by John Snyder
“I don’t think I’m ready for that just yet.”
Howard frowned somewhat, disappointedly shaking his head ever so slightly.
“You’re a hard nut to crack, my friend.”
“I guess you could say that. But faith is something I seem to shy away from. I’m just not there yet.”
“Until you get there, Jacob, I’m afraid there isn’t much I can do for you. Not much you can do for yourself, either.”
“This is all too foreign to me. I think I’m just a lost cause.”
Howard felt disheartened and was losing patience. He knew Jacob would not be able to reconcile with his children if he refused to take responsibility for his role in the family’s disunity. He’d played a major part, and until he accepted his need for faith and forgiveness in a serious way, it would elude him. Frustrated, Howard got up from the table. Before departing, he said, “I’ve got to attend to some other problems. We’ll leave yours for now, since you refuse to deal with them.”
Surprised at Howard’s abruptness, Jacob watched as his only friend walked away, thinking Howard showed signs of giving up on him, too. But he could only blame himself. Why was he so stubborn? His reluctance to tell Howard more stood in his way and he knew it. It seemed like the easiest answer was to drink himself into oblivion and delay the entire matter.
His thoughts were interrupted when Howard returned to the table with a mop and a bucket. Puzzled, Jacob’s eyebrows turned down.
“It’s time you start earning your keep around here,” Howard said as he held out the cleaning tools for Jacob. “The floor needs mopping and the closet in my office needs a good cleaning. I hope you’ll think about what I said while you work. There’s an old saying: ‘It is the working man who is the happy man. It is the idle man who is the miserable man.’ Now let’s get to work,” he said kindly.
Jacob wasn’t amused. Standing, he grabbed the bucket and mop, a grumpy scowl on his face. The notion flashed through Jacob’s mind to leave the mission and go back out on the streets to be on his own. But he liked Howard and knew the key to his redemption was within his grasp. At the moment, however, he was unable, or just unwilling, to open his heart.
As Jacob worked, his thoughts returned to the reason he came to Chicago. He was anxious to talk to Tom and Frankie, but he succumbed to his fears…to the certain rejection that he knew awaited him when he knocked on Tom’s door. He couldn’t bear the thought, but he knew he needed to confront it—just not yet.
* * *
Howard and Jacob continued to spend a lot of time together, which was good for Jacob. Howard’s influence weighed heavily on him. They spent hours discussing the value and powers of faith and forgiveness and all the things Jacob needed to do in order to facilitate them. They even prayed together, something Jacob initially fought before giving in, before realizing the truth in his friend’s insistence. Howard’s tenacity began to wear Jacob down, and little by little he opened up more about what was troubling him so.
Truly evolving, Jacob did his best to quit smoking and drinking and to accept what he needed to change. He even caved in to the idea of joining Alcoholics Anonymous and enjoyed participating with the group at the mission. He did slip up over and over again. Even so, Howard refused to give up on him. It had been three weeks now since Jacob had had a cigarette, and even longer since he’d had a drink, doing so with the help of Howard and the support of some of the residents at the mission. Howard convinced the owner of a hardware store near the mission to give Jacob some part-time work. This did wonders for his self-esteem and afforded him some spending money. He continued his work at the mission, cleaning and helping Howard organize, as well.
While they were chatting one evening, the subject again turned to Jacob’s past and to what was haunting him so. Forthcoming, yet apprehensive, Jacob divulged more about his past, something Howard welcomed as a payoff for all his patience and caring.
“Howard, I need to get some more things off my chest. Keeping them bottled up inside is killing me. I’ve done some terrible things in my life that I’m deeply ashamed of. Not just to my family, but to my best friend.”
“I’m here for you, Jacob. Tell me all that you care to. Whatever it is you have to say, I can assure you it will remain between the two of us.”
“I betrayed my best friend and my business partner.”
Jacob closed his eyes and took Howard back with him into the past.
He resumed his story about the tremendous growth and success of J & N Manufacturing, and how Nick had become content with the way things were. But selfishly, Jacob wanted more. He wasn’t satisfied with the slow but steady progress of the business. His greed left him with a yearning for more money, more power, and more excitement. His relationships with Amanda and Nick spiraled out of control to the point of destruction. As a result, he drank even more. He missed Amanda and his children, recognizing that his life was but an empty shell. Despite his involvement with his new friends, loneliness consumed his life. He quickly tired of coming home and not seeing his family. He begged Amanda many times to move back home, telling her he would stop drinking and change his ways. Repeatedly, she declined. It got so that Jacob stopped caring anymore. He stopped caring about everything.
A dissonance grew between Jacob and Nick. One morning when Jacob arrived at the office, late as usual, the friction between them came to a head.
“You’ve turned out to be a real slouch,” Nick remarked.
“Why don’t you mind your own business, Nick?”
“This is my business! And it is yours, too. I can’t do this alone anymore. Either you start pulling your weight, or get out of here.”
“Listen, Nick, I own fifty percent of this business, so don’t tell me to get out.”
“You’re disgusting. I regret the day I went into business with you.”
“Maybe I have my regrets, too.”
“You do nothing but drink, hang around with your mobster friends, and carouse with loose women. You aren’t worth a damn.”
“Screw you.”
“You’ve turned out to be a lousy husband and father, too! Just look at you. Amanda has told me how miserable you’ve made her life.”
“Why don’t you stay out of my marriage? It’s not your concern.”
“I regret the day I ever introduced you to Amanda. You have made her life hell. I oughta beat the crap out of you…you miserable louse.”
Jacob got up in Nick’s face.
“Go ahead if you think you’re man enough.”
“I’m much more of a man than you’ll ever be!”
Jacob, his fists already clinched, struck Nick in the face, causing him to stumble backward.
“Get out of here before I make you regret what you just did!”
Jacob paused for a moment, cursed Nick, and then left.
One night during a card game at the speakeasy, Jacob was approached by Alfonzo and Carmen, both sporting sinister looks.
“Let’s go over to a table. There is something we want to discuss with you,” Carmen suggested.
Jacob obliged. “What is it?”
Carmen began telling him about his dubious plan. “We have an interesting business proposition we’d like you to handle for us.”
“What kind of a business proposition?”
“You’ve been complaining about your business partner holding the company back, and how much you dislike him, right?”
“Yeah, so what?”
“We have some investors who are interested in acquiring J & N Manufacturing. You could make a lot of money if the plan works. We’ll buy your stock at a premium and there’ll be a lucrative bonus in it for you when it’s all settled. Believe me, there is plenty of money in this for all of us.”
“What do you need from me?”
“Well…first of all, can we trust you?”
“That depends.”
“On what?”
“On what you want me to do.”
Carmen explained the details.
&nb
sp; “Here’s our plan. We’ll create some shell companies which will pose as J & N Manufacturing vendors. We need you to alter the books and to begin to skim cash from the company to make it appear like it’s losing money. We can cover it by billing J & N through our shell companies. We need you to pay the bogus invoices from the vendors. This will put the squeeze on your partner. When he is really hurting and realizes the business is failing, we’ll come in and make an offer to buy the business at a low price and take control. We’ll pay you an inflated price for your stock and then give you a part of the action. We’ll make an immediate profit and expand the business like you have been wanting. We just need you to help set it up.”
Stunned by Carmen’s suggestion, Jacob never expected this.
Bowing his head, he stared down at his hands, which were clasped in front of him on the table before looking back at Carmen, staring him square in the face.
“I don’t know. Sure there’s hard feelings between Nick and me, but I don’t know if I can do this.”
“Why? This will give you what you want. Your partner will be out of the way and we can expand the business, making us all a fortune.”
Jacob sat silent for a moment, then said, “I can’t do it. I do have a conscience, you know.”
“Don’t let your high-brow ideals get in the way of a good business opportunity that’s as easy as this. It’ll be like taking candy from a baby.”
“I don’t know. It’s really underhanded. You’re asking me to betray my partner…someone I grew up with…someone who introduced me to my wife.”
“You said he was a pain in your backside. What’s the problem?”
“This is where I have to draw the line. Count me out.”
“It’s not like you haven’t been involved in these kind of deals with us before. Remember the lumberyard deal? Then there was the two restaurants downtown.”
“Yes, but nothing like this. I won’t do it. I can’t.”
“What if your involvement in past deals would, let’s say, accidentally come to light? What would that do to your reputation?”
“Are you threatening me with blackmail?”
“It’s not a threat…just a suggestion. If your unscrupulous business dealings were somehow revealed…let’s just say by some anonymous source…it could ruin your life.”
“Well, your ‘suggestion’ hasn’t changed my mind.”
“Our investors want to move on this. It’s very seldom that they don’t get their way with things.”
Alfonzo interjected, “Maybe you don’t quite understand. Our investors want this done. Disappointing them could be bad for your health…and ours. It could even affect the health of your wife and children. These guys are ruthless.”
Jacob got up, leaned across the table, red faced…the veins in his neck popping out. “You leave my family out of this. Do you hear me? I told you I won’t do it…and that’s it!”
Carmen grabbed Jacob’s necktie and pulled his face toward him until they were nose to nose. “You will do this. You got that?” Carmen shoved Jacob back into his chair.
The ruckus caused a large gentleman to saunter over to the table from the bar. As Jacob attempted to get up, the oversized man put his hands on his shoulders and held him in his chair.
“Is there a problem here, sir?” the man asked. What he was really saying was, Sit down, shut up, and don’t you dare cause a problem. “Mr. Ricci, would you like me and Tony to take Mr. McCallum here for a little ride to make him see things your way?”
“No, Mario, I believe Jacob is beginning to see things our way, so that won’t be necessary.”
“Okay, boss.”
“Well, Jacob? Are you in?”
“I guess I don’t have much of a choice. But I’m not in favor of doing this. I want you to know that.”
“Like you said, you don’t have much of a choice.”
“Come on, fellas, can’t you just let this one go?” Jacob pleaded.
“It is beyond our control,” Carmen answered. “These guys don’t take ‘no’ for an answer.”
Jacob did as Carmen and Alfonzo demanded. He altered the books and falsified invoices. The plan seemed to be working. Profits at J & N Manufacturing plummeted. It appeared that the company was losing money. Nick, truly distressed and unable to grasp how this could be happening, was in disbelief. Jacob feigned his dismay.
One afternoon, Jacob and Nick received a visit from Alfonzo and Carmen. Jacob acted as if he was clueless, giving no indication that he even knew the two men. Carmen began the conversation.
“We’ve been following your company and have learned that you might be undergoing some financial difficulties. We represent some investors who see a lot of potential in J & N Manufacturing. They are interested in making you an offer to purchase your business.”
Nick couldn’t imagine where these two characters got word of the company’s misfortunes…or could he?
“If you know the company isn’t profitable, why would your investors want to buy it?”
“They have very deep pockets and see enormous potential for profits if the business is expanded. They have the means to do this.”
Rattled by their visit, Nick said, “I’ll think about your offer. Where can I reach you to tell you of my decision?”
“We’ll contact you in a couple of days. We’ll need a definite answer by then.”
The men left abruptly, saying that they would be in touch.
“Where did that come from?” Nick asked Jacob with consternation.
Jacob answered, “I have no idea.”
The company began losing more and more money. The bills kept piling up and there seemed to be a shortage of cash. It was all puzzling to Nick. New accounts were still coming in and the business should have been doing better than the books indicated.
A bounced check caught Nick’s attention. How could that be? We should have plenty of money in the account. He went over to Jacob’s disheveled desk, papers covering the surface. As he shuffled through the mass of paper, he saw that a number of their good vendors were not getting paid. He also found several collection letters threatening to cut off their credit.
Nick confronted Jacob with his discovery.
“Jacob, I don’t understand what’s going on. Why are we losing so much money?”
“If we’d bought that other supplier like I wanted, we wouldn’t be in this situation.”
“That’s your answer to everything. Expand, expand, expand! Why aren’t you ever satisfied? We have a good business here.”
“If the business is so good, then why are we losing money?”
“I can’t figure that out, but I’m going to get to the bottom of all of this.”
That night, Nick stayed late and pored over the books. He discovered many irregularities in the bookkeeping, money missing, and the bogus vendors from which no actual items were purchased. The next day when Jacob came in the office, Nick waited for him…armed with all the information he’d uncovered.
“I was going over the books last night and learned what you’ve been doing.”
“What are you talking about?”
“You’ve been cheating me. You’ve been cheating the business. I would have never expected this from you. You have done some despicable things, but skimming money?”
“Are you accusing me of skimming money from the business?”
“Yes, I am!”
“What kind of a person do you think I am?”
“I don’t know you anymore. You’ve become a stranger.”
“Nick, you don’t understand.”
“You’re right. I don’t understand. I don’t understand how you could do this to me.”
“I had no choice.”
“Yes you did, and you chose to steal from me. Now get out of here.”
“But, Nick…”
“Go!”
* * *
As he snapped back to the present, Jacob sat at the table with Howard in silence. Looking at Howard, ashamed, he said, “I can�
��t talk about this anymore. I’m sure you think I am a despicable man, don’t you.”
“As I’ve said before…I’m not here to judge you. I’m here to help you.”
“I was overcome with fear, greed, and my judgment was all messed up by the booze. I know that’s not an excuse, but it’s a reason.”
“I’m now beginning to see why you are so troubled. Is there more you’re not telling me?”
“After leaving Nick, I went home and hit the bottle for a few days. Nick called the police. Their investigation confirmed his accusations and I was arrested. In an effort to keep me quiet, Alfonzo and Carmen bailed me out. To preserve my reputation, I convincingly denied the charges. That’s it. I can’t go on.”
“Jacob, you’ve come this far. Purge what’s ailing you—all of it! Tell me the rest of the story, please.”
“I can’t. That’s all I have to say.”
“Sure you can. You need to be honest with me.”
“That’s it, Howard. That’s all I can tell you!”
Jacob got up from the table, stormed to the front door, and slammed it behind him. Back out on the streets he went, leaving Howard wondering if he would ever see him again.
Chapter Nine
It had been raining for days, leaving Frankie miserable and cold, sitting in a wet and muddy foxhole hiding under his poncho to shield himself from the downpour. His throat stung and he suffered from a slight fever, both of which he tried to ignore. Showing vulnerability on the battlefield wasn’t advisable. Like an injured animal, you stood out, making you easy prey. The cold rain leaked down the back of his neck, causing him to shiver. He adjusted his poncho and reached for a piece of paper in his chest pocket, a letter he’d received from Tom the day before. Carefully, he held it under his coat and began reading it for the third time.
Dear Frankie,
I hope this letter finds you in good health and spirits. Sorry I haven’t written as much as I should. I’ll try to do a better job of being a brother. I worry about you so, and I guess I try not to think about the fact that you are getting shot at every day. I may have to get another surgery on my bad leg. I hope it’s not the case. I’ll find out for sure next week. Not much new here other than that. Michael will be four years old the sixth of next month. We’re planning a little party for him and his friends. Wish you could be here to enjoy it with us. Betty sends her love. Take care.
