Bobby was monitoring the Longstreet phone exchanges, checking lines out of the city offices, and at the homes of the most prominent members of the machine, scanning for the DOT’s number in the state capital. When the number was dialed, a phone would ring at Bobby’s place. An “engineer” would answer. No information could be released, he would say; studies were still under way

But where did you get that information? That information is restricted.

In other words, Yes, that’s right, we’re putting in the bridge

It was a marvelous opportunity for a well-run machine, one we were sure it wouldn’t overlook. Whoever controlled the land at the base of the bridge would make a lot of money. And that was

Brown. No? Some black dude from Memphis?

When John was contacted by a member of the machine, he would hint that he was working for a bigger Man in Memphis and couldn’t act on his own. He’d be the reluctant bride, but he’d get back to them, quickly. When he got back, he’d say the Man would welcome participation, especially since it could grease the council votes needed on zoning matters around the bridge. But votes wouldn’t be enough; the Man would also need money from the machine.

There’d be some back and forth, but Friday afternoon, after talking to the Man in Memphis, he’d tell the machine that he needed to see some cash. Right then. Before he went back. They didn’t have to give it to him; that would make them too suspicious. They only had to show it to him. Show him that they could get it. A hundred thousand. He was leaving for Memphis in an hour

There was only one place they’d be able to get that much cash that quickly. The float. The float and the city’s cash account at the bank. We’d work it so they had to take the money out of the bank but wouldn’t be able to return it the same day.

St. Thomas, who ran the loan-sharking business, kept his stash at the City Hall, in the city clerk’s safe. We figured they’d put the hundred thousand in the same place, for safekeeping until the banks reopened Monday.

If we could get the cash out, Marvel would be at the capitol. When we called, she’d go straight in to see the governor’s hatchet man. He’d turn out the cops and accountants, and by Saturday night the council would be trying to explain what had happened to a hundred thousand dollars in cash - and why it’d been taken out of the bank in the first place.