Free Steele Trap (Heart of Steele) by Crystal Blue

idea."
    "What's
that?"
    "No, I'm not gonna
say it until I've checked it out. But give me a few hours to see what I can
do."
     
    Big Jim speed-dialed
Jake Daniels.
    "We've got another
problem. Can I run something past you?"
    "Sure."
    "Well, this
business cost us a week, and now we need to get caught up before Johansson can
get his full draw and make payroll."
    "That's rough,
man. Anything I can do?"
    "Yeah, if you're
willing. What we need is more hands. How would your crew like to make a little
on the side?"
    "You mean under
the table? I don't work that way, Jim."
    "No, I mean what
if they came to work on our site for a few hours when your workday is finished.
I'll pay them out of my profits, but they'll have to wait for it. Do you think
they'll go for it?"
    "I don't know,
Jim. We've always been on opposite sides of the labor question. Why should my
guys trust you?"
    "Jake, you helped
end this impasse, I owe you a favor. And if you can get your guys to help us
out, I'll be able to pay that favor back."
    "I'll see what I
can do."
     
    Jake called his crew
together and laid out the situation. One or two objected to working with union
guys, but the majority asked intelligent questions, like whether they would be
paid at union scale. It took a few phone calls back and forth, but they finally
settled it. At six o'clock when his crew's shift ended, Jake would go with them
to the Johansson build site and they would put in another three hours, until
full dark, working side-by-side with Big Jim's crew, who would also work
overtime. His crew would also receive overtime at union scale, which meant a
great vacation or Christmas for them, whenever Big Jim was able to pay. Barring
unforeseen incidents, the job should be caught up by the end of the week. Now
Johansson would have no excuse to put off paying Wally back. Whether that would
solve Wally's problem remained to be seen, but Jake had done all he could do.
     
    Wednesday morning, the
day of reckoning, dawned hot and still. Wally Steele dressed carefully, and
spent an extra moment holding his Jess. How had he managed the luck that found
her after his dreadful mistake with Alice? They might be opposite in every way,
but the proof that his second try at marriage was charmed was that Jess faced
his imminent financial ruin with grace and serenity. Hoping a little of that
would rub off on him before his board meeting, he accepted one last kiss and
tight hug. It was time to face the music.
    Wally arrived at his
office at eight a.m. and called his CFO in for a pre-meeting conference.
    "Has the payment
hit the bank yet, George?"
    "The wire came in
a few minutes ago, but it won't be credited until end of day. Still, we can
show that it's there. But you’re …"
    "Yes, I know. It
won't save me from prosecution if they want to stick it to me. Let's hope
there's some loyalty left in this world."
    "Loyalty tends to
disappear when big sums of money are involved."
    "Thanks for the
optimism. See you at nine."
    With that, Wally
dismissed his CFO and started rehearsing his presentation for the tenth time in
the last two days. His hope that Jessica's calm would rub off seemed to have
borne fruit; his pulse beat at a steady 80 BPM, right in the middle of normal
for a healthy male. If he got thrown out of his own company, it would be a good
idea to get more exercise, though, to get rid of this spare tire that was
creeping onto his midsection. Should he have a little nip of Johnny Black
before the meeting? No, he didn't need it, and it would give the wrong
impression if he showed up with booze on his breathe.
    With only two minutes
until time for the meeting to be called to order, Wally left his office and
entered the lion's den.
     
    It should have been
agonizing, waiting through the reading of the previous quarter's meeting
minutes and voting on approval. but, all too soon, it was time for the CFO's
report. Not a hint of the coming shock had leaked, for which Wally was grateful.
But, the expressions on