Chapter 26: Love and loss
The air conditioner blows cool air into Mike’s office at the Carnell Regional Theater. It always takes time for the old building’s air conditioning to catch up after being off over the weekend. “Here we go,” says Mike as he stands and gathers the folders on his desk.
“Are you sure you don’t want me in the room?” asks Debra Franklin, Mike’s ally on the board of directors.
“I’m sure,” says Mike. “This needs to be handled just as the handbook indicates. I’ll call you after the meeting.”
“I’m waiting here. We’ll talk after.”
Mike walks to the conference room and peeks inside to see Paul Shoemaker, the box office manager, and Mark Ober, the theater’s human resources director. “I’ll go get her,” says Mike. He walks down the hall and knocks on Vina’s open office door. She looks up.
“Can you come with me?” asks Mike.
“Sure,” says Vina as she closes the folder on her desk and stands up. She follows Mike into the conference room and sees Paul and Mark. “What’s going on?”
“Sit down, please,” says Mike. “During an audit Paul discovered anomalies in our revenue from online ticket sales…”
“I told him it was a bad idea,” says Vina as she lowers her head. Mike, Paul and Mark look at each other.
“So, you know what I’m talking about?” asks Mike.
“I’m surprised you didn’t discover it sooner,” says Vina.
“What were you thinking?” asks Mike.
“Vina,” says Mark. “This is a serious legal issue now so please be careful what you say.”
“Are you trying to steal from the theater?” asks Mike.
“Steal?” replies Vina. “No. I don’t have access to the funds. Only Bruce does.”
“Bruce?” asks Mike.
“He wants you gone, Mike,” says Vina. “He wants to create a situation where he can get the executive committee to agree to fire you.”
“Why don’t you go back to the beginning,” says Paul. “We need to understand this and get it fixed.”
“Bruce asked to access the ticketing system through my computer,” says Vina. “We met after hours, and he brought a tech guy who made changes to where the revenue went.”
“Why would you do that?” asks Mark.
Vina looks at Mike and starts to cry. “He told me I’d be the one to replace you. The money would come back after you were gone.” Mike shakes his head as he begins to grasp the situation. “Mike, I’m so sorry. I was wrong to go along.”
“Vina,” says Mark. “It’s probably best you go home.”
“Am I fired?” asks Vina.
“I’m not going to say anything more to you right now other than go to your office and get your personal items and leave,” says Mike. “Don’t touch your computer. Mark, will you escort her out of the building?”
“Sure,” says Mark. “And Vina, I’d advise you not to talk to Bruce. It would only make things worse for you.” Mark escorts Vina out of the conference room.
“Paul, will you get IT to block her credentials to log into her computer or pick up voicemail?” asks Mike.
“Will you fire her?” asks Paul.
“I’ve got bigger fish to fry,” says Mike.
---
“The Powerball rolled over so I got more tickets,” says John as he and Andy walk along Dinah Shore Drive picking up cans and bottles. “It’s at $1.3 billion!”
“Nobody won?” asks Andy. “See, I told you it’s a scam.”
“It’s fun to play.”
Dinah Shore Drive heading east from Gene Autry Trail is usually loaded with cast off recyclables and tonight is no different. But it’s a dangerous road where drivers break the speed limit and race along and up and over the Dinah Shore Bridge and down into Cathedral City. John and Andy borrowed a shopping cart and a couple of flashlights from a neighbor at the encampment to help them with their task in the dark.
“I still think you’d be better off buying SPAM,” says Andy. “At least you can eat it.”
“You are no fun,” says John. “I’m going to win one of these days. And we will be living the high life again.”
“Whatever. There’s some cans along the center divider.”
“I’ll get them,” says John as he crosses the double traffic lanes. He picks up the cans and looks across the opposite lanes of traffic. “There’s more over here.” John walks into the empty lanes and bends down to pick them up.
“Careful,” yells Andy as he sees the glow of headlights. “Car coming!”
John looks up and sees the headlights coming over the rise. He stands up and in seconds he’s bathed in the headlights of the speeding car. He turns to run but it’s too late. Andy sees the car, hears the thud and the screech of brakes as the car stops. Andy runs over to where John lays on the pavement.
“John! John!” Andy picks up John’s head and cradles it in his lap. John’s face is scraped and bleeding. Andy pulls his hand out from under John’s head and it’s covered with blood. “John!”
“I didn’t see him! He was just there!” yells the woman driver who runs toward them from her car.
“Call 911!” yells Andy through his tears. “John, please, John, open your eyes.” Andy cradles John’s head and feels his shattered skull in his hands.
---
The ambulance crew loads John into the ambulance and one of the paramedics jumps in with him.
“I want to go with him,” yells Andy.
“Sorry, sir,” says the other paramedic as he shuts the door of the ambulance. “There’s no room. And the police will need to speak to you.”
“Where are you taking him?” asks Andy.
“Desert Regional,” replies the paramedic as he signals the driver to drive and the ambulance races off with its lights flashing and siren screaming.
Andy sits on the curb and looks around. The road is blocked by police cars and the area is lit by alternating blue and red flashing lights. A police officer measures the skid mark and another questions the driver. Across the street is the shopping cart loaded with bottles and cans.
---
For the next two hours Andy was held at the accident location by the police for his statement. They never ran Andy’s name through their computer, so they didn’t realize that he was a person of interest in two other cases. He could have been arrested for failing to contact his public defender in his assault case with Victor Crank, and he would have been brought in for questioning in the rape and assault case that he was involved in. When they finished with his statement, Andy started walking toward Desert Regional.
---
Miss Patty and Sheriff Eugene stand in the darkness of the Palm Spring Riviera encampment talking to the same officers who were at the accident scene. They show them a picture of John from the accident scene.
“He’s dead?” asks Sheriff Eugene.
“He had a pulse when they left for the hospital,” says the officer. “I’ve seen a lot of accidents like this and to be honest I would be surprised if he makes it.”
“Thank you, officer,” says Miss Patty. “I have something for you.” She walks off into the dark.
“Was Andy with him?” asks Sheriff Eugene.
“Yes,” says the officer. “We got his statement and he walked away.”
“That one’s been in some trouble but he’s not a bad person,” says Sheriff Eugene.
“You know the navigation center is open,” says the officer. “There’s help for your people.”
“Not for me. But we’ve encouraged our citizens to check it out for themselves.”
“The families should go there. Especially the ones with kids.”
“I’ll work on it,” says Sheriff Eugene. Miss Patty returns with a document.
“John has a will,” says Miss Patty. “He asked me to hold onto it for him.”
“A will?” asks the officer.
“We are civilized here,” says Miss Patty. “He left his belongings to Andy. He has no living family members.”
“Keep it. You’ll probably see Andy before we do,” says the officer.
---
Andy runs through the dark parking lot of the Desert Regional Medical Center and up to the emergency room door. It doesn’t open so he bangs on it. The admissions administrator looks up and presses a button and the glass door slides open. Andy runs up to the nurse.
“I’m looking for John Ballard,” says Andy. “He was brought in by ambulance.”
“Are you family?” asks the adminstrator.
“No. He’s my friend. I was there when he got hit. I have to see him!”
“If you’re not family or next of kin, I can’t talk to you about him. There are laws about that.”
“Please tell me what room he’s in.”
“Sir, he’s in intensive care, so only immediate family can see him.”
“Is Tom Patel here? He’s a friend.”
“Sir, it’s 4:30 in the morning. No one from administration is here at this hour. You’re welcome to wait.”
Andy walks back outside. He paces up and down the sidewalk and tears stream down his face. He looks up the side of the hospital building to see if there is any clue to John’s fate. He sits on a bench and cries himself to sleep.
---
Mike sits in his office at Carnell Regional Theater with Paul, Mark, and Debra Franklin. They are gathered around his conference table with a computer and are waiting for a Zoom call to start. They are looking at a checkerboard of squares with different faces in each one. Mike was surprised to be able to get the board executive committee on a Tuesday morning Zoom call so quickly.
“We’re just waiting for Marylin to join,” says Mike. “Here she is.” He presses the button on his mouse and his square fills with the faces in his office.
“Hello everyone,” says Debra. “Thank you for making the time for this meeting.”
“I see that Bruce isn’t on this call,” says one of the board members. “Is he not available?”
“This call is actually about Bruce,” says Debra. “And it’s confidential. Mike, go ahead, please.”
“Hello, everyone,” says Mike. “Late last week it came to Paul’s attention that there were some discrepancies between what our box office was reporting and money in our account. I asked Paul to investigate, and it led to the discovery that someone had made changes to the program that directed every eighth sale to go to another account.”
“Who has access to the system?” asks a board member.
“The list includes all of senior management and a number of line staff,” says Mike. “But our ticketing company found that the changes came from Vina’s computer.”
“Vina?” asks a board member. “Have you asked her about it?”
“Yes,” says Debra. “Bruce asked her to meet late at night and provide access to the system so the change could be made.”
“Bruce?” asks almost every board member.
“Vina admitted to being involved,” says Mark. “She’s on leave.”
“She should be fired,” says a board member.
“Mike will handle that,” says Debra. “What no one is asking, however, is where’s the money.”
“Where is it?” asks a board member.
“Indian Wells Financial Bank,” says Mike. “It’s all there. They weren’t stealing the money. They were trying to make me look incompetent so you would agree to fire me.”
“I can’t believe Bruce would do that,” says another board member.
“I can,” says Luanne Rix, the board vice president. “He asked me to co-sign documents opening the account. I’m so sorry Mike. I had no idea what he was doing.”
“Luanne, don’t worry,” says Mike. “I’m actually glad that you’re on the account. You can get us access to those funds and we can move the money back to our regular account.”
“The executive committee needs to deal with Bruce,” says Debra.
“Have you called the police?” asks a board member.
“No, we don’t need this out in the community,” says Mike.
What’s the plan?” asks another board member.
---
Andy wakes up on the bench outside of the Desert Regional emergency room. There are a lot more people around. He gets up and goes back inside and there is a different person at admissions.
“Hi,” says Andy. “I’m here to see John Ballard.” The admissions administrator looks at his computer as he types.
“Are you next of kin?” asks the administrator.
“Yes.”
“How are you related?”
“Please! I need to see him! I need to know how he is!”
“Sir, please calm down.” Andy becomes enraged and starts pacing around the waiting room. The nurse dials the phone. “I need security at admissions.”
“John! John!” shouts Andy. “Tell me where he is!” Within a minute a golf cart with three security officers pulls up in front of the ER and they come inside.
“I’m sorry,” says Andy. “Is Tom Patel here? He’s my friend.”
“I will call him sir, but I need you to calm down and sit down.” Andy sits down and the security guards stand near him. The adminstrator talks to someone on the phone. “What’s your name, sir?”
“Andy Edwards. He knows me.”
“Andy Edwards,” says the administrator into the phone. He looks at Andy as he sets the phone down. “He’s on his way.”
In a few minute Tom walks into the ER, looks around and sees Andy and the security guards. He walks up to Andy. “Hey guys,” says Tom to the security guards. “Can you wait outside? This is an old friend. Everything’s fine.” The security guards nod and walk outside the glass door but keep an eye on Andy.
“Andy, what’s going on?” asks Tom.
“My friend got hit by a car last night and he’s here and they won’t let me see him.”
“OK, I’ll find out for you but what’s going on with you?”
“I’m here to see John!”
“I know, but look at you. You’re filthy. Are you still homeless?”
“Yes. John is my best friend. Please.”
“Alright. Sit tight.” Andy watches as Tom walks over to the admission administrator and speaks with him. They talk for a minute and Tom nods. The administrator hands Tom the phone and dials for him. He speaks with someone and hands the phone back to the administrator. He walks back to Andy. “Let’s go outside.” They walk out of the ER and over to a shaded area.
“Andy, your friend, John, he died last night. He was severely injured. He was dead when he got here. I’m so sorry.”
Andy looks at Tom and his eyes fill with tears. He starts shaking his head. “Where is he? I need to see him.”
“Andy, I want to help you, but I can’t do that. You’re not his family.” Andy falls to his knees and cries. “Let me take you home and get you fed and cleaned up. I want to help you.”
Andy looks up at Tom. His tears have created lines down his face where they’ve washed away the dirt. “I can’t be helped.” Tom leans down to help Andy up but he pushes Tom away. The security guards start to move in on Andy.
“Stop!” says Tom sternly to the guards. “I’ve got this.”
“I’m going,” says Andy.
“Andy, please, let me help you.”
Andy starts walking away from Tom, past the security guards and past their golf cart. He looks and sees the keys are in it. He jumps in and steps on the pedal and he’s off, speeding down the sidewalk. The security guards chase Andy but he’s through the parking lot and onto Tachevah Drive in seconds. One of the security guards doubles back.
“Don’t hurt him,” says Tom.
The security guard runs up to a pickup truck with a Desert Regional Security logo on the side and jumps in. He starts the truck and drives onto the sidewalk, stopping to pick up the other guards. They drive out onto Tachevah Drive, following Andy’s path.
---
At the end of the Zoom call, the executive committee agreed to clear their afternoon schedules for another Zoom call to confront Bruce who is in Minnesota where he spends his summers. In the meantime, Mike, Debra, Luanne Rix, the vice president of the board, Mark Ober of HR, and the theater’s attorney, Adam Childs, had a separate Zoom meeting to review the theater’s by-laws and map out a conversation to remove Bruce from the board. They knew they had the executive committee’s full support.
“Thank you all for being prompt,” says Luanne. “Bruce should be joining us momentarily. I hope you’ve all read the materials I sent you earlier about how this will proceed.” The heads in the Zoom checkerboard nod. “Bruce is calling in…hello Bruce.”
“Hi Luanne,” says Bruce. In the background of his Zoom image, you can see people playing tennis and hear tennis balls being hit by rackets. “Pardon the noise. It’s doubles elimination tournament at the club.”
“Bruce,” says Luanne. “What can you tell us about money from the online ticket sales going to Indian Wells Financial Bank?”
“Hold on,” says Bruce. He walks away from the courts and to a quieter place. “I’m not sure I heard you right.”
“We know what you did, Bruce,” says Luanne. “Vina told us everything.”
“I was only trying to do what’s best for the theater,” says Bruce. “The money is there. Look. I can be on a plane this afternoon and we can meet in the morning.”
“This was about me, Bruce,” says Mike.
“Mike,” says Bruce. “You’ve outlived your usefulness to Carnell Regional Theater.”
“Bruce,” says Luanne. “Let’s keep the conversation between the two of us. The executive committee has unanimously agreed to accept your resignation from the board effective immediately.”
“You seem to forget that Julia Carnell was my great aunt,” says Bruce. “The Carnell Foundation has agreed to be a lead donor in the renovation campaign.”
“If you don’t tender your resignation,” says Luanne. “The board will terminate you…”
“You can’t do that!” says Bruce.
“…and call the police,” Luanne finishes.
Bruce looks at each member of the executive committee on his phone as he thinks. “You’ll have a letter by midnight.” His square goes black.
“Mike,” says Luanne. “Before we go any farther, I am sorry for what has happened to you and the theater.”
“You have our full support,” says one of the other board members.
---
Andy races south on Avenida Caballeros in the hospital’s golf cart and turns east onto Tahquitz Canyon Way. The hospital security team is stopped at the red light at Tahquitz Canyon Way and sees Andy turning in front of them. When the light turns green, they accelerate, overtaking Andy and the cart and force him to pull over. Andy jumps out of the cart and walks down the sidewalk. The security guards get out of the truck and head his way.
“Let him go,” says one of the security guards. “Mr. Patel said to leave him alone. We got the cart.”
One of the security guards hops into the cart and heads back toward the hospital. The truck follows. Andy continues down the sidewalk. He is physically and emotionally exhausted and sits down in the shade under a tree in front of an office building.
---
Mike sits in his office with Debra Franklin.
“That went well,” says Debra.
“The theater does not need this drama,” says Mike. “There’s nothing good about this.”
“You have your victory. Enjoy it.”
Mike looks out his office window and sees a Desert Regional Medical Center truck forcing a golf cart over to the curb. A homeless man jumps out of the golf cart and walks away from the cart. Another man gets in the cart and drives away. “This town is going down the drain.”
---
Andy is shaking as he walks into the wash where the Palm Springs Riviera is located. He wonders how he will tell Miss Patty and Sheriff Eugene, and all of John’s other friends, what happened. He stops and looks toward the encampment on the other side of the wash. Where the drinkers and druggies live.
---
Nic knocks on Bill’s bedroom door.
“Come in.”
Nic opens the door and looks in. “Mike’s here. He wants to talk to you.”
“I’ll be right out,” says Bill.
“Do you want me out there or do you want privacy?”
“Privacy,” says Bill. He steps into his bathroom and presses down the back of his hair that is standing up. He turns and walks into the living room. “Hi Mike.”
“Can we sit?” asks Mike.
“Sure.” They sit on the sofa.
“I want to apologize to you. I know I’ve hurt you. I’ve ruined us. But I love you. I need you. Will you please forgive me? Come back to me.” Mike starts to cry. Bill takes his hand.
“I have already forgiven you.” Mike looks up with a smile. “I love you. But you have to change.”
“I will. I promise.”
“But right now you haven’t changed. I need to see you change. You have to stop drinking.”
“OK.”
“I’ll wait for you, but only for so long.”
Mike lowers his head and nods. “What about Del Mar this summer?”
“Go and enjoy it.”
---
Andy walks out of the drinker and druggie encampment. He is high thanks to one of the residents there who traded drugs for sex. Andy staggers down the embankment and across the wash and up toward his own tent. Sheriff Eugene is standing there.
“Far enough, Andy,” says Sheriff Eugene.
“John is dead,” says Andy. “I need to get to my tent.”
“We know. But you’re high. You’ve broken the rules. You can’t stay here.”
“Did you hear me? John is dead!” yells Andy. Miss Patty walks up with two backpacks and Andy’s rolled up tent.
“We’re sorry Andy,” says Miss Patty. “You can stay across the wash, but you can’t stay here.”
Andy looks at them and then sees his backpack in Miss Patty’s hands.
“That’s mine,” says Andy.
“Yes, we packed your stuff,” says Patty. “And here’s John’s stuff.” She hands both packs and the tent to Andy. “John had a will and left his stuff to you.”
“John had a will?” asks Andy.
“He had no living relatives and he wanted to be sure you got his things when he died,” says Miss Patty.
“But…how?” stammers Andy.
“John already had colon cancer twice,” says Miss Patty. “It had come back. He knew he wouldn’t live much longer.”
Andy stares at John’s pack. He looks up at both Miss Patty and Sheriff Eugene.
“Time to head out,” says Sheriff Eugene.
---
Dalton is parked outside of his Alcoholics Anonymous meeting in Cathedral City. Once again, he is debating if he should go in. There’s a knock on his driver’s side window. It’s Officer Steve in his street clothes. Dalton opens the car door and gets out.
“Hello Steve,” says Dalton. “How are you?”
“I’m good,” says Steve. “Glad to see you back here.”
“I’m still not convinced I belong here,” says Dalton. “But I do like the group.”
“Have you thought about a sponsor?”
“Not really.”
“Let’s go in.”
---
Dalton and Steve sit together near the front of the meeting listening to another member’s share. The door to the meeting space opens and someone comes in and works their way down a row of chairs. Dalton turns around to look and sees Mike sit down in the back row. He nudges Steve and he looks back and sees Mike. He turns back to Dalton with raised eyebrows.