.
His neighbor Martha, downstairs, was going to watch his apartment for him while he was away in Africa. She was from Puerto Rico and didn’t take anything from anybody.
She had the prefect spot in the building for keeping an eye on things and she was the woman for the job. She had been robbed twice already and was now on permanent watch for any bum that tried to come in who didn’t live there. “This isn’t a flop house,” she would say to anyone trying to come in who didn’t live there.
She wasn’t the manager but she treated the place as if she owned it. She knew there were already some bums living in the building, but they hadn’t stolen from their neighbors yet. If she found out that they had, they would have hell to pay.
If she smelled the aroma of weed coming in her window she was up and out on the stoop in a flash. “It’s New York fool, we don’t put up with that crap here,” she would say to anyone who lingered to long out front her front door of the building. “move along or I’m calling the police.”
Joe locked the door to his apartment and walked down the squeaky wooden stairs. There was another stairway in the back of the building per the building code. He stopped at Martha’s door. She heard him before she saw him.
Shen knew the sound of his footsteps. They sounded better than a month ago. He was walking just a little faster. Those grey clouds around his head were moving away. She was glad to see Joe was still willing to go on this trip he had planned with, “”that Suzan woman.” Martha never liked her.
She remembered what she had told Joe after meeting Suzan the first time she came by. “I telling you now Joe, be smart honey. She can’t be trusted.”
She got up from her over stuffed chair and walked to her screen door and opened it. martha saw the backpack and the suitcase in his hand. She put her hand on Joe’s shoulder.
“I’m glad to see you’re packed and ready to go Joe. You can’t wallow in the misery. Get back out there and live Joe. There are woman all over the place waiting to find a man like you. Good men are hard to find. Remember that Joe.” Joe hadn’t experienced that in his life so far, but hoped it might be true.
“Here are the keys Martha. Thanks for the pep talk last night. I almost decided not to go but you pushed me over the edge.” Joe had called Martha when he had heard about the wedding of Chad and Suzan.
“Oh honey, I always carry that knife. I didn’t mean to scare you into leaving town,” she said as she laughed a quiet laugh. Some say my knife has special powers, but you were already leaving on vacation, weren’t you Joe.” “Yes, I suppose so. I have the tickets and all, so I guess I’m going.”
He and Martha had talked often when he had felt down. She had seen the dark side of life as most have. She often had some words of wisdom for Joe lately from a source much older than Joe.
One of Joe and Suzan’s mutual friends had called Joe to tell him about the magnificent wedding of Chad Williams and Suzan Cline.
“Oh Joe, it was amazing and set in these lush, green horse pasture out in the country at a large mansion. It all belongs to the groom’s family.” “Thanks for the heads up Beth, I gotta catch a train to the airport. I leave tonight for Africa.” “Oh, I didn’t think you were still going after all that has happened Joe.” “Why not. Better to go off and have some fun instead of sulking over spilt milk at home.”
“Are you going alone?” “No, I ‘m traveling with a beautiful woman if the truth be told.” “Well Joe, that was quick.” “Hey a guy has to do what a guy has to do. I think I heard that somewhere. Oh yeah, it was Suzan’s last sentence as she left me,” I think.
Beth didn’t mention the drones.
So, all isn’t perfect for the newly weds.
Suzan just doesn’t know it yet.
Things are popping downtown at the offices of the powers that be.
That will be in the next installment, perhaps.
I’m sure you understand this is just a rough draft of this story. I have little idea what chapter we are in. It doesn’t really matter at this point.
The most important thing is to get these people on the plane.
Oops, have I said too much?