Page 75 of A Secret Chance
The room started to go in and out of focus. This couldn’t be happening. “Mayor Smythe. You can’t permit this.”
The mayor nodded at Lauren. “Mr. Caldwell, If you’d like to return to your original application, you will need to go through the proper channels.”
“Actually,” Larry Lawrence pulled out a copy of the official plan. “If all of us are in agreement...” he gestured to his fellow councilmen. “We can vote on this today.”
Lauren stepped back. It was true, but she never expected it to happen. Everyone in town was against the proposal. She stared at the four men on council, they all looked nervous and sweaty, but there was something not quite right, something she couldn’t put her finger on, and then she noticed the glint of gold on each of their wrists. They were all wearing what looked like brand-new Rolex watches.
“All council members in favor of reviewing the original development plans today, say ‘aye’.” Larry glanced sideways at his cronies.
It didn’t surprise Lauren when all four of the men stood. Mayor Smythe looked to her council, her eyes wide. She called her assistant over and covered up the microphone while the two of them flipped through the council procedural book.
She removed her hand from the microphone and her audible sigh escaped through the speakers. “Mr. Caldwell, with a 4-1 vote, we will accept the changes to your application.” The crowd gasped. Mayor Smythe was all business as she read through the specifics of the horrible development plan. She flipped through the old report that had been prepared years earlier, before Lauren was even hired to oppose the development, hoping to find some solid arguments to present to the council.
“Caldwell International is requesting an exemption to the official plan to build a mixed-use, commercial-residential tower and ski village adjacent to Sugar Peaks. The current regulations allow for three-story commercial hotels. The exemption to the plan would permit seven thousand units to be built with a maximum building height of forty stories...” Mayor Smythe shook her head but continued. “The report prepared by the consultants three years ago recommended that the request for exemption be denied based on population density, impacts on the local economy, and the encroachment of the village onto the conservation land.” She looked up. “Miss Bunkman, is there anything that you would like to add?”
Lauren took a deep breath. “Mayor Smythe, our recommendation to the council was to reject a plan that was half the size. The impacts of this development will be so much worse than anything we could have ever imagined. I implore members of the council to reject the application.” Lauren’s voice was stoic, but as she watched the council members subtly shaking their heads, she knew that even if she proved that Caldwell was going to club baby seals and fill the lake with radioactive sludge. He had given them enough money to look the other way.
“Thank you, Miss Bunkman.”
Lauren took her seat and felt like her soul had been ripped from her body. In the course of two days, she had lost the man she loved and lost the fight to save her town.
“I’m going to call a recess so that the councillors can review the reports relevant to this application,” the mayor stated.
There was a frustrated sigh amongst the spectators as everyone started to pull on coats and stand to stretch. Mr. Caldwell and his executives remained seated.
“If you don’t mind, Mayor Smythe, the council is prepared to vote now,” Larry shouted over the din of the shuffling in the room.
Lauren knew that the mayor’s hands were tied with bureaucratic red tape. She had never felt so hopeless in her life. All of that work, all of those late nights, after everything she had done, this despicable man and his pocketbook were going to ruin Chance Rapids.
Mayor cleared her throat and tapped on the microphone. “Excuse me, everyone. The council would like to vote on the exemption. All in favor of providing an exemption to the density to permit the construction of Caldwell Creek say...
“Stop.”
Everyone in the room turned to face the double doors. Lauren stood on her toes to try and see over the crowd of spectators in the room. There were three uniformed police officers as well as at least five men in suits that looked like some kind of special agents.
“Mr. Caldwell, you’re under arrest.” The tall dark-haired man leading the group of officers strode confidently through the room.
As the policemen made their way through the stunned crowd, Mr. Caldwell remained glued to his seat. “What’s the charge?” His arms were crossed, and he casually tilted his wrist to look at his watch.
“Racketeering,” one of the men in suits stepped forward and started reading him his rights.
Lauren gasped. These were federal agents, and racketeering was a very serious charge. The color drained from Mr. Caldwell’s face as two of the uniformed officers helped him to his feet and placed his hands in cuffs. “You have no proof.” Barry and Thomas were also handcuffed, and it felt like a movie that had gone into slow motion as the three of them were led from the municipal chambers.
The murmurs of the crowd grew louder as Mr. Caldwell’s shouting became irate. “You can’t do this to me.”
Lauren could no longer see the trio of executives, but she could hear Mr. Caldwell’s yelling from the hallway.
“Holy fuck,” Charlotte rushed over to where Lauren was standing. “What just happened?”
“It looks like Mr. Caldwell just bought his last council.” Lauren shook her head.
“What happens now?” Charlotte whispered.
“I don’t know. I don’t think that there’s a protocol for this kind of thing.”
“Could everyone please be seated,” Mayor Smythe said into the microphone. For someone whose council chambers had just been stormed by the police, she remained surprisingly calm. “We will resume the vote.” Her voice was flat, and her hands were folded on the table in front of her. “Unless, in light of the current circumstances, the council would like some time to review the proposal.” She looked to the council members, who all looked like they were about to vomit. “Mr. Lawrence?” she prodded.
“Actually, we would like some more time to review that report.” His face was so red, Lauren wouldn’t have been surprised if he had keeled over from a heart attack.
