Chapter Eight
“Hard to Get”
July 12, 1955
Air Force Academy Construction Site
Colorado Springs, CO
Mountains are the beginning and the end of all natural scenery.
—John Ruskin, Modern Painters, Vol. IV
Colonel Stoltz held out a hand to help Mary McCluney make the final step up the dirt rise. She wore hiking boots, grey tweed pants, and a green plaid jacket that highlighted her red hair. Wearing a brown corduroy suit and matching fedora, Hank McCluney puffed behind them, slowly but steadily using his cane to negotiate the mule trail and join his wife and the Director of Academy Installations.
They paused for a moment at the crest, surveying the site. The Rampart Range jutted up in front of them, a contrast of colors with green pine, scrub oak, and red soil dotted by the white bark of aspen groves. The deep blue Colorado sky was unbroken except for wisps of cirrus.
“Who would have thought when I was here last year we’d be starting to build it?” Hank said. He turned to Colonel Stoltz. “How long before you begin construction?”
Stoltz lit a cigarette. Shaking out the match, he took a long drag. “With your help, we’ll be on a train that’s not going to slow down for anything, General. Skidmore, Owings, and Merrill was awarded the construction contract last July 23rd, beating out 340 other architectural firms. Their final design was presented on the first of this month, and construction is scheduled to commence upon release of funds by the Congress. That’s why we need you out here as soon as possible.”
Mary spoke quietly, breaking the Colonel’s soliloquy. “I thought Frank Lloyd Wright had derailed that train of yours, Colonel.”
Stoltz reddened. “Wright is a horse’s rear-end, ma’am. If you’ll excuse the expression.”
“I also understand that horse’s rear-end has managed to convince the House Appropriations Committee to withhold nearly a quarter of a billion dollars from the supplemental appropriations bill, which will not only escalate your cost, but will delay construction. And if you don’t have any money, then what’s the hurry for us to move to Colorado?” Mary smiled sweetly.
Stoltz coughed smoke.
Hank raised his eyebrows. “Good question, Colonel. What’s the rush?”
Stoltz crushed out his cigarette and drew himself up. “You’re right, Mrs. McCluney. The House is going to withhold some money, but our legislative liaison assures us they’re working hard to get the American Institute of Architects to back the Skidmore, Owings, and Merrill design. We believe things are firmly in hand. The reason we need you out here is that we expect the logjam to break any day, and when it does, we’ll be scrambling for help.”
Turning his full attention to Mary McCluney, he said with admiration, “Not too many people would have spotted that flaw in our strategy, ma’am. If your son has half the intelligence you do, he’ll excel at the Academy.”
Hank turned to look out over the mesa that would soon hold the Academy area. To the north and south a series of ridges extended east from the mountains like the fingers on a hand. “My wife did my legislative research when I was on the site commission, Colonel. In some ways, she played a more important role than me.”
“It helps to keep up with my contacts,” Mary said, slipping an arm through her husband’s; she gazed over the vista. “It would be nice to live close to Rod.” She studied Hank’s face. “But Colorado Springs is still quite a drive to Lowry Field.” She turned to Stoltz. “Could we live here, on the Academy grounds? It would be closer to Denver and Lowry than living in Colorado Springs.”
“We won’t be able to house you on the base, ma’am, but there is some undeveloped land just east of here, overlooking the campus.” Colonel Stoltz pointed to the eastern plains. A forest of dark trees covered the hills to the north, and the hint of several canyons wound just south of a ridge. “I think we’d be able to get you a good price if you’d like to build out there. I know it’s out in the sticks, but you’d be close to campus. And when the Academy is finished, you’d have a place that overlooks the cadet area. I don’t think you could get any closer than that.”
Hank nodded. The remoteness didn’t concern him. Compared to the farm he’d grown up on in Tyler, Texas, this was a metropolis. And it would be even more so once the construction started. In addition, it was only 60 miles south of Lowry. It would be a lot easier to spend time with Rod if they lived here. Perhaps he could turn things around with the two of them.
He turned to Mary. “What do you say we think about it?”
She patted his arm. “We already have.” She looked at Colonel Stoltz. “When can you arrange for us to see the land, Colonel?”
“Probably within a week. A local real estate magnate, Mr. Delante, is the developer. He owns a thousand acres east of here in partnership with Jim-Tom Henderson, the owner of Pine Valley airport, and has been very helpful coordinating the construction companies. In fact, he’s made himself indispensable.”
Hank froze, his face emotionless, but inside he boiled. “George Delante?”
Mary frowned. “Is that a good idea, husband?”
Colonel Stoltz looked from Hank to Mary. “Do you know him?”
“Yes. Yes, we do.” Hank thought for a long moment before continuing. George Delante, the reprobate who’d tried to blackmail him with that prostitute in an amateurish attempt to influence where the Academy would be built. Hank had discovered that Delante had amassed thousands of acres south of Colorado Springs, probably thinking he’d make millions selling the land to the government, but the fool hadn’t realized that the southern site was located much too close to Fort Carson and didn’t have enough airspace for flight training the cadets. Delante had probably lost money when that southern site was rejected in favor of the current site, but that wasn’t Hank’s concern; this site northwest of Colorado Springs had the land area and remoteness needed for preparing future generations of Air Force officers.
He should have known that Delante would have inserted himself into the construction phase. Hank didn’t have any hard evidence that Delante had been connected with that blackmailing shenanigan—but there was no doubt in his mind. Nor in Mary’s; at the time she’d demanded that Hank bring up charges, but he didn’t have enough proof.
He should just forget it, not involve himself in Delante’s land business.
But where else could they live that was so close to the site? And where would that leave the Academy if he just walked away? If they really needed a general officer to run interference for them, whom else could they get?
After spending the last decade of his life working so hard to establish the Academy, walking away wouldn’t be the right thing to do.
Hank said carefully, “Colonel, have you told Mr. Delante about asking me to work here?”
Stoltz frowned. “No, sir. May I ask why?”
Mary said curtly, “No concern of yours, Colonel.
Stoltz’s face turned red.
A moment passed and Hank said, “Do us a favor.”
“Yes, sir?” Stoltz said.
“Please keep our name out of this. We’ll have to return to Colorado to see the land, and I’d like to consider several locations. But whatever we decide on, we’d prefer to work with Jim-Tom Henderson and do it through a third party. I want to remain anonymous.”
“That’s a very unusual request, sir—”
Mary cut him off. “Those are our terms, Colonel.”
Hank said, “If you want us here in Colorado, our purchase will go through a third party, working with Jim-Tom, not Delante. Our name will not be mentioned. Understand?”
Colonel Stoltz looked from Hank to Mary. Neither one said anything.
Stoltz shrugged. “Very well, sir, ma’am. I’ll do as you say.”
***