Fire in the Vineyard

by Christa Polkinhorn

  On the way to his home, Martin said, “I forgot to tell you guys. I ran into George Winter at Rite Aid downtown.”

  Nicholas looked at his grandfather surprised. “You’re kidding me. I didn’t know you knew him.”

  “I used to work with him when he still had his position at City Hall, you know getting permits and all that. That was before he was arrested for accepting bribes. He changed somewhat, at least in looks. He gained weight. He looked almost like a bum with his dirty T-shirt and baseball cap and the six-pack of beer.”

  “Did he recognize you?” Nicholas asked.

  “I think he did. Our eyes met briefly, but he looked away immediately. He must not feel comfortable around any of the Segantinos.” Martin chortled.

  “How was he back then, when you worked with him?” Nicholas asked.

  Martin shrugged. “Unpleasant, is all I can say. I never had any serious issues with him, but he came across as a know-it-all and there was always something fishy about him.”

  “I didn’t realize he lived in Paso,” Nicholas said.

  “I don’t think he does. He may have just been in the neighborhood.”

  “You know Adam, his nephew, works at the estate for the summer,” Nicholas said.

  Martin nodded. “Yes, and I know Robert isn’t exactly happy about it. Of course, when Ken hired him, he had no idea about the connection.”

  “What worries us a little, Sofia and me, is that Julietta and Adam are dating,” Nicholas said. “He strikes me as a nice and honest guy, but you never know.”

  “Yes, and he’s quite handsome.” Martin raised an eyebrow. “No wonder Julietta likes him. Let’s hope he didn’t inherit his uncle’s criminal tendencies.”

  Chapter 28

  Robert scrunched his eyes as he and Janice stepped out of their home. Thick, dark clouds lined the horizon, an ominous sign for the upcoming grape harvest. Heavy rain could easily damage the fruit at this stage of ripeness. Robert hoped that the brisk breeze would chase away the clouds. They were on their way to pick up his parents for Romero’s funeral. His sons, daughter-in-law, and her sister were driving by themselves.

  The funeral was held in the small Catholic church downtown. Romero had been well-liked and quite a few people from the town as well as relatives and friends from all over, including cousins from Mexico, came to pay their respects.

  At the church, Juanita and Nora, both pale and with red-rimmed eyes, sat next to the other family members in the first row of the pews. Robert and Janice went up to them, hugged Romero’s wife and daughter, and greeted the other members of the family. More than once, Janice pressed her handkerchief to her eyes and Robert blinked away tears.

  Almost all the workers from the Segantino estate were present. Robert was grateful they had come. He and Janice sat a little further back, next to Matthew, Nicholas, and Sofia. To Robert’s surprise, Adam was present, sitting next to Julietta. He suspected he had come because of Julietta, since he hadn’t known Romero that well. It was kind of him to pay his respects though. Robert tried not to think badly of him because of his uncle. Whenever he saw him though, he couldn’t help feeling uneasy.

  After music and prayers and a short but thoughtful sermon by the pastor, the ceremony was over. Robert and Matthew together with two of Romero’s cousins were pallbearers and carried the coffin to the cemetery behind the chapel. After the coffin was lowered into the ground, Robert and Janice hugged Juanita and Nora. To see them so unhappy broke Robert’s heart.

  The family and a few close friends got together in a restaurant nearby for lunch. Robert had insisted on paying for the funeral expenses, the meal, and the flowers. At the restaurant, the atmosphere was subdued. The Guerrero and the Segantino families sat together. A few of the long-time employees and workers, who were present at the meal as well, gathered at a table next to the families. Robert and Janice tried hard to make everyone feel welcome and relaxed. Robert noticed though that it wasn’t just sadness about the death of Romero, but a feeling of uncertainty, even suspicion and dread, that permeated the room. People talked with their neighbors in low voices.

  Robert knew the reason. Romero hadn’t died of natural causes. He was the victim of a crime, and nobody knew yet who was responsible for it. It could have been anybody among them. It could be a member of the Segantino family or one of the employees. Robert was certain that nobody in his family was responsible, but, as Lauer had pointed out, he wasn’t the most objective judge in this respect.

  Soon after the meal was over, people dispersed. Robert told Juanita once again he hoped she and Nora would stay on in their place. Juanita told him she believed they would, but she wanted some time to think about it. For the moment, she and Nora were staying with her sister. Robert nodded and hugged them. His heart was heavy, seeing them in such pain.

  He felt a hand on his shoulder. Matthew gave him a quick smile. “Want to meet at the office to talk about … you know the next steps with the estate?”

  “Don’t you want to just relax today?” Robert asked.

  “No, I want to get my mind off the whole sad story,” Matthew said.

  Robert checked his watch. “All right, I’ll see you at the house in half an hour?”

  “See you then.” Matthew joined Nicholas, Sofia, and Julietta, who drove back together.

  His parents and Janice would drive back with him. His mother gave him a hug. His father put his hand on his shoulder as they walked to the car. They didn’t talk, there was no need. Robert was just grateful for having his parents to support him.

  When Matthew entered his office, instead of offering him a seat, Robert pointed at the window.

  “Come on, let’s drive around the estate, check on the grapes.” Robert got up and grabbed his sun hat that was lying on the desk. “In fact, let’s walk. I haven’t done that in a while.”

  Matthew looked surprised but followed his father into the kitchen where he got two small bottles of water out of the refrigerator and handed Matthew one.

  “As a kid and then a young man, I used to do this with Dad,” Robert said as they walked outside. “But then the estate got so big, we needed the jeep or the tractor to get around.”

  Matthew put on his baseball cap and the two of them walked along the nearest vineyard. Robert pointed at the field with the Merlot grapes. “One of the early grapes Dad planted, aside from the Italian varietals.”

  They stayed mostly in the shade of the row of oak trees. The threat of rain in the early morning had passed, the clouds on the horizon having dispersed, but the air was muggy. After about half an hour, they were both hot. Robert motioned at a bench along the way. They sat down and took a few sips of water. Robert took off his hat and wiped the sweat from his forehead. “I’m out of shape. I need to get more exercise.”

  “What’s stopping you?” Matthew asked.

  “Work in the office, too much traveling,” Robert said with a sigh.

  “Too much traveling? Oh, really? I would’ve never guessed,” Matthew quipped.

  Robert punched his arm. “Cut the sarcasm.” Then he laughed. “Yeah, you’re right. I have to cut back.” He paused, then shrugged. “I think I got a little obsessed with all these contests.”

  Matthew was stunned that his father had admitted something he had always denied. He glanced at him and suppressed another sarcastic remark.

  “As the new manager, you can take over some of the visits to our most important clients, Chicago, for instance.” Robert put his hat back on. “I didn’t ask Romero, because I knew he hated being away from his family.”

  “I wouldn’t mind,” Matthew said cautiously. “As long as it’s visiting clients.”

  Robert nodded. “I understand. Next time we’ll both go together to Chicago. I can introduce you to James and Sonny and you’ll see how it works.”

  Matthew nodded. “Okay.” It could be an interesting change, getting out of town once in a while.

  Robert got up. “Let’s walk to the end of this row and then go home. I think
Mom is making a light dinner after our heavy lunch. You can eat with us.”

  “Thanks, you don’t need to tell me twice. You know how little I enjoy cooking.”

  “You need a woman at home.” Robert chuckled. “I guess I shouldn’t say that after the disaster with Marcia.”

  Matthew grinned. “You got that right. I’m going to enjoy my freedom for a while.”

  They walked home in silence. In spite of the sad morning, Matthew felt strangely buoyed. His father was finally beginning to treat him not as some lackey he could yell at, but as an equal partner. He almost didn’t trust the change in his dad but decided to enjoy it while it lasted.

  Chapter 29

  The beginning of the grape harvest at the Segantino estate tended to be a feverish affair, no matter how carefully planned everything had been. The machinery was ready, the fermentation tanks sterile, the hoses and all equipment cleaned and checked. The weather, however, was beyond human control. Fortunately, the climate in the area was quite stable, but still there were surprises. Rain was forecast for the day Sofia and Nicholas had planned to pick their Sangiovese grapes. Nicholas called the manager of the picking crew and begged him to come a day early. The picking crew, however, was booked that day for a different outfit. Nicholas appealed for help to his father and brother, who fortunately agreed to lend him part of their grape pickers, since they didn’t need them that day.

  “Thank God,” Nicholas said and hugged Matthew. “I owe you one.”

  “Hey, no problem, bro, that’s what family is for.” Matthew slapped him on the back, then walked down the stairs from the tasting room into the winery, where a leaking hose required his attention. Matthew called one of the cellar rats and asked him to fix the hose. Cellar rats was a nickname for the junior employees at the bottom of the winemaking hierarchy. They did the grunt work such as shoveling and cleaning out the tanks and preparing the barrels. He rushed to check on one of the fermentation tanks and talked to another of the employees who worked on top of it, then disappeared into the cellar.

  Robert, standing next to Nicholas, observed Matthew through the window that connected the tasting room with the winery. He chuckled. “I think he is finally learning how to delegate. A few months ago, he would’ve fixed the hose himself.”

  “See, you just have to be a little patient with him. He’s learning. He’s good.” Nicholas said of his brother.

  “Well, you know me, I’m not exactly the patient type.” Robert gave a quick smile. “I guess that’s something I have to learn.”

  “Any news from the investigator?” Nicholas asked.

  “Not really. Lauer said they’re focusing on finding out who those phony agents are, hoping to find the connection to whoever hired them. They’re also still checking out the burned wine storage shed.” Robert gave an exasperated groan. “I hope they find something, for Christ’s sake. It’s awful not knowing who is behind this whole scheme. Makes you distrust everyone.”

  Nicholas took a deep breath. “I know what you mean. Well, I’m off to get ready for tomorrow. Thanks again for helping us out with the pickers.”

  “No problem. If you need anything else, let me know,” Robert said.

  Nicholas, taking a last glance at his father’s large winery with the fermentation tanks and rows of hoses, stepped outside. He watched the harvest activity for a while. Tractors and flatbed trucks were driving along the fields that were ready for picking. A slew of workers, women with colorful scarves around their heads or sun hats, men with hats or baseball caps, were walking along the rows of one of the grape fields. The busy activity was occasionally interrupted by laughter and calls to each other, mainly in Spanish.

  Nicholas smiled. The grape harvest was the highpoint, the crowning event of a year’s worth of hard work. It was an exciting and often nerve-racking time. Would all the grapes be picked and crushed in time? Would the weather cooperate? Often the work at his father’s estate began in the early morning hours and lasted late into the night and this went on for weeks.

  It was a little less hectic at Nicholas and Sofia’s part of the estate, since they didn’t have that many fields. At the same time, they had fewer employees to do all the work. During harvest time, however, there really was no separation between Robert’s and Nicholas’s estates. They all worked together as Segantinos, and the word “family” assumed a heightened meaning, the two estates becoming one. Grandparents, parents, children, and all their employees worked together toward a successful harvest.

  Back at his winery, Nicholas, Sofia, and Grandpa Martin did a last check of the equipment and machinery. They had collected a sample of grapes from the entire Sangiovese field. Now, they crushed the grapes and tested the sugar content with a hydrometer. The process was called bunch sampling. The result was positive; the grapes were ready for picking. They gave each other high fives.

  Nicholas wiped the sweat from his forehead. “I’m so grateful Dad lent us his picking crew. I wouldn’t have been able to sleep, worrying about the possible rain.”

  Martin scanned the sky. “I don’t think it’s going to rain, but better safe than sorry.”

  In the evening, Grandma Maria and Janice cooked for the whole family, so “the kids could relax one last time,” as Maria said. The meal was an annual harvest-eve tradition. The prospect of the following few days and weeks of work pushed the thoughts about the stolen wine and the tragedy of Romero’s death aside for a while. At dinner, however, Robert lifted his glass of wine to the memory of his friend. He put his hand on Matthew’s shoulder.

  “Let’s all help Matt. It’s his first harvest as manager. And he’ll do an excellent job.”

  Nicholas saw tears well up in his brother’s eyes. “Hey, you’re going to do great. And we’ll all help.”

  Matthew smiled and lifted his glass. “To Romero and to all of us.”

  They all toasted each other.

  The following day, Nicholas shot up when the alarm shrieked. He groaned, stretched, then crawled out of bed. It was still dark outside. Sofia’s part of the bed was empty, but he wasn’t surprised she’d gotten up before him. They both were always a little anxious the night before the first picking. Although everything was ready there could always be surprises at the last minute. Nicholas opened the door and gratefully inhaled the scent of fresh coffee. He heard the shower going, glanced inside the nursery and picked up a toy lying on the floor. Little Henry had spent the night with Grandma Maria and would stay with her during the day so he and Sofia didn’t have to stop work to care for him.

  Nicholas went into the kitchen and poured himself a cup of coffee. He sipped the dark strong brew and looked through the window. A strip of purple on the horizon promised another sunny day. He kissed Sofia as she stepped into the kitchen. “Thanks for the coffee.” He took another sip and went to take a shower.

  After a quick breakfast of cereal, fruit, and yogurt, they grabbed two bottles of water and their hats and walked the short path to the winery. Nicholas breathed a sigh of relief as he saw the workers of the picking crew waiting there. Most members of the crew were Latinos.

  “Hola, como estan?” he greeted them. He shook hands with Jorge, their leader, whom he knew from an earlier harvest. “Gracias.”

  “De nada.” Jorge touched the brim of his baseball cap in greeting. “Okay. Vamanos,” he called to his helpers.

  The workers spread out over the Sangiovese field and began to pick the grapes, putting them into plastic crates along the lanes of vines. They were experts, and the picking went fast. A few of them collected the full crates and dumped the fruit into larger containers that were then hoisted onto the flatbed truck Nicholas had parked next to the field the evening before.

  Once the truck was full, Nicholas drove it to the winery, where other workers put the grapes onto a conveyor belt and checked them for spoiled or damaged fruit, removing anything unsuitable. Sofia, Julietta, and Grandpa Martin were standing at the end of the conveyor belt and gave the grapes one last glance before they were
dropped into the crusher and destemmer.

  Everything was well organized, the workers were experienced and fast, and a few hours later, the field was picked, the stems of the grapes removed, and the fruit crushed and dropped into the fermentation tank. After Nicholas added the yeast to get the fermentation going, the grapes would be left to sit for a week. Later, the extended fermentation would last about four to six weeks. Then the crushed grapes would be pressed, and the juice siphoned back into the tanks, where the fermentation continued.

  The picking crew was invited for drinks and food Janice and Maria had prepared and catered. In the evening, after Nicholas and Sofia had dinner at their grandparents’ house, they picked up little Henry, who was already asleep, and brought him home. Exhausted but happy after a successful day, they went to bed early. Everything had gone smoothly and the grapes in the fermentation tank were beginning their magical transformation into delicious Sangiovese wine.

  Chapter 30

  Robert stood on the patio of his home. Daylight was beginning to spread, and the air was still pleasantly cool. Sipping coffee, he noticed a car drive up to his property. It was David Lauer’s green sedan. Eager to greet the investigator, who hopefully had some more information on the wine theft and, more importantly, on the arson, Robert walked across the lawn, meeting Lauer halfway.

  “Good morning. You got some news?”

  “Indeed, I do,” Lauer said.

  Robert motioned him to come inside. “Want some coffee? I’ve some ready in the kitchen.”

  “That would be great.” Lauer gave a quick smile. “Sorry for being so early, but I have a full day ahead of me, and I wanted to give you the latest news.”

  “No problem. We’re always up at the crack of dawn anyway.” Robert went into the kitchen where Janice, still in her robe, was sipping coffee. “Lauer is here. He has news. Why don’t you join us?”