Texas fury

by Michaels, Fern

  "Then consider it done. Shall I enclose a letter?"

  "Just the first time. After that just send the check."

  "Should I offer you my congratulations?"

  "I feel like I've been shell-shocked."

  Arthur laughed. "That's exactly the way I felt when we had our first child. It wears off the fourth time around."

  "I never much cared for children," Rand confided.

  {223}

  "Not much you can do about it now. I regard them as a blessing of God. Try thinking along those lines. If I can help in any way, give me a call."

  "I will."

  Sawyer sat in the warm, sunny breakfast nook with her grandmother. She'd flown to New York from Japan for her annual checkup with the brain surgeon, who'd given her a clean bill of health. A quick visit to Billie and Thad was her reward. How wonderful it was to be here, to be with Billie, to have her health back! If only she didn't have a folder full of bad news to deliver. She couldn't put it off any longer.

  The cat on the windowsill annoyed her. She'd never been a cat person, not that she was a dog person either. She said so to her grandmother.

  "It's a good cat, I suppose," Billie said. "As cats go. But I'm used to Duchess and her pups at the farm. We never had cats. This one came with the lease, so we didn't have much choice. What bothers me is she walks around the counter-tops."

  Sawyer eyed the feline suspiciously. "Why does it stare like that?"

  Billie shrugged. "Ignore it, like I do. I'm so glad you stopped to visit. How long can you stay?"

  "I have to leave tomorrow. I wanted to deliver this in person. This," she said, pointing to a thick folder, "will tell you where Coleman Enterprises stands."

  "Why do I have the feeling wherever it is standing is a place it stood in once before?"

  "Because that feeling is right on the money," Sawyer said grumpily.

  "But Riley said—"

  "Riley never looks at numbers, Grand. That's Cole's and my job."

  Billie's throat tickled. She swallowed hard. "But Cole agreed with Riley."

  "And I agree with Riley, too. We've just run out of money. There are a few things left to mortgage, but they aren't going to net us the kind of income we need. Sunbridge has not been touched. That will be the last thing to go." Sawyer threw her hands into the air. "We're a hair away from joining the bankruptcy crowd."

  "I have some money from Billie, Inc. It's yours."

  {224}

  Sawyer laughed ruefully. "It may have been presumptuous of me, but I already added in your share. Maggie's, too. Even a loan from Rand. I was going to ask you to call Cary and Amelia. Everything is on paper with them, so I'm not counting on any big loans. We've hit bottom."

  "We've been here before, Sawyer."

  "Yes, but with a dream and a marketable commodity. We don't have that now. When the loans and mortgages come due, there isn't going to be anything to pay them with."

  "We'll have to find a way."

  "Grand, do you think I haven't tried? There's not a bank in Texas that would lend us money. Let me make that even stronger—there's not a bank anywhere that will lend us money."

  "The boys didn't ... I thought everything was going to be fine."

  "You can't blame Riley, and you can't blame Cole or me. There is no blame. It's that simple. I didn't know myself until yesterday, when I went over the various holdings. We operate on paper, Grand."

  "Mr. Hasegawa. He helped us before. He's involved in the EOR. I'm sure he will help," Billie said desperately.

  "Grand, we still owe on the Dream Machine. It'll be years before that's paid off. He's already poured money into this project. More than he intended."

  "Are you saying he won't help us?"

  "I'm saying Mr. Hasegawa is an old man. He is also a dying man. We already owe him millions and millions of dollars. This family will not beg a dying man for money. I won't do it."

  "Riley," Billie cried.

  "How can you expect Riley to go to his grandfather for money so he can stay here with the Colemans? Riley won't do it. I don't know if he knows it or not, but he's made his decision. He's staying here. Only a fool would advance us money at this stage. Sick as he is, Mr. Hasegawa is no fool. Mr. Hasegawa believes in honor. He's a kind, generous man with what appears to be unlimited wealth. I seriously believe he has become disillusioned with the Colemans, and I think he feels we should have talked Riley into returning to Japan. Grand, he feels that he only loaned us his grandson. Our honor went down the tubes when Riley trenched in. This is only my personal opinion, of course."

  {225}

  "Then we have to make Mr. Hasegawa see his thinking is all wrong," Billie said hotly.

  "You're prepared to do that?" Sawyer demanded.

  "Yes. No. Thad . .. maybe Thad ..."

  "Grand, you aren't listening to me. Mr. Hasegawa thinks —wrongly, I admit—that we are making life so attractive here that, without meaning to, we turned Riley against his own. He sees that as unforgivable. It goes against thousands of years of Japanese belief."

  "He has to be made to understand he's wrong," Billie cried. "I understand everything you're saying, Sawyer. Riley is not a child, he's a very intelligent young man. He makes his own decisions. This isn't Japan."

  "Exactly."

  "Riley has to talk to his grandfather."

  "The Japanese side of Riley will never allow him to tamper with his grandfather's beliefs and his honor."

  "You've just given me the biggest headache of my life, Sawyer."

  "Welcome to the club, Grand," Sawyer said.

  "Do you have suggestions?"

  "Nope. It has to be Riley and Cole's decision if we play hardball with those oil leases in South America. If we spend what money we have to persuade them to let us take the oil out, we're gambling all the way. If we do nothing, we lose. Gamble or give up, that's what it comes down to."

  "Riley and Cole are in favor of hanging in there, letting things ride with the oil leases, is that right?" Billie asked quietly.

  "Yes, but they're making a mistake. I know what those guys are like, Grand. They promise the moon and throw in the stars if you go there to drill for them. I can give you a list this long of Texas oilmen who went down there and fell for that line. Even the big American oil companies gave up and came home. If they couldn't pull it off, I don't see much hope for us."

  "A gamble is better than nothing."

  "It's also throwing money away. If we can't deal in a position of strength, we can't possibly win. What we are is desperate. The other factor is, Riley is young. They're used to dealing with old, seasoned veterans. They didn't even want to see me, much less deal with me, since I'm a woman and have no place in this business. That's why I didn't make the trip

  {226}

  with Riley last month. Riley has the knowledge but not the hands-on experience. I almost think we should cancel the leases and pull out. Lose rather than gamble further."

  Billie sighed. Sawyer's good news about her health had been so wonderful to hear. And now this. Every time God opens a window, she thought bitterly, He slams a door. She tried to smile, immediately regretting her bitter thoughts.

  The cat meowed loudly and walked across the countertop.

  For a second Riley's vision blurred after he read through the reports Sawyer had mailed to him. The projections made him wince. The note at the bottom of the last page in regard to the Hasegawa percentage, and Sawyer's decision not to ask for any more money, threw him into a rage. When he finally calmed down, he felt ashamed. What kind of bastard was he that he would take more money from his grandfather just so he could stay here and continue his life with the Colemans? Even a lowlife wouldn't take advantage of a dying man. Up until seconds ago, he'd been such a lowlife. If it weren't for Sawyer's message at the bottom of the report, he'd have held out his hand again and again.

  The moment of reckoning.

  His.

  Tess decided it was time to find out exactly how deep the hole was that Coots said
they were in. She marched through the house to his office. Two hours later she had a vision of herself in a pawnshop with her jewelry box and fur coats, willing to take whatever the sleazy man behind the counter offered, even if he only offered enough to pay the utility bills.

  The stack of newspapers on the small table next to Coots's desk attested to how bad things were in the oil industry. Where had she been while all of this was going on? Why hadn't Coots warned her? She admitted that he'd tried to, but she had ignored him and spent, spent, spent. No wonder Coots wasn't sleeping. No wonder he was out chasing anything with legs wearing a skirt. He couldn't deal with it. She sat down with a thump and her eyes fell on the paper she'd set on the desk. It announced an auction to be held at Sidney Laver's ranch, at two o'clock this very afternoon. All monies were to go to the bankruptcy court. Tess knew the La vers. In fact, she'd done a chart for Lois Laver a year or so ago. Now they were bankrupt. Tess's blood ran cold. Farther down the

  {227}

  column, a second bankruptcy notice appeared, a friend of Coots's from the old days, Jack Peters, better known as Boots. She'd never been close to either Carol or Boots, but Coots was. Carol had every charge card issued. Paper—they all existed on paper. No cash. Coots had done the same thing, and she'd gone along with it. Thank God her own nest egg was real and she could get her hands on it. She'd just die if the paper published a bankruptcy notice for her and Coots. Now that Buckalew Big Wells was in her name, that would never happen, but she had to come up with some kind of plan to pay off these bills. She'd start with the ones marked final notice.

  How much was she supposed to bear? she wondered. First there was Lacey backing out of her engagement to Riley, which dashed her dreams of becoming united with the Coleman family. Then Coots's confession of how bad things were and her discovery that Coots's drilling equipment was to be repossessed unless he paid off. Lord, that might get into the newspapers. She stamped her foot in anger. The stars hadn't indicated any of this trouble. A special reading was clearly called for.

  Suddenly she remembered something and her head snapped back as though she'd been stung by a hornet. She didn't really own Buckalew Big Wells! Coots said the deed hadn't been filed. That meant the house could be seized by Coots's creditors. The bottom line was crystal-clear: In order to save Coots's hide and Buckalew Big Wells, she had to dip into her nest egg, even though there would be nothing left for her old age and she would probably end up as a bag lady.

  She wondered which one of her two daughters would take care of Coots and herself in their old age if they lost everything. She should write Ivy a letter, she thought in panic. Just a short note. A mother note to a daughter away at school. She'd make it chatty, telling her about Billie Coleman coming for lunch, and all those five-hundred-dollar horoscopes, and Lacey and Riley's decision to break things off. She could even suggest Ivy set her cap for Riley. When the final draft of her short note to Ivy was firmly in her mind, she felt better. Ivy would be the one. She might not take care of her personally, but she'd pay someone to look after her. Yes, Ivy was the one.

  Cary's lovemaking was lusty, boisterous, and would have been completely satisfying if he'd been with her mentally as well as physically. There had been no aftertalk this evening.

  {228}

  Cary had fallen asleep immediately, his head resting on Amelia's shoulder.

  For weeks now she'd been hurt and angry, and she knew the anger would destroy her if she didn't get it under control. She'd have to learn to live with the hurt because she loved Cary. Love, she thought sadly, is when you want the other person's happiness more than you want your own. All night long she stared at the ceiling. When morning came she felt better. Her resolution to accept things was her first step. The second was to call Billie and tell her about their visit to the nation's capital. She'd do that today, before she left the apartment.

  Amelia's mood was light, almost gay, as she dressed. It was as if some unseen being had stepped in and settled things. And she supposed, in a manner of speaking, He had.

  Billie brought Amelia up-to-date on Sawyer's visit. "I knew things were bad, everyone is going under, but I thought we were ahead of the pack. Talk to Cary, and if you have any spare cash, get back to me."

  "Of course I will. Cary's still sleeping, and I'm about to leave, but I'll put a note on the dresser for him to call you. Have you heard from Rand or Maggie? Rand should be able to help."

  "I'm planning to call as soon as the five hours are up. There's no point in calling her in the middle of the night."

  "Billie, I don't know what to say, but I do agree with Sawyer about Riley's grandfather. Whatever is that young man thinking of?"

  "It's not Riley's fault, Amelia," Billie said generously.

  "I didn't mean to imply that it was. I just don't understand his attitude in regard to his grandfather."

  "If we pull together, I'm sure we can weather this—we've been at the bottom before," Billie said with false heartiness. "Today must be my day for callers. Julie called before she left for work. She wanted Maggie and Rand's address so she could stop and visit them while she's there."

  "Is she going to Hawaii?" Amelia asked in surprise.

  "The first of March, I believe. She's very excited. And Maggie gets so little company over there, Julie will be a welcome surprise. She is family, in a manner of speaking."

  "More than you know," Amelia whispered.

  "I didn't hear what you said, Amelia."

  {229} A

  "I said it's wonderful to know that. Get out the welc ne mat and be ready for me."

  "I'm so excited, Amelia. We can have a real hen party, ist you and me, and get caught up on everything. No shopj g, though."

  Amelia laughed. "You have a deal. I'll call before I lea ."

  "You did say Cary was coming with you, didn't you?'

  "I'm not sure, Billie. That's what we thought origir but I think he might have other plans. I'll have to let )u know."

  It was something she'd said, Billie thought, that id changed Amelia's tone. It had to be Julie. Her vacation, st Cary was coming to Washington with Amelia, and the) he wasn't. "I'll look forward to it, Amelia. Take care, now."

  Amelia sighed as she hung up the phone. So that wa le reason for the look she'd seen in Cary's eyes the night bt re —that look she'd barely noticed, just as she'd menti< ?d going to Washington on the first of March. Julie was goin )n vacation, and he knew about it.

  Amelia rushed to her desk. She pulled out pen and p er with a flourish.

  Darling Cary,

  Last night was as delicious as that scrumptious des sert at Andre's. I've been thinking, darling. I've de cided to let you off the hook for the Washington trip You will make me too nervous for words. Would yo mind terribly if I went alone? I think it would be bes^ I'll spend a day or so with Billie and come home. W can plan a real vacation for the end of April, if that agreeable with you. Please say you understand.

  Love, Amelia

  She was crazy. No woman in her right mind would pve the way for her husband to ... Ah, but true love, she remind herself, was wanting the other person to be happy. She wn-dered, miserably, if the day would ever come when Cry would think back and see the sacrifices she'd made sc ie could be with Julie. Only the selfish part of her wanted m to. What did it matter anyway? She wouldn't be aroun to hear about it, whichever way it happened.

  * * *

  {230}

  . rolled out of bed at eleven. He did some knee bends and to sit-ups He showered, shaved, plucked the note off the dressr. and headed for the kitchen to make coffee

  Htread the note several times. Amelia didn't want him to go toWKhington with her. which meant he'd have to kick aroun by himself for a feu dayi Ifacfc first. March first. Mac first, he hummed as he measured coffee into the pot.

  V"*ere the hell was that last letter from Rand, the one ask-ing ifie'd be interested in a sugarcane plantation in Hilo ? He figure he knew as much about sugarcane as he needec Whatvould the world be like without sugar? Not
very sweet. He ginned at his little joke. Rand had said something about segarane being shipped to the mainland for refining and then sold ack to the Hawanans A refiner.. He decided he was :: He'd wait till one o'clock to call Hawaii to an-doudc that inter.

  :gk picked up the phone on the fourth nng. Her n

  "dry! How nice of >ou to call. There isn't anything wtoc. is the:.

  course not I'e been thinking about that offer Rand made the sugarcane plantation."

  Can. Rand is m England. I'm not exactly sure wheurie'll be back. He may have lost out on that little venture, t's this business with his daughter, or I should say. the girl vio is claiming to be his daughter. He more or less lost inlaw in everything else for a while. He's at the Dorchester in Lodoo. Give him a call. If it's still possible and you really are iierested. I'm sure he will be. too. He thought a refinery *onderful idea.'' *iio. too. I'll call him now. I was sort of thinking of coraig over around the first of the month

  ""hat's wonderful. You'll stay with us. of course.'' "In a lousy houseguest Sometimes I prowl at night: I keepdd hours. I'll stay at a hotel.*'

  "•von't hear of it. We'd welcome the company.*'

  rt back to you: how's thi

  "ine. but I won't take no for an answer. Rand would be

  f he didn't get to play host in this little corner of paia-

  ^an't wait to show off my house to .Amelia. She's going

  > toe it. and before you know it. she's going to want to

  ~^ iere. Mark my words

  {231}

  "I said it's wonderful to know that. Get out the welcome mat and be ready for me."

  "I'm so excited, Amelia. We can have a real hen party, just you and me, and get caught up on everything. No shopping, though."

  Amelia laughed. "You have a deal. I'll call before I leave."

  "You did say Cary was coming with you, didn't you?'