Bjjonesmylife. Book 2

It was later than normal for us when we got home because of the traffic. The girls asked me call before we got on the bridge. There were signs over at the gym congratulating both Jason on his retirement and Jenny on the promotion.

The trees and bushes leading to the house all had ribbons on them. In front of the garage on the concrete pad there were several grills going. An old fashioned cook out was in the process. Burgers, dogs, sweet corn, and just about every summer food were being cooked. Several baskets of steamed crabs suddenly appeared. Several coolers of drinks and several coolers with brands of beer were on hand. You cannot have steamed crabs without beer.

Most of the office employees and some of their families were there. Jenna and her gang, the remainder of the North six and their parents and some of the task force people had made it over. Jenny had quietly invited them while everything else was going on.

All the vehicles had been moved out and the garage had been set up in tables and chairs. I recognized the tables and chairs they had come from the closed restaurant in the shopping center. I decide right then that we would keep them and stack them against the wall for events like this. The 4 car garage would make an all weather party place.

It was nearly 8 when I finally made my way over to my new office. When Bob had the construction finished Marcy insisted that I take the office closest to the front to be with the rest of the management team.

Cindy had half a dozen folders arranged on my desk. She was very precise; each folder had sticky notes with explanations. Some had a log sheet on them with the time of call, who made it and what actions were required and the steps to completion. If there were signatures or other actions needed, there were sticky arrows with what I needed to do.

The first folder included a FedEx return envelope. It contained East Coast Security invoices and authorizations for them to begin installation of the security system on Monday. They were going to install 50% of the server farm and 50% of the wireless cameras on Monday in the temporary trailers. They would wait until July 1st to install all the locks and the rest of the cameras and system.

They wanted 30% now, 30% July 1, and the rest at completion and final testing. The folder had a check made out to them on the security division. It required two signatures. Marcy had already signed; all that was lacking was mine. Jenny had initialed that all the legal stuff was in order, Marcy on the financial terms and included the loan agreement for financing of the equipment with Midwest. I signed on all the arrows and check marks.

The next folder was informational. Courtney had authorized a change in the start date for part of the new hires. She had called all of them and found enough of them willing to start early to have a token security force at Frost Borough. I suggested that she try this before we were forced to go a different route. We had to with Maryland West banned from the property. The board had found two offices in the admin building we could use until the trailers were usable.

Marcy had sent a dozen company cell phones and six of the officer’s weapons kits that I had put together by the King Air at noon with the necessary paper work. The King Air was going on to Chicago after that. I made a notation on the folder that we needed to bill Frost Borough for the extra week of JBG security and approved the changes. Sandy and Marcy needed to come up with the charges.

The next folder had the paperwork to transfer the six MAAR rentals to the security division. Three were at the decal and emergency light shop and had been completed today. They would be picked up tomorrow morning. Marcy was going to have 3 of the North girls drive them to Frost Borough tomorrow and catch the afternoon commuter flight back to BWI. The other three cars were at the BWI rental site. They would drive them to the island and repeat the process in a couple days.

I left a sticky on the folder for Cindy to tell the three drivers that the lights on top the car were not a “Get out of jail card” and that they needed to watch what they did. I knew they would be pumped up, driving them with all the logos and lights: every girls thrill drive. They had been told that they were going to do admin functions tomorrow and to dress appropriately.

Cindy had printed out the route they were to follow, 50 to 197 to 32 to 70 to bypass the Baltimore traffic. Then follow US 70 to Frost Borough. The route had been programmed into the portable GPS.

When we made the decision to use the North six in multiple functions, Marcy had recommended and Jenny agreed that we needed to get corporate expense cards in their names for travel or whatever. Those cards had been received and activated but had not been issued; they still were in Marcy’s safe. Janice, Lisa, Erica and Glenda were going to get theirs tomorrow morning. Janice was going to deliver to Sly and Becky theirs along with the instruction sheet tomorrow when they delivered the cars. The girls delivering the cars were also going to get $100.00 expense money for emergency use to cover tolls and such. Receipts would be needed to be turned in along with a log sheet for accounting.

The next folder was thick and was more informational at the moment. Southern Electric Co-op was looking for a new fleet leasing company. They had been with GFC Capital Financing. The fallout of all the banking problems and mergers was that GFC was closing their fleet leasing division.

Few banks were picking up those leasing agreements. They were considered long term, usually fixed rates at only a fraction above the federal rate. They did not provide enough profit for banks that were also eating huge losses in the housing market and business failures with the industrial down turn.

Even Mid West had no interest in that line of financing by itself. It would have been different story if they could have gotten their complete banking portfolio but just the fleet was DOA.

They had 300 units that were special equipment or trucks over 10000 GVW and 150 cars and light trucks. Everything was less than 10 years old. They ran a similar replacement program that MAAR did.

Normally this would not have interested us because of the size of the investment but Jeanna had another huge chunk of money coming in the 4th quarter from her oil and gas wells. Jenna was willing to loan it to JBG for the federal rate fixed. If JBG could lock in a fixed deal for an extended time, even for 1 point, both would be protected and money could be made by both.

The utility industry – with guaranteed profit line by state public service commissions – were good long term investments if you were satisfied with low returns.

The next folder detailed the ten new rental outlets for MAAR. Marcy, Chin Lee, Randy and Jason were flying south the week after the Fourth of July holiday to finalize the sites and do the final assessments on these:
Huntsville, Al.
Savanna Ga.
Montgomery, Al.
Columbus, Ga.
Mobile, Al.
Jacksonville, Fl.
Tallahassee, Fl.
Panama City, Fl.
Pensacola, Fl.
Gulf Port, La.

Copies of the site plans and maps, and the contracts were included. I glanced quickly over the paper work. I was sure there had been plenty of surveys and data collected. I knew the daily rental ratios were increasing almost daily from our nightly meetings from the effects of advertizing and manager bonuses.

There is nothing that will motivate manager’s more than extra money in the paycheck and an extra week’s vacation. The site with the best ratios for each quarter won an extra weeks vacation. The site selection showed MAAR was expanding south in a big way.

MAAR had already purchased 200 new cars this year and we still had not been able to remove the older ones from service because of the rising rental ratios and expansions. The ten more sites would need 200 more vehicles. Marcy might to be able to cut some site reserves tighter and only buy 100 but most areas were already tight. I signed that I had read and approved the moves.

The next folder was a surprise. Johnson Tri County, University of N.C. wanted a security audit and a discussion about taking over the security contract. I remembered the Tri County group from the KCC safety seminar. They had asked a lot of questions at every Q&A period. Cindy also had a sticky saying that Tri County was on the schedule for a rape seminar the end of September. I would call the contact person at Tri County tomorrow.

Those were the folders that were marked urgent. I was finished for tonight. I was looking forward to spending the night with Vicky. She told me several times during the cookout that her ass was mine tonight. She wanted more kinks all the time. She also was the one to hook up with Chin Lee for dungeon play and knew the name of every one of the toys.

Edit by Alfmeiste

Jason left a few minutes earlier than everyone else. Jenny was dragging her feet this morning and it was obvious. I didn’t say anything, but I was sure that she would spill the beans soon. Not only that, Jenny was decked out to the nines in a new business outfit she had bought the other day.

I didn’t need to, Lisa Coles walked through the door saying, “I’m sorry I am late, I wanted to make sure Jason was well on his way. They are having the party at eleven. We need to be there at 10 for the meeting. The governor wanted to make sure we were there and is going to hold the start of the meeting for 30 minutes.”

We were there in plenty of time; Jenny drove at her usual break neck speed. Lisa was going to leave hand grip marks in the upholstery in Jason’s new Suburban. I prayed that Marcy had put plenty of insurance on our executive fleet vehicles. The trip normally took 40 minutes when I drove. Jenny was sitting in her parking spot in 25.

Lisa and I were seated in the visitor and guest’s section of the governor’s administrative building to watch an abbreviated criminal taskforce business meeting. It was a few minutes before the governor and the task members took their seats. Apparently there were a few things going on before the meeting. This public meeting was just for show; there was no real business carried out.

I knew this because Jenny had given me blow by blow accounts of some of the meetings. The important business was done behind closed doors. Sometimes she had come home so frustrated she just had to unload on someone. I always let her unload on me. Then afterwards we would either work ourselves into the ground in the gym or have a marathon sex session. We always liked those best.

At 10:45 the VIPs started to come in. Senators, Delegates, and some I knew to be QA County past and current commissioners. Lisa went to be with Jason. Then began the speeches; it was all the normal retirement starting with an overview of Jason’s life as a public servant and the like. There was a list of all the jobs he had held and all the committees he had served on.

Then there was the list of all the community groups and associations he belonged to and the long list of all the positions he had held in those groups.

Somewhere along the way they started telling all those quirky and embarrassing stories of things that happened to you along the way that you hoped everyone had forgotten about.

There were several about hunting trips that had Lisa squirming in her seat. I was sure Jason would have some explaining to do. Judge Slaughter had the best ones and everyone was in stitches the whole time he was speaking. Jason turned three shades of red at some of them.

They finally started passing out the wall plaques and desk ornaments that most politicians give at these affairs. These were accompanied by more quick speeches.

At 11 the Governor, accompanied by Lisa and Jenny, stood with Jason as he turned in his gavel – the symbol of the chairmanship of the Governors task force. The governor made a great show of reluctantly accepting it and then gave a lengthy speech.

The final paragraph of the speech was the one that caught me off guard:
“Although the gavel changes hands the work of the task force continues on. I place this gavel in capable determined hands once more. I have chosen a proven prosecutor that has led the taskforce to some of its greatest victories in the courtroom. It was by a unanimous decision of the nominating board that Special Prosecutor Jennifer Coles be the next Chairperson of the Governors Criminal Taskforce.”

I never thought Jenny had any chance of being nominated for the chair. I thought the job was super political. I sent a text to the rest of our mates with the news. I wondered what changes this was going to make in our family.

I made my way to Jenny through the crowd of well wishers. Jason and Lisa were beaming like the proud parents that they were. I congratulated Jenny, only to be grasped in a tight hug. As if she had read my thoughts she whispered, “Nothing changes but the pay and I get more help,” then she added “I Love you” before she moved away to the next person seeking a moment of her time.

After the commotion had died down and well wishers had left, the Governor, his aids, the Taskforce and invited guest were walked into a private dining area reserved for official state business.

It was buffet style; steaks were already on the grills, you just had to tell the chef how you wanted them cooked. Crab cakes, salads, sweet potatoes, white potatoes, and all the fixings you could ever want were there. There was even a big table of any desert that you wanted.

We sat the table with the governor. He asked how I made out with the FBI the day after the college demo. We all had a good laugh as I recounted my experience with the Barney clone and the Laurel and Hardy fire department.

After the fancy lunch Jenny gave us a tour of her old office and where her new office would be. She had overcome the shock of the promotion and now had to deal with the reality of having control of the taskforce and responsibility for it and its actions.

At the end of the tour Jenny called the taskforce crew together for the first meeting with her as the new boss.

At 3 Jenny, Jason and the Governor were scheduled to have Jenny’s first news conference with a question and answer session. She was worried but I knew she could handle the pressure with no problems. I felt sure that the media would be on good behavior this go round. All the reporters wanted to have open door access and they would not risk closing it in the first press conference.

I also knew Jenny had stood with Jason during his and she had plenty of experience as prosecutor dealing with the media and knew all the tricks to the trade.

I received a text from my clerk to make sure that I read the log on my desk tonight. There were several things that need my attention and several more that needed my approval. I had left notice at the gym and with Patti that unless it was an emergency not to bother me today.

I drove home so the Cole family could have some family time and conversation.

Edit by Alfmeister

Once outside Jenny said, “I called the State Police because this college receives both state and federal grants. The dumping of human waste in this manner violates multiple state and federal environmental laws.

The damage done to the building communications and electrical system is going to exceed the limit and make this a felony. I wanted the crime scene truck here to take DNA samples out of each pile. If they are all the same then it could have been just a disgruntled employee. If they are all different then they were most likely told to do this by a supervisor and that could make it a conspiracy.”

A few moments later the trooper and the forensics truck arrived with another unmarked car behind it. The unmarked car was the barracks commander Major Robert Welch.

Jenny went through the explanation of what and why she called the 911 center. The trooper was taking notes and getting ready to go inside when there was another round of yelling and screaming coming from inside. They ran inside and when they came out the security guard was in cuffs.

Jenny stopped the trooper, “Before you put him in your car you may want to remove his shoes. He was stomping in that crap a while ago; it will be tough to get that smell out of the carpet.” The trooper nodded and said, “Thanks.”

Major Welch had met many times with Jason as chairman of the task force and they were old friends. They were talking about old times and of Jason’s retirement. Jason filled him in on his new job and introduced us three ladies as his new bosses.

The Major remarked, “Well, you sure didn’t stay retired long.” Jason replied, “You should see the list of perks I got – there was no way to turn them down. You should see the two twenty year old assistant and secretary they hired me. Every time they smile at me I feel 20 years younger.”

“Dad, I don’t believe you said that!” Jenny replied while the rest of us were laughing.

Dean Skaggs had joined the conversation. “Our meeting for this afternoon is still on and it will be a humdinger. Our maintenance group will be here shortly and as soon as the troopers are done we will get a timeline for you.”

“That is not the only problem. We were going to temporally use some of the camera cables until the completely new system is installed in July. Now they are destroyed,” I replied. He just shook his head and walked away.

I walked off by myself and called Robert Bradberry of East Coast Security; they were to be here on Monday to hook up a few cameras with the old system that was now gone. I explained our dilemma and asked if a small part of the new system could be installed instead. He would call me tomorrow with an answer.

When I finished Jason walked over; he had still been talking with the Major, “You know Jenny and I have a task force meeting tomorrow. I want you to go along as my guest if you can?”

“I can go, I have several days off,” I replied. “Good” he said.

I was not looking forward to the meeting this afternoon; I really thought that we should not have been there. The events of this morning were between the old company and the college to iron out and not us.

Jason left with Courtney. Sly and Becky were following with the Suburban and the trailer. Jenny, Marcy and I left to find some lunch. Jason had told us there was a nice restaurant several miles down the road and he would see us there when he came back.

By 1 the crime lab truck had left and the maintenance people were in the building. Roscoe Goldberg was head of the maintenance department. After the introductions I walked carefully through the building with him, pointing out various things while he was writing them down.

He promised me that he would have answers for me when the meeting was finished, and to call him before I left. I met the rest of my team at the main building. The two other groups were assembled in the hallway along with several suits who were obviously attorneys. Jason and Jenny knew one that was with the college group. He was the local state’s prosecutor.

We sat for two hours while the College Board, the security company, the prosecutor and the lawyers had many heated discussions and finger pointing sessions.

After the two hours I stood up and said, “The differences between you two groups are only going to be settled in court. For the current problems I think it is necessary to request that the college ban Maryland West Security and all of their employees and former employees from the property and to reinforce that ban with a restraining order to make it legally binding.”

“Any equipment that we determine to belong to them will be stored until the courts determine what to do with it,” I added.

Dean Skaggs said, “I agree and will direct our legal team to make it happen today. I think Maryland West can be excused from the rest of this meeting.

Roscoe entered when they left. “It’s going to take 2 to 3 weeks to put the building back in working order, the only thing we can do is to bring in several office trailers to use until then.”

I hated that Courtney and her team was going to have to deal with this kind of problem and hoped that it was not a sign of things to come.

A double office trailer would be set up and operational by the weekend, not far from the current security building in a position so water and sewer could be hooked up to it. I would inspect it Monday when I came to pick up Sly and Becky and to meet with East Coast Security installation team.

The good thing was all the new security equipment was wireless; moving the servers to the renovated building would be the biggest problem.

The flight home was quiet. We were all lost deep in thought. The only thing said was by Jason to Jenny, “I invited BJ to the task force meeting tomorrow. I am going to turn my state car in and ride home with you. You can drive my Suburban so we will have plenty of room.”

Edit by Alfmeister

At 5:30 we bid goodbye to Courtney and her group. We would meet up with them in four hours, we estimated. Our first meeting was at 10:30 with the board then a joint meeting at 1 with both the board and the outgoing security company. Courtney and Mark were going to sit in on the first meeting if they arrived in time. Unless they had trouble they had an hour to spare.

In between meetings Jason was going to lead Courtney to the hunting cabin where she was going to stay and give her a quick course on how everything operated and where things were situated.

At 7:30 we boarded the plane for the flight to Frost Borough. The flight was uneventful until it was almost over; there was a little more than the normal turbulence. The seating had been arranged in business format so we could work. Jenny was beside me in the aisle seat. Marcy and Jason were seated across from us. Jenny suddenly got very quiet then she grabbed a barf bag and reclined her seat a little. She had never before been sick on any of the flights we had been on together.

Jason searched his pocket and offered Jenny a pack of antacids, saying “I never fly without a pack.” Whatever upset her stomach passed quickly but she slipped the pack into her pocket. I watcher her closely as we continued with business.

Jason said, “I called my golfing buddy that handled the county for both Wal-Mart and Lowes when they tried to come into the county. He is still representing their interest on the Maryland part of the shore.

He was very positive that one of them may be interested. He has a meeting with both of their management teams this week. It seems that several of their leases at other sites are under renegotiation. I took the liberty of sending him a copy of the building and lot plans yesterday. They are paying leases in the area we were talking about.”

I looked into my contact list and selected the group for all the security new hires. Then I sent them all a text that we would be in the area today and available to meet with anyone needing any more information or had questions for us. I also sent them my meeting schedule for today.

We picked up one of our rental cars at the Frost Borough airport after spending a few minutes with the employees there. This was the first time they had met Jason as VP of Human Resources.

We rode around the college campus to fill in the time before our meeting, while we were waiting on Courtney and Mark to arrive. It was the first time that I had been to every part of it in the daylight. Of course I had looked at it very closely with Google Earth.

In our rounds we found a building that had a sign marked as security. The door was unlocked so we went in. The place stunk to high heaven. There was fresh urine and piles of feces in several places.

I expected it to be a mess, but not like that! If this was the place we were going to be I was going to have it cleaned and sanitized by a commercial company. I took several pictures with my camera and sent them to my email account.

I would bring this problem up in the first meeting with the board. They were going to get the bill for the cleanup. They could withhold the cost from the final payment to the current company if they wanted. If I had to I would have an office trailer brought in until this place was acceptable.

Courtney and her group would not move in until it was spotless and odor free. I had been forced to spend nights in Afghan buildings that had been left that way. You do not get used to it no matter how long you stay in them. That odor gets in your hair and clothes and will slowly nauseate you.

The building was of a nice size with several offices, a break room, a meeting room and a room that was obviously used as a cell. The bathroom fixtures were destroyed. There was a counter in the room that was for public access. It had been trashed with a sledge hammer and all of the cables to security cameras and communications cables had been cut off flush with the wall with cutters and the pieces left on the floor.

I took more pictures. If this were the building then Mr. Skaggs and the board were going to come over here to see the condition before the second meeting. Someone had a lot of work to do before Courtney could start operations next Monday.

Courtney sent me a text that they would be coming through the entrance in 10 minutes or less. I replied that I would meet them at the entrance.

I showed them where to park the Suburban and the trailer. There were several drive-through parking spots large enough for a trailer. As they were disembarking the vehicle I noticed right away there had been a change of clothes with Sly and Becky. When they left the house they had been in jeans. Now they were in matching pant suits and low heels like a lot of the other girls in the office wore. There had been makeup and some work done on their hair.

Sly noticed my questioning look and said, “You can introduce us as trainees or summer interns.” I just smiled as I thought.

It didn’t seem all that long ago that I was ready to drown the life from their bodies for what they had helped to do to Joey. Now they were reaching out for better things of life. It looked like they had made the correct decisions for their future.

At the dinner they were as extremely happy for Janice and Lisa when we announced the full scholarships for them. I guess they did not believe me when I told them they would be college educated when they were naked on the floor trembling in fear at our first unfortunate meeting.

The public relations lady directed us to the meeting room. We had hardly been seated before the board of directors came in. They went through introductions and we did the same. I did introduce Sly and Becky as summer interns for the office.

We had a productive meeting. They explained the expectations that were spelled out in the contract. We explained how we would meet and exceed those expectations.

Jason went over our code of ethics that all of our employees were expected to follow. Courtney went over the policies that were security guidelines.

Courtney explained in detail that criminal activities would not be tolerated from students, security employees or college faculty. There would be no cover-ups or looking the other way for drugs or crimes.

She also stated her intention to have a reasonable working relationship with local authorities but she would go out of her way to protect students from harassment by those same authorities.

Dean Skaggs asked if we had seen the security office in our ride around the campus.

‘Yes we did. After we are finished here I want the board to go over there for a discussion about its condition,” I replied. “There are some problems that need immediate attention or else we will have to have an office trailer brought in before Monday.”

“I was just over there a few days ago everything was fine. What’s wrong?” he asked.

“I think it is best if you, the board and we inspect the place before the meeting with them this afternoon,” I said.

There were a few more minor discussions and the meeting was ended. Jason, Courtney, Sly and Becky left for the hunting cabin. Marcy, Jenny and I along with the board walked over to the security building. I made sure I was at the door first. I opened the door with, “After you,”

“What the hell do you think you are doing?” I heard Dean Skaggs shout after only a couple of the board had stepped through. My mind had several images of what he might have seen as I held the door for the rest of the board to walk in.

I quickly stepped inside and around the standing group to see one of the current security people trying to desperately get his pants up and belted. In his haste and nowhere to go he was stepping in the mess he had deposited in the floor.

Jenny pulled a camera out of her bag and started taking pictures rapid-fire. Then she began taking a series of pictures of the complete interior of the building while minding very carefully where she was stepping. She was doing this while Dean Skaggs and the board were having a screaming fit at the man.

Jenny called the 911 center and asked to speak to the barracks commander. After identifying herself Jenny requested the crime scene truck and a trooper be sent to the building.

The culprit had been in the process of cutting the electrical fixtures out of the walls when the need to empty his bowels hit him. There was a tool bag on the floor not far from him that was not there when we were in there earlier and none of the electrical fixtures had been bothered. They were now all cut out of the wall now and in a box or lying on the floor.

The breaker panel cover had been removed with all of the breakers and wires flush cut. From the distance where I was standing only the main breaker was left in the box. It would take electricians days to pull new wires if the building was wired in conduit. If it was wired prior to the dry wall installation and not in conduit it could take weeks. The building would have to be gutted to be rewired.

It was obvious we were not going to be using this building for a long while. I never expected this kind of problem, let alone to catch them in the act. I motioned Marcy and Jenny to follow me outside to get away from the shouting that was still going on.

I suspected that this afternoons meeting was either going to be cancelled or one hell of a mess.

Edit by Alfmeister

Monday seemed to start with a relief. The college was like a ghost town. There were a few people in the administration building and the dorms for the most part were deserted. There were a few dozen students loading family cars with bags of clothes and other possessions.

The only thing that was moving was construction on the last dorm and correcting flaws in the first one that the inspectors had found. Next fall the college would grow by an additional 250 students.

Patti had several weeks of vacation to use. She chose the third week of June and the third week of July. Patti had a thing about lighthouses. The first week she was going north along the coast and for the second week she was going south. She had a map with each one marked out. She was going to take Kate with her on the north trip. Kate had family in Maine and New York; they were going to spend some time with them to keep costs down.

Mid-morning Mischief and Mayhem came in all smiles. Roseanne said, “We took some of the gift cards we received and went shopping for some more work outfits.”

“Marcy told me that she had offered both of you jobs and you were to start tomorrow. Have you moved in with your boyfriends yet?” I asked.

“No and we are not going to for a while,” Corry responded. “We found a small farm house that is in good shape just outside Cville, just right for the two of us. It has a lot of modern appliances and gas heat. The insulation, doors and widows have all been upgraded this year.”

“The older couple that own it are very nice and cut the price a lot when they found out that we were going to be working for you guys. That way we can have time to ourselves without the boyfriends.”

Roseanne added, “Boyfriends are nice but they can be a real pain in the ass and get overbearing after a while. They are working different shifts so there have already been sleeping issues and they want to live like pigs. They can come for a visit then go to their house.”

“Wise choice, don’t rush moving in together with them. There are a lot of adjustments that you are going to be making over the next few months, such as getting used to a full time job verses college. Also, getting the house set up the way you want it instead of the way they want it. Setting a day to day routine for your selves will be a change. You are going to be doing some traveling on the company nickel,” I said.

“Then you know what jobs we are getting?” Roseanne asked.

“I only heard bits and pieces; the assignments are not final yet,” I said.

“We have to find some cheap furniture. The house is empty; we do not even have a bed to sleep on yet. For a while it may be old army cots. Dad did bring me Mom’s old car. At least we will have a way to work,” she said.

“We were thinking about going to one of those rent to own places,” Corry said.

“Don’t go there they; will eat you up with fees and interest. Tomorrow, ask Marcy about the employee small loan benefit. It has a Payroll deduction and is financed through Midwest Bank with an employee discounted rate.

As a new employee there is a limit; it has to be paid off over 12 months and requires direct deposit to a Midwest account. But it should let you buy some reasonable priced furnishings to get started.

Each of you would be eligible. Just decide who is going to own what furniture and start small; you can always upgrade and add more when the paychecks start and you set up your own budget,” I said with a laugh. “Try to put some money aside for the unexpected like for when the car needs to go to the shop or needs tires. Winter will soon be here and the heat bill will hit.”

“I think Marcy may even have the paperwork to start the Midwest checking accounts or she may have one of their representatives stop by. It is a great benefit along with the payroll savings plan.”

“There are a lot of things coming in the non-traditional benefits plan for employees. Marcy is working with Veraxon Wireless on a discount plan and an IRA retirement saving plan where we may match part of the employee contribution, and then there is talk about a cable service plan,” I said.

“You have to be out of the college dorm by Wednesday. If you need a place to stay for a couple of days until you get at least enough furniture to sleep on I don’t think the girls will be upset if you stay in one of the lower guest rooms. The boys do not stay overnight, period,” I said.

At the night’s meeting I filled the girls in on Roseanne and Corry’s temporary housing issue and the invitation that I had extended them as well as the restriction I had given them.

Courtney, with the help of Sly, Becky, and Mark had loaded her personal things into the Suburban and the Judges 8 by 16 two axle enclosed trailer today. Courtney cleaned out her apartment and turned in her keys. We had ordered the Suburban with a Reese hitch to be able to tow a trailer if we needed to. Courtney, Sly and Becky were going to spend the night in the upper guest rooms and leave early in the morning before rush hour.

Courtney, Becky, Sly and Mark were going to drive to Frost Borough and help her move some of her things into the hunting cabin. The rest she could leave in the trailer until she found a place to rent.

Jason, Jenny, Marcy and I were flying up tomorrow to have the final meeting with the Frost Borough board and then a joint meeting with the out-going security company. Sly and Becky were staying until the weekend to help Courtney get settled in. Mark was going to attend the meetings with us and then fly home with us.

Mark was going to be the administrator for the security division and Sandy was the day to day accountant and time keeper, among their other duties. The administrator was to monitor and be able to fill in for the company if we were away. They were another check and balance in the system to make sure everything stayed above board. The administrator and Courtney reported directly to me and then Marcy if I was unavailable. Sandy was to report to Marcy. All accounting personal reported to Marcy.

We worked out in the gym for a couple of hours before having a light supper. While we were working out Roseanne called to ask if they could come tonight and stay until they had acquired at least the basic furniture – no more than two or three days, hopefully. After everyone had arrived that was spending the night we turned in early.

We had so many different people staying in the guest rooms for so long it convinced me to make the Horsey property our own mini motel. The biggest reason was to ease the congestion in our house and not expose guest to our lifestyle.

I sent Bob a text to make the house motel style as we had discussed ASAP. I knew that all the work could be done in the house without permits and could be started as soon as he had the manpower available.

A few minutes later he replied, “I was pretty sure that you would go that way. The materials for that are easily obtained. I hired two more foreman and four more crews today.“

“The foreman and two crews that have done the most work for you will be assigned that job. They will report there tomorrow with the engineer and architect. They can begin the tear out process based on the preliminary prints and put together a materials order. Again, thanks for the work!”

Edit by Alfmeister

The auction required a letter of credit from the bank and a certified check in the amount of 5 million made out to the Bank of New York as a deposit to be able to bid. The check was written on one of our escrow accounts. They were the owner’s representative and were conducting the auction. Most likely the owner had other major financing with them or an open line of credit and the property was collateral.

Jeanna had delivered the check at ten. I was surprised that she did not come to the auction, but then I found out that she was having a business luncheon at her house with out of town managers.

Marcy, Jason and I went into the building where they had set up the registration desk, filled out the paperwork and gave the security deposit and letter of credit to the official. I had not opened the letter until I prepared to hand it to the banker. Jeanna had written the credit limit for 30 million. I showed the letter and the check to Jason saying “Our limit is for the two together.”

As a teenager I had accompanied Dad to several auctions. They always had the best tasting hot dogs, hamburgers, crab cakes and in the summer, the best hand-cranked ice cream around. Local churches and fire department Ladies Aux always did the food at these events as fundraisers.

Dad had taught me the basics of bidding, even letting me buy some small things. I remember the first time he let me buy a bike so we would have an extra one to let my friends go riding with me. It was the proudest day of my life to hold up the buyer’s number when the auctioneer yelled “Sold.”

It had been so long ago I did not think I was up to the task on something this important. I asked Jason to do the bidding. To my surprise he declined and said, “You face the auctioneer and I will face you. I will tell you when to bid but you are doing the bidding. Do not bid unless I nod to you.”

While we were waiting for the auction to start Chuck Rustone from QT Banking and Trust – the bank we had used to buy the gym and where I had my personal checking account – came over and we talked. Mostly it was about Jake and how he was doing, when I was expecting him to come home. I did not have much information to give him other than the general things I knew.

The auctioneer started reading off the procedure for the auction; the dimensions of the property, the building and the property restrictions. He then opened the bidding at 20 million. After jawing around with no takers he started going down. He ended up at 1 million before someone bid. He carried out the verbal dance for 2 million before Jason signaled and I bid 2. Someone bid 3, then from the side 4, and then I bid 5.

Chuck, who was still standing beside me, turned so he could watch Jason and me. The auctioneer worked to get 6 and I came back with 7 as soon as he turned, before he could blink. He worked the crowd trying to get 8 and finally did. A guy down in the front went for 8.5 and I had my hand up for 9 as soon as he looked.

The auctioneer worked the crowd again trying to get 9.5, with no takers, and dropped to 9.25. No one took the 9.25 even after he tried for five minutes before he finally said, “Sold.”

Chuck shook my hand and said, “Congratulations, if you need us we are just down the street.” Marcy sent a text to Jeanna, Jenny and the rest, “It went for nine and we own it!”

The three of us went back inside to fill out all the paperwork and write the final check for 4.5 million. There were $500,000.00 in taxes and fees that the buyer had to pay on a property sale that large.

Among the many papers we received was the original engineering drawings of the shopping center; dozens of different ones all rolled up and tied. At the office, I laid them out on the table intending to go through them over the weekend just for fun.

Friday night was the last big dinner. Marcy rented the largest dinner room at the inn and paid for a full course meal. Janice and Lisa and their families were to be there along with all my mates and all the families.

Midwestern Bank and MAAR were going to announce that they were going to complete the full scholarship for Janice and Lisa to go to college at AACC.

The rest of the weekend went that way; celebrations, parties and family get-togethers, one after another. I had to work at the college on Saturday in my official capacity as head of security. There were no problems; it was more of a public relations day for my department.

All but a few of the students would be gone after today. Many had cleaned out their dorms already. All the possessions that they wanted to take home were boxed and bagged waiting for their parent’s car.

The HR and IT departments had dumped the job of accounting for all the college’s student issued electronics and laptops on my department. It came in the form of an e-mail three weeks before graduation along with a list of all the equipment and serial numbers.

By some small miracle all had been turned in by graduation. I would have felt bad to be cause of a student not being able to walk across the stage and that was the penalty.

I did get to sit with the families of my mates when they walked across the stage. I was as proud as any of the parents. The discussion of our family business and each of their involvement with the parents had happened several times. There was only one discussion of the rings; it came from Vicky’s mom, but all eyes and ears were on the conversation.

Vicky as innocently as she could said, “We are one big family and the rings are a symbol of our commitment to our family.”

One important and surprising thing did happen late Sunday. I had been so busy that I had not asked how the interview sessions went with Roseanne and Corry. I gave them a hug and congratulations as they came off the stage. They were whisked away with family before I could talk to them.

Sunday afternoon after most of the people had left I got a few minutes to talk with my family and some the conversation about the interviews.

Marcy said, “You should have been there. For Jason’s assistant interview he gave all the applicants 10 pages out of the new HR manual we have been putting together when they started the interview. He let them have ten minutes while he was reviewing their resumes to read and digest the material.”

“Then he gave them four what if issues and they had to argue the pros and cons of each based on the information in the 10 pages. Roseanne aced it. Her being on the debating team was perfect training. Jason wants her for his assistant. And Corry, I think we are going to try as an administrator. She handled the test and data interpretation as good as any of the other applicants,” she said. “And she offers suggestions for improvements to the work flow and got along very well with Susie Q, Sabrina and Janice.”

“They both know they have jobs but not what they are yet. They are starting Tuesday,” she said.

Edit by Alfmeister

The rest of the week went by like a rocket; there were that many things going on. Tuesday and Wednesday finished out all the exams. Then there was graduation rehearsal, the dinners, and all the works. Graduation was at noon on Saturday. It was something to think about that nine of the graduating class either lived with me or worked for the JBG.

All my mate’s moms, dads, brothers and sisters were everywhere. I felt like a pig from all the fancy dinners I had to attend. So much so that almost every night I was over to the gym afterwards working out with the men’s fitness group, just so I could stay in my clothes. I even went to graduation for Janice and Lisa of the North gang.

I had intended for them to go to college but I was surprised that they both won partial scholarships to AACC, thanks to the class taught by Lisa Coles. It may have helped that Jason worked on several scholarship groups for worthy students. It also helped that their grades went from C and D to A+ with the help of Lisa’s class. I was sure that I could convince Midwest Bank and MAAR to pick up the rest of the cost.

Avoiding any sexual improprieties was a challenge. There were people everywhere. The six lower guest rooms were occupied as was the four over the garage, and then there was the overflow at the Holiday East and motel Hilton.

Also, there were all the tanning sessions for all the moms and sisters. The sisters were another thing by themselves. They were all teenagers and after several visits with Wendy they were all ready to be amateur nudists.

They were doing their best to show all the skin they could and not get caught. I watched more than one pair of panties being slipped off and stashed in the bottom of a purse and then there were all the extra empty cans of shaving cream in the trash.

Then there were the accidental spread leg peeks and a wink when they could get away with it or an accidental squat with wide legs to pick up a dropped object. It was easy to tell that the tanning sessions were completely nude after the first couple of days. I just smiled, shook my head and avoided staring as much as possible.

The commercial building inspector spent most of Thursday looking through every nook and cranny over at the closed shopping center that was going to be auctioned off by the bank on Friday at noon. He was going to be at our meeting tonight with a complete report. Jeanna was going to sit in since Midwest would do the financing if we bought it.

Bob’s Construction had made several inspections of the Horsey property we had bought and was also going to have a plan to present after the commercial guy gave his. Bob had also made a trip through the shopping center and had an estimate for us based on the joint observations with the commercial guy.

The meeting started off with the report from the inspector. Several of the potential lease spaces would need new floor tile put down – they were worn out – including the largest one; the old Acme store. The roof had been replaced 5 years ago on the entire shopping center by a contractor that specialized in commercial buildings.

The roof had held up well and was in perfect shape. All the block walls showed no signs of stress cracks. Four of the rental spaces would need new heat pumps. When a site closed they were robbed of parts to keep the rented units going for little cost.

Almost all of the spots would need new doors and closers. The stuff was just plain worn out. Replacing them with quality new components would make them good for several years.

The biggest and worst expense was going to be the parking lot. Almost a third of it would need to be blacktopped, and the rest seal-coated and relined and the handicapped spaces redone to the new size requirement.

Bob’s estimate for complete repairs, including new exterior paint, was a million dollars; over half was in the parking lot.

Bob then went into the Horsey property. We had two ways to go. Make it into office space we could use or rent out. The second one was make it into our own little motel. Gut all the bathrooms and the kitchen. Replace all the bathroom fixtures with new. Set the kitchen up like a modern hotel centennial breakfast nook. Then add a bathroom in each of the four large rooms downstairs. That would give us eight motel style rooms.

It would only need four bathrooms to make it office space to rent it out, but when finished there would be just 4 rental spaces.

To add parking to the gym, his plan was to remove a portion of the fence area between the two properties. Hog out 6 inches of topsoil and replace that with recycled concrete, roll the hell out of it with a 10 ton roller, then put down 2 inches of millings and roll that.

The finishing touch would be several layers of a special seal coating, then in a few days stripe the parking spaces. The special seal coating on millings that had been rolled tight would look as good and last almost as long as new blacktop, but at one tenth the price.

The county was going to require an environmental runoff collection pond. There would be a 2 inch slope towards the pond. The parking area would run the length of our existing building. With one row next to the building and a double row of parking we would gain over 100 badly needed parking spots. The only question was, do we cover it for bad weather?

Jason recommended turning the permitting process for the parking lot over to a legal specialist he knew in the county. He was sure that would cut months off the process.

After they both left we began the battle over how much to bid for the shopping center. The center was 4 acres under roof – over 170000 sq feet – and another 3 acres of parking.

Jeanna’s research showed the 7 acres of land was worth 7 million on that side of the road. Closed shopping centers were on market on the east coast for 5 dollars a sq. foot, making the building worth about $850000.00 for a total of 7.85 million. Her research showed that because of the location it could go as high as 15 million.

Marcy began with the numbers crunch as she always did, “At 7.85 million plus the 1.5 million in repairs to total 9.3 million the investment would be $55.00 a square foot. At 15 million the investment would be $88.23 a foot.
If we could rent every foot at $5.00 the monthly return would be $850 thousand but that is nearly impossible. A safer bet would be 50 percent occupancy and a target of that happening in 18 months. That would bring in $425,000.00 an month or 5.1 million a year,” she said.

“At $5.00 I think we could rent it all. Easton rates are $7, Chestertown $7, Salisbury $9.50, Ocean City $12.50 and Annapolis $14 to 17 depending on location,” Marcy said. “Payments on a 15 year loan would be $64,922.00 a month or $780,000.00 a year on the 9.5 number. On 15 million the payments would be $102,508.00 or $1,230,000.00 a year.

Jason joined the discussion “There is one other possibility that I hope no one else has thought of. The county has a ban on big box stores that was put into effect four years ago for new construction. An existing structure such as that one could not be built in the county any more. The cut off is 40,000 feet and the buildings have to be separated by 10 feet. There is only a fire wall separating the stores in this building.”

“You might easily be able lease the whole thing for a super Walmart, or a Lowes, BJ’s or a Home Depot and they could skirt the planning and zoning rules because it is grandfathered. Walmart and Lowes have been trying to come into the county for years only to be denied because of the store size they want,” Jason said. “You may have to come down to $3.00 or less to make that happen but on a long term lease it would still be a big money maker. I know the attorney that handled the Walmart applications.”

That ended the meeting for the night. Marcy, Jason and I would go to the auction and Jason would do the bidding if I chickened out when we got there.

Edit by Alfmeister

Monday took on a life of its own; Patti and I were back at the college to begin the last two weeks of the 13/14 college year.

Patti’s employment contract was up at the end of the school year. I had filled out the paperwork to extend the contract for another term. It was up to the department heads to determine the length of the term. I had requested four years so that it would be on the same cycle as mine, with automatic extensions. HR sent the sealed confidential envelope in today’s mail. It had been approved; all I needed to do was to present it to her and have both of us sign it.

On a different note I had left Jason and Courtney several pages of instructions along with signed job offers. They were going to be busy for the week. Monday and Tuesday Jason and the girls were going to be doing more interviews.

I called Dover Officers Supply about getting the Glock semiautomatics and uniforms for our security company. I knew there were going to be hoops to jump through, especially with those not already having carry permits. Part of the paperwork they had filled out after they accepted the job was the State of Maryland request for a carry permit. Those were to be submitted by Jason today, along with the necessary fees

The owner remembered me from my original purchase of weapons. I explained in detail about the security company and the contract. I was happy to learn that he also had a store 20 miles from Frost Borough. Once our State security license was approved we could buy any kind of weapons we wanted under the license that were legal in-state. The good thing about buying the equipment in Delaware was Delaware had no sales tax. The guns had to be bought in Maryland for registration purposes. The ammo and uniforms would be bought out of the Delaware store.

JBG had submitted all the paperwork for the security license before I had put in the bid to Frost Borough. Jenny and now Jason were both working on it. It was a four license package. So far three of the four had been approved and Jason expected the fourth any day. The insurance and bond had already been paid and was in force. As soon as they were approved we were going to go through the process to be registered as a Security company nationwide.

With an affiliate store 20 miles from Frost Borough the new hires could stop by to get measured for the uniforms and bullet-proof vest when they had time. I had to dig in my brief case to find the sheet of accounting numbers Marcy had devised for the security division. I started a corporate account- one of many that were going to be needed.

I advanced ordered 5000 rounds of 40 caliber ammo. I knew that the three that had been at the bottom of the testing were going to need 500 to a thousand rounds each to get the scores I expected. There would then be the routine practice to stay there.

My thought process was interrupted by the entrance of Mischief and Mayhem into my office. In a break from the normal, Roseanne started talking first.

“We want to thank you for getting us the study material for the interview with Marcy today. We spent all day yesterday going over it. We even gave each other questions,” Roseanne said.

“We are on our way now. We are going to get lunch there and be an hour early,” Corry added.

“Going to put out a good impression by being early is always a good way to start. Remember to turn off your cell phones,” I said.

I looked at the clothes they were wearing. They were most likely the best they had and good enough for any college function they had been to. But for this interview they needed to look like a professional office person; that is the group of people that they were competing against.

“Come with me girls,” I said. As we walked past Patti, I told her “I will be back in 30 minutes.”

We drove over to the shopping center to the big ladies department store. Roseanne and Corry followed me back into the ladies professional clothing department. Two sales persons met us there.

“These two are going for job interviews with a very high-end company and need to look very professional. They do not have much time. What kind of ideas do you have?” I asked.

They each took one and went down different aisles. Fifteen minutes later they were back. Roseanne was wearing a very nice ladies dress slacks with a nice blouse and jacket. Corry was in a knee length skirt with a wonderful looking blouse and a jacket. The outfits made them look very professional – the only thing lacking was shoes. A few minutes later they were back with nice shoes to match the outfits.

I pulled my card and said, “Remove the tags; they need to wear the outfits out.” While we were checking out a third lady from the makeup department took them over and did makeup. The right blush, eye liner and some other additions finished off the do-over for both. She even worked with their hair. I had her put together a package of the items she had used for each of the girls and handed her my card.

As Roseanne and Corry looked at themselves in the full length mirror I said, “Now go do your best and good luck.”

As the rest of the day wound down I realized how hard we had been pushing for the last eight months, without taking any time for ourselves. A vacation was in order. Even now with KCC in the summer recess after graduation, there was going to be no letup.

During the summer months renovations and maintenance would be in full swing, along with the completion of the new Dorm One that would add 250 students next year. Along with that the college rented out dorms to special group events. A cross-county bicycle tour group had obligated for 200 double bunk rooms for a two day layover on their trip and that was only one of several dozen such events. A few were international groups.

Security was no longer able to do a reduction in force during summer. My staffing levels would only be reduced by vacations this year.

I called Dad to ask if Uncle John still owned the house on Chincoteague Island and then if we could use his 4×4 for a few days. Dad had beach tags, big tires for driving on the beach plus fishing rod holders on the front. I could drive it right out on the beach in Assateague Island National park with coolers in the back and chairs. I thought most of the girls knew nothing about surf fishing but I could have a blast teaching them. It had been a while since I had been fishing, but I think I could still do it OK. That beach – for most part – was used very little. Heck, we could go naked while there. With the girls exhibition bug they would get a big kick out of that.

I called Uncle John after talking to Dad. The house was mine to use at the end of June; I obligated it for a week. He even said we could use the four jet skis that were there and the boat. There was a card on each one about refueling and the like. It was less than three hours away, close enough that we could go back home for an evening if needed. I sent a text to all of them to clear their schedules the last week of June for a beach vacation, my treat.

At Marcy’s Monday meeting, Courtney had the applications from the last two. They had been faxed first thing this morning. That put the final touches on the first group. The next group was for part-time employees and the interviews and testing could be done there.

Edit by Alfmeister

At eight the ten applicants and the seven of us, including Courtney, were sitting at the meeting table. I handed out the individualized forms; the only difference was the name.

Jones Security, a division of Jones Business Groups

Jones Security offers Charles Wilson III the position of Security Guard at Frost Borough University effective June 1, 2014.

The basic terms and conditions of this offer are as follows:
1. Base Salary $40,000 per year equal to $769.23 weekly or $19.23 hourly wage. Pay checks shall be available weekly on Friday after 8AM.

2. The standard week shall consist of 40 hours. Rotating shift work applies to this offer. All hours over 40 shall be paid at time and a half.

3. There shall be 10 paid holidays:
a. New Years Day
b. Presidents Day
c. Good Friday
d. Easter
e. Memorial Day
f. Fourth of July
g. Labor Day
h. Thanks Giving Day
i. Christmas Day
j. Birthday holiday (A floating holiday that may be taken any time during the calendar year.) Any employee required to work on the above holidays shall receive a $10 dollar per hour holiday bonus ($80.00 per shift) and receive a day off with pay to be taken within 30 days of the holiday.

4. An employee temporally assigned as shift supervisor shall receive a 5% pay bonus.

5. Vacation shall be 2 weeks, after 5 years of service the employee shall receive 3 weeks.

6. Sick time. An employee shall receive 5 sick days (these require a Doctor’s slip).

7. Medical. Basic medical coverage shall be provided by Suma Insurance. In network shall require $25.00 co-pay. Out of network shall require $50 co-pay. All prescriptions shall be filled with generic drugs with $10.00 co-pay. Non-generic shall be 50% of cost with a annual maximum annual out of pocket of $1000.00. Details are available on the Suma website. Plan number 2014JBGXXZZ1414

8. Dental. 1 cleaning and 1 set x-rays per year per family member with a maximum of $1000.00 of maintenance per family member. Dental charges are to be limited to Tridents Standard fee limits. Charges in excess are to be paid by employee at time of service. Details are on Tridents website. Plan number 2014JBGNNCCA.

9. Eye Care. One eye exam per year per family member with glasses and contacts at 50% cost based on Dumas standardized eye care fee chart. Details on Dumas website, plan number 2014JBG162b

10. No tattoos or body piercings shall be visible when in uniform.

11. Five uniforms shall be initially supplied by JBG.

12. The employee shall be neat and well groomed at all times while on duty.

13. The employee shall maintain height and body weight ratios within 10% of AMA recommendations.

14. All employees are required to complete an annual physical at a medical practice of the companies (JGB) choosing including random drug testing at the digression of HR and the compliance contractor.

15. All employees must perform above 98% on annual weapons qualifications.

16. All employees shall receive:
a. Code of conduct manual.
b. Electric communications manual, IT guidelines and policy manual
c. JBG employee guidelines and Corporate Policy manual
Violations of the rules from any of these Manuals can result in suspension or immediate termination.

17. There will be a 9 month probationary period.

This offer for employment shall be valid for 48 hours.

“The plane will leave for Frost Borough at 11 so you have a couple hours to think it over or ask questions. You can take it home and discuss it with your significant other and e-mail or fax it back to us within the 48 hour limitation,” I said.

“BJ, pick up the com phone, please,” the voice was Karen’s, another part time employee Vicky had hired to work on Sundays.

“Sly is back with the morning’s refreshment run and has several boxes of donuts. Where did you want them to go?” she asked.

“They are for the meeting up here. Send them up when someone gets a free minute,” I said.

A few minutes later Wendy walked through the door carrying the four dozen donuts. She was wearing her usual almost-nothing thong bottom and barely-there top.

“How is the tanning business going this morning?” I asked.

“Very busy, everyone wants those last minute tans for vacations and graduation,” Wendy replied.

“Sly, Becky and you are on the list to take the stats test for college in two weeks, you are still studying in Lisa’s class, aren’t you?” I asked.

“Yes, Mom and Dad would be hurt if I didn’t do well but I think Mrs. Lisa would be hurt the most,” she replied.

“I would be hurt as well. If you remember, ‘you go to college’ was the condition to let you work here,” I said.

“Yes, I know. Dad wants me to go to the Naval Academy and has a sponsor if I want to go. I have moved so many times I can not remember all of them. I do not want to do that anymore,” she said.

“Do your best. I am trying to work out something for the three of you. I think you will like it if I can make it work,” I said. A couple more words and she headed back to the tanning booth. I saw ten heads follow her out the door.

I took a chocolate donut to have with my coffee – yes, just one. The others took some as well. The rest of my mates excused themselves to do other things. We each had an after lunch date in the gym with a favorite exercise machine. When you make an exercise program a daily habit, it is hard to break.

Some of the applicants took their copy and went to various places in the office to talk quietly on their cell phones, to their significant other I guessed.

I sat at the table quietly reading over the copy of the master of the job offer one more time to see if I had forgotten something or could have worded it better. I had a second sheet that they did not have. It was the budgeted cost for each position from the expense program.

Base salary $40,000.00
Health insurance $14,400.00
Dental $1500.00
Eye care $494.50
Uniforms $625.00
Vacation $1538.46
Annual physical/w drug test $850.00
Sick time $769.23
Annual estimated training cost $2500.00
$63,527.19 x10 = $635,271.90
Those numbers did not reflect the employer mandated tax that was equal to 10%.

I looked up when I decided that there was nothing to change and reading it another time would make no difference.

Ronnie Baines and Sandra Couples, the two ex-marines, had moved and were sitting across from me. They slid the signed application to me.

As I noted that they were signed I said, “Welcome aboard. The work won’t be as hard as going through all this. The being ‘politically correct’ will be the worst part. The biggest thing will be to stay in shape. You may have to run from time to time – hopefully it won’t be to gunfire.”

While the others finished up their private conversations and drifted back to the table one at a time I talked with the marines about their time in the sand box. Old war stories never get old, I seemed to remember more and more bits and pieces about every one of them as time went by. I guess it was the mind finally coming to grips with the harshness of the events and allowed me memories like that.

They each had spent time in some of the very places and camps I had been stationed at. I asked about some of the old officers that I knew and if they had ever run into any of them.

Sandra Couples had seen action in the off-hand way that I had. She was a Battle Tank Repair Specialist and quickly learned that equipment that does not move becomes an easy target and makes the enemy braver.

Ronald Baines, on the other hand, had been Special Forces. He had seen and done his share of horrible things. I was thankful that we had had the shrinks look into the minds of this group of people. Sometimes the things we had done haunted us in the worst way. It did make me wonder why he had not stayed in and moved up or had been hired by many of the state police units, with so many of them forming swat and terrorist response teams. His type was usually in high demand as trainers in a variety of fields.

By departure time we had eight of the 10 signed job offers in our hands. The other two wanted more time to consider the offer and discuss it with their family.

Edit by Alfmeister

Everyone was dead tired. This week had been a rush from Monday morning till now. I was looking forward to spending the night in Jenny’s arms just having quiet talk. I knew something had been bothering her even though she had said nothing. It seemed that that invisible link between us was still active.

After our showers, we were in bed with my arms around her, talking quietly. She said, “My period started today but it has been very little – I just spotted a couple of times. I guess it is going to be light this month.”

“That just means that we get to try again. You know with mother nature nothing is ever easy or goes as planned,” I said.

“Yes, I know but still it is a little disappointing,” she said. We held each other and drifted off to sleep. It was a good night, peaceful and restful, but then snuggled tight to Jenny it was always that way. I never had any bad dreams when I was sleeping next to her.

We were up early and everyone was fed and over to the gym at 7. I took all the folders to review all the notes from yesterday’s test and interview session, since I had been here for none of it. Courtney joined me a few minutes later. The good doc promised to deliver the test results from the blood and urine tests today at 9. Based on Marcy and Jenny that test was the only thing left that would eliminate any of them for the job.

When I finish up reading a little after 8 they were all sitting at the meeting table with boxes of pastries from the donut shop and hot coffee. None of the boxes were opened.

Courtney and I pulled up a chair with them. Charles explained, “We brought the donuts and the coffee for after the treadmill run. We will need nourishment after that.” I just laughed. We were going to use all four Marathoners. The last two runners were going to be joined by Courtney and me. Courtney and I had run quite a few times against each other for the best times ever since she had worked herself into a good fitness form. We always finished the mile run within seconds of each other. Today I was going to try to beat her time, for sure.

After the run I had beat Courtney by 15 seconds and the best of the applicants by 1 minute. I quietly patted myself on the back for staying in shape. I was huffing and puffing but I could have run for a while longer.

Carmine, who was working the customer window, paged me. The Doc was there with the reports from the test. He just nodded and handed me the bill to pass on to accounts payable. Yep, we had one of those now, soon to be two.

Jamie, Courtney and I along with the 10 applicants drove to the shooting range. First was target shooting with the Glock. I had decided the Glock was going to be the standard issue side arm for JBG Security along with the 870 pump shot gun and the Colt AR15. The shotgun and the 15 would be locked in the gun safe in Courtney’s office along with one set of complete swat gear, for extreme emergencies only. That safe was to be locked at all times.

Each Glock was going to be issued with a security lock along with an electronic lock box that it was to be kept in, whenever it was not in the holster on your side. Jenny had already typed up a release that each person would have to sign stating that they had read and understood company policy about storage of the weapon before they would be issued one. There was a separate release and certification that they had received the mandatory fire arms training.

I was going to require that a refresher and recertification was done each year along with a first aid and CPR certification by an outside contractor. The first aid and CPR was going to be required by all personal, even those working the gym and the office.

It was noon before the dozen of us has finished with the pistol practice. Courtney, the ex-military personal, the deputies and I were shooting 98%.

The other three were new to precision shooting with a semiautomatic and were at 60%. I explained that they would have to be at 98% by September 1. Courtney would have extra ammunition for them to practice as soon as she found a practice range in the Frost Borough area. I had to wait until they had passed the state’s background check to issue the hand gun and the carry permit before they could wear it.

The deputy’s permits were assigned to them and not the department. That meant they could be carried over to JBG. All five of the ex-military had, since their discharge, acquired carry permits on their own – another plus to hiring them.

After lunch we spent the rest of the afternoon on the shotgun, rifle, tazer and pepper spray. Jamie finished the day with the shoot don’t shoot course. Courtney and I were the best of the group in that. That was most likely because we had been through it several times. I was extremely disappointed that two deputies did so poorly. They were lower than the two ex-marines; apparently the sheriff’s department did not do that kind of advanced training.

Both Courtney’s and Jason’s Suburbans had left Hendricks in Charlotte this morning and would be unloaded here tomorrow morning. The truck driver had called for confirmation and unloading information. I was to meet him over in the closed shopping center at 9.

Courtney’s already had a top of the line hidden strobe and police package with a backup camera installed. If the brochure for the light package was close it would put a loaded Christmas tree to shame. Jason’s was plain Jane. East Coast security would install the GPS system in both later. They would be delivered with N.C. temporary tags.

There was one of those State authorized quick tag places on RT8; all we had to do was just carry the paperwork and a check for real plates. It was one of the few things that the DMV had done right.

The Suburban was going to the decal shop Tuesday to get the Frost Borough logo with the word security under it. Ching Lee and Vicky had designed a nice circular logo with ‘A JBG Security Company’ that we were going to put in the left lower corner of the driver’s and passengers door of all our cars there. It was going to be in gold lettering like the fire companies used. It would also match the design and material of the other logo. I wanted to identify our ownership of the security group.

Marcy had already flagged 6 two year old black Chevys in the MAAR fleet that was working their way to the island that would be assigned to the security department.

I knew that Courtney would make a few trips by the APD just to rub it in their faces and I didn’t blame her. A week from Monday she was driving it to Frost Borough and moving some of her personal things into the hunting cabin for a while. Jason, Dad and the Judge said she could stay there but had to have a place of her own by hunting season, unless she wanted to become a maid and cook in her off time.

Jenny, Jason, Marcy and I were flying there a week from Tuesday to meet with Dean Skaggs and finalize the exit of the current security company. Sunday was to be their last day. All 10, if they accepted the job, would start the following Monday. The shift schedules were already designed, the only things lacking were names in the blanks. East Coast was going to make a special trip to install a few cameras and equipment, enough to get us started until the big push July 1.

The part-time people would be interviewed there with the background research being done here. That would happen mid to late July.

By 6 the applicants had finished everything that we had planned for them. We dismissed them for the evening. They had a list of the Island hot spots and I was sure the directions and names of several clubs in DC.

Jason had an hour before he had to leave. Jenny, Jason, Marcy, Courtney and I did one last review of all the data. I was going to offer jobs to all ten tomorrow at 8.

There were issues I had to resolve when hiring a group of ten and we discussed it at length. Someone had to have seniority. As a business owner you had to have a way to decide how to discharge employees should you need to reduce the size of the workforce for whatever reason. There was no legal way to line them up and say you and you are gone. Seniority gave you the, “last hired first fired,” method of manpower reduction. Labor unions had driven this rule for decades and it had been upheld in NLRB rulings.

Another thing you needed seniority for was deciding vacations and days off when an employer needed to maintain a required number of people on the job at a given time. Of course there were down sides to this method. The first hired could take all the best holidays and vacation times leaving employees at the bottom of the list disgruntled. It was a necessary evil that all businesses had to endure. The bigger the business and requirement for minimum coverage the worse the problem could be.

The legal minds, Jason and Jenny, suggested that we require them to accept the job in writing. A job description and acceptance form would be used. It would also spell out basic benefits and starting pay and serve to eliminate any misunderstanding of the terms. When we received them back – if they wanted to take them home and discuss it with their wives or if they signed them on the spot – they would be date and time stamped when I received them. We designed the form and then called it an evening.

Ching Lee, Lorrie and Vicky had the dinner nearly finished. The grill was going when Jenny, Marcy and I got over to the house. While the steaks and sweet potatoes were grilling we enjoyed fresh salad with the chilled wine of our choice. It was great family time with laughter mixed with soft conversation – the things that bind families together. My family.

Edit by Alfmeister