The Delphi Tapes: Paulies
Episode 3
THE DELPHI TAPES
AMBER: “You’re sure you don’t mind?”
RON: “I’ll watch my mouth.”
SAM: “Can I get you two anything?”
RON: “I’ll have another Stella.”
AMBER: “Same here.”
SAM: “What’s that?”
AMBER: “It’s a recorder, for my story.”
SAM: “Oh, can I help?”
AMBER: “It’s still not a romance. Oh no, the story, I mean.”
RON: “Mm-hmm.”
SAM: “That’s alright. I’ve always wanted to be in a story. What’s it about?”
RON: “She’s writing about Delphi. Dark, thriller, stuff.”
SAM: “Dark? Maybe. Not terribly thrilling. Is that why you were asking me about the Mayor?”
RON: “You think he’s in on it?”
AMBER: “He has to know about it, at least. You said he was a maniac, right Sam?”
SAM: “Mm-hmm. But…”
AMBER: “What?”
SAM: “Doesn’t this happen everywhere? Where are you from? You didn’t have to come all the way out here to find a scummy politician.”
AMBER: “You—you’re right. I live in DC which is…DC. Back in my hometown, half of city council had to resign last year for fraud and money laundering. But there are a dozen newspapers already covering that, every day. People forget the next day. I came here because no one has told your story yet. It might go deeper than you expect.”
RON: “I doubt it. I’ve seen a lot since I moved down from Jacksonville. Plenty of it’s underhanded, but nothing I haven’t seen on past jobs.”
AMBER: “Underhanded like…”
RON: “Forging employment documentation, breaking labor laws, trading favors for cheap land, fudging zoning rules, paying off inspectors…not all at once, but if you bend enough little rules, your whole building’s crooked.”
SAM: “Careful what you say there Ron. Honey, you seem nice enough, but if you’re pissing people off, you better not be putting my name in there. Or his. We still have to work here after you go home with your Pulitzer.”
AMBER: “I understand. I’m just trying to figure out what’s happening, first. I promise I won’t put down your name unless you agree to a formal interview.”
SAM: “Good. Good. Can you keep Eddie Hart out of it too?”
AMBER: “Who’s Eddie Hart?”
SAM: “My son. He died last year.”
AMBER: “Oh, I’m so sorry.”
RON: “You’re Eddie’s mom? Didn’t he…”
SAM: “Yes.”
AMBER: “What?”
RON: “You don’t think that was because…”
SAM: “I know it was. Look, this whole town’s going to hell. I’ve got two more kids to get out of here as soon as I can sell this damn bar. Your story isn’t going to get in the way of that. Promise me.”
AMBER: “I thought you said this city was just like any other?”
SAM: “It’s just as corrupt as any other. Barrow can do whatever he wants, because if he goes…we all end up like Eddie.”
AMBER: “What happened to Eddie?”
SAM: “He was eaten.”
*BEEP*
I just got back from Paulies. Ron came with me, but he’s gone to grab some beers. I have to get my thoughts out.
Thanks to Ron, I have a solid story here on the land development scandal. I leveled with him this morning, and I was surprised by how willing he was to help. And when we were talking tonight I…I don’t know. I suddenly felt something around him. I don’t think that’s wrong. He’s helping me connect the dots, but he isn’t the subject of my piece.
Anyway. All I need are some interviews with the people whose land was rezoned and appraised for less than it was worth. I doubt I’ll get a real statement from Wiley or Barrow, but I’ll keep reaching out to Barrow just in case. Tomorrow’s my interview with Wiley. I’ve got physical evidence from the zoning office, local impact testimony, and a paper trail of money to follow. It’s a short hike to go to some of the lots and take pictures.
Everything is falling into place. Magically. It’s like they didn’t even try to cover their tracks. This could spark huge lawsuits, mass resignations, impeachments, the whole nine yards. It would change Delphi forever.
And according to Sam, it would damn us all.
I’m not religious or superstitious. I have to actively fight the negative, ex-Southern Baptist reflex to dismiss all religion. So I looked up Eddie’s story online. He went missing for a week and was found dead in Inniwego Swamp, half-eaten by alligators. Official cause of death: exposure. But Sam insists Eddie knew his way around the wilderness, apparently he had done a ton of camping and survival courses. And she never got to see his body. I’m not a mother. I can’t imagine how haunting that would be.
I had to dig around his social media to find out that he was working for Gable Construction—Barrow’s favorite contractor—at the time. So that’s the connection to my story. But I don’t understand why Sam wouldn’t want her son’s death investigated further, and an official probe into Barrow’s dealings would likely uncover any foul play there.
I want to respect Sam’s wishes. And Ron’s. He’s been very helpful, but like Sam, he wants his name kept out of it. It’s just…not that easy. In order to know what I need to leave out of the story, I have to see the full picture first. I have to know.
What ate Eddie Hart?
*BEEP*
Sounds like Ron’s back.
“Hey, who are you talking to?”
“Just the recorder. It’s how I take notes.”
“Gotcha. I thought it might have been Ricks.”
“The owner? He hangs around a lot but I haven’t seen him today.”
“Really?”
“Really. What’s wrong?”
“I saw him in the parking lot when I was pulling up. Nearly hit him, he came out of nowhere. Tried to say hi but he just walked off. Then he was at your door, and I looked away to grab the case, and then he was gone when I looked back.”
“Ron, don’t tell me you’re jealous of an ancient motel owner.”
“Heh. Not your type?”
“I don’t have a type. Unless the type is just ‘not 60-year-old men who wear boat shoes,’ in which case, yes. Not my type.”
“That’s good to know.”
“Come here. Oh shoot, I need to turn this off.”
“Just a sec. Do you…have a leak somewhere?”
*END OF TRANSCRIPT*
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