The Carson Memorial Saturday Oct 12

They all woke up early and took turns showering and getting treats from the continental breakfast in the small dining room. The staff were getting to know them and also learning how well Trixie tipped. They hadn’t all shared a room in a long time. Trixie had to fly home on Wednesday for an emergency board meeting but came back with the news that Fox Energy wanted shares in Carson Oil. They convinced Daniel Ruggles to come to the motel for a meeting, where he agreed to Trixie’s offer and learned about Peabody’s reputation. He didn’t want fracking on the ranch either. He did offer to expedite probate but he had a condition. In the end she sold him the ranch house and 20 surrounding acres. Bobbie would inherit the remaining 180 acres on the east side of the property and all the cows. With the money from the sale of the ranch she planned to build a smaller house and hire some ranch hands to manage her cows. Sam and Dina were aware of the new ownership and were staying on. Sam was a big help finding her new ranch hands.

Having all this resolved was like a weight off her shoulders. Bobbie wasn’t sure about the shares in Carson Oil that she would actually inherit. She would just keep them for a while and collect any interest they might generate now that the company was safe. Maybe Fox Energy would buy some.

She sat on the bed. Trixie was out getting some food and Barb was in the shower. Bobbie thought about how much had happened the past year and how long-ago Alex’s death felt. Alex would be excited about a ranch. He always loved horses. Would he like the way she fixed up their motel and their apartment? He’d like the market, they never even imagined something like that. Townes liked it and actually so did Brose. Maybe she would stop thinking about relationships and really try to get comfortable with being on her own. She wanted take time to honour both Alex and Townes.

They all got dressed and it felt like they were younger and getting ready to go out on the town. Bobbie had a blue plaid skirt and blue solid tights and blue shoes. She had a burgundy blouse that picked up the colours in the skirt and topped it with a rich, navy blue, velvet jacket.

“That Jacket is everything”, said Barb.

Bobbie laughed. “I got it from a thrift store. Now I have to go put on my priceless jewellery to fancy it up.” She had an old necklace with sapphires and diamonds. A sapphire studded bracelet and a sapphire tennis type ring on one hand and a sapphire diner ring on the other.

“You’re leaning into Blue I see”, said Trixie. She was wearing forest green culottes and a matching suit jacket with a coloured blouse. She wore an emerald ring that Bobbie gave her a long time ago.

Barb was dressed too. “It’s hard to pack something to wear when the weather is so different here.” She was wearing a full, dark pink skirt with burgundy brocade on the side and a short burgundy bolero style sweater.

 Around 1 PM they were ready and they got in their rental car and headed into the country club parking lot. The Ruggles were just getting out of their cars.

Melanie stopped and waited until they parked and walked towards them. “Hi Bobbie, Can I talk to you?”

Bobbie was gracious. “Sure thing, Melanie.”

“I wanted to apologize about how mean I was outside of the diner the other night. I was with Townes, not so long ago, and I’m not proud to say am a little jealous. You seemed to make him happier than I ever could. I’m happy now, with Danny so really, I should grow up and get over it. So, I’m sorry. I know you are sad about Townes too and you wouldn’t really hurt him. No matter what social media says.”

“That’s so nice of you to say Melanie. Thank you.”

The Ruggles walked into the club with them.

There were nice pictures of the Carsons. One Bobbie noticed at the ranch of all three of them, including Townes’s father and then one of Nancy and one of Townes. They looked like they were taken a while ago but that’s probably how old friends would remember them.

Trixie took off immediately to work the room and Bobbie suggested she and Barb find some tea and sit at a table. They settled at a tall, bar height table. Many people were coming by to meet Bobbie and she just stood beside it wondering if she could get something stronger than tea.

From across the room Bobbie noticed a tall man. He had white hair and a well tailored blue suit. He had the most piercing blue eyes and was smiling, showing large straight teeth and looking a little like a wolf at her. She looked away but could sense him coming toward her.

Barb touched her arm. “Who is that guy? He looks intense.”

“I don’t know but we’re going to find out.”

He walked over and took Bobbie’s hand. “Hello, Bobby Orlov? It’s good to finally meet you. I’m Clive Teller. I work with a private security team; Code Safe Security. I did a job for your late husband Alex a while back on a job dealing with cyber security and fraud.”

“Did Alex help you prove someone was committing fraud? I don’t think he ever talked about that. I don’t really understand why you’re here.”

His smile was just on the edge of sincere. “I’m sorry for your loss; both of Alex and now Townes Carson. I was also working with Ambrose Hennesy. He’s a client…”

“Yes, I know Brose, we’ve been friends a long time. And I was good friends with Townes. His death is really tragic. I miss him and his mother already.” Bobbie was feeling a bit uncomfortable and sounded defensive.

Teller was unconcerned. “Anyway, Hennesy had me looking into the Peabody Coal company earlier this year. It seems Peabody has popped into your life again.”

“Oh, I don’t know that Peabody is targeting me specifically; I think he’s just a greedy opportunist.”

“I would have to agree with you there but I think it’s just too co-incidental that he tried to appropriate your motel land and now he’s after ranch land that you’re about to inherit. Your cousin Trixie asked me to keep an eye on you.”

“Trixie has? She is more active against Peabody than I am. She just manages to work behind the scenes. She should worry about herself.”

Teller gave a curt laugh. “That is my assessment as well. Perhaps, I should keep an eye on you all. I don’t’ think I got your name.” He looked at Barb.

Bobbie turned to talk to an elderly couple and Barb smiled. “My name is Barbra King; I’m a retired high school teacher and have no knowledge of the oil business or cyber security.”

They chatted a bit while Bobbie talked among the guests. She didn’t know what to think about Trixie hiring private security for her. She was feeling annoyed and realized that her annoyance was actually from unresolved feelings. She smiled and shook someone’s hand and made her way to the bathroom. She sank to the cold floor and sat there a moment, wishing she was somewhere else. She couldn’t help it. She began to cry, letting all the sad feelings about missing Alex, the shame about starting relationships too soon and all the lost potential for the Carsons, wash over her. She also had guilt about inheriting the Carson estate. She wasn’t sure she deserved it. She began to sob relentless hiccup like sobs.

Barb came around the corner looking concerned. “Oh Bobbie, I’m not being a very good emotional-support-Barb.”

“I’m sorry. I guess it just all hit me and I can’t stop sobbing. I don’t know how to get out of here without looking p. p. pathetic.” She sobbed again.

Too her dismay Clive Teller came in.

She squeezed her eyes shut. This wasn’t happening. She would not fall apart. “Sorry, hic, my nervous system gets a little overloaded sometimes., sob.”

“Do you have the hick-ups? Do you want some water?” Clive held his hands together and looked concerned. He was clearly out of his wheel house.

Bobbie shook her head and began to start crying again.

Trixie came in too. “I guess we’re done here.” She tossed Clive the keys to their rental car. “Clive, can you bring the car around to the back door?”

Clive, eager to get out of there and be useful, nodded and left.

“We’re going to sneak out the back door. I already told Melanie that you were in a bad way so she’ll make excuses.”

Bobbie sobbed. “How many people know?”

“Only a couple who wanted to get in the bathroom. Come on Clive is at the back door.”

Barb appeared with their things and they made their escape and were in the car in short time. Trixie went around to Clive in the driver seat. “Take them back to the motel. What are you driving? I can meet you there. I just need to stop and get some wine. I think we are going to need a lot of wine tonight.”

Clive handed her his keys. “And scotch, we’re going to need scotch too.” He rolled up the window and Trixie went to find his car.

Clive got them to the motel first and he took the keycard from Bobbie and let them all in. The room had been cleaned and made up and Bobbie took off her jacket and kicked off her shoes and sat on the bed. Her crying had subsided and she just had a few random sobs.

Clive sat in a chair across from her. “So, is everything OK now?”

Bobbie smiled weakly. “Well, the love of my life, my husband Alex, is still dead. My new boyfriend and his mom are still dead and I’m still inheriting an oil company that I have no business owning. So not really”

Clive sat back. “That’s fair.”

Trixie walked in with two boxes of half decent Malbec and a single malt scotch that she put on the table beside Clive.” She also had a bag of junk food and she tossed Bobbie some toffee candies. “Suck on these Bobbie, it will calm your nerves.”

Barb stepped out of the bathroom. “That’s what he said…”

Trixie laughed and Bobbie groaned.

Clive looked embarrassed. “I’ll go get ice.”