He rounded the corner by-passing another wall of glass that was still the conference room. The blinds were open on this side, and he could see everyone was already present. Glenna, his brother’s secretary was pouring water into glasses. So he wasn’t too late. They were just getting started. He quickly went in, and his mother gave him a slight frown as he took his seat on her left. His brother Jonathan, was on the right. And he was still glowing. Probably from the honeymoon; his brother and his wife had just returned from Hawaii.
He nodded at the three tribal council members already seated at the massive table that could easily seat twenty-four. They were still informally greeting one another and speaking to some of the other board members of the casino. And not all had taken their seats. He was glad of that. He listened in on a snippet of the conversation as he settled in beside his mother. Myrtle Croaton and Jim Baker, their new accountant, were discussing last month’s fiasco and how they would need to replace the fourth member of the tribal council soon. Peter Sebastien, who was about to stand trial for embezzlement, fraud, murder, attempted murder, and kidnapping, amongst a myriad of other lesser charges meeting, had been arraigned just yesterday. His arraignment and guilty plea had shocked everyone. But at least now, without having to wait for the outcome of a trial, the council wouldn’t be shorthanded for long. They could hold a special election.
That was another reason he was angry at himself for being late. He’d wanted to drop his name to Myrtle as a possible contender, and hopefully have her support. This was the opportunity he hoped to seize and had been grooming himself for all along.
“Glad you could join us, Joseph,” his mother murmured. She didn’t even make eye contact. Her voice didn’t give her mood away, but not looking at him sure did. She hated it when he came strolling in last. Without further ado, she started the meeting. “Now that we’re all here, let’s start. Could everyone find their seats?” She smiled as she spoke to the room at large. Again, she didn’t look his way.
Joseph stayed quiet as his mother settled in to her chair. Across from him, his brother, Jonathan, gave him a slight shrug, and then focused on his mother’s report to the council. She outlined what was going on with the two projects they had underway, and then she went over the financials. Everything looked good, especially now that word had been sent that the embezzled funds would soon be returned to them. It was part of the district attorney accepting Peter’s guilty plea on some lesser charges for some of his crimes. He was still facing twenty-five years, but the plea had been to run the charges concurrently instead of consecutively. He had a chance of being paroled when he was seventy-three. It was the best they would offer him.
Relief swept the table at that announcement. The man and his partner had confiscated over four million dollars in their siphoning scam.
Tawny was still speaking figures. She announced they were now back on track for further expansion if they so wished. There were murmurs around the table. Some suggestions. And that was when she dropped her newest idea.
“I have had an idea. I’d like to share it with you and get your input. I was thinking we could add an attraction for the tourists on the land we purchased on Miller Road. It would benefit the reservation at the same time as it is half way between here and there.” All eyes turned her way. She had piqued everyone’s curiosity. The board liked the idea of more attractions, and the council would be interested in how it could benefit the reserve. “I know Mohegan Sun has a cultural center, and a museum. I don’t want to have a repeat of what they are doing, but we need something along that vein. Something educational, but culturally uplifting. Something people can go see or even participate in to learn more about our people, the eastern Pequot.”
Myrtle Croatan was listening attentively. “Please go on. You have my attention.”
Tawny smiled encouraged by the elder council member. “Well, I got the idea from my daughter-in-law, Aliya Sassacus.” Jonathan sat up straighter, listening now even more than before at his mother’s latest scheme. He was probably trying to figure out what part his new wife had to play in this idea. “My daughter-in-law had plans for a dance studio on the reservation, but has put that on hold until after the baby, but she still wants to do that eventually, but instead of on the reserve, I think we should sponsor it, and . . .,” she added before Josephine Baker could interject, “I also heard the council was thinking of using her space for a medical clinic, which is something sorely needed. The Miller Road land was purchased with the intent of an attraction. So, I want to build a brand new cultural complex there, and if we can purchase the commercial land from the Smith’s next door it could be quite grand. The cultural center we would build would house not only a dance studio, but more. It wouldn’t be a museum. That has been done, but a hands on experience of our culture. It would offer classes to the locals and at reduced rates, but also for visitors to the casino to learn about our ways.”