Vegas Sunrise (19 page)

“Billion? Did you say billion?”

“Yes, I did. Ash would have been on this in a heartbeat. Start with the big cities. Put up small colorful buildings. Use plastic buckets or baskets that are every color of the rainbow. Women like things they can reuse. Different sizes of course. Special stuff for the kids. You can have special promotions and use our dolls the way the burger places do when they have giveaways. Remember one thing, Ruby. Mothers want something for their kids. Ash knew how to promote. I was the idea person. You're family now, Ruby.”

“Fanny, I wouldn't know where to start. It sounds . . . exciting. Billions, huh?”

“Yes, billions. It's pretty awesome when you stop to think about it. Colleges and universities have job fairs the early part of the year, so you'll be able to get in on it. Recruit the best of the best. That means you'll be paying for the best. Then you sit back and watch the money roll in. Unless you want to be a hands-on employer, which I heartily recommend. It will add a whole new dimension to your life and the business. What do you think?”

“I think, Fanny Thornton, oops, Reed, that you should allow your likeness to be cast in bronze. I think it's a great idea.”

Ruby sighed. Opening day across the country was thirty-eight days away. Just in time for the holiday season, when everyone was too busy to cook. She rifled through her briefcase one more time to make sure she hadn't misplaced Billie's or Sage's monthly reports. The last one she'd received was June. Her stomach flip-flopping, Ruby slipped into her coat. She needed to be aggressive. Business was business. Family was family. Was it a mistake to try to combine the two? A chill ran down her spine. Ruby shivered all the way out to the driveway. Inside the car, she turned the heater on full blast. If anything, she felt colder.

It was nine minutes past nine when Ruby opened the door to the offices of Sunny's Togs. She called a greeting.

“Ruby! What brings you to town so early?” Sage asked giving her a quick hug. “I just put the coffee on. Billie seems to be running late this morning. Our receptionist called in sick yesterday, so we're kind of winging things. I guess you're getting nervous now that the countdown is on.”

“Very nervous. So much hinges on the uniforms and the giveaways. Billie promised me she'd have something to show me three months ago but she . . . I guess she's busy with her own work. I feel terrible coming here like this, but you did cash my check.”

Sage's jaw dropped. “Did you say three months ago?” He pointed to a chart on the wall opposite his desk.

“You're making me nervous, Sage. Is something wrong? We don't have a lot of time.”

“I don't know, Ruby. That's the truth. You're right about the time element. Let me get you some coffee, and I'll bring you up to speed.”

Ruby was spooning sugar into her coffee when the door opened. “Sorry I'm late.”

“Not half as sorry as I am, Billie. Ruby's here. She wants an update, and she's entitled to one. What's going on?” To make his point Sage allowed his gaze to swivel to the chart on the wall. “We only have thirty-eight days left, Billie. Actually, we don't even have thirty-eight days, it's more like thirty-three since we have to depend on the postal system to deliver. Where are the samples?”

“What are you trying to say, Sage? Are you implying I'm not doing my job?”

“We cashed the check, Billie. Ruby's a client. You said you were on top of it all. So, show us what you have.”

“It's not ready. I'm just one person. You approved the Thornton Chicken Basket with the parade of baby chicks on the handle. They're in production and will ship in ten days.”

“What about the uniforms, caps, and the chicks that cheep and fit in the pockets?”

“They're being worked on. Do you want me to hold a gun to their heads? I know they're behind, but there's nothing I can do.”

“Why didn't you tell me that, Billie? I could have recruited some women to help sew. I'm sure Fanny and Iris would have agreed to help. It's too close to our deadline to have to worry about this. That's just another way of saying I like things done on time. If you had just called me, Billie, we wouldn't be going through this now.”

Billie's voice was a low-voiced scream, “What do you want from me?”

“A production report,” Ruby said, holding her ground.

“Do we have one, Billie?” Sage asked.

“No. Give me an hour, and I'll get one for you.”

“Shipping dates, too,” Ruby said. Billie paled at Ruby's businesslike tone.

“I'll be back in an hour.” Irritated, Ruby slammed the door behind her.

“Let's hear it, Billie. Everything's going to hell around here. I'd like to hear from you personally, using your own voice, what you think is the problem.”

“If there was a problem, then I might be able to tell you. So what if I don't keep up with every little nit-picking detail. It gets done, doesn't it?”

“Ruby has every right to be anxious. Mom talked her into letting you handle those nit-picking details as you call them. Let's not forget that sizable six-figure check she paid us with, another to come when she's satisfied. It doesn't look to me like she's satisfied. On top of that, how many of the mini Bernie and Blossom dolls do you have ready to ship? Or is that another one of those nit-picking details?”

“Shut up, Sage. I have a headache.”

“You're going to have more than a headache if you screw this up. Mom will yank your ass out of here so fast you won't know what hit you.”

“That sounds like a threat to me, Sage. You're eating into my hour. Surely you have something to do. Oh, I forgot, I'm the only one who's responsible for what goes on here.” The snarl in his sister's voice forced Sage to take a backward step.

“That's because you want your fingers in everything. Now when things are down to the wire, you want to delegate. Stuff it, Billie, and put your personal life on hold until The Chicken Palace gets off the ground.”

Perspiration beaded on Billie's forehead. “Am I supposed to understand the meaning behind what you just said?”

“Billie, I would never ever think of interfering in your personal life. I think you know that. However, when your personal life starts to affect the family business, I have to start to wonder what's wrong. You've lost weight, your skin is . . . a funny color, you're nervous and twitchy. You're always going out to breakfast, lunch, or dinner, yet you've lost about twenty pounds. It doesn't compute in my book. You've been late every morning for the past month. You say you work late, but I came by the other night and you weren't here. Where were you, Billie?”

“That's none of your business, Sage. Keep up this inquisition, and I'm out of here.”

“In the whole of your life you never talked to me like this. That's the part I don't understand. I'm your brother, Billie. If something's wrong, I want to help.”

“If I need your help, which I don't, I'll ask for it. Now, if you don't mind, I have a ton of phone calls to make.”

Sage shrugged. He managed to keep himself busy as he strained to hear his sister's low-voiced phone calls while he kept one eye on the clock for Ruby's return. He was about ready to jump out of his skin when Billie slammed down the phone for the last time. She stomped her way to the small kitchen area, where she poured a cup of coffee. She carried it back to her desk. “They can't meet the deadline. I told all of you it was a mistake to try to open 120 stores at the same time and expect things to run smoothly. No one listened to me. This is what happens when you overextend yourself and don't allow for contingencies.”

“Is that what you're going to tell Ruby?”

“What else can I tell her?”

“What about the dolls?”

“We only have enough for opening day. The suppliers have been late. Rain checks might work. Rain checks bring people back, which in turn gives you a second shot at having them buy another meal. It's not the end of the world.”

“Providing it's a two- or three-day loss. What kind of time are you talking about?”

“Sixty days,” Billie mumbled.

“Sixty days! Ruby is going to bounce off the ceiling when you tell her that. You had almost a year, Billie. What is the problem here? Give me the goddamn list. We've been doing business with these people too long to put up with this kind of bullshit. They've always come through at crunch time. How'd you let this get away from you? You aren't overworked, Billie, so don't think about giving me that song and dance. Give me that list. Ruby's due back in fifteen minutes. Wait a minute. Who are these people? I never heard of half these names?”

“I switched up. These people gave better delivery and were cheaper.”

“Better delivery! That has to be a joke, right? What exactly does cheaper mean?”

“It means I got more for my money.”

“I don't think so. You did this without talking to me? I got it, they gave you a kickback and you took it, didn't you?”

“So what? I haven't had a problem until now. It was too much for them to handle.”

“Then you should have gone back to our regular suppliers. You did pay them, didn't you? Don't tell me you stiffed them. How long were you going to keep this to yourself? Where's my cut of the kickback? Not that I would have taken it. It's your sneakiness that's getting to me. The others are going to feel the same way. God, Billie, what were you thinking of?”
Damn, I should have told her I know and offered to help.

Billie ran from the room to lock herself in the bathroom. His face murderous, Sage made one call after the other. At one point he kicked the drawer of his desk so hard he was sure he had broken his toe. Ruby took that moment to enter the office.

“Give me the bad news first and the good news last.”

“There is no good news, Ruby. Sit down.”

There was nothing to do but tell Ruby the truth and hope for the best. He expected an explosion, the wrath of God, something. “All we need is Plan B. We have thirty-three days.”

“I just happen to be in the business of trucking my chickens all over the country in refrigerator trucks. Your father bought an interest in the company when he worked for my father. Say what you will about your father, but that man had insight, foresight, hindsight, and male intuition where business is concerned. He actually liked the chicken business, but his true love was the gaming industry. So, what should we do? Do you have any ideas? More important, what are you going to do about your sister's problem? The rest of this stuff is secondary. Billie needs to come first. Your mother . . .”

“No! Mom doesn't need to know this. When the time is right, I'll talk to Billie. We have to give her a chance to get her head on straight. Today was an eye-opener for her. She'll act on it. Iris will help. She's good when it comes to a challenge. There's Chue and all the ladies in his family. Sunny might have some ideas. Hell, I'm willing to learn how to make those dolls myself. We have a lot of employees at the casino that constantly look for overtime or more hours. It's not the answer, but it's a place to start.”

“Billie and Bess are back. They're with your mother. Would it be wise or unwise to pay them a visit?”

“A challenge is a challenge, Ruby. Go for it.”

“And Billie?”

“I'll work on it. We all screw up at one time or another. I did. Birch did. Sunny did, and Billie was there for us each time. We can't do less for her now. I need to talk to Birch and Sunny and go on from there. I'm sorry, Ruby.”

“Me too. If it's meant to be, it will be. That's my philosophy. If there's anything I can do, let me know.”

“By the way, did you win anything last night?”

“Not a cent,” Ruby said cheerfully. “What kind of night did you have?”

“My butt was whipped. I couldn't have made it up that mountain if my life depended on it. I had the most god-awful dream. Nightmare is more like it. When I woke up, I thought Mom had been in the room. I smelled her perfume everywhere. I even smelled it on me and was more tired this morning than when I went to bed. Is that weird or what?”

“I love your mother's perfume. Celia wears the same thing, doesn't she? It's so unusual, unique really.” Later, Ruby swore she actually saw a lightbulb go off in Sage's head.

“I think you're right, Ruby. Now that you mention it, every time I'm near Celia my first thought is of Mom. That's weird, too. Oh well, tonight I'll get to sleep in my own bed next to my wife. Iris gives the best neck rubs, Ruby. I fall asleep even before she finishes. I haven't seen her or the kids for a whole day, and I miss them.”

“You'd never do anything to jeopardize that little family, would you, Sage?”

“Never in a million years. Why do you ask? Oh, because of Dad, right? Nah. I had enough of that stuff growing up. I'm nothing like my father, Ruby. I thought you knew that.”

Ruby smiled, the relief showing in her face “Sometimes it's nice to hear a man say the words. Do you think there's a man out there who might want me
and
my chickens?”

Sage laughed. “I'll start looking. Are you going to see Mom?”

“I'll stop at the medical center first. If she isn't there, I'll go to the house. I promise not to say anything about Billie. Don't wait too long, Sage.”

Sage raised his voice. “Bye, Ruby.”

When the bathroom door opened, Sage looked at his sister. “Sit down, Billie, we need to talk. Before we do that, I have something I want you to see.” He slid the envelope Neal had given him across her desk. He wanted to cry at the stricken look on his sister's face.

 

Outside in the bright October sunshine, Ruby found herself humming a popular ditty she'd heard earlier on the radio on her drive in from the ranch. She should be upset with what had just transpired, but she wasn't. This was real family stuff, the nitty-gritty problems that attacked siblings from time to time. She was part of it now thanks to Fanny's insistence that she truly belonged to the Thornton family. By being part of the family, she had to take the good with the bad and work from there. An idea struck her as she waited for a traffic light to turn green. If she could put it into effect, she could save Iris a mountain of worry and wipe the misery from Sage's eyes. What it would do to Birch, she had no idea. Well, nobody gets it all. She'd read that somewhere just recently. Birch might even thank her someday. On the other hand, Birch might not thank her at all for sticking her nose into his private business. It was a chance she had to take.