“I love you, Saxton,” she said. He had shifted gears from the agent in charge the man in charge of a huge ranching enterprise.
“Love you too Mrs. Blakemore,” he said through a yawn. “Go ahead, say goodnight.”
Random variables wandered through her head while she calculated the odds that Carlos Delgado was going to become a major player in the game building his own empire that he would run from the ivy-covered walls of Stanford. In the back of her head was a missing puzzle piece which was required to make the formula work...giving clarity to what was occurring. Whatever it was, it was going to be big. The odds were against them walking away unscathed. She knew this and so did Saxton, as well as his father. The olive branch to Eduardo was only the start. However, the doves were going to be killed by Alberlado, she knew this too. Her husband was right, nothing could be done about it this evening.
She would not sleep tonight. In the darkness, she whispered to her husband, “Goodnight.”
Epilogue – ...Or not to be...
Patsy Sterling lay in the oversized king bed staring up at the ceiling of her bedroom. Arthritic hands rubbed the soft cotton of the duvet which was required on her bed even in April because Bobby Ray refused to let anyone touch the thermostat. Two days ago she thought her time had passed and life as she knew it needed to come to a close so she could make room for the new generation. Another birthday was hovering over her head like an old widow walking the parapets waiting for her Johnny to come in from the sea, just waiting for a chance to love again. She had been shown that it wasn’t time yet. There were still things to do before her old eyes closed.
Ryanne had shown her that. Eduardo had also shown her something about him. He was the only man alive or dead to eat a bowl of her chili straight without grabbing anything to drink. No glass of water. Not even a beer to wash down the beans. He ate spoonful after spoonful without even a cough. The man was so smooth, he even maintained eye contact with her as he ate the bowl full of her legendary man taming chili. It was always the tool in which she measured any man who either wanted to work for her or spend time in her company. Eating that bowl of chili told her everything she needed to know about a man’s character. Eduardo Delgado ate the entire bowlful as if it were something he did every day. The damned man didn’t even sputter or choke.
A tough man.
A real man.
She wanted to know more about him.
More than anything, she wanted to know more about Ryanne’s life with him on his land.
I can still be of use.
She rolled over in the bed, coming to the edge and sitting up. Her left arm wasn’t as strong as it was two days ago, but she could still turn on the lamp. She reached for it then remembered the black circle thingy Bobby Ray had put in her room. What was the command again... oh yeah.
“Alexa lights on,” she said. The bedrooms lights came on brightly, causing her to blink furiously.
“Alexa, dim the lights to 75%,” she said.
Patsy found the calendar and looked at the dates. She began to calculate the time of Eduardo’s first visit, the conception, which would put the delivery in about four more months give or take. Suddenly, she felt a strong will to live.
“Alexa, intercom,” she said to the little black cylinder. The mic keyed on the intercom which connected the communication system throughout the entire house. Ms. Patsy’s was geared to even reach the barn and Sue Ella out at the foreman’s house.
“Hello,” she spoke into the air.
Everyone responded at once.
“Gammy, are you all right?” Saxton asked over the other voices.
“I’m fine, but I want to go and visit Ryanne after the baby is born,” she said. “Can someone call that shifty-eyed bastard and make that happen for me?”
Odessa spoke up, “They will be back next month for the Christening, Ms. Patsy.”
“I know that!” Patsy grumbled. “I want to go to his house.”
“Oh,” Saxton said. “I guess we can ask.”
“Thank you,” Pasty said as she spoke at the box to end the transmission. A wry smiled crossed her lips. Odessa, on the other hand, did not like the idea. Neither did Lucy.
“How much medicine did you give my mama?” she asked Bobby Ray.
“She hasn’t had anything. Her nurse is there, she didn’t give her anything either,” he said.
“Well I sure as hell don’t want to go to Colombia, South America to some cocaine coffee farm where is rains every damned day,” she said.
“I dunno. I think it only rains every day in the rainy season. Who knows... summer in South America would be nice. We can head over to Brazil, maybe down to Argentina...,” Bobby Ray said as he snuggled closer to his wife.
“Brazil? You just want to gawk at all those half naked young women with artificial butts,” she said.
“Nope, I’d rather gawk at a half-naked you Lucille Blakemore,” he whispered.
Saxton yelled out, “The intercom is still on you two!” He groaned loudly, “Take your old butts to sleep!”
Bobby Ray called back, “Oh shut up. How do you think you got here? I had to put in some overtime to make you boy.”
Saxton was frowning in the dark as he responded to his father, “stop grossing me out and go to bed!”
“Say goodnight Lucy Girl,” Bobby Ray said with a lowered tone to his voice to his wife.
“Goodnight Mr. Blakemore,” Lucy called out, giggling loudly.
Odessa was amused, “I see where you get it.”
“Whatever,” Saxton said as he punched his pillow trying to get comfortable. “Goodnight, everybody.”
Panama City, Panama
Alberlado sat at the table facing Elizondo Renteria. The knife wound in his leg had caused an infection. The flesh inside of it was decomposing at an astounding rate, worrying the henchman that he would lose his leg. Antibiotics were not helping as the leg had begun to smell.
“What is that stench?” Elizondo asked.
“My leg...the knife must have had some type of poison on it,” he said as he mopped his brow with an old handkerchief.
“He is the head of the serpent. It’s venom you jackass,” Elizondo said to his nephew. “He dips his knives and weapons in venom.”
“What kind of snake...my leg is rotting away,” he said.
“He has a venom house on the land, but I have never seen it so I have no idea what kinds of snakes that man prefers. It is probably some snake only indigenous to Colombia which means only he has the antivenin,” Elizondo warned him. He looked at the leg, “You are going to have to amputate it.”
Alberlado’s attention was focused on his leg.
Elizondo was furious, “I don’t understand. It was a simple job. You had them ALL there. All in one spot and the five of them ran you over and took out a whole operation?”
“Not the young black man or the agent, they did not fight,” Alberlado said. “Eduardo’s bodyguard, I count as three men. The snakes didn’t slow down Blakemore, it was like he was sitting and waiting for Eduardo to arrive.” He coughed a bit and spat up some blood.
Elizondo frowned at him. The man was now useless in his desire to end Eduardo Delgado. The Blakemore’s were a nuisance as well.
“Carlos was also with him,” he told his uncle.
“Interesting,” Elizondo said trying not to focus on his desire to put a bullet in his nephew. The letdown was almost physical in pain to him. For a brief second, he saw the rationale of Eduardo killing Mateo. The constant disappointments were too much. A one legged henchman was of no use to him.
“What are we going to do?”
“You aren’t going to do anything. I have to get you to a hospital before you die.”
Alberlado was looking sicker with each minute. Elizondo didn’t think he was going to make it. The majority of the men in the warehouse had already died. The venom from Eduardo’s weapons had been introduced directly into their blood streams. Others were fading fast and his nephew was on the way as we
ll. Each ninja star and knife were thrown with precision for maximum impact.
“Damn you, Eduardo Delgado,” Elizondo said. “I am going to make you pay for this!”
-Fin-
Thank you for downloading and reading this latest episode of the Blakemore Files. Come back and join us in December for Episode 8 as the family heads South America for the birth of Ryanne’s daughter.
Check with me in October as I open the contest to name Ryanne’s & Eddie’s baby girl.
Don’t forget to leave an honest review.
All my best,
Olivia
About the Author
Olivia Gaines is the award winning bestselling author of Thursdays in Savannah. She also writes the best-selling serial The Blakemore Files. She lives in Hephzibah, GA with her husband, son and snotty cat, Katness Evermean.
Connect with Olivia on her FB page at http://on.fb.me/1eorEAr or her website at http://ogaines.com
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Table of Contents
Also By Olivia Gaines
Chapter 1- To Be ...
Chapter 2 – A State Of Being
Chapter 3- What Would Have Been...
Chapter 4 – They Would Be Being...
Chapter 5 – Let’s Be...
Chapter 6 – What Will Be...
Chapter 7 – We Will Be
Chapter 8 – We Be...
Chapter 9 – Señor...You Have Been Shot.
Chapter 10- You Beest...
Chapter 11 – Be...Know...Do
Chapter 12 – Bar-B-Que Anyone?
Chapter 13 –Say What Now?
Epilogue – ...Or Not To Be...
Being Mr. Blakemore (The Blakemore Files Book 7) Page 9
