Last Chance Llama Ranch (43 page)

Y
ep
, Merry thought.
That's a briefcase
. No amount of eye rubbing or arm pinching would change the fact that an alligator leather attaché was propped between two rocks on the edge of the steaming mineral pool.

It belonged, presumably, to the fellow in the three-piece suit.

Who was dabbling his pasty white toes in the pool.

The person
inside
the pool was properly naked. Well, except for his feather-festooned cowboy hat.

Heading up their party, Dolly stopped so short the rest of them piled into one another like Keystone Cops. Pierce and Gwendolyn merely looked confused by the unusual occupants of the springs. Marcus seemed to be treating the scene as just one more Aguas Milagros weirdness. Sam bristled at Merry's side when he saw who it was. But Dolly was steaming hotter than the springs.

“Is there even one damn thing you won't ruin, John Dixon?”

Dolly's ex leaned his head back against the smooth stones that lined the pool, flinging his arms wide. He smiled through his brushy mustache. “Why, Dolly, what a surprise! We were just enjoying a nice morning soak. Weren't we, Twat?”

“
Watts
,” sighed the lawyer, swishing his feet in the water. He eyed his wingtips with longing, as if he couldn't believe his current sad state of affairs.

“There's something you should be soaking, alright, and that's your fat head,” Dolly spat. “Don't try and tell me you ain't here to bedevil me, because even you couldn't be that full of bull.”

Marcus guffawed, but Merry elbowed him and he quieted.

“Fine. You got me.” John shrugged. “Knew I'd get the business end of your shotgun if I showed up at the ranch,” he said, “even if it
is
still half mine. And I knew you always visit the springs the day after Thanksgiving. You ain't exactly known for being quick to change your ways, Dolls. I figured best to meet on neutral ground. Didn't realize you'd be having a party.” He eyed the Mannings curiously.

Dolly became aware of their audience as well, but she wasn't about to tuck tail. “These springs aren't neutral ground, they're
sacred
ground. And your greed pollutes them like poison.”

John scoffed. “Nothing's sacred, woman, not even your precious ranch. You're gonna have to face reality sometime…and I hate to tell you, but that time is
today
. Twat here drew up the contracts, and I expect you to sign, or there'll be trouble.”

Sam strode to the lip of the pool. “Are you threatening my aunt?” Merry had never seen him so furious. She grabbed his arm lest he drown his uncle-in-law.

John smoothed his mustache. “Now simmer down, Sammy. This ain't your business. It's between Dolly and me.”

“I'm
making
it my business,” Sam said. Merry bit her lip. She'd like to make it her business too—with a knuckle sandwich straight in Dixon's smirking face—but this hardly seemed the place.

Her mother disagreed.

“Sir, I don't know who you are, but I do know you are
singularly
rude.” Gwendolyn strode to the fore, regal as could be. “What business brings you here, and why are you harassing Mrs. Cassidy?”

“I can answer that one for you, Gwen,” said Dolly. It broke Merry's heart to see the defeated expression on her weathered face. “This is my not-ex-
enough
ex-husband, John Dixon. And that over there's the lawyer he brought with him to try to force me to sell the ranch.”

“Ah.” Gwendolyn pursed her lips.

“Ah, nothing,” John said, rising up to point a finger at his former wife. “I gave you fair warning, woman, but you wouldn't budge. Now you're gonna. This fella's got the papers that say so.” He jerked his thumb at the lawyer. “Says if you won't buy me out for the same's they're willing to offer or better, I have the right to petition the court to a force a sale through, and you'll just have to take what you get in the settlement. So 'less you got the cash today, you're out on your rump.”

“I'll give you a
kick
in the rump!” Dolly stomped forward, suddenly fired up again.

“Hang tight, Dolly.” This came from Sam, who looked positively murderous. He laid his hand on his aunt's arm. “Let me take care of the pest removal.”

“Should we be calling the police?” Pierce murmured to Merry.

She shook her head. “Dolly's a tough lady. She can handle it.”

But it was another tough lady who took charge.

“Sir, am I correct in the presumption that you are attempting to sell the Last Chance ranch to this…” She waved at Watts. “Person, or to those he represents?”

“You can presume anything you like, lady.” John smirked, but Gwendolyn's manner had clearly caught him off guard.

Gwendolyn was not to be deterred. “And further, that the buyer intends to use the ranch for large-scale commercial purposes?” Her ice-blue eyes skewered Watts now, cross-examining him.

The lawyer nodded meekly, looking like he wanted to dive for the bottom of the pool. “That's right, Mrs.…?”

“It's
Lady. Lady
Gwendolyn Hollingsworth Manning.”

Hoo, boy
, Merry thought.
Mother doesn't whip out the honorifics for just anybody
. She put her arm around Sam, who still seemed ready to leap into action. “I think we're in for some fireworks,” she murmured to him.

Sam gave her an uncertain look. “It's a good thing,” Merry assured him.
At least
, she thought,
it's a good thing when the Wrath of Gwendolyn isn't directed at
me.

Watts gulped. “That's correct, Mrs.…er, Lady…um…your grace.” He wiped a bead of sweat off his brow. “Massive Euphemistics, whose interests I represent, plans to run a corporate retreat and conference center out of the Last Chance ranch.”

“Well, they'd best make
other
plans, I'm afraid,” Gwendolyn said. She examined her manicure. “It so happens the Last Chance is an historical landmark. I ascertained as much with the aid of that delightful Ms. Donovan yesterday,” she said, turning to look at Dolly. Merry could swear there was a glint of mischief in her eye. “We spent a very rewarding half hour in the Aguas Milagros archives yesterday, and as it turns out, there was a fascinating record of a certain Indian chief…Manzanito, was it?”

“Chief Manuelito,” Dolly said.

“Yes, Manuelito. That was it. Well, apparently he had quite the history in Northern New Mexico in the mid-1800s, and one of his many rebellions took place on the site of your very ranch. Part of the hacienda actually dates back to those days, and may have been where he made his stand against US government forces.”

Dolly's eyes lit. “That's right! We've got a plaque and everything, on the wall by the yard. I never thought much about it, honestly.”

“Well, whoever sold you the ranch should have told you, because it's listed in the National Register of Historic Places, and that has repercussions.” Gwendolyn turned to the two men in the pool. “You see, gentlemen, the ranch is a site of national historic significance. As such, it cannot be renovated, repurposed, or materially altered in any way that would mar the historical value of the site.”

“All because of some stupid plaque?!” John was sputtering through his facial hair.

Gwendolyn's expression was serene. “That's right. Whoever owns the ranch must continue to preserve it
as is
. Of course, Mr. Dixon, you could still take Mrs. Cassidy to court over the property, but without a buyer such as—what were they called, Massive Mistakes?—you'll hardly find it worth your time. And if you'll take a little friendly advice, I'll tell you this for free: You don't want to tangle with historical preservationists. Believe me, that's a battle even Admiral Nelson couldn't win.” She allowed herself a tiny smile. “Better to allow Mrs. Cassidy to buy you out for the fair market value of the ranch in its current state.” She turned to her hostess. “How much is that, Dolly dear?”

Dolly looked dazed. “About a quarter of what the Massive Pains in the Ass are offering.”

“I'm correct in assuming that Merry's crowd-funding campaign can cover that much, am I not?” Gwendolyn looked to her daughter for confirmation.

Merry felt like cheering. “Totally, Mom!”

“Well then. That, as they say, would appear to be that.” Hands on hips, she stared Dixon down. “Now, I'm sure we'd all thank you if you and your toady would see fit to stop hounding this dear woman and
bloody well shove off!
”

Bloody well shove off!
echoed through the forest, bouncing off the steaming surface of the water. Birds stopped chirping. Bees stopped buzzing. Gwendolyn looked a bit taken aback at the volume she'd achieved, but that was alright. Everyone else was looking pretty poleaxed too.

Not least, John Dixon. He sputtered. He blustered. But there was, in the end, nothing much he could say.

“You can be sure we'll check your story,” he vowed, hauling his towel off a branch and wrapping himself in it. “C'mon, Twat.”

“Did you know about the plaque?” Watts asked, hustling his pruny feet back into his socks and shoes. “Because if you knew and you entered into negotiations with our organization anyway, you could be open to a nuisance suit.” His expression said
that
would be a legal battle he'd relish.

John just shot the man a look. Then he turned his gaze on Dolly again, sizing her up and down, and all at once he seemed more rueful than wrathful. He shook his head. “Well played, woman. You always did have a knack for finding defenders wherever you went. Prob'ly why that fool Bob Henderson's been in love with you since the day we hit this jerkwater town.”

“Humph,” said Dolly, turning pink. “Well, feel free to
leave
this ‘jerkwater town,'” she suggested tartly. “But this time don't forget to file the divorce papers on your way out. We'll work out a settlement about the ranch later—a
fair
settlement.”

As the group watched, Dixon settled his hat more firmly on his head, turned tail, and skedaddled, lawyer at his heels.

“Now, who's for a soak?” Gwendolyn asked when the two men had disappeared down the trail. “I, for one, could jolly well do with a bath after all this kerfuffle!”

T
hey weren't out of hot water yet.

“Your mother and I have been talking,” said Pierce.

He sloshed about, settling his arm around his wife. Gwendolyn's creamy skin flushed in the steam…or was it something else? Merry didn't want to think about where her father's other hand might rest. She was distracted enough by the very pleasurable sensation of Sam by her side—and the total weirdness of being naked with her entire family, plus Dolly, in a pool the size of one of Gwendolyn's smaller limousines. Merry sank deeper under the water until it lapped at her lower lip. “Have you?” she murmured.

“Yes,” said Pierce. Somehow, soaking in a mud puddle in the middle of nowhere did nothing to diminish his dignity. “We've done a lot of thinking in the course of the last twenty-four hours, and we have something to tell
both
you children.”

Oh, goodie
, thought Merry. She exchanged a look with her brother. Marcus, lolling in the shallow end where his body just
happened
to be most exposed, only shrugged. He clearly had no idea what was coming either.

“You folks want some privacy for this?” Sam asked—rather too eagerly. He made to rise.

“As a matter of fact, Sam—I may call you Sam, mayn't I?”

Sam nodded. “Of course, Gwendolyn.” He subsided back into the spring, giving Merry an “Oh, help” look.

“Well, it's partly because of yourself and your aunt that we need to say this, so, if you don't mind, we'd like you to stay.”

This was getting weirder by the minute. Merry looked about the pool, but there seemed no easy escape—for her
or
for Sam.
Sorry
, she mouthed to him. But she didn't feel sorry, she realized. She felt
happy
. At peace, in a way that was unshakable, no matter what her parents might say next. She'd seen a side of her mother she'd never seen before today—the side that stuck up for her offspring and their friends—and it was something she'd cherish forever. All the money in the world meant nothing next to the support they'd just shown her.

Feeling a spurt of mischief, she ran her hand up Sam's thigh under the water. He went red and shot her a look that promised vengeance. Merry just grinned.

“Sure thing, Gwen,” Dolly answered for them both when Sam couldn't find the breath. “Please, Pierce, have your say.”

Pierce looked at Merry and Marcus in turn. “The first thing we want to say is that your mother and I are both extremely proud of the people you two have grown into. Marcus, you may play the reprobate, but lately we've seen there's far more to you, and we want you to know it hasn't gone unnoticed. We think you'll do well in your new career, make your mark the way a Manning should. And Merry—sweetheart—watching you yesterday with the people of this town…well, it's clear you've made one hell of an impression.”

“When I saw how deeply loved you are here,” Gwendolyn put in, “I was truly moved. And it's clear to me you love these people too. You're comfortable in Aguas Milagros in a way I've never seen you before, and—even though I'll admit it's somewhat foreign to me—I can see this is where you're happy. That's all we've ever wanted for you, darling.”

Pierce patted his wife's shoulder proudly. “The second thing we wanted to say is that you've helped
us
become better people.”

Gwendolyn cleared her throat. “The fact is, you've
shamed
us into doing so. We've realized—well,
I've
realized—we
never should have tried to control you by means of money—”

“—and the fact that you've both refused it just lets us know you're mature enough to
handle
it—” Pierce added.

“—so your father and I have decided that, effective immediately, you will both have your inheritance from your grandmother, to do with as you wish.”

Merry's jaw dropped so hard she got a mouthful of mineral water. Sam put a finger under her chin and gently closed it for her.

Marcus's reaction was less subtle. “
Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeee-hoooooooooooooooo!
” he shouted, so loud he could have been heard all the way into town. He did a backflip in the water that drenched them all. “
Yeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh!
”

“Way to show you're mature, Banana Hammock,” Merry snorted. Her mind was reeling. To be out of debt…to be able to breathe…but more than that, to do whatever felt
right
, without worrying about pleasing her mother or anyone else…Could it be true?

“So, if I wanted to buy a million buckets of green paint with the money, and dye myself like the Jolly Green Giant, you wouldn't have a problem with that?”

“It would be none of our business, I should think.” Gwendolyn patted her perfect hair. “But do think twice. Green's never been your color, darling.”

Merry grinned. Her heart was soaring. “I have a better idea, anyway.” She turned to Dolly. “Didn't you once tell me there's a lot of lonely llamas out there, looking for love?”