For the Love of Justice by Leta Gail Doerr

Author:Leta Gail Doerr
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: ePublishing Works!
Published: 2015-04-20T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 10

The forest through the trees.

I've survived the last two weeks on a steady diet of coffee and candy bars. Lacie Joe jokes and says I've finally found my stride—whatever that means. I snickered and told her, "I'm not a horse."

I think she's trying to say I'm just as insane as she is when it comes to managing life and all things in it. Against my better judgment, I've been discussing the financials for FiddleStix and BlU with Lacie Joe. She's coaching me on how to present the information to Big Willie—we think he's going to be a hard sell.

I stare at myself in the small rectangular mirror I keep on my desk. Completely prepared to lay on the charm with Big Willie, I ready myself for a fiscal squabble. You can't argue with numbers. FiddleStix is in the red, and not on account of the holiday season.

I call Big Willie into my office—my desk littered with financial statements, graphs depicting the decline in riders, and miserable projections for next year. He eases into the seat farthest away from my desk, crosses his arms over his chest and uses two fingers to toy with the toothpick he has gripped between his teeth.

"Emma." He nods in my direction by way of greeting.

"Big Willie." I nod in return. "Thank you for taking the time to speak with me. I know you would much rather be out there mingling with the guys and tendin' to the horses."

He narrows his beady eyes and juts out his chin. Eying me suspiciously, he asks, "What are you up to?"

"What makes you think I'm up to something?"

Big Willie plucks his toothpick from his teeth and points it at me. "I ain't seen hide nor hair of you for days. The fellas say they ain't seen you neither. Poor Charlie, you know, your horse, likely forgot what you even look like."

"I've been here, Big Willie. Except for when I've run out to check on Lacie Joe. I will admit I've been right here in this office. My light's always on." I point at the desk lamp fashioned from recycled horseshoes. "Y'all know where to find me."

"You're just different, is all. How 'bout you go on ahead and tell me what you called me in here for."

I take a deep breath and motion for Big Willie to scoot closer to my desk. He moves his chair maybe an inch before settling back into his analytical position. Eyes fixed on me. Listening. Watching. Which in turn forces a surge of blood to my skin's surface.

I spit out my spiel about the use of the ranch and the surrounding property as a full-time therapeutic center for a host of disorders and treatments—much like I rehearsed with Lacie Joe. "We can offer drug and alcohol rehabilitation, focus on eating disorders, trauma treatment and clinical experiences for patients on the Autism spectrum," I say, finishing my speech.

At first, the only emotion I garner is the blink of his eyes. Then he flicks his toothpick into the waste can on the floor near the edge of my desk.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.