Luck of the Draw

Chapter 32 - Take a Number

Mickey stood behind the couple's car and looked at the tree in their trunk. It was dark brown and all twisted and curled as if it had been burned. The man was marching in small circles, waving his arms and ranting while his wife shyly watched the performance.

"What can I say? It more than dead, sir."

"What are you going to do about it?"

"Me? We didn't sell you this tree."

"You're the specialists aren't you? Fix it."

"Fix it? Sir, this is beyond fixing. I can sell you one of ours... and it would be guaranteed to serve you well for the Christmas season, but there's nothing I can do about that."

"Where's the guy that ran the lot downtown?"

"I haven't the faintest idea." Mickey paused and chewed the inside of his cheek. "I think I heard somewhere he was staying at the Waterfall but don't quote me."

"The Waterfall, eh? Get in the car, Susan."

"Sir, may I suggest a calmer approach...?" Mickey's words were swallowed in a cloud of dust from the spinning wheels on the car as it fishtailed out of the garden center.

"What was that?" Carly joined him on the parking area.

"I think I just saw a sample of NaturGro's product, and depending on how many your salesman friend sold; we could see the first lynching in this country for a long time."

"He's not my friend."

"Bought a lot of spices didn't he?"

"True, but not enough to qualify."

They headed back to the office arm in arm.

"How's Katherine doing?"

"Good. She sees Mac every day, and he's about ready to be discharged. I think we should help her discourage him from working."

"Working! He's not supposed to."

"You know him better than I do. Katherine is concerned."

"Then you and Katherine work on him; he's liable to fire me."

"Don't be silly."

"Those extra trees I ordered came in, and we've moved exactly fourteen out of five hundred."

"There's still time. You can't expect another rush like the one we had."

He stopped and took her by the arms.

"Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't Christmas in three days?"

"Christmas Eve." She corrected.

"What about your own business, you've spent all your time here and your own business is suffering?"

"Can't be helped."

"Oh yes it can. You go and open your shop, I can handle this. And tell your customers about our wonderland out here."

"I suppose I should."

"You should." He pulled her close and kissed her then turned her around and sent her off with a pat on the bum.

Two more cars turned onto the lot with trees in the trunks, and Mickey prepared to deal with another set of unhappy purchasers, wondering why they were all showing up at Mac's. With a stroke of genius he quickly drew up a sign announcing, live natural tree replacements in time for Christmas.

!!!!!

Harry loaded up a cardboard box and carried the contents to another, smaller room in the restaurant that would become his new office. He passed Dwarf who was talking to one of the new bartenders, and at a booth in the back, he staggered to a halt when he saw Sally and Barclay together, and knew then Sally wasn't kidding about her changes.

He dumped the carton on the desk and pulled out the dusty chair and sat. This was his future, he moaned. Once CEO of a multi-million dollar corporation and secret owner of money mine restaurant, now a fugitive from the disgrace of his failed project, and a junior partner in the restaurant he started; his own junior now huddled with the new owner.

The realization suddenly hit him that he had arranged for thousands of dollars of NaturGro stock, that were currently whipping up a frenzy in the market, and he snatched up the phone and immediately called his broker. The sale had taken place and the money was moved to his numbered account in the islands.

His next move was to find out what happened with Playford... and the trees. Loose ends could wind up about one's neck if not careful. He tried the phone again, calling the various hotels and motels. Reggie Ogilvie of the Waterfall Motel provided the information Harry wanted, along with a string of colourful oaths about a forest of the sickest looking trees he'd ever seen that were dumped behind his motel, spoiling the room facing the garden view.

Harry quickly hung up and rubbed his hand over his face. Playford dumped the delivery and left the motel without paying. Sickest looking he'd ever seen! He had to admire the fact that Playford at least tried to hide the five thousand tree disaster... and alone. Or had he?

Harry sat up sharply. That must be why Barclay showed up, he reasoned. They were in it together. Barclay must have tried to stop the sale to protect himself, and when it was too late he helped Playford cover it up. Barclay was being very shrewd.

Continuing his suspicions, Harry stroked his chin. He had followed Harry's advice and made certain that Playford's name was the only one connected to the sale of trees, and when their failure came to light he would be on the hook all on his own. Barclay could claim ignorance, unless things really got hot, and then he might give Malcolm up to save himself.

It was a good thing nobody else from the company knew where he was. He would soon have all his stock converted to cash and that would be the mystery of the NaturGro CEO. He might be accused of the failure but he wouldn't be the one to face the board, the securities people or the public. His new name and business would hide him from all that.

The image of Sally head to head with Barclay reappeared, and he felt sick all over again.

!!!!!

Mickey tried his best to accommodate the angry residents who seemed to think because Eden's Accessories was the only garden center in the town that it should be responsible somehow for the sale of dying trees.

He explained that the salesman from NaturGro set up his own site and sold his own product exclusively. If they had a complaint it could hardly be with Mac's, they should go after the city council for issuing a permit without a thorough investigation of the product. Meanwhile, he managed to move a considerable number of the extra trees he'd ordered.

Katherine called because Mac insisted she keep a check on Mickey; he couldn't bear leaving his business in the hands of his clumsy employee. She apologized and assured him that it was just to mollify her husband and was not a real attempt at monitoring his actions.

"I understand, Katherine and don't worry about it. Things are fine. Business has actually picked up some thanks to our belated competitor."

"I'll tell Mac. He'll doubt it, but that's just him."

"I know that too. And tell him I haven't fallen or hurt myself at all. He'll gag on that as well." They joked a little more and then rang off.

Mickey hoped above all that Mac got better for her sake; they were one couple not meant to be split in two. He wondered if he and Carly could ever reach that stage... or any stage for that matter. The one blissful event in her store had not led to any more, and he wondered if she was taking stock. Considering options. Making comparisons? He made himself focus on the work, and fortunately some customers arrived.