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so—while at the same time carefully bringing Lex Talionis more or less under the purview of the police department.
    Shortly thereafter, Fuller, uninvited, had appeared at Carlucci’s office.
    â€”
    You arrogant sonofabitch!
Carlucci thought as he watched Fuller push past the mayor’s secretary and then wave her off.
The last thing I want to do is make nice with you.
    â€œNo interruptions, please,” Fuller said to the secretary as he closed the office door behind him.
    He turned and looked at Carlucci.
    â€œJerry, I have two words for you.”
    Carlucci was on his feet and coming out from behind his desk with his right hand outstretched.
    â€œFrank, to what do I owe the pleasure of this surprise?”
    â€œHold the bullshit,” Fuller said, sticking his hand up, palm out. “I’ve got a busy day.”
    Fuller then gestured with the same hand for Carlucci to take his seat. Fuller settled onto the couch.
    â€œThis is my office, Frank,” Carlucci said, coldly furious.
    â€œPlease,” Fuller replied evenly, and gestured again.
    Carlucci made an angry face, then found his chair while impatiently gesturing back
Let’s have it
with his hand. “Okay. Two words.”
    â€œDetroit and reelection.”
    Carlucci cocked his head. “What the hell does that mean? I don’t know much, nor give a good goddamn, about Detroit politics.”
    â€œWell, as Benjamin Franklin said . . .” He paused. “I’m sure you recall that I am a descendant of the wise patriot. He said, ‘When the well’s dry, we know the worth of the water.’ And we all would be wise to learn from Detroit’s dry well.”
    â€œI’m not sure I follow you, Frank. Not sure I want to.”
    Fuller nodded, then explained, “Being a product of this great city, it pains me that Philadelphia has such genuinely grave problems. There is the very real chance that it is on that proverbial slippery slope to becoming the next Detroit.”
    Carlucci grunted. “You mean bankrupt? That’s not going to happen.”
    â€œThat’s what I would expect a politician, particularly one in your position, to say. That’s what they all said about Detroit. No one believed, or certainly wanted to believe, that that city would go broke. After all, it was home to the giants of the automobile manufacturers, including General Motors Corporation. Remember what they said about that powerful global corporation? ‘As goes GM, so goes the nation.’ And then what? Boom to bust, that’s what. It went bankrupt. And then the city went bankrupt.”
    Carlucci grunted again. “We’re not Detroit. We have thriving universities and leading hospitals and more.”
    â€œAgain, spoken like a politician, but as great as our ‘Eds and Meds’ are—and they are indeed first class—they cannot sustain the entire city. Philadelphia, as you know, in addition to being
the birthplace
of this great nation, was known as the Workshop of the World. We made everything for everyone, locomotives to warships, textiles to firearms. Today, that’s all gone, leaving vast lots and deserted crumbling buildings in once-thriving neighborhoods like Kensington and Frankford and empty docks at the Navy Yard.”
    He let that sink in, then went on, his voice rising: “Our city—third poorest in the country—has a great many challenges that can no longer be ignored, Jerry. We cannot afford to go bankrupt. I will not let it. I have too much invested in this city, both emotionally and certainly financially. It is our moral obligation to leave, as our ancestors did, the city better than we found it. Which brings me to reelection.”
    â€œThe primaries are more than a year out—”
    â€œI am well aware of that,” Fuller interrupted. “Allow me, please, to finish. I’m also aware that there already are plenty of people planning on