Big Boy and I began to run up the hill. My anger about our cash flow issues, Bo Hines’ irritating confidence that he would be cleared, and the possibility I could lose everything prevented me from slowing down. Big Boy seemed to understand and didn’t lessen his pace. The grudges of Hall and Perry drove us harder.
Breathing hard, I pushed us past the “Our Confederate Dead” monument in Lee Square that was erected in 1891 and ran across Cervantes Street into North Hill.
Once there, I fell to the ground in Alabama Square. My chest was nearly exploding. Big Boy laid panting beside me. Getting up, I cupped my hands and gave the dog water from the fountain. His tail began to wag again. I sat on a bench and watched the sun rise.
In my head, I heard Mari say, “Why is everything a fight with you? Why can’t you let go of some things?”
I said aloud to no one, “Because I have to,” as I petted Big Boy who had his head in my lap.
When Big Boy and I walked down from the loft, we found Summer at her desk working on the Best of the Coast database. She wore a Guns N’ Roses T-shirt and white jeans. She looked up and smiled but stayed focused on her work. Big Boy crawled under her desk, exhausted.
On the blog, I posted a teaser for tomorrow’s cover story:
INSIDER HAS ECSO PAYROLL
This Monday, the Insider received the Escambia County Sheriff Office’s payroll. A sortable database will be uploaded for viewing on Thursday.
When I finished reading the daily newspapers online, I clicked back on the blog. I had a dozen comments in less than an hour, none of them complimentary of Sheriff Frost. This issue would do very well.
Summer walked over to my desk. She looked worried.
“I wanted to check our bank balance because I didn’t want us to be blindsided again,” she said. “The check to the printer hit our account last night. We don’t have the funds to cover the overdraft. Plus, the bank will tack on a mountain of service fees if other checks bounce, too.”
Dammit, I thought. When would this tape stop playing?
“Okay, we’ve got until ten o’clock before the bank manager decides to honor the checks or return them,” I said. “That gives us two hours to round up $2,500.”
Summer interjected, “$3,250.”
“Ok, $3,250. Print out the receivables list. I’ll visit those within walking distance who have invoices for advertising older than thirty days. Everything we bill is due upon receipt, but we always have to chase down advertisers for checks.”
“They’re good people but everyone is hurting,” said Summer.
I replied, “That’s why we need the maritime park to help draw more customers downtown for these restaurants, bars and shops.”
For the next ninety-five minutes, I walked the streets of downtown Pensacola. Several of the businesses weren’t opened yet, but I knocked anyway. After ten stops, I headed to the bank with six checks totaling $2,700 and handled the rest with the last of my savings. If we had a fair deposit today, I could drink tonight.
Back at the office, I discovered that I had left my Insider staff unattended far too long. My “ace” reporter Doug Yoste hadn’t shown up for work. Roxie was battling a new wave of angry advertisers wanting to cancel their ads. Sheriff Frost must have stirred the business owners up. Jeremy was talking about moving to Austin, Texas, and checking job listings on Craigslist. Teddy had his headphones on, oblivious to the world while editing photos for the next issue. Mal remained pissed at everyone, particularly the absent Doug.
“He’s too juvenile for this job. He doesn’t get this paper,” Mal said as Big Boy nuzzled her leg. Her mood was black today. “You can go on your crusades, but somebody has to write the news. This paper can’t only be a long rant by you.”
“Yeah, it can’t all be me either,” Jeremy piped in.
Starbucks cups filled his trash can to the brim. I didn’t know how many were from this morning. Why had I hired the sloppiest gay A&E writer in the world?
Mal’s glare stopped the writer before he went off any further. Jeremy scowled at her and stormed out for a smoke.
“Mal, I will deal with it,” I said.
Summer waved for me to join her in the conference room. She said, “You have a visitor.”
Sitting in a chair was a large, dark-skinned man. It was Tiny, wearing a suit and looking very serious. He said, “Mr. Holmes, I’m here for my cover story.”
“Tiny, that’s quite a suit,” I said admiring his three-piece gray pinstripe suit, red shirt, and black tie. It was tight, but not shabby or threadbare. The only thing that took away from his sartorial splendor was his running shoes.
“I have important things to say,” he said pulling on his jacket’s lapels and straightening his tie. “Important people wear suits.”
I looked at Summer. She knew I didn’t have time for this, but Summer also understood that it was my policy to listen to the stories of whoever walked into the office. It wasn’t always worthwhile, but we would listen. I usually assigned the interviews to Yoste, but his absence took away that option.
With her eyes, Summer begged me to do the right thing. Big Boy walked in and jumped up to lick Tiny’s face. He had also decided that I should listen to the “mayor of Palafox.”
“Okay, let’s have a good visit, Mayor,” I said pulling up a chair. “Summer, grab my notepad and have Teddy take photos of Tiny while I interview him.”
“Is that okay with you, Tiny?”
“Most certainly.”
Summer handed me my notepad and sat down next
