In Search of a Hero

Chapter 6: A Friend in Need

Brennan took a step back and cast a critical eye over the map of the United States that hung on the wall of her office behind her desk. Railroad lines crossed the dotted outlines of the 48 states, marked along various routes by a dozen or so round wooden pegs in a bright shade of red. Frowning, she picked up the notepad where she'd listed the potential sites and jotted down notes in a neat, tidy hand.

"Looking good up there! You're really nailing down the campaign stops, aren't you? Excellent work, Temperance."

Brennan finished the thought she was getting onto paper before she looked up at Andrew Hacker. His bright smile was infectious, even if he did remind her of an overly-eager puppy.

"Thank you, but nothing is final yet. Those locations are just the suggestions I've received from the Director's office."

Hacker's smile didn't dim. Caught off guard admiring the pretty picture she made in a dress of robin's egg blue with military-style epaulettes decorating the padded shoulders, it was a moment before Brennan's words registered. He immediately assumed a serious expression and made a show of studying the map as he rocked back on his heels with his hands clasped behind his back. "Hmmm. Yes, I can see that. It looks like they've got all the usual places covered. Boston. Philadelphia. Baltimore, Chicago . . ."

Brennan stared at the map, too. Far less pleased with the sites marked by the red pegs, she shook her head. "Yes, the major cities are there but I don't agree with that approach. I believe that our tour would be more successful if we bypassed the most commonly-visited locations and concentrated instead on other areas."

Hacker covered up his surprise with another big smile. "I don't understand. You want to skip the largest cities on the east coast?"

Brennan walked back to her desk; putting the notebook aside, she searched through a handful of files stacked neatly on the corner and plucked one out. After opening it, she offered it to Hacker.

"Look. There have been four major bond drives in Chicago in the last year. Baltimore has hosted two in the last six months, Philadelphia three. There have been six in Boston just in the last eight months!"

"Well, that's where the money is," Hacker said, in the tone of one pointing out the obvious as he skimmed through the pages of the file.

"There's a concentration of wealth in those cities," Brennan admitted reluctantly, "but every community in this country has sent sons off to war. In bypassing smaller cities and towns, we ignore those sources of funds. I believe those families would eagerly contribute, if we give them an opportunity. Let me show you something . . ."

Brennan moved again, eagerness and enthusiasm ringing with the clip of her heels as she crossed the floor and pulled down a thick bound volume laying on top of a filing cabinet. As long as her arm and covered in heavy green baize, the book made an audible thump when she dropped it on her desk.

"This is the 1930 census . . ." she began.

Hacker gaped at her. "You got a copy of the census?"

"I'll return it when I'm done," Brennan shrugged. She folded back the cover to reveal the tops of four brass pins driven through the pages to hold them together, and thumbed through until she reached the loose slips of paper she'd stuck in as bookmarks. "Here. Milwaukee, Wisconsin recorded a population of over 570,000 people. That's not a small town, it's just not as large as Boston or Philadelphia. Atlanta, Georgia has a population of almost 300,000. Indianapolis, Indiana, 365,000. Akron, Ohio has - -"

Hacker tossed aside the folder she'd given him and cut her off with a laugh. "You want to go to Akron? Nobody wants to go to Akron."

Brennan's chin inched higher at the cavalier dismissal. "My point is that those populations are underserved by events such as the tour I've been asked to organize. We should take advantage of that and offer these families the chance to donate to the war effort. They will be eager to accept, I'm sure of it."