Conflict of Interest_A Mustang Prairie Romance

by N. D. Jackson

  Judging by Shirl’s furrowed brows that was not great. “I don’t want Paul tryin’ to undercut my beer prices to steal my customers!” Shirley’s gruff voice was the product of four and a half decades of Camel cigarettes, but her growl didn’t match her petite physique.

  “Obviously we’ll reach an agreement that satisfies both of you. The point here is to put more money into everyone’s pocket Shirley, not steal from someone else’s pocket to fatten your own.”

  Shirl groaned something incomprehensible but she didn’t continue to argue, which pleased Shellie. “Good. Ok. Now,” she turned to Jacques, “You and Paul can place your order together for flour, for example and you can each save $500 each month in flour costs. And You can all place orders together for common items like forks, knives, glasses and other things each of you needs for your business.”

  “How can I be sure,” Jacques began in the phony French accent he insisted on keeping up even though all of Mustang Prairie knew it was more likely he was from Naperville than Naples, “that Shirley par example, won’t say it costs more than it does for, how do you say, glasses and pocket the money?”

  “I ain’t no cheat Jack!”

  “It’s Jacques, Shirley!”

  “Whatever Jacques, Jack or jack ass. I don’t care. If I say I ain’t gonna cheat ya, then I ain’t and that’s that.” Shirley crossed her arms across her chest and turned away, mumbling something under her breath about no good Canadians.

  “Ok guys, that’s why I’m here remember? If it will make you all feel better we can draw up contracts stipulating every order and I can even place them on your behalf so everyone knows it’s all above board. Okay?”

  No one responded. They were all pouting and avoiding each other’s gazes.

  Frustrated, Shellie took a big dramatic breath and put on her best quivering lip and doe eyes, “Well you all trust me, don’t you?” She looked around the room at each of them, staring holes into their chests until one by one they each agreed that they did trust her to keep their businesses out of financial ruin. “Great! So let’s go over all the details shall we? I’ve done the math and by placing orders this way, I can help each of you save nearly twenty thousand in operating costs!” Shellie’s squeal more than her bold numbers got their attention.

  “Listen Shellie,” Paul began, “I want to save money and keep my business running but I don’t want to go to jail for this.”

  Shellie shook her head, more than a little insulted Paul thought she would resort to criminal means to keep his business afloat. “It’s not illegal Paul, everything I’m proposing is perfectly legal and more importantly it will save you a lot of money, which is why you hired me.” She looked around the room to make sure they all understood. “Now none of this will go forward unless all parties involved agree to it, understood?”

  Shirley slapped her hands to the table. “Sounds mighty fine to me Shellie girl, you’ve got a good head for business.”

  Shellie nodded, grateful for a least a little bit of recognition from her clients. Since most of them paid her in trade due to the dire financial situations of their businesses, it felt nice to hear that they actually trusted her to help them and valued the information she provided. “It’s very kind of you to say so, Shirl.”

  “Too bad we’ll all be on our asses when that new KitchenMart opens up.” Shirley spat bitterly.

  “What?” Shellie hadn’t heard anything about a new business opening in Mustang Prairie, especially a large company like KitchenMart. “You must be mistaken Shirl.”

  She shook her head with confidence. “Nope, that no good fancypants Anda told me just this morning.”

  Of course it was Anda Betkovic of Anda’s Amazing Charcuterie who brought the news of doom and gloom to Mustang Prairie. Shellie planned to go see her the minute this meeting was over to get it straight from the Latvian horse’s mouth.

  ##

  When her meeting was over and her clients, even the lingering Jacques, had finally left her office Shellie reached for her scarf and purse and locked up her office. She didn’t have an assistant or a secretary so there was no one to watch the phones or handle new clients when she was away. But since Mustang Prairie and its businesses were her business there was really no need. Shellie thought for a moment that she should put a sign in the door letting clients know she was coming back, but most of them would see her as she traveled down Fourth Street, Mustang Prairie’s version of Main Street.

  With her faded pink scarf properly in place draped around her neck and over her shoulders and handbag on her arm, Shellie placed the key in the door and turned it before heading down the block as she made her way to Anda’s Awesome Charcuterie. The first business she passed was the drugstore run by a middle aged pharmacist named Arnold, who didn’t need any help with his business because everything the town needed from Band-Aids to birth control to mouthwash could be found inside his little drugstore. Shellie waved to him as she walked by, pulling the scarf closer as the mid-morning wind began to gust.

  She looked down at her watch and noted it was nearly noon, which would account for the smell of fresh dough in the air as Paolo’s geared up for the inevitable lunch rush. Shellie inhaled the sights and sounds of Fourth Street as she passed the dry cleaners run by Mare and Bill Bergess, and the small record store where Pink Floyd piped onto the street even though Sophie the owner knew Mustang Prairie wasn’t a Pink Floyd kind of town. She waved at Shellie, a guilty wave because she had no idea how to help Sophie when everyone, herself included, downloaded songs legally or otherwise. Although it had been her idea to let customers trade in old music for a discount on new purchases. That had only helped, for a while. Shellie hurried her steps past Rock Circus Records lest Sophie want to talk about the plan she was still working on to save her business.

  As Shellie rounded the corner of Fourth Street onto Jefferson Boulevard she decided to stop into Grind House for a large nonfat latte for herself and a tall black coffee for Alexis. She needed to apologize and knew that double-teaming Anda would be a great ‘I’m sorry’ gift. She walked through the glass doors and her senses were assaulted by the aroma of several exotic coffee blends, the sound of coffee beans being ground, espressos prepared and cappuccinos being siphoned out of industrial grade machines. Butter still lingered in the air from the croissants Jordan made fresh every morning. Her entire body relaxed from the inside at the homey coffeehouse with the heavenly smells. “Mmmm that’s what I’m talking about,” she said to no one in particular.

  A woman Shellie didn’t recognize turned around and responded to her coffee-gasm. “Don’t I know it. Better than Starbucks any day of the week.”

  Shellie stared at the unfamiliar woman, wondering if she made a wrong turn on Interstate 57. She smiled politely, taking note of the woman’s hip white framed eyeglasses, her knee-length pencil skirt with heels so high Shellie got a sprained ankle just looking at them and an expensive grey sweater that she was sure was cashmere. To top it all off she was wearing a pink camisole that perfectly matched Shellie’s scarf. “We’re a Starbucks free land in case you hadn’t noticed,” she smiled at the stranger.

  “Yeah I noticed,” she said in amazement followed by the inevitable, “how’d you manage that?”

  “Let’s just say we made them realize it wasn’t worth the time or money to ruin Mustang Prairie with a big corporate coffee company that doesn’t care one bit about this town or her people.” Shellie winked. “I’m Shellie,” she extended her hand.

  The woman looked taken a back slightly. People didn’t introduce themselves to strangers unless they were getting ready to arrest them. “Amelia,” she said hesitantly.

  “Nice to meet you Amelia, great shoes by the way. My ankle hurts just looking at them.”

  Amelia smiled gratefully, “Imagine wearing them.”

  “Already did and now I need a trip to the chiropractor,” she joked. “Are you new around here Amelia?”

  She nodded, unsure how much to reveal to this woman who hated St
arbucks with such passion. “Me and my boyfriend just got to town yesterday.”

  “Boyfriend? Lucky you.” Shellie moved around the woman to place her order. “Well I know it can be hard moving to a new town, so give me a call anytime,” she handed Amelia a slip of paper with her cell phone number on it. “Actually if you and your boyfriend want to come by tonight, its Merlot Monday at my place.”

  Amelia raised her eyebrows, as though it were some holiday she should know about but didn’t. “Merlot Monday? I’m intrigued but need to know more. Please.”

  Shellie laughed a little. “Well my best friend Alexis and I, and sometimes a few other women from town get together at my place and sample different brands of Merlot or other types of wine. It isn’t as bad as it sounds, but there’s plenty of wine, food and gossip to make an easy transition to town.”

  “Well I just started a new job,” she began but withheld details from this friendly woman until she could learn how Shellie might respond, “so I’ll give you a call around four to let you know if we can make it.”

  Shellie waved a hand at her new friend. “Don’t worry we sample different wines every day so consider this an open invitation,” she smiled.

  Amelia turned to go, but curiosity got the better of her, “Will your boyfriend be there too?”

  Shellie rolled her eyes.

  “Well I just wanted to make sure Tam wouldn’t be the only guy.”

  Shellie understood. “I don’t have a boyfriend but bring him anyway, we promise not to talk periods, vibrators or makeup,” she joked.

  Amelia nodded and waved goodbye as she exited Grind House.

  With two coffees, a croissant and some homemade granola, Shellie set off to make an apology and find out what was going on in her town. Within a few minutes of leaving the coffee shop she was already safe in the warmth of Alexis’ office.

  “Look what the cat dragged in,” Alexis said without even taking her eyes off her computer. She saw Shellie come in thanks to her state of the art security system, and she wasn’t particularly busy but Shellie needed to learn that running from the truth doesn’t change the fact that it is the truth.

  Shellie blushed. “Listen Al, I’m sorry I hung up on you but—”

  “But what?” Alexis looked up at her friend, “But you didn’t want to hear it so you decided ignoring it was better than being a grown up?”

  “BUT,” she emphasized and rolled her eyes, hating that Alexis wasn’t going to make this easier, “I hung up because I realized you were right and I needed to think about my past and see it for myself. You know I couldn’t have admitted the truth to you until I’d figured out on my own, and I thought about Joshua and Charlie, and even Noel. And you were right. I have been…acting scared.”

  “Wow.”

  “I know,” Shellie exhaled, a small smile forming on her lips.

  “So, what are you going to do about Noel?”

  Shellie thought about it for a moment, “Play it by ear?”

  “Good! Because I’ve been thinking, there’s a way –”

  Shellie put up both her hands, unwilling to talk about Noel when there were more pressing matters to deal with. “Stop right there. We can’t do this right now, Al.”

  “So you were just buttering me up for forgiveness?”

  “No. Well, yeah I did come to apologize and beg forgiveness but there’s another reason I’m here. Did you know a KitchenMart was opening in Mustang Prairie?”

  “No Shellie, I didn’t. You know you’d be my first call.” Alexis stood up and walked around her desk to place a consoling arm around her friend. “What are you going to do?”

  “The first thing I’m going to do is find the uptight stuffed shirt whose job it is to drain the money out of Mustang Prairie and strangle him, it’s almost certainly a man, with his tie!”

  “Ok, well I’ll be your alibi or your shovel woman.” Alexis laughed.

  “But first,” she grabbed her best friend by the arm with coffee in hand, “we need to get the whole story straight from the source.”

  “The source?”

  “Anda,” she snarled.

  Alexis’ shoulders fell dramatically. “Do we have to,” she whined?”

  ##

  Retracing her steps, Shellie and Alexis reluctantly made their way over to Anda’s Awesome Charcuterie. True to the persona she conveyed around town Anda’s shop was pristine, high-end and beautifully decorated. Pushing open the amber-hued double glass doors, Shellie rolled her eyes at all the wonder and beauty Anda managed to give her shop.

  Looking around Alexis whistled her appreciation at the custom designed cutting boards and the real silver serving platters that were displayed about the place. She gasped at the sight of the crystal wine glasses in a variety of shapes and sizes for the true wine connoisseur. “A girl could get used to this kind of life,” Alexis whispered to Shellie.

  Shellie responded with an elbow to her ribs and a breath of exasperation. It was true, Anda’s shop was magnificent, but she was reluctant to do anything that would help her fellow business owners stay in business. Shellie liked Anda but she was awful at hiding the contempt she had for the woman who couldn’t understand that if the business around her failed, so would her own.

  “How can I help you ladeez,” Anda drawled with her still heavy Latvian accent. Her attempt to develop a more Midwestern accent only made it more pronounced.

  “What kind of paté do you have today?” Alexis had a one track mind.

  “Alexis that is not why we’re here.”

  “Yeah but if we are here may as well get some goodies for tonight.”

  “Fine.” Shellie wouldn’t give Anda her business but she would certainly taste a little if someone else chose to.

  “I bring you samples Alexiz and you ladeez, have a zeat,” Anda motioned toward a set of tables near the back. “Then ve vill talk.” Anda smiled at them as she went back to her kitchen.

  Shellie walked to a table with four impossibly small wooden French chairs and immediately sat down. All she could think about was her clients, all of whom nearly made up Fourth Street and how they would react to this news. She sighed and watched her friend ogle all the goodies Anda had to offer.

  Alexis made her way to the different jams and jellies stocked in neat little rows on 1920’s style shelves. She grabbed a big jar of boysenberry jam for her morning gluten free toast and two small jars of apricot and peach jelly simply because Anda was a master in the kitchen. The peach jelly was her favorite because it seemed to go well with several types of paté. Next she made her way to the glass with Anda’s magic meats. Alexis usually brought the snacks for their wine nights, but seeing how stressed Shellie was already she knew tonight was not the night for carrot sticks and low fat dip. Discreetly pulling an order form from the counter, Alexis marked her orders and laid the form on the spotless stainless steel counter with a note telling Anda she would return later to pay and pick it up. She spotted Anda making her way to the front of the store and went to take her seat beside Shellie.

  “Ok ladeez,” she set down a tray fitted with what Shellie thought was everything in the store. “I guess you want to talk of KitchenMart, no?” She kept her gazed focused on Shellie.

  Too tired for games, Shellie sighed, “Just tell us what you know Anda.”

  Anda shrugged, feigning ignorance as she ran her long, perfectly manicured nails through her almond colored waves. “I know nothing, I only heard things.”

  “Who told you this Anda?”

  Again playing innocent Anda leaned in conspiratorially, “It is not for me to say who is my source, only that I have heard this.”

  “Fine! Christ Anda, just tell us what you know!” Shellie hadn’t intended to be so short or so brutal but she hated Anda’s secretive ways.

  Holding up her arms in surrender Anda warned, “No need to get, how you say, snippy with me. I only pass on what information I hear Michelle.”

  Calmer this time, Shellie continued, “Sorry Anda. Please tell me wh
at you know, it’s important. Really important.”

  Anda saw Shellie’s pleading eyes and decided it was time to give up what she knew. “I merely heard that the new building on the edge of town is going to be KitchenMart headquarters.”

  “Corporate headquarters?” Shellie needed to know what she was up against.

  “Of course corporate you silly girl.” Anda rolled her eyes, “But also sales, R&D, customer service and the first two floors will be a retail store,” she was proud of her intel. “At least that’s what I hear.” She shrugged impassively.

  Shellie visibly sank into the seat she swore her bottom was swallowing whole. She envisioned Fourth Street empty and desolate, no longer the heart of Mustang Prairie and her proud small business owners. This was far worse than she imagined. She thought of the many businesses that would be affected by KitchenMart’s China made products. At least the eateries would be safe.

  “I also hear that a floor will be turned into a restaurant with a bar and dance floor.” Of this fact, Anda was proud because she often felt Mustang Prairie needed a place to really dance. Besides she was a fantastic dancer and much too young to submit to the lonely life she’d had since her husband, Herb died. “I think it will be exciting!”

  “You think decimating an entire town will be exciting? Exciting! Of course you would, your business wouldn’t suffer in the least.” Ungrateful hag.

  “We all must do what we can to survive Shellie, and I,” she placed her hands on her chest, “Am a survivor.”

  “Until KitchenMart sees the money you make and find a way to offer what you do at a fraction of the cost.”

  Anda scoffed at what she perceived to be Shellie’s absurd forecast. She stood up putting her impossibly long and lean legs on display and walked behind her counter. “No one can do what Anda can do,” She wrapped a turquoise and white gingham apron around her thin waist and eyed the slip on her counter. “It is a matter of providing a valuable service, which I do, that you can’t find just anywhere Shellie. Many of your customers could benefit from that lesson.”