by Bobby Cole
Cooper sat upright, excitedly explaining the details. He had always dreamed of owning a big piece of land and would much rather talk about it and wildlife management than just about anything else.
“It’s in Coosa County. It’s got beautiful hardwood timber; in fact, it’s got the prettiest stand of giant oaks and hardwood bottoms you’ve ever seen. There are several Indian mounds on the place, and one side’s adjacent to the Wildlife Management Area. I’ve been huntin’ on it for years, and I’ve fixed up an old house as my camp. It’s basic, to say the least… but it’ll do for a while.”
“Sounds perfect. Why’s it on the market?”
“It’s not. That’s the best part. It belongs to a woman who’s worked for my family for more than forty years. She practically raised me. She inherited it. The only thing she’s done with it is sell a little timber to put some missionary kids through college. She didn’t even know ’em. That’s the kinda person she is—good as gold. She lost her kids in a car accident when they were babies, so she pretty much thinks of me as her own. I’ve been leasin’ the huntin’ rights for several years. A few years back, when I found out she was thinkin’ of sellin’ it, I got her to give me an option. It’s about to expire, so I gotta do somethin’, pretty quick.”
“Ya stealin’ it?”
“No way… I’ve offered her a very fair price,” Cooper replied.
“Sounds too good to be true.”
“It’s a special place to me and to her. All her people are buried on the property. There are several cemeteries, and all the old home places are still there—mostly just some chimneys and concrete steps; some could be fixed up. It used to be part of a big plantation. There was a little community on the place, too, till some disease came through, killin’ off everybody. Yellow fever, maybe. Anyway, it means everything to her for somebody to keep it in one big piece—fix up the houses and take care of the cemeteries. I gave her my word I’d do it.”
“How much an acre?”
“I’m not sayin’ till it’s done. I’m scared something’s gonna happen, and I’ll lose it.”
“Well, I can tell you this, Coosa’s red-hot right now. Whatever you’re payin’, you’ll do well. Let me know when you want that appraisal. I’ll help any way I can.”
“Thanks. I’ll get you the info in the next few days. I think I finally have the financin’ in place. I really don’t want to move this fast, but she’s startin’ to get calls ’bout it, so I need to pull the trigger pretty quick.”
After the conversation, Cooper wondered about Coosa County land being “red-hot.” He didn’t know why. He just assumed close-in hunting property was in high demand. His thoughts drifted to a huge flock of wild turkeys he’d recently seen, and knew that he couldn’t let anyone else have his Promised Land.
CHAPTER 30
Jesse Ray had spent several early morning hours manipulating and sabotaging Cooper Dixon’s e-mails, his computer’s Internet history and its bookmarks. Jesse Ray excitedly woke Clarence at two in the morning to show how this guy was not very computer-savvy. Cooper had 29,348 e-mails in his Deleted folder, a sign that he obviously didn’t know to delete its contents or that doing so was even necessary. Jesse Ray howled in laughter. Clarence, conspicuously silent, wondered if he had ever deleted his own.
Several hours later at seven, Clarence who had been pacing the floors thinking a hole in the job, decided to wake up Jesse Ray to get the day rolling.
“Jesse Ray, Jesse Ray get up!” he shouted as he walked into the bathroom to brush his teeth. “Get up, homeboy!”
“Man, what time is it?” Jesse Ray replied, without moving.
“Time to get your ass up. I let you sleep late. We got lots to do,” Clarence explained as he squeezed toothpaste onto his brush.
“Yo, Dog… won’t ya let a brother sleep another hour?” Jesse Ray begged as he peeked out from under the covers.
“Get your narrow ass up, and let’s get busy.”
“Leave me alone. I need my rest ’cause I got lots to do today, and I gotta be sharp.”
“Like what?”
“I gotta hack back into the server and get Cooper’s social. Once I’ve got it, I’ll make it appear that’s he’s in financial trouble, in a large way. Financial Armageddon! When his and his old lady’s credit cards quit working, it will hit the fan!”
“Damn, son, I hope you don’t ever get pissed off at me.”
“So I can go back to sleep?”
“Nope. There’s a list of things I need you to go buy for us. Right there by the phone.”
Jesse Ray reached over, grabbed the note, and then read aloud from the list: “Duct tape—three; four lightweight sleeping bags, pillows, and cases; DVD player; two cases of beer; four cases of water; food for a week for four; toilet paper; paper towels; paper plates; plastic utensils; big-ass cooler on wheels; three bags of ice; wasp spray; coffeemaker; filters; coffee… dude, this’ll take me awhile to round up,” he said as he continued reading the list to himself.
“We are gonna need all that and more. Get whatever you need to make yourself comfortable.”
“I gotta take a shower first and wake up.” Jesse Ray swung his feet to the floor, stood, stretched, and scratched his butt cheeks with both hands.
Clarence picked up his keys, stuffed his wallet into his back pocket, and headed for the door, saying, “I’m gonna grab breakfast. I can’t think on an empty stomach. I’ll be here when you get back from shoppin’.”
“Dog, you’re actin’ strange. You seem… I dunno… worried. Somethin’. I ain’t never seen you worried befo.”
“What the hell you talkin’ ’bout?”
“Well, for one, you just brushed your teeth with my toothbrush,” Jesse Ray pointed out.
“Aww! Man, you serious?!” Clarence started spitting. “I guess… well, I ain’t worried as much as preoccupied. I woke up tryin’ to figure out how to monetize this new information we got from Jenny… and I guess I’m kinda anxious for her to get on back. Just got a lot on my mind, that’s all. Add a toothbrush to that list.”
“Already did, and one for me too… now chill, Dog… we’ll figure it out… we always do.”
CHAPTER 31
Don Daniels gently slid a vintage Montblanc pen into his pocket when he finished signing the legal papers. He carefully folded the pages and then sealed them inside an envelope before giving them to his secretary to route back to their attorney. Checking the clock on his credenza, he pushed away from the desk and stood. It had been a grueling, monotonous week. He was ready to get the hell out of the office. Leaving early on Fridays was the first step in escaping what he had grown to hate and despise.
“I’ll be out the rest of the afternoon,” he informed his secretary, “but I’ll have my cell phone on, if it’s important.”
“Yes, sir. What about Cooper Dixon? He’s called three times today.”
“I’ll call him later this afternoon,” he said, pulling on his suit coat. “Maybe. If he calls again, tell him I’m in a meeting.”
“Yes, sir. A man called a few minutes ago, while you were on the phone,” she replied, handing him a note. “He wouldn’t leave a name, just a number.”
“Thank you.”
He looked at the message and then turned and walked purposefully back into his office to return the call. He sat down at his desk and then punched in the number. Staring out the window, he anxiously waited for an answer.
As soon as the call connected, he said, “It’s me, what do you have?”
“Things are happenin’. Toyota suddenly ramped up their efforts to get their next plant going, and it’s lookin’ like Alabama’s gonna get it. It’s not official… yet. Only a handful of folks know, and just like you thought, there are a couple of sites that make the most sense.”
“What’s the time frame?”
“Within the next few months, they’ll announce that they’re lookin’, but as you know, it’ll already be a done deal. They want at least one thousand acres, clos
e to an interstate. The governor will take care of all the tax credits, and the state will be issuing bonds and takin’ what property Toyota can’t buy by eminent domain. They paid twenty grand an acre for the site near Tupelo, Mississippi, so somebody’s gonna get rich when they buy the ground for this plant.”
“I know all about how that Mississippi deal was made,” Don Daniels said with a sly grin. “And I’m gonna be on the front end of Alabama’s opportunity.”
“As long as my retainer’s paid, the information keeps flowin’.” Without another word, the connection was broken.
Don Daniels did a quick mental calculation: 1,200 acres times $25,000 was a cool $30 million, less acquisition costs and retainers. This was “go to the house” money—an opportunity to retire rich. He was willing to do whatever it took to make it happen. For several years, he had been silently piecing together contiguous small land tracts in anticipation of this event. Much to Don’s frustration, most of these tracts had been owned by his family many years ago. Since the governor was a close ally, as were several state legislators, Don was confident that enough official incentives and unofficial influence could be placed upon the Japanese automaker to find his site acceptable.
He switched off his office lights and quietly shut the door. As he walked down the hall, smiling broadly, he thought, I’ll do whatever’s required to get this deal tied off.
CHAPTER 32
Jenny punched in Clarence’s speed dial number on her cell phone as she hurriedly walked past the water features in front of the huge office building. She knew how crazed the entire state’s population was about the two major universities’ football teams. The support of one over the other literally divided families and friends. Since the state was not home to any professional sports, watching Auburn and Alabama play football was a high priority for most. With Cooper at the Auburn football game and half of the state watching it on television or listening on the radio, Saturday night would be the perfect time to kidnap his wife. Stores would be empty, roads deserted, and law enforcement would be occupied with either the game, traffic, fights, or drunk drivers. Jenny was certain Clarence would recognize the opportunity. They would have a several-hour window to make the snatch. There was one major obstacle—they only had a day to prepare.
“Talk to me,” a gruff voice suddenly answered.
Sitting down on the steps facing the fountain, she looked around to make sure no one could overhear her end of the conversation. “Everything’s in place, and listen to this: tomorrow night Auburn plays at home, and our guy’s going, without our friend. Apparently, she rarely goes to the games.”
Clarence knew what she was implying was right. The statewide effect of college football in Alabama was well known around the South. If the University of Alabama happened to be playing at home, that would make the timing even better. He had learned recently that the city of Montgomery usually sent approximately one hundred police officers to Auburn for each home football game, which meant less of a police presence in town when they grabbed the Target.
“Hmm, very interesting. This could be perfect timin’. I just need to figure out where to do it. That’s my biggest concern. Come to the Farmers Market Cafe. I’ll buy you a late breakfast. I don’t wanna talk details on the phone.”
“Nah, thanks. I’ll meet you at the hotel.”
“You don’t know what you’re missin’. Okay, then, see ya there,” he replied and then hung up.
He sopped up the last of several runny eggs with a biscuit and then leaned back in his chair and smiled.
CHAPTER 33
Walking into his home, Cooper was in a foul mood. It started when he saw Kelly’s car, as usual, parked in the center of the garage, effectively taking up two spaces. Every light in the house was on. Both the front and back doors were standing wide open. The kitchen, however, was immaculate, so Millie couldn’t have been gone for more than a few moments. Piper was likely ensconced in her bedroom Skyping with her friends, although she was supposed to be packing for a trip with her church group. Ben was sweaty, most likely from playing basketball with some neighborhood kids and was stretched out on the leather couch watching TV. There was a high probability that Domino’s Pizza would soon arrive. The fact that this was a typical Friday night at the Dixons did nothing to mollify his disposition—it exacerbated it.
“Get off the couch… you’re all sweaty. You know better than that,” Cooper fussed at Ben. “Where’s your mother?”
“I dunno,” he answered as he slid off the couch and onto the carpet, never taking his eyes off the Nickelodeon program.
“When’s the last time you saw her?”
“Uh… I don’t remember.” Ben never looked away from the TV.
“What time do you go to your overnight party tomorrow?”
“After lunch… I can’t wait!” He replied excitedly, and then turned on his back and watched television upside down.
Cooper walked into the kitchen. He opened the refrigerator to get a cold drink and then, there not being one, slammed the door. He grabbed a glass and filled it halfway with water from the dispenser on front of the refrigerator. Cooper took a big gulp and then looked around at Millie’s handiwork. Everything was clean and in place. When he was young, she had cleaned his parents’ house. Cleaning really didn’t begin to encompass what she did then… or now—she managed the household. She was an incredible woman. Kelly could not begin to survive being a wife and mother without Millie, and yet she resented her. Probably for that reason, he thought.
Cooper didn’t know life without Millie since she had played a substantial role in raising him. The fact that she was selling him her family estate spoke volumes about his connection with her.
Pulling out his shirttail, he returned to the den to attempt a conversation with Ben. “So how was school today?” Cooper bent down to rub the family’s Labrador retriever on the head.
“Fine.”
“Dixie sure smells good,” Cooper said, noting that when clean she was as black as coal.
“I gave her a bath. She loves it. I used y’all’s tub, and Mom got really mad,” Ben said as he looked down, embarrassed.
“Why didn’t you use that big tub in the garage?”
“The water’s too cold.” Ben sat up and turned to look directly at Cooper and asked, “Dad, when does dove season open in Alabama?”
“In two weeks.”
“Can we take Dixie?”
“I’d rather not.”
“But Dad!”
“She doesn’t mind me, and she wants to retrieve everyone’s birds. She’s a good dog; she’s just not a polished retriever, and it drives me crazy.”
“She’s just a little hardheaded.”
“More than a little. We’ll hunt, just not with Dixie.” Cooper paused, smiling at the thought of Dixie running around out of control. “So you have no idea where Mom is?”
“Nope.”
“How ’bout ‘No, sir,’” Cooper corrected.
The frustrated father stood for a few moments, watching the cartoon on television. Wow, they sure have changed since Bugs Bunny.
A door slamming upstairs got Cooper’s attention. Piper raced down the stairs and toward the back of the house.
“Hey, Daddy,” Piper called out as she tried to run past him.
“Whoa, girl.” Cooper grabbed her by the shirtsleeve, stopping her.
“Where you goin’ so fast?”
“My jeans are in the dryer.”
“Do you have makeup on?” Cooper inquired as he leaned down to take a closer look.
“Just lipstick.” Exasperated, Piper rolled her eyes.
“And some kinda war paint on your eyes,” Cooper added, while Ben began laughing.
“All my girlfriends wear it, Dad.”
She said, “Dad” as though it was multisyllabic. Piper had always made excellent grades. Both parents had given her some latitude to grow and express herself, but Cooper hated the thought of makeup because the next step was boys and dating.
“You don’t have a tattoo… do you?” he asked, squinting his eyes.
“Nope, just pierced my tongue though,” she said with a straight face.
“What?!” Cooper exploded.
“Just kiddin’,” she said with a chuckle.
“Are you tryin’ to give me a heart attack?” Cooper said with a smile.
Piper and Ben began laughing. Still chuckling, Piper ran to the laundry room.
“Piper!” Cooper hollered. “Where’s your mother?”
“Next door. She went over to talk about Botox.” Piper yelled from the laundry room.
“Botox?”
“Yeah. Mom was gettin’ a massage today, and all the women were tellin’ her that it would keep her young-lookin’,” Piper explained as she walked back into the room carrying her jeans.
“Why does she need Botox?”
“It’s the ‘in’ thing, Dad.”
Cooper let out a deep sigh. Kelly was driving him crazy. He had to talk to her.
“Dad? Dad!”
“I’m sorry. What is it?”
“I need you to drop me off at Lauren’s house tonight.”
“I wanna go!” Ben exclaimed.
“We’re goin’ to the game and then watchin’ movies,” Piper said as she started up the stairs. “You can’t come.”
“Stop! Hold up those jeans,” Cooper demanded.
Piper held up the pants for inspection and sighed audibly.
“Does your mother know you have those?”
“She bought ’em for me. Relax. They’re in style. Everybody’s wearin’ ’em.” Piper said, heavily emphasizing “everybody.”
Cooper heard Kelly’s heels clicking on the hardwood floors behind him at the same time she said, “Those are so cute, and she looks adorable in ’em. Besides, they were well over a hundred dollars.”
“Oh. Well, why didn’t you say so? If they cost a hundred bucks, then that makes ’em okay,” Cooper said sarcastically, watching Piper run up to her room, knowing she intended to wear the low-cut jeans with or without his approval.