Mariela nodded. “Gayle, my husband Rafael will call later to see how the children are faring. If there should be a problem with us here at the winery, I’m sure Sheriff van Persie will get a hold of you and, if need be, figure things out from there.”
Mariela’s eyes filled with tears. “Our children are everything to us, Gayle. That’s why we came here to Washington—to start a new life for them.”
Gayle cradled the woman in her arms. “Don’t you worry. No matter what happens, your children will be well taken care of. I promise you that.”
~ ~ ~
The women were interrupted by the voices of two little children running up the hill and followed by Diego. “Wait for us, Señora Reynolds. We want to go to the Bible school, too!”
Diego helped Gayle usher the remaining children onto the bus. She kissed Julia goodbye one last time before she climbed into the driver’s seat. It was a little after six by now and time for the children to vacate the winery. It was unclear as to when James would arrive to do his dirty work, so the sooner the children were gone, the better.
After waving goodbye to children, Mariela, Rafael, Diego, and Julia took a moment to take in all that’d transpired over the last hour. Finally, Rafael spoke. “I’ll go down to the compound and see who may be available to help us today. Now that the children are safe, perhaps more of the adults’ll be willing to stand up to James than I’d previously guessed.”
Mariela turned to Julia. “And I’ll see that everything in the retail shop is carefully put away and secure. Don’t worry, Señora Julia. No matter what happens, and no matter who shows up to help, all of us who work here believe you’re doing the right thing.”
Julia bowed her head and answered in a nearly inaudible voice. “Thank you, Mariela. I hope you’re right.”
She was glad Gayle had shown up to take the children away for the day, but she began to feel more and more anxious about what lay up ahead, especially since Barbara, as of yet, hadn’t arrived. Without the backing of the sheriff and the original copy of the deed, things could turn nasty in but a mere matter of seconds.
As Mariela left to go to her duties, Diego turned to Julia and lifted her chin so he could look into her eyes. “Don’t doubt yourself for a minute, Julia. You’re absolutely doing the right thing.”
With that he turned and retraced Rafael’s steps back to the compound. Should James show up, Julia knew that Diego would be ready. In the meantime they all had chores to do and responsibilities to fulfill as they each would on any other day of the week.
~ ~ ~
Julia walked back into her office with the intention of calling Barb. Normally she wouldn’t phone anyone this early in the morning, but she needed her friend not only for support, but for protection as well. She also needed that deed in her hand if she was to have half of a chance of stopping whatever it was James had up his sleeve.
No sooner had Julia picked up the phone than she heard several trucks pull into the winery parking lot, blocking any chance of anyone else coming in or worse, getting out.
“They’re here, Julia!” screamed Mariela. “Oh, blessed Jesus, there’re so many of them.”
From the pit of Julia’s stomach she could feel the bile again rise. Now wasn’t the time for her to show fear or weakness, so she willed the vomit back down her throat and readied herself for what awaited her.
As soon as the first truck skidded to a stop, James jumped out, a golf club in his hand. “Julia Reynolds, I order you to get out here right this second. And don’t you dare make me do something we’ll both regret,” James yelled at the top of his lungs.
If Julia was at all tentative before, she most certainly wasn’t now. How dare he talk to her that way!
No one in her life’s history had ever even tried to boss her around—not a conductor, or an agent, or a greedy son of a bitch like her husband’s brother!
This was her land, not James’s. And this was her family business and legacy, not some indiscriminant piece of purchased land to be done away with. Julia took in a deep breath and opened her front door.
Before her stood two dump trucks full of hired men holding sticks and clubs, ready to wreak havoc upon James’s signal. Julia’s heart sank into her feet, yet she worked hard at not showing her terror.
She’d perfected this cool façade through her many years of concertizing. The first time she played at the five-balcony Burgtheater in Vienna, she was sure she’d pass out before making it to the piano bench, but she hadn’t. A few deep breaths and a reminder that her public by and large adored her gave Julia the wherewithal to step graciously onto the stage and take her place with one of the most brilliant orchestras of her time, the Vienna Philharmonic.
What appeared before her now, however, wasn’t even close to anything she’d ever experienced. In front of her were the angry and malicious faces of at least two dozen men whom she realized had no other agenda but to destroy her and the winery for a mere—what?—twenty dollars apiece?
To calm herself down she turned her focus away from the small army and directed her gaze toward James. Out of the corner of her eye she was sure she saw Duncan behind the wheel of the second truck. Things were beginning to make sense now—the lawyer and the accountant. Of course, they wanted to close the winery, for with the winery closed these two men had everything to win and nothing to lose.
With her arms folded in front of her, Julia hoped to keep her stomach calm while at the same time take on a professionally firm stance. “Good morning, James,” she said. “What brings you out to the Nooksack Valley Winery and Vineyard this early hour of the morning? I am sorry, but we aren’t normally open for wine-tasting this early in the morning. Perhaps if you try later in the day . . .”
James motioned for the men to descend from the two flatbeds as he stepped toward his sister-in-law. “You know damn well why I’m here. I told you I’d be back to stake my claim and here I am. And there’s not a damn thing you can do about it either.”
Julia felt her legs shake involuntarily, but she kept cool and her voice strong. “I think you have your facts wrong, James. This winery belongs to both of us, and now that Robert’s gone, his share has combined with mine as well.”
“And I suppose you have proof of that?” James sneered.
“You know darn well the deed is in your office safe. I’m sure if you took it out, you’d see I’m telling the truth.”
Oh, God. Where’s Barbara? Why isn’t she here?
James reached into his inner vest pocket and pulled out a piece of paper. “Well, Missy, I happen to have that deed right here in my hand, and it doesn’t exactly hold up to your story.”
Julia felt the skin on her face grow tight. “Let me see that.” She held out her hand, forcing James to walk even closer to her. He took a few steps and then having second thoughts, he stopped in his tracks.
What if she could tell the deed had been doctored?
Julia was no dummy. That he knew. Instead, he pushed the deed back into his pocket.
“I don’t have to prove anything to you. Now get out of the way so my men can move you and your belongings out of the house and onto the trucks.”
Julia was about to tell him to go to hell when she heard the voice of Diego coming from the compound road. “I don’t think that’d be wise on your part, Señor Reynolds.”
“And who the hell are you?” retaliated James.
“I’m the orchard manager, Diego Gonzales-Martinez. And these are my fellow workers.”
James and his men spun around to find themselves surrounded by every single laborer from the winery as well as their wives. In their hands were rakes, pitch forks, shovels, hoes, every garden tool imaginable—anything to make them appear not only able to handle the situation, but to win as well.
“You really want to fight over this, Julia?” James spit out.
Julia glared into James’s eyes. “I don’t want to fight for what already belongs to me. But if you’re going to insist on carrying out your threats, then we here at the winery have no other recourse but to defend our homes and our livelihoods.”
Duncan, who’d indeed sat all this time in the cab of the second truck, finally hung his head out the window and yelled, “Be reasonable, Julia. If this continues, people will certainly get hurt.”
Julia was about ready to speak when Diego stepped in front of her to face Duncan. “Unfortunately for you, the only people who are going to get hurt here will be those who don’t belong, Señor D’Angelo.”
Everyone’s attention was suddenly drawn to the other side of the roadway as someone in the crowd of winery workers yelled out to one of James’s hired thugs. “Umberto Colon, you ungrateful shit, is this the only job you can get now, beating up women and old friends? Where’s your dignity now, joven?”
Umberto turned in anger and sneered at Joaquin, his old boss. “You shut up. I don’t answer to you anymore. Mr. D’Angelo’s my boss now. I’m paid to follow his orders, and that’s the only dignity I need!”
The tension was as thick as frijoles.
“Well, Julia, what’s it going to be?” James had been pushed about as far as he could go, and Julia knew it. Plus, she was sure he felt a great deal of false power given he had such a sizable group of paid flunkies at his disposal.
Diego turned around to face her. “You don’t have to answer him, Julia. You know that, don’t you.” He said it as a statement rather than a question.
“You stay out or this, you wetback,” James threw at Diego. “This is none of your goddamn business, so back off or I’ll sic immigration on you—on all of you!”
Looking as if she could no longer contain herself, Mariela rushed to stand next to Diego. “That’s where you’re wrong, Mr. Reynolds. We’re not all wetbacks, as you call us. Many of us, including myself, are American citizens, and you sir, are asking for more trouble than you could ever imagine.
The crowd grew silent. “We’re a warrior people,” Mariela continued. “We know how to survive and live plentifully and joyfully no matter what our surroundings or circumstances. Yes, we’re wetbacks, but not because we’re here illegally, but because we work by the sweat of our backs to make an honest living for our children and our families.
“We’ve enjoyed our years working here for your father, and then for your brother, and now for your sister-in-law, Señora Julia. But unlike you, she works for the same things we do—a home, a sharing community, a hope for the future.”
Julia by this time had come to stand next to Mariela. She thought about interrupting her, but the woman was on a roll, and nothing, not even Julia, was going to stop her.
“I’ll tell you this—Señora Julia’s as much a wetback as we are. She works hard and sweats for fear you’ll take what’s left of her Robert away from her. And if I’m not mistaken, those you’ve hired to hurt us, they’re the true wetbacks.”
Several gasps could be heard from within the crowd.
“Well, let me tell you something. Wetbacks should never hurt other wetbacks. We respect each other, but we don’t respect you, Señor James. You aren’t a wetback, this is true. But never will you ever be respected because you’re a mean, greedy, dishonest man without a heart. No hay ningún corazón, Señor James, no hay ningún corazón!”
Julia didn’t know whether to hug Mariela or applaud. Complete silence hovered over the crowd until someone—it was difficult to tell exactly who—threw a rock and hit one of the winery workers in the head. The fight had begun.
Diego hurried to rush Mariela and Julia back into the winery proper. “Lock the doors and don’t let anyone in until the sheriff comes. Do you understand?”
“Yes, Diego!” answered Julia.
“Sí!” echoed Mariela as the two women ran for shelter.
As Diego turned to see what he could do to stop the fighting, he yelled back, “Call Sheriff Barbara and tell her to bring every deputy she has on payroll. Now!”
Julia watched as Mariela hustled through the winery and adjacent home, locking every window and door she could find. At the same time, Julia whipped out her cell phone. Her fingers had just grazed the keypad when she heard a series of sirens approaching from a distance.
“Barbara’s here, Mariela! Look! And she’s not alone.”
Mariela ran to join her at the bay window to see a line of six patrol cars and SUVs winding their way up the road toward the graveled driveway and parking lot. As soon as the sirens blared, James’s men scattered like cockroaches at the turning on of a light, leaving only the winery workers along with James and Duncan.
By the time Mariela and Julia made it to the front door, Sheriff van Persie and her five deputies muscled themselves into blocking the two trucks James and Duncan had brought with them from both behind and in front. No way were he and Duncan going to escape. Julia knew she’d promised Diego she’d wait until the sheriff gave a high sign suggesting all was safe before leaving the house, but she and Mariela couldn’t wait any longer and were out the door like two frightened deer.
As soon as James’s hirees took flight, the winery workers, including Diego, ceased their fighting and instead cheered and hoorayed the presence of the police. “Hey compañeros, happy to see la policia, huh?’ he teased.
Joaquin was the first to answer him. “Sí! And in a nick of time, too! I’m too old for this shit.”
Diego put his arm across the man’s shoulders. “Never my friend, mi amigo, nunca.”
Barbara quickly called Julia over to her side as she addressed James and Duncan. “What’s going on here, James? Mr. D’Angelo? Who were all those men, and why are they here ready to start a fight?” One of the things Julia loved about Barbara was her no-nonsense approach to her job.
Julia noted James was beginning to look as if he were going to be sick or pass out. His pallor was nearly gray, and he seemed to be at a loss for words.
Noticing that things weren’t going as well as anticipated, Duncan stepped forward to defend himself. “Sheriff van Persie, as James Reynolds’s friend and accountant, it has recently been brought to our attention that the vineyard and winery are not under the sole ownership of Julia Reynolds. Nor is her private residence solely owned by her, either.”
Duncan stated in his over self-confident and haughty voice, “James was merely exercising his right as owner to remove her and the workers from the property so as to close the winery once and for all.”
Barbara motioned for her deputies to encircle the two men. “Is that so? I suppose you have proof of that?”
Julia wondered what it would take to bring James to his senses. She knew that the sheriff would notice any discrepancies, and when she did, he would be toast. Duncan peered at him questioningly, as if to ask, what are you waiting for? Show her the deed!
Finally, James spoke. “Not on me at the moment, no. But I’m sure from what Duncan and I observed, I own the larger share of this property and am acting within my legal rights.”
Sheriff Barbara nodded at her men to move in. “Well, that’s very interesting, James, because I’ve a copy of the deed right here in my hand which I officially received from the office of property assessment. It clearly says what I see as the opposite of your little tale of woe.”
She hated to gloat, but catching James red-handed was too good to dismiss. “According to the originally witnessed and sealed deed, should either party pass away through accident or ill health, their share would immediately be passed on to their spouse—no questions asked. That means you, sir, merely own one third of the estate and Julia the larger portion.”
Julia could see that James and Duncan were startled by the revelation, and probably not because they thought it was at all false, but because James wouldn’t have the slightest idea how she and
the sheriff came to know about his and Duncan’s ruse.
Again, Duncan stepped in to speak for James. “Perhaps we’re mistaken. After all, it has been some time since we’ve seen the deed and were only going on what we believed was common sense since James is after all the brother of the deceased.”
“Yes, but not the spouse.” Sheriff Barbara couldn’t help but grin. “If I were you, Duncan D’Angelo and James Reynolds, I’d leave this property and not return, or next time I’ll arrest you for trespassing. Now, do you need an escort, or do you think you can manage to get your fat asses off this land without causing any more trouble?”
“This isn’t over yet, Julia. You can rest assured I’ll see you in court and sooner rather than later,” James threatened as he and Duncan turned to leave.
Julia took a step forward. “Let it go, James. You’ll only be wasting more of your precious money for nothing but a headache. Think less about yourself for once and instead about what your brother would’ve expected from you—your loyalty, support, and care. He loved you, James, and had always relied on you to do the right thing.”
James stopped in his tracks. Julia sensed he was thinking of turning around, but instead he continued walking. Without looking back, he jumped into the first truck, Duncan into the second, and both men tore out of the parking area like two teenage boys proving how tough they were.
The deputies laughed among each other. Julia noticed that Barbara’s two regular deputies were there—Stefano Sabatini and Christos Sotiropoulos. Yet, so were volunteers Jacob von Buskirk, a local dairy farmer, and Robbie George, an active council member of the Nooksack Tribe and one of the biggest producers of tulip and daffodil bulbs in Whatcom County.
“You certainly took your time getting here, Barb. I thought we were done for, but then here you show up with four of the biggest guys in the valley. I could kiss you all!” Julia was so relieved she temporarily abandoned her professional façade and instead acted as giddy as a teenager on her first date.
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