may give to the Rotary Club?”
“Well I’d definitely start with… that is to say, possibly I’d…”
Jolene sighed. “Just as I thought: neither one of you has a fiscal plan as to what you intend to do with any funds received from tax-paying businesswomen like myself and my cousin.”
After grinning at Emily, Jolene added, “Perhaps another time. Y’all know the way out?”
With that she turned her back on the group and started to walk away.
“I’d think very carefully about your decision, Ms. Langley,” Frank Emerson said slowly. “I’d hate to see your establishment lose money due to lack of business.”
Jolene smiled. “We’re doing just fine bringing in the crowds. Goodbye, Frank.”
She turned to leave again and this time Anne Marie stopped her. “I, for one, have been meaning to bring up the topic of your establishment at our next meeting. The good people of Pleasure shouldn’t have to drive past such a den of iniquity as this on their way to the feed store and center of town.”
Jolene’s jaw clenched, and Emily recognized the sign as the point of no return with her cousin’s temper.
“I know exactly what you mean, Anne Marie,” Janet simpered. “The good folks of this town should know about what goes on in a place like this.”
Jolene actually smiled at that. “Why, Janet honey, wasn’t that you I saw sidling up to Dave and Joe after they’d finished the finale last week Thursday? Surely you reported back to your club all about it. Especially the lap dance.”
Janet paled, not a good look with the black pantsuit she always wore when conducting official Rotarian business.
“You’ve not seen the last of us,” Anne Marie warned.
“Promises, promises.” Jolene grinned at Emily and tugged on her hand. “Don’t all y’all let the door hit ya where the good Lord split ya.”
“Jolene,” Emily rasped. But her cousin’s comment was enough to have the trio drawing in a collective breath and leaving.
“Finally,” Emily said as the phone rang. “I’ll get it.”
Jolene shook her head and reached it first. “Jolene here.”
The expression on her cousin’s face changed radically. The humor was replaced with a hint of fear and a whole lot of temper. Jolene opened her mouth to speak, then changed her mind, and disconnected without saying a word.
“Who was it?” Emily demanded.
“Damned if I know.”
“What did they want?”
“Money.”
“Jeez, Jolene,” Emily said, walking to where her cousin stood by the bar. “Was it one of Frank’s vice presidents?”
Jolene shook her head. “I’m not sure who it was, but he’s called here once before… you remember that first day we were open for business and Jake Turner walked in?”
Emily smiled at that. “Ah yes, the gorgeous, clipboard-carrying fire marshal.”
Jolene frowned at her. “Well, whoever it is called then too, asking for the same thing.”
“Money,” Emily said.
“Right.”
“How much?”
Jolene shrugged. “Five thousand.”
“Dollars?” Emily had trouble conceiving of such an amount in cash. “When did they want it by?”
“Actually, I never really found out. I hung up before he could tell me when he wants the money.”
“Aren’t you worried that someone is trying to extort money from us?”
Jolene grinned. “Not especially, since we’ve already got the buzzards circling overhead, waiting for us to slip up so we end up donating to their damned clubs.”
“But, Jo,” Emily said, “this is different. Shouldn’t we call the sheriff’s office?”
“And tell them what, that the Preservation Society ganged up with the Rotary Club and the Woman’s Club, and are harassing us for money?”
“No,” Emily wrapped her arms around herself trying to keep the warmth from escaping. “That someone is threatening you for money.”
“Oh that.”
“Yeah,” Emily agreed. “That.”
“But I told you I never find out when he wants the money or what he’ll do if I don’t pay…
“Well I’d definitely start with… that is to say, possibly I’d…”
Jolene sighed. “Just as I thought: neither one of you has a fiscal plan as to what you intend to do with any funds received from tax-paying businesswomen like myself and my cousin.”
After grinning at Emily, Jolene added, “Perhaps another time. Y’all know the way out?”
With that she turned her back on the group and started to walk away.
“I’d think very carefully about your decision, Ms. Langley,” Frank Emerson said slowly. “I’d hate to see your establishment lose money due to lack of business.”
Jolene smiled. “We’re doing just fine bringing in the crowds. Goodbye, Frank.”
She turned to leave again and this time Anne Marie stopped her. “I, for one, have been meaning to bring up the topic of your establishment at our next meeting. The good people of Pleasure shouldn’t have to drive past such a den of iniquity as this on their way to the feed store and center of town.”
Jolene’s jaw clenched, and Emily recognized the sign as the point of no return with her cousin’s temper.
“I know exactly what you mean, Anne Marie,” Janet simpered. “The good folks of this town should know about what goes on in a place like this.”
Jolene actually smiled at that. “Why, Janet honey, wasn’t that you I saw sidling up to Dave and Joe after they’d finished the finale last week Thursday? Surely you reported back to your club all about it. Especially the lap dance.”
Janet paled, not a good look with the black pantsuit she always wore when conducting official Rotarian business.
“You’ve not seen the last of us,” Anne Marie warned.
“Promises, promises.” Jolene grinned at Emily and tugged on her hand. “Don’t all y’all let the door hit ya where the good Lord split ya.”
“Jolene,” Emily rasped. But her cousin’s comment was enough to have the trio drawing in a collective breath and leaving.
“Finally,” Emily said as the phone rang. “I’ll get it.”
Jolene shook her head and reached it first. “Jolene here.”
The expression on her cousin’s face changed radically. The humor was replaced with a hint of fear and a whole lot of temper. Jolene opened her mouth to speak, then changed her mind, and disconnected without saying a word.
“Who was it?” Emily demanded.
“Damned if I know.”
“What did they want?”
“Money.”
“Jeez, Jolene,” Emily said, walking to where her cousin stood by the bar. “Was it one of Frank’s vice presidents?”
Jolene shook her head. “I’m not sure who it was, but he’s called here once before… you remember that first day we were open for business and Jake Turner walked in?”
Emily smiled at that. “Ah yes, the gorgeous, clipboard-carrying fire marshal.”
Jolene frowned at her. “Well, whoever it is called then too, asking for the same thing.”
“Money,” Emily said.
“Right.”
“How much?”
Jolene shrugged. “Five thousand.”
“Dollars?” Emily had trouble conceiving of such an amount in cash. “When did they want it by?”
“Actually, I never really found out. I hung up before he could tell me when he wants the money.”
“Aren’t you worried that someone is trying to extort money from us?”
Jolene grinned. “Not especially, since we’ve already got the buzzards circling overhead, waiting for us to slip up so we end up donating to their damned clubs.”
“But, Jo,” Emily said, “this is different. Shouldn’t we call the sheriff’s office?”
“And tell them what, that the Preservation Society ganged up with the Rotary Club and the Woman’s Club, and are harassing us for money?”
“No,” Emily wrapped her arms around herself trying to keep the warmth from escaping. “That someone is threatening you for money.”
“Oh that.”
“Yeah,” Emily agreed. “That.”
“But I told you I never find out when he wants the money or what he’ll do if I don’t pay…
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