Jade

by Davenport, Maryann

  The month of March was a little sunnier, in spite of the mist from the mountains, and the yards around Mishap were ablaze with tulips and lilies. Business picked up a little at the company and Matt put in long hours on the designing of a hot shop for a college back in Missouri. They wanted it as soon as possible so they could meet with the alumni who were donating the facility. Construction was to begin as soon as the Spring semester ended.

  While Matt labored on his project Jade used her lunch hours and early evenings to study the materials she was gathering on security systems. Matt had also suggested she look over the catalogs from hot shop tool companies and see if she was interested in doing the ordering and delivering of hot shop materials. Rafael had made an agreement with Matt, before he left, to have him design and set up his hot shop after the site was finally chosen. He also made it clear that he wanted Jade or Matt to be the agent who bought the tools and supplies for the shop and had them delivered.

  Jade decided it was time to face the prospect of disappointing her crew. After agonizing over the sale of her company she had decided she could not part with it. Matt had helped her realize that her boredom was with the repetitive sales and Velma could handle a promotion. She would teach Velma enough so she could turn the old repeat sales over to her and be around if she had a special problem. This would leave Jade free to add the new safety equipment line she and Matt had laid out. All she had to do now was to do the research to find the best metal smiths and prototype shops to produce Matt’s safety designs. Then there was the task of choosing a patent lawyer to handle Matt’s designs. It was all coming together and this vision of their future made her feel that she and Matt were embarking on a grand new adventure..

  The last Friday of the month Jade met with Jack Cooper and Wolf Adams after the week’s shipping was finished. They met in the little conference room so Jade could spread their paperwork out. Velma and Betty had opted out of the business agreement to buy Favorite Specialties, Inc. from Jade. The women’s idea of a business investment was to have a savings account in the bank.

  When Jade took a deep breath and looked at the two men, she was startled. They looked as bad as she felt. “Let me guess. Somehow you found out that I’ve decided to keep the company.”

  Jack blinked and turned to look at Wolf. Wolf smiled that half smile of his and they both started to laugh.

  “So, who told you? I promise I won’t yell at them.” Jade looked from one face to the other.

  “We decided we don’t want to do this, at least not for the next few years.” Jack gave her a sheepish look. “Neither one of us have the cash we need to step in and we both hate debt. We’ve been trying to figure out how to tell you this.”

  Wolf cleared his throat and his voice sounded relieved and strong. “At first we were really excited about the idea but I have a big baby debt, and a loan on the car and that’s enough risk for me. Man, this is a big load off. We didn’t want to sound ungrateful or anything.”

  “You guys are great! I had no idea you felt this way. Do you think you can deal with Velma taking over our old repeat customers? I’ll coach her until we think she’s really ready.”

  Jack let out a big sigh. “That’s the best part, for me. Now she can see what it’s like to deal with budgets and suppliers and pricing. I’m hoping she’ll realize why I’m so conservative with money.”

  “I think I can guarantee that. Once she’s in the driver’s seat she’ll have a new attitude.“

  “Yeah, she’ll start putting you on a budget.” Wolf laughed and pointed at Jack.

  “That beats her bankrupting us both.”

  “We’ll meet again about the proposed changes around here, next Friday. Okay? I’ll include the gals in that one, too.” Jade looked at each man.

  The two men nodded and Jade locked up behind them.

  On the way home she realized she was singing and felt as light hearted as she had felt when she was a college graduate working on her first job. The fun had gone out of running the old catalog company and she looked forward to creating a whole new branch where she could let her creative juices flow.

  Jade spent Saturday and Sunday studying her books on the latest procedures and products in modern security companies. She had picked up a couple of catalogs at the post office and began jotting down questions to research or present to each security company which had products to sell.

  Sunday night, during dinner, Jade brought up the idea that she was going to need to upgrade her home office. “While I bring in a high speed Internet connection I may as well include a feed for your office.” She looked at Matt.

  “Why all this sudden need for that high faluting electronic stuff?” Cedric looked stunned and suspicious. “I thought you did all that stuff over at the company.”

  “Uncle, you haven’t been listening again. I told you I was thinking of turning the repeat customers over to Velma so I can focus on the products and security Matt will need for his stuff. I’ll be operating out of this house, at first. Matt has been using my office at the company at night and weekends. He’s going to get tired of doing all his Internet transmissions over at the company and working on his projects all day, here.”

  “Oh, Geez, here we go, having those tech types stepping on the flowers and coming in and out of the house as they damned well please. I don’t see why you’re giving up your catalog company. What’s wrong with easy money? What kind of security business can you get around here? We don’t have any crime except at the bar.” Cedric’s face was turning a florid red.

  “Oh, stop it, Cedric! You didn’t complain like this when we bought the new TV for my little place and you wanted all the hookups for the movies to watch where you push buttons instead of picking up the movie at Jason’s. If they start stepping on the flowers I’ll go after them with my broom.” Tilly’s nod settled the matter for her.

  “What on earth are you talking about, Uncle?” Jade felt her temper rise. “Since when have I put up with installers behaving like Neanderthals around here? You’re being silly. When Velma starts running the old part of Favorite Specialties in the Fall, I’ll be getting into the safety equipment and security business with Matt. It’ll be our new division, even if it is tiny at first. I don’t tell you what to do. ”

  Matt cleared his throat. “Uh, sweetheart, I’ll need a separate Internet line for my office or we’ll get in each other’s way. I don’t mind at all. I’ve been trying to bring this up for a while. I just wanted to be sure I had my finances in order first.”

  “I guess I am being kind of shortsighted. As sure as I have a busy day on the Internet you’ll need to contact your clients about design problems.”

  “So, they’ll be digging two new ditches across the yard to put these lines in. Right? I say it’s going to be a goldanged nuisance.” Cedric looked guilty but he didn’t sound like he was ready to give in.

  “Okay, you have a point. Instead, I’ll hire you to rent a backhoe and put in the required ditch, one will be enough. I’ll find out how deep and wide it has to be and all the legal stuff. Then we’ll call them and tell them it’s ready for the conduit.” Jade gave him a toothy grin and got up to help Tilly clear the table.

  “How’d I get roped into this?”

  “It’s your own silly fault! Jade was going to pay someone else to do it and you had to stick in your oar. Now you do it and, if there’s any problem, we’ll yell at you,” Tilly said.

  Cedric grumbled but, later, Jade found a drawing lying on the table of how he thought the ditch for the electronic conduit should be done.

  The high speed Internet lines were in by the third weekend in April and Cedric appeared to be satisfied that their lives had not been ruined by technology. Nevertheless, he usually left the room when Jade and Matt discussed anything to do with computers. As soon as her office computer was fully rigged Jade searched the Internet for security company conferences, new ideas in glass blowing safety equipment, and ads by people who called themselves security experts for transporting pr
ecious metals, valuable art, and proprietary documents. A week later, she made an appointment with the dean of the Public Sector Studies at the university in Eugene, a Mr. Otoneti Kashkarigan.

  The address was for one of the oldest buildings on the university campus. There was a simple block lettered sign over the main door which said, Public Studies. Mr. Kashkarigan was a short dark man with a full head of curly hair and a handsome face. “Please call me Otto. It’s easier. Are you wishing to study for a degree here?”

  “I don’t think so. I only want to study the laws governing security agencies, investigators, and transporters of high value items. I already have a degree in business management and a minor in import and export licensing.”

  “So you want to obtain a position at a security agency?”

  “No, I want to become a security agent for transport of valuable commodities and I plan to make myself aware of the experts in the field of specialized security systems for unique situations. I would prefer to have my own clients and handle arrangements myself. I don’t plan to actually handle the valuable items or have security personnel under me. I want to be the contact who arranges for this kind of thing for small companies and wealthy individuals.”

  “Fascinating. You are, I mean, this is absolutely fascinating. I don’t think I’ve come across anyone who wanted to do exactly what you’re planning, especially a woman. Even women private investigators are still pretty rare. I don’t know if this has been done before.”

  “So, you’re saying there are no security conferences planned here and no classes on laws governing such things? How disappointing, at a state university yet.”

  “Wait! I didn’t say that. We have a law class which includes security matters and it is under the Business Law department. Let me order a copy of the department’s syllabus right now.” He called someone, spoke with great warmth and charm, a sexy smile on his face, and then turned to face Jade. “The dean’s secretary will join us for coffee at the student union near them and she’ll have a copy for you. Shall we go?”

  “Sure.”

  When they had their coffee and made their way to a table they looked up to see a lovely blonde with deep blue eyes joining them.

  “You’re marvelous, Beth. Mrs. Dixon, I’d like you to meet Beth Hudson, secretary to the dean of Business Law and the most efficient secretary on the campus.”

  “Isn’t he outrageous?” Her giggling coo made Jade’s skin crawl for some reason. “I’m ever so pleased to meet you, Mrs. Nixon.”

  “That’s Dixon, with a D. Thank you. While you two talk I’ll just copy down the name of the course I want and the details and then you can have it back. Is that okay?”

  “Oh, sure, honey. I’m ever so flexible. So what you been up to, Otto? Anything wicked?” The conversation seemed to go downhill from there, punctuated with more giggling by Beth and flattering comments by Kashkarigan. He reminded Jade of a cooing pigeon.

  By the time Jade had her information and made her way out of the student union she felt like a very old nun who had been witnessing two fourteen-year-olds in love. She decided it was time for a special weekend for her and Matt. All study and not enough play was making her dull.

  Matt had his designs ready for the Missouri hot shop by the first full weekend in May. They decided to celebrate by staying at Brookings with its vast fields of Easter lilies in bloom and acres of azaleas in a nearby park.

  “This place is like a wonderland. I can’t believe it!” Jade took photos of the scene until she was sure her camera disk was full but was gratified when the meter said she still had a segment left over.

  They had dinner at O’Holleran’s with its merry group of waiters and then retired early to lovemaking against a background of romantic old music on the radio.

  The next morning they lingered over a basket of fancy muffins and flavored coffee from Susie Q’s bakery and then went hunting for agates on a beach noted for them. Jade was thrilled when Matt discovered a rock which looked like amethyst. “It looks authentic enough to please me. Thank you. I love it. It’ll look great on the mantle in the living room.”

  It felt so good to spend Monday poking around the Oregon Caves and then taking pictures of the orchards in bloom in the Rogue Valley. Jade felt like she was entering a new life, one full of beauty and delight. “You must have some kind of magic power over me and the places we go. I can’t ever remember being this happy before. I thought marriage was supposed to be this scary thing where two people walked on eggs around each other until they could figure out how to deal with each other’s weird flaws.”

  Matt’s laugh was deep and sexy. “You don’t have any flaws, love. And I am hiding mine as best I can, hoping you won’t find out about them until we’re about a hundred years old. I mean, you already know the worst one. I don’t handle money any better than a high school kid. ”

  “Then what do we do when we get to be a hundred?”

  “Then you probably won’t care that much. Besides, I’ll just try to love you so much you don’t notice my flaws.”

  Jade put her arms under his and pulled him close. “I believe it. I’ve never known anyone who can be so warm in my bed and so quiet when other people are around. It’s amazing.”

  “I’m just selfish. I don’t want anyone to know what we have between us. I’m afraid someone will get jealous and try to come between us, especially some handsome guy.”

  “Hah! You’re the handsome guy. The rest are too ordinary and I settled for the best. That’s all there is to it.”

  They stopped for a late lunch near Roseburg and sang along with the radio until they pulled in at Agate Farm. It had been the loveliest day Jade had ever had.

  * * *

  Jade decided that the best way to help Jack and Wolf get used to Velma running the “loyal customer” part of the catalog company was to stay out of their way except for Fridays and times when they called her for help with a special problem. She turned the old accounts over to Velma and made her promotion official on May tenth. Her new title was manager of loyal customer accounts. The men dubbed her the MLC.

  On the next Monday Jade reveled in being able to take a leisurely walk around the farm after breakfast. She was admiring her two old apple trees with their pink and white blossoms when a rough voice startled her out of her reverie. “I understand you went and got married a while back. Henry said the guy is some kind of artist and engineer who makes pretty dishes. Were you that scared I’d seduce you that you had to marry some wimpy type who don’t even go to work?”

  Jade steeled herself while she slowly turned to glare at Alfred Winks. “Get off my land, you son of a bitch! My uncle would like nothing better than to use you for target practice and no one around here would care. Now hit the road!”

  “Who the hell do you think you are? People respect me around here. They’d better if they want to do business with me. I hear tell you’re selling your little company. Maybe if you’d treat people like me decent you’d make enough money to get by. You deserve to fail.” Winks jumped and jerked around to see Matt behind him with a long handled fireplace poker in his hands. Behind Matt was Cedric, his rifle barrel edging by Matt’s shoulder. The thirty-thirty was aimed at Winks’ chest.

  “Get in your truck and get out of here. I’ve already called the police. You can explain what you were doing here when they get here or you can be gone.” Matt’s voice sounded like it was coming from the bottom of a barrel. His eyes didn’t move.

  “Damned wimp! You can’t face me without an old man with a gun on me and the whole police force to back you up. Who gives a damn about a broad who would marry you?”

  “Any time, Winks. I’d just as soon shoot you right now and be done with it. You’re not worth five minutes more.” Cedric looked as cold as stone.

  Winks charged down the trail to his pickup and roared down the driveway. He almost took the side off the police car coming in.

  When the deputy climbed out he looked the three of them over. “If you hadn’t been o
ut here I’d have stopped him. You all looked healthy so I guessed it’s the restraining order you want.”

  “You’ve got that right! I’m tired of him threatening me like I’m some prostitute that owes him money. The next time he comes here I want him to spend the night in jail.”

  “I’ll make the paperwork out. There’ll be a hearing with Judge Adams but he tends to side with women and children so I think he’ll sign it. I’ll let you know the court date.”

  “Thanks, Sam. I’m getting real tired of not being able to walk on my own place without being armed.”

  “I got you. See you later.” The tall blond man finished writing in his notepad and returned to the unit.

  When they pulled out, Jade let out a sigh of relief. “I hate Winks! I used to enjoy the Spring around here so much, until he started pestering me.”

  “I can handle it the next time he comes out here.” Matt looked like an angry tiger which was ready to kill something.

  “He’s usually sneaky about it and I don’t want him coming after you to stab you in the back when you’re not looking. I’d rather carry a weapon. If Rafael is successful, all my troubles will be over.”

  Cedric gave her a sharp look. “What’s that old guy going to do about him, have him assassinated?”

  “Uncle, I think you’ve been watching too many gangster movies. Rafael just wants to buy his ranch. And the sooner the better.”

  “What do you want with that bossy old guy living next door? He thinks he’s king or something.”

  “Then there’ll be two of you with that notion and you can see who out bosses who while the rest of us lead our lives in peace.” Jade gave Cedric an angry look. She wasn’t in the mood for one of his lectures.

  Cedric mumbled while he headed for the house and Matt pulled her into his arms. “I think he’s just afraid Rafael will take his place as head of the family. Are you sure you’re all right? That Winks is one ugly customer for a woman to deal with.”