I Want To Live

Chapter Twenty-three

    Graham Stellarman and Bob Harmon wore business suits for the ribbon cutting ceremony. They stood behind a taunt red ribbon with Mayor Trevor Davis and several City Councilors. The Mayor stepped up to the microphone. “I promised that there would be attractive low rent apartments available for those who needed them. Pine Knoll is our first completed complex, thanks to our able Graham Stellarman. Come forward, Graham, so I can present you with a key to the city. Now Pine Knoll is officially open for occupancy.” He cut the ribbon with oversized scissors to the accompaniment of much applause and the whirr of TV network cameras. 

    The attractive apartments were built like townhouses with eight hundred square feet of living space comprising two floors. Each unit was painted in different earth colors. Yews alternated with Spirea for carefree landscaping. New sod had been laid and young oaks staked out. A fenced playground for young children was off to the side.   

    Picture perfect, fairy tale setting but Bob Harmon knew differently. There was apt to be sewer backup in the plumbing and the wiring wasn’t sufficient to handle the amount of electronic equipment many people currently used. The exterior walls wouldn’t prevent deep cold temperatures or outside noise from penetrating. Bob felt Graham surreptitiously slip an envelope containing five thousand dollars into his suit jacket pocket. The bonus promised him for finishing the project ahead of schedule.

     His boss’s manicured hand tapped his shoulder. “Good job, Bob. I’ll contact you when there’s another project lined up. Take a well deserved vacation.”

    Bob walked to his Dodge Ram truck, head lowered, resigned, thinking of how low he had fallen. He used to have a good reputation in the construction business. Then a gambling debt put him in a subservient position to Graham. The man was dangerous if crossed. He was not above murder. The boss hired henchmen for that deed, making sure there was no trail implicating him. Bob valued his life. He had a wife and three kids dependent on him. He pulled out his ever present bottle of Tums and popped a couple more into his mouth.