Ready for the Rancher

by Zuri Day

  “Sure.”

  “Rain check on keeping you company?”

  “Anytime.”

  Adam’s call to Dennis went to voice mail. He made a couple others. By the time Adam reached the plant, Stan and Will were waiting for him. They followed Adam into a break room.

  “What’s going on, boss?” Stan asked.

  “Whatever it was sounded important,” Will said.

  Adam pulled out the package of meat from Miguel. “Take a look at this, guys, and tell me what you think.”

  Will gave Adam a look. “You pulled me away from a warm fireplace to look at ground round?”

  Adam watched as Will pulled off a chunk of the meat and brought it up to his nose. He made a face and examined it closer.

  “Where did you get this?” he asked.

  “It was in a package boasting a Wagyu label delivered to the restaurant this morning.”

  “This sure as hell isn’t Wagyu,” Stan said.

  “It isn’t Black Angus, either,” Will replied. “Not our stock, anyway.”

  “The package has our label,” Adam said. “It had to have come from this plant.”

  “Where’s Dennis?” Stan asked.

  “I called but he didn’t answer, left a message about a fire that needed to be quickly put out.”

  The sound of the outer door opening cut off further conversation. All three men looked toward the door.

  Dennis hurried into the room rubbing his hands together for warmth. His hair was tousled and his eyes were bloodshot. Adam figured he’d been drinking, or keeping company with a woman, or both.

  “I just got your message, Adam. What’s going on?”

  “A mystery,” Adam said, nodding for Stan to give the cellophane-wrapped meat he held to Dennis. “We need to understand how that meat got in packaging labeled Wagyu.”

  “Likely human error,” Dennis said.

  He took the package from Stan, examined the contents and placed the meat to his nose. “Perhaps the package got mislabeled.”

  Will slowly shook his head. “I don’t know where that meat came from, but it’s not from our breeds.”

  “That’s impossible,” Dennis said, looking between the three men. “Unless a stray cow wandered into the herd somehow. Don’t worry, Adam. I’ll get to the bottom of it.”

  “Stan, Will, I need you to work with Dennis. I’ll be here first thing tomorrow, too. We have to make sure this is a onetime error. It cannot happen again.”

  Sixteen

  Ryan’s hands slowly glided just above the woman lying facedown on her table. Her eyes were closed as she worked, fingers hovering over the areas where she felt energy blocked, or strains of the body lacking ease, being ill at ease, dis-eased. She completed the procedure and after a moment, gently placed her hand on the client’s back.

  “We’re finished,” she said softly.

  “Are you sure?”

  Ryan chuckled. Her work often relaxed clients to the point of falling asleep. The peaceful, healing atmosphere was an addictive one that people often didn’t want to leave.

  Ryan chuckled. “Yes, Miss Olivia, I’m quite sure. Would you like me to help you? Here.” Ryan stepped forward as the older woman turned and used her arms to raise off the table. “That’s it, go slowly. All of that energy is still settling. Some get light-headed if they move too quickly.”

  Miss Olivia sat up, turned her head one way and then the other.

  “How do you feel?”

  “Why, it’s the most interesting thing. It feels as though I just had a massage but you barely touched me at all!”

  Ryan reiterated what she’d told Miss Olivia before starting the process, how blocked, nervous and other negative energies affected the body and how the practice of Reiki helped bring the flow back into balance. “I felt quite a bit of tension around your neck and shoulders,” she finished. “That’s where you seem to hold a lot of stress. So try to relax, okay?”

  “That’s easier said than done these days. We’re so busy at the office that I finally told Adam, look, I’m an old lady. I can’t do all of this by myself.”

  She eased down from the table and walked over to where her shoes rested in front of a chair.

  “So we’re going to hire somebody and I told him the sooner the better.”

  “I’m glad to hear that, Miss Olivia. It sounds like everyone is a bit surprised at how successful everything turned out.”

  “Oh, not me. I’ve known Adam for many years and one thing I can tell you. When he makes up his mind about something, know that it will get done and better than anyone else could do it. He’s a driven man, but a good one.” She lowered her voice as her cornflower blue eyes twinkled. “And he’s single. But you know that.”

  “Yes, I do.” Ryan looked at her watch. While Olivia put on her shoes, Ryan retrieved her personal items from off the credenza. “Just as Adam referred you, if you tell someone and they come in for an appointment, you’ll receive 20 percent off on your next visit.”

  “Whether or not I get the discount, sign me up.”

  Ryan walked Olivia to the door and gave her a hug. For a woman who’d turned seventy last year, she was in great health, stress and all. It had been a pleasure to treat her. With another appointment scheduled for a half hour later, she rushed back to ready the room. As she reached her office, the phone rang. She rushed in to grab it, tapped the speaker button and sat down at her desk.

  “Integrative Healing, Ryan speaking.”

  “Hello, Ryan, it’s Victoria Breedlove.”

  Ryan stopped, surprised at the call. She quickly recovered. “Hi, Victoria.”

  “I know it’s the middle of a workday. Is this a good time?”

  “My next client is in a half hour. Your timing is interesting as I just finished up with Adam’s assistant, Miss Olivia.”

  “She told me that she was going to come see you. Adam was very impressed with all you’ve shared with him about your business, and recommended you to several of us.”

  In the moment Adam sounded like such a great guy and considering her brother’s conversation that she’d overheard, Ryan felt like a jerk.

  “Are you calling to make an appointment?”

  “No, and I’d love to go into detail when you have more time but I’m calling with an invitation. You might recall the Thanksgiving conversation I had with your mom discussing the CANN Foundation and the various events held to raise funding for any number of charitable causes.”

  “Yes, I remember.”

  “In February, we’re hosting an event called Loving You. Contributors have paid handsomely for a two-hour pampering at the hotel, followed by a private lunch. Would you be open to have one of your services included as part of that package, perhaps the energetic work that you’ve done on Adam and now Olivia? You’d be compensated, of course,” she hurriedly added. “And have the opportunity to market your services to high-end clientele, and they’d have an opportunity to learn about different ways to feel better. It could be a win-win for both of us.”

  “Wow, Victoria, this was totally unexpected and a wonderful opportunity.”

  “I was hoping you’d think so, and would like to set up a meeting for later this week. Is there a time that works for you, for either lunch or dinner?”

  “Dinner would definitely be preferable. But can we meet next week instead?”

  “Sure, sweetheart, either Monday or Tuesday if possible. I’ll look forward to hearing from you.”

  Ryan ended the call and looked at the clock on her desk. She had a little free time before her next appointment. She headed down the hall and passed Brooklyn’s office. The door opened suddenly. Both women jumped. “Oh! Crap, you scared me,” Brooklyn said.

  “Me, too.”

  They continued into the break area.

  “How’s your morning?” Br
ooklyn asked.

  “Okay. I have a nutrition consultation in about twenty minutes. What about you?”

  “Nothing for about an hour. I’m thankful for the break.” Brooklyn pulled a powdered product from the cabinet. “Want a protein smoothie?”

  Ryan shook her head.

  “You probably need one.”

  “Okay, Mom.”

  Brooklyn smiled. Ryan managed one, too. Her business partner’s mother-henning was legendary.

  Brooklyn whipped up the drinks, poured a glass and handed one to Ryan. “This is delicious,” Ryan said after a drink of the creamy concoction. “And you’re right. I did need it. Thank you.”

  The doorbell buzzed. The women looked at each other.

  “Walk-in?” Brooklyn queried.

  Ryan headed for the door. “We’ll soon see.”

  She reached the foyer and looked at the security camera video screen placed discreetly behind a large potted plant. The pensive-looking face on the other side of the door was the last one that she expected. She hurried to open it.

  “Adam?”

  Upon seeing her, Adam’s face broke into a smile. “I need a massage, badly,” he said, giving her a hug. “Can you fit me in?”

  “My next appointment is in about fifteen minutes but sure, we’ll work something out. Come on back.”

  Ryan saw that Brooklyn’s office was empty and continued down the hall to the break room. “Before we get started, I’d like you to meet my partner.”

  They entered the break room. Brooklyn had taken a seat at the table and was thumbing through a magazine. Seeing Adam, she jumped up.

  “Hi!”

  Ryan chuckled. “Obviously you already know, this is Adam. Adam, meet my business partner and best friend, Brooklyn Chase.”

  “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Adam,” Brooklyn gushed. “You’re even more handsome in person.”

  “You’ve been researched,” Ryan explained.

  “Thoroughly,” Brooklyn added, completely unapologetic. “Spending time with my bestie, you had to be checked out.”

  “I guess you found all in order since I’m not getting kicked out.”

  “So far, so good,” Brooklyn said.

  While Brooklyn chatted with Adam, Ryan went for her phone. She texted her nutrition client and was able to push that appointment to later that day. She returned to the break room, where Adam waited, alone. They hugged. Ryan learned her man hadn’t been joking about needing a massage. His strong back and broad shoulders felt as tight as a drum.

  “All right, guy,” Ryan said, after checking to make sure the massage room was ready. “We now have a full forty minutes. Let’s get started.”

  She handled Adam as she would any client, giving him a moment of privacy to undress before reentering the room. There were none of Adam’s usual flirtations and innuendos. He was quiet and remained so as she began her work.

  After doing a quick energy scan, she started on his shoulders. “What happened?” she asked, her voice as soothing as the light New Age music wafting from hidden speakers. “You are as tense as I’ve ever felt you. What has you so stressed?”

  “I was up most of the night dealing with a problem at the plant,” he explained after a pause. “We believe it’s handled but can’t be totally sure. Because we weren’t able to determine how the problem occurred, we can’t guarantee it won’t be repeated.”

  “What was the problem?”

  Adam began explaining what had happened after talking with her, the call he’d gotten from Miguel and what was discovered.

  “Dennis believes a stray cow from another farm somehow ended up in our pasture. There are other cows in the area but there are miles between properties. It’s a far-fetched explanation at best, but the only one we had.”

  With every sentence Ryan heard, her heart sank further and further into despair. She believed she immediately knew how the foreign product got into Adam’s plant. She had to remove her hands from his skin, they began to shake so badly. “I need to get a special oil from the storeroom,” she whispered. “Be right back.”

  Ryan ran to her office, closed the door and took several deep, calming breaths to prevent what felt like an oncoming panic attack. She felt nauseous. Dennis had sworn that she’d misinterpreted what she heard. She so wanted to believe that was true, but could what Adam have told her be coincidence? Was there really another explanation to how foreign beef ended up in his plant’s freezer? Every option to remedy her dilemma led to a headache. She felt one coming on right now and headed toward the herbs in the break room cabinet.

  She reentered the massage room as quietly as possible. Adam looked up. “Where’s the oil?”

  “Oh, we were out. It’s okay.” Ryan walked over to a tray filled with various tubes and bottles. “I have something else that will work just as well.”

  “Are you all right?” he asked, his eyes narrowing as he continued to observe her.

  “Lie down and relax, Mr. Breedlove. Don’t worry about me. It’s my job to make sure you feel better, and that’s exactly what I’m going to do.”

  She concentrated and placed all of her focus into what she was doing. She felt the knots began to loosen as Adam finally relaxed. When she finished, he was almost sleeping. He turned over and pulled her to him.

  “There’s one more muscle you need to massage,” he murmured, guiding her hand toward his groin.

  She playfully pulled her hand away. “Later, I promise,” she said. “Right now I need to prepare for my next client. How do you feel?”

  “Like I’ve been touched by an angel,” he said, sliding off the table and reaching for his clothes. “And totally cured.”

  Back-to-back clients kept Ryan busy for the next two hours but she found enough time to send Dennis a text, short and to the point.

  You. Lied.

  She didn’t receive a reply from him. She wasn’t expecting any.

  “So here’s a scenario,” Ryan began after walking into Brooklyn’s office and plopping down in a visitor chair. “It involves three friends. Friend number one overhears friend number two plotting something against friend number three. Friend number one loves both of them in different ways and knows that if she tells friend number three what she heard number two say about them, it could be very problematic. Should friend number one say anything?”

  “Let me think about that.” Brooklyn picked up a beautiful amethyst crystal and rolled it around in her hand. After a few seconds, she set it down and walked around her desk to where Ryan sat.

  “I think you, I mean friend number one, should follow this.” Brooklyn placed a hand over Ryan’s heart. “It will never steer her wrong.”

  Later that afternoon, as Ryan worked with her nutrition client toward a natural solution that would reduce her high blood pressure, eliminate type 2 diabetes and balance her cholesterol, a possible next step for Ryan’s situation began to form. After finishing the consultation and walking her client to the door, she returned to her office and opened her tablet. She clicked on a search engine. Ryan’s hands hovered over the tablet keys as she thought of the right way to phrase the search. After beginning and deleting several possibilities, she typed listening devices and clicked Enter, and a whole new world appeared on her screen.

  Thirty minutes later she’d ordered a product that she didn’t know existed thirty-one minutes ago. There were mixed emotions about using it, teetering on all kinds of ethical and moral fine lines. Soon, she’d be able to listen in on Dennis’s conversations and read his texts. If Breedlove Beef was mentioned, she wasn’t sure how she’d handle it. But at least she’d know the truth.

  Seventeen

  An old year went out. A new year came in. But the problem with the mystery meat did not go away. It became worse, which caused Adam to take drastic action. He wearily looked up as someone tapped on his office door. “Everyone r
ounded up?”

  Olivia nodded. “They’re ready, boss.”

  “Okay.” Adam rose from his chair and reached for the suit jacket hanging on a hook. Most days he came to the plant dressed in flannel and denim. Today wasn’t like the others. In fact, life at Breedlove Beef Processing Center hadn’t been the same since he’d gotten the call from Miguel. There’d been more calls regarding inferior product, and meetings with Dennis, Rusty and the supervisors over each detail. A plan had been devised and was ready to be implemented. He slid on a finely spun wool suit jacket, ran a hand through his curls and headed to where the employees had gathered for this mandatory meeting. Many didn’t know why it had been called, but one look at their boss’s dress and demeanor, and chatter rapidly diminished before disappearing altogether. By the time Adam reached the front of the room you could hear a fly land on a cow’s tail.

  “We have a problem,” he began, as his gaze slowly took in every face in the room. “Somehow meat from cows not raised at Breedlove ranch has found its way into this plant. It didn’t walk in, didn’t amble into the building on four hooves. So that can only mean that someone working here is mishandling product.

  “Recently, a very astute chef called me, gravely concerned about a packet of meat that was supposed to be Wagyu but was in fact a type of beef not bred on this ranch. Since then we’ve received several more calls from the high-end restaurants clamoring for our product, but we also received a couple of calls from Black Angus customers who said the meat wasn’t the same. I believe whoever is behind this switching up of product felt it was okay to throw in a few pounds of average meat and sell the Wagyu for a nice little profit. I believe that person most likely can hear me right now.”

  Adam took in the various reactions. His eyes narrowed as he observed those he felt might be culprits. He’d gotten Dennis’s and Rusty’s input on who they thought might be behind the problem, and he had a couple ideas of his own. But no one would be called into question right now. Adam would strike, but only when the time was right.

  “I’m implementing a few changes effective Monday, three days from now. Each employee will be issued a badge that will be required for entry. The floor is being reconfigured, with the Wagyu operation completely separate from the Black Angus in a room that will be locked at all times.